Tim Buckley

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Tim Buckley incorporated jazz and psychedelia into his folk-styled songs, showing a far more experimental tendency than many of his contemporaries. However, this willingness to try new things alienated him from mainstream music listeners, and it wasn't until after his death that his musical legacy was fully appreciated. Tim Buckley is also well-known as the father of late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, who died at the age of 30 after releasing one critically acclaimed album, Grace (1994).

After a debut self-titled album in 1966, Buckley began to draw praise for his work with Goodbye and Hello (1967). Happy Sad (1969) saw the beginning of Buckley's interest in jazz seeping into his music, but unfortunately it served to alienate some fans of his earlier work. In 1970 Buckley released two albums within just a few weeks, each designed to represent both sides of his musical interests: Blue Afternoon featured older material that stuck closer to folk, while fifth album Lorca was his most avant-garde recording yet. Unfortunately, both albums failed to hit their mark, with the former dismissed by critics as "bland", and the latter proving too left-field for most listeners. His most ambitious record yet, Starsailor (1970), was another flop. In 1972, Buckley released three albums with a soul/funk flavour, but again they were unsuccessful and his record deal was not renewed.

At the end of a tour in 1975, Tim Buckley died after accidentally overdosing on a mixture of alcohol, barbiturates and heroin. He was 28. In the years to come, several of his albums, particularly Happy Sad and Starsailor, were rediscovered and praised by critics and new fans. The success of his son in the mid-90s led to a revival of interest in Tim Buckley's work, and a popular English rock band named themselves after his sixth album.