Hi everyone, longtime LC devotee and reader of this forum, first time poster.
I'm writing a book about the history of Country & Western music (to simplify my subject considerably). Because Leonard is, depending on when I'm asked, either my favorite artist of all time, one of my top 3 favorite artists of all time, and/or my personal Pope, and because it's my book, I'm including a section on the relationship of Country to Cohen's work. One thing I've had considerable difficulty determining, though, is which Country singers have influenced him, particularly during his pre-music-career life. If anyone knows of interviews or writings where Leonard has spoken of this, I'd be much obliged if you could point me toward them or share what you know.
Goes without saying that Hank Williams is a major one. I know he's spoken highly of Willie Nelson too. We could perhaps also include Ray Charles for his Country recordings. The holler in the outro of "Ballad of the Absent Mare" would seem to be a nod toward Bob Wills. But beyond this, I can only guess. The "Leonard Cohen's Lonesome Heroes" makes some suggestions, but does not present any evidence for them.
If this has already been discussed somewhere in the forum, I sincerely apologize- I searched repeatedly but have found nothing.
Oh, and on a related note: On Various Positions, there seems to be a certain continuity between "The Captain", "Hunter's Lullaby", and "Heart With No Companion", beyond the fact that they follow each other, but I have as yet been unable to decipher the nature of any narrative or whatever connects the three. If anyone reading this post has any insights on this or knows of anywhere that it's been discussed, I'd be very thankful for hints on this too.
Thanks for reading and for any suggestions!
Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
Re: Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
Hi M,
Sounds like an interesting book. Some things I can think of off the top of my head (which you may already know about) are:
He speaks of listening to country radio as a boy in Canada, in this and other interviews through the years:
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/jools.htm
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/q94.htm
Sounds like an interesting book. Some things I can think of off the top of my head (which you may already know about) are:
He speaks of listening to country radio as a boy in Canada, in this and other interviews through the years:
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/jools.htm
Also, he mentions George Jones in this interview:JH: Your unusual thing in music in that you are a genuine poet, and a songwriter. What was the first thing that influenced you? Was it literature, or was it music?
LC: Country music. I used to listen to this radio station, Wheeling, West Virginia. You know, under the covers when your parents couldn't hear you, you could get those stations late at night, those country stations.
JH: What sort of artists would you listen to?
LC: Oh, Merle Haggard, Hank Snow, Roy Acuff, all the old country stars.
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/q94.htm
What music would you have played at your funeral?
The Grand Tour by George Jones. He's showing somebody round this empty house and he's saying here's the nursery, she left me without mercy.
"In this world of shallow, he is the abyss."~ YouTube commenter greg450318
________________________________________________________________
Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
________________________________________________________________
Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
Re: Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
Many thanks, mnkyface! I had not seen either of those before, and they are both very helpful. The Jools Holland interview had another unrelated section that happens to fit right into what I'm working on as well. Cheers.
Re: Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
Charlie Daniels music.
Re: Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
Possibly Johnny Cash , who covered Bird on a Wire (American Recordings, 2007)
http://www.last.fm/music/Johnny+Cash/Am ... Recordings
http://www.last.fm/music/Johnny+Cash/Am ... Recordings
1985 Rotterdam
1988 Amsterdam
1993 The Hague
2008 Manchester, Brussels (2x), Rotterdam
2009 Lisboa
2010 Dortmund
2012 Ghent 2012 (2x), Amsterdam 2012 (2x)
2013 Antwerp, Oberhausen, Brussels, Rotterdam, Amsterdam
1988 Amsterdam
1993 The Hague
2008 Manchester, Brussels (2x), Rotterdam
2009 Lisboa
2010 Dortmund
2012 Ghent 2012 (2x), Amsterdam 2012 (2x)
2013 Antwerp, Oberhausen, Brussels, Rotterdam, Amsterdam
Re: Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
And no one has mentioned Patsy ?
Re: Which Country & Western singers influenced Cohen?
Hi
I don't know if this will help you but there is a thread dedicated to looking at some of Cohen's country music connections. Hope you can use some of the information anyway!
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14959
I don't know if this will help you but there is a thread dedicated to looking at some of Cohen's country music connections. Hope you can use some of the information anyway!
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14959
MCrown wrote:Hi everyone, longtime LC devotee and reader of this forum, first time poster.
I'm writing a book about the history of Country & Western music (to simplify my subject considerably). Because Leonard is, depending on when I'm asked, either my favorite artist of all time, one of my top 3 favorite artists of all time, and/or my personal Pope, and because it's my book, I'm including a section on the relationship of Country to Cohen's work. One thing I've had considerable difficulty determining, though, is which Country singers have influenced him, particularly during his pre-music-career life. If anyone knows of interviews or writings where Leonard has spoken of this, I'd be much obliged if you could point me toward them or share what you know.
Goes without saying that Hank Williams is a major one. I know he's spoken highly of Willie Nelson too. We could perhaps also include Ray Charles for his Country recordings. The holler in the outro of "Ballad of the Absent Mare" would seem to be a nod toward Bob Wills. But beyond this, I can only guess. The "Leonard Cohen's Lonesome Heroes" makes some suggestions, but does not present any evidence for them.
If this has already been discussed somewhere in the forum, I sincerely apologize- I searched repeatedly but have found nothing.
Oh, and on a related note: On Various Positions, there seems to be a certain continuity between "The Captain", "Hunter's Lullaby", and "Heart With No Companion", beyond the fact that they follow each other, but I have as yet been unable to decipher the nature of any narrative or whatever connects the three. If anyone reading this post has any insights on this or knows of anywhere that it's been discussed, I'd be very thankful for hints on this too.
Thanks for reading and for any suggestions!