An asteroid dedicated to Elliott Smith

More than twenty years after his death, Elliott Smith receives a tribute that reminds us how much he was (and is) still loved: an asteroid now officially bears his name. Smith, who died in 2003 at just 34 years old, remains a cult figure of American songwriting of the nineties. Over the years his influence has continued to extend far beyond the indie-folk circuit from which he came.
The initiative was born from Orlando Campopiano, an independent director from Edinburgh, who had the idea while listening to “Shooting Star”, a song from the posthumous album “From a Basement on the Hill” from 2004. After involving the family and the administrators of the singer-songwriter’s artistic legacy, Campopiano obtained the official approval of the PAN-STARRS discovery team. The asteroid (861969) 2014 OS439 was thus officially renamed “Elliottsmith”. The number 861969 also recalls the musician’s date of birth, born on 6 August 1969 according to Anglo-Saxon notation.

“The family and the administrators of the artistic legacy are incredibly happy with this tribute,” explained Campopiano. “I hope it will introduce at least one person to Elliott’s extraordinary discography, and I am happy to see his permanent legacy written among the stars. The fact that this tribute has received the blessing of both the family and the asteroid’s discoverers is a great honor.”

Among the musicians who have recently celebrated his work there is also the jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, who dedicated the album “Ride Into The Sun” to him. “Musically he wasn’t a simple singer-songwriter: I particularly like his harmonies, it’s something that has always moved me immediately since the first time I heard it,” Mehldau told Rockol. “He has a unique guitar playing, like Neil Young, Nick Drake or Joni Mitchell. There’s an almost orchestral approach, there’s a depth to his songs that is more than just three simple chords.”

Smith thus enters particularly prestigious company: artists who already have an asteroid named after them include, among others, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and all four members of the Beatles.