Read Billy Joel’s Letter Pushing For Joe Cocker’s Rock Hall Induction
Music legends are pushing for Joe Cocker to get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Big names like Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, and ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons…
Music legends are pushing for Joe Cocker to get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Big names like Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, and ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons are leading the charge.
On the Fan Ballot, where people can vote until April 21, the raspy-voiced singer holds sixth place. Though he's been eligible since 1994, this is his first chance at joining Rock's greatest.
A recently discovered video shows Joel's heartfelt 2014 letter to the Hall. Filmed while making a 2016 documentary, it shows Joel's passionate but unsuccessful try to get his dying friend into the Hall of Fame.
Joel's full letter reads as follows:
As a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 1999, it has been one of my fondest hopes to see Joe Cocker inducted into it as well. When I first heard him in 1969, I was very inspired by the sound of his incredibly raw and soulful vocal style. That became a watershed year in my life. That year, I attended the Woodstock festival, bought the first Led Zeppelin album and heard Joe Cocker sing 'With a Little Help From My Friends.' I thought Joe was the most powerful rock 'n' roll interpretive male singer I had heard since first hearing the iconic early recordings of Ray Charles. In my opinion, no one has since come even close to him as one of the great primal rock 'n' roll vocalists of all time. I feel very strongly that Joe Cocker should be considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I hope you will consider putting his name on the voting ballot this year.
At Woodstock in '69, Cocker blew people away with his powerful version of "With a Little Help From My Friends." His intense take on the song even impressed McCartney, who wrote a letter supporting his nomination.
His wife Pam remembered how he didn't care much about awards. But his brother Vic saw it differently, saying getting into the Hall was "the greatest privilege he silently wished for."
This year's nominees include newcomers like Oasis, OutKast, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, and Soundgarden. Fans can vote once a day on the Hall's website.
Back in '69, Joel was in the crowd watching Cocker rock Woodstock. That day, many fans noticed how much Cocker's soulful voice matched Ray Charles's distinctive style.
