Who will fill Warren Zevon's shoes?

[Sam Stone]

So now that the great man is gone, the question should be asked:

Is there a new Warren Zevon? Someone with his wit, literary songwriting ability? Any young musicians who might assume the mantle?

The only one I can think of is Beck. His last album shows a talent that is still growing.

[MonkeyMensch]

Someone will step up.

They just won't think they're stepping up.

And you won't like it when they do...

[FallenAngel]

Beck is creative enough. He isn't consistently smart enough.

Steve Earle might have had a shot at the title, but I think he got too serious when he got sober.

I can't think of anyone right now who would even be close, but if they come along, I hope I don't have to wait as long to discover them as so many did with Warren.

[Caprese]

I like Beck. I like Steve Earle.
I like John Hiatt, too.
But these guys are who they are, and they don't come close to Warren Zevon. And that's okay.

[smiling bandit]

What size are they?
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Ok, that was tasteless.

[ellis555]

The only guys I can think of who share his flair for songwriting have all been around for a while, the best being Joe Jackson.

I can't think of any 'new' songwriters who come close to capturing what Zevon did.

[Eonwe]

Er, that was my post right there, not ellis555's.

[lissener]

Zevon was unique, though I always thought of him as kind of darkly smirking Gordon Lightfoot.

[Daoloth]

Zappa and Zevon are dead, and Beefheart is a recluse with a nasty illness. Where has that era I never lived through vanished to?

[lissener]

Daoloth, there're new geniuses born every day. I regret those deaths and exiles myself, but I never run out of new great stuff to listen to.