Joe Cocker OBE (born 20 May 1944) is an English
rock/
blues singer who came to popularity in the
1960s, most known for his
gritty voice and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of
The Beatles. Joe Cocker was born in Sheffield, England, the youngest son of a civil servant. In 1961 Joe by day, worked as an apprentice gas fitter and by night, in dark suit and bow tie, became
Vance Arnold singing with
The Avengers in rough Sheffield pubs.