A truly unique and multi-faceted artist, Shel Silverstein was a
renowned poet, playwright, illustrator, screenwriter, and songwriter. Best known
for his immensely popular children’s books including The Giving
Tree, Falling Up, and A Light in the Attic,
Silverstein has delighted tens of millions of readers around the world, becoming
one of the most popular and best-loved children's authors of all time.
Born in Chicago on September 25, 1930, Sheldon Allan Silverstein grew up to
attain an enormous public following, but always preferred to say little about
himself. “When I was a kid,” he told Publishers Weekly
in 1975, “I would much rather have been a good baseball player or a hit
with the girls. But I couldn’t play ball. I couldn’t dance. So I started
to draw and to write. I was lucky that I didn’t have anyone to copy, be
impressed by. I had developed my own style.”
Silverstein drew his first cartoons for the adult readers of Pacific
Stars and Stripes when he was a G.I. in Japan and Korea in the 1950’s.
He also learned to play the guitar and to write songs, a talent that would later
produce such hits as “A Boy Named Sue” for Johnny
Cash and “The Cover of the Rolling Stone” for Dr.
Hook.
Shel Silverstein never planned on writing for children – surprising for
an artist whose children’s works would soon become available in more than
30 languages around the world. In the early 1960’s Tomi Ungerer, a friend
whose own career in children’s books was blossoming, introduced Silverstein
to his editor, Harper Collins’ legendary Ursula Nordstrom. That connection
led to the publication of The Giving Tree in 1964. The book
sold modestly at first, but soon the gentle parable about a boy and the tree
that loved him was admired by readers of all ages, recommended by counselors
and teachers, and being read aloud from pulpits. Decades after its initial publication,
with more than five and a half million copies sold, The Giving Tree
holds a permanent spot atop lists of perennial bestsellers.
Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein’s first collection
of poems, was published in 1974 and was hailed as an instant classic. Its poems
and drawings were applauded for their zany wit, irreverent wisdom, and tender
heart. Two more collections followed: A Light in the Attic
in 1981, and Falling Up in 1996. Both books dominated bestseller
lists for months, with A Light in the Attic shattering all
previous records for its 182-week stay on the New York Times
list. His poetry books are widely used in schools as a child’s first introduction
to poetry.
Silverstein enjoyed a long, successful career as a songwriter with credits that
included the popular “Unicorn Song” for the Irish
Rovers and “I’m Checking Out” written
for the film Postcards from the Edge and nominated for an Academy
Award in 1991. In 1984, Silverstein won a Grammy Award for Best Children’s
Album for Where the Sidewalk Ends – “recited, sung
and shouted” by the author. He performed his own songs on a number of albums
and wrote others for friends, including 1998’s Old Dogs
with country stars Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, Bobby Bare, and Jerry Reed;
and his last children’s recording Underwater Land with
singer/songwriter and longtime friend Pat Dailey.
Shel Silverstein loved to spend time in Greenwich Village, Key West, Martha’s
Vineyard, and Sausalito, California. Up until his death in May 1999, he continued
to create plays, songs, poems, stories, and drawings, and most importantly,
in Shel’s own words, “have a good time.”
Those good times show in the charm and humor of Underwater Land. Its seventeen
tracks are a perfect blend of Silverstein’s irreverent wit and Dailey’s
inviting vocal style. Produced by Silverstein, and featuring his whimsical artwork,
the CD is now available from Olympia Records.
More online
information on Shel's work can be found at the wonderful www.shelsilverstein.com.