Loudon Wainwright III - Biography
By J Poet
Younger music fans probably know Loudon Wainwright III as the father of pop diva Rufus Wainwright and edgy singer/songwriter Martha Wainwright, but he’s contributed more to music than his talented offspring. Somewhat hampered by the fact that he writes humorous songs – not funny, but humorous – Wainwright’s often dismissed as a one trick pony, but there’s more to his career than the giant novelty hit “Dead Skunk.” His tunes range from laugh out loud send ups to sharply etched portraits dripping with deadly irony.
Wainwright was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Loudon Wainwright, II, the editor of Life magazine. His family was wealthy and he grew up in Westchester County, New York City and Beverly Hills. One of his grammar school classmates was Liza Minnelli. When he heard Elvis singing “All Shook Up” he feel in love with rock’n’roll, but it wasn’t until he heard Dylan that he picked up a guitar. He dropped out of private school and headed for San Francisco, but got busted for pot along the way, in Okalahoma. His father bailed him out and he returned to Cambridge, MA to work “real jobs” to pay back his father. After stints as a movie house janitor, boatyard barnacle scraper, and cashier/cook/dishwasher at a macrobiotic restaurant, he started writing songs and performing in Boston and New York folk clubs.
Atlantic signed him in 1969 and released his first two albums, cleverly titled Loudon Wainwright III, Album I (1970 Atlantic) songs full of bitter irony and Album II (1971 Atlantic) another dark collection. When he switched to Columbia for Album III (1972 Atlantic, 2008 Legacy) his humor was more up front and he scored a gold album and gold single for “Dead Skunk.” Columbia thought he could write hits and while Attempted Mustache (1973 Columbia) and Unrequited (1975 Columbia) might have sounded like pop albums, the lyrics and Wainwright’s deadpan delivery were everything that pop isn’t. They dropped him. Two more attempted pop albums came out in the 70s, but Wainwright has disowned them since their release.
In addition to singing, Wainwright tried his hand at acting. He appeared in three episodes of M*A*S*H and in the Off Broadway musical Pump Boys and Dinettes. He also married Kate McGarrigle and fathered Rufus and Martha Wainwright. When the marriage failed, he moved to England, rethought his career choices and signed with Rounder. Without the pressure of making a hit, he was free to pursue his own skewed visions and released Fame and Wealth (1983 Rounder) and two outings produced by Richard Thompson I’m Alright (1985 Rounder) and More Love Songs (1986 Rounder.) I’m Alright and More Love Songs were nominated for Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammys.
Wainwright’s writing got more serious with Therapy (1989 Silvertone, 2004 BMG) an album of scathing self-examination. It was followed by History (1992 Charisma) a dark look at family relationships and hailed by many as Wainwright’s masterpiece. Grown Man (1995 Virgin) was another look at life’s darker moments while Little Ship (1997 Virgin) lightened the mood a bit. During the 80s and 90s Wainwright wrote a series of humorous topical songs for NPR and they were collected on Social Studies (1999 Hannibal.)
Last Man on Earth (2001 Red House) was written after the death of his mother and the tragedy of 9/11, and it’s another moving, insightful, adult album. Its grief, loneliness and trembling mortality make it hard to listen to in one sitting, but it’s probably Wainwright’s most powerful album.
Here Come the Choppers (2005 Sovereign Artists) is Wainwright at his cynical best, dissecting human frailty and foolishness with a jaundiced eye and protesting the city of LA’s helicopter surveillance program in the title track. The backing band is composed of session heavies including Bill Frisell and Jim Keltner. In 2006, Wainwright and Joe Henry worked on music for Judd Apatow’s film, Knocked Up. The results are showcased on Strange Weirdos: Music from and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up (2007 Concord.) In the film, Wainwright’s songs were used without words and orchestrated by Henry. It also includes a few instrumentals by Henry and one ballad by Van Dyke Parks. Wainwright and Henry continued working together on Recovery (2008 Yep Roc), songs Wainwright wrote early in his career given a new slant by Henry’s dark imaginative arrangements. In 2009 he released High, Wide & Handsome, followed by 10 Songs Of The New Depression in 2010, and Older Than My Old Man Now in 2012.
