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On this day, 15 February 1969, singer Joe Cocker played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. All included on the bill were the headliner, Gene Pitney, Marmalade and Welsh band The Iveys, who later became Badfinger.
Cocker was about to release hie debut album With a Little Help from My Friends. Cocker had found commercial success with a rearrangement of "With a Little Help from My Friends", a Beatles cover, which, many years later, was used as the opening theme for The Wonder Years.
The recording features lead guitar from Jimmy Page, drumming by B. J. Wilson, backing vocals from Sue and Sunny, and Tommy Eyre on organ.
The single remained in the top ten of the UK Singles Chart for thirteen weeks before eventually reaching number one, on 9 November 1968. It also reached number 68 on the US charts.
Cocker was born on 20 May 1944 at 38 Tasker Road, Crookes, Sheffield. He was the youngest son of a civil servant, Harold Norman Cocker (1907-2001), at the time of his son's birth serving as an aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, and Madge (née Lee).
According to differing family stories, Cocker received his nickname of Joe either from playing a childhood game called "Cowboy Joe", or from a local window cleaner named Joe.[citation needed]
Cocker's main musical influences growing up were Ray Charles and Lonnie Donegan. Cocker's first experience singing in public was at age 12 when his elder brother Victor invited him on stage to sing during a gig of his skiffle group. In 1960, along with three friends, Cocker formed his first group, the Cavaliers.
