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{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{Short description|American singer-songwriter (1933–2020)}}
{{for|the basketball coach|Ed Cooley}}
{{for|the basketball coach|Ed Cooley}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2020}}


{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Eddie Cooley
| name = Eddie Cooley
| image =
| image =
| caption =
| caption =
| image_size =
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Edward James Cooley
| birth_name = Edward James Cooley
| alias =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=y|1933|4|15}}
⚫
| birth_place = [[Atlanta, Georgia]], U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=y|1933|4|15}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=y|2020|4|15|1933|4|15}}
⚫
| birth_place = [[Atlanta, Georgia]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Meridian, Mississippi]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=y|2020|4|15|1933|4|15}}
| death_place = [[Meridian, Mississippi]], U.S.
| origin =
| origin =
| genre = R&B
| genre = R&B
| occupation = Songwriter, singer
| occupation = Songwriter, singer
| instrument =
| instrument =
| years_active =
| years_active =
| label =
| associated_acts =
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website =
| website =
}}
}}
'''Edward James Cooley''' (April 15, 1933 &ndash; April 15, 2020) was an American [[R&B]] singer and songwriter, who co-wrote the much-recorded song "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]." He also had a US pop hit in 1956 with "[[Priscilla (Eddie Cooley song)|Priscilla]]," credited to '''Eddie Cooley and the Dimples'''.
'''Edward James Cooley''' (April 15, 1933 &ndash; April 15, 2020) was an American [[R&B]] singer and songwriter, who co-wrote the much-recorded song "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]." He also had a US pop hit in 1956 with "[[Priscilla (Eddie Cooley song)|Priscilla]]," credited to '''Eddie Cooley and the Dimples'''.
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Cooley was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], later moving to [[New York City]], where he befriended singer and songwriter [[Otis Blackwell]]. Around 1955 he contacted Blackwell with an idea for a song he had written, "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]." According to Blackwell, Cooley said to him: "Man, I got an idea for a song called 'Fever,' but I can´t finish it." Blackwell finished writing the song, and it was recorded by [[Little Willie John]], becoming an R&B #1 hit in 1956, and later being recorded by [[Peggy Lee]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], [[Beyoncé]], and many others.<ref name=blackcat>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/eddie_cooley.htm |title=Eddie Cooley |website=Rockabilly.nl |date= |accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref><ref name=hoffmann/><ref name=marion>{{cite web|url=http://doo-wop.blogg.org/themes-_dimples__1___eddie_cooley___the_-183564.html |title=*DIMPLES (1) (EDDIE COOLEY & THE) - doo-wop |website=Doo-wop.blogg.org |date= |accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref>
Cooley was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], later moving to [[New York City]], where he befriended singer and songwriter [[Otis Blackwell]]. Around 1955 he contacted Blackwell with an idea for a song he had written, "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]." According to Blackwell, Cooley said to him: "Man, I got an idea for a song called 'Fever,' but I can´t finish it." Blackwell finished writing the song, and it was recorded by [[Little Willie John]], becoming an R&B #1 hit in 1956, and later being recorded by [[Peggy Lee]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], [[Beyoncé]], and many others.<ref name=blackcat>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/eddie_cooley.htm |title=Eddie Cooley |website=Rockabilly.nl |date= |accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref><ref name=hoffmann/><ref name=marion>{{cite web|url=http://doo-wop.blogg.org/themes-_dimples__1___eddie_cooley___the_-183564.html |title=*DIMPLES (1) (EDDIE COOLEY & THE) - doo-wop |website=Doo-wop.blogg.org |date= |accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref>


Cooley and Blackwell continued to collaborate on songs for musicians on the [[King Records (United States)|King]] label, including [[The 5 Royales]] and [[Joe Tex]]. Later in 1956, Cooley presented a song, "Priscilla," to singer [[Boyd Bennett]], who turned it down. A [[demo (music)|demo version]] reached Teddy Reig of [[Royal Roost Records]], and he arranged for Cooley to record it with a backing trio of girl singers, The Dimples &ndash; Beverly Coates, Carolyn Coates and Barbara Sanders &ndash; who Blackwell had discovered.<ref name=blackcat/><ref name=marion/> The record was "something of an anomaly: a black man performing in a rockabilly style."<ref name=hoffmann>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wNfx07-AJwcC&pg=PA49&dq=%22eddie+cooley%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=eKAQVMeiF4XE7AbGoYDoCA&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22eddie%20cooley%22&f=false |author=Frank Hoffmann|title=Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop|publisher=Infobase Publishing|date=2005|pages=49–50}}</ref> It was promoted by [[DJ]] [[Alan Freed]], and after first becoming successful on the [[East Coast of the United States|east coast]] rose up the national charts, reaching #20 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot 100|pop chart]] in November 1956. Although Cooley was not primarily a singer, he promoted it by touring. The song was released in the UK on the [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] label,<ref name=blackcat/> and also covered by [[Frankie Vaughan]].
Cooley and Blackwell continued to collaborate on songs for musicians on the [[King Records (United States)|King]] label, including [[The 5 Royales]] and [[Joe Tex]]. Later in 1956, Cooley presented a song, "Priscilla," to singer [[Boyd Bennett]], who turned it down. A [[demo (music)|demo version]] reached Teddy Reig of [[Royal Roost Records]], and he arranged for Cooley to record it with a backing trio of girl singers, The Dimples &ndash; Beverly Coates, Carolyn Coates and Barbara Sanders &ndash; who Blackwell had discovered.<ref name=blackcat/><ref name=marion/> The record was "something of an anomaly: a black man performing in a rockabilly style."<ref name=hoffmann>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wNfx07-AJwcC&dq=%22eddie+cooley%22&pg=PA49 |author=Frank Hoffmann|title=Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop|publisher=Infobase Publishing|date=2005|pages=49–50|isbn=9780816069804}}</ref> It was promoted by [[DJ]] [[Alan Freed]], and after first becoming successful on the [[East Coast of the United States|east coast]] rose up the national charts, reaching #20 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot 100|pop chart]] in November 1956. Although Cooley was not primarily a singer, he promoted it by touring. The song was released in the UK on the [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] label,<ref name=blackcat/> and also covered by [[Frankie Vaughan]].


Eddie Cooley and the Dimples recorded several further singles for the Royal Roost label, but none were successful. He then returned to songwriting, and his songs were recorded by the female R&B singer [[Tiny Topsy]] ("Aw! Shucks, Baby"),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Tiny-Topsy-Aw-Shucks-Baby/release/963222 |title=Tiny Topsy - Aw! Shucks Baby (Vinyl, LP) |website=Discogs.com |date=2013-07-29 |accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref> and by [[Buzz Clifford]] and [[Conway Twitty]]. In 1959, he made his last recordings, for [[Herb Abramson]]'s [[Triumph Records (United States)|Triumph]] label, but again they were unsuccessful. In the early 1960s, after Blackwell had had continued success as a songwriter for Elvis Presley, in particular, he approached Cooley to contribute tracks to the album ''We Wrote 'Em, We Sing 'Em''. Cooley performed "Fever" and "Lay It On" on the album, released by [[MGM Records|MGM]] in 1961.<ref name=blackcat/>
Eddie Cooley and the Dimples recorded several further singles for the Royal Roost label, but none were successful. He then returned to songwriting, and his songs were recorded by the female R&B singer [[Tiny Topsy]] ("Aw! Shucks, Baby"),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Tiny-Topsy-Aw-Shucks-Baby/release/963222 |title=Tiny Topsy - Aw! Shucks Baby (Vinyl, LP) |website=Discogs.com |date=2013-07-29 |accessdate=2016-10-05}}</ref> and by [[Buzz Clifford]] and [[Conway Twitty]]. In 1959, he made his last recordings, for [[Herb Abramson]]'s [[Triumph Records (United States)|Triumph]] label, but again they were unsuccessful. In the early 1960s, after Blackwell had had continued success as a songwriter for Elvis Presley, in particular, he approached Cooley to contribute tracks to the album ''We Wrote 'Em, We Sing 'Em''. Cooley performed "Fever" and "Lay It On" on the album, released by [[MGM Records|MGM]] in 1961.<ref name=blackcat/>


In 2015, Eddie Cooley was reported to be living in [[Rose Hill, Jasper County, Mississippi]].<ref>[https://exploregram.com/driving-through-rose-hill-mississippi-i-took-a-portrait-of-eddie-cooley/ Christaan Felber, Portrait of Eddie Cooley, ''Exploregram.com'', July 7, 2015]</ref> He died at Anderson Regional Medical Center in [[Meridian, Mississippi]] on April 15, 2020, his 87th birthday.<ref>[https://obituaries.meridianstar.com/obituary/eddie-cooley-1079018573 Obituary: Eddie Cooley], ''Meridian Star'', April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020</ref>
In 2015, Eddie Cooley was reported to be living in [[Rose Hill, Jasper County, Mississippi]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://exploregram.com/driving-through-rose-hill-mississippi-i-took-a-portrait-of-eddie-cooley/ |title=Christaan Felber, Portrait of Eddie Cooley, ''Exploregram.com'', July 7, 2015 |access-date=February 18, 2018 |archive-date=February 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219091014/https://exploregram.com/driving-through-rose-hill-mississippi-i-took-a-portrait-of-eddie-cooley/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He died at [[Anderson Regional Medical Center]] in [[Meridian, Mississippi]] on April 15, 2020, his 87th birthday.<ref>[https://obituaries.meridianstar.com/obituary/eddie-cooley-1079018573 Obituary: Eddie Cooley], ''Meridian Star'', April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020</ref>{{better source needed|reason=Difficult to verify independently|date=August 2020}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External Links==
==External links==
* {{Discogs artist|Eddie Cooley}}
* {{Discogs artist|Eddie Cooley}}


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[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Musicians from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Singers from Atlanta]]
[[Category:African-American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:African-American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)]]

Latest revision as of 05:35, 11 June 2024

For the basketball coach, see Ed Cooley.
Eddie Cooley
Birth nameEdward James Cooley
Born(1933-04-15)April 15, 1933
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
DiedApril 15, 2020(2020-04-15) (aged 87)
Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
GenresR&B
Occupation(s)Songwriter, singer

Edward James Cooley (April 15, 1933 – April 15, 2020) was an American R&B singer and songwriter, who co-wrote the much-recorded song "Fever." He also had a US pop hit in 1956 with "Priscilla," credited to Eddie Cooley and the Dimples.

Life

[edit]

Cooley was born in Atlanta, Georgia, later moving to New York City, where he befriended singer and songwriter Otis Blackwell. Around 1955 he contacted Blackwell with an idea for a song he had written, "Fever." According to Blackwell, Cooley said to him: "Man, I got an idea for a song called 'Fever,' but I can´t finish it." Blackwell finished writing the song, and it was recorded by Little Willie John, becoming an R&B #1 hit in 1956, and later being recorded by Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Beyoncé, and many others.[1][2][3]

Cooley and Blackwell continued to collaborate on songs for musicians on the King label, including The 5 Royales and Joe Tex. Later in 1956, Cooley presented a song, "Priscilla," to singer Boyd Bennett, who turned it down. A demo version reached Teddy Reig of Royal Roost Records, and he arranged for Cooley to record it with a backing trio of girl singers, The Dimples – Beverly Coates, Carolyn Coates and Barbara Sanders – who Blackwell had discovered.[1][3] The record was "something of an anomaly: a black man performing in a rockabilly style."[2] It was promoted by DJ Alan Freed, and after first becoming successful on the east coast rose up the national charts, reaching #20 on the Billboard pop chart in November 1956. Although Cooley was not primarily a singer, he promoted it by touring. The song was released in the UK on the Columbia label,[1] and also covered by Frankie Vaughan.

Eddie Cooley and the Dimples recorded several further singles for the Royal Roost label, but none were successful. He then returned to songwriting, and his songs were recorded by the female R&B singer Tiny Topsy ("Aw! Shucks, Baby"),[4] and by Buzz Clifford and Conway Twitty. In 1959, he made his last recordings, for Herb Abramson's Triumph label, but again they were unsuccessful. In the early 1960s, after Blackwell had had continued success as a songwriter for Elvis Presley, in particular, he approached Cooley to contribute tracks to the album We Wrote 'Em, We Sing 'Em. Cooley performed "Fever" and "Lay It On" on the album, released by MGM in 1961.[1]

In 2015, Eddie Cooley was reported to be living in Rose Hill, Jasper County, Mississippi.[5] He died at Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian, Mississippi on April 15, 2020, his 87th birthday.[6][better source needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Eddie Cooley". Rockabilly.nl. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  2. ^ a b Frank Hoffmann (2005). Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop. Infobase Publishing. pp. 49–50. ISBN 9780816069804.
  3. ^ a b "*DIMPLES (1) (EDDIE COOLEY & THE) - doo-wop". Doo-wop.blogg.org. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  4. ^ "Tiny Topsy - Aw! Shucks Baby (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  5. ^ "Christaan Felber, Portrait of Eddie Cooley, Exploregram.com, July 7, 2015". Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  6. ^ Obituary: Eddie Cooley, Meridian Star, April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020
[edit]
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