Singer Joe Cocker dead at 70 Ray Kelly on December 22, 2014 at 1:18 PM, updated December 22, 2014 at 1:42 PM
Joe Cocker has died at age 70 after a battle with lung cancer.
His management confirmed his passing to Britain's ITV News.
Born John Robert Cocker in Sheffield, he achieved international success as a blues/rock singer beginning in the 1960s. He recorded 40 albums.
His cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" was No. 1 hit in England in 1968, and he performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969. It also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years.
Other hits included "You Are So Beautiful" and the Grammy Award winning "Up Where We Belong."
His most recent album, "Fire It Up," was released in November 2012.
His agent Barrie Marshall described Cocker to BBC as "simply unique," adding "it will be impossible to fill the space he leaves in our hearts."
One of my all time favorites. I got to see him twice live; once when he was obviously chemically impaired and once when he wasn't. First show sucked, the second one was great (at Austin City Limits).
Believe it or not, I was at a party with Joe Cocker in Cambridge, before he was famous. He found his way to a piano at the home and entertained us. Now looking back, it's surreal.
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