http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43233&rws=%2Fsufjan-stevens%2Fmusic-videos.rssThrough a handful of masterful LPs, a few self-perpetuated myths (he claims to have been left on his parent's Detroit doorstep in 1975) and a memorable name, Sufjan (pronounced "soof-yawn") Stevens has charmed the Dickies off America's underground. As if all that wasn't enough, the guy claims to have taught knitting to the blind. <p> Stevens first took the stage while a student at Michigan's Hope College with little-known Michigan indie act Marzuki, though he left the band in 1999 to embark on a solo career in New York City. His first record, <i>A Sun Came</i>, debuted in 2000 to modest critical acclaim; <i>Enjoy Your Rabbit</i> followed it up in 2001. But it was Stevens' stunning dedication to his home state, 2003's <i>Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State</i>, that earned him a wide international following. <i>Michigan</i>'s cleverly orchestrated songs and the songwriter's ambitions to release a record for each state of the union received loads of critical lip service and made <i>Michigan</i> a popular hit. Though its follow-up, <i>Seven Swans</i>, had no geographical themes, Stevens came back to the states for project 2005's <i>Illinois</i>. Two records came in 2006: a collection of outtakes, <i>The Avalanche</i>, and a sprawling three-disc collection of holiday music, <i>Songs for Christmas</i>. - Nate CavalieriBaroque Popen720Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:14:53 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43233&rws=%2Fsufjan-stevens%2Fmusic-videos.rss Through a handful of masterful LPs, a few self-perpetuated myths (he claims to have been left on his parent's Detroit doorstep in 1975) and a memorable name, Sufjan (pronounced "soof-yawn") Stevens has charmed the Dickies off America's underground. As if all that wasn't enough, the guy claims to have taught knitting to the blind. <p> Stevens first took the stage while a student at Michigan's Hope College with little-known Michigan indie act Marzuki, though he left the band in 1999 to embark on a solo career in New York City. His first record, <i>A Sun Came</i>, debuted in 2000 to modest critical acclaim; <i>Enjoy Your Rabbit</i> followed it up in 2001. But it was Stevens' stunning dedication to his home state, 2003's <i>Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State</i>, that earned him a wide international following. <i>Michigan</i>'s cleverly orchestrated songs and the songwriter's ambitions to release a record for each state of the union received loads of critical lip service and made <i>Michigan</i> a popular hit. Though its follow-up, <i>Seven Swans</i>, had no geographical themes, Stevens came back to the states for project 2005's <i>Illinois</i>. Two records came in 2006: a collection of outtakes, <i>The Avalanche</i>, and a sprawling three-disc collection of holiday music, <i>Songs for Christmas</i>. - Nate Cavalieri