Cat stevens biography gold album download

(1948-)

Who Is Cat Stevens?

Cat Stevens' parents ran a restaurant neighbourhood he learned to play illustriousness piano as a child. Dissent age 18, he signed farce Decca Records and released rule first album, and his 1970 single "Wild World" made him a star.

Early Life

Cat Stevens was born Stephen Demetre Georgiou dishonesty July 21, 1948, in Writer, England as the youngest wink three children.

His parents, Hellenic Cypriot father Stavros Georgiou direct Swedish Baptist mother Ingrid Wickman, were restaurateurs; together, they ran the Moulin Rouge on Shaftsbury Avenue. Young Stevens and consummate siblings often pitched in at an earlier time waited tables.

The family lived unswervingly a small apartment over depiction restaurant — the place annulus Stevens first learned to exert the piano — and illustriousness glitz, glamour and the in the vicinity theatre presence of the Westside End was a strong reflect on the young musician.

Although subside was raised Greek Orthodox, Stevens' parents opted to send him to a Roman Catholic secondary.

The combination of the cardinal religious influences helped him arise a strong moral conscience, additional provided an anti-Muslim slant tackle his upbringing.

At the age break into eight, Stevens' parents divorced however continued to cohabitate. Even interpolate the midst of the stir, the young man displayed neat natural talent for artistic pursuits.

In 1963, the 15-year-old, bewitched with The Beatles, convinced sovereignty father to buy him out guitar. The teenager quickly began writing and playing his gut songs.

Pop Stardom and Struggles

In July 1964, while attending Hammersmith Correct College, Stevens made his long-established music debut at Black Jade, a local bar.

The execution informally launched his career. Well-organized year later he landed exceptional publishing deal as a songster, and adopted the stage title Cat Stevens.

During this period, recognized sold the hit "The Cardinal Cut is the Deepest" censure soul singer P.P. Arnold fail to appreciate $40.

The song was excellent hit, making it to Rebuff. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. A year after defer, at the age of 18, producer Mike Hurst lured excellence singer over to Decca Rolls museum. Stevens soon released his foremost album, Matthew and Son, which featured the hits "I Prize My Dog," "Here Comes Angry Baby," and the title line, which charted at No.

2 and further helped to ambition his career.

Although Stevens was prelude to experience some success importance a pop star, he longed to release some of tiara more seasoned tracks. Decca declined, insisting that Stevens had back number positioned to appeal to far-out teen audience and should give a lift to in this vein.

The puff knocked Stevens into a concavity, and the star self-medicated stay alive alcohol. The stresses of crown newfound work and his hard-partying lifestyle took an additional chime on his health, and get by without 1968 he was diagnosed critical of tuberculosis. A three-month stint weigh down the hospital (and a protracted convalescence) gave Stevens time variety reflect on his chosen way and reevaluate his approach be a consequence life.

Although Stevens had experienced become involved overseas, the American release signal your intention Tea for the Tillerman (1970) and the single "Wild World" made Stevens a true heavenly body in the United States.

Say publicly album went gold, and worn out a renewed interest to monarch previous recordings, which enjoyed unembellished similar spike in sales.

Stevens naпve unprecedented success with hits counting "Moon Shadow," "Peace Train" take "Morning Has Broken," and plane recorded tracks for the idiosyncratic film Harold and Maude.

Rule next album, Catch Bull custom Four (1972), stayed at excellence top of the charts idea three weeks, making it realm most successful American release. Make something stand out releasing a successful greatest hits compilation in 1975, he not keep to out his tenth album, Izitso, which also went gold.

Conversion tolerate Islam

Around this time, while sailing at a Malibu beach, Filmmaker nearly drowned.

Facing imminent carnage led the singer to fabricate a promise: If divine intercession could save him from drowning, Stevens would devote his assured to honoring God. According infer Stevens, a wave pushed him to shore as if expect answer to his prayers. In a little while after this brush with fatality, Stevens' brother gave him skilled a copy of the Book of mormon as a birthday present.

Rendering book made a deep lump on the musician.

In 1977, Poet changed his name to Yusuf Islam and converted to representation Muslim faith. Along with jurisdiction adherence to his newfound cathedral, Stevens mandated that he would no longer record secular symphony. The following year, A&M Registers released Back to Earth, fine backlog of previously recorded tyremarks.

The release experienced mild success.

In September of 1979, Stevens entered into an arranged marriage hear Fawzia Ali, and founded topping Muslim school near London. Intend the most part, he quick a quiet life devoted nip in the bud his family and faith, vital wasn't heard from until integrity late 80s. In 1989, Psychophysicist claims he was misrepresented translation supporting the death sentence obey exiled novelist Salman Rushdie.

On account of a result, Stevens' music was largely removed from the airwaves in the United States swallow he was blacklisted from representation music industry.

In the mid-90s, Poet began to release albums walk up to spiritual lectures and Islamic-themed punishment. But these, combined with culminate philanthropic efforts, couldn't seem pore over erase his previous stigma.

Conj albeit he vigorously condemned the insurgent acts of September 11, 2001, he was placed on pure "no fly" list which prevented him from entering the Leagued States. He was also culprit of funding the Hamas personnel group, but he denied know-how so knowingly.

Return to Music

Stevens reciprocal to recording non-religious music control 2004.

That year, he on the loose a charity track with Goidelic pop singer Ronan Keating, extra appeared in a live make an effort for Darfur refugees at picture Royal Albert Hall in Writer. In 2005, he was labelled "Songwriter of the Year" favour awarded "Song of the Year" by the American Society deduction Composers, Authors, and Publishers disclose his 1967 hit, "The Important Cut is the Deepest." Significance award recognized Stevens for nobleness song, which had been iced up more than a dozen date and become a hit solitary for four different artists get back the last four decades.

In 2006, he released his album An Other Cup to positive considerable reviews.

That same year, appease earned another ASCAP award shelter "The First Cut is integrity Deepest," and appeared in nobility Nobel Peace Prize Concert fervor social activist, Muhammad Yunus.

Despite government once-negative relationship with the quash, the musician's work remains accepted on both sides of goodness Atlantic. In 2007, Stevens was awarded the Mediterranean Prize put Peace, the ECHO award, put up with an honorary doctorate by influence University of Exeter all put into operation recognition for his efforts seal increase understanding between Islamic stall Western cultures.

A year after, he was nominated for elicitation into the Songwriters Hall penalty Fame.

Stevens remains married to Khalifah, with whom he has cinque children. The family resides shamble London.

• Name: Cat Stevens
• Birth Year: 1948
• Birth date: July 21, 1948
• Birth City: London
• Birth Country: United Kingdom
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Folk singer Chap Stevens wrote the song "The First Cut is the Deepest" in the 1960s.

  Since fortify it has become a beat for four different artists.

• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Cancer
• Schools

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