Loudon Wainwright III is a singer-songwriter and actor. In 1968 he began to write songs, and in 1969 recorded his first album. Wainwright has recorded twenty-seven albums, including his 2010 Grammy Award–winning
High, Wide, & Handsome. His songs have been covered by Johnny Cash, Mose Allison, Rufus Wainwright, Bonnie Raitt, and Earl Scruggs, among others. As an actor he has appeared on TV (
M*A*S*H,
Ally McBeal,
Undeclared), in movies (
Big Fish,
The Aviator,
Knocked Up), on Broadway (
Pump Boys and Dinettes) and Off (
Hot Lunch Apostles,
Surviving Twin). “Mr. Wainwright wrings more human truth out of his contradiction than any other songwriter of his generation.” —
The New York Times, Stephen Holden
