History of Jeff Buckley in Timeline

Jeff Buckley was an American singer-songwriter who gained prominence in the early 1990s through his performances in New York City's East Village. Prior to his solo career, he worked as a session guitarist in Los Angeles. He signed with Columbia Records and released his debut and only studio album, *Grace*, in 1994. Buckley embarked on extensive tours across the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia to support the album, solidifying his reputation as a gifted and captivating live performer.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Legacy & Impact

November 17, 1966: Jeffrey Scott Buckley's Birth

On November 17, 1966, Jeffrey Scott Buckley, also known as Scott Moorhead, was born. He later became an American singer-songwriter.

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1967: Acquisition of Guild F-50 acoustic guitar

Jeff Buckley played a 1967 Guild F-50 acoustic guitar, among other instruments.

1975: Father's death and name change

In 1975, after his biological father Tim Buckley died of a drug overdose, Jeff chose to go by Buckley and his given name, Jeff.

1983: Telecaster guitar

Jeff Buckley played a blonde 1983 Fender Telecaster, which he had re-fretted and modded with a Seymour Duncan Hot Lead Stack in the bridge and a mirror pick guard.

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1988: Playing in Wild Blue Yonder

From 1988 to 1989, Jeff Buckley played in a band called the Wild Blue Yonder with John Humphrey and Danny Carey.

1989: Playing in Wild Blue Yonder

From 1988 to 1989, Jeff Buckley played in a band called the Wild Blue Yonder with John Humphrey and Danny Carey.

February 1990: Move to New York City

In February 1990, Jeff Buckley moved to New York City but found few opportunities to work as a musician initially.

1990: Roommates With Brooke Smith

From 1990 to 1991, Jeff Buckley was roommates with actress Brooke Smith.

April 1991: Meeting Rebecca Moore

In April 1991, Jeff Buckley met artist Rebecca Moore during a tribute concert to his father, Tim Buckley, leading to a relationship that lasted until 1993 and inspired his record "Grace".

April 26, 1991: Singing debut at tribute concert

On April 26, 1991, Jeff Buckley made his public singing debut at a tribute concert for his father, Greetings from Tim Buckley, held at St. Ann's Church in Brooklyn.

1991: Co-writing with Gary Lucas and moving to Lower East Side

In mid-1991, Jeff Buckley began co-writing with Gary Lucas, resulting in the songs "Grace" and "Mojo Pin". He moved to the Lower East Side, Manhattan, at the end of 1991.

March 1992: Leaving Gods and Monsters

In March 1992, the day after Gods and Monsters officially debuted, Jeff Buckley decided to leave the band.

April 1992: First appearance at Sin-é

In April 1992, Jeff Buckley first appeared at Sin-é, a venue in Lower Manhattan, quickly earning a regular Monday night slot there.

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October 1992: Signing with Columbia Records

In October 1992, Jeff Buckley signed a three-album deal with Columbia Records for nearly $1 million.

1992: Recording of "I Shall Be Released"

In 1992, Jeff Buckley recorded a version of "I Shall Be Released" over the phone on live radio, which was later released on the album For New Orleans.

February 1993: Studio recordings

In February 1993, Jeff Buckley spent three days in a studio recording his solo repertoire, singing a cappella and accompanying himself on various instruments.

August 1993: Recording debut EP

Recording dates were set for July and August 1993 for what would become Buckley's recording debut, an EP of four songs, including a cover of Van Morrison's "The Way Young Lovers Do".

November 23, 1993: Release of Live at Sin-é EP

On November 23, 1993, Jeff Buckley's live EP "Live at Sin-é" was released.

1993: Working on first album

In 1993, Jeff Buckley began working on his first album with record producer Andy Wallace and assembled a band consisting of Mick Grøndahl and Matt Johnson.

1993: Recording Session for Columbia Records

In 1993, Jeff Buckley had a recording session for Columbia Records, the tapes of which were later discovered in 2015 and released on the album "You and I" in 2016.

1993: End of Relationship with Rebecca Moore

Jeff Buckley's relationship with Rebecca Moore, which began in April 1991, ended in 1993.

January 1994: First solo North American tour

In January 1994, Jeff Buckley embarked on his first solo North American tour in support of the "Live at Sin-é" EP.

August 23, 1994: Release of "Grace"

On August 23, 1994, Jeff Buckley released his album, "Grace", which included seven original songs and three covers.

October 19, 1994: Start of Canada and U.S. tour

On October 19, 1994, Jeff Buckley's tour of Canada and the U.S. began at CBGB.

1994: Relationship with Elizabeth Fraser

In 1994, Jeff Buckley began an intense relationship with Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins, and they recorded a duet together.

1994: Release of "Grace"

In 1994, Jeff Buckley released his only studio album, "Grace". He then toured extensively across the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia to promote the album.

1995: U.S., Canada, and European tours

During 1995, Jeff Buckley and his band toured across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, playing at venues like Metro in Chicago, Sony Music Studios, Glastonbury Festival, and the Meltdown Festival. He also performed at the Paris Olympia.

1995: Influences Mentioned at Press Conference

During a press conference in Lyon in 1995, Jeff Buckley cited several female singers as influences, including Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Patti Smith, and Siouxsie Sioux.

1995: Relationship with Elizabeth Fraser continues

From 1994 to 1995, Jeff Buckley had an intense relationship with Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins.

1995: Radiohead Inspired by Buckley

In 1995, Radiohead recorded their song "Fake Plastic Trees" after being inspired by Jeff Buckley's performance at the Garage, London.

1995: Recordings released on promotional EPs

Much of the material from the tours of 1995 and 1996 was recorded and released on promotional EPs, such as the Grace EP, or posthumously on albums, such as Mystery White Boy and Live à L'Olympia.

January 1996: Interview with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

In January 1996, Jeff Buckley interviewed Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for Interview and wrote liner notes for Khan's Supreme Collection, Vol. 1 compilation.

March 1, 1996: Last gig with Matt Johnson

On March 1, 1996, Jeff Buckley played his last gig with drummer Matt Johnson in his band, during the Hard Luck Tour in Australia and New Zealand.

December 1996: "Phantom Solo Tour"

In December 1996, Jeff Buckley embarked on his "phantom solo tour" of cafés in the northeast U.S., performing under various aliases to regain anonymity.

1996: Writing and Recording "My Sweetheart the Drunk" with Tom Verlaine

In 1996, Jeff Buckley began writing and recording his new album, "My Sweetheart the Drunk", with producer Tom Verlaine. They recorded tracks like "Sky Is a Landfill", "Vancouver", "Morning Theft", and "You and I" in Manhattan.

1996: Work on "My Sweetheart the Drunk"

In 1996, Jeff Buckley worked on his second album, "My Sweetheart the Drunk", in New York City with producer Tom Verlaine.

1996: Recordings released on promotional EPs

Much of the material from the tours of 1995 and 1996 was recorded and released on promotional EPs, such as the Grace EP, or posthumously on albums, such as Mystery White Boy and Live à L'Olympia.

February 4, 1997: Performance at Knitting Factory's Anniversary Concert

On February 4, 1997, Jeff Buckley played a short set at the Knitting Factory's tenth anniversary concert, showcasing new songs like "Jewel Box", "Morning Theft", "Everybody Here Wants You", "The Sky is a Landfill", and "Yard of Blonde Girls".

February 12, 1997: Band's Return to Live Performance

On February 12, 1997, after a period of inactivity following a drummer's departure, Jeff Buckley's band resumed live performances.

May 26, 1997: Last Performance at Barristers'

Jeff Buckley's last performance at Barristers' was on May 26, 1997. He had been playing there regularly to develop new material in a live setting.

May 29, 1997: Jeff Buckley's Death

On May 29, 1997, Jeff Buckley drowned in the Wolf River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, while awaiting the arrival of his band from New York.

1997: Resumption of work and death

In 1997, Jeff Buckley resumed work on his album after moving to Memphis, Tennessee, where he recorded four-track demos and played weekly solo shows. On May 29, 1997, while awaiting his band's arrival, he drowned in the Wolf River.

1997: Unsatisfactory Recording Sessions

In early 1997, Jeff Buckley and his band had another recording session in Manhattan, but they were unsatisfied with the results.

May 1998: Release of "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk"

In May 1998, after Buckley's death, the Verlaine-produced recordings and Buckley's demos were released as "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk".

1998: Release of "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk" and Gold Sales in Australia

In 1998, after Jeff Buckley's death, "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk" was released as a compilation album and achieved gold sales in Australia.

1999: Release of "Fall in Light" Documentary

In 1999, the documentary "Fall in Light" about Jeff Buckley was produced for French TV.

2000: Release of "Goodbye and Hello" Documentary

In 2000, "Goodbye and Hello", a program about Jeff Buckley and his father, was produced for Netherlands TV.

2000: Coldplay Describes Shiver as a Buckley 'Ripoff'

In 2000, the Coldplay singer Chris Martin described their single "Shiver" as a Jeff Buckley "ripoff".

2001: Release of Live à L'Olympia

In 2001, Sony BMG released a live album, "Live à L'Olympia", featuring songs from Jeff Buckley's performances at the Paris Olympia and his collaboration with Alim Qasimov.

2002: "Grace" achieves gold status in the U.S.

In 2002, Jeff Buckley's album "Grace" achieved gold status in the U.S.

2002: "Hallelujah" Used in The West Wing

In 2002, Jeff Buckley's cover of "Hallelujah" was used in the "Posse Comitatus" episode of The West Wing, earning the audio team an Emmy Award.

2002: Release of "Everybody Here Wants You" Documentary

In 2002, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) made a documentary about Jeff Buckley called "Everybody Here Wants You".

2006: "Grace" goes six times platinum in Australia

In 2006, the album Grace by Jeff Buckley, sold over six times platinum in Australia.

June 2007: Global Tributes to Jeff Buckley

In May and June 2007, Jeff Buckley's life and music were celebrated globally with tributes in various countries.

March 7, 2008: "Hallelujah" Reaches Number One on iTunes

On March 7, 2008, Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" reached number one on the iTunes chart after being performed on American Idol.

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December 2008: Alexandra Burke's Cover of "Hallelujah" and Chart Competition

In December 2008, Alexandra Burke's cover of "Hallelujah" competed with Jeff Buckley's version on the UK charts, with Burke's version eventually reaching number one.

2009: Release of "Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley"

In 2009, the film "Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley" was released worldwide as part of the "Grace Around The World Deluxe Edition".

2010: Morrissey names "Grace" one of his favorite albums

In 2010, Morrissey of the Smiths, one of Jeff Buckley's influences, named "Grace" one of his favorite albums.

2012: Premiere of Greetings from Tim Buckley

In 2012, "Greetings from Tim Buckley" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, exploring Jeff Buckley's relationship with his father.

April 2013: "Hallelujah" inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry

On 2 April 2013, Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.

2014: "Hallelujah" inducted into National Recording Registry

In 2014, Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's song "Hallelujah" was inducted into the American Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.

2015: Discovery of 1993 Recording Session Tapes

In 2015, Sony executives discovered tapes of a 1993 recording session for Columbia Records while researching the 20th anniversary of "Grace".

March 2016: Release of "You and I" Album

In March 2016, tapes from a 1993 recording session for Columbia Records were released on the album "You and I".

2020: Matt Bellamy Buys Buckley's Telecaster

In 2020, Matt Bellamy of Muse purchased Jeff Buckley's blonde 1983 Fender Telecaster, noting its unique sound.

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2021: Violet Grohl Performs Buckley's Songs

At a tribute concert honoring the deceased Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2021, David Grohl's daughter Violet performed "Last Goodbye" and "Grace", with Dave Grohl and others.

2021: Biographical film starring Reeve Carney as Buckley set to begin filming

In 2021, a biographical film titled "Everybody Here Wants You," starring Reeve Carney as Jeff Buckley, was set to begin filming. Orian Williams was to make his directorial debut, with Culmination Productions releasing the film. Mary Guibert, Buckley's mother, co-produced the film, ensuring it as the only official dramatization of Jeff's story, with music access approved by Alison Raykovich.