Loudon Wainwright III

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Ross Halfin

Loudon Wainwright III

(2018) Since his lone "hit" chart-wise remains 1973's Billboard Top 20 surprise "Dead Skunk," it's an improbable fact that in modern times as many people may know Wainwright from his work over the years as an actor (from a memorable recurring role on M*A*S*H to various Judd Apatow projects) as for his songwriting. However, his 20-plus albums over the last nearly five decades represent a monumental catalog of songs filled with pointed wit and sharp observations, by turns heartbreaking or hilarious — and often a mix of the two.

media release: For the past fifty-two years, Loudon Wainwright III has carved out a distinguished career as one of our most original singer-songwriters, a six-string diarist with material that is by turns, tongue-in-cheek, tender, sarcastic, heart-wrenching, and always deeply personal. Along the way, he’s released over twenty albums, won a Grammy, acted in film and TV, and had his songs recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Mose Allison, Bonnie Raitt, and his own son, Rufus Wainwright.

In October of 2020, Loudon unveiled the album I’D RATHER LEAD A BAND in which he is featured as a vocalist with Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks. The 14 -song collection of classic songs from the 1920s and ‘30s was widely acclaimed. During the pandemic, Wainwright has produced a number of virtual shows, including “The Special Relationship” (presented by the Royal Albert Hall) and “The Great Unknown”, his musical tribute to his friend the late George Gerdes. Also featured in that show were Richard Thompson, Suzanne Vega, Steve Forbert, and the members of Spinal Tap.

In 2015 Loudon Wainwright received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in Cardiff.

www.lw3.com