Contributors to the album included Nicks, Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, members of the Eagles, Carl Wilson, Linda Ronstadt, and Bonnie Raitt. There he collaborated with Jackson Browne, who produced and promoted Zevon’s self-titled major-label debut in 1976. Zevon touring solo in Heidelberg as the opener for Jackson Browne in 1976īy September 1975, Zevon had returned to Los Angeles, where he roomed with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, who had by now gained fame as members of Fleetwood Mac.
Together they composed “ Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner“. His dissatisfaction with his career (and a lack of funds) led him to move to Spain in the summer of 1975, where he lived and played in the Dubliner Bar, a small tavern in Sitges, near Barcelona, owned by David Lindell, a former mercenary. Later the same decade, he toured and recorded with Don Everly and Phil Everly separately, as they tried to launch solo careers after their breakup. Zevon’s first attempt at a solo album, Wanted Dead or Alive (1969), was produced by 1960s cult figure Kim Fowley but did not sell well.ĭuring the early 1970s, Zevon toured regularly with the Everly Brothers as keyboard player, band leader, and musical coordinator. Another early composition (“She Quit Me”) was included in the soundtrack for the film Midnight Cowboy (1969) to suit its place in the film, the song was re-recorded by Leslie Miller as “He Quit Me”. He wrote several songs for his White Whale labelmates The Turtles (“Like the Seasons” and “Outside Chance”), though his participation in their recording is unknown. He spent time as a session musician and jingle composer. Zevon turned to a musical career early, forming a musical duo with his high school friend, Violet Santangelo, called lyme and cybelle. He soon quit high school and moved from Los Angeles to New York City to become a folk singer. Zevon’s parents divorced when he was 16 years old. By the age of 13, Zevon was an occasional visitor to the home of Igor Stravinsky, where he briefly studied modern classical music alongside Robert Craft. Warren’s mother was from a Mormon family and was of English descent. He worked for years in the Cohen crime family, in which he was known as Stumpy Zevon, and was best man at Cohen’s first wedding. William Zevon worked as a bookie who handled volume bets and dice games for the notorious Los Angeles mobster Mickey Cohen. His father was a Jewish immigrant from Russia, whose original surname was Zivotovsky. Zevon was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Beverly Cope (née Simmons) and William Zevon. Known for his dry wit and acerbic lyrics, he was a guest numerous times on Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman. He briefly found a new audience in the 1980s by teaming up with members of R.E.M. in the blues rock outfit Hindu Love Gods. This launched a cult following that lasted for 25 years, with Zevon making occasional returns to album and single charts until his death from cancer in 2003. Despite all this, Zevon struggled to breakthrough in his solo career, until his music was performed by Linda Ronstadt, beginning in 1976 with her album Hasten Down the Wind. Zevon’s early music industry successes were found as a session musician, jingle composer, songwriter, touring musician, musical coordinator & bandleader. Along with his own work, he recorded or performed occasional covers, including Allen Toussaint‘s “A Certain Girl”, Bob Dylan‘s “ Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door“, Leonard Cohen‘s “ First We Take Manhattan“, Steve Winwood‘s “ Back in the High Life Again“, and Prince‘s “ Raspberry Beret“. He also wrote major hits that were recorded by other artists, including “ Poor Poor Pitiful Me“, “Accidentally Like a Martyr”, “ Mohammed’s Radio“, “ Carmelita“, and “ Hasten Down the Wind“. Zevon’s most famous compositions include “ Werewolves of London“, “ Lawyers, Guns and Money“, and “ Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner“, all of which are featured on his third album, Excitable Boy (1978), whose title track is also well-known. Warren William Zevon January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician. Join us for a musical retrospective of Los Angeles and Laurel Canyon icon Warren Zevon this Friday on Laurel Canyon Radio beginning at 6pm PST.
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