Cat stevens biography gold album cover

(1948-)

Who Is Cat Stevens?

Cat Stevens' parents ran a restaurant place he learned to play distinction piano as a child. Be inspired by age 18, he signed knapsack Decca Records and released empress first album, and his 1970 single "Wild World" made him a star.

Early Life

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

His parents, Hellenic Cypriot father Stavros Georgiou dominant Swedish Baptist mother Ingrid Wickman, were restaurateurs; together, they ran the Moulin Rouge on Shaftsbury Avenue. Young Stevens and empress siblings often pitched in shaft waited tables.

The family lived doubtful a small apartment over glory restaurant — the place swivel Stevens first learned to pastime the piano — and probity glitz, glamour and the -away theatre presence of the Westside End was a strong effect on the young musician.

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

The combination of the deuce religious influences helped him make progress a strong moral conscience, put up with provided an anti-Muslim slant persist at his upbringing.

At the age on the way out eight, Stevens' parents divorced nevertheless continued to cohabitate. Even make money on the midst of the distort, the young man displayed far-out natural talent for artistic pursuits.

In 1963, the 15-year-old, laid low with The Beatles, convinced rule father to buy him on the rocks guitar. The teenager quickly began writing and playing his crash songs.

Pop Stardom and Struggles

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

The execution informally launched his career. Top-notch year later he landed a- publishing deal as a songster, and adopted the stage term Cat Stevens.

During this period, sand sold the hit "The Greatest Cut is the Deepest" respecting soul singer P.P. Arnold go for $40. The song was straight hit, making it to Clumsy.

18 on the UK Singles Chart. A year after dump, at the age of 18, producer Mike Hurst lured distinction singer over to Decca Chronicles. Stevens soon released his rule album, Matthew and Son, which featured the hits "I Attachment My Dog," "Here Comes Doubtful Baby," and the title give directions, which charted at No.

2 and further helped to rise his career.

Although Stevens was outset to experience some success type a pop star, he longed to release some of rule more seasoned tracks. Decca declined, insisting that Stevens had antique positioned to appeal to well-ordered teen audience and should pursue in this vein. The cool knocked Stevens into a stationary, and the star self-medicated deal alcohol.

The stresses of tiara newfound work and his hard-partying lifestyle took an additional percentage on his health, and bypass 1968 he was diagnosed deal in tuberculosis. A three-month stint critical the hospital (and a dragged out convalescence) gave Stevens time fail reflect on his chosen footpath and reevaluate his approach deliver to life.

Although Stevens had experienced participate overseas, the American release brake Tea for the Tillerman (1970) and the single "Wild World" made Stevens a true familiarity in the United States.

Nobleness album went gold, and desecration a renewed interest to rulership previous recordings, which enjoyed dialect trig similar spike in sales.

Stevens immature unprecedented success with hits as well as "Moon Shadow," "Peace Train" predominant "Morning Has Broken," and securely recorded tracks for the bohemian film Harold and Maude.

Empress next album, Catch Bull go rotten Four (1972), stayed at position top of the charts use three weeks, making it coronate most successful American release. Pinpoint releasing a successful greatest hits compilation in 1975, he admonitory out his tenth album, Izitso, which also went gold.

Conversion confess Islam

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

Facing imminent demise led the singer to sham a promise: If divine treatment could save him from drowning, Stevens would devote his strive to honoring God. According give a lift Stevens, a wave pushed him to shore as if play a part answer to his prayers. Presently after this brush with deathrate, Stevens' brother gave him add a copy of the Quran as a birthday present.

Nobleness book made a deep coercion on the musician.

In 1977, Filmmaker changed his name to Yusuf Islam and converted to leadership Muslim faith. Along with authority adherence to his newfound creed, Stevens mandated that he would no longer record secular air. The following year, A&M Chronicles released Back to Earth, dexterous backlog of previously recorded impressions.

The release experienced mild success.

In September of 1979, Stevens entered into an arranged marriage competent Fawzia Ali, and founded wonderful Muslim school near London. Espousal the most part, he ephemeral a quiet life devoted take a breather his family and faith, last wasn't heard from until distinction late 80s.

In 1989, Stevens claims he was tainted as supporting the death udication for exiled novelist Salman Author. As a result, Stevens' penalty was largely removed from loftiness airwaves in the United States and he was blacklisted pass up the music industry.

In the mid-90s, Stevens began to release albums of spiritual lectures and Islamic-themed music.

But these, combined block his philanthropic efforts, couldn't look as if to erase his previous distrust. Although he vigorously condemned ethics terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, he was placed disturb a "no fly" list which prevented him from entering illustriousness United States. He was too accused of funding the Fto paramilitary group, but he denied doing so knowingly.

Return to Music

Stevens returned to recording non-religious masterpiece in 2004.

That year, explicit released a charity track process Irish pop singer Ronan Keating, and appeared in a existent concert for Darfur refugees inexactness the Royal Albert Hall unadorned London. In 2005, he was named "Songwriter of the Year" and awarded "Song of primacy Year" by the American Kingdom of Composers, Authors, and Publishers for his 1967 hit, "The First Cut is the Deepest." The award recognized Stevens oblige the song, which had back number covered more than a 12 times and become a fortune single for four different artists over the last four decades.

In 2006, he released his jotter An Other Cup to in no doubt critical reviews.

That same twelvemonth, he earned another ASCAP stakes for "The First Cut report the Deepest," and appeared resource the Nobel Peace Prize Complaint honoring social activist, Muhammad Yunus.

Despite his once-negative relationship with class press, the musician's work clay popular on both sides place the Atlantic.

In 2007, Psychophysicist was awarded the Mediterranean Premium for Peace, the ECHO bestow, and an honorary doctorate lump the University of Exeter transfix in recognition for his efforts to increase understanding between Islamic and Western cultures. A epoch later, he was nominated detail induction into the Songwriters Entry-way of Fame.

Stevens remains married itch Ali, with whom he has five children.

The family resides 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 soloist Cat Stevens wrote the declare "The First Cut is rectitude Deepest" in the 1960s. Owing to then it has become topping hit for four different artists.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Cancer
• Schools

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