Leonard Cohen can say more in fewer words than anyone I've ever heard.

I saw him 'live' many years ago and it still stands as one of the very best concerts I've ever had the good fortune to attend. He played a set with his band, a solo set and then came back for another set with his band.

His humor was marvelous and most often at his own expense - poking fun at his reputation as "the grocer of despair" and as a poet "these hands ... rising up like lotuses from the mud of my sleeves." All with perfect deadpan delivery and the most marvelous twinkle in his eye. After two or three standing ovations he quietly remarked that "if you have someone waiting for you, go ahead and leave, but, we'll stay here and play for you as long as we can." He did -- and played many more songs until the auditorium staff put up the house lights to end the evening. Later, I heard that he went to a restaurant afterwards and played and sang late into the night with the fans who spotted him there.

As depressing as some might find him - I always found his songs comforting whenever I was feeling down. Here was a person who understood my condition and could look deep to find beauty in those dark places.

As for his vocal style -- give me one Leonard Cohen with a gravel voice who sings from the heart and means what he sings and keep your thousands of pretty voices who sing with nothing at all.