No one sounded like Joe Cocker. No one could have even hoped to sound like him. But that unique voice was silenced today when the Sheffield, England, native died following a long bout with lung cancer. He was 70.
Cocker, whose career spanned more than 40 years, was known for his distinctive growling voice and unique interpretations of songs which had, in some instances, been made popular by another artist. Such was the case with the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” which had been a single off the Fab Four’s classic “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album. Paul McCartney, upon learning of Cocker’s death, remarked:
“He was a special person who brought so much to the world. He turned the (Beatles) song into a soul anthem and I was forever grateful.?I knew him through the years as a good mate and I was so sad to hear that he had been ill and really sad to hear today that he had passed away.?He was a great guy, a lovely guy who brought so much to the world and we’ll all miss him.”?
Cocker achieved breakthrough fame when he performed at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in New York. He followed this triumph with a 48-city tour of the United States billed as the “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” Tour. In later years, Cocker hit the top of the Billboard charts with a duet sung with Jennifer Warnes. That song, “Where We Belong,” won both a Grammy and Academy Award in 1983.
Steven Tyler, lead singer of the group Aerosmith, summed up the way many in the music industry and music lovers around the world felt today when they learned of Cocker’s death”
“We loved you forever, we will miss you always. RIP Joe Cocker.”
Truly one of the most unique voices to ever appear on the rock music scene, Joe Cocker will be missed both for his music and his showmanship. As I wrote this, I put his “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” CD on for inspiration. Something tells me I won’t be listening to anything else for the next few days.
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