RIP Joe Cocker

[dave robinson]

Just heard the sad news that Joe Cocker passed away this morning. RIP Joe, you flew the flag for Sheffield, I spent many hours and a thousand laughs in your company in our early days.

[dave robinson]

Seems Joe had been fighting lung cancer.

[David Martin]

Nothing surpasses "You are so beautiful..."

Unique...

So sad.

[dave robinson]

This has hit hard here in Sheffield and the tributes from all over the world are still pouring in from show business and dignitaries alike.
The song that David mentions 'You Are So Beautiful' is only one of many that Joe gave that treatment to, not only when he made it, but before when he was working as a gas fitter, singing in the pubs and clubs in the early sixties and many of us felt it could only be a matter of time before the world noticed. He was never one for copying the hits of the time, Joe would take a song and just sing in his own way, a natural talent. He used to bring the place down with his version of 'Georgia'. In retrospect dreams are ten a penny, but our memories are priceless and I have many where this guy was concerned.

[Mikey]

Delta Lady was my favourite.
He'll be missed.

[dave robinson]

After Joe's failure to make an impact with his Decca release 'I'll Cry Instead', things didn't look too good for a while, but we were friends with the guys that were writing songs and recording demos with Joe, two of them being ex Cruiser Frank Miles and the other Chris Stainton and there were some good songs on offer from that team. We were given one of them to do and made a decent demo of it. However, the one that got Joe noticed by Regal Zonophone was a track called 'Marjorine', which was his first single for them, being a mini hit allowing him a foothold and then they arranged 'With A Little Help' and the rest is history. Frank Miles, Chris Stainton, Tommy Eyre (now deceased) and Kenny Slade were part of the original Grease Band, but members were changed when he hit the big time with poor Frank missing out again after his rejection a few years previous from The Cruisers. I guess some people aren't meant to hit the big time. Frank is a friend of ours and a few years ago gave me a tune which I recorded on one of my Lead Series BTs which was entitled 'Miles Away'. A talented musician and still writes and records today.