Elliott Smith

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Elliott Smith, born Steven Paul Smith, was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was born in 1969 in Omaha and grew up mainly in Texas, and lived a large part of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he became known in the 1990s. He began playing piano at nine and guitar at ten. At fourteen he moved to his father in Portland. There he began calling himself Elliott, and played for years in the rock band Heatmiser.

Music and breakthrough

In 1994 his solo career began, with records for the independent labels Cavity Search and Kill Rock Stars, such as Roman Candle and the self-titled Elliott Smith from 1995. Either/Or was released in 1997. That year he signed to DreamWorks, for which he recorded XO from 1998 and Figure 8 from 2000. His song Miss Misery, recorded for the film Good Will Hunting, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. From a Basement on the Hill was released in 2004, after his death. He died in 2003 in Los Angeles. His struggle with alcohol, drugs and depression often recurred in his lyrics.

Influence

His music is quiet and intimate: a soft, double-tracked voice, acoustic guitar or piano, and later fuller arrangements with strings and drums. Smith showed how sorrow and vulnerability can sound in a modest folk song, and thereby became an example for many later singer-songwriters.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1994Roman Candle
• 1995Elliott Smith
• 1997Either/Or
• 1998XO
• 2000Figure 8
• 2004From a Basement on the Hill

Mentioned in other articles

• TASCAM Portastudio TechnologyIn the 1990s, Guided by Voices and Elliott Smith made whole records on four-track recorders.

See also

• TASCAM Portastudio