Editing Joe Cocker (section)

{{Short description|English singer (1944–2014)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Joe Cocker
| honorific_suffix  = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}
| image             = Joe cocker 1970.JPG
| caption           = Cocker in 1969, as pictured on the cover of his second album, ''[[Joe Cocker!]]''
| birth_name        = John Robert Cocker
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|df=yes|1944|05|20}}
| birth_place       = [[Sheffield]], [[West Riding of Yorkshire]]<!--READ THIS FIRST: Sheffield was in the WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE at the time of Cocker's birth in 1944. It moved to South Yorkshire in 1974-->, England
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2014|12|22|1944|5|20|df=y}}
| death_place       = [[Crawford, Colorado]], U.S.
| occupation        = Singer
| years_active      = 1961–2014
| background        = solo_singer
| genre             = {{Hlist|[[Rock music|Rock]]|[[blues]]|[[blue-eyed soul]]|[[Pop music|pop]]}}
| instrument        = {{hlist|Vocals|harmonica|piano {{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}}}
| discography       = [[Joe Cocker discography]]
| label             = {{Hlist|[[Regal Zonophone]]|[[DJM Records|DJM]]|[[A&M Records|A&M]]|[[Capitol Records|Capitol]]|[[EMI Records|EMI]]|[[Decca Records|Decca]]|[[The Rocket Record Company|Rocket]]}}
| past_member_of    = [[The Grease Band]]
| website           = {{URL|cocker.com}}
}}

'''John Robert''' "'''Joe'''" '''Cocker''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements.  Most of his best-known singles, such as 
"[[Feelin' Alright?]]" and "[[Unchain My Heart (song)|Unchain My Heart]]", were recordings of songs written by other songwriters, though he composed a number of songs for most of his albums as well, often in conjunction with songwriting partner [[Chris Stainton]].<ref name="Indep23dec14"/>

His [[With a Little Help from My Friends (Joe Cocker album)|first album]] featured a recording of [[the Beatles]]' "[[With a Little Help from My Friends#Joe Cocker version|With a Little Help from My Friends]]", which brought him to near-instant stardom. The song reached number one in the UK in 1968, became a staple of his many live shows ([[Woodstock]] and the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1969|Isle of Wight]] in 1969, the [[Party at the Palace]] in 2002) and was also known as the theme song for the late 1980s American TV series ''[[The Wonder Years]]''. He continued his success with his [[Joe Cocker!|second album]], which included a second Beatles song, "[[She Came In Through the Bathroom Window]]". A hastily thrown together 1970 US tour led to the live double-album ''[[Mad Dogs & Englishmen (album)|Mad Dogs & Englishmen]]'', which featured an all-star band organized by [[Leon Russell]].  His 1974 recording of "[[You Are So Beautiful]]" reached number five in the US, and became his [[signature song]].  Cocker's best-selling song was the US number one "[[Up Where We Belong]]", a duet with [[Jennifer Warnes]] that earned a 1983 [[Grammy Award]]. He released a total of 22 studio albums over a 43-year recording career.

In 1993, Cocker was nominated for the [[Brit Award]] for Best British Male Solo Artist. He was awarded a bronze [[Sheffield Legends]] plaque in his hometown in 2007, and received an [[OBE]] the following year for services to music.<ref name="Brits" /><ref name="OBE" /> Cocker was ranked number 97 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s 100 greatest singers list.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231 |title=100 Greatest Singers |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=27 November 2008 |access-date=11 April 2012 |archive-date=29 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429022814/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Cocker was selected for induction into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2025.<ref name="rr25">{{cite web |title=The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation unveils electrifying class of 2025 inductees |url=https://rockhall.com/press-release/the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-foundation-unveils-electrifying-class-of-2025-inductees/ |website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref>