US record label Artemis Records have confirmed that singer / songwriter Warren Zevon died this weekend more than a year after being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. The musician was 56.
Zevon came to mainstream attention in 1978 with the album 'Excitable Boy', which included his most famous track 'Werewolves of London'. That album - mixing, as much as his work did, elements of his cynicism, literary knowledge and dark, satirical humour - won him a dedicated fan base and a large following within the songwriting community.
That popularity within the industry was shown on Zevon's last project. After being diagnosed with mesothelioma, an inoperable form of lung cancer, he set about recording his final album working with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Tom Petty, Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, the Eagles’ Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. Ironically that album was released only two weeks ago entering the Billboard chart at 16 - his highest chart position in 25 years.