Loudon Wainwright III
Biography
Loudon Wainwright III grew up in the town of Bedford in wealthy Westchester County north of New York City, the son of Loudon S. Wainwright, Jr., a writer and editor at Life magazine and a direct descendant of colonial governor Peter Stuyvesant. Wainwright became a folk singer/songwriter in the late '60s, singing humorous and nakedly honest autobiographical songs. Signed to Atlantic Records, he recorded Album I (1970) and Album II (1971), accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, before switching to Columbia Records, for which he made the folk-rock Album III (1972), which featured the Top 40 novelty hit "Dead Skunk." Attempted Mustache (1973) and the half-live Unrequited (1975) did not continue that commercial success, though Wainwright's humor and engaging stage persona made him a cult figure and a concert favorite. Meanwhile, his songs were recorded by others, notably Kate (his wife, since divorced) and Anna McGarrigle, and Wainwright appeared in the off-Broadway show Pump Boys and Dinettes and played a featured role on the successful M*A*S*H television series. He moved to Arista Records for T Shirt (1976) and Final Exam (1978), on which he was backed by a rock band, but departed the major labels for a more appropriate home on the folk-based indie Rounder for A Live One (1980) and Fame and Wealth (1983).
Selected Discography
Strange Weirdos
2007
Here Come The Choppers
2005
Last Man On Earth
2001
Social Studies
1999
Little Ship
1998
Really one of my favorite artists. I put together a collection of his songs about family -- about his dad, grandma, mom, sister, daughter (devastating one about losing his temper and slapping her), and of course various wives -- and the songs are just terrific. Touching, funny, cringe-inspi r i n g l y truthful, and musically superfine. Yeah, he can be jokey/flip -- but that doesn't bother me when balanced with the achy stuff. A deeply underappreci a t e d artist.
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He writes songs about life, his observations of life and if you listen to enough of his material, when sex is referenced it seems to go with the flow of human behavior we all follow. Sex is a part life and is on people's minds anyway, to different degrees. To me, it doesn't shock or affront me because it just goes through his music lyrics like other life subjects,sit u a t i o n s , and observations he sings about. Like when guys stand around and offhandedly exchange notes about their sexual encounters.
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So deep and yet so shallow his lyrics. His "Three Mirrors" is pure poetry. His "Breakfast in Bed' is just bragging about banging at his age (in my opinion)
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