Joe Cocker dies age 70

Joe Cocker's international career got off to a rocketing start back in 1968, when he released his rendition of the Beatles hit "With a Little Help from My Friends." His vocal prowess and trademark primal scream secured him a place in the rock music annals, a number one spot on the British charts, and success in several other countries to boot. The original song is on the 1967 Sgt. Pepper's album, but was never released as a single and was consequently never as popular for the Liverpool lads as it was for Cocker.

The managers at the record company that had signed Joe Cocker saw great potential in their Sheffield protégé and invested heavily in his debut album, which took its name from the hit single. They hired a string of famous artists to make guest appearances on the record - among them Steve Winwood and Jimmy Page.

Woodstock stand-out

When Cocker was 24 and had surpassed himself in Europe, he was sent off to the US to win the hearts and ears of the American public. His tour included a stop at the now legendary Woodstock festival. In the early afternoon of Sunday, August 17, the third day of the event, Joe Cocker and Grease Band, his backup group, took the stage. They played for almost 90 minutes until a thunderstorm ground the performance to a halt.

But by then, the British musician with the gravelly voice and somewhat awkward gestures had wooed the crowd. Later, he'd come to be called one of the main attractions of the festival.

Further successes in the US followed. During his stay, he was invited to appear on several TV programs, including the popular Ed Sullivan Show. It was a chance to introduce himself to millions of American TV viewers, and the televised performance offered a path to international stardom.

Humble beginnings

The young musician from England's industrial North was no stranger to performing on stage. He had made his debut at the age of twelve in his brother Victor's skiffle band. At 16, he went on to form his own group called the Cavaliers. They performed together by night, and by day, he completed his apprenticeship to be a gas fitter.

In 1964 he recorded his first single, "I'll Cry Instead," which was also a cover version of a Beatles track. Neither the song nor his next project, Vance Arnold and the Avengers, brought him the success he was after.

However, things began to change when the soulful singer moved to the London in 1968 and recorded his first LP under a professional manager and with new musicians.

Fame, then a fall

High sales of the album "With a Little Help from My Friends" and the subsequent sold-out concerts made Joe Cocker's managers hungry for money. Although the singer desperately needed a break, they sent him all over the world - from one performance to another.

They had him record albums in rapid succession, and because Cocker was under contract, he had to do what he was told and go where he was expected. By the mid-70s, he was burned out. He became depressed and turned to alcohol and drugs for solace. Although his album "I Can Stand A Little Rain" and singles such as "You Are So Beautiful" were still hits, he was often drunk on stage, and his career took a turn for the worse.

A comeback

Manager Michael Lang was ultimately the one to throw Cocker a line. He took the musician under his wing and helped to relaunch his career on condition that the singer swear off drugs and alcohol. Proving himself to be a man of iron will, Cocker managed to turn his flailing life around. He started out by touring, and then in 1982, recorded the massive hit "Up Where We Belong" with Jennifer Warnes.

He remained a presence in the top league of international hit-makers until his death, releasing new albums at regular intervals - which sold better in Germany than anywhere else, thanks to his huge fan base in the country. Even in his advancing years, his voice was as powerful as ever - a geniune master of the primal scream, as he proved in his 2013 "Fire It Up" tour.

Cocker is survived by his wife of 27 years, Pam.