Elvis Costello

Today marks the birthday of Elvis Costello (Declan McManus), son of British bandleader Ross McManus who has been regaling the music world with his sometimes brilliant twists and turns since 1977. His adopted name was taken from Elvis Presley and his mother's maiden name. He began his career relegated as a part of the punk movement with which he did share an unbridled enthusiasm and at times acerbic bite to his lyrics. He distinguished himself, however, by his comfort with different styles and a penchant for writing literate lyrics that were a cut above his contemporaries. The Costello catalog is richly varied and always rewarding. He has been a stylistic chameleon who has dipped into diverse genres as disparate as country and classical, has collaborated with Burt Bacharach, Ann Sofie Von Otter and the Brodsky Quartet, and recently worked with his wife, Diana Krall, on her first collection of original material. His diversity and innovation set him apart and his lyrical prowess has made him one of a handful of truly influential songwriters in the rock and pop field. A good web site for more information is www.elviscostello.info