Today, many performing artists include covers of fellow musicians who have influenced their careers, in their live shows and recordings,. (I wrote about this in, “Cover Tunes: the Sincerest Form of Flattery,” in August 2016 in this blog). Joe Cocker, on the other hand, made a name for himself covering the tunes of others in a style distinctly different from the original. In fact, I believe that Joe Cocker is the greatest cover artist ever, crafting a career that spanned from 1961 until his death, at age 70, in 2014.

Joe Cocker came to prominence in America with his performance at Woodstock in 1969.  He was not alone as Woodstock catapulted the career of many who, unintentionally or not, gave performances that would define them to an entire generation of fans. Cocker’s blazing version of the Beatles, “With a Little Help from My Friends,” set his career on fire! Working himself into a frenzy, his scream brought the song to a bombastic conclusion like a huge wave peaking and crashing the ocean floor below (find it on YouTube).  Once America discovered his passionate singing style and wild ‘air-guitar playing body contoursions’, his career really took off. What a difference a song makes!

Joe Cocker’s life was a wild ride. He participated fully in the drug culture of the day. Often someone would offer a pill to Joe and he would pop it in his mouth with no questions or regrets. He toured with the Grease Band and then with the Leon Russell curated ensemble, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Both were gatherings of rock and roll musicians living the party life on the road. His management saw the destructive path he was on and fired the entire band. They needed to surround him with a better influence if he was ever to get healthy and keep his career alive. His new backs up musicians, the American Standard, were just that. They were excellent musicians and did not encourage the party lifestyle.  This change probably saved his life and livelihood.

Joe’s career took a path unlike most of his contemporaries. Hit after hit, he reinterpreted the songs of others in a unique and fresh style, Cocker style. While he did pen a few of his big hits, most of the songs that made him famous were written and performed by others. Let’s take a look at his songs and make up your own mind. Joe charted 19 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 during his career. They are listed below:

• “Up Where We Belong,” with Jennifer Warren (Jack Nitzsche, Buffy St. Marie and Will Jennings)
• “You are So Beautiful/It’s a Sin When You Love,” double sided single, (Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher)
• “The Letter,” (the Box Tops)
• “When the Night Comes,” (Diane Warren, Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams)
• “Cry Me a River,” (Arthur Hamilton, 1950’s)
• “High Time We Went/Black-Eyed Blues,” double sided single (Joe Cocker)
• “She Came in through the Bathroom Window,” (The Beatles)
• “Feelin’ all Right,” (Dave Mason)
• “Midnight Rider,” (Gregg Allman)
• “Put out the Light,” (Daniel Moore, choir director for Mad Dogs and Englishmen)
• “With a Little Help from my Friends,” (The Beatles)
• “Darling be Home Soon,” (John Sebastian)
• “Unchain my Heart,” (Bobby Sharp) made famous by Ray Charles
• “Delta Lady,” (Leon Russell)
• “You can leave your hat on”,(Randy Newman)
• “Have a Little Faith in Me,” (John Hiatt)
• “Hitchcock Railway,” (Don Dunn and Tony McCashen)
• “Don’t Let me be Misunderstood,” (Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for Nina Simone) and made famous by The Animals
• “Bird on a Wire,” (Leonard Cohen)
• “Let’s go get Stoned,” (the Coasters) Ray Charles hit

Yeah, there’s twenty songs representing his nineteen Billboard hits! I can’t verify which to drop so you get his full portfolio of hits. I rest my case. He made other artists’ songs more famous than before. If you’re not familiar with any of these songs, turn to YouTube for a reminder/refresher. Joe’s career came to an end in December of 2014, in Colorado. Some critics argue that he does not merit inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame BECAUSE his career was built on the songs of others. My belief is that a career that spanned more than fifty years and had the success that he had should be recognized by his peers and fans.  What do you say?

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