Roger Cook

Roger Frederick Cook (born 19 August 1940) is an English singer, songwriter and record producer, who has written many hit records for other recording artists. He has also had a successful recording career in his own right.

He is best known for his collaborations with Roger Greenaway. Cook's co-compositions have included "You've Got Your Troubles", and the transatlantic million-selling songs, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" and "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress". They were the first UK songwriting partnership to win an Ivor Novello Award as Songwriters of the Year in two successive years.

In 1997, Cook became the first British songwriter to enter the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. They also penned their first hit as songwriters for others in 1965, with "You've Got Your Troubles", a UK number 2 and US number 7 for the Fortunes.

As a performer Cook is best remembered as a member of Blue Mink, sharing lead vocals with Madeline Bell. The group was formed in 1969, primarily as a producer's outfit, featuring a wealth of top session musicians including Herbie Flowers (bassist), Alan Parker (guitarist), Roger Coulam (keyboardist) and Barry Morgan (drummer), who were simultaneously members of the jazz / rock / big band fusion outfit CCS, another mainly recording act.

Over the next four years Blue Mink had several Top 20 entries, mostly co-written by Cook, the most successful being "Melting Pot" and "The Banner Man", before they disbanded in 1974. the runner-up song for the UK Eurovision Song Contest in 1968.

Move to the USA

In 1975 Cook moved to the US and settled in Nashville, Tennessee, where he produced more hits including "Talking in Your Sleep" (Crystal Gayle in 1978, first recorded by Marmalade) and "Love Is on a Roll" (Don Williams).

Discography Albums Study (1970) Meanwhile Back at the World (1972) Minstrel in Flight (1973) Alright (1976) The New Seekers, 1971 UK No. 1, 1972 US No. 7 "Melting Pot" (with Roger Greenaway) Blue Mink, 1969 UK No. 3 "Softly Whispering I Love You" (with Roger Greenaway) The Congregation, 1971 UK No. 4, 1972 Ger No. 10, US No. 29 "Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight)" (with Roger Greenaway) Cilla Black, 1971 UK No. 3 "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" (with Roger Greenaway) Gene Pitney, 1967 UK No. 5; Marc Almond with Gene Pitney, 1989 UK No. 1 "A Way of Life" (with Roger Greenaway) Family Dogg, 1969 UK No. 6 "You've Got Your Troubles" (with Roger Greenaway) The Fortunes, 1965 UK No. 2 "I Just Want to Dance with You" (with John Prine) 1986 "Glory of True Love" (with John Prine) 2005