Biography of Cat Stevens

Born on 21st July, 1948, to parents of Greek-Swedish descent, Cat Stevens (birth name - Steven Demetre Georgiou) spend his childhood in London. His parents had a restaurant which was run by the entire family. His parents got divorced when he was 8 years old. Even though his parents were staunch believers of Orthodox and Baptist faiths, they chose to send him to a Catholic school. Young Stevens took a liking to the piano at an early age. He taught himself a few chords on the piano that belonged to his family. When he was 15 years old, and Beatlemania was spreading all across the world, Stevens bought his first guitar for eight pounds. His journey in music began when he started writing and playing songs. Some of the artists that influenced him were the blues legends Muddy Waters and Leadbelly. Lyrically, Bob Dylan opened a whole new perspective for Stevens. Musicals also had an impact on him. He studied at the Hammersmith School of Art, and for a brief moment considered drawing cartoons as his forte.

Cat Stevens - Early Years
Cat Stevens started performing in pubs and cafes. In the initial stages of his career, he formed bands, but realized he was better off performing as a solo artist. When he was 18 years old, Mike Hurst, a producer, helped him record a demo, which later led to a record deal. His debut album which featured the hit single 'Matthew and Son' was an instant chartbuster. He had a loyal fan following in his teens, and radio channels gave him a fair amount of coverage, by playing his records. He performed with Jimi Hendrix, and toured extensively. In the year 1968 he suffered from tuberculosis, which nearly cost him his life. The days he spent recovering from his illness changed his perceptions of life. Yoga and meditation became a part of his regime. He acquainted himself with different religions, and was spiritually enlightened. In that period he wrote over 30 songs with renewed vigor, most of which appeared on his albums in the coming years.

Cat Stevens - Rising Popularity
Cat Stevens got back to his song writing and guitar playing, with a style that his fans were unaccustomed to. Although, Stevens was popular in the UK, it was a venture into uncharted territory. He struck a deal with an American record label A&M Records. He started working on an album 'Mona Bone Jakon', which incorporated a new element to his music. His music in this album was more folk influenced as compared to his earlier works. Session guitarist Alun Davies, who joined Stevens on this album brought a whole new feel, in terms of harmonies and fingerstyle guitar. The musical ideas that Alun got into Stevens's sound, was instrumental in forming a remarkable bond between them. Peter Gabriel too featured on one of the songs 'Pop Star', which displayed his flute playing abilities. In a time when record labels preferred signing bands rather than solo artists, Stevens's album 'Mona Bone Jakon', paved the way for other musicians to release material as solo artists. The album 'Tea For The Tillerman', established Cat Stevens as one of the finest singer-songwriter of his time. The album received rave reviews from critics all over the world. It attained a cult following in US and UK.

'Tea For The Tillerman' was an album that depicted elements from different phases of Stevens's life. Even today this release is considered as one of the finest albums in the folk-rock genre. His relationships with Patti D'Arbanville and Carly Simon reflected in the songs he wrote. Over the years, Cat Stevens had a string of successful albums.

Cat Stevens - Embracing Islam
On a trip to Morocco, where Stevens spent time contemplating and writing new songs, he heard God's calling: a voice that asked him to sing for the glory of God. Stevens questioned himself about life, which awakened his spiritual side. An incident, in 1976, where he nearly drowned, changed Stevens completely. He spent his time learning about different religions and in search of God. On his birthday, Stevens's brother David presented him a copy of the Quran, which the latter had got from Jerusalem. As soon as Stevens started reading the holy book, he found peace and solace. He studied the Quran thoroughly, and converted to Islam in 1977. In 1978, Cat Stevens chose to be known as Yusuf Islam. He tied the knot with Fauzia Mubarak Ali in 1979, in a mosque in London.

The remarkable journey of this gifted singer-songwriter doesn't end here. Even today Yusuf Islam continues to write songs and collaborate with different artists all over the world, conveying messages of peace, love and harmony through his songs.