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Leonard Cohen had a way with words. He was a singer, a songwriter, and a poet. The artist had a long and successful career that inspired many top musicians. On Monday, Cohen died at 82 years old.

Cohen began his career as a writer. He wrote novels and poems before he decided to put his words to music. The artist released his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, in 1967. He went on to record 14 albums over the next 50 years.

Musician Nick Cave called Cohen “the greatest songwriter of them all.” Cohen wrote many hits, including “So Long, Marianne” and “Suzanne.” Perhaps his most famous song is “Hallelujah.” (Listen to it in the Video!) Artists such as Justin Timberlake and Jeff Buckley have performed covers of the hit. It was even in the animated film Shrek!

Celebrities and leaders around the world took time to remember Cohen. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “Canada and the world will miss him.” (Cohen was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1934.) Musician Elton John spoke out too. “Leonard Cohen was unique,” he said. “A giant of a man and a brilliant songwriter.”

There will be a memorial service for Cohen in Los Angeles, California, where he lived. Many of Cohen’s fans are using his own words to remember his talent and his life. He sang:

I did my best. It wasn’t much.
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch.
I’ve told the truth. I didn’t come to fool ya.
And even though it all went wrong,
I’ll stand before the lord of song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah.


Updated November 11, 2016, 7:02 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan