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Elliot SmithAmerican composer, lyricist and musician.
Date of Birth: 06.08.1969
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith
- Education and Musical Beginnings
- Solo Career Breakthrough
- Critical Acclaim and Oscar Nomination
- Later Years and Substance Abuse
- Death
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith
Early Life and Childhood InfluencesSteven Paul Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska on August 6, 1969. His mother, Bunny Welch (née Berryman), was a music teacher, and his father, Gary Smith, was a medical student at the University of Nebraska. His parents divorced when he was a year old. Gary was drafted into the Air Force and sent to the Philippines, while Bunny and Elliott moved to the Dallas suburb of Duncanville, Texas. There, in July 1973, Bunny married Charlie Welch.
Welch was reportedly abusive towards both his wife and stepson, as Elliott revealed in a 1998 handwritten letter to Smith. Smith suspected that his stepfather had sexually abused him, but he had no clear memories, and Welch denied the accusations. Smith alluded to this period in his song "Some Song": "Charlie beat you up week after week, and when you grow up you're going to be a freak." The name "Charlie" appears in several of Smith's songs, including "Flowers for Charlie" and "No Confidence Man," while his biological parents are not mentioned in any of his lyrics.
Education and Musical Beginnings
After graduating from high school, Elliott attended Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, graduating in 1991 with a degree in philosophy and political science. He later said, "I guess it proved to me that I could do something I didn't want to do for four years. It's just that I actually liked what I was studying. At the time, it was like, 'This is your one shot at college, and you have to do it because you might regret it.' Also, the reason I applied was because of my girlfriend, and by the time we broke up the day before I was leaving for school, I'd gotten in."
While at Hampshire, Elliott formed the band Heatmiser with Neil Gust (a fellow Hampshire student) and Jason Hornick. After graduating, the musicians (by then Smith, Tony Lash, and Brandt Peterson, who was replaced by Sam Coomes in August 1994 after the recording of "Mic City Sons," later of the group Quasi) decided to pursue music professionally in Portland, Oregon. Their sound drew heavily on Fugazi and other post-punk groups. They released one full-length album and an EP before signing with Virgin Records to release their final work, "Mic City Sons."
Solo Career Breakthrough
Smith convinced Virgin, who owned the masters to his first three solo releases, to transfer the rights to Cavity Search Records and subsequently Kill Rock Stars, allowing his nascent solo career to develop organically. The subsequent attention paid to Elliott's solo work created tensions within the band, who were still recording their debut studio release. Heatmiser officially disbanded in 1995, after a brief tour in support of "Mic City Sons."
Just prior to the breakup of Heatmiser, Elliott began recording solo material, mostly acoustic albums, on borrowed four-track cassette recorders. His own music was bleaker and more somber than his former band's work, with lyrics that delved into themes of addiction, depression, and betrayal. His first release, "Roman Candle" (1994), was reportedly a compilation of demos not included on Heatmiser recordings. Elliott's girlfriend at the time persuaded him to send a cassette of the recordings to the independent label Cavity Search Records, who promptly agreed to release the album. The song "Condor Avenue" was later revealed to have been recorded when Elliott was just 17 years old.
The primary instrument used on the album was acoustic guitar, occasionally augmented by electric guitar or a simple drum machine. Only the final track, an instrumental titled "Kiwi Maddog 20/20," featured a full band instrumentation. Elliott Smith's solo debut performance took place on September 17, 1994. He played for approximately 35 minutes to an audience of roughly fifteen people. Only three songs from "Roman Candle" were played; Elliott mostly performed b-sides, unreleased songs, and several Heatmiser tunes. For the final song of the night, Elliott invited Heatmiser bandmate Neil Gust onstage to accompany him on "Half Right," which was intended to be a hidden track on the band's final album.
Critical Acclaim and Oscar Nomination
Shortly after this performance, Elliott was invited to open for Mary Lou Lord on her week-long tour of the United States. Several more short tours ensued, and Smith contributed his song "I Figured You Out" to her album.
In 1997, Smith's Portland friend, director Gus Van Sant, asked Elliott to contribute to the soundtrack of his film, "Good Will Hunting." Smith recorded an orchestral version of "Between the Bars" for the film with the renowned composer Danny Elfman. The soundtrack also included three previously recorded tracks from the albums "Roman Cadle" ("No Name #3") and "Either/Or" ("Angeles" and "Say Yes"). The film was met with critical and commercial success, and Elliott received an Academy Award nomination for his song "Miss Misery." Despite his obvious discomfort with the spotlight, he was persuaded to perform the song at the ceremony. He only agreed after producers threatened to give the performance to another musician of their choice.
On March 5, 1998, Elliott made his television debut on cable, performing an acoustic version of "Miss Misery" on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Several days later, Smith performed a shortened version of the song at the Oscars, resplendent in a white tuxedo. The award ultimately went to James Horner and Will Jennings for "My Heart Will Go On" (performed by Celine Dion) from "Titanic," but Elliott never publicly stated his feelings on the loss.
Later Years and Substance Abuse
In the years that followed, Smith's mental health and substance abuse issues intensified. He suffered from chronic depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction, and these struggles frequently manifested in his lyrics. His final studio album, "Figure 8" (2000), was a more polished and ambitious work that showcased his songwriting and vocal abilities. However, his live performances became increasingly erratic, and by the end of his life, his physical and mental health had deteriorated significantly.
Death
On October 21, 2003, at the age of 34, Elliott Smith was found dead in his Los Angeles home from two stab wounds to the chest. The coroner's inquest could not definitively determine whether the wounds were self-inflicted or the result of a third party.
Smith's death sent shockwaves through the music industry and beyond. He was remembered as a gifted songwriter and musician whose honest and deeply personal lyrics touched countless lives. His untimely passing left a profound void in the world of alternative music, but his legacy continues to inspire and influence generations of musicians and fans.
