The death of Canadian musician Leonard Cohen shocked the world last week, and since his death tributes have flown in from around the globe. Now, his manager Robert B. Kory has revealed the cause of the 82-year-old’s death.
“Leonard Cohen died during his sleep following a fall in the middle of the night on Nov. 7,” says Kory in a statement to the New York Times. “The death was sudden, unexpected and peaceful.”
The New Yorker has also reported in its weekly radio show that Cohen had been battling with cancer in the months leading up to his death, but that despite becoming increasingly frail and experiencing debilitating back pain, Cohen continued to work hard to complete his final musical projects.
Patrick Leonard, who worked as a producer and songwriter on Cohen’s last three albums, said that Cohen “felt the window getting narrower,” in his final months.
“He wanted to use the time as productively as he could to finish the work that he was so good at and so devoted to.”’
On top of his final album You Want It Darker, he was also working on two other musical projects and a new book of poetry, reports the New York Times.
Cohen’s son Adam wrote a touching tribute to his father following the private funeral that was held in Montreal last week, while Coldplay frontman Chris Martin performed a solo cover of Suzanne last Friday night as part of the encore at a concert in London.
Watch: Leonard Cohen – ‘Hallelujah’
