Jeff Cook, a co-founding member of the nation band Alabama, has died. The information was confirmed by the band’s official social-media accounts on Tuesday, noting that the guitarist had “passed away peacefully yesterday, November 7, with his family and close friends by his side at his beach home in Destin, Florida.” He was 73. Cook was identified with Parkinson’s illness in 2012, and he publicly disclosed his analysis in 2017.
Born in 1949 in Fort Payne, Alabama, Cook received his begin working at an area radio station as a DJ whereas he was nonetheless in highschool. In 1969, he co-founded the band Young Country together with his cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry; the band would finally undertake the identify Wildcountry, and at last: Alabama. Their debut album as Alabama was 1976’s Wild Country, and they might launch 22 extra, with their most up-to-date document being 2015’s Southern Drawl.
Along with Alabama, Cook launched country-music staple songs “Song of the South,” “Mountain Music,” “I’m In A Hurry,” “Cheap Seats,” and “My Home’s In Alabama,” amongst many others.
In 2004, Cook has fashioned the teams Cook & Glenn and the Allstar Goodtime Band, and in 2015, Cook entered the Country Music Hall Of Fame as a member of Alabama. He stopped touring with Alabama in 2018, however, in 2019 Cook was inducted into the Musicians Hall Of Fame And Museum.