A Song To Show Joe Cocker Was More Than A Master Interpreter
Joe Cocker reinvented the work of Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Randy Newman and especially Lennon/McCartney so effectively, with such a personal and possessed passion, that every song he sang might as well have been written by the man himself. Check out his reimagining of Julie Londons Cry Me A River once a sultry lament as a raved-up accusatory screed delivered with demonic fire. On a level with Janis Joplin, Cocker was one of the great rock/soul vocalists that came out of the Woodstock era. He was also one of the few pure vocalists that actually did write some of his best songs, but could put his songwriting ego on hold when he saw a higher calling within someone elses material.
A Cover For Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker on the cover of “Blues Revue”?
Been waiting for the day since reading, on the magazine’s website, that Cocker was to be profiled in the Dec/Jan issue. My copy arrived in the mail on Monday . For Cocker fans like me , seeing Joe on any magazine cover is like an Epiphany a long overdue recognition that Cocker is one of the most iconic voices and shaping forces in rock n’ roll history.
True, Cocker’s career has been uneven. He’s not a rock-guitar hero and he doesn’t write songs. But when he scores a hit, at least once a decade since the ’60s, he hits it way out of the ball park.
And even when he’s doing the schmaltziest of ballads, he’s still got that wild-man-tender-man thing going on in his voice that makes him so mesmerizing.
So why is the blues community warming up to Cocker? Managing Editor Kenneth Bays rightly points out that Cocker has “some fascinating things to say about the music Blues Revue celebrates in its pages, particularly the classic R& B of artists such as Cocker’s hero, Ray Charles.”
Why now? Cause Cocker’s career has gotten a second wind in the past two years and his latest CD “Hymn for my Soul” has been widely received as his most soulful work in years.
“I don’t know if he could hold together a 20-30-piece band in the same way we did back then, if we did try something together again,” Cocker says.
Does Joe Cocker Have Autism
Joe Cocker is a British singer who is best known for his raspy voice and strange movements when he performs. He has recorded many popular songs, including Feelin All Right and Up Where We Belong. In 1975, during an appearance on the American television show Saturday Night Live, actor John Belushi appeared on stage alongside Cocker, doing a spot-on impersonation of the singers voice and movements. While there has been much speculation that Joe Cocker may suffer from a neurological disorder that causes these jerky movements, there is no evidence that he is on the autism spectrum.
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Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Despite Cocker’s reluctance to venture out on the road again, an American tour had already been booked so he had to quickly form a new band in order to fulfill his contractual obligations. It proved to be a large group of more than 20 musicians, including pianist and bandleader Leon Russell, three drummers Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, and Chuck Blackwell, and backing vocalists Rita Coolidge and Claudia Lennear. Denny Cordell christened the new band “Mad Dogs & Englishmen”, after the Noël Coward song of the same name . Cocker’s music evolved into a more bluesy type of rock, comparable to that of the Rolling Stones.
During the ensuing Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour , Cocker toured 48 cities, recorded a live album, and received very positive reviews from Time and Life for his performances. However, the pace of the tour was exhausting. Russell and Cocker had personal problems Cocker became depressed and began drinking excessively as the tour wound down in May 1970. Meanwhile, he enjoyed several chart entries in the United States with cover versions of “Feelin’ Alright” ” rel=”nofollow”> Traffic) and “Cry Me a River“.
His Agent Called Cocker Simply Unique
The legends passing was confirmed by his agent. His rep, Barrie Marshall, speaking to the BBC, said that Cocker was simply unique and that it will be impossible to fill the space he leaves in our hearts. In an official statement, Cockers label, Sony Music said:
John Robert Cocker, known to family, friends, his community and fans around the world as Joe Cocker, passed away on December 22, 2014 after a hard fought battle with small cell lung cancer. Mr. Cocker was 70 years old.
Joe Cocker was born 5/20/1944 in Sheffield, England where he lived until his early 20s. In 2007 he was awarded the OBE by the Queen of England.
His international success as a blues/rock singer began in 1964 and continues till this day. Joe created nearly 40 albums and toured extensively around the globe.
In October 2000, Cocker said in an interview that he used to smoke 40 a day but had since cut down. At one of his Madison Square Garden gigs in September 2014, Bill Joel paid tribute to Cocker calling him a great singer who is not very well right now. I think he should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Im amazed that hes not yet, but Im throwing in my vote for Joe Cocker. You can watch the clip of Joels tribute below:
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Why Is Joe Cocker Not In The Hall Of Fame
Cult acts rarely get the credit to which theyre entitled, but Big Star deserves every accolade they receive. Theyve been eligible for more than 20 years. Its a real shame that the gravelly voiced Cocker couldnt get his moment on the Hall of Fame stage prior to his passing a few years ago after a battle with cancer.
‘drugs Were Everywhere And I Dived In Head First’: Joe Cocker On His Wild Days And The Woman Who Saved Him
19:34 EST, 7 March 2013 | Updated:
Sixties star: Joe Cocker, pictured at Woodstock, descended into a haze of alcohol and drugs
He was one of the British pop heroes of the Sixties. A former gas-fitter who transformed himself into the Sheffield Soul Shouter, he was as well known for his unruly curls and wild onstage gyrations as for his gritty voice.
On the road, he shared stages with the Rolling Stones and partied with Rod Stewart and Jimi Hendrix.
He also became such good buddies with Paul McCartney and George Harrison that the Beatles would play him their new songs before they had even recorded them.
If Id been stronger mentally, I could have turned away from temptation, he says. But there was no rehab back in those days. Drugs were readily available, and I dived in head first. And once you get into that downward spiral, its hard to pull out of it. It took me years to get straight.
When I first became successful, I was a beer-drinker from Sheffield. Then I was thrown into the world of American rock.
The first few years were fine. I was touring the States with Hendrix and Janis Joplin. I never knew what the next day would bring. But things began to deteriorate in 1972.
For Cocker, now a clean-living 68-year-old, the bad old days seem a long way off. Having met his American wife, Pam, in 1978, he pulled back from the brink.
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When Was Joe Cockers Last Performance
Joe Cockers Final Performance Was Amazing Cocker toured right up until his death with his most recent appearance in Cologne, Germany in 2013 to record the live version of his album Fire it Up. The April 2013 show took place at Colognes Lanxess Arena and its fitting that the concert took place in Germany.
Who Was Joe Cocker Married To
Cocker is survived by his wife, Pam Baker, with whom he lived on a ranch in Colorado. The couple did not have children. “He was simply unique,” Marshall, who has not yet responded to ABC News’ request for comment, added in the statement. “We had the joy to work with this wonderful man for almost 30 years.
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Why Is Joe Cocker Blowing Up On My Vinyl Countdown
Hes been dead for years. Theres no new news about him that I can see.
Yet over the past few months the record review I did on Cocker back on Feb. 13, 2018 has been getting more page views than any of the 300-plus vinyl records I have reviewed for myvinylcountdown.com
So I could use a little help from my friends to find out why so much attention to Cocker.
My Vinyl Countdown — counting down my 678 vinyl records — is about raising awareness of Lewy body dementia. I have the fatal brain disease which is the second most prevalent after Alzheimers.
So my collection of records is being systematically reviewed, reminisced about, even trashed occasionally. Lately Cocker has been consistently getting the highest number of page views.
I sometimes check the numbers to see who is popular or not so popular. The results dont really affect my reviews because Im doing ALL of my records the Good the Bad and the Ugly. Well, Cocker didnt always look too pretty when performing his stardom exploded after Woodstock.
I should note here that I am talking about numbers from my personal blog not AL.com which I share content with. These are modest numbers from a non-commercial blog so when I say blow up I mean relatively speaking.
So since May 2-May 9 Joe Coker was clicked on 486 times. The nearest musical review was Led Zeppelin at 27 clicks. (Remember I have 300 other such reviews also generating ever-day clicks but not like Cocker.
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MVC Rating: 4.5/$$$$
Joe Cocker Unchain My Heart
unchain My Heart is the eleventh studio album by Joe Cocker, released in 1987. Miller Lite used Joe Cockers recording of Unchain My Heart for their Dalmatian campaign as the dog jumps from the Budweiser Clydesdale horse-drawn carriage to the Miller Lite truck.
Tracklisting includes
4. Up Where We Belong 5. Guilty 6. You Can Leave Your Hat On 7. When the Night Comes
8. Unchain My Heart 9. With a Little Help from My Friends 10. You Are So Beautiful 11. The Letter
12. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window 13. High Time We Went 14. What Are You Doing With a Fool Like Me 15. Living in the Promiseland
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Joe Cocker You Are So Beautiful
You Are So Beautiful is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher that was first released in 1974 on Prestons ninth studio album, The Kids & Me. Later that same year, English singer Joe Cocker released a slower version of the song on his album I Can Stand a Little Rain.
Cockers version was produced by Jim Price and released as a single in November 1974. It became one of Cockers biggest chart hits, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, and at number four on Canadas Top Singles chart.
There are also other artists who covered You Are So Beautiful they include Kenny Rankin, Ray Stevens, Kenny Rogers, Bonnie Tyler, and Brian Kennedy. The song has also been featured in numerous movies, television shows, and ads.
Things You May Not Know About Joe Cocker
2533 days ago
Legendary singer, Joe Cocker, passed away on Monday, 22 December 2014, after battling with cancer. He was aged 70.
Here are ten interesting facts about the musical legend:
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Things You Didnt Know About Joe Cocker
JD Nash
Joe Cocker was musical, and cultural icon. A soulful, blues shouter from England, who burst on the scene, and nearly burned out just a couple years later. Thankfully, he endured, and his career lasted over 50 years. Along the way, he won nearly every award there is, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. In honor of his upcoming birthday, we offer 10 things you may not know about the Sheffield Soul Shouter.
1. Born John Robert Cocker in 1944, he took the name Joe from a childhood game. A fan of Ray Charles, and skiffle singer, Lonnie Donegan, Cockers first stage appearance was singing with his older brothers skiffle group at the age of 12. The term skiffle, while widely used in the UK, actually has its musical roots in early 20th Century African-American culture. A skiffle was a rent party, as well as how blues singer Ma Rainey described her repertoire. It was also associated with early jug bands who used homemade instruments. Since the 1950s, in the UK, skiffle has been used to describe a musical genre made up of blues, jazz, and folk. Some of Cockers other early blues influences included John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, and Lightnin Hopkins.
To know even more, check out the documentary film, Joe Cocker: Mad Dog With Soul, currently on Netflix.
Joe Cocker: ‘i Took Black Acid Once It Was A Very Dark Trip’
Hello, Joe. When you started out playing the Sheffield pubs and clubs in the early 60s you called yourself Vance Arnold. Where did the name come from?
It was self-invented, much to my embarrassment for years. But everyone used to have names in Sheffield like Johnny Tempest and the Cadillacs. We were called the Avengers, and the guys said: “You’d better come up with a name.” I remember just sitting one day, and I thought of Eddy Arnold, the old country guy, and the Vance was from an Elvis film , I think.
Was the spell ever broken by the audience knowing you were actually a gas fitter, not a Memphis rock’n’roller?
One of the best things that ever happened was when I was gas fitting. I went to someone’s house and the woman said to her husband: “Oooh, come and look Vance is putting our fire in!”
What did your mum and dad think of rock’n’roll? Were they of the school that it was all noise and you can’t tell if they’re boys or girls?
I took my dad to Rock Around the Clock with Bill Haley and he was absolutely horrified. To him it was the start of something new, and he was dead right. I used to go out and dress in all the insane rock’n’roll clothes, and he never got it. Until I was on Top of the Pops. He was quite impressed with that that I could come into his living room without him trying.
Can you sing the blues without having suffered?
Where did your unique dancing style come from?
Did you try the legendary brown acid?
A gas fitters’ anthem? I can’t see that.
Les Cocker!
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He Was Living In Colorado At The Time Of His Death
The Guardian reports that he had been living on a ranch in Crawford, Colorado at the time of his death. His farm is named the Mad Dog Ranch, after his album Mad Dogs and Englishmen. A neighbor of Cockers in Colorado, Becky Burris, told the Denver Post that the singer had just become one of the locals. In that 2008 feature, Cocker spoke about his love of growing tomatoes and walking his dog, Ben, across his land.
How Old Was Joe Cocker At Woodstock
4.2/570full answer
Joe Cocker performing at the Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel, New York in 1969. Joe Cocker — the British singer possessing one of the most distinctive voices in rock history — has died at age 70.
Secondly, who was in Joe Cocker’s band at Woodstock? Afterwards, bassist Alan Spenner, guitarist and slide guitarist Neil Hubbard and Rowland from that session coalesced, with Henry McCullough on lead guitar and Chris Stainton on keyboards, into the Grease Band, backing Cocker on his second album, Joe Cocker!
People also ask, when did Joe Cocker perform at Woodstock?
What was Joe Cocker’s disability?
Joe Cocker died Monday at his home in Crawford, Colo., after what his publicist described as a hard-fought battle with small-cell lung cancer. He was 70. Cocker performed for five decades, recording 40 albums and dozens of hits. But he told NPR two years ago that “You Are So Beautiful” was his favorite.
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