Rod McKuen

Artist for the Ages: Poet, composer, performer, and philanthropist Rod McKuen urges young and young-at-heart to “give more, more often”

 
by Chuck Ashman

 
Last spring, Rod McKuen, my friend and America’s beloved and most commercially successful poet/composer/performer, was planning his seventieth birthday bash. He decided to return to Carnegie Hall in New York for the “thirtieth anniversary of his fortieth birthday party,” held in that prestigious forum three decades earlier.

He asked me to produce the concert. It was to be the twenty-fourth time he appeared there, and something remarkable happened. We never purchased an advertisement, yet he sold out that remarkable venue – no easy task with 2,500 seats at a hefty price. But when you’re Rod McKuen, and a million loyal fans visit your Web site each month to catch up with you, you really don’t need ads. Followers flew in from 22 states and five foreign countries to see him perform, and he received five standing ovations.

The statistics measuring Rod McKuen’s career are staggering. Seventy-five million copies of his books of poetry have been sold worldwide. He has recorded 249 albums of mostly original music, 73 of which have gone platinum and 115 gold, making him one of the most successful writer/singers in history.

His Oscar and Golden Globe standings are aided by the classic Frank Sinatra album of his songs, as well as Madonna’s album title song, and the love theme for the latest Cirque de Soleil show. Some 500 artists have at least one McKuen song in their recorded collections.

Add to that his unprecedented and successful demand that South Africa allow mixed seating for the first time for his concert there when apartheid was the rule of law. That bit of diplomatic leaning, which opened the door for African-American performers, was a throwback to the days when Rod was a white singer touring with the all-black Lionel Hampton band in the deep South. If that doesn’t paint the picture and give you some idea of his heart, try this: Rod McKuen does one free charity concert or appearance for every commercial date.

In other words, this is a man whose humanity and passion match his talent and drive.

The boy who ran away from being beaten at home when he was 11 always finds time for his pet causes, and there are many. He is the first to be called for any benefit show planned to help those suffering from AIDS. He is always on stage if the event raises funds to help any worthwhile animal cause. He travels the country entertaining senior citizens at no charge (he calls them “seasoned citizens”), while urging them to get involved in work, community affairs, and politics. He reminds whoever will listen, “We have disposable income, so stop trying to dispose of us.”

He has received the Horatio Alger Award; has been honored with two Freedom Foundation medals; has twice been named Man of the Year by Variety Club; and has served as president of The National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

McKuen’s works are totally personal. They reflect his feelings and his experiences as a lumberjack, log dancer, gravedigger, cookie cutter, railroad worker, and rodeo cowboy – all jobs he held before his words and music captured the world’s imagination.

He served in the U.S. Army infantry during the Korean conflict. There, Bob Hope discovered his talents and took him on tour. During the sixties, he opposed the war but always insisted the troops be respected and supported. After writing “Make Love Not War,” which became a global rallying cry, he flew to Viet Nam to entertain American GIs.

For as long as anyone can remember, Rod McKuen has been the icon of love and romance and all those other things that, before he came along, made poetry “sissy stuff” strictly for lovesick girls. He has been credited on many occasions with literally bringing poetry to the mainstream of American culture.

He was a studio actor hired alongside Clint Eastwood, but preferred to score films rather than act in them. Blues bands and philharmonic orchestras perform his music, and age has not diminished his style. “McKuen today is at his best by blending his passion, personal experiences, and genius,” wrote Bruce Bellingham, the highly respected columnist of the San Francisco Examiner, just weeks ago.

As for the future, Rod has very serious plans. He is focusing on several new books, including a tribute to those over 70 who are staying active in every imaginable field. He is writing a one-man show in which he will play Socrates in a modern environment. He even plans to catalog his personal collection of one million records and tapes kept in his 32-room Beverly Hills mansion, once the home of Gloria Swanson.

When I asked him if there was anything he wanted to say directly to the readers of Philanthropy World magazine, he said, “Tell everyone to give more, and more often, to more good causes.”