Born: 17th November, 1966
Birth name: Jeffrey Scott Buckley
Mother: Mary Guibert (classical pianist)
Father: Tim Buckley (folk musician)
Died: 29th May, 1997
"And the
rain is falling
And I believe my time has come
It reminds me of the pain I might leave behind..." - Grace
Jeff could never have known
that a song created years before his death would be such an eerie
echo of the tragic accident that took his life.
Jeff was part of a slowly recovering breed of rock stars -
performers who value their art above everything else. And Jeff
was perhaps unique in the way that he bared his soul to the world
with his lyrics. Often his songs were deeply personal and very
emotional. Which is part of the magic that Jeff brought to the
world.
His voice was nothing less than beautiful. It was as if an angel had been sent down from heaven. Technically his voice was one of a kind - a high tenor voice, which could range 4 octaves and hit the high notes. But it was the emotion that he put into his singing that really set his voice apart. He put his heart and soul into every performance, whether it be in front of a crowd of thousands or in an intimate cafe in New York.
But he was not
just a voice. He was also an accomplished musician, his main
instrument being guitar. He also played bass (he played gigs for
a band called "Science of the Mind" on bass), harmonium
and whatever instruments he could get his hands on. He attended
music school for several years, learning guitar and honing his
singing skills. His earliest influence was his mother, Mary, who
is a clasically trained pianist. When he was a boy they would
sing songs together, and so Jeff's love of music begins.
By all accounts Jeff was one of the loveliest people you could hope to meet. Always playing the clown, he lived a carefree lifestyle and had many friends. He was always eager to help out wherever he could, whether the help was monetary or otherwise. During his last weeks in Memphis, he went to the Zoo often. He was particuarly fond of the butterflies and tigers, and was in the process of volunteering to clean cages, but unfortunately never got the chance to do so.
He left the world without a single enemy; a great achievement for any man. But Jeff was the kind of person who you couldn't help liking - and if you weren't won over by his personality, you'd certainly change your mind upon hearing his music. He is sorely missed by his family and his fans and the world has one less angel. But we can rest assured that he has passed on to another place, and his voice will once again be joining the heavenly choirs.
Follow these links to find out more about Jeff Buckley, the man.
The Jeff Buckley FAQ
The perfect place to find out
information about Jeff, his music & performances.
A Jeff Buckley Picture Gallery
What a man says in his eyes can tell you alot about his
personality. Great collection.
MORE TO COME SOON .....