This ongoing look into bits and pieces of stories chronicling the building of artists and careers and their musical legacies.
The next Rock & Roll artist we discuss is the one and only John Robert Joe Cocker.
Joe was working as a gasfitter in his hometown of Sheffield, England. He started musically by singing in pubs and forming local R&B bands like The Cavaliers and Vance Arnold and the Avengers, which became a popular local act, opening for major bands like the Rolling Stones. In 1964, Joe signed a solo contract with Decca Records and released a cover of The Beatles’ “I’ll Cry Instead” (featuring a young Jimmy Page on guitar). But the record failed to chart, and he was dropped by Decca. After returning to work for the gas board, Cocker teamed up with producer Chris Stainton in 1966 to form the Grease Band. They recorded a single called “Marjorine,” which caught the attention of producer Denny Cordell, resulting in the 1968 single “Marjorine” becoming a minor US hit. Joe finally recorded his slow, soul-gospel rearrangement of “With A Little Help From My Friends,” which shot to number one on the UK Singles Chart in November 1968.
Woodstock 1969: Cemented Joe Cocker’s international stardom with an explosive, high-energy live performance of the song at the Woodstock Festival. Joe became one of the most beloved rock stars of the 60s and 70s. Cocker’s style was mostly creating remakes of other artists’ songs. That is what drove the success of the 1970s live album “Mad Dogs & Englishmen.” It was a major commercial hit, reaching number 2 on the US charts and number 16 on the UK charts. The album earned a Gold RIAA certification almost immediately after its release. Songs included: “Honky Tonk Women,” “The Letter,” “Cry Me A River,” and “Feelin’ Alright.”
Another remarkable aspect of Mad Dogs & Englishmen was the tour and band itself. Assembled by Joe Cocker and Leon Russell, it featured a large, rotating collective of more than 20 core musicians, horn players, and “Space Choir” backing vocalists.
Joe Cocker’s second career phase began in the early 1980s as a major musical comeback, highlighted by his chart-topping 1982 duet with Jennifer Warnes, “Up Where We Belong.”
A one-of-a-kind performer, one of Joe’s classic performances was as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” in 1976, singing “Feelin’ Alright” with John Belushi mimicking Joe Cocker.
