Cohen, Leonard

Cohen, Leonard	Gender: M
Birthname	Leonard Norman Cohen
born on	21 September 1934 at 06:45 (= 06:45 AM )
Place	Montréal, Quebec (CAN), 45n31, 73w34
Timezone	EDT h4w (is daylight saving time)
	Rodden Rating A
	Collector: Rodden
Astrology data	27°45' 04°01 Asc. 27°58'

Leonard Cohen
natal chart (Placidus)
natal chart English style (Equal houses)

Leonard Cohen

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Biography

Canadian novelist and songwriter-folksinger who became a Buddhist monk, shaving his head and living part-time in a monastery on Mount Baldy, outside of Los Angeles, CA. Cohen separated from his wife, Painter Suzanne Elrod, in the mid-'70s. Though he spoke for years of his interest in Zen, it was still a surprise to the establishment when the highly successful songwriter and poet left his finely tailored suits for modest robes, and Hollywood mansions for a small cabin with a narrow cot. The pop icon, whose classic takes include "Bird on a Wire" and "Suzanne," does the cooking for the small community.

Raised by a well-to-do couple in Montreal, Leonard grew up in a house filled with music. As he grew older, he enjoyed a wide range of musical styles from commercial country and folk to synagogue music. During his teens, he had his first stint with a country group, "The Buckskin Boys." As a student at McGill, he gravitated toward poetry and prose, eventually gaining acclaim in Canada for his poems and two novels. The books did not sell well, so for income, Cohen returned to songwriting. Judy Collins soon bought his "Suzanne" for her 1966 album, "In My Life." His creaky baritone was distinctive enough that he was signed to a record contract himself by Columbia with a debut album in 1968, "Songs of Leonard Cohen." Sales were modest but critics hailed the collection.

During a period of deep depression in the '70s, Cohen began to embrace Zen. Turning to a friend who had an aura of calm, he was introduced by the friend to an old Zen teacher. He found the spiritual training rigorous. For a time, he worked in both worlds, the commercial world of music and the spiritual world of striving, until he finally yielded completely and moved to the Zen Center.

Cohen stopped recording in 1992 and touring in 1993 when he moved up the mountain. With enough time, he is working on an illustrated book of poems and songs for a future album. His workroom contains an old computer and a synthesizer, tools for his music and his graphic art. He rises at 3:00 AM for morning meditation and to begin preparing the day's menu. His graceful, confessional songs have been described as "elegant, bittersweet mood music for the dark nights of the soul." A tribute album was released by A&M Records on 9/26/1995, "Tower of Song."

For his worldly involvement, Cohen heads down the mountain to visit his daughter in the Wilshire district or his son, Adam, who began making his own mark in the music field in 1998 at the age of 25. In July, Adam released his debut album, "Adam Cohen," to critical applause.

Link to Wikipedia biography

Relationships

associate relationship with Hancock, Herbie (born 12 April 1940)

Events

Work : Gain social status 1966 (Song "Suzanne")

Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 1968 (Release of his own album)

Work : Retired 1992 (Stopped recording)

Work : Retired 1993 (Stopped touring)

Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 26 September 1995 (Album, "Tower of Song")
chart Placidus Equal_H.

Source Notes

Linda Clark quotes him, time from his mom of "daybreak."

Cohen, Leonard

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