“I’ve always been a word guy, I like weird words and I like American slang and all that and words that are no longer being used… I like to drag them out of the box and wave them around… this is an interesting one, it’s amazing how in addition to punctuation just a little pause in the wrong place can just completely transform the meaning of something.”

American singer, songwriter, composer and actor, born 1949

Tom Waits is an American singer, songwriter, composer and actor. He emerged from the folk scene in the 1970s and built a career around a voice and style that are instantly recognizable. Born in 1949, he is known for songs that look toward the margins of society and for performances marked by a deep, gravelly delivery. From the 1980s onward, his work drew on a wide range of influences, including rock, jazz, Delta blues, opera, vaudeville, cabaret, funk and experimental sounds. Critics have often noted his gift for creating vivid characters and for writing about the adrift, the lonely and the downtrodden, with a mix of sympathy, grit and dark humor.