Blues and rock legend Joe Cocker, best known for his gritty voice and great vocals, has died at the age of 70.
The English-born singer-songwriter died on Sunday (December 21) in Colorado, where he has lived for the past two decades. He had lung cancer.
His death was confirmed by agent Barrie Marshall, who called Cocker "without doubt the greatest rock-soul voice ever to come out of Britain".
Cocker, from Sheffield, had a career spanning decades and recorded some 40 albums, his raspy voice known to and loved by generations of blues lovers.
His cover of the Beatles' song "With A Little Help From My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968, and a year later he performed the song at Woodstock.
Other hits included "You Are So Beautiful" and "Up Where We Belong", a 1983 duet with Jennifer Warnes that earned him a Grammy and an Oscar. The song was featured in the Richard Gere film "An Officer And A Gentleman".
"You Can Leave Your Hat On" was featured in the 1986 film "9 1/2 Weeks".
Mr. Marshall said in his statement that Cocker was "simply unique".
"Hugely talented - a true star - but a kind and humble man who loved to perform," Mr. Marshall added in a statement.
"Anyone who ever saw him live will never forget him."
Cocker embarked on the epic "Mad Dogs And Englishmen'" Tour in 1970, featuring more than 40 musicians and almost 50 cities across America.
In 2011 he received an OBE for his contribution to music.
Tributes started pouring in shortly after news of Cocker's death came out.
Former Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney called Cocker a "lovely northern lad who I loved a lot and, like many people, I loved his singing".
Of the "With A Little Help From My Friends" cover, he said Cocker had "totally turned the song into a soul anthem and I was forever grateful for him for doing that".
Beatles drummer Ringo Starr paid tribute to his friend: "Goodbye and God bless to Joe Cocker from one of his friends, peace and love."
"Joe Cocker is a legendary artist of rock and blues history and yet he was one of the most humble men I've ever met," said Edgar Berger, chairman and chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment International.
"His iconic voice will forever be etched in our memories."
Aerosmith singer Steve Tyler said: "We loved you forever, we will miss you always. RIP Joe Cocker."
Fellow rock singer Bryan Adams tweeted: "Joe Cocker has died. RIP my good friend, you were one of the best rock singers ever." Source: Ananova
2010-07-07
Fans wish Starr a Happy Birthday
Ringo Starr received an early 70th birthday present this week when fans serenaded him with Happy Birthday during a concert.
The Beatles legend was performing a show in New Brunswick, New Jersey on Monday night when the crowd broke into song.
The rocker beamed with delight - and was even more surprised when fans marked the end of the two-hour show with another rendition of the tune.
He told the audience, "Thank you. I am sure all the gifts are being sent to my dressing room."
Starr turned 70 on Wednesday and was due to mark the occasion with a performance at New York's Radio City Music Hall with his All Starr Band. Source: Ananova
2009-09-30
Madonna's Celebration: Star Catches Elvis
It's celebration time for Madonna as she stands shoulder to shoulder with Elvis Presley in UK chart history.
Her compilation album Celebration has gone straight to number one in its first week of release.
It means the singer has had 11 number one albums in the UK - equalling the record held by Elvis.
Madonna now only lags behind The Beatles who have had 15 hit albums.
It further cements her place as the undisputed Queen of Pop, the most successful female solo artist of all time.
Madonna has had 13 number one singles in the UK, spent the most weeks at the top of the album charts and has charted the singles and album charts simultaneously four times.
Her recent "Sticky and Sweet" tour was also the highest grossing in history by a female artist.
Celebration brings together 36 tracks spanning Madonna's career so far.
It also includes Revolver, a newly recorded song featuring Lil Wayne.
There was some disappointment though as the singer's new single Celebration slipped five places from number three to number eight in the singles chart.
Madonna, 51, has managed to stay at the top of her game for the past three decades by continually reinventing herself and her music.
She first hit the big time in the early eighties, gaining global recognition with hits such as "Like A Virgin" and "True Blue".
The singer, who has been married twice, is currently dating 23-year-old Jesus Luz and according to reports wants to make him hubby number three.
She has previously been married to Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie, whom she divorced last year. Source: Ananova
2008-11-04
Sigur Rós reveal heavy metal influence
Sigur Ros have revealed they are secret metal-heads!
Frontman Jón Pór Birgisson may be renowned for singing beautiful melodies, but in his youth he was more likely to 'Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter' as a huge fan of, metal legends, Iron Maiden.
He told the Daily Mirror: "We met Maiden's Bruce Dickinson once on a show.
"He didn't believe we actually liked them, but I really did. I loved the energy, the power and the melodies."
But Jónsi attributes his initial interest in music to Liverpool's Fab Four.
He added: "My first memory of music is playing a Beatles album too fast on my parents' stereo. I used to love doing that - it's how I learned to play the guitar." Source: Ananova
2005-01-04
Beatles' loo roll up for auction
A roll of toilet paper the Beatles refused to use is up for auction.
The toilet roll has a starting price of Ј40,000 on eBay.
The Beatles reportedly neglected the toilet roll during sessions at London studio Abbey Road because it was "too hard and shiny" and were disgusted that each sheet had 'EMI LTD' stamped on it.
The toilet paper has been kept in a glass box and is being sold on eBay after initially being auctioned at an Abbey Road sale in October 1980 reports Femalefirst.co.uk.
The item comes with a note written by former manager Ken Townsend, which reads: "Most things went very smoothly with The Beatles at Abbey Road - but not this roll of toilet paper which they complained was too hard and shiny
"They also thought it disgraceful that the management should stamp each sheet of paper EMI Ltd. The paper was immediately withdrawn and things became much smoother for staff after that." Source: Ananova
2004-10-06
Robbie sees dead people
Robbie Williams says he used to live in a haunted house.
The star has confessed he saw ghosts while living in former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr's Los Angeles house.
According to Femalefirst quoting Radio 1 he said: "When I moved out, the removal men wouldn't go in because of the old lady sitting in the chair."
He added: "Ringo's son, Zak Starkey, said to me: 'I hear you're in my old place,' because his dad used to own it.
And he asked if I'd seen the children in the garden and the old lady. Well, I never saw the kids but, but the old lady certainly kept cropping up."
The singer also says after his brush with the paranormal he now wants to launch a new career - as a TV psychic.
Robbie, who has been linked with a string of beauties including former Spice Girls - Geri Halliwell and Nip/Tuck star Valerie Cruz, revealed he's obsessed with the supernatural and wants to host his own programme on the subject.
He said: "I want to do a whole TV series on paranormal things. I'm really intrigued.
"I'm pretty open for it to be real, but I'm also quite open for it to be the power of suggestion too.
I just want to find out. I really want to get a TV show, perhaps on Living TV," he said. Source: Ananova
2004-09-21
Billy Joel gets Hollywood Walk of Fame
Billy Joel has been awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
The 55-year-old's name was inscribed on a plaque in front of the Pantages Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard reports BBC online.
Joel had more than 24 hit singles in the US but is best known in the UK for his 1983 chart-topper Uptown Girl.
"I had not considered this when I wrote Say Goodbye to Hollywood," he said. "It looks like I'm always going to be here."
Joel, who formed his first band at 14, has said he was inspired to a musical career after seeing The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.
His song Piano Man, which was released in 1973 and became a hit the following year, became his signature tune in the US.
He went on to sell more than 100 million records around the world, winning six Grammy awards and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
His Hollywood star was unveiled outside the theatre where Movin' Out, the Tony Award-winning musical based on Joel's songs, is being performed. Source: Ananova
2004-07-14
'Lost Beatles archive' found in Melbourne flea market
What could be one of the most hotly sought after lost archives of Beatles recordings has reportedly been found in a Melbourne flea market.
The archive of tapes and photos, which are believed to have belonged to Beatles roadie Mal Evans, were in a suitcase spotted by British holiday maker Fraser Claughton, who was looking for some cheap luggage.
He told the Times: "It is like finding the end of the rainbow in Australia.
"I spotted one tatty old suitcase, which frankly I wouldn't have given house room, but when I picked it up I realised there was something in it."
Thinking that the contents looked 'interesting', he agreed to buy them for Ј20.
Now experts believe the four-and-a-half hours of recordings, which include alternate takes of We Can Work It Out and Cry Baby Cry, could fetch several hundred thousand pounds at auction.
Peter Dogget, pop memorabilia consultant at Christie's, said: "It sounds very exciting indeed. It certainly does tie in with Mal Evans. He had access to the Beatles making music when no one else was around."
Children's publisher John Read, who is handling the collection on behalf of Mr Claughton, said it was already known that Mr Evans, who was shot dead in a bungled police operation in 1976, went to Australia as a sound engineer.
He said his name appears on some of the recording sheets in the collection.
However not everyone has been convinced. Mark Lewisohn, from the Beatles' Apple label, said he could not tell if the tracks really were new because so far he had only heard them over the telephone.
He said: "I am prepared to be excited, but from my point of view there isn't anything lost here." Source: Ananova
2004-06-23
Major new Elvis documentary series planned
A major new documentary series on Elvis Presley, similar to The Beatles' Anthology, is being planned for the 30th anniversary of his death.
The Elvis Presley Estate which runs Elvis' business affairs and includes his widow Priscilla, is presently working on the series which will include never-before-seen footage.
According to the New York Post, the Elvis anthology is due out in 2007 - 30 years after Presley died aged 42 on August 17, 1977.
The Beatles' Anthology initially aired on television in 1995 before being released in DVD format with added footage.
Meanwhile, the estate and BMG this week releases two new DVD sets of two of Elvis' most historic TV appearances in America. Source: Ananova
2004-04-27
'Yellow Submarine' To Become Children's Book
The Beatles' psychedelic cartoon "Yellow Submarine" is being adapted for a children's book, according to the group's record label. Apple Corps Ltd. said it had joined with Walker Books to create the book, which is expected to arrive in stores in September -- 36 years after the original animated feature film was released.
The book was inspired by the success of the release in 1999 of a digitally restored DVD version of the 1968 cult classic.
"'Yellow Submarine' was made as a psychedelic film in the '60s, but it has had a timeless appeal, particularly for children, over the last four decades," reads an Apple Corps. statement.
The film followed the 1966 release of the "Yellow Submarine" single, which was a hit in Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, Holland, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden. It was translated into many languages, including Yiddish and Latin, and was taken up as an anthem by American activists opposing the war in Vietnam. Source: BillBoard
2003-08-08
Anniversary of Beatles' US debut to be celebrated
The 40th anniversary of The Beatles' debut on US television is to be marked with an exhibition in New York and Los Angeles next year.
The Museum of Television and Radio in both cities will present Revolution: The Beatles on Television from February 9 1964 through to April 30, 2004.
The exhibit will include videos and television appearances of the Fab Four and during their individual careers post the 1970 break-up of the group.
There will also be screenings of a documentary, What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA also known as The Beatles: The First US Visit.
The Beatles made their debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964 when an estimated 73 million viewers tuned in. The audience remains one of the highest for any broadcast in American television history.
Source: Ananova