Cat Stevens

Contemporary folk singer-songwriter, protest music

Cat Stevens can most easily be compared to his contemporaries. Some other singer-songwriters from the 1970s include folks like Paul Simon, James Taylor, Don MacLean, and Harry Chapin.

Cat Stevens converted to Islam in 1977 after nearly drowning in an accident. During his recovery from the accident, his brother had given him a copy of the Qu'ran, which Stevens credited with helping him to find peace and recover from the incident. As is customary when one converts to Islam, Stevens changed his name to Yusuf Islam, after the prophet Joseph - interpreter of dreams.

"I always stood for the elimination of conflict and wars, and any of those causes that ignite them."

Tea For the Tillerman (A&M, 1971)

Teaser & The Firecat (A&M, 1971)

The Very Best of Cat Stevens (A&M, 2000)

"Peace Train" (History of "Peace Train")
"Wild World"
"Where Do the Children Play?"

Cat Stevens (Steven Demetre Georgiou) was born in London, England. His father was a Greek Cypriot and his mother was Swedish, and they divorced when he was eight years old. He and his mother later moved to Sweden.

He attended Hammersmith College, where he developed an interest in music and began performing under the pseudonym of Steve Adams. He was eventually discovered by Decca Record and had a hit in Britain with his song "I Love My Dog."

Hoping to score a hit in the States, Stevens began focusing on more earnest and personal material. He inked a deal with Island Records, and released his third album Mona Bone Jakon in 1970. The same year, Jimmy Cliff had a hit with Stevens' song "Wild Word."

After a near-death drowning experience, in 1977 Stevens converted to Islam, adopting the name Yusuf Islam. After releasing his final album as Cat Stevens, Islam retired from making folk-pop music. He's had five children with his wife, and now runs a Muslim school near London.

In 2005, he released a song about the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. In March, 2006, Rolling Stone magazine reported that Islam had finished recording his first album since 1978. He has since released two albums as Yusuf Islam.