But in more recent years, he has embraced the name Cat Stevens again, and he is now known as Yusuf/Cat Stevens. When he returned to music in 2006, he went by the name of Yusuf. It was in 2006 that he returned with his album An Other Cup, which showed that his singing & songwriting remained in prime form. But in the early 2000s, he began playing guitar again, and rediscovered his love for writing & performing music. Yusuf Islam then spent the next 28 years away from the music business, and he seldom played music during this period. Here’s an excerpt of our interview with Yusuf/Cat Stevens, who tells how he wrote his classic hit song, “Peace Train.” At the time, it was a very surprising and unusual move, for a pop artist at the height of his popularity and success, to leave the music business and change his name. He released his albums under that name until 1978, when he decided to leave the music business, convert to the Muslim faith, and change his name to Yusuf Islam. When he first emerged as an artist in 1967, he was known by the name, Cat Stevens. He will be inducted in a special ceremony on June 13 in New York City. Now in 2019, he has been selected for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2014, Yusuf/Cat Stevens was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Known for writing and singing such classic songs as “Peace Train,” “Wild World,” ‘Oh Very Young,” “Moonshadow” and “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” he has blended pop, rock & folk music to create a very unique and soulful style. With a career now spanning over 50 years, Yusuf/Cat Stevens has long been regarded as one of the great singer/songwriters in pop & rock music history.
0 kommentar(er)
