Yusuf Islam, commonly known by his stage name Cat Stevens, and later Yusuf, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, in his later career, Islamic music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. His 1967 debut album reached the top 10 in the UK, and its title song "Matthew and Son" reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. Stevens' albums Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat were certified triple platinum in the US by the RIAA. His 1972 album Catch Bull at Four spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and fifteen weeks at number one in the Australian ARIA Charts. He earned two ASCAP songwriting awards in 2005 and 2006 for "The First Cut Is the Deepest", and the song has been a hit for four artists. His other hit songs include "Father and Son", "Wild World", "Moonshadow", "Peace Train", and "Morning Has Broken".
| Birth name: | Steven Demetre Georgiou |
| Also known as: | Steve Adams, Yusuf |
| Born: | July 21, 1948, London, England |
| Genres: | Folk, pop, rock, Islamic |
| Occupation(s): | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments: | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, Mellotron |
| Years active: | 1965–1980 (as Cat Stevens), 1995–present (as Yusuf Islam or Yusuf), 2014–present (as Yusuf/Cat Stevens) |
| Labels: | Deram, Island, A&M, Mountain of Light, Jamal, Ya, Atlantic Records, Legacy Recordings |
| Associated acts: | Alun Davies |
| IMDb: | Cat Stevens's IMDb |
| Spotify: | Cat Stevens's Spotify |
| iTunes: | Cat Stevens's iTunes |
About Cat Stevens
Folk singer-songwriter who wrote and performed songs like "The First Cut is the Deepest," "Where Do the Children Play?," and "Wild World."
Before Fame
He credited West Side Story with giving him a new perspective that shaped his music. His choice to go solo was made after he realized a band was not the right artistic dynamic he needed.
Achievement
In 1978, he gave up his music career and changed his name to Yusuf Islam, donating all of his guitars in order to dedicate his life to Islamic educational causes.
Family Life
He got married to Fawzia Ali on September 9, 1979, and they had five children together.
Associations
Stevens composed the soundtrack for the iconic 1970s movie Harold and Maude, which starred Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort.
Information related to Cat Stevens
- Cat Stevens Category
- Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone and a related book published in 2005. The lists were compiled based on votes from selected rock musicians, critics, and industry figures.
- English spoken word artists
- English former Christians
- Performers of Islamic music
- English rock pianists
- English humanitarians
- British soft rock musicians
- English folk guitarists
- Deram Records artists
- Acoustic guitarists
- English multi-instrumentalists
- Converts to Islam from Christianity
- English male singer-songwriters
- English rock keyboardists
- English folk singers
- English Muslims
- A&M Records artists
- English pop singers
- Ivor Novello Award winners
- English rock singers
- Decca Records artists
- Island Records artists
- English philanthropists
- English rock guitarists
- Converts to Islam
