Check Out The Wealthiest Songwriters In History

Published on 12/22/2020
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Tom Waits – $25 million

Greatest Hits: Closing Time, Somewhere

Tom Waits is a singer-songwriter and actor who was born in California. He is renowned for his distinctive, heavy sound and punk lyrics. He specialized in jazz in the 1970s, but he also had blues and vaudeville influences as well. The Beat Generation and Bob Dylan are his inspirations. In San Diego, he began singing and moved to LA to sign an asylum deal. His first albums, which marked his first commercially successful album, included Closing Time, Saturday Night’s Heart, and Small Change.

Tom Waits – $25 Million

Tom Waits – $25 Million

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Dan Penn – $1 million

Greatest Hits: Cry Like a Baby, The Dark End of the Street

Dan Penn is a songwriter who wrote and recorded several hits in the 1960s, including The Dark End of the Street,” “Cry Like a Baby,” and Do Right Woman.” He collaborated with artists such as The Box Tops, Chips Moman, Spooner Oldham. As he was camera-shy, he preferred songwriting over showmanship. His writing relationship was successful with Chips Moman for Press Publishing Company, although the pair had a fall-out that ended the partnership, described as “short-lived” but “intense.” One of his most successful collaborations to date is his collaboration with Aretha Franklin.

Dan Penn – $1 Million

Dan Penn – $1 Million

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