An article in the Lancaster PA paper which is linked in the box at the top of the index page on this site reports that Elliott told an interviewer that Jeff Buckley was a very strong influence on him.

This really struck me, because I had the privilege years ago of hearing Tim Buckley, who was Jeff Buckley's father, perform live, several times in the late 1960s. Tim Buckley was the most startlingly brilliant singer I have ever heard perform. None of his albums began to capture the quality of his voice which was huge, rich, complex, and so beautiful it gave me chills, nonstop, the whole time he sang.

Jeff Buckley, who I have only heard on albums, sounded very similar to his father and his songs were reminiscent of his father's too. I can see why he would have had such a profound effect on Elliott, because Elliott appears to have the same ability to produce magic with his voice in live performances. He must have resonated to what he heard because it was so close to what he would be able to do himself, eventually.

Sadly both Buckley men died very young.

Anyway, I think Elliott has the ability to affect people live the same way that the Buckleys did. Hopefully he can avoid the pitfalls of stardom that did in Tim Buckley and his son.

Yes, Elliott's comments about Jeff Buckley along w/ the comments he made in his Sirius show and the songs he picked really say a lot about how he really understands and "gets" music, imo. I'm continually impressed by who he says influenced him but not surprised due to his ability to transmit the emotion of anything he sings and the fact that his timing and phrasing are unbelievable.

TG for the opportunity that AI gave Elliott. Can you imagine his talent never being discovered on the scale it has been. I truly feel sorry for those people and those in the industry who are not getting him yet. They are missing out on so much.

sorry i'm not feelin the buckley luv.. i hope E goes for more bluesy, soulful/rb, jazzy and even bluesy-soulful southern rock with that memphis style..luved E with LiMBO.. since the first album was pop would luv soul, blues, rb, jazz.. but E's got great taste in music so i'm sure he'll do somethin good..i hope. i got faith in E.

Speaking of Jeff Buckley, just because his version of it is so well-known, think of the things Elliott could do with "Hallelujah"... :blink:

At your earliest convenience, please, Elliott? kthnxbye...

I am just really thankful that Elliott has such diverse interests in music. That is what will make him an icon and that is what will bring so many opportunities to collaborate with other legendary singers and songwriters. His myriad influences are what will always make him an interesting artist - and fortunately, he can cross genres with no problems whatsoever. I think whatever he sings will have the soulful vibe that is his voice - his signature sound.

True that!

absolutely. very nice post. an harley took da words right outta my mout! tru dat! lol

I love that Elliott admires Donny Hathaway and Jeff Buckley--but they were not with us very long. I want Elliott's role-models to be those who live to be old--not those who burn themselves out at an early age!!!! We want Elliott with us forever--Please Elliott!!! Take care of that sweet self for our sakes!!!! We need you for our lifetimes.....

Jeff Buckley...what an amazing talent. I too, would love to hear Elliott do a cover of 'Hallelujah'...would be amazing.

Isn't that the song in Shrek? :unsure:

Yep, it's the Shrek song. :)

The pitfalls of stardom were not the cause of Jeff Buckley's death.

Statement from the Buckley estate:
Jeff Buckley's death was not "mysterious," related to drugs, alcohol, or suicide. We have a police report, a medical examiner's report, and an eye witness to prove that it was an accidental drowning, and that Mr. Buckley was in a good frame of mind prior to the accident.

That's from Wikipedia.

But yeah, I'm with you. We want Elliott around for a long time to come!

Yeah and Stevie Ray dies in a freak plane crash - A lot of his influences died young. I wonder if on some level he relates to these guys because he is living with his own life threatening disease?

Well, just for better or worse--a lot of times what we think about-visualize-can become our reality! On a subliminal level, our "dreams", good or bad can manifest into some of our life-experiences! (Look at E's favorite movie Coming To America--all the time that guy sweeping the floor was a king--just like Elliott while he was doing all his menial jobs--and it finally came to light...and Elvis said that his career resulted because he was the hero in every story he ever read and every movie he saw, etc) I pray always that Elliott can have a long and beautiful career and a big beautiful family-- like B.B. King, who also lives with diabetes-- and fathered 17 children! and is now in his 80's! That's what I'm KNOWING for him--and for us! E is forever!

B.B. King's diabetes is a completely different disease from what Elliott has. It is what used to be called "adult-onset" diabetes, or "Type 2" diabetes.

Elliott has the autoimmune kind of diabetes now called "type 1" which is much tougher to manage than Type 2. I really hope he will be able to keep his blood sugars under control while touring. Extended touring is really hard on normal, healthy young musicians (one reason so many of them end up with drug problems). As someone with diabetes who uses insulin myself, I'm in awe of what it must take to do what Elliott is doing.

I don't know the whole story about Jeff Buckley. I did meet Tim Buckley backstage in 1966 and he was a mess. My impression was that he was much too young when he became successful--17 if I remember correctly, and much, much too pretty. Combine that with the 60s drug culture and the fact that he toured for years with The Mothers of Invention and Frank Zappa who lived a very extreme lifestyle, and well, it's not a good combination for someone in their early 20s.

I think Elliott is more mature than that and hopefully he can keep his head now that he is going to be the center of attention with all that that brings.

Yes, I realize that B.B.'s is Type 2, and Elliott's is Type 1, but there are many, many people--including Mary Tyler Moore-- who have lived 40 years--even 50 years or more --with Type 1--and now that we have improved technology--like the pump Elliott wears, longevity statistics should improve markedly. My grandmother was a doctor who suffered from Type 1 diabetes all her life and lived a good long life too. So God bless Elliott and keep him! I know he will take care of himself --if only for us! We NEED him to do that....and JennyB, thanks so much for pointing out the differences..Prayers for all here doing battle against the odds! You have all our admiration and support. Sending love and blessings!
P.S. Guess I will just add here that my own husband of 30 years has suffered "incurable" quadriplegia (from a diving accident) for 40 years--known to have many devastating ramifications, and we support ANY kind of research which will help the millions experiencing these "incurable" situations. My own husband has survived and thrived in great part by keeping a positive, hopeful outlook and through his own great love for others! Love is a healing force!!!!!!

good post AngELL - Godspeed

Thanks, Sweetie!! Luv ya!

Jeff Buckley is awesome. Soulful too, but in a slightly diffrent kind of way. But one heck of a songwriter/lyricist. I think Elliott wants to sing like Donny, but to be able to write like Buckley.

Jeff Buckley Lover You Should've Come Over/

Looking out the door I see the rain fall upon the funeral mourners
Parading in a wake of sad relations as their shoes fill up with water
And maybe Im too young to keep good love from going wrong
But tonight youre on my mind so you never know

When Im broken down and hungry for your love with no way to feed it
Where are you tonight, child you know how much I need it
Too young to hold on and too old to just break free and run

Sometimes a man gets carried away, when he feels like he should be having his fun
And much too blind to see the damage hes done
Sometimes a man must awake to find that really, he has no-one

So Ill wait for you... and Ill burn
Will I ever see your sweet return
Oh will I ever learn

Oh lover, you shouldve come over
cause its not too late

Lonely is the room, the bed is made, the open window lets the rain in
Burning in the corner is the only one who dreams he had you with him
My body turns and yearns for a sleep that will never come

Its never over, my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder
Its never over, all my riches for her smiles when I slept so soft against her
Its never over, all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter
Its never over, shes the tear that hangs inside my soul forever

Well maybe Im just too young
To keep good love from going wrong

Oh... lover, you shouldve come over
cause its not too late

Well I feel too young to hold on
And Im much too old to break free and run
Too deaf, dumb, and blind to see the damage Ive done
Sweet lover, you shouldve come over
Oh, love well Im waiting for you

Lover, you shouldve come over
cause its not too late

Wow, I just saw the YouTube of Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" performance. Unbelievably moving and beautiful. First time I've heard a Jeff Buckley song. Thanks to Elliott for the intro (and to all of you who highlighted this guy's work).

What a coincidence that this is the first thread I find when I join the E-Train.

I have been a Jeff Buckley fan for years - I even have a Buckley inspired tattoo. Monday, May 29th marked 10 years since Jeff's death so it makes me feel so good to hear that great artists like Elliott continue to be inspired by his work.

While Elliott and Jeff's styles are very different, I can say with much excitement that I think that a mix of the two would shake up this entire industry. I say that as a person who works in the music business.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Jeff, please don't hold it against him that he died young and accidentally. It was tragic and out of his control. And PRETTY PLEASE don't hold his father's drug use and death against Jeff either. He and his father were estranged nearly their entire lives. The parallel tragedies are a freaky coincidence.

If anyone has interests in or questions about Jeff's music, feel free to ask. I could talk about him all day :)

xo
L

I just ordered "So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley" that was just released this May. That might explain why Jeff Buckley's song is no longer on Elliott's I-Tunes Celebrity Playlist. I'm not familiar with Jeff but wanted to experience him and this CD seemed appropriate for that.

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000NOK9YK/re...&pf_rd_i=507846

Lboogie,

The really strange thing to me is that, knowing that Jeff Buckley didn't grow up knowing his father, his music was so much like that of his father.

As I posted above, I had the privilege of hearing Tim Buckley live, and he was in a category all his own. None of the few recordings of him begin to capture the power or either his voice or his lyrics, which were in many cases severely cut to fit on the short albums of the day. He was a powerful poet with a voice that penetrated to the heart.

When I discovered his son's music it was a shock how much he sounded like his dad had. I knew the family situation because I knew people who knew Tim.

The drugs were nothing I'd hold against anyone who was in the music business in the 1960s-70s. Anyone who was doing music professionally in those days who was NOT taking a lot of drugs would have been very peculiar indeed. I never met anyone who fit that description!

Hi Jenny, you know Jeff was amazed by that same fact!

In Dream Brother - the dual biography of Jeff and Tim, there is a part where Jeff is listening to some of Tim's unreleased recordings. At one point is is taken back by a trick Tim does with his voice - he says something to the effect of "WOW, I DO THAT TOO!"

Its very interesting how Jeff didn't grow up with his father or engulfed in his father's music but their lives and music have so many similarities. Ah, life is a crazy thing :)

The older I get, the more I'm struck by some of life's craziness--- Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee his son also died at practically the same young age of totally unrelated but freaky causes!