Iconic Acquires Cocker’s Iconic Music
• The estate of the late, legendary Joe Cocker has entered into an agreement with Irving Azoff‘s Iconic Artists Group to acquire, develop and expand Cocker’s rich musical legacy to new generations.
Cocker’s wife, Pam Cocker said, “Joe’s life was in his voice. There are so many great performances in his musical legacy, and we are delighted that the team at Iconic share our ambition that, with their skill, his band of ‘friends’ will continue to grow through listening, discovering, and rediscovering.” Iconic President Jimmy Edwards remarked, “Joe Cocker is an unparalleled interpreter of song, and there is no mistaking his uniquely distinct, straight-from-the-heart delivery. We are honored to work with Joe’s family and be the custodians of his powerful body of work.”
In a career that lasted more than 50 years, Cocker was best known for his electrifying rendition of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends,” which reached No. 1 in the UK and catapulted him to near-instant widespread stardom. The song would go on to become a staple of his many live shows, including Woodstockand the Isle of Wight in 1969, and later became the theme song for The Wonder Years.
Cocker’s success as a live performer cemented him as one of the greats of the era and led to the 1970 live double album Mad Dogs & Englishmen, which featured an all-star band organized by Leon Russell.
Cocker’s 1974 reimagining of Billy Preston’s “You Are So Beautiful” in his own style reached No. 5 in the U.S. and became another one of his signature songs. Cocker’s best-selling track was “Up Where We Belong,” a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the movie An Officer And A Gentleman, that reached No. 1 in the U.S. and earned a 1983 Grammy Award for “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.” Cocker released a total of 22 studio albums over his storied 43-year recording career and is listed as one of Rolling Stone‘s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Cocker’s deal follows Iconic’s recent acquisitions of interests in the catalogs of Dean Martin, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Nat King Cole, and Linda Ronstadt. Iconic launched in January 2020 with the acquisition of a controlling interest in the legendary catalog of The Beach Boys. [Photos by Jack Robinson]
