The estate of singer Joe Cocker has entered into an agreement with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group.
According to a media statement, the deal will see Iconic “acquire, develop and expand Cocker’s rich musical legacy to new generations”.
Iconic says that it has purchased Joe Cocker’s ‘music intellectual property assets, including his interest in his sound recordings, compositions, and his name, image, and likeness’.
The 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.
In a musical career that lasted more than 50 years, Cocker was best known for his rendition of the Beatles’ original With a Little Help from My Friends.
The single reached No.1 spot in the UK and became a staple of his many live shows, including Woodstock and the Isle of Wight in 1969 and the Party at the Palace in 2002. It was also known as the theme song for the late 1980s American TV series The Wonder Years.
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 the U.S. No. 1 Up Where We Belong, a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the movie An Officer And A Gentleman, that earned a 1983 Grammy Award. He released a total of 22 studio albums over his 43-year recording career.
In 1993, Cocker was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male. He was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown in 2007 and received the distinction of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) the following year for services to music. Cocker is listed on Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest singers of all time.
“Joe’s life was in his voice.”
Pam Cocker
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.”
“We are honored to work with Joe’s family and be the custodians of his powerful body of work.”
Jimmy Edwards
Jimmy Edwards, President, Iconic added: “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.”
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