Kurt Donald Cobain ( – c. ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana.

Understanding the Context

Kurt Cobain, American rock musician who rose to fame as the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the seminal grunge band Nirvana, known for such hits as ‘Smells like Teen Spirit.’ His suicide marked, in many ways, the end of the grunge movement and was a signature event for many music fans of Generation X.