Musicians with hard to pronounce names

I the last three days I've heard the names of three musicians butchered, on one the radio and two by the emcee of a coffee house. One of the names he got wrong was that of the artist performing there next month. I hope he gets it right before then.

The three aforementioned musicians were:

1. Susan McKeown. I can never get her name right but I know it isn't Mic-keen. It is more like Mic-cue-ow-on.
   
2. Rod Picott. It is pie-cot just like it is spelled not pee-co.
   
3. Anais Mitchell - This is the one I heard on the radio. Her first name is pronounced un-nay-is as in the author Anais Nin for whom she is named. The DJ said "a-neece'. I wrote the DJ an email and she wrote me write back thanking. Apparently there was a big debate on how to say the name and the person that said "a-neece" acted as if she knew. She didn't.

I've never heard anyone mispronounce it but Slaid Cleaves [Rhymes with paid leaves] said he has been called Sly-eed Clee-av-ees. I still think of that every time I see his name.

Of course Loudon Wainwright says his name was spelled "Gordondon Wainwright" in a local newspaper. That is where I picked up the moniker.

Who can you pronounce correctly that you often hear pronounced wrong? Save us from future embarrassment.

Sufjan Stevens (SOOF-yahn)

actually, i think it's pronounced SUDGE-fan stuf-FENNNZ. (if you haven't seen that video, you owe it to yourselves. aziz ansari is my hero.)

Haha.. good stuff. Especially the Pitchfork bitchslap. :D

that and the garden state shooting are my favorite parts.

Carla Ulbrich

She even has a "Difficult Last Name Club"

The odd thing is that the writer Anais Nin pronounced her name "Ah-nah-eese," as te French traditionally do. (Just google "Anais" and "pronounce" to confirm.) I met Anais Mitchell and she told me she was named after Anais Nin but I have to assume her parents hadn't ever heard the name pronounced.  She is certainly talented, however confusing her name may be.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0156260352/ref=sib_fs_bod/102-1749508-5681742?ie=UTF8&p=S00G&checkSum=SzF%2BMr3A%2FTwgxwJdML4HtQtjs%2BZhuyU6HlGHS%2BZywhI%3D#reader-link

Or you can read it from the horse's mouth.

If I ever hear someone say "Weird Al YankoviCH" again, I'll cry.

Weird Al YankoviCH

He was involved in a lawsuit at the time he was using that logo as his name. There was a dispute as to what to refer to him as in the courtroom. The Judge ruled that he should be called by the name on his birth certificate which is Prince Rogers Nelson.

How did I forget my fiance Aoife O'Donovan? Her first name is pronounced EEF-ah. It is the Irish version of Eve. Don't tell Rushad she's me fiance. Actually don't tell her either. It is a surprise.