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Loading...Today’s GLBT History Month Icon: Musician Rufus Wainwright
Today’s GLBT History Month icon is musician Rufus Wainwright. Born July 22, 1973, Wainwright is an accomplished singer/songwriter. He has produced six albums and is the recipient of two Juno Awards and five GLAAD Media Awards.
From Equality Forum:
Wainwright’s musical talent was shaped by his folksinger parents, Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III. He was born in Rhinebeck, New York, and holds dual United States and Canadian citizenship. After his parents divorced, he spent most of his youth with his mother in Montreal.
At age 14, Wainwright broke into the entertainment world with a song he composed and sang in the film “Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller,” earning him a Juno Award nomination for “Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year.” That same year, he was sexually assaulted by a man he met at a bar. Deeply disturbed by the attack, he remained celibate for seven years.
In 1998, following the release of his first album, Wainwright was named “Best New Artist” by Rolling Stone. He composes music for theater, dance and opera, and has contributed to numerous film soundtracks, including “Moulin Rouge” and “Brokeback Mountain.” Additionally, he has acted in “The Aviator” and “Heights,” among other films.
As a collaborator, Wainwright has worked on albums with music greats Rosanne Cash and Elton John. John hailed him as “the greatest songwriter on the planet.” His first opera, “Prima Donna,” premiered in 2009 at the Manchester International Festival and was the subject of a documentary film that premiered on Bravo! in 2010.
Despite fame and success, Wainwright struggled with crystal meth addiction, a habit he eventually recovered from in 2002. With two decades of performing under his belt, Wainwright assures his fans that he won’t be retiring any time soon: “I am a self-sustaining, vibrant, long-term artist, and I’m not going away!”
Bibliography:
- “About Rufus Wainwright.” The Official Community of Rufus Wainwright. 20 May 2010.
- “Kitty Empire talks to Rufus Wainwright.” The Guardian. 21 May 2010.
- Brown, Lane. “The Inquisition: Rufus Wainwright.” Spin Magazine Online. 19 May 2010.
- Ganz, Caryn. “Rufus Wainwright.” Interview Magazine. 19 May 2010.
- “Rufus Wainwright Biography.” Contactmusic.com. 19 May 2010.
- “Rufus Wainwright Biography.” Biography.com. 19 May 2010.
Video of Rufus Wainwright:
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Read more: civil rights, gay rights, glbt history month, glbt history month icons, lgbt rights, rufus wainright, transgender rights
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Recent Comments from Causes
a man with a bit of sense ;)
Christian R: That's perfect kill anything and everything. You sound like a pathetic example of humanity..already…
NO !!!!!
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23 comments
+ add your ownJRS: Go Wai!
Thanx for article.
I understand that it's a free country, but I just am very tired of having to listen to it. Please, just go do whatever you do and shut up about it.
Margaret C. you took the words right out of my mouth: "Great singer, made a wonderful contribution to the Leonard Cohen documentary "I'm Your Man"."
Well, let's say that this LGBT-history month stuff allows to get to know/redecover great people.
Had forgotten about his father, and didn't know the son that well.
Let's stream some music.
Great singer, made a wonderful contribution to the Leonard Cohen documentary "I'm Your Man".
thanks, i didn't know about him until this article. these are really good choices.
OMG - he's the son of the author of "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road!!!" "Dead Skunk" was banned from Redding (CA) radio station KRDG in the last half of the 60s, and no one under forty could understand why!
Thanks once again for a great article.
Thanks.
Love him and his parents. Thanks for the article.
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