Biography
The band first gained attention in the summer of 1978 when they signed with producer Gary Cape to Capricorn Records. The label was producing several of the most popular southern-rock acts of the time including: The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, Wet Willie and Elvin Bishop). Over the next few years the Cooper Brothers released two albums produced by Cape under the Capricorn label, the self-titled, The Cooper Brothers and Pitfalls of the Ballroom. Both albums sold well and the singles “The Dream Never Dies”, “Show Some Emotion” and “I’ll Know Her When I See Her”, all charted on The Billboard Hot 100. In 2006, the band was signed to record label EMI Records. Among their many critical accolades, the Cooper Brothers were voted Best New Group in 1978, Best MOR Group in 1979 and Best Overall Group in 1980 by Canadian Contemporary Music Programmers. In 1980, “The Dream Never Dies” also earned an A.S.C.A.P Award as one of the most performed songs on U.S radio. The song has subsequently been recorded by several other artists including Bill Anderson and Juice Newton, and was also the title theme for a feature length documentary on Canada’s National Ski team. At the height of their career the band toured extensively throughout North America, opening for The Doobie Brothers, Black Oak Arkansas, Joe Cocker, Charlie Daniels, Atlanta Rhythm Section, McGuinn, Clark and Hillman and Seals and Crofts. In addition, the band worked with some of the most prolific musicians of the day including Chuck Leavell, who played on the Cooper Brothers’ track “Ridin High.”
Despite their success, the band faced a dramatic transformation in late 1980, when Capricorn Records folded. The band however, would once again go into the studio with Cape producing but now the band was joined by Les Emmerson of Five Man Electrical Band. One more album was produced Learning to Live with It but with little success this time. Les Emmerson now lending his experience and expertise, the Cooper Brothers produced one last album – Reach for the Sky. This last album went unreleased and the band members parted ways shortly after in 1983.
In October 2006, the Cooper Brothers reunited to release a CD collection of their most popular tracks entitled: The Best of the Cooper Brothers under the EMI/Pacemaker label and the band performed for the first time on stage in over twenty years. This led to a number of sold-out live dates throughout Southern Ontario including an Ottawa Bluesfest concert with the band opening up for James Taylor in front of a crowd of over 25,000 people. The experience sparked Richard Cooper's muse again and he began writing songs. Before long the brothers had enough material for a new album and approached respected musician/producer and old friend Colin Linden. "When I heard the songs, I thought they sounded timeless. They were brimming with ideas. They weren't trivial and they were musically and lyrically so well thought out..." said Linden.
In September 2009 with Colin at the helm, the brothers went to Masterlink Studio in Nashville to begin recording with session musicians including Audley Freed (Black Crowes, Jakob Dylan, Dixie Chicks) Dan Dugmore (Linda Rostadt, James Taylor) Kevin McKendree (Brian Seltzer, Lee Roy Parnell) Lynn Williams (John Hiatt, Delbert McClinton) and Steve Mackey (Trisha Yearwood) "Nashville was so much fun," said Richard Cooper after the fall 2009 recording sessions. "Playing alongside musicians of that calibre was inspiring and Colin certainly managed to capture the vision I had for these songs... and then some." After additional recording back in Ottawa and Toronto, the CD was mixed in Los Angeles by John Whynot.
In February 2010, the latest Cooper Brothers album, In From the Cold was released, featuring 12 new songs. The CD also featured a number of guest artists including Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy, plus Delbert McClinton and Chuck Leavell.
In June 2013, the Cooper Brothers are releasing a brand new CD called "SOUTHBOUND". The album was recorded at the Tragically Hip's studio in Bath, Ontario and is produced by Colin Cripps - producer of such artists as Kathleen Edwards and Jim Cuddy and guitarist with Blue Rodeo.
The current live band line-up of Ed Bimm, Rob Holtz, Jeff Rogers, Darwin Demers and John Steel all play and sing on every track. Other session musicians include Gary Craig (Ann Murray/Tom Cochrane/Jann Arden) Peter Fredette (Kim Mitchell) and guitar whiz Carey Blackwell.
The CD features eleven new Richard Cooper penned tracks including the first single, "Southbound", a tongue-in-cheek look at the band's love/hate relationship with Canadian winters.
Other notable songs on the CD are "Love's Been a Stranger" a duet featuring Brian and Juno Award winner, Kellylee Evans as well as "Maybe This is the Night" and "Bridges" - both songs featuring the soaring harmonies the band is noted for.
Read more about this topic: The Cooper Brothers
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