Rod McKuen

Trivia

• He is a poet-songwriter.
• Claims to have been a psychological warfare script writer during the Korean War.
• His autobiographical book "Finding My Father: One Man's Search for Identity", dealt with his search for his biological father, and was the subject of a nationwide debate on illegitimate births.
• Prior to becoming known as a poet and songwriter, he worked as a day laborer, stunt man, disc jockey, newspaper columnist and actor.
• Although a favorite target of both critics and non-admirers, who have routinely dismissed his verse as not much above the level of greeting-card poetry, he is the most financially successful poet of all-time. At the height of his popularity (roughly 1967-73), his books, such as "Listen to the Warm," "Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows," and "In Someone's Shadow," regularly appeared on the best-seller lists and sold in the millions, as did his albums, primarily for RCA Victor and Warner Brothers Re
• Developed his distinctively scratchy voice in the late 1950s when, as an aspiring rock 'n' roll singer, he had to make himself heard over an especially loud band, night after night, for weeks.
• According to legendary guitar sessioneer Vic Flick, he loved the sound of the ukulele in his music, but was never happy with the sound on his recording sessions in London. So, on the first morning of a new series of sessions, he handed Vic a brand new Martin uke he'd brought straight in from Los Angeles. He insisted Vic kept it after the session so he would always know where to find a decent instrument in London.
• At the height of his popularity, his songs were recorded by a wide variety of artists, including The Kingston Trio, Bing Crosby, Jimmie Rodgers, The Smothers Brothers (Tom Smothers & Dick Smothers), Perry Como, Glenn Yarbrough, Oliver, and Frank Sinatra. The latter recorded an entire album of McKuen songs in 1969, entitled "A Man Alone." Soft rocker Terry Jacks had a number-one single in 1974 with McKuen's best-known song, "Seasons in the Sun.".