Happy posthumous 64th birthday to Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974).

One of my absolute favorite singer-songwriters, Nick Drake led a deeply troubled life, suffering from depression, insomnia, and general anxiety and was not widely appreciated until the late 70’s. Today a wide variety of musicians cite Nick Drake with having a heavy influence on them. His breathy, soft-spoken voice combined with his fluid finger picking style work magic with his somber, soulful, and beautifully crafted songs.

Pink Moon (1972) is his best album in my opinion as every song on the album is excellent. You can listen to it on Grooveshark for free. Here is the title track, Pink Moon:

His earlier album, Five Leaves (1970), is also a melancholic singer-songwriter tour de force worth a purchase or you can also pick up his nice little compilation, Way to Blue.