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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Joe Cocker dies at 70

The Columbian
Published:

Joe Cocker, a raspy-voiced British rock singer who belted out a bluesy version of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” at the Woodstock music festival in 1969 and had a hit with “You Are So Beautiful,” has died. He was 70.

He died Monday after battling small cell lung cancer, the New York Times reported, citing Sony Music, his record label.

Cocker had a string of hits in Britain during the late-1960s and toured the United States in the early 1970s. His wild on- stage gesticulation combined with his unique voice made him a singular performer.

He shared a Grammy with Jennifer Warnes in 1984 for best performance by a pop duo for “Up Where We Belong,” from the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman.” The song reached No. 1 during its 23 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Though he wrote some of his own material, Cocker was known mostly for cover versions of others’ songs, including Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright?,” written by Dave Mason, which he performed live on the Ed Sullivan show in 1969 and turned into a rock standard, according to Billboard. “You Are So Beautiful,” written by Billy Preston, was Cocker’s biggest solo hit, reaching No. 5 during 17 weeks on Billboard’s chart in 1975.

Cocker had a reputation as a heavy drinker, according to his biography at RollingStone.com, and on a 1972 U.S. tour often forgot the lyrics to songs. He also was charged with marijuana possession on an Australian tour.

Cocker was born on May 20, 1944, in Sheffield, England, according to Marquis Who’s Who. He studied at a trade school while performing in clubs with bands that covered American R&B performers such as Ray Charles. As lead singer of the Grease Band, Cocker made appearances on British charts and then had an international hit in 1969 with a soulful version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

The record helped bring about his first U.S. tour, which included his heralded performance at Woodstock.

Cocker’s 1974 album, “I Can Stand a Little Rain,” included “You Are So Beautiful” as well as songs by Harry Nilsson, Jimmy Webb and Randy Newman.

Cocker stepped back from performing by the mid-1970s. He returned in the 1980s with a smoother-edged style. His version of Newman’s “You Can Leave Your Hat On” was a highlight of the 1986 film “9 1/2 Weeks.”

He continued to record material by diverse songwriters, more than 25 albums in all. In 2007, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to music.

“Making an album, to me, is a bit like making a painting,” he said in his website biography. “You’ve got 12 songs, and it’s color — I don’t like everything to be one mood.”

He lived on a ranch in Crawford, Colorado, with his wife, the former Pam Baker, whom he married in 1987. They created the Cocker Kids Foundation to make grants for education, recreation, the arts and athletics.

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