Joe Cocker, a British singer best known for his soulful and gritty vocals, died Monday (Dec. 22) after battling lung cancer. Often compared to Blues legends like Ray Charles and others, Cocker remained humble despite his fame and accolades.
Cocker was born John Robert Cocker on May 20, 1944 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He reportedly earned the family nickname of “Joe” from a childhood game he played. Cocker grew up idolizing the aforementioned Charles and British singer Lonnie Donegan. In the early sixties, Cocker was a front man for a local cover band that stylized versions of Chuck Berry and Ray Charles Songs.
Cocker was eventually signed to a recording contract in 1964 but found success with his Grease Band outfit. Cocker scored one of his more well-known hits with the cover of The Beatles‘ “With A Little Help With My Friends,” which exploded on the British charts and did well in America. Cocker and the Grease Band were darlings of the American festival circuit, with an impressive showing at the 1970 Woodstock gathering.
Cocker recorded 22 studio albums, nine live albums, 14 compilation records and released a whopping 68 singles. His first two albums, consisting of cover songs, both went gold in the United States. Cocker has also won certifications in the United Kingdom and Germany. His last recording was 2012’s Fire It Up.
Some of Cocker’s music has been sampled by Hip-Hop producers, forming the backdrop to some of the genre’s most noticeable tracks. Cocker’s 1972 track “Woman To Woman” was used on 2Pac’s “California Love” single. The same track was used by The Ultramagnetic MCs song “Funky” and EPMD’s “Knick Knack Paddy Wack.”
Cocker’s passing was confirmed by his agent Barrie Marshall. Marshall was quoted by The Daily Mail saying that Cocker was “without the doubt the greatest rock/soul singer ever to come out of Britain.”
Fellow Englishmen Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney of The Beatles both gave glowing tributes to Cocker. In 2008, Cocker was made part of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his music.
Cocker and his wife resided in Crawford, Colo. He passed away on his ranch there. He was 70.
Rest Powerfully In Peace, Joe Cocker.
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Photo: Carl Lender/A-SA 3.0 Unported
