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Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker was born and raised in Sheffield. He started his career at the early age of 15 as a member of several local bands. His first band was “Vance Arnold and the Avengers”, with which even had the honour of opening a Rolling Stones concert.
Joe signed a record deal with “Decca Records” in the early 60’s and released his first single, a remake of the Beatles song “I’ll Cry Instead” in 1964. But it would take another four years, before he would reappear in the British charts with the song “Marjorine” again. He had his big breakthrough the same year, with his excellent coverversion of the Beatles',, “With a Little Help from My Friends”. This song, that became one of his classics, climbed to the top of the British charts at the end of 1968.
At that time, Joe didn't pay too much attention to his finances or contracts, and practically found himself , forced to complete a 56-dates tour through the USA. He had to play several festivals including the legendary Woodstock Festival, where he would open the third day with his performance on the 17th of August 1969. This would turn out to be the most significant day of his career, as it made him a superstar and laid the foundation to the legend he became.
On the 20th of March 1970, he kicked off his “Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs & Englishmen” tour in Detroit, for which music producer and session musician Leon Russel had quickly put together a 21-strong band. It included stars like Chris Stainton, Rita Coolidge and Derek and the Dominos. In retrospect, it was the best band Joe Cocker ever played with. The highly successful live album “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” was released in September of the same year.
After his initial major success, Joe’s drug problems came to have a deep impact on his career. He toured regularly throughout the 70’s, but failed to repeat his success with any of his following albums.
After a collaboration with the “Crusaders” in 1981, he released the track “I’m So Glad I’m Standing here Today”, followed by the album “Sheffield Steel” in 1982. The duet “Up Where We Belong” with Jennifer Warnes, finally got Cocker back in the charts. This catchy tune from the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman” even topped the US single charts. In 1984, he had his first top ten hit in Germany with the album “Civilized Man”. Two years later, he recorded a version of Randy Newmans “You Can Leave Your Hat On” for the film “9 ½ Weeks”, making the song a worldwide hit.
Until his death, Joe Cocker now regularly entered the charts, and toured very successfully. On the 16th of June 2007, Joe Cocker received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Queen Elizabeth II.
On the 22nd of December 2014, Joe Cocker died from lung cancer at his home, the “Mad Dog Ranch” in Crawford, Colorado. He was 70 years old.
Hits: “With A Little Help From My Friends”, “The Letter”, “You Are So Beautiful”, “Up Where We Belong”, “You Can Leave Your Heat On”, “Unchain My Heart”, “Summer In The City” and “N'oubliez jamais”.