Bob Cook RIP

Bob Cook was a legendary solo performer in Iowa who touched a lot of people with his songs and voice. He probably won't be remembered as a bluesman, but he certainly helped a lot of us who were trying to play solo gigs. How to perform in front of an audience, How to get the right sound, and how to promote yourself as an artist. A lot of us who later on played solo blues gigs owed a lot to him and the doors he opened up for us. He will be missed.


Here is a touching Obit from the Des Moines Register. Please click on this link to read it on the Register website.

Obituaries

BOB COOK

Des Moines

You've heard my voice

"You've heard my voice". Is that a song by folksinger Bob Gibson or a live music album by Des Moines entertainer Bob Cook? Well, both and if you have been anywhere close to Iowa for the last thirty-five years or so, you HAVE heard the unmistakable voice of Bob Cook. That voice was hushed on March 6, 2009 when Bob died quietly at Kavanagh House on 56th street.

We heard that voice on radio and TV ads that ranged from banks and insurance to tractors, sewer and seed corn. One local producer said "You either have Bob doing your commercials or you want him to". When the voice said "We Love Iowa", we did. When he sang "UFS, It's The Best" we knew it was. When his was the voice of the Iowa State Fair telling us to go and have a good time, we went and we did. In a sewer service TV ad, he raised a twirling finger to the camera as his voice told us to remember the roto-rooter motion. We remembered. His own TV show "Cross County" on KCCI , gave us a chance to see AND hear Bob and bass player and friend Gary Audsley make the crisp kind of seamless music that we only guessed was possible. As the Willard half of radio's "Willard and Rafert" with pal Brent Webster, he made us laugh. When the voice was dulled down to make Willard a foil for the just-barely- sharper Rafert character, we laughed so hard we wet our pants. We laughed so hard we almost forgot to buy the tractors and seed corn. Ag radio and the advertising community stopped laughing only long enough to shell out its highest awards.

We heard that voice at "The Waterhole", a Des Moines nightclub started by Bob and Carole Cook. "The Waterhole" was a school of sorts where we learned about a new kind of entertainment offered to us, the "listening" kind. It said so right on the wall as we went in. "Listening entertainment". We learned what good lights and good sound could do for a voice we already wanted to hear. He shared his microphone with Doc and Merle Watson, Bob Gibson and Mickey Newbury. He and Brent even taught a young Jimmy Buffet some songs and chords a long time ago in New Orleans according to Buffet's book. Stage and microphone presence was most certainly lesson number two. His voice introduced us to all sorts of music from Irish and folk to bluegrass and country.

His voice came from somewhere deep inside. We tried to watch and listen for hints or clues of a coming phrase or punch line. Some say the give-away was in the very beginning of his smile and it was almost always behind a microphone. Thankfully.

A gathering celebrating the life of Bob Cook will be held at a later date with place and time to be announced. There vill be singink. There vill be dansink.

Online condolences may be made to www.ilesfuneralhomes.com

Bobby Darin And Stevie Wonder

Not a great quality clip, but interesting nonetheless. Stevie Wonder joins Bobby Darin on stage during one of his TV Shows. I think judging from Bobby's haircut that this probably is around 1968 or so. Bobby went through a period where he gave up the hair piece, and grew a beard and went folkie. It didn't go over well with his fans and he was booed off the stage of the Copacabana in New York. After that he finally returned to the hair piece, and tux, and now you know the rest of the story:-)

BOBBY DARIN & STEVIE WONDER
Uploaded by super8monsters

John Lennon: Give Peace A Chance

I am just having too much fun tonight! God bless you John, I know you probably didn't believe in the big guy, but at least the Church forgave you for saying you were bigger than Jesus!:-) I also realize why I have been in a Beatle funk this month. John died 28 years ago this month! I hate to say this, but it seems like yesterday. I remember where I was when it happened I was sleeping in bed and a friend called me up to tell me the news. It was devastating. I was numb for months. At that time I was a huge Beatle freak. I lived, and breathed the Beatles, and John was my favortie. I liked John because he was working class like me, and I thought that if a guy like him could make it, so could I. However, being a working class hero proved to be pretty elusive in the long run. Yet, I like to think that I do my small part to make the world a better place.

Joni Mitchell: Furry Sings The Blues

Here is the Joni Mitchell song about Beale Street, and Furry Lewis. I can see why Furry wasn't fond of it.

Woody Guthrie: John Henry

Woody Guthrie playing one of the older blues songs, John Henry. I don't know who the other players are with Guthrie, but it is a really neat short clip of the great folk singer.





UPDATE

I found another video from youtube, that features Alan Lomax. What I found out is that the two players with Woody are Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGee!!! This is a nice clip worth watching again just to hear the stories about Woody Guthrie:-)

Barbara Dane Interview

The San Fransico Chronicle has an interview with Barbara Dane. Dane was one of those artists who seemed on the cusp of fame, but never made it. Perhaps the reason why was her politics, and her brief involvement with the Communist party. Yet, at 80, she is still performing, so people in San Fran need to check her out. Click here for more.