Donald Christopher Cooper (born August 22, 1965) is an American singer.

Career

Cooper started his career playing in several local bands and touring local clubs in the Pittsburgh area while studying singing under renowned opera coach Charlotte Coleman. His first thrust into the international spotlight was as a finalist to be

Rob Halford Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has b ...

's replacement in

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...

. Having created a buzz at the auditions, Cooper found himself with offers to sing for many European and American bands. He selected the band

Royal Hunt Royal Hunt is a Danish progressive metal band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist André Andersen in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen in ...

and officially joined the band on December 26, 1994. After spending four years with Royal Hunt, Cooper was suddenly and unexpectedly fired from the band, which he discovered by reading an announcement on their website. His next project, a solo album that he began in 1998, enlisted the help of musicians from many well known bands (among them guitarist

Tore Østby Tore Østby (born 1972) is a founder, guitarist, producer, and songwriter for Norwegian progressive metal band Conception. After the band stopped playing on a permanent basis (the band was active from 1989 to 1998 and went on a 10-year hiatus) he ...

of Conception, and members of

Pink Cream 69 Pink Cream 69 is a German hard rock/ heavy metal band founded in 1987 in Karlsruhe by Andi Deris, Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou and Alfred Koffler. The band gained their first contract by winning music magazine ''Metal Hammer''s newcomer compe ...

). He released D. C. Cooper in 1999. After a successful tour, Cooper formed a new band with former Sinner guitarist Alex Beyrodt called

Silent Force Silent Force is a German power metal band with neoclassical and progressive influences, founded by guitarist Alex Beyrodt. Band history The band was formed in 1999 by German guitarist Alex Beyrodt ( Sinner, Primal Fear, Voodoo Circle, T ...

. They have released four studio albums of their own. In 2012, Cooper made an announcement saying he was leaving the band and a new line-up was announced in 2013. Cooper was replaced by singer Michael Bormann. Cooper has recorded guest vocals for Australian progressive metal act Voyager. In 2011 he rejoined

and performed on their Japan and Russian tour. Later the same year it was announced that Cooper would make a new record with the band. Cooper recorded lead vocals for the Italian band Derdian for their album "Revolution Era".

Personal life

While not on tour, Cooper can frequently be found volunteering as a firefighter in his home state of Pennsylvania. Cooper is married to Michelle Cooper and the couple has two sons, born in 2003 and 2005.

Discography

The Tung Bandits

* ''The Tung Bandits (album)'' (1990)

Solo album

* '' D. C. Cooper'' (1999)

Royal Hunt

* ''

Far Away (EP) ''Far Away'' is a 1995 EP released to introduce the then upcoming album '' Moving Target'' by the Danish progressive metal band Royal Hunt. The instrumental "Double Conversion" appears only on this release. The live tracks were recorded in Japan ...

'' (1995) * '' Moving Target'' (1995) * ''

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

'' (1996) * ''

Paradox A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically u ...

'' (1997) * ''Closing the Chapter'' (1998) * ''The Best'' (1998) * ''The Best Live'' (1998) * '' Show Me How To Live'' (2011) * ''

A Life to Die For ''A Life to Die For'' is the 12th studio album by Royal Hunt. Track listing All songs by André Andersen. # Hell Comes Down from Heaven (9:27) # A Bullet's Tale (5:54) # Running Out of Tears (5:31) # One ...

'' (2013) * '' Devil's Dozen'' (2015) * ''Cargo'' (2016) * ''Cast in Stone'' (2018) * ''Dystopia'' (2020) * ''Dystopia II'' (2022)

Silent Force

* ''

The Empire of Future ''The Empire of Future'' is the debut studio album released by Silent Force. Track listing All songs written by Alex Beyrodt and D.C. Cooper, except when noted. # "The Beginning" – 2:58 # "Live for the Day" – 5:44 # "Empire of Future" – 6: ...

'' (2000) * ''Infatuator'' (2001) * ''Worlds Apart'' (2004) * ''Walk the Earth'' (2007)

Missa Mercuria

* ''Missa Mercuria'' (2002)

Amaran's Plight

* ''Voice in the Light'' (2007)

Guest appearances

References

External links

D. C. Cooper official siteAmaran's Plight official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, D. C. 1965 births Living people American heavy metal singers Silent Force members Royal Hunt members People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania