Joe Cocker set to be honoured at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles…
Joe Cocker set to be honoured at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles…
Report by Don Hale.
Sheffield’s famous late rhythm and blues/rock star JOE COCKER is amongst a unique group of prestigious top music performers set to be honoured at the 40th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday 8th November 2025.
This year’s Inductees included: Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, Salt-N-Pepa, Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, Carol Kaye and Lenny Waronker.
A brief extract from Joe singing a recording of ‘Georgia on My Mind’ will also be used by the event organisers during his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
I was fortunate to have been able to record some amazing facts about the early days of Joe Cocker’s stop/start career with Terry Thornton, who was Joe’s first manager, and the person who both financed and supported his first problematic major tour of some US bases in Europe, within a series of books that we wrote together several decades ago.
At that time, Joe was performing as Vance Arnold with the Avengers and was still working as a gas fitter whilst performing with his band most nights and weekends.
Terry unfortunately passed away over twenty years ago, but previously he gave me a copy of Joe Cocker’s first ever demo tape, which was recorded and sponsored by him at his club in 1963, together with a host of photographs and nostalgic memorabilia from his time running Club 60 and the Esquire in Sheffield during the Sixties.
Terry also helped me to record some incredible memories working with so many stars from the 60s, from those challenging days in club land, and tells some incredible stories about Joe and many additional famous rock and pop stars, who often began, or enhanced their careers at one or both of terry’s popular clubs.
*These are some of the books produced and written by Terry Thornton and myself over recent years, which highlight and document the extraordinary life of Joe Cocker (Vance Arnold), and Terry’s colourful life running his night clubs along with so many up and coming or visiting musical performers.
About the Author
Former newspaper editor and investigative reporter Don Hale has written several true crime and true-life stories and has a particular passion and enthusiasm for the music and stars of the 60s, including the early days of Joe Cocker. His friendship with the late Terry Thornton, who was Joe’s first manager, has produced a fascinating book of nostalgia backed by a large amount of exclusive black and white photographs and a host of colourful stories about a host of brilliant rock n' roll, pop, blues and jazz stars.
Sounds From The 60s - Club 60 & The Esquire: Behind the scenes during the great days of 60s rock n' roll, blues, pop and jazz – by Don Hale and the late Terry Thornton.
SOUNDS FROM THE SIXTIES – Available on Amazon. https://amzn.to/4ouxXbd
This is a completely revised, updated and expanded book: Sounds From the 60s - takes you behind the scenes with the stars of rock n' roll, pop, blues and jazz at two of the top Northern UK clubs, Club 60 & The Esquire, owned by Terry Thornton.
This is a fascinating and unique account of life behind the scenes during the 1960s in the great industrial city of Sheffield, when a musty old beer cellar helped stage a remarkable revival of popular music, and provided a unique live showcase and platform for a host of top British and international performers - including many notable up and coming local young stars!
They included: - Joe Cocker, Dave Berry & The Cruisers, Zoot Money, Frank White, Jimmy Crawford & The Coasters, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Alan Price & The Animals, Georgie Fame, Graham Bond, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, Long John Baldry, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Frankenstein & The Monsters, Johnny Dark & The Midnighters, The Walker Brothers, The Kinks…and many more...
This revised book also includes dozens of rare, exclusive and nostalgic photographs of the stars actually performing at the clubs during a seven-year period, together with a host of exclusive stories and pictures of the many regular club members and supporters from that era.
Club 60 & The Esquire: Sheffield Sounds in the 60's – By Don Hale and the late Terry Thornton.
Available from Amazon. https://amzn.to/3XhOJ12
Before 1960, Sheffield was very much a bed and work city. All night life ended at 10pm and if you saw anyone around after that hour, they were generally on their way to or from work.
Terry Thornton changed all that in 1960 with the opening of his live music venue ‘Club 60’ in the basement of the old Acorn pub at Shalesmoor. After two successful years Terry moved the club to Leadmill Road and re-named it ‘The Esquire Club’.
Many future stars, such as Joe Cocker, Dave Berry and Rod Stewart, played there between 1962 and 1967.Although Terry closed the club after five years to turn his attentions elsewhere, but he had already set in motion a revolution in live music that spread across the whole country.
Later, in 1980 the venue was to re-open as the equally successful ‘Leadmill’ under different leadership. This book tells the story of those early days, in both words and pictures.
Joe Cocker and the clubs: Pigs Can Fly - with a little help from my friends Paperback – By Don Hale and the late Terry Thornton.
Available from Amazon. https://amzn.to/4orw9zo
Joe Cocker and the clubs: Pigs Can Fly – With a little help from my friends - is a Special 50th anniversary edition book to mark the very peak of life at Club 60 & the Esquire during the exciting early 1960s.
The book explains how Joe Cocker first began his sensational musical career under the guidance of his first manager and club owner Terry Thornton. And it also takes you behind the scenes with the stars at two of Terry's former Northern clubs, Club 60 & the Esquire, which were both owned and run by the late entrepreneur in the 1960s.
It is a unique account of life within the industrial city of Sheffield when a musty old beer cellar first helped to stage a remarkable revival of popular live entertainment and encouraged an extraordinary new wave of live music to thrive and develop the talents of home-grown stars and introduce a wealth of international performers.
In addition to Joe Cocker, it also features: - Dave Berry & the Cruisers, Zoot Money, Frank White, Jimmy Crawford & the Coasters, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Alan Price & the Animals, Georgie Fame, Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, Long John Baldry, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Frankenstein & the Monsters, Johnny Dark & the Midnighters, the Walker Brothers, the Kinks… and many more. Included too are several dozen black and white rare photographs of the stars performing at the two new venues, together with a wealth of interesting pictures of many of the regular club members and supporters.
At the back there is also a unique mystery section where readers are asked if they put a name to some of the bands or singers...* Also listen to Joe Cocker's original LIVE demo tape on YouTube:
Pigs Can Fly: With a little help from my friends – By Don Hale and the late Terry Thornton...
Available from Amazon. https://amzn.to/4p1XY1m
Pigs Can Fly – With a little help from my friends was a Special 50th anniversary edition to mark the very peak of life at Club 60 & the Esquire during the exciting early 1960s.
The book explains how Joe Cocker first began his sensational musical career under the guidance of his first manager and club owner Terry Thornton. And it also takes you behind the scenes with the stars at two of Terry's former Northern clubs, Club 60 & the Esquire, which were both owned and run by the late entrepreneur in the 1960s.
It is a unique account of life within the industrial city of Sheffield when a musty old beer cellar first helped to stage a remarkable revival of popular live entertainment and encouraged an extraordinary new wave of live music to thrive and develop the talents of home-grown stars and introduce a wealth of international performers.
The book features: - Joe Cocker, Dave Berry & the Cruisers, Zoot Money, Frank White, Jimmy Crawford & the Coasters, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Alan Price & the Animals, Georgie Fame, Screaming Lord Sutch &the Savages, Long John Baldry, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Frankenstein & the Monsters, Johnny Dark & the Midnighters, the Walker Brothers, the Kinks… and many more. Included too are several dozen black and white rare photographs of the stars performing at the two new venues, together with a wealth of interesting pictures of many of the regular club members and supporters.
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