The Hallelujah star, whose career spanned over five decades, "passed away peacefully" at home, with his death confirmed by his label and son. He was writing until the very end, his son has said. Cohen's most famous song, "Hallelujah," in which he invoked the biblical King David and drew parallels between physical love and a desire for spiritual connection, has been covered hundreds of times since he released it in 1984. He is survived by a son and daughter from his relationship with Suzanne Elrod. Cohen never recorded a chart single and didn't place an album in the top 10 until he was in his 70s, but his ardent fans and musical peers viewed him as a musical craftsman with few equals. A message posted on the singer's Facebook page on Thursday night read: "It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away. "We have lost one of music's most revered and prolific visionaries. A memorial will take place in Los Angeles at a later date. "The family requests privacy during their time of grief." A cause of death has not been confirmed at this time but in a statement to Rolling Stone, his son Adam said: "My father passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles with the knowledge that he had completed what he felt was one of his greatest records. "He was writing up until his last moments with his unique brand of humor." Cohen's manager, Robert Kroy, said in a statement: "Unmatched in his creativity, insight and crippling candor, Leonard Cohen was a true visionary whose voice will be sorely missed. "I was blessed to call him a friend, and for me to serve that bold artistic spirit firsthand, was a privilege and great gift. He leaves behind a legacy of work that will bring insight, inspiration and healing for generations to come." Cohen moved to New York in 1996 at age 31 to break into the music business. A native of Quebec, Cohen was already a celebrated poet and novelist when he moved to New York. He was quickly compared to Bob Dylan for the lyrical force of his songwriting by critics. Cohen influenced many musicions and won many honours, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada as well as honoured with a a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2010.
