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Bruce Cockburn

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Bruce Cockburn
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Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Cockburn (IPA ['kobərn]; phonetically: "co-burn") OC (born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer/songwriter. He has recorded over 25 albums, and written songs ranging from folk music to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.

Contents

Biography

Cockburn was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and was a student at Broadview and Nepean High School (he was occasionally seen in the parking lot playing guitar out the side of his van for a few female onlookers, but did not take music). He then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, a school for would-be professional jazzers and popsters for three semesters in the mid-'60s before leaving: "I got a lot out of it, but it didn't feel right to continue there." During 1966, he was asked to join an Ottawa band called "The Children" which lasted about a year. In the spring of 1967, he joined the final line up The Esquires before moving to Toronto in the summer to form The Flying Circus with former Bobby Kris & The Imperials members Marty Fisher and Gordon MacBain and ex-Tripp member Neil Lillie. The group recorded some material in late 1967 (which remains unreleased) before changing name to Olivus in the spring of 1968 by which point Lillie (who changed name to Neil Merryweather) had been replaced by Dennis Pendrith from Livingston's Journey. Olivus opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in April 1968. In the summer, he broke up Olivus, initially to go solo but ended up joining 3's a Crowd with David Wiffen and Richard Patterson who had played with him in The Children. Cockburn left this band in the spring of 1969 to revert to a solo career.

He had made his first solo appearance at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1967, and in 1970 released his first self-titled solo album. Cockburn's phenomenal guitar work and songwriting skills won him an enthusiastic following. His early work sparkles with a rural and often nautical image base, biblical metaphors and delight that whatever happens here, heaven isn't far away. Early in his career he became a devout Christian; many of his albums from the 1970s show evidence of his religious beliefs. His use of Christianity in his music is from such a fresh and personal perspective that it draws in nonbelievers and people from other faiths almost voyeuristically. "I'm certainly not a Christian, but if I were, I'd want to be one like Bruce" would not be an uncommon refrain among his listeners.

While Cockburn had been popular in Canada for years, he didn't make a splash in the United States until 1979, with the release of the album Dancing in the Dragon's Jaw, still a landmark of acoustic-based pop with intricate lyrics, great sonics, and startling guitar work. "Wondering Where The Lions Are," the first single from that album, became a minor hit in the US (and ultimately a Muzak staple), landing Cockburn on NBC's hit TV show Saturday Night Live.

Increasingly through the 1980s Cockburn's songwriting became first more urban, then more global, and then, ultimately and most famously, more politicized: he became heavily involved with socialist and other left-wing activist causes. This is most interestingly hinted at in two astonishing but little-known discs, "Humans" and "The Trouble With Normal." As far as casual radio listeners are concerned, however, it was only evident when Cockburn's second radio hit came in 1984 with the release of his Stealing Fire album and the song "If I Had A Rocket Launcher," written a year earlier after Cockburn had visited Guatemalan refugee camps in Mexico that were attacked before and after his visit by Guatemalan military helicopters. His political activism continues to the present: Cockburn has travelled to many countries, played benefits, and written many songs on a variety of political subjects ranging from the International Monetary Fund to landmines. His interest in international culture is reflected in the "world music" touches (reggae, Latin, etc.) found in his music.

In 1991, Intrepid Records released Kick at the Darkness, a tribute album to Cockburn, named for a lyric from his song "Lovers in a Dangerous Time," and featuring the Barenaked Ladies cover of this song, which proved to be an important element of their early success. This same lyric was referenced by U2 in the song "God Part II", on their CD 'Rattle and Hum.'

In the early 1990's Cockburn teamed up with good friend T-Bone Burnett for two albums, Nothing But A Burning Light and Dart To The Heart. The latter included a song "Closer to the Light" inspired by the death of songwriter Mark Heard. Cockburn frequently refers to Heard as his favorite songwriter and was one of many artists that paid tribute to Heard on a tribute album and video entitled Strong Hand of Love.

In 2002, Cockburn released his first "official" greatest hits collection, Anything, Anytime, Anywhere: Singles 1979-2002 (though several previous albums had collected previously-published material: Resume, Mummy Dust, and Waiting for a Miracle).

Cockburn finished recording his 27th album in January of 2003, You've Never Seen Everything, which features contributions from Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Sam Phillips, Sarah Harmer, Hugh Marsh, Jonell Mosser, Larry Taylor and Steven Hodges (Taylor and Hodges are known for their work with Tom Waits).

Cockburn performed a powerful set at the Live8 Concert in Barrie, Ontario on July 2, 2005. An instrumental compilation of both new and previously released material titled "Speechless" was released October 24, 2005. His 29th album, 'Life Short Call Now' is scheduled for release on July 18, 2006.

Awards and honours

In 1982, Cockburn was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Officer in 2002.

On March 5, 2001 during the 30th Annual Juno Awards ceremony, Cockburn was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The Cockburn tribute during the Awards telecast from Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, included taped testimonials from U2's Bono, Jackson Browne, Cowboy Junkies' Margo Timmins and Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett. The Barenaked Ladies also performed their version of Cockburn's "Lovers In A Dangerous Time". Best female artist nominees Jann Arden and Terri Clark also performed "Wondering Where The Lions Are" and double nominee Sarah Harmer performed "Waiting For A Miracle".

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) honoured Cockburn by inducting him into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was held on October 22, 2002 in Vancouver, as part of the Gold Ribbon Awards Gala at the 76th annual Broadcasting 2002: Leadership Through Public Service convention.

On November 27, 2002, the CBC's Life and Times aired a special feature on Cockburn, entitled "The Life and Times of Bruce Cockburn".

Other information

In addition to a highly successful solo career, Cockburn's songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Barenaked Ladies ("Lovers in a Dangerous Time"), Jimmy Buffett ("Pacing the Cage", "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere", "Wondering Where the Lions Are"(in the movie "Hoot"), Lori Cullen ("Fall"), Anne Murray ("One Day I Walk", "Musical Friends"), Ani DiFranco ("Mama Just Wants to Barrelhouse All Night Long"), and the Jerry Garcia Band ("Waiting for a Miracle").

Cockburn wrote and performed the theme song to the children's television series Franklin. He composed and performed, with Hugh Marsh, the music for the National Film Board of Canada documentary feature Waterwalker (1984), directed by Bill Mason. He also composed two songs for the classic English Canadian film Goin' Down the Road (1970), directed by Donald Shebib.

In 2006, Cockburn's music will be featured in movie adaption of Irvine Welsh's best-selling novel .

Discography

* = Reissued with additional tracks 2002-2003

Other releases

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK
1989 "If a Tree Falls" - #20 - - Big Circumstance

External links

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