Singer Joe Cocker Dies at 70 Losing a Battle With Cancer

Joe Cocker (real name John Robert Cocker) passed away on December 22, 2014.

He was known for his raspy, gravelly voice and jerky seizure like movements. Before he passed, the icon, Billy Joel said in a concert that Joe, More than anyone should be already inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Billy did a tribute song for Joe letting people know that Joe had been ill and wasn’t doing very well. He lived to the age of 70 but sang his famous “With a Little Help From My Friends” as far back as Woodstock in 1969.

Joe Cocker was born in 1944 and had his singing debut at his older brothers gig when he was only 12 years old. In 1960 he formed a little band called the Cavaliers which broke up after a year. But he got right back in the game and became Vance Arnold of Vance Arnold and the Avengers.

Joe’s first and biggest hit was a rearrangement of the Beatle’s song “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Later on Beatle’s Paul McCartney and George Harrison were so impressed by his rendition that they allowed Cocker to use more of their songs.

Later on he was featured on Saturday Night Live. But he had a problem with drugs and alcohol. In fact he had a lot of issues showing up to his live performances due to his battle with alcoholism. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr paid tribute to Joe Cocker at his funeral. R.I.P. Joe…