Shooting Star: The Definitive Story of Elliott Smith

Matt Everitt calls it "A masterpiece. Beautiful, tragic and immaculately researched." Beck notes that "Elliott was one of the best songwriters of our day and a formidable musician." And Steve Drozd of The Flaming Lips observes, "There's an undercurrent of real sadness in a lot of his music ... and that's just really the way he was."

In 2003, Steven 'Elliott' Smith died from two stab wounds to the heart. Even now, the autopsy evidence offers no conclusive answer as to whether these wounds were self-inflicted or the result of a homicide. Regardless, this tragic end to Elliott's short life, though brimming with prodigious talent, became the dark conclusion to a narrative interwoven with depression, mental illness, addiction, and chronic substance abuse. Yet, this is also a story of global critical acclaim, Oscar nominations, and some of the most exquisite recorded music of the late twentieth century.

Now, twenty years after Elliott's passing, Shooting Star aims to capture the many intricate layers of this shy, funny, engaging, enigmatic musician and his profoundly troubled spirit. Featuring contributions from those closest to Elliott who have previously remained silent about their friend, this masterful biography situates the singer-songwriter's vulnerabilities and decline within the wider framework of his achievements: the sheer, stark beauty of the records he created and the significant impact they subsequently had across a broad spectrum of contemporary music. This stands as the definitive account of Elliott Smith – a truly singular artist.