Leonard Cohen in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Leonard Cohen, Canada’s answer to Serge Gainsbourg, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame Monday for his status among “the highest and most influential echelon of songwriters.”

Cohen emerged from what Martin Mull called “the great folk music scare of the sixties,” to gain cult status as a singer/songwriter, and has remained a folkie heartthrob for forty years. He has recorded eighteen albums, and written twelve books, including his 1966 novel, “Beautiful Losers.” (thought we didn’t notice that, eh, Bob Seeger?)

He may be the most famous songwriter you’ve never heard of. Since Judy Collins charted “Suzanne” in 1967, there have been over 1,200 released versions of his songs. Remember “So Long Marianne,” “Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye,” or “Like A Bird On a Wire?” How about the soundtrack from Robert Altman’s 1971 film “McCabe and Mrs. Miller?” He once appeared on Austin City Limits with three French girls singing back-up, don’t miss it when ACL finally released the tapes.

Cohen’s work has always had a spiritual bent, working themes of religion, love, loneliness, sadness, suicide, and social justice. In the 1990’s he wrote a song titled “Democracy Is Coming to the USA.” (we’re still waiting) and then spent five years as a monk at the Mount Baldy Zen Center. He was nominated for a Grammy last year for his work on Herbie Hancock’s winning album “The Joni Letters.”

This May, he is scheduled to make his first tour in fifteen years.