Rod McKuen | |
|---|---|
 McKuen in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rodney Marvin Woolever |
| Born | April 29, 1933 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 29, 2015 (aged 81) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1955–2004 |
| Formerly of | Jacques Brel |
| Partner | Edward Habib |
Rodney Marvin McKuen (/məˈkjuːən/ mə-KEW-ən; né Woolever; April 29, 1933 – January 29, 2015) was an American poet, singer-songwriter, and composer. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range of recordings, which included popular music, spoken word poetry, film soundtracks and classical music. He earned two Academy Award nominations for his music compositions. McKuen's translations and adaptations of the songs of Jacques Brel were instrumental in bringing the Belgian songwriter to prominence in the English-speaking world. His poetry deals with themes of love, the natural world and spirituality. McKuen's songs sold over 100 million recordings worldwide, and 60 million books of his poetry were sold as well.[1]