• Jan. 24, 1947 - Sept. 7, 2003
• Zevon was famous for his darker sense of humor, heard in songs like "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner" and "Excitable Boy." He was good friends with many famous musicians who enjoyed his company, including Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Billy Bob Thornton, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Neil Young, REM, and the Everly Brothers.
• After being diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in 2002, Warren Zevon appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in an episode where he was the only guest. This was the last time he performed publicly, ending with "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner." Letterman was a huge Zevon fan and often had him on the show. Zevon even filled in from time to time for the show's bandleader, Paul Shaffer.
• Zevon got a big-time boost from two members of the music scene in Los Angeles, where he was based. Jackson Browne got him a record deal and produced his self-titled 1976 album. Three songs from that album were then covered by Linda Ronstadt: "Hasten Down The Wind" later in 1976 and "Carmelita" and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" in 1977. Zevon landed his hit "Werewolves Of London" the following year.
• VH1 aired a documentary about the making of his final album: The Wind (2003), which he recorded knowing he did not have long to live.
• His most abstract album was 1989's techno-overtoned Transverse City.
• In an act of public homage, Bob Dylan performed many of Zevon's songs in concert after he announced his disease. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Andy - Circleville, OH
• Many of the songs on his final album The Wind were recorded in his living room because he has too sick to visit a studio. He made this final album to put out some of his previously released and unreleased songs before he died. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Tristan - Bloomington, MN

Comments: 3

• Pat from Albuquerque, NmMany of Warren's songs have a wry sense of humor. From "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner,"(but how does he aim?),
  to"Poor Poor Pitiful Me," first made famous by Linda Ronstadt, there are a lot of musical jokes in there...
• Michelle from Maplewood, Mnmy favorite of his song's would have to be warewolves of london and i think it is a good song to remember Warren Zevon by
• Joshua from Twin Cities, MnZevon's semi-official "logo," which appeared on the back of many of his album covers, was a human skull with a lit cigarette in its mouth and wearing sunglasses - which turned out to be eerily prophetic (not to mention somewhat ironic, as the form of lung cancer that killed Zevon is one associated mainly with asbestos exposure, rather than cigarette smoke).
  

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