David Berman, Poet and Songwriter, Is Dead at 52

We're shocked and deeply saddened to report this morning that poet and singer-songwriter David Berman has died at the age of 52. Berman was best known as the founder and frontman of the pioneering indie rock group Silver Jews and, for Harriet readers, as the author of the 1999 poetry collection, Actual Air. Berman's most recent recording project, Purple Mountains, released a self-titled album in July. From Spin:

David Berman, co-founder and leader of the beloved indie band Silver Jews, has died. His longtime record label Drag City announced the news Wednesday night. Berman’s cause of death is not known at this time. He was 52.

“We couldn’t be more sorry to tell you this,” Drag City wrote on Twitter. “David Berman passed away earlier today. A great friend and one of the most inspiring individuals we’ve ever known is gone. Rest easy, David.”

Berman formed Silver Jews in 1989 with his University of Virginia classmates Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich. He released six albums, including the 1998 classic American Water, under the moniker before retiring from music in 2009 following years of struggles with substance abuse.

Faithful readers will recall Travis Nichols's interview with Berman, featured here last month. The two discussed Berman's latest music project (of course), but the conversation began with poetry and the way his former professor, James Tate, influenced Berman's writing. A little taste from the conversation:

Travis Nichols: I’ve been thinking of James Tate a lot lately, since his death and in anticipation of his last book of poems, The Government Lake. Re-reading Actual Air, it feels informed by his work, but not overwhelmed. The poems are able to transform his surreal “American which cats and dogs can read” into something that at the time seemed newer and now just seems its own thing. Looking back, how much influence did Jim and his work have on the writing of these poems? How much do you feel like he influenced your songwriting?  

David Berman: Starlite Walker and part of Natural Bridge were written when he was at large in my life. 

I remember giving him Starlite Walker and he wasn’t too impressed and/or didn’t like the idea of me abandoning poetry, as his only comment was laughingly remarking, “Don’t quit your dayjob!” when that was still a fresh expression.

Joe Pernice was in the program at the same time and I think Tate was a bit discomfited by the idea of his protégés crossing over to another field.

Anyone who knows the Silver Jews and reads him for the first time will be able to judge the degree of influence better than I can.

[...]

One thing I took from Tate was his overwhelming cheerfulness. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional but I was pleased to see his new/last book is called The Government Lake, which is a remark from “Classic Water” [from Actual Air].

I would put amusical influences down to Tate, Russell Edson, Kenneth Koch, Ben Katchor, the art I was guarding (Bruce Nauman, Basquiat, Sherri Levine, Louise Lawler), but I would be remiss not to mention the influence which pre-dates all these others, Charles Wright.

Read on here, and have a listen here. As our friends at Drag City say, rest easy, David.