Historical Figure
Joe Cocker
1944–2014
English singer (1944–2014)
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Biography
John Robert "Joe" Cocker was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright" and "Unchain My Heart", were recordings of songs written by other song writers, though he composed a number of songs for most of his albums as well, often in conjunction with songwriting partner Chris Stainton.
Timeline
The story of Joe Cocker, told in moments.
His cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reaches No. 1 in the U.K. He transforms the gentle album track into a gospel-rock explosion. John Lennon later says he prefers Cocker's version.
Performs at Woodstock. His spastic, full-body performance of "With a Little Help from My Friends" becomes one of the festival's defining moments. He looks like he's being electrocuted. He's just singing.
"Up Where We Belong" with Jennifer Warnes hits No. 1. It's the love theme from An Officer and a Gentleman. Wins the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Dies of lung cancer at his home in Crawford, Colorado. He was 70. He'd lived in Colorado since the 1990s, far from the music industry. His ranch sat at 8,000 feet elevation.
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