|
|
|
|
|||
|
| |||
opinion
Also in this section: Leis, The media, liquor and kids Looking up heroes of oldby Silvio SiriasGod, I’m just a fat bald guy, sixty years old, singing the blues, you know?Joe Cocker I was fifteen when Woodstock --- the greatest rock concert ever --- took place. Although I was living in Nicaragua then, thanks to the movie --- which I saw several times in the company of my friends --- I was there. Spellbound, our eyes never left the screen as Jimi Hendrix, the Who, Ten Years After, Santana, and other outstanding acts took their turn on stage, every one of them larger than life. Still, in spite of the colossal amount of talent parading before us, there was one act that, my friends and I agreed, stood above all others: Joe Cocker. With his stringy hair (‘When was the last time he washed it?’ we wondered), unshaved face, slept-in clothes, gravelly voice, and a paroxysmal delivery that made singing seem painful, Joe Cocker gave an staggering rendition of “With a Little Help from my Friends” that turned the Nicaraguan audience’s initial gasps and giggles into a hushed, reverent silence and, finally, into applause. After seeing the film the first time I bought a copy of “With a Little Help from my Friends,” Cocker’s debut album. To this day --- I now own it on compact disc --- it’s one of my favorite recordings. A classic, indeed. Joe was never known as a composer. Instead, with a gritty vocal style that was heavily indebted to Ray Charles, this Englishman had the rare gift of appropriating the songs of others and making them his own. (Occasionally, though, Joe proved that he was capable of penning a noteworthy song --- listen to Blood, Sweat and Tears’ excellent cover of Cocker’s “Go Down Gamblin’.”) Over the years I tried to keep up with Cocker’s career. I caught his appearance on Saturday Night Live and gaped in amazement as John Belushi, made up to look like him, walked on stage as Joe was partway through “Feelin’ Alright.” They performed a fabulous duet and Belushi’s imitation of Joe was so remarkable that, for a moment, I honestly thought I was seeing and hearing double. And throughout the 70s and 80s, Joe demonstrated that he still could conjure up his bluesy genius on several top-selling singles usually associated with blockbuster films. But his albums were uneven and, in my view, his overall output never quite lived up to the promise of his stunning debut. I also remember reading reports --- in the 70s and 80s as well --- about his struggles with alcohol and drugs. And as media coverage regarding Joe Cocker became scarce, I concluded that he was another talented yet tormented soul who had faded into oblivion because of the excesses commonly associated with the recording artists of his generation. Happily, I’ve discovered that I was wrong. The internet --- that technological miracle of our day and age --- has made it easy to catch up with of our heroes of old. And recently, when I had a few moments to spare, I googled Joe Cocker. My search led me to an elegant website --- one of the most stylish I’ve seen. (Check it out at http://www.cocker.com.) I was pleased to learn that Joe is alive and well in Crawford, Colorado, where he owns the Mad Dog Ranch (remember “Mad Dogs and Englishmen,” the supremely talented band with which he toured after Woodstock?): a 160-acre working ranch. On the premises he built an English Tudor Manor, where he resides. With Pam, his wife of 22 years, Joe now raises Ankole Watusi cattle (African longhorns) and operates a country store. But, more importantly, he has conquered his demons (the biographical section of his website refers to the 70s and 80s as his “dark years”) and, clean and sober, he continues to record and perform. What I find most admirable about today’s Joe is that he started a foundation, “Cocker’s Kids,” which has raised over $200,000 for Delta County’s school district. (Delta County, where the Mad Dog Ranch is located, has the lowest per capita income in Colorado.) Joe’s website contains several photographs in which, standing next to his wife, he’s surrounded by students who have benefited from his generosity. In the pictures, the star of Woodstock looks like a venerable grandfather --- satisfied with life as he moves into his sixth decade. It’s been a pleasant experience to become reacquainted with Joe, and redeeming to see a hero of old recycled into a hero of new. It's been the difference between "Say it ain't so" and "Way to go, Joe."
Silvio Sirias is a Nicaraguan-American writer who resides in Panama. He is the author of the novel Bernardo and the Virgin (Northwestern University Press --- Latino Voices Series) and is currently working on a novel based on the life and times of Father Hector Gallego titled The Saint of Santa Fe. For more information visit his website at http://silviosirias.com
Also in this section:
News |
Business
|
Editorial
|
Opinion
|
Letters
|
Arts
|
Review
|
Community
|
Fun
|
Travel
Make the
Executive Hotel your headquarters in Panama City --- http://ww.executivehotel-panama.com Find the boat of your dreams through Evermarine --- http://www.evermarine.com |
|||||||||
|
