Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, rock music’s man of letters whose songs fused religious imagery with themes of redemption and sexual desire, earning him critical and popular acclaim, has died at the age of 82, according to a Facebook post on his official page.
His music label Sony Music Canada has also confirmed the news.
The Sony Music Canada family joins the world in mourning Leonard Cohen’s passing.
“We have lost one of music’s most revered and prolific visionaries,” said a post on the Facebook page.
The page also said that there will be a memorial in Los Angeles at a later date, and that the family is requesting privacy now.
Cohen was also an acclaimed poet, artist and novelist.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said he has asked that flags be lowered to half-mast to honour Cohen, who was born in the city and who spent many years there.
Tonight we lost one of our greatest ambassador and icon Leonard Cohen.Flags will be half mass.My thoughts and prayers for family of Mr Cohen
Cohen was already a celebrated poet and novelist when he moved to New York in 1966 at age 31 to break into the music business.
Before long, critics were comparing him to Bob Dylan for the lyrical force of his songwriting.
Although he influenced many musicians and won many honours, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada, Cohen rarely made the pop music charts with his sometimes moody folk-rock.
But Cohen’s most famous song, “Hallelujah,” in which he invoked the biblical King David and drew parallels between physical love and a desire for spiritual connection, has been covered hundreds of times since he released it in 1984.
More to come