366Art | Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Today is the birthday of Yusuf / Cat Stevens, one of the most popular and influential folk rock artists of the 1970s. The digital artwork above and his portrait on the musical reference works / birthday calendars below are made by me, Frieke.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens, born Steven Demetre Georgiou on July 21, 1948, in London, to a Greek-Cypriot father and a Swedish mother, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known by his stage name Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens was just a teenager when his debut single I Love My Dog made it to the British charts, found on the album Matthew And Son. This album was more pop-oriented than his later, more introspective, and folk-oriented work from the 1970s.

Stevens is known for his acoustic folk rock music, unique voice, and his ability to write intimate, emotionally charged songs. His major breakthrough came with the albums Tea for the Tillerman , Mona Bone Jakon (1970) and Teaser and the Firecat (1971) These albums included hits such as Wild World  - Lady D'Arbanville - Father and Son - Peace Train and Morning Has Broken. More albums from this period include: Catch Bull at Four (1972) - Foreigner (1973) - Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974) - Numbers (1975) and Izitso (1977)

After a near-death experience where he almost drowned, Stevens began to delve into spirituality and religion. In 1977, he converted to Islam and took the name Yusuf Islam. Following his conversion, he largely stepped away from his music career to focus on his new religious life and philanthropy. He established various educational and humanitarian projects.

In the 2000s, Yusuf Islam (later also known as Yusuf / Cat Stevens) made a musical comeback. He released several new albums including The Laughing Apple (2017) and Tea for the Tillerman (2020). His later work combines his old style with new influences and often reflects his spiritual and philosophical insights. Yusuf / Cat Stevens remains beloved by generations of listeners around the world.