Can I just say that Joe Cocker was an AMAZING artist/vocalist? I can remember being a little kid, watching him on singing on television, flailing his arms crazily, drenched with sweat. I asked my father, Dad, whats wrong with him? He laughed and said, The greatest singers arent always those who have the formally trained, perfect voices. Some are great because they bring so much emotion. After that, every time Id see Joe Cocker, I always watched for that emotional intensity. And he brought it every time. As a singer myself, why was I so inspired by him? In an era where vocals are always polished and tuned, Joe Cocker always brought it raw and raspy, so you could hear everything -- the pain and the joy. It wasnt about what he was wearing, his dance moves or anything superficial. He threw every part of his body into the song! He took the most simple, trite lyrics You. Are. So. Beautiful. To me, and made it mean really something to whatever woman he was singing them to. He crawled inside of those lyrics and pushed them out through his heart. Whenever I saw him sing, he was so emotional that I sometimes worried that he was having a seizure! LOL But it wasnt that. He was just a very passionate, physical singer. I admire that. Its sad to see him go. I put him in the same class as my favorite singers, like David Ruffin, who, by the way, never thought of himself as a great technical singer! While I respect the best technical singers, I believe that you cant write a book on bringing emotion. I can take the most celebrated classical singers to into a church filled with true gospel singers, but if they cant bring emotion, theyll be lost. Joe Cocker was not lost in that environment. In fact, thats where he would have fit in best. Living life is the only thing that can inspire that kind of musical feeling. Joe Cocker clearly lived life. If you want to see a singer bring emotion, just watch him on YouTube. I cant believe hes not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. When it comes to singers and Rock & Roll, from Woodstock to Carnegie Hall, hes clearly earned his place in history. I wish he would have been alive to receive that honor, but I know that hell eventually get voted in here, and in heaven. Hell definitely get my vote! RIP Joe Cocker.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 16:45:09 +0000
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