Jeff Cook | |
---|---|
Birth name | Jeffery A. Cook |
Born |
Fort Payne, Alabama, U.S. |
August 27, 1949
Genres | Country, country rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, fiddle |
Years active | 1973–present |
Labels |
RCA Nashville Project One Digital |
Associated acts | Alabama |
Jeffery A. "Jeff" Cook (born August 27, 1949) is an American musician who is best known as one of the founding members of the country band Alabama.
Jeffery A. Cook was born in Fort Payne, Alabama, and is of English and Native American descent, Cook is a graduate of Fort Payne High School and Jacksonville State University. He obtained a broadcast engineer license three days after his fourteenth birthday, and worked at a local radio station as a disk jockey while still in high school.
Cook co-founded the band Wildcountry, along with his cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, in 1972 (the name was changed to Alabama in 1977). He contributed vocals, lead guitar, keyboard, and fiddle to the group's productions. Since Alabama ceased active production and performance in 2003, Cook has formed the groups Cook & Glenn and the Allstar Goodtime Band, with which he performs. He also co wrote a song with David Coverdale for the 1975 Deep Purple album, Come taste the band, a song called Lady Luck.
In addition to his performance work, Cook founded Cook Sound Studios, Inc., in his native Fort Payne, and also established radio station WQRX-AM, which he later sold, in adjacent Valley Head, Alabama. Cook is also noted for his culinary endeavors, having operated a restaurant and marketed his own sauce.
Cook endorsed the 2008 presidential candidacy of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and made appearances with the candidate in Alabama.
Cook is still going on tour but when he is not, he is a part of the Del Chouch Music Education Foundation.