British singer Joe Cocker, who passed away in 2014, is set to be posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Known for his soulful voice, Cocker rose to fame starting in the late ’60s and is remembered for his iconic performance at the Woodstock festival in 1969.
Some of his biggest hits were covers of songs made famous by other artists, including The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” which was later used as the theme for the series The Wonder Years; “You Are So Beautiful to Me,” written by Billy Preston; and “Feelin’ Alright,” written by Traffic’s Dave Mason.
He also had a #1 hit in the ’80s with the An Officer and a Gentleman song “Up Where We Belong” with Jennifer Warnes, which won a Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe.
Cocker’s been eligible for the Rock Hall for 31 years, and there are plenty of artists who think his induction is long overdue. In fact, when the nominations were announced in April, artists like Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons came out in support of Cocker’s induction.
McCartney released a letter calling him “a great man and a fine singer whose unique style made for some fantastic performances,” while Joel shared a video in which he read a 2014 letter he sent to the Rock Hall, urging them to induct Cocker. Gibbons called Cocker “the very embodiment of rock and roll in terms of talent and spirit.”
And Simon Kirke, who’s being inducted into the Rock Hall this year with Bad Company, says he’s happy to see Cocker getting in with them. He tells ABC Audio, “The guy should have been inducted years and years ago. Such a great singer.”
The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Saturday in Los Angeles and will stream live on Disney+ starting at 8 p.m. ET. ABC will also air a highlights special on Jan. 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET.
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