Joe Cocker Biography

Fast Facts

• Was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2007 for his contributions to music
• In addition to "With a Little Help from My Friends," he had a No․ 1 hit with "Up Where We Belong," a duet with Jennifer Warnes, as well as a No․ 5 hit with "You Are So Beautiful․"
• Originally intended to go into gas fitting for the East Midlands Gas Board, but ultimately chose music because he "didn't want a job where he worked for years and years and then got presented with a gold watch at the end․"
• After his 1964 contract with Decca Records lapsed, he toured as an opening act for Manfred Mann and The Hollies before forming The Grease Band with Henry McCullough and Alan Spenner
• Got his start in music with the help of his brother, Victor, first as the singer for his band The Headliners and later as the drummer for his skiffle group The Cavaliers
• Best known as a rock and blues singer who had a No․ 1 hit with his cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" in 1968
• Released 22 studio albums during his career, the most recent being 2012's "Fire It Up․"
• One of the guitarists on his 1968 recording of "With a Little Help from My Friends" was future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
• Performed at Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Tribute in 1988 and President George H․W․ Bush's inauguration party in 1989
• Performed at the original Woodstock Festival in 1969 and returned in 1994 to represent the original show's lineup