Warren Zevon on David Letterman

Written by Eric Olsen
Published October 21, 2002

As thirty-year fans of Warren Zevon, we have been following sadly but proudly as he has risen to a personal level of nobility matching that of his exemplary song catalog since the announcement of his terminal cancer.

As Shakespeare noted, all's well that ends well, and Warren is going out in style with mordant humor intact and head held high after a decidedly up and down career as a person. Let's look forward to his appearance with David Letterman on October 30 as a time to celebrate and appreciate what Warren has given us over the years, and not a time to get weird and maudlin.

If you want to get a sense of Warren's perspective on things, check out the cover of his new Genius collection, which every sentient being should own by the way. For our several reports and discussions of Warren, see here, here, here, and here.

Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and publisher of Blogcritics.org, which, quite frankly, rules - as do his wife and four children.

Keep reading for information and comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own!

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Warren Zevon on David Letterman: Published: October 21, 2002; Type:; Section: Video; Filed Under: Music: Classic Rock and Oldies, Music: News, Music: Rock, Video: News, Video: Television; Writer: Eric Olsen; Eric Olsen's BC Writer page; Eric Olsen's personal site

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Comments

#1 — November 1, 2002 @ 00:29AM — findthetruth.com [URL]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE,

Can someone get this message to Warren Zevon,

Warren, you have to visit http://www.findthetruth.com
Then it will ALL be worth it !!!

PLEASE, CAN SOMEONE GET THIS MESSAGE TO WARREN ZEVON. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

#2 — November 2, 2002 @ 20:47PM — deb chasteen

Thank you for posting info about Zevon on your blog, which I've enjoyed, as well as for using the word 'mordant' -- I'm not sure what credentials make a rock journalist (or is that an oxymoron?), but I've read too many who call Zevon "morbid." Argh.

Perhaps it is a bit "weird and maudlin," but I was just doing a search to find more on Zevon's Letterman appearance (don't have a TV), and continued on reading anything brought up. I met Warren in 1995 at a sound check -- an amazingly kind, patient man, who earnestly reassured my newly sober self that the drunken routine to follow with his sax player was just an act. This despite my self-pitying waitress blather. His stage presence is amazing (I've seen him twice in the 90's.), but the man's speaking voice may rival it. Low and thoughtful; when he asked if I was still married it took me a second to start and stammer "yes, yes I am." An amazingly seductive baritone. When he played "Lawyers, Guns and Money" that evening, he sang the first line (I went home with a waitress), then paused and did a hand-to-eyebrows stagy "search" for me into the crowd, then continued the song. Sigh.

An incredible songwriter, a real mensch. Damn, damn, damn.

#3 — November 2, 2002 @ 21:46PM — Eric Olsen

Thanks Deb, great story. It's very sad, but Warren doesn't seem to want us to be sad. Interesting to note also that we are all at our best when in seduction mode.

#4 — October 16, 2005 @ 01:43AM — john macy

is Letterman really gay, like they say?