Joe Cocker RIP

Joe Cocker died two weeks ago. A great performer who looked past it before he ever got there. There is a certain irony about him. His most famous and successful song "You Are So Beautiful" was also his worst. It was one of those 1970's syrupy love songs that belied Cocker's image as a hard drinking, hard living old time rock and roller. He sang some great tunes. My favorite was "High Time We Went." A close second was "Feeling All Right." Say what you will about Joe, he did not spend a lot of money on a tailor. That jacket looks like it was cut from a curtain in a 1970's cocaine den in the East Side Village. Regardless, he made a handsome living singing other people's songs and did it in a way that you had to call him unique. When I first saw him, I thought he had cerebral palsy but the schtick worked. It's bought to categorize him but the best I can come up with is a combination of Big Joe Turner and Bob Dylan. He always reminded me of a coal miner who left work at 5, got totally ripped in a local gin joint, and then jumped on the stage and sang. I guess if Charles Bronson were a singer, he would be Joe Cocker. RIP to great one.