An asteroid dedicated to Elliott Smith 23 years after his death

More than twenty years after his death, Elliott Smith's legacy remains as alive as ever. The American singer-songwriter, who died on October 21, 2003 at just 34 years old, has now been honored with the official naming of an asteroid after him. The initiative came from Orlando Campopiano, an independent filmmaker from Edinburgh, who got the idea while listening to "Shooting Star", a track from the posthumous album "From A Basement On The Hill". After securing the support of the musician's estate and the collaboration of the PAN-STARRS team, which discovered the asteroid, Campopiano submitted a formal proposal to the International Astronomical Union to permanently dedicate a celestial body to the author of "Either/Or". The request was approved, and asteroid (861969) 2014 OS439 has officially been renamed "Elliottsmith". A particularly striking detail concerns the asteroid's identification number, 861969, which matches the musician's date of birth in American date notation: August 6, 1969 (8/6/1969).

"With the full support and approval of the Elliott Smith Estate and the PAN-STARRS team that discovered the asteroid, I recently submitted a formal proposal to the International Astronomical Union to have a minor planet permanently named in his honor. We've just received official approval, and the designation is now official: asteroid (861969) 2014 OS439 is officially named 'Elliottsmith'. A really interesting detail is that the asteroid's catalog number is 861969, which exactly mirrors his date of birth, 8/6/1969!" Campopiano explained. The filmmaker went on to add: "I hope this leads at least one new person to discover Elliott's brilliant discography, and I'm happy to see a permanent legacy among the stars! It's also a great honor that this tribute to him has been approved by both his estate and the discoverers."

Smith's influence continues to be acknowledged by artists across different generations and fields. Among those who have recently celebrated his work is jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, who dedicated the album "Ride Into The Sun" to him. In an interview, he described Smith as an extraordinary songwriter: "Musically he wasn't just a simple singer-songwriter: I particularly love his harmonies, something that struck me immediately the first time I heard him. He has a unique way of playing guitar, like Neil Young, Nick Drake or Joni Mitchell. There's an almost orchestral approach, there's a depth to his songs that goes beyond just three simple chords."
With this recognition, Elliott Smith joins a select group of artists who have had an asteroid dedicated to them, alongside figures such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Rolling Stones, Beatles and Pink Floyd.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google