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Declan Patrick MacManus, better known by his stage name Elvis Costello ~ is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author, television host, and artist. This Grammy-winning artist has been inducted into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. He was born in 1954 England into a musical family, and was raised with a knowledge and appreciation of many different musical styles. Costello began writing songs and teaching himself to play guitar at age 14. Beginning in 1977, his first three albums received extensive favorable coverage by the UK music press and US music critics alike. He has gone on to release over 30 more albums to date, composing more than 500 published song titles, two ballet scores, an unfinished opera about Hans Christian Anderson, and songs for a stage musical adaption of Budd Schulberg's "A Face in the Crowd" which opened at the Young Vic, London in September 2024. Costello's songs have been recorded by some of the greatest voices in popular music; including Roy Orbison, Dusty Springfield, Solomon Burke and Johnny Cash. He also has done songwriting collaborations ~ including 15 songs with Paul McCartney, 30 songs with Burt Bacharach, and 30 with New Orleans master Allen Toussaint and Costello's wife ~ jazz pianist and vocalist, Diana Krall. In 2015, he authored a 600+ page memoir "Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink", which rose to #7 on the NY Times Bestseller List. He has also played himself or similar fictional characters in movies and TV programs, such as "Austin Powers", "No Surrender", "30 Rock", "Two and Half Men", and "Frasier"; and has hosted "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with . . .". Now in his 70's, Costello extends this creative energy into the world of visual arts. His artwork, like his music ~ challenges norms and invites deeper interpretation. It is sometimes playful, sometimes solemn, but always thought provoking and entertaining. This artistic expansion underscores his multi-faceted talents, making his journey from music to visual art a natural evolution. |