Earlier today, English singer Joe Cocker passed away from an undisclosed illness. He was 70. Widely considered one of the greatest vocalists to ever step behind a microphone, it’s an understatement to say that he will be missed.Cocker was launched to stardom after his brilliant cover of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends.” He was also known for the heartbreaking and Grammy and Oscar-winning love song from An Officer and a Gentleman, “Up Where We Belong,” on top of "You Are So Beautiful" and countless other tracks. His grimy voice was instantly recognizable—one that provided an urgency to any type of music, yet one that felt warm and friendly, kind of like a that old drinking buddy of yours who's a little too loud but you wouldn't have it any other way because they're always the most charming person in the room.Cocker's career was long and vibrant, with a discography of over 20 albums released from the years 1969 to 2012, including classic records like Joe Cocker! and I Can Stand a Little Rain. His cover of "With a Little Help from My Friends" also went on to be the theme song for The Wonder Years. Unknowingly, his voice became some sort of a soundtrack for the lives of multiple generations.To the BBC News, Cocker’s agent says he was "simply unique" and "it will be impossible to fill the space he leaves in our hearts."On a personal note, here I am writing this post, sitting in Colorado in Glenwood Springs, a town just up the road from Crawford, which is where Joe Cocker lived with his wife at a place called Mad Dog Ranch before his passing. Out the window, there’s a line of red mountains dusted with a foot of snow that fell last night. It's a bit weird to be in this valley as one of the greatest voices of a generation passes away. He was very much a member of its community. My parents, who are both children of the 60s, were taken aback by the news, and have been talking about what this man has done for the area—he would throw parties, events, fundraisers, and more. My mom teared up a little. My dad and I watched a video of Cocker performing at Woodstock. From a community perspective, he was a stand up person who just wanted his tiny town of 300 people to enjoy life a little bit more. In the eyes of the public and his fans, it seems like that's what his entire career was about: just getting by, with a little help, from your friends.
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