Singer Joe Cocker, best known to rock fans for his intense, spasmodic Woodstock performance of "With a Little Help from My Friends" has died. His cover of the Beatles' song reached number one in 1968, and became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years.
The singer song-writer from Sheffield, England had a career lasting more than 40 years. In 1970, he released the double live album, Mad Dogs & Englishmen. The band had been hastily put together by Leon Russell for a U.S. tour that his management had organized.
Cocker later managed a hit single, "You Are So Beautiful", which reached #5 in 1975. He won a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes. Cocker was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.
His agent Barrie Marshall confirmed that he had died of an undisclosed illness. He said he was "simply unique" and "it will be impossible to fill the space he leaves in our hearts."
Cocker was 70.
-Spencer