Singer-Songwriter Elliott Smith Dead at 34

Elliott Smith, the folk-rock songwriter who rose to prominence when his song “Miss Misery” was nominated for an Academy Award, was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment on October 21. He was discovered by his live-in girlfriend and was pronounced dead at Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center. The cause of death appeared to be a single self-inflicted knife wound to the chest. Smith was 34.

Elliott Smith was born on August 6, 1969, in Omaha, Nebraska, and began making music at an early age, winning a local award for original composition when he was 10. After moving to Portland, Oregon, he formed the band Heatmiser and began to garner widespread attention with the release of his first solo album in 1994, Roman Candle. He recorded the album himself on a four-track and played all the instruments. This fiercely indie, DIY aesthetic, along with his moody lyrics and melancholy guitar melodies, would characterize the majority of Smith’s work, and drew him comparisons to fellow tragic-folkie Nick Drake.

Roman Candle was followed by Elliott Smith in 1995 and Either/Or in 1997. Also in 1997, his song “Miss Misery,” which was used in the film Good Will Hunting, was nominated for an Academy Award. Despite losing to Celine Dion’s “The Heart Will Go On,” the nomination changed Elliott Smith from an indie rocker with a cult following to a renowned artist whose major-label debut (1998’s XO) was one of the most anticipated albums of the year. His last album was 2000’s Figure 8.

Smith reportedly struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism throughout his career, and performances marred by forgotten lyrics and shaky guitar playing became more common over time. He had recently been working on his sixth solo album, which was to be titled From a Basement on the Hill. He was scheduled to perform at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in Los Angeles on November 9.