Joe Cocker

John Robert Cocker, more popularly known as Joe Cocker is a veteran British musician whose area of expertise spans over the realm of blues, rock and soul. Joe Cocker has won several prestigious awards over the course of his career and holds the distinguished honor of having been awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2007. He also won a Grammy in 1983 for his hit song Up Where We Belong and was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone’s list of greatest 100 singers. Cocker is known for his coarse edged vocals infused with passion, and his eccentric arm gestures as he performs. He is most famous for his cover of various popular songs, especially those produced by the Beatles.
 
Joe Cocker was born in Sheffield in May 1944 as the youngest son of Harold and Madge Cocker.  Cocker found his artistic inspiration in musical legends like Ray Charles and Lonnie Donegan and began singing when he was merely twelve years old in 1960. This was when his brother asked him to perform with his own band called the Cavaliers. The band eventually broke up and Cocker forged another association with a band known as Vance Arnold and the Avengers, under the peculiar stage name of Vance Arnold. The group soon found its niche in performing covers of artists like Ray Charles and Elvis Presley all around pubs in Sheffield. Vance Arnold and the Avengers had limited success. Cocker also embarked on a solo career and signed a record deal with the record label Decca, but despite significant investment in publicity success remained elusive. Cocker went on a year long hiatus from music and resurfaced with a newly formed band christened as The Grease Band in 1966. Cocker and the Grease Band were soon discovered by Denny Cordell, a resourceful record producer and that’s when things took off for these musicians.
 
The commercial breakthrough for Joe Cocker came up with his rearrangement of the Beatles song With a Little Help from My Friends which hit the top of the UK charts in 1968. The album with the same title was released in the US in 1969 and soon went gold on the American charts. The band and Cocker went on the first US tour of their career and this series of performances really acted as a catalyst for establishing their careers as professional musicians. The most significant of these performances was the one at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. This popular rock and roll musical event is considered one of the most consequential rock events in the history and was attended by some 500,000 odd rock and roll fans. Soon after the Woodstock Festival Cocker released his second album titled Joe Cocker which conquered the number 11 spot on US charts. This was followed by two more influential hit songs, namely Delta Lady and The Letter; the latter became Cocker’s first song to feature in the top ten spots of the US charts.
 
Joe Cocker truly reached the pinnacle of his music career with the formation of a new band called Mad Dogs and Englishmen in 1970. The band went on a new concert tour where it performed in 48 cities and elicited highly positive reviews. Due to his personal problems and challenges faced due to alcoholism Cocker’s subsequent efforts remained limited in their success until he came back in the limelight with a return to the US top ten charts with his famous romantic ballad You Are So Beautiful in 1975 and later in 1982 with his duet Up Where We Belong with Jennifer Warnes which formed a part of a 1982 Hollywood movie An Officer and a Gentleman. This duet threw many notable awards and distinctions towards Cocker’s way. It became an international hit, won a Grammy and an Academy Award.
 
Cocker’s career still survives after several successful decades and he continues to make appearances at the US charts, though much less frequently than in the yesteryears. He also regularly performs on tours in the US and Europe attended by thousands of his fans where Joe Cocker tickets are considered prized possessions by these enthusiasts. Cheap Joe Cocker tickets for his latest series of performances are out on sale now. Do not miss your chance to attend a truly memorable evening with this veteran musician and get your Joe Cocker tickets now.