The Cook Family Singers
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[edit] Biography
The Cook Family Singers were originally formed in 1885, by David J Cook and his wife, Martha. The family hailed from Lucedale, Mississippi. Cook and his wife had six children and on Sunday afternoons after church, they would pass the time by perfecting their singing of harmonies and old gospel blends. They developed a unique blend and harmony style that would become their signature sound much like that of the Carter Family and Happy Goodmans.
After several years of singing on a local level, the family was asked to perform at fairs and church functions throughout the country. The public response was overwhelming to the group as their popularity grew. Martha was every bit the perfectionist as she taught the children stage presence and how to deal with the public at large. She added the comic relief to the group. Not all six children sang in the original group. There were only three of the six that performed. After 18 years of performing, the Cooks became one of the country's premier gospel groups. David and Martha were at a point of retirement, so they handed the group over to their oldest son Lamaar Cook. Lamaar and the other two siblings continued as a trio until 1932 when two of Lamaar's children joined the group.
[edit] Grand Ole Opry
Maybelle Carter of the Carter Family heard the Cooks at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, Illinois. She asked the Cooks to go on the road with them, to which they gladly agreed. During their time with the Carter Family, they were heard by Roy Acuff, and Roy asked them to make their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry show. The Cooks became one of the first regular gospel groups to perform on the Grand Ole Opry.
[edit] Modern Cook Family
The final generation of Cook Family Singers consisted of Donnell and June Cook. [1] June was often referred to as "Mama Cook". This generation was the most controversial of all. Donnell, the leader of the group, hid a secret drinking problem from the public and when offstage was very violent with his family. June was a Cover Girl model, but her career was cut short after Donnell hit her in the face with the butt of a gun during one of his drunken states. [1] The youngest member of the group was their son David L Cook. David, also known as "Little David," acted as the comic relief for the group. Donnell would become extremely violent with David, and after years of abuse, David developed several psychological disorders. David suffered from a Dissociative Identity Disorder in conjunction with psychogenic amnesia. The family retired in 1980, and June divorced Donnell. David continued in the music industry singing pop and gospel. In 1990, David suffered what doctors believed was a full-blown stroke. After review, it was found that it was part of his disorder. [2] The whole story was told on the 700 Club in 1999 after David received a Dove Award nomination for Christian Country Album of the Year. [3] June died on April 9, 1997 from complications of COPD. [2]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Final Generation Partial Discography
| Year | Album |
| 1972 | In Church |
| 1974 | Old Fashion Meeting |
| 1977 | Live in London featuring the Jordinaires |
| 1979 | I Went to the Cross |
| 1980 | A Final Bow [The Cook's Final Bow] |
[edit] Partial Television Appearances
| Year | Show |
| 1955 | Grand Ole Opry |
| 1970 | Nashville North |
| 1975 | Hee Haw |
| 1983 | Nashville Now |
| 1986 | The Grand Ole Opry 60th Anniversary |
[edit] Honors
Inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
