Yusuf Islam, more commonly known by his stage name Cat Stevens, is set to return to the music scene for the first time in nearly 38 years with a United States tour, reported CBS News. Born as Stephen Georgiou in London, England, to a Greek father and Swedish mother, the musician released his first album when he was 18 years old.
Stevens was a resounding success in the US and scored eight straight platinum albums, reported the International Business Times. During his last tour of the US in 1976, he began searching for a higher purpose in life. He started studying the Holy Quran, while he was on the tour and converted to Islam a year later, eventually leaving the world of music in November 1979.
He said that although he had no qualms about leaving the world of music, he regretted the manner in which he bid farewell to it. “I think the only regret I had was saying goodbye to a lot of the people that wanted me to hang around and keep singing,” he said. “But I had a life to get on with.”
Earlier this year, the musician was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Stevens has spent the majority of his music royalties on Muslim schools for children in England and has been the recipient of several humanitarian awards.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2014.
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