| CAT(YUSUF) STEVENS RETURNS TO MUSIC
Cat "Yusuf" Stevens Returns To Music
December 22, 2006 3:36 a.m. EST
Sally Grover - All Headline News Contributor
New York, NY (AHN) - The artist formally known as Cat Stevens, Yusuf Islam, has returned to the musical stage with a performance in Manhattan.
Now performing under the name Yusuf, the 70s pop star has not performed or released an album since 1978.
Yusuf left the industry to become a devout Muslim, and has since set up schools in England and helped orphans in war-torn countries.
The singer performed at an intimate concert for industry professionals and sung some of his hits and new songs.
About coming back to the stage, the 58-year-old singer joked, "It's one small step for man, one giant step for common sense."
He also explained his decision to stop his successful music career, saying, "I got too big. I had to deflate myself. I needed to come back down to earth."
After years of thinking, Yusuf now says, "I believe what I could do with a song is much more valuable than just giving a lot of talks. I feel I've been given a gift, and I should use it."
The artist's latest album, "An Other Cup," was released in November |