Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Douglas Cockburn, OC (Template:PronEng; phonetically: "co-burn") (born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. He has recorded an immense volume of work, his 29th album being released in summer 2006, and has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.

Biography

Cockburn was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and spent some of his early years on a farm outside Pembroke, Ontario. He has stated in interviews that his first guitar was one he located in his grandmother's attic, which he then adorned with golden stars and used to play along to radio hits; another source places this momentous event as happening in 1959. Cockburn was a student (but did not study music) at Nepean High School, where his 1964 yearbook photo states his desire simply: "hopes to become a musician." He then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston for three semesters in the mid-1960s: "I got a lot out of it, but it didn't feel right to continue there." In 1966 he was asked to join an Ottawa band called The Children, which lasted for about a year. In the spring of 1967, he joined the final lineup of 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 its name to Olivus in the spring of 1968, by which point Lillie (who changed his name to Neil Merryweather) had been replaced by Dennis Pendrith from Livingstone's Journey. Olivus opened for The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream in April 1968. That summer Cockburn broke up Olivus, intending to go solo but ending up in the band 3's a Crowd with David Wiffen, Colleen Peterson and Richard Patterson, who had played with him in The Children. Cockburn left this band in the spring of 1969 to pursue a solo career.

He had made his first solo appearance at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1967, and was the headliner when Neil Young canceled in order to appear at Woodstock in 1969. In 1970 he 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 rural and nautical imagery, biblical metaphors, and a sense of delight in the belief that whatever happens here on earth, heaven isn't far away. Raised as an agnostic, early in his career he became a devout Christian. Many of his albums from the 1970s reference his Christian belief, which in turn informs the concerns for human rights and environmentalism expressed on his 1980s albums. His references to Christianity in his music include the Grail imagery of 20th-century Christian poet Charles Williams and the ideas of theologian Harvey Cox, but they are so subtle and musical that they do not exclude nonbelievers.

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 Jaws, still a landmark of acoustic-based pop featuring intricate lyrics, great sonics, and startling guitar work. Wondering Where the Lions Are, the first single from that album, reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US in June 1980, and earned Cockburn an appearance on NBC's hit TV show Saturday Night Live.

Through the 1980s Cockburn's songwriting became first more urban, later more global, and then, ultimately and most famously, more politicized: he became heavily involved with progressive causes. His growing political concerns were first hinted at in two astonishing but little-known discs, Humans and The Trouble with Normal. As far as casual radio listeners were concerned, however, these concerns only became evident in 1984, with Cockburn's second radio hit, "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" (#88 US) from the Stealing Fire album. He had written the song a year earlier, after visiting 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 traveled to many countries (such as Mozambique and Iraq), played countless benefits, and written many songs on a variety of political subjects ranging from the International Monetary Fund to land mines. His internationalist bent is reflected in the many world music influences (reggae, Latin, etc.) found in his music.

In 1991, Intrepid Records released Kick at the Darkness, a tribute album to Cockburn whose title comes from a phrase in his song "Lovers in a Dangerous Time". It features the Barenaked Ladies cover of that song, which became their first Top 40 hit and proved to be an important element in their early success. This lyric was also referenced by U2 in their song "God Part II" from their album Rattle and Hum.

In the early 1990s 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 who paid tribute to Heard on an album and video titled Strong Hand of Love. On the album Cockburn performs the title song.

In 1998, he travelled with filmmaker Robert Lang to Mali, West Africa, where he jammed with Grammy Award-winning blues musician Ali Farka Toure and kora master Toumani Diabate. The one month journey was documented in the award-winning one hour film, River of Sand.

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

In January 2003 Cockburn finished recording his 27th album, 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 Live 8 concert in Barrie, Ontario, on July 2, 2005. An instrumental compilation of both new and previously released material, titled Speechless, was released on October 24, 2005. His 29th album, Life Short Call Now, was released on July 18, 2006.

Another humanitarian, Canadian Senator/retired General Romeo Dallaire, who is active in humanitarian fund raising and promoting awareness, will be on stage at the University of Victoria with Bruce Cockburn. The Oct.4, 2008 concert is to aid child soldiers (Victoria Times Colonist, April 17, 2008).

Awards and honours

Cockburn was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1982 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, Ontario, included taped testimonials from U2's Bono, Jackson Browne, Cowboy Junkies' Margo Timmins, and Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett. The Barenaked Ladies performed their version of Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time". Best Female Artist nominees Jann Arden and Terri Clark 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 organization's 76th annual convention.

On November 27, 2002, the CBC's Life and Times series aired a special feature on Cockburn titled The Life and Times of Bruce Cockburn produced by Robert Lang of Kensington Communications in Toronto.

Trivia

Was married from 1969 to 1980 to Kitty Cockburn, and has a daughter Jenny (born in 1976) from that marriage. Wrote the song "Little Seahorse" in late 1975 about the time when his daughter was in utero. It appears on his album In the Falling Dark.

The cover artwork for his 1999 album Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu, which is dominated by bold text in the Helvetica font, was included in the exhibition "50 Years of Helvetica" which ran from April 2007 to March 2008 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Other information

As a result of his highly successful solo career, Cockburn has had his songs covered by artists as diverse as Barenaked Ladies ("Lovers in a Dangerous Time"), Jimmy Buffett ("Pacing the Cage", "Anything Anytime Anywhere", "All the Ways I Want You", "Wondering Where the Lions Are" -- in the movie Hoot), Michael Hedges ("Wondering Where the Lions Are"), Lori Cullen ("Fall"), Anne Murray ("One Day I Walk", "Musical Friends"), Ani DiFranco ("Mama Just Wants to Barrelhouse All Night Long"), Dan Fogelberg ("Lovers in a Dangerous Time"), and the Jerry Garcia Band ("Waiting for a Miracle"). In addition, fellow Canadian singer songwriter Steve Bell recorded an entire album of Bruce Cockburn songs titled My Dinner With Bruce, and jazz guitarist Michael Occhipinti released an album containing jazz arrangements of Cockburn's songs.

Cockburn wrote and performed the theme song for 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 2007, Cockburn's music will be featured in movie adaption of Irvine Welsh's best-selling novel Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance.

In May, 2007 he received two honorary doctorates, the fourth and fifth of his career. In early May he received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, and later in the month he received an Honorary Doctor of Letters at the convocation of Memorial University of Newfoundland for his lifelong contributions to Canadian music, culture and social activism. Cockburn previously received honorary doctorates from York University in Toronto, Berklee College of Music, and St. Thomas University in New Brunswick.

The discussion group "Humans" is one of the oldest e-mail lists devoted to a specific artist. The liner notes for Cockburn's album The Charity of Night mentions the group.

Equipment

Cockburn has played guitars manufactured by a number companies and luthiers over the years. Many early photos show him playing guitars made by the Canadian instrument maker Larivee. In recent years he has favored steel resonator guitars made by the National Guitar Company and custom-made acoustic guitars by fellow Canadian, luthier Linda Manzer.

Discography

• Bruce Cockburn – 1970
• High Winds, White Sky* – 1971
• Sunwheel Dance – 1971
• Night Vision – 1973
• Salt, Sun and Time – 1974
• Joy Will Find a Way – 1975
• In the Falling Dark* – 1976
• Circles in the Stream – 1977
• Further Adventures Of* – 1978
• Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws* – 1979
• Humans* – 1980
• Mummy Dust – 1981
• Inner City Front* – 1981
• The Trouble with Normal* – 1983
• Stealing Fire* – 1984
• World of Wonders – 1985
• Waiting for a Miracle – 1987 (Canadian version is 2 discs, American version is 1)
• Big Circumstance – 1988
• Bruce Cockburn Live* – 1990
• Nothing but a Burning Light – 1991
• Christmas – 1993
• Dart to the Heart – 1994
• The Charity of Night – 1996
• You Pay Your Money and You Take Your Chance (live) – 1997
• Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu – 1999
• Anything Anytime Anywhere: Singles 1979-2002 – 2002
• You've Never Seen Everything – 2003
• Speechless – 2005
• Life Short Call Now – 2006

* = Reissued with additional tracks 2002-2003

Other releases

• Resume, 1981
• "Strong Hand of Love", a track on the Mark Heard tribute albums Strong Hand of Love (1994) and Orphans of God (1996)
• "Lord of the Starfields" (with Rob Wasserman), "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" (with Rob Wasserman), and "Cry of a Tiny Babe" (with Lou Reed, Rosanne Cash, and Rob Wasserman), all on The Best of the Columbia Records Radio Hour, Volume 1 (1995)

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions					Album
		US Hot 100	US Modern Rock	US Mainstream Rock	UK	CAN
1970	"Going to the Country"	-	-	-	-		Bruce Cockburn
1971	"One Day I Walk"	-	-	-	-
1972	"It's Going Down Slow"	-	-	-	-
1972	"Up on the Hillside"	-	-	-	-
1979	"Wondering Where the Lions Are"	#21	-	-	-	#39	Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws
1980	"Tokyo"	-	-	-	-		Humans
1981	"Fascist Architecture"	-	-	-	-		Humans
1981	"Coldest Night of the Year"	-	-	-	-
1984	"Lovers in a Dangerous Time"	-	-	-	-	#25	Stealing Fire
1984	"If I Had a Rocket Launcher"	#88	-	-	-	#49	Stealing Fire
1986	"People See Through You"	-	-	-	-		World of Wonders
1987	"Waiting for a Miracle"	-	-	-	-		Waiting for a Miracle
1989	"If a Tree Falls"	-	#20	-	-		Big Circumstance

External links

• Official Site
• True North (Cockburn's label / manager) page
• Gavin's Woodpile- The Bruce Cockburn Newsletter
• The Cockburn Project, documenting the work of Cockburn
• Humans, an e-mail discussion group about Cockburn's music

Song collections and biographies

• All the Diamonds A collection of early music by Bruce Cockburn. Ottawa Folklore Centre Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Rumours of Glory The second volume of Bruce Cockburn songs. Ottawa Folklore Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Related video

• Video interview on CBC News: The Hour from November 24, 2005. (Discusses his view of the world, with personal stories drawn from his own experiences traveling overseas.)
• Ernest Brown: Pioneer Photographer with original soundtrack by Bruce Cockburn.