Jeff Buckley

Bio

Jeff Buckley (1966–1997) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter whose emotive tenor and eclectic style blended rock, folk, jazz, and blues. He gained critical acclaim with his 1994 debut album Grace, featuring the widely covered rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Born in Anaheim, California, Buckley moved to New York in the early 1990s, where his intimate live performances at venues like Sin-é built a devoted following. His only studio album during his lifetime showcased both original material and reinterpretations of songs by Nina Simone, Benjamin Britten, and others. Buckley drowned in Memphis’s Wolf River in 1997 while preparing his second album. Posthumous releases such as Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk and live recordings have cemented his reputation as a singular voice in late-20th-century music.