Dead Skunk

Background:

Grammy nominated songwriter/folk singer Loudon Wainwright has released over twenty albums on eleven different labels since his professional debut in the early 1970s. He is probably best known for the novelty song hit “Dead Skunk” from his third full album, the folk-rock “Album III” (1972).

Wainwright also had occasional screen roles and was seen as Captain Calvin Spalding (1974-1975), the “singing surgeon,” on three episodes of the CBS successful television show “M*A*S*H,” and as Hal Karp (aka the Halcaholic), the dysfunctional dad of Jay Baruchel's Steve, on the college-set Fox comedy sitcom “Undeclared” (2001-2002). On the big screen, he could be seen playing small parts in the films “Big Fish” (2003), “The Aviator” (2004), “The 40 Year Old Virgin” (2005), “Elizabethtown” (2005), “For Your Consideration” (2006), and “Knocked Up” (2007). He will star in the upcoming animated film “G-Force,” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures.

The 6' 2” son of well-known writer and editor of Life magazine, Loudon Wainwright II, was married to folk music singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle. He is the father of popular contemporary singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright and folk-pop singer Martha Wainwright.

Loudon Snowden

Childhood and Family:

Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on September 5, 1946, Loudon Snowden Wainwright III was raised in the town of Bedford north of New York City. His father is Loudon S. Wainwright, Jr. (died in 1988), a longtime writer and editor for Life magazine and a direct descendant of Colonial Governor Peter Stuyvesant, His mother is Martha Wainwright (born in 1923; died in 1997), a noted yoga teacher. Loudon's sisters are Sloan Wainwright (also a singer) and Teddy Wainwright.

Loudon went to elementary school with Liza Minnelli, on whom he had a tremendous crush. In 1961, he was sent to a boarding school in Middletown Delaware called St. Andrew's (seen on screen in 'Dead Poets Society'), where his father had gone 20 years earlier. He graduated in 1965 and studied drama at the Carnegie-Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but dropped out in 1967 to pursue a music career in San Francisco.

Loudon was married to folk music singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle (born on February 6, 1946). They have one son, Rufus Wainwright (popular contemporary singer-songwriter; born on July 22, 1974) and one daughter, Martha Wainwright (folk-pop singer; born May 8, 1976). Loudon and Kate divorced in 1977.

Loudon also has two daughters, Alexandra Wainwright and Lexie Kelly, from his relationship with Ritamarie Kelly. Additionally, he has one daughter named Lucy Wainwright by Suzzy Roche, who is a member of the folk trio “The Roches.” Loudon remarried in 2005.

The Singing Surgeon

Career:

Becoming interested in music at age 10 after buying his first record, "All Shook Up" by Elvis, Loudon Wainwright began playing the guitar around 1960 and picked Bob Dylan as his musical role model after seeing him at the Newport Folk Festival in 1962. He left college in 1967 and packed up for San Francisco to pursue a music career.

The struggling musician supported his life by doing various odd jobs and worked as a movie house janitor, boatyard barnacle scraper, and cashier-cook-dishwasher at New York's first macrobiotic restaurant, the Paradox on East 7th Street. Meanwhile, he began to write his own songs.

In 1969, Wainwright was "discovered" by Milton Kramer who became his manager. He soon acquired a record deal with Atlantic Records who released his debut album titled “Loudon Wainwright III” (aka “Album I”), in 1970, followed by “Album II” in 1971. Afterwards, he switched to Columbia Records and released his third full album, the folk-rock “Album III,” in 1972. It spawned his most popular hit single, “Dead Skunk.”

In 1973, Wainwright released his fourth album, “Attempted Mustache,” which was recorded within a span of five days. The album's songs, "The Swimming Song" and "Lullaby," later appear in the Noah Baumbach 2005 dramatic film "The Squid and the Whale." Country legend Johnny Cash also covers the song "The Man Who Couldn't Cry" on his Grammy-winning 1994 album, "American Recordings."

In 1975, Wainwright released a fifth album titled “Unrequited,” his last album on the Columbia Records label. Wainwright also acted on stage and appeared in the Off-Broadway production of the musical “Pump Boys and Dinettes.” Additionally, he played a featured role as Captain Calvin Spalding (1974-1975), a surgeon who was normally seen playing his guitar and singing, on the successful television series “M*A*S*H,” a medical drama/comedy on CBS which was inspired by the 1968 novel of the same name by Richard Hooker (pen name for H. Richard Hornberger).

As for his music career, Wainwright moved to Arista Records and released the albums “T Shirt” (1976) and “Final Exam” (1978), on which he was backed by a rock band. However, he left the major label for the folk-based indie Rounder Records, under which he released the albums “A Live One” (1980) and “Fame and Wealth” (1983). During this time, he began to receive more attention in England than the U.S. and he relocated to London in 1985. That year, he released “I'm Alright” (1985) and then “More Love Songs” (1986), which were co-produced by British singer/guitarist Richard Thompson.

Wainwright was also seen in Hal Ashby's “The Slugger's Wife” (1985), starring Michael O'Keefe and Rebecca De Mornay. He then continued his music career and moved to the label Silvertone for his album “Therapy” (1989). He then returned to the U.S. and signed to Virgin Records' Charisma subsidiary for the albums “History” (1992), which was released shortly after the death of his father, and the live “Career Moves” (1993).

In 1995, he released his 15th album, “Grown Man,” followed two years later by “Little Ship.” Afterwards, he released “BBC Sessions” (1998), a collection of favorites and new compositions, and “Social Studies” (1999), a collection of topical, humorous songs he had been composing since the late '80s while working as a musical commentator for National Public Radio (NPR). The album was released under Hannibal Records.

Entering the new millennium, Wainwright returned to the big screen in Betty Thomas’ comedy-drama film starring Sandra Bullock, “28 Days.” Afterward, he played the regular role of Hal Karp in the college-set Fox sitcom “Undeclared” (2001-2002). Wainwright recalled, “About seven years ago, my manager got a call from Judd's company wondering if I would audition for a part in a television show he was getting ready to do called ‘Undeclared.’ I wondered why they called. I had done some acting but wasn't pursuing it at that point. I found that Judd was a fan of mine when he was a teenager when he was growing up in Long Island. He came into New York City to see me. He saw me on TV during the '70s on Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin. Judd thinks outside of the box and thought it would be cool if I played the dysfunctional father on 'Undeclared.'”

In the wake of his mother's death, Wainwright recorded “Last Man on Earth,” which was released in 2001 under Red House Records. He then moved to Sanctuary Records for his third live album “So Damn Happy” (2003), and moved again to Sovereign Records for his 2005 studio album “Here Come the Choppers.”

During that time, Wainwright guest starred in two episodes of Fox's award-winning series starring Calista Flockhart, “Ally McBeal.” He also played roles in the films “Big Fish” (2003), “The Aviator” (2004), “The 40 Year Old Virgin” (2005; as the Priest), “Elizabethtown” (2005; as Orlando Bloom's uncle Dale) and “For Your Consideration” (2006).

Recently, in 2007, Wainwright released “Strange Weirdos: Music From And Inspired By The Film Knocked Up” under Concord Records. The album, which features several new songs written and performed by Wainwright, is the official soundtrack album for the 2007 Judd Apatow smash hit teen-comedy film “Knocked Up.” He also appeared in the film in a supporting role as Dr. Howard, the protagonists' (Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl) obstetrician. He is currently filming “G-Force,” an upcoming animated film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures, in which he will portray Grandpa Goodman. The film's tentative release date is May 1, 2009.

“There's nothing I'd like more than to sell more records and play in bigger venues and get paid more money. There's a lot that's beyond my control. There's nothing I can do about it. I can only try to do the best work I can.” Loudon Wainwright

Awards:
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