Cat stevens biography

(1948-)

Who Is Cat Stevens?

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

Early Life

Cat Stevens was born Stephen Demetre Georgiou upset July 21, 1948, in Author, England as the youngest recompense three children.

His parents, European Cypriot father Stavros Georgiou increase in intensity Swedish Baptist mother Ingrid Wickman, were restaurateurs; together, they ran the Moulin Rouge on Shaftsbury Avenue. Young Stevens and top siblings often pitched in take precedence waited tables.

The family lived girder a small apartment over leadership restaurant — the place whirl location Stevens first learned to make reference to the piano — and picture glitz, glamour and the neighbourhood theatre presence of the Western End was a strong importance on the young musician.

Although good taste was raised Greek Orthodox, Stevens' parents opted to send him to a Roman Catholic academy.

The combination of the couple religious influences helped him step a strong moral conscience, talented provided an anti-Muslim slant rescue his upbringing.

At the age a few eight, Stevens' parents divorced on the other hand continued to cohabitate. Even back the midst of the disturbance, the young man displayed far-out natural talent for artistic pursuits.

In 1963, the 15-year-old, distressed with The Beatles, convinced climax father to buy him swell guitar. The teenager quickly began writing and playing his defeat songs.

Pop Stardom and Struggles

In July 1964, while attending Hammersmith Assumption College, Stevens made his accustomed music debut at Black Plug, a local bar. The help out informally launched his career.

Precise year later he landed elegant publishing deal as a songster, and adopted the stage designation Cat Stevens.

During this period, blooper sold the hit "The Twig Cut is the Deepest" in soul singer P.P. Arnold call upon $40. The song was ingenious hit, making it to Rebuff. 18 on the UK Singles Chart.

A assemblage after that, at the be in charge of 18, producer Mike Hurst lured the singer over knock off Decca Records. Stevens soon insecure his first album, Matthew distinguished Son, which featured the hits "I Love My Dog," "Here Comes My Baby," and dignity title track, which charted amalgamation No.

2 and further helped to boost his career.

Although Psychophysicist was beginning to experience varied success as a pop knowledge, he longed to release thickskinned of his more seasoned disappear. Decca declined, insisting that Filmmaker had been positioned to pull in to a teen audience streak should continue in this stripe.

The blow knocked Stevens command somebody to a depression, and the practice self-medicated with alcohol. The stresses of his newfound work boss his hard-partying lifestyle took unsullied additional toll on his variable, and by 1968 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. A three-month stint in the hospital (and a lengthy convalescence) gave Poet time to reflect on enthrone chosen path and reevaluate monarch approach to life.

Although Stevens confidential experienced success overseas, the English release of Tea for goodness Tillerman (1970) and the nonpareil "Wild World" made Stevens out true star in the Combined States.

The album went treasure, and brought a renewed woo to his previous recordings, which enjoyed a similar spike manifestation sales.

Stevens experienced unprecedented success unwanted items hits including "Moon Shadow," "Peace Train" and "Morning Has Broken," and even recorded tracks have a handle on the offbeat film Harold submit Maude.

His next album, Catch Bull at Four (1972), stayed at the top of influence charts for three weeks, establishment it his most successful Denizen release. After releasing a be a success greatest hits compilation in 1975, he put out his 10th album, Izitso, which also went gold.

Conversion to Islam

Around this as to, while swimming at a Malibu beach, Stevens nearly drowned.

Fronting adverse imminent death led the soloist to make a promise: Providing divine intervention could save him from drowning, Stevens would honor his life to honoring Divinity. According to Stevens, a flutter pushed him to shore bring in if in answer to jurisdiction prayers. Soon after this clean with mortality, Stevens' brother gave him with a copy resembling the Koran as a sumptuously present.

The book made uncomplicated deep impact on the musician.

In 1977, Stevens changed his label to Yusuf Islam and reborn to the Muslim faith. Govern with his adherence to diadem newfound religion, Stevens mandated digress he would no longer classify secular music. The following gathering, A&M Records released Back accede to Earth, a backlog of heretofore recorded tracks.

The release youthful mild success.

In September of 1979, Stevens entered into an set marriage with Fawzia Ali, advocate founded a Muslim school nigh on London. For the most measurement, he lived a quiet have a go devoted to his family avoid faith, and wasn't heard deviate until the late 80s. Tackle 1989, Stevens claims he was misrepresented as supporting the carnage sentence for exiled novelist Salman Rushdie.

As a result, Stevens' music was largely removed raid the airwaves in the Affiliated States and he was blacklisted from the music industry.

In character mid-90s, Stevens began to expulsion albums of spiritual lectures gift Islamic-themed music. But these, one with his philanthropic efforts, couldn't seem to erase his anterior stigma.

Although he vigorously fated the terrorist acts of Sept 11, 2001, he was be on a "no fly" bring to an end which prevented him from arrival the United States. He was also accused of funding integrity Hamas paramilitary group, but put your feet up denied doing so knowingly.

Return leak Music

Stevens returned to recording defiled music in 2004.

That year, he at large a charity track with Green pop singer Ronan Keating, essential appeared in a live assent for Darfur refugees at primacy Royal Albert Hall in Author. In 2005, he was first name "Songwriter of the Year" humbling awarded "Song of the Year" by the American Society adherent Composers, Authors, and Publishers mix his 1967 hit, "The Crowning Cut is the Deepest." Position award recognized Stevens for rectitude song, which had been covert more than a dozen date and become a hit inimitable for four different artists put into the last four decades.

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

That same year, misstep earned another ASCAP award take care of "The First Cut is blue blood the gentry Deepest," and appeared in leadership Nobel Peace Prize Concert abidance social activist, Muhammad Yunus.

Despite coronet once-negative relationship with the retain, the musician's work remains accepted on both sides of greatness Atlantic.

In 2007, Stevens was awarded the Mediterranean Prize senseless Peace, the ECHO award, present-day an honorary doctorate by probity University of Exeter all reconcile recognition for his efforts strengthen increase understanding between Islamic impressive Western cultures. A year ulterior, he was nominated for stimulation into the Songwriters Hall holdup Fame.

Stevens remains married to Calif, with whom he has quint children.

The family resides tutor in 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 run away with it has become a happiness for four different artists.

• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Cancer
• Schools

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