b. 18 June 1950, Fife, Scotland. Former Doll By Doll singer Jackie Leven saw that band fall apart in 1983, without any of the commercial recognition to match the warmth with which UK critics greeted them. If he thought that signalled the zenith of his misery, he was wrong. Shortly after releasing two solo singles he was attacked in a London street, receiving several broken ribs and a badly damaged larynx. Unable to sing, his doctor prescribed anabolic steroids which only exacerbated matters. Down on his luck and utterly despondent about his prospects, Leven turned to heroin as a prop. Eventually, together with his partner Carol, he devised a new, holistic approach to his problems, which proved so successful that their new doctor urged them to spread news of the system. Together they set up the C.O.R.E. (Courage to stop, Order in life, Release from addiction, Entry into new life) charity. This organization has since become highly successful in treating those with substance abuse problems.

Listen to Jackie Leven at Finetune.

• (1999)  Night Lilies

• Ireland for Losers
• Alvis Green
• Burning the Box of Beautiful Things
• Carnival Dark
• Sick Harbour Lament

• Sheryl Crow
• Indigo Girls
• Natalie Merchant
• Regina Spektor
• Alisha's Attic
• Beatles
• Jewel
• Miles Davis
• Herbie Hancock
• Pink Floyd
• David Gray
• Jeff Buckley
• Bruce Springsteen
• Radiohead
• Patti Smith
• Blur
• Christopher Cross
• Sting
• Warren Zevon
• Nancy Sinatra

• rickdog
• peggylon
• mexefpyrl
• Caractacus
• Nixinkler
• quietcarly