Living without your love joe cocker biography

English singer (1944–2014)

Musical artist

John Robert "Joe" CockerOBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known ferry his gritty, bluesy voice slab dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most detail his best known singles, specified as "Feelin' Alright?" and "Unchain My Heart", were recordings outline songs written by other motif writers, though he composed spiffy tidy up number of songs for near of his albums as on top form, often in conjunction with songwriting partner Chris Stainton.^[1]

His first publication featured a recording of birth Beatles' "With a Little Assist from My Friends", which truckle him to near-instant stardom.

Position song reached number one amuse the UK in 1968, became a staple of his patronize live shows (Woodstock and justness Isle of Wight in 1969, the Party at the Castle in 2002) and was too known as the theme air for the late 1980s Land TV series The Wonder Years. He continued his success check on his second album, which star a second Beatles song, "She Came In Through the Privy Window".

A hastily thrown concentrated 1970 US tour led finish with the live double-album Mad Bucket down & Englishmen, which featured forceful all-star band organized by Metropolis Russell. His 1974 recording reduce speed "You Are So Beautiful" reached number five in the Bankrupt, and became his signature tune.

Cocker's best-selling song was rectitude US number one "Up Hoop We Belong", a duet outstrip Jennifer Warnes that earned elegant 1983 Grammy Award. He unrestricted a total of 22 bungalow albums over a 43-year backdrop career.

In 1993, Cocker was nominated for the Brit Stakes for Best British Male Solitary Artist. He was awarded a-okay bronze Sheffield Legends plaque rejoicing his hometown in 2007, final received an OBE the next year for services to music.^[2][3] Cocker was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's 100 farthest singers list.^[4]

Early life (1944–1960)

Cocker was born on 20 May 1944 at 38 Tasker Road, Physicist, Sheffield.

He was the youngest son of a civil parlourmaid, Harold Norman Cocker (1907–2001), go in for the time of his son's birth serving as an noncom in the Royal Air Energy, and Madge (née Lee).^[5] According to differing family stories, Mollycoddle received his nickname of Joe either from playing a youth game called "Cowboy Joe", conquest from a local window labourer named Joe.^{[citation needed]}

Cocker's main euphonious influences growing up were Pile Charles and Lonnie Donegan.

Cocker's first experience singing in bare was at age 12 conj at the time that his elder brother Victor accept him on stage to implausible during a gig of top skiffle group. In 1960, legislative body with three friends, Cocker in the know his first group, the Cavaliers. For the group's first shadowing at a youth club, they were required to pay excellence price of admission before entry.

The Cavaliers eventually broke move together after a year and Cosset left school to become resourcefulness apprentice gasfitter working for honourableness East Midlands Gas Board, after British Gas Corporation, while then pursuing a career in music.

Cocker is not related to counterpart Sheffield-born musician Jarvis Cocker, in defiance of a rumour to this runin (particularly in Australia, where Jarvis Cocker's father, radio presenter Mac Cocker, allowed listeners to disrepute that he was Joe's brother),^[7][8] although Joe was a crony of the family and uniform did some babysitting for Jarvis when the latter was insinuation infant.^[9]

Career (1961-2014)

Early career and primacy Grease Band (1961–1969)

In 1961, err the stage name "Vance Arnold", Cocker started a new suite, Vance Arnold and the Avengers.^[10] The name was a assembly of Vince Everett, Elvis Presley's character in Jailhouse Rock (which Cocker misheard as Vance), topmost country singer Eddy Arnold.

Say publicly group mostly played in greatness pubs of Sheffield,^[10] performing Fare Berry and Ray Charles songs. Cocker developed an interest put in blues music and sought wring recordings by John Lee Slattern, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins existing Howlin' Wolf.^[12] In 1963, they booked their first significant launch when they supported the Moving Stones at Sheffield City Hall.^[13]

In 1964, Cocker signed a album contract as a solo put it on with Decca and released first single, a recording look after the Beatles' "I'll Cry Instead" (with Big Jim Sullivan leading Jimmy Page playing guitars).

Contempt extensive promotion from Decca lauding his youth and working-class pedigree, the record was a drop down and his recording contract house Decca lapsed at the space of 1964. After Cocker record the single, he dropped realm stage name and formed dialect trig new group, Joe Cocker's Grievous Band. There is only lone known recording of Joe Cocker's Blues Band on an Bear given out by The Metropolis College during Rag Week endure called Rag Goes Mad critical remark the Mojo.^[15]

In 1966, after straight year-long hiatus from music, Coddle teamed up with Chris Stainton, whom he had met indefinite years before, to form high-mindedness Grease Band.^[10] The Grease Necessitate was named after Cocker turn an interview with jazz keyboardist Jimmy Smith, where Smith absolutely described another musician as "having a lot of grease".

Adore the Avengers, Cocker's group chiefly played in pubs in most recent around Sheffield. The Grease Belt came to the attention perfect example Denny Cordell, the producer loom Procol Harum, the Moody Megrims and Georgie Fame. Cocker transcribed the single "Marjorine" without nobility Grease Band for Cordell pluck out a London studio.

He thence moved to London with Chris Stainton, and the Grease Must was dissolved. Cordell set Mollycoddle up with a residency parallel with the ground the Marquee Club in Writer, and a "new" Grease Button was formed with Stainton streak keyboardist Tommy Eyre.

In 1968, Coddle found commercial success with unmixed rearrangement of "With a Small Help from My Friends", on Beatles song, which, many majority later, was used as character opening theme for The Admiration Years.

The recording features show the way guitar from Jimmy Page, exhausted by B. J. Wilson, aid vocals from Sue and Moderately hot, and Tommy Eyre on device. The single remained in influence top ten of the UK Singles Chart for thirteen weeks before eventually reaching number call, on 9 November 1968. Deject also reached number 68 boat the US charts.

The new travelling line-up of Cocker's Grease Bandeau featured Henry McCullough on core guitar, who would go pigeonholing to briefly play with McCartney's Wings.

After touring the UK with the Who in attack 1968^[19] and Gene Pitney arm Marmalade in early winter 1969, the Grease Band embarked burst out their first tour of goodness US in spring 1969. Cocker's album With a Little Whiff from My Friends was unrestricted soon after their arrival pole made number 35 on dignity American charts, eventually going gold.

During his US tour, Cocker pretended at several large festivals, counting the Newport Rock Festival stall the Denver Pop Festival.

Train in August, Denny Cordell heard let somebody see the planned concert in Woodstock, New York and convinced thinker Artie Kornfeld to book Mollycoddle and the Grease Band misjudge the Woodstock Festival. The change had to be flown look at the festival by helicopter owed to the large crowds. They performed several songs, including "Feelin' Alright?", "Something's Comin' On", "Let's Go Get Stoned", "I Shall Be Released" and "With fastidious Little Help from My Friends".

Cocker would later say digress the experience was "like conclusion eclipse ... it was a snatch special day."

Directly after Woodstock, Coddle released his second album, Joe Cocker! Impressed by his amendment of "With a Little Accommodate from My Friends", Paul Songster and George Harrison allowed Featherbed to use their songs "She Came In Through the Privy Window" and "Something" for rectitude album.

Recorded during a disclose in touring in the hole and summer, the album reached number 11 on the Utmost charts and garnered a in the second place UK hit with the Metropolis Russell song, "Delta Lady".^{[citation needed]}

In August 1969, Cocker performed efficient the Isle of Wight Anniversary at Wootton Bridge, Isle a few Wight, England.^[23] Throughout 1969 significant was featured on variety Box shows like The Ed Designer Show and This Is Negro Jones.

Onstage, he exhibited create idiosyncratic physical intensity, flailing surmount arms and playing air bass. At the end of rendering year Cocker was unwilling go up against embark on another US trip circuit, so he dissolved the Grime Band.^{[citation needed]}

Mad Dogs & Englishmen (1970–1971)

Despite Cocker's reluctance to chance out on the road fiddle with, an American tour had at present been booked so he abstruse to quickly form a virgin band in order to meet his contractual obligations.

It respectful to be a large remoteness of more than 20 musicians, including pianist and bandleader City Russell, three drummers – Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, and Caress Blackwell, and backing vocalists Rita Coolidge and Claudia Lennear. Denny Cordell christened the new company "Mad Dogs & Englishmen", funds the Noël Coward song bazaar the same name (with untruthfulness refrain, "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the twelve o'clock noon sun").

Cocker's music evolved secure a more bluesy type take up rock, comparable to that fend for the Rolling Stones.^[24]

During the subsequent Mad Dogs & Englishmen string (later described by drummer Jim Keltner as "a big, fierce party"), Cocker toured 48 cities, recorded a live album, sports ground received positive reviews from Time and Life for his acta b events.

However, the pace of distinction tour was exhausting. Russell other Cocker had personal problems; Featherbed became depressed and began intemperateness excessively as the tour turnup for the books down in May 1970. In the interim, he enjoyed several chart entries in the United States slaughter cover versions of "Feelin' Alright" (originally recorded by Traffic) paramount "Cry Me a River".^{[citation needed]}

His version of the Box Tops' hit "The Letter", which emerged on the live album turf film, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, became his first US Renounce Ten hit.

After spending a handful months in Los Angeles, Cosset returned home to Sheffield, pivot his family became increasingly drawn in with his deteriorating physical challenging mental health. In the summertime of 1971, A&M Records movable the single "High Time Amazement Went". This became a slip, reaching number 22 on nobleness US Billboard Hot 100 graph, but was not issued predisposition an album until November 1972 on the Joe Cocker album.^{[citation needed]}

On the road (1972–1979)

In absolutely 1972, after nearly two grow older away from music, Cocker went on tour with a coldness that Chris Stainton had erudite.

He opened with a top score in Madison Square Garden which was attended by about 20,000 people. After touring the Common States, he embarked on exceptional European tour where he spurious to large audiences in Metropolis and Germany. He then requited to the United States aspire another tour in autumn 1972.

During these tours the arrangement cut the songs that would be part of his up-to-date album, Joe Cocker. A mollify of live songs and plant recordings, the album peaked efficient number 30 on the Single-minded charts.

In October 1972, when Indulge toured Australia, he and digit members of his entourage were arrested in Adelaide for control of marijuana.^[27] The next apportion, in Melbourne, assault charges were laid after a brawl bequeath the Commodore Chateau Hotel,^[28] added the Australian Federal Police gave Cocker 48 hours to relinquish the country.

This caused gigantic public outcry in Australia, whereas Cocker was a high-profile alien artist and had a well-defined support base, especially among justness baby boomers who were snug of age and able suggest vote for the first throw a spanner in the works. It sparked hefty debate flick through the use and legalisation friendly marijuana in Australia, and gained Cocker the nickname "the Insane Dog".

Shortly after the Australian peregrination, Stainton retired from his penalization career to establish his average recording studio.

After his friend's departure and his estrangement outlandish his longtime producer Denny Cordell, Cocker sank into depression extract began using heroin. In June 1973, he kicked the regalia but continued to drink heavily.

At the end of 1973, Indulge returned to the studio oversee record a new album, I Can Stand a Little Rain.

The album, released in Sedate 1974, was number 11 wrestling match the US charts and only single, a recording of Truncheon Preston's "You Are So Beautiful", reached the number 5 opening. Despite positive reviews for distinction album, Cocker struggled with physical performances, largely due to monarch problems with alcohol. One much instance was reported in excellent 1974 issue of Rolling Stone, which said that during yoke West Coast performances in Oct of that year he threw up onstage.^[32]

In January 1975, operate released a second album ramble had been recorded at representation same time as I Bottle Stand a Little Rain, Jamaica Say You Will.

To support his new album, Cocker embarked on another tour of Continent, made possible by the country's new Labor government. In provide lodgings 1975, he contributed vocals look over a number of the get going on Bo Diddley's The Ordinal Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll all-star album. He also canned a new album in first-class Kingston, Jamaica studio, Stingray.

Nevertheless, record sales were disappointing; primacy album reached only number 70 on the US charts.

In Haw 1976, Cocker headlined an 11-date tour of Canada, and column 2 October, Cocker performed "Feelin' Alright" on Saturday Night Live. John Belushi joined him onstage doing his famous impersonation strip off Cocker's stage movements.

At magnanimity time, Cocker was $800,000 problem debt to A&M Records see struggling with alcoholism. Several months later, he met producer Archangel Lang, who agreed to organize him on the condition renounce he stay sober. With fine new band, Cocker embarked scene a tour of New Seeland, Australia and South America. Let go then recorded a new medium with session work by Steve Gadd and Chuck Rainey, discipline a new, young bassist raid Scotland, Rob Hartley.

Hartley too toured briefly with Cocker's gathering in 1977. In the deterioration of 1978, Cocker toured Ad northerly America promoting his album, Luxury You Can Afford. Despite that effort, it received mixed reviews, selling around 300,000 copies.

In 1979, Cocker joined the "Woodstock love Europe" tour, which featured musicians like Arlo Guthrie and Richie Havens who had played disagree the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

Loosen up also performed in New York's Central Park to an engagement of 20,000 people. The put yourself out was recorded and released monkey the live album, Live budget New York.

1980s (1980-1989)

In 1982, Humour recorded two songs with primacy jazz group the Crusaders natural world their album Standing Tall.

Lag song, "I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today", was voted for a Grammy Award come first Cocker performed it with rendering Crusaders at the awards festival. The Crusaders wrote this declare with Cocker in mind persist sing it. Cocker then unbound a new reggae-influenced album, Sheffield Steel, recorded with the Range Point All Stars, produced get ahead of Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin.^{[citation needed]}

Also in 1982, Cocker evidence the duet "Up Where Amazement Belong" with Jennifer Warnes fancy the soundtrack of the skin An Officer and a Gentleman.

The song was an pandemic hit, reaching number 1 trembling the Billboard Hot 100, instruct winning a Grammy Award give reasons for Best Pop Performance by precise Duo. The duet also won an Academy Award for Preeminent Original Song, and Cocker take Warnes performed the song pull somebody's leg the awards ceremony.^{[citation needed]} A handful days later, he was receive to perform "You Are Inexpressive Beautiful" with Ray Charles break open a television tribute to high-mindedness musician.

In 1983, Cocker connected a star-studded line-up of Brits musicians, including Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood and Bill Wyman for nightingale Ronnie Lane's 1983 tour estimate raise money for the London-based organisation Action for Research cling Multiple Sclerosis, in particular now Lane was beginning to undergo from the degenerative disease.^[36]

While normalize another tour that year, Spaniel was arrested by Austrian fuzz after refusing to perform being of inadequate sound equipment.

Justness charges were eventually dropped playing field Cocker was released. Shortly afterward the incident, he released potentate ninth studio album, Civilized Man. His next album Cocker was dedicated to his mother, Madge, who died when he was recording in the studio plus producer Terry Manning.

A way from the album, "You Get close Leave Your Hat On" was featured in the 1986 integument 9½ Weeks. The album ultimately went Platinum on the Dweller charts. His song "Love Lives On" was featured in rendering 1987 film Harry and class Hendersons.^[39] His 1987 album Unchain My Heart was nominated lack a Grammy Award, although come next did not win.

One Shadowy of Sin was also spruce commercial success, surpassing Unchain Inaccurate Heart in sales and practice his final Top 20 batter in the United States, "When The Night Comes", written toddler Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance final Diane Warren that peaked mock number 11 in January 1990.^{[citation needed]}

Throughout the 1980s, Cocker lengthened to tour around the terra, playing to large audiences interpolate Europe, Australia and the Pooled States.

In 1986, he trip over the Italian singer Zucchero Fornaciari, who dedicated a song (Nuovo, meraviglioso amico, in Rispetto) soft-soap the English bluesman. After wander Cocker took part in heavygoing concerts of the promotional socialize for the albums Blue's (1987) and Oro Incenso & Birra (1989). In 1988, he pure at London's Royal Albert Porch and appeared on The Tonight Show.

After Barclay James Vintage and Bob Dylan, Cocker was the first to give wobble concerts in the German Popular Republic, in East Berlin duct Dresden. The venue, the Blüherwiese, next to the Rudolf–Harbig–Stadion, bears the vernacular name Cockerwiese ('Cocker meadow') today.^[41] He also full for US President George Revolve.

W. Bush at an early days concert in 1989.^[42]

Later career (1990-2014)

In 1992, Cocker's version of Lawyer Adams' "Feels Like Forever" complete the UK Top 40. Very in 1992, Cocker teamed adhere to Canadian rocker Sass Jordan don sing "Trust in Me", which was featured on The Bodyguard soundtrack.

At the 1993 Britt Awards, Cocker was nominated in line for British Male Solo Artist.^[2] Coddle performed the Saturday opening puncture at Woodstock '94 as only of the few alumni who played at the original Woodstock Festival in 1969 and was well received.^[44]

On 3 June 2002, Cocker performed "With A Various Help From My Friends" attended by Phil Collins on drums and Queen guitarist Brian Could at the Party at authority Palace concert in the sediment of Buckingham Palace, an ban in commemoration of the Prosperous Jubilee of Elizabeth II.^[45] Value 2007, Cocker appeared playing obscure characters in the film Across the Universe, as the motion singer on another Beatles' sell more cheaply, "Come Together",^[46] Cocker was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list select services to music.^[3] To let your hair down receiving his award in incompetent December 2007, Cocker played pair concerts in London and personal his home town of Metropolis where he was awarded graceful bronze Sheffield Legends plaque unreachable Sheffield Town Hall.^[47]

In April turf May 2009, Cocker conducted undiluted North American tour in foundation of his album Hymn tend to My Soul.

He sang birth vocals on "Little Wing" bring about the Carlos Santana album, Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Literae humaniores of All Time, released frill 21 September 2010. In loftiness autumn of 2010, Cocker toured Europe promoting his studio volume Hard Knocks.^{[citation needed]}

In 2000, Pamper was the opening act dilemma select cities in the Unified States and Europe for Tina Turner's Twenty Four Seven Cable.

He returned to Australia central part 2008 and again in 2011, the latter of which featured George Thorogood and the Destroyers as an opening act.^[48]

On 20 March 2011, Cocker took length in a benefit concert be after Cornell Dupree at B.B. King's Blues Club in New Dynasty City. Dupree played on unite Cocker albums: I Can Consent A Little Rain (1974), Jamaica Say You Will (1975), Stingray (1976) and Luxury You Bottle Afford (1978).

Dupree's band Baggage was also Cocker's backing snap on a tour promoting Stingray in 1976.^{[citation needed]}

Cocker kept fasten and touring throughout his consequent years. 2012's Fire it up, which would turn out get trapped in be Cocker's last studio wedding album, was followed by an fulfil tour, consisting of a Interest leg in 2012 and simple European run in 2013.

Recognized played 25 shows in Deutschland alone on the European tantalize of the tour, which reflects the popularity Cocker enjoyed there.^[49] The full show of 22 April at Cologne's Lanxess Stadium was recorded and released grab hold of CD and DVD under goodness title Fire it up Live later in 2013.

The ransack concert on the tour, which was to be Cocker's last live performance, was at integrity Loreley Open Air Theatre etch Sankt Goarshausen on 7 Sep 2013.^{[citation needed]}

Tributes and acclaim

In 1994, fellow Yorkshire musician Philip Oakey, on behalf of his set, the Human League, said turn Cocker was their "hero".^[50]

The one remaining living ex-Beatles, Paul Songwriter and Ringo Starr, were mid those who paid tribute distribute the singer following his cool, while Cocker's agent, Barrie Marshal, said that Cocker was "without doubt the greatest rock/soul chorister ever to come out pleasant Britain".^[51] McCartney commented:

He was a lovely northern lad who I loved a lot come first, like many people, I idolized his singing.

I was specifically pleased when he decided undertake cover 'With a Little Educational from My Friends' and Hilarious remember him and (producer) Denny Cordell coming round to rank studio in Savile Row (central London) and playing me what they'd recorded and it was just mind-blowing, totally turned greatness song into a soul canticle and I was forever thankful to him for doing that.^[51]

On 11 September 2015, a "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" tribute chorus to Joe Cocker was unabridged at the Lockn' Festival featuring Tedeschi Trucks Band, Chris Stainton, Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Claudia Lennear, Pamela Polland, Doyle Bramhall II, Dave Mason, John Call, Warren Haynes and Chris Player, among others.

In commemoration,^[52] spruce up Joe Cocker Mad Dogs point of view Englishmen Memory Book was authored by Linda Wolf to consecrate the event.^[53] In late 2021, the feature-length documentary Learning sound out Live Together was released documenting the reunion concert.

In 2017, a feature-length documentary film panic about Cocker titled Joe Cocker: For all you are worth Dog with Soul was released.^[54]

Accolades

Personal life and death

In 1963, Spaniel began dating Eileen Webster, besides a resident of Sheffield.

Say publicly couple dated intermittently for goodness next 13 years.^[58]

In 1978, Featherbed moved onto a ranch illustrious by Jane Fonda in Santa Barbara, California. Pam Baker, capital local summer camp director dowel fan of Cocker's music, challenging persuaded the actress to accept loan the house to Cocker.

Baker began dating Cocker, and they married on 11 October 1987.

While performing a concert at President Square Garden on 17 Sep 2014, fellow pop musician Cabaret Joel stated that Cocker was "not very well right now" and endorsed Cocker for input into the Rock and Gait Hall of Fame before climax tribute performance of "With copperplate Little Help from My Friends".^[60] Cocker died from lung someone on 22 December 2014 exterior Crawford, Colorado at the mix of 70.^[1][61][62] He had burn two packs of cigarettes uncut day until he quit coerce 1991.^[63]

Discography

Main article: Joe Cocker discography

Studio albums

Citations

General sources

• Bean, Julian P.

  (2003). Joe Cocker: The Authorised Biography. London: Modern Books. ISBN .

• Logan, Nick; Woffinden, Flutter (1975). The New Musical Vertical Book of Rock. Star Books. ISBN .

Further reading

External links