Biography - Jeff Buckley

Published by buckley11

Jeffrey Scott Moorhead was born in Orange County on 17 November 1966. His father, the folk singer Tim Buckley died of a heroine overdose when Jeff was eight years old, one month after thay had met for the first time.

Jeff became passionate about music at the age of thirteen, and at seventeen he went to LA to study at the Guitar Institute. Whilst there he played with several jazz and funk bands as well as Shinehead, a leader in the dancehall reggae movement. From LA he moved to New York, taking his father's name with him. Buckley then teamed up with experimental guitarist, Gary Lucas and together they produced 'Gods and Monsters'.

However, soon afterwards, Buckley decided to persue a solo career and began playing small gigs in NY's East Village cafes. One of these was 'Sin-é', and it was here that he recorded his EP 'Live at Sin-é in 1993. He signed with Columbia records and released 'Grace' one year later. The album was great success and he spent the next few years touring and writing material for his follow-up, 'My Sweetheart the Drunk'.

In February 1997 he moved to Memphis, to concentrate on the album. On the evening of 29 May, he and a friend travelled to the local Mud Island Harbour, when Buckley spontaneously decided to go swimming fully clothed. Tragically, he disappeared under the waves, and his body was found downstream five days later. Jeff Buckley was 30 when he died.

Several albums have been released posthumously, including 'Sketches (for My Sweetheart, the Drunk) (1998) and 'Mystery White Boy'.