A Happy Vesak To My Buddhist Friends And Readers

On this Vesak Day, I share with my friends a group of music celebrities who are Buddhists.  I only list those I am familiar with as there may be names of others you might like to add.

This practice of Buddhism has been around for over 2,600 years and in Asian countries, it has existed peacefully with Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc., but it was only in the past two decades or so that the philosophy has taken off into traditionally non-Buddhist countries and embraced.  

In the U.S., U.K. and other western communities, film stars, musicians and other top names promote the message of Buddhism in their movies, music and lifestyles.

Here they are:

Alanis Morissette
Annie Lennox
Belinda Carlisle
Cher
Courtney Love
David Bowie
Gene Vincent (?)
Herbie Hancock
Jennifer Lopez
KD Lang
Leonard Cohen
Patti Smith
Sandie Shaw 
Sting - Gordon Sumner
Tina Turner

Image: Google.
Information: from Relevant Websites and may not be accurate.

(9) Canadian 60's Leonard Cohen Bird On A Wire

"For four decades, Leonard Cohen has been one of the most important and influential songwriters of our time, a figure whose body of work achieves greater depths of mystery and meaning as time goes on.

His songs have set a virtually unmatched standard in their seriousness and range. Sex, spirituality, religion, power – he has relentlessly examined the largest issues in human lives, always with a full appreciation of how elusive answers can be to the vexing questions he raises. " From: http://www.leonardcohen.com/bio.html

Bird on the Wire is one of Leonard Cohen's signature songs. It was recorded on 26 September, 1968 in Nashville and included on his 1969 album Songs From A Room. Listen to it sung by Aaron Neville, one of the Neville Brothers.

The names of pop singers and musicians below may not necessarily be from the 60s music genre but they are a personal list of about 400 taken from Wikipedia:

Paul Anka, Michael Buble, Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion, Nelly Furtado, Corey Hart, K.D. Lang, Gordon Lightfoot, Luba, Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell, Alanis Morissette, Anne Murray, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Shania Twain, Neil Young.

This is the 9th and final posting in the series under Canadian pops. The reader is invited to make comments.

11.11.2016. Breaking News: He has passed on.

"Cohen was the dark eminence among a small pantheon of extremely influential singer-songwriters to emerge in the Sixties and early Seventies. 

Only Bob Dylan exerted a more profound influence upon his generation, and perhaps only Paul Simon and fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell equaled him as a song poet. 

Cohen's haunting bass voice, nylon-stringed guitar patterns, Greek-chorus backing vocals shaped evocative songs that dealt with love and hate, sex and spirituality, war and peace, ecstasy and depression. 

He was also the rare artist of his generation to enjoy artistic success into his Eighties, releasing his final album, You Want It Darker, earlier this year. Rolling Stone 11.11.2016."

Song List:

https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/songind.html

Reference: (1) Leonard Cohen Website (2) Wikipedia.

Image:Google.

(5) Canadian Pop 60s Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen

The Universal Soldier, by Buffy Sainte-Marie, was one of the first songs to contribute to the 1960s' anti-war movement. By the late 1960s, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell (image), Leonard Cohen, and Neil Young also became known for their thoughtful lyrics and unique performance styles.

Neil Young, in particular, emerged as a successful and influential figure, exploring highly contrasting folk, country, and hard rock idioms over the next several years. He accompanies himself on guitar, harmonica and piano. Heart Of Gold (1972) is one of his best songs. He never relinquished his Canadian citizenship although he often sings on US themes and subjects.

In the 1970s, Anne Murray became an international star by interpreting songs in a pop-oriented style. She is one of the most successful Canadian pop superstar and paved the way for others like Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Sarah McLachlan. Snowbird (1970) was followed by so many other hits, Murray is still as famous today and her songs are still being played all over. Blogger had to opportunity to enjoy a live performance by Anne Murray in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the mid 80s.

Reference: (1) Canadian Encyclopedia Historica/Music In Canada. (2) Wikipedia. (3) Neil Young/Anne Murray Websites.

Image: http://musicsojourn.com/