Roger Cook | |
|---|---|
 Roger Cook (1967) | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Roger James Cooke |
| Born | Roger Frederick Cook (1940-08-19)19 August 1940 (age 85) Fishponds,Gloucestershire, England |
| Origin | England |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Website | www |
Roger Frederick Cook (born 19 August 1940)[1] is an English singer, songwriter and record producer, who has written many hit records for other recording artists. He has also had a successful recording career in his own right.
He is best known for his collaborations withRoger Greenaway. Cook's co-compositions have included "You've Got Your Troubles", and the transatlantic million-selling songs, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing"[2] and "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress".[3] They were the first UK songwriting partnership to win anIvor Novello Award as 'Songwriters of the Year' over two successive years.[4]
In 1997, Cook became the first British songwriter to enter theNashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[1]
Cook was born inFishponds,Bristol, England.[1] Most of the hits he has written have been incollaboration withRoger Greenaway, whom he originally met while they were members of a closeharmony group,the Kestrels. Continuing on as a duo, Cook and Greenaway then had a brief but successful recording career between 1965 and 1967 asDavid and Jonathan, scoring hits with a cover version ofthe Beatles' "Michelle", and their own "Lovers of the World Unite".[5] They also penned their first hit as songwriters for others in 1965, with "You've Got Your Troubles", a UK number 2 and US number 7 forthe Fortunes.[6][7]
As a performer Cook is best remembered as a member ofBlue Mink, sharing lead vocals withMadeline Bell. The group was formed in 1969, primarily as a producer's outfit, featuring a wealth of topsession musicians includingHerbie Flowers (bassist),Alan Parker (guitarist),Roger Coulam (keyboardist) andBarry Morgan (drummer),[8] who were simultaneously members of thejazz /rock /big band fusion outfitCCS, another mainly recording act.
Over the next four years Blue Mink had several Top 20 entries, mostly co-written by Cook, the most successful being "Melting Pot" and "The Banner Man", before they disbanded in 1974.[8]
Cook also sang backing vocals on some of the earliest recordings byElton John,[8] and continued to record albums as a solo artist, includingStudy (1970), credited to Roger James Cooke,Meanwhile Back at the World (1972),Minstrel in Flight (1973) andAlright (1976).[1]
Amongst hits he has written with others, including Greenaway and writers such asAlbert Hammond,Mike Hazlewood andTony Macaulay are "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (The New Seekers), "Good Times, Better Times" (Cliff Richard), "Softly Whispering I Love You" (The Congregation), "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" (Gene Pitney), "Home Lovin' Man" (Andy Williams), "Blame It on the Pony Express" (Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon), "Something Old, Something New" (The Fantastics), "Conversations" and "Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight)" (Cilla Black), "I've Got You on My Mind", "My Baby Loves Lovin'" (White Plains), "Gasoline Alley Bred" and "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" (The Hollies); "Freedom Come, Freedom Go" (The Fortunes), "Doctor's Orders" (Sunny), "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" (Whistling Jack Smith) and "Like Sister and Brother" (The Drifters). Cook co-wrote "I Just Want to Dance with You" withJohn Prine; Prine recorded the song in 1986 for his albumGerman Afternoons, and it was a hit forGeorge Strait in 1998.[1]
Cook and Greenaway also wrote "High 'N' Dry" (Cliff Richard), which was theB-side of "Congratulations",[9] the runner-up song for the UKEurovision Song Contest in 1968.[10]
In 1975 Cook moved to the US and settled inNashville, Tennessee, where he produced more hits including "Talking in Your Sleep" (Crystal Gayle in 1978, first recorded byMarmalade) and "Love Is on a Roll" (Don Williams).[1] In 1977 he producedThe Nashville Album, a record by Chip Hawkes, who had recently leftthe Tremeloes (but would rejoin the group a few years thereafter). He also opened a publishing company with accomplished songwriterRalph Murphy named Pic-A-Lic.
In 1992 he joined formerStranglers memberHugh Cornwell and guitarist Andrew West to release an album,CCW.[1] Later he turned to writing for the stage and he has worked on twomusicals,Beautiful and Damned, based on the lives ofJazz Age authorF. Scott Fitzgerald and his wifeZelda, in collaboration withLes Reed; andDon't You Rock Me Daddio, set in 1957 at the height of theskiffle age, withJoe Brown.
In 1997, Cook became the first British songwriter to enter theNashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[1]
Cook's daughter, Katie, is a host/presenter for cable networkCMT.[11]
