Leonard Norman Cohen

Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and novelist. Published his first book of poetry in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often dealt with the exploration of religion, isolation, sexuality, and relationships. Earliest songs were rooted in European folk music, later evolving into pop, cabaret and world music. Over 2,000 renditions of his songs have been recorded. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was made a Companion to the Order of Canada. His dual careers in music and literature continued feeding each other over the decades. His 1984 single “Hallelujah” became a hit again in 2008 after it was featured on TV talent shows. The song has also been the subject of a BBC Radio documentary and been featured in the soundtracks of numerous films and television programs. Cohen’s other albums included Death of a Ladies' Man, Various Positions (including the single “Hallelujah”), and Blue Alert (with the singer Anjani). Collectively, Cohen published twelve books, the most recent being Book of Longing (2006), a collection of poetry, prose and drawings.