Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and novelist. He was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Montreal, Quebec, and began his career as a poet and novelist in the 1950s. He did not begin a music career until 1967, when he released his debut album, Songs of Leonard Cohen.

Cohen's music was characterized by its spare, haunting arrangements and its poetic lyrics, which often explored themes of love, loss, faith, and mortality. His most famous songs include "Hallelujah," "Suzanne," "Bird on the Wire," and "So Long, Marianne."

Cohen was a highly influential figure in popular music, and his work has been covered by artists such as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and Jeff Buckley. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

In addition to his music career, Cohen also published several books of poetry and novels. His most notable novel is Beautiful Losers (1966), which is considered to be a classic of Canadian literature.

Cohen died in 2016 at the age of 82. He is remembered as one of the most important and influential songwriters of his generation.