Warren Zevon biography

 

The son of a gangster who was a Russian Jewish immigrant, and a Mormon Midwestern mother of English descent, Warren Zevon overcame a difficult childhood and an ill-fated start as a folk-rock-singer in the 1960s to establish himself as one of the most offbeat and intelligent singer-songwriters in the mid-1970s.

A trained classical pianist, he often combined darkly humorous and cynical observations with heartfelt romantic sentiments and biting social satire. He is considered one of the best lyricists in songwriting and his interest in the literary world has led to friendships with many writers, including Hunter S. Thompson, Carl Hiaasen, Stephen King, Thomas McGuane and Dave Barry.

 

His breakthrough as a recording artist came in 1978 when his song "Werewolves of London" became a surprise hit, pushing the accompanying album "Excitable Boy" into the Top 30 as well. This album, like the preceding and critically praised eponymous album, were produced by Jackson Browne, who helped Warren get a recording contract and stayed a lifelong supporter and friend. Though considered by the general public as a one-hit wonder - an impression not helped by "Werewolves of London" becoming a hit once more in 1986 following its use by Martin Scorsese in a key scene of The Color of Money - he had a highly praised recording career, a devoted fan-base and a lot of peer respect during the course of the publication of 15 solo albums from 1969 to 2002.

He was considered part of the L.A. "Mellow Mafia" (including, among others, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and JD Souther), but set himself apart by his adventurous lyrical and musical choices. He was, however, engaged in the Hollywood lifestyle favored by some of his more high-profile colleagues and was battling with alcoholism for the better part of his life.

In the 1990s Warren also branched out into acting, playing himself in episodes of "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Suddenly Susan" or acting alongside one-time neighbour and friend Billy Bob Thornton.

In 2001 Zevon was diagnosed as terminally ill with mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer. He used his last months to record a last album, "The Wind". This process was the subject of a VH1 documentary, published posthumously on DVD.