RIP Jack Cooke (Dec. 6, 1936-Dec. 2, 2009)

[NOSPAM...@aol.com]

I just read this on Mudcat. I am so sad. Jack Cooke was one of the
first real live old-time musicians I ever saw, with Ralph Stanley's
band in 1972. A great, great singer and one of the very best
bluegrass guitarists ever. If you've ever heard those tapes of Bill
Monroe at NYU with Del McCoury playing banjo and Jack playing guitar
(no bass player) you know what I mean. He will be greatly missed.

Via Mary Katherine Aldin:
Jack Cooke has died.
Norton, VA – (December 2, 2009) - Jack Cooke, long-time bass player
and singer with Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys, died Monday
(Dec. 1) at 10 p.m. at a hospital in his hometown of Norton,
Va., after collapsing at his home.
Vernon Crawford "Jack" Cooke was born Dec. 6, 1936. His first
professional job was playing with the Stanley Brothers while he was
still in his teens. He left the Stanleys to join Bill Monroe's Blue
Grass Boys band, a post he held from 1956-1960. During that time, he
recorded such songs with Monroe as "Gotta Travel On," "Big Mon" and
"Tomorrow I'll Be Gone."
Later, he formed his own group, Jack Cooke and the Virginia Mountain
Boys, and played in bands headed by Earl Taylor and the Stonemans. He
joined the Clinch Mountain Boys in 1970 and remained there until he
was sidelined by health problems early this year. In 2002, he shared
with the Clinch Mountain Boys a best bluegrass album Grammy for Lost
In The Lonesome Pines, a collection headlined by Jim Lauderdale and
Ralph Stanley. Lauderdale produced Cooke's only solo album, Sittin' On
Top Of The World, which was released in 2007.
Visitation will be at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton on
Thursday, Nov. 3 at 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and the funeral will be held
Thursday at 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be Friday, Nov. 4
at 11: a.m. in the Huff-Brummitt Cemetery in Wise County, Va.

P.O. Box 210588
Nashville, TN 37221-0588
Phone: 615 952-9250
www.morrispr.biz © 2006 Morris Public Relations

[Jason Hill]

Didn't he also play with the Greenbriar Boys at one time?

Jason

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<82628336-c485-4d28...@b36g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
"NOSPAM...@aol.com" <NOSPAM...@aol.com> writes

--
Jason Hill

[NOSPAM...@aol.com]

I don't believe so. Although lots of different people played bass at
one point or another with the Greenbriar Boys, maybe he filled in.
That seems unlikely though because I don't think he ever lived
anywhere besides Norton, (the Greenbriar Boys were based in NY) and
spent most of his life on the road as far as I can tell.