Editing Murray Cook

{{for|the Canadian baseball scout and executive|Murray Cook (baseball)}}
{{short description|Australian musician}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name              = Murray Cook
| image             = Murray Cook110807 (cropped).jpg
| caption           = Cook in 2007
| image_size        =
| background        = solo_singer
| honorific_suffix  = [[Order of Australia|AM]]
| birth_name        = Murray James Cook
| alias             = 
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1960|6|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place       = [[Cowra]], [[New South Wales]], Australia
| origin            =
| instrument        = {{hlist|[[Guitar]]|[[bass guitar]]|[[ukulele]]|[[vocals]]}}
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Children's music|Children's]]|[[Rock music|rock]]|[[Australian rock]]}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Musician|actor|Disc jockey}}
| years_active      = 1985–present
| current_member_of = The Soul Movers
| past_member_of    = {{Plainlist|
*[[Bang Shang a Lang]]
*[[The Wiggles]]
}}
{{Infobox person|embed=yes
| children          = 2, including [[Georgia Munro-Cook|Georgia]]
}}
| website           =
}}
'''Murray James Cook''', [[Order of Australia|AM]] (born 30 June 1960)<ref>{{cite news|title=Today in History, June 30|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/major-events-on-this-day-in-history/news-story/47fe545f1e2e4303e22b319ccc1f2bec|agency=Australian Associated Press|date=29 June 2018}}</ref> is an Australian musician, actor, and [[Disc jockey|DJ]]. Cook was one of the founding members of the children's band [[the Wiggles]] from 1991 to 2012. Cook provided guitar, vocals, and songwriting in the group, and remained involved with its creative and production aspects after his retirement. In 2013, Cook served as the Wiggles' tour manager. He also remains active in many music projects, including, writing and performing with the Sydney soul-rock band The Soul Movers. He is the father of wheelchair basketball player [[Georgia Munro-Cook]]. In 2015, he was one of the members of the Australian jury for the [[Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015|Junior Eurovision Song Contest]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Argyriou|first1=Giannis|date=11 November 2015|title=Australian broadcaster announced hosts and jury for Junior Eurovision|url=https://www.eurovisionary.com/australian-broadcaster-announced-hosts-jury-jesc-2015/|access-date=14 July 2019|website=Eurovision.com}}</ref>

==The Wiggles==
{{Main articles|The Wiggles}}
[[File:63423main wiggles wave.jpg|thumb|Cook (second from right/red shirt) with the rest of the original Wiggles, during a trip to [[NASA]] in 2004.|left]]
[[File:Wiggles Murray and Jeff.jpg|150px|thumb|right|"Wiggly concert": Balloon versions of Murray and Jeff]]
Cook returned to university and studied [[early childhood education]] at [[Macquarie University]], where he met [[Anthony Field]] and [[Greg Page (musician)|Greg Page]] and formed [[the Wiggles]] in 1991.<ref>Field, pp. 27–28</ref> Cook worked as a preschool teacher for two years before the success of the Wiggles forced him to quit.<ref>{{cite news|last=Iacuzio|first=Tom|date=15 November 2007|title=What's up with The Wiggles?|work=Daytona Beach News-journal|url=http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Entertainment/Music/entMUS01111307.htm|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115164346/http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Entertainment/Music/entMUS01111307.htm|archive-date=15 November 2007}}</ref> According to Field, Cook would have been content to "continue teaching and perhaps move into an academic role in the field. He knows his stuff and is simply great with children".<ref>Field, p. 45</ref> As a member of the Wiggles, Cook wore a red [[Polo neck|skivvy]] and served as an instrumentalist and vocalist. He came up with the Wiggles' signature index finger-wagging move after watching professional ten pin bowlers do the move on television.<ref name="doherty" /> He was considered the intellectual and analytical member of the group (something referred to in several episodes of their TV show), so he acted as mediator for their group decisions.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news|last=Blake|first=Elissa|date=2 September 2007|title=Unusual suspects|work=Daily Telegraph|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22334196-5006011,00.html|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013184754/http://news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22334196-5006011,00.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=13 October 2007}}</ref> When the Wiggles received honorary degrees from the [[Australian Catholic University]] in 2006, Cook gave the [[commencement speech]] to the graduates. On 17 May 2012, it was announced that Cook, along with [[Greg Page (musician)|Greg Page]] and [[Jeff Fatt]], would be retiring from the Wiggles at the end of the year. He was replaced by Wiggles cast member [[Simon Pryce]]. Cook and the others expected to remain involved with the creative and production aspects of the group.<ref name="wiggleroom">{{cite news|last=Quinn|first=Karl|title=Wiggle Room: The Brand Played On|work=The Age|date=19 May 2012|url=http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/wiggle-room-the-brand-played-on-20120519-1yxn1.html|access-date=14 July 2019}}</ref> In 2013, Cook served as the group's tour manager.<ref name="glastonbury">{{cite news|last=McCabe|first=Kathy|title=The Wiggles dream of playing Glastonbury as they return to Aussie TV and arenas|work=News.com.au|date=26 August 2013|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/the-wiggles-dream-of-playing-glastonbury-as-they-return-to-aussie-tv-and-arenas/story-e6frfn09-1226703470556#ixzz2cwRQ2kjc|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> Cook told the ''[[Newcastle Herald]]'', about his music career after his retirement from the Wiggles, "I was kind of feeling my way for a few years, I guess".<ref name="newcastle">{{cite news|last1=Leeson|first1=Josh|date=14 April 2018|title=Ex-red Wiggle Murray Cook has injected his creative energy into The Soul Movers|work=New Castle Herald|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/5337346/wiggles-star-murray-cook-moving-on-in-a-soulful-direction/|access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref>

==Other works==
In addition to continuing to play with Bang Shang A Lang,<ref name="doherty">{{cite news|last1=Doherty|first1=Megan|title=Wiggling it one last time|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/wiggling-it-one-last-time-20121126-2a3at.html|access-date=11 July 2019|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 November 2012}}</ref> he performed lead guitar for the Proposition, a Sydney-based guitar pop band fronted by singer-songwriter Luke Russell on their 2015 album, ''Edge of the Dancefloor''. Also in 2015, Cook was involved in the production of the play ''Sons of Sun'', which was about American music producer [[Sam Phillips]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shand|first1=John|title=Sons of Sun review: Songs reveal the Sam Phillips drama for Elvis, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/sons-of-sun-review-songs-reveal-the-sam-phillips-drama-for-elvis-johnny-cash-and-jerry-lee-lewis-20150419-1mo56e.html|access-date=12 July 2019|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 April 2015}}</ref> In October 2017, Cook played guitar for the tribute show "The Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazlewood Experience" with [[Zoe Carides]] and [[Scott Holmes]] in [[Newcastle, New South Wales]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kellar|first1=Jim|title=Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazlewood Experience comes to town|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4952262/nancy-lee-show-sparks-60s-dreams/|access-date=13 July 2019|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=29 September 2017}}</ref>

While exploring other projects, Cook met Lizzie Mack, a member of the Sydney soul-rock band the Soul Movers, who along with [[Radio Birdman]] guitarist [[Deniz Tek]] and founder of The Soul Movers, were relaunching the group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/move-on-over-wigglers-it-s-soul-time-20190312-p513ie.html|title=Move on over wigglers, it's soul time|date=14 March 2019}}</ref> In 2015, Cook began writing songs with Mack and decided to focus on the band and use it as his "main creative outlet"<ref name="newcastle" /> In 2017, the group recorded ''Testify'', "an album of energetic blues, soul and rock".<ref name="newcastle" /> The album was recorded at the Wiggles' studio in northwest Sydney and Jeff Fatt performed keyboards for the group.<ref name="newcastle" /> In 2019, the group recorded ''Bona Fide'', which the ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' called "a stunning album".<ref name="soultime">{{cite news|last1=Roberts|first1=Jo|title=Move on over wigglers, it's soul time|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/move-on-over-wigglers-it-s-soul-time-20190312-p513ie.html|access-date=13 July 2019|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=14 March 2019}}</ref> The album, which as Cook stated, included "more roots-oriented songs to try to reflect a wide range of American music styles",<ref>{{cite web|last1=Davies|first1=Hayden|title=From The Wiggles to DZ Deathrays, Murray Cook isn't going anywhere|url=http://pilerats.com/written/get-to-know/murray-cook-soul-movers-interview/|website=Pilerats.com|access-date=13 July 2019|date=January 2019}}</ref> and was recorded in the U.S.' "premier soul studios"<ref name="soultime" /> such as [[Sun Studios]] in Memphis, Tennessee, and [[FAME Studios]] in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He appeared with the group at the rock festival [[Splendour in the Grass]] in July 2018.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Clun|first1=Rachel|title=Red Wiggle Murray Cook joins DZ Deathrays on stage at Splendour in the Grass|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/red-wiggle-murray-cook-joins-dz-deathrays-on-stage-at-splendour-in-the-grass-20180721-p4zsss.html|access-date=13 July 2019|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=21 July 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1986, Cook joined the Sydney-based band [[Bang Shang a Lang]]. Cook's major musical influences were [[the Beatles]], [[the Rolling Stones]], [[the Who]], and [[Eric Clapton]].<ref name="murray2">{{cite news|last=Bourgeau|first=Michel|title=Play your guitar with Murray|work=[[Guitar Player]] Magazine|format=doc|url=http://www.bangshangalang.com/images/MurrayCookguitarMagazineInterview.doc|url-status=dead|access-date=6 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015061344/http://www.bangshangalang.com/images/MurrayCookguitarMagazineInterview.doc|archive-date=15 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He is married to Meg Munro and has two children, a son and a daughter, wheelchair basketball player [[Georgia Munro-Cook]]. On 30 November 2020, 11 months after fellow former bandmate [[Greg Page (musician)|Greg Page]] collapsed on stage and went into cardiac arrest, Cook opened up about a major health scare which forced him to undergo open heart surgery.<ref>{{cite web|date=22 December 2020|title=Original Red Wiggle Murray Cook reveals serious health scare less than a year after former Yellow Wiggle collapses|url=https://7news.com.au/the-morning-show/story-info/original-red-wiggle-murray-cook-opens-up-about-serious-health-care-c-1821755|publisher=7 News}}</ref>

==Awards==
Cook, along with the other three original members of the Wiggles, was made a [[Order of Australia|Member of the Order of Australia]] in 2010 "for service to the arts, particularly children's entertainment, and to the community as benefactors and supporters of a range of charities".<ref>{{cite news|title=Wiggles 'floored' by Australia Day Honours|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-01-26/wiggles-floored-by-australia-day-honours/308590|access-date=13 July 2019|work=ABC News|date=25 January 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*Field, Anthony and Greg Truman. (2012). ''How I Got My Wiggle Back: A Memoir of Healing''. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. {{ISBN|978-1-118-01933-7}}.

{{The Wiggles}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Murray}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:APRA Award winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at Orange High School (New South Wales)]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:People from Cowra]]
[[Category:The Wiggles members]]
[[Category:Australian male singers]]
[[Category:Australian children's musicians]]
[[Category:Australian male songwriters]]
[[Category:Australian rock guitarists]]
[[Category:Macquarie University alumni]]
[[Category:Australian lead guitarists]]
[[Category:People from Orange, New South Wales]]
[[Category:Australian male guitarists]]