Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein, who died in 1999, was a composer, singer, cartoonist, illustrator and author - and enjoyed success in all his professions.

He joined Playboy magazine in mid fifties and his name started to become known nationally for his cartoons with their satirical and provocative content, were some of the sharpest work in there.

Silverstein cut a dozen albums in more than two decades, cutting across all genres of music. It was in 1967, when Johnny Cash enjoyed massive success with his version of Silverstein's A Boy Named Sue, that he achieved stardom as a songwriter. RCA Records subsequently issued an album of Silverstein's music using that song as the title track.

He later earned an Oscar nomination as a songwriter for I'm Checking Out, which he wrote for the 1990 Mike Nichols film Postcards from the Edge.

His songs were also used in such movies as Ned Kelly, Coal Miner's Daughter, Hearts of Fire, and Things Change.

Shel Silverstein

Boy Named Sue And His Other Country Songs Shel Silverstein £9.99