Rod McKuen

Rod McKuen
McKuen in 1970
McKuen in 1970
Background information
Birth nameRodney Marvin Woolever
Born(1933-04-29)April 29, 1933
Oakland, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 29, 2015(2015-01-29) (aged 81)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • poet
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
Years active1955–2004
Formerly ofJacques Brel
PartnerEdward Habib

Rodney Marvin McKuen (/məˈkjən/ mə-KEW-ən;  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]

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