Since the 1973 release of his first album, Closing Time, Tom Waits has won fans over with his original songwriting and distinctive, gravelly vocal style. Musicians including Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart have recorded covers of his songs. He has also acted in films, including Sylvester Stallone's Paradise Alley, Jim Jarmusch's Down By Law and Robert Altman's Short Cuts.
Waits has two new CDs out this month: Alice and Blood Money. The pair of very different-sounding albums were written and produced by Tom Waits and his wife and long-time collaborator, Kathleen Brennan.
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