Eric Olsen has a nice piece on Warren Zevon:

Warren Zevon, among rock’s most distinctive, enduring and disturbing singer-songwriters, has spent his life wrestling with the angels of creativity and compassion and with the demons of self-abuse and cynicism. Now, at 56, Zevon is dying of cancer. He has responded to his “impending doom” — his term — with courage, humor, humility and a stunning new album, “The Wind.” It is at once a summation of Zevon’s career and a life-affirming celebration of the joys of music-making.

I was late in discovering the excellent songwriting abilities of Zevon. Sure I listened to his music throughout the 70's and 80's when it was played on the radio, but I never took it farther than that. I was listening to other things. I think several factors led me to this "discovery" of what a great writer he was. Hearing he was dying and the thoughts of people who have enjoyed him piqued my interest. Hearing Imus play the Adam Duritz version of Carmalita probably got me more interested. But thinking back to hearing Lawyers, Guns, and Money on WMMR has had the most impact on me starting to hear what he is, and was, saying.