Elliott Smith, also known as Steven Paul Smith, was a highly talented musician and singer who gained recognition for his song ‘Miss Misery’ in the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’. With his mastery of various instruments and his unique, whispery voice, Smith created captivating vocal layers and harmonies. Despite coming from a musical family, he was the only one to pursue music professionally. Starting off with the band ‘Heatmiser’, Smith eventually embarked on a successful solo career, overshadowing the popularity of his band. However, behind his musical success, Smith battled with depression and addiction. Tragically, he met his untimely demise by stabbing himself following an argument with his girlfriend.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Steven Paul Smith
- Died At Age: 34
- Family:
- Father: Gary Smith
- Mother: Bunny Kay Berryman
- Born Country: United States
- Musicians
- American Men
- Died on: October 21, 2003
- Place of Death: Los Angeles
- Diseases & Disabilities: Depression
- U.S. State: Nebraska
- City: Omaha, Nebraska
- Cause of Death: Suicide
Childhood & Early Life
Elliott Smith was born to Gary Smith and Bunny Berryman. At the time of his birth, Gary was a student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, while Bunny was an elementary school teacher. His parents divorced when he was six months old. Initially, he lived with his mother who eventually remarried. Unfortunately, his stepfather sexually abused him, leading to a difficult and disturbed childhood. Despite this, Smith showed an early interest in music, learning to play the piano at a young age and picking up the guitar by the time he was 10. He began composing original songs and even won a prize for one of his pieces at an arts festival.
Move to Oregon and Troubled Teenage Years
When Smith was 14, he moved to Oregon to live with his father, stepmother, and two half-sisters. As a troubled teenager from a troubled home, he began using drugs and alcohol. It was during this time that he started exploring music as a professional career, recording his music with a borrowed recorder. He sang, played multiple instruments, and occasionally performed for the bands ‘Stranger than Fiction’ and ‘A Murder of Crows’ while attending Lincoln High School. Despite the domestic instabilities in his life, Smith managed to perform well in his studies and graduated from high school as a National Merit Scholar. After graduation, he started going by the name ‘Elliott’ instead of ‘Steven’. He attended Hampshire College in Massachusetts and graduated in 1991 with a degree in philosophy and political science.
Career Beginnings
During college, Smith met Neil Gust, who shared his dreams of building a musical career. The duo recruited bassist Brandt Peterson and drummer Tony Lash and formed the alternative rock band ‘Heatmiser’ in 1991. The band released an EP of six demo songs in 1992, followed by their first album ‘Dead Air’ in 1993. Heatmiser’s music was a mix of happy and cheerful songs along with sad and melancholy singles. Smith’s song ‘Still’ was featured on their first album. The band released an EP titled ‘Yellow No.5’ in 1994, which was well-received by music critics. That same year, they released their second album ‘Cop and Speeder’. Despite their music receiving positive reviews, Heatmiser struggled financially, and Smith took on odd jobs to support himself.
Solo Career and Personal Struggles
In 1994, Smith began exploring a solo career and released his first solo album titled ‘Roman Candle’. The album was well-received and showcased his honest and heartbreaking songwriting. He started giving solo performances and toured extensively to promote his solo career. Encouraged by the success of his debut solo album, Smith released his second album, self-titled ‘Elliott Smith’, in 1995. This album featured dark songs with minimal background music. Heatmiser released their last album ‘Mic City Sons’ in 1996, but tensions among the band members led to their breakup before the album’s release.
Continued Success and Tragic End
In 1997, a short film titled ‘Lucky Three: an Elliott Smith Portrait’ was released, featuring Smith playing acoustic songs. That same year, he released his album ‘Either/Or’, which received critical acclaim. Despite his professional success, Smith battled with depression and alcoholism. He wrote and composed the song ‘Miss Misery’, which was featured in the soundtrack of the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’ and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Song. Smith released two more albums, ‘XO’ in 1998 and ‘Figure 8’ in 2000, both of which were well-received. He was working on an album titled ‘From a Basement on the Hill’ at the time of his death. The album was released posthumously in 2004.
Major Works
Smith’s song ‘Miss Misery’ featured on the soundtrack of the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’ was his claim to widespread fame. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song and performed the song at many of his tours. His last album, ‘From a Basement on the Hill’, which he left incomplete at the time of his death, became the most popular of his works.
Personal Life & Legacy
Smith was not married but lived with his girlfriend Jennifer Chiba until his death. He led a troubled personal life, battling with depression, drug addiction, and alcoholism. Despite multiple attempts at rehab, he struggled to overcome his demons. In 2003, he gave up alcohol and psychiatric medications. However, on October 21, 2003, Smith tragically took his own life by stabbing himself in the chest at the age of 34.
Trivia
There were controversies surrounding Smith’s death, with some arguing that it was a case of homicide rather than suicide. His biography, ‘Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing’ by Benjamin Nugent, was published several months after his death. Smith was a big fan of the Beatles.