David Roland Cook (born December 20, 1982) is an American rock singer-songwriter.
Cook rose to fame after winning the
seventh season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' in 2008.
Prior to ''Idol'', Cook formed a high school band that released three studio albums and four live albums before releasing his first solo independent album, ''
Analog Heart
''Analog Heart'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter David Cook. All songs on the album were written by him. Though originally released as an independent record on May 6, 2006, ''Analog Heart'' sales jumped during Cook's a ...
''. After winning ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'', he released his debut single "
The Time of My Life", which entered the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 charts at number three and at number two on the ''Billboard''
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
, selling over 1.4 million copies and being certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
by the RIAA. His major-label
self-titled debut album was released on November 18, 2008, and has also since been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album produced two top twenty singles; "
Light On
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 ...
" and "
Come Back to Me". His second major album ''
This Loud Morning
''This Loud Morning'' is the second major-label studio album, third overall by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on June 28, 2011, by RCA Records. Executive produced by Matt Serletic, the album featured tracks written and co ...
'' was released on June 28, 2011. The album produced two singles; "
The Last Goodbye" and "
Fade into Me
Fade into Me is the second single from American rock singer David Cook's second major label studio album, '' This Loud Morning''. It was written by Cook along with Kevin Griffin, and Jamie Houston and produced by Matt Serletic.
Song Information
O ...
". ''
This Quiet Night
''This Loud Morning'' is the second major-label studio album, third overall by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on June 28, 2011, by RCA Records. Executive produced by Matt Serletic, the album featured tracks written and co ...
'', Cook's first EP, was also released on June 28, 2011 (initially, exclusively via his official music store and later through retail outlets) and featured acoustic performances of select ''
This Loud Morning
''This Loud Morning'' is the second major-label studio album, third overall by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on June 28, 2011, by RCA Records. Executive produced by Matt Serletic, the album featured tracks written and co ...
'' album tracks.
After departing from
RCA
The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
and releasing three stand-alone singles, Cook became an independent artist and released his first single "Criminals" for his fourth studio album ''
Digital Vein
''Digital Vein'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on September 18, 2015, through Cook's Analog Heart Music. The album features tracks co-written by Cook along with well-known songwriters such as ...
'', which was released on September 18, 2015, with the latter two ("Laying Me Low" and "Wait For Me") being featured on the album.
The album produced two singles: "Criminals" and "Broken Windows".
Cook released his second EP, ''Chromance'', featuring a more pop-driven sound. Its lead single, "Gimme Heartbreak," was released to promote the EP. The EP entered the
US Indie charts at number five. His third EP, ''The Looking Glass'', was released on April 16, 2021.
Early life
Cook was born in
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, and raised in
Blue Springs, Missouri
Blue Springs is a city located in the U.S. state of Missouri within Jackson County. Blue Springs is located east of downtown Kansas City and is the 9th largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population wa ...
.
His parents are Beth Foraker and Stanley Cook.
He is the middle of three brothers – the late Adam Cook being older and Andrew younger. He is of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
,
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, and English descent.
Cook's interest in music began at a young age. He began singing in second grade, when his elementary school music teacher, Mrs. Gentry, gave him a part in a school Christmas performance. He proceeded to perform in virtually every Christmas and
PTA program.
He received his first guitar, a
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...
, at the age of 13. He also participated in choir and drama programs in middle school and high school. At Blue Springs South High School, he performed in musicals, including ''
The Music Man
''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...
'', ''
West Side Story
''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents.
Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...
'', and ''
Singin' in the Rain
''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charis ...
''.
In addition to this, he was an active member in the Blue Springs South High School
National Forensics League
The National Speech and Debate Association is an American student debating society. It was established in 1925 as the National Forensic League; the name was changed in 2014. It is one of four major national organizations that direct high school ...
(or NFL), where he qualified for the national tournament twice for
Duo Interpretation
Duo Interpretation, or often simply called Duo Interp, or just Duo, is an official speech event of Stoa USA, the National Speech and Debate Association, the National Catholic Forensics League, National Christian Forensics and Communications Associa ...
, an event that relies on performance and interpretation of a literary work. He graduated from Blue Springs South High School in 2001.
He was also an avid baseball player (pitcher) during high school and once gave up a
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
to
Albert Pujols in an
American Legion Baseball game. After an injury, he focused more on music. He earned a theater scholarship to the
University of Central Missouri
The University of Central Missouri (UCM) is a public university in Warrensburg, Missouri. In 2019, enrollment was 11,229 students from 49 states and 59 countries on its 1,561-acre campus. UCM offers 150 programs of study, including 10 pre-profes ...
, but he abandoned theater after two semesters, graduating from the school in 2006 with a degree in
graphic design
Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art whose activity consists in projecting visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdiscipli ...
. While in college, he was a member of
Phi Sigma Kappa
Phi Sigma Kappa (), colloquially known as Phi Sig or PSK, is a men's social and academic fraternity with approximately 74 active chapters and provisional chapters in North America. Most of its first two dozen chapters were granted to schools in ...
. After his college graduation, he relocated to
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
, to pursue a career in music, telling his mother, "I just want to give myself until I'm 26 years old to get a job."
Early music career
David Cook formed a band with his friend Bobby Kerr while at high school. The band was initially named Red Eye, later changed to
Axium
Axium was a Missouri-based band once headed by ''American Idol'' season 7 winner David Cook. Their sound was described as Alice in Chains meets Tantric.
History
David Cook formed Axium in his junior year of high school alongside drummer Bobby ...
.
He wrote his first song, "Red Hot", when he was fifteen.
He was encouraged by Evan Sula-Goff of
8stops7
8stops7 are a rock band from Ventura, California.
Background
8stops7 formed in Ventura, California, in 1996. The band's unusual name is the result of some intentionally vague number symbolism. According to band members, the "8" in 8STOPS7 r ...
to make an album when he went to Cook's school to judge a contest, Mr. Jaguar, where David Cook and his band performed
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
' "
Paradise City
"Paradise City" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, featured on their debut album, ''Appetite for Destruction'' (1987). Released as a single in January 1989, it is the only song on the album to feature a synthesizer. The song pea ...
". The band had some success when one of their songs, "Hold", was selected to be played in movie theaters across the country,
and they were named one of the top 15 independent bands in the country by "
Got Milk?
Got Milk? (stylized as got milk?) is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of milk and dairy products. Created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993, it ...
" contest as well as the best Kansas City band in 2004.
The band produced three studio albums – ''
Matter of Time'', ''
Blindsided'', and ''
The Story Thus Far'', as well as a number of live albums including ''
Alive in Tulsa
''Alive in Tulsa'' is the third album and the first live album by the band Axium
Axium was a Missouri-based band once headed by ''American Idol'' season 7 winner David Cook. Their sound was described as Alice in Chains meets Tantric.
Histo ...
''.
Axium, however, broke up in 2006 and David Cook moved to Tulsa where he joined
Midwest Kings
Midwest Kings (aka MWK) is a touring band based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, whose most notable member is David Cook, winner of the seventh season of American Idol. Described as a "regional touring band", the Midwest Kings play throughout the midwest, in ...
, a band he once opened for.
He was the bassist for their
EP ''Incoherent With Desire to Move On''. Members of that band
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
and
Neal Tiemann
Neal Tiemann (born December 22, 1982) is an American musician, currently the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band the Midwest Kings (MWK). He is a former rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band DevilDriver, and served as the lead guita ...
later became part of David Cook's post-''Idol'' band The Anthemic. He recorded and self-released a solo album ''
Analog Heart
''Analog Heart'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter David Cook. All songs on the album were written by him. Though originally released as an independent record on May 6, 2006, ''Analog Heart'' sales jumped during Cook's a ...
'' in 2006.
He had also recorded his second solo album (unreleased) prior to appearing on ''Idol'',
and was working as a bartender to support himself.
''American Idol''
Cook originally did not plan to try out for the show. He went to the auditions in
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
, initially to support his younger brother (who did not make it to
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
) and then, prompted by mother and brother when a show producer noticed him, David auditioned himself. He performed
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
's "
Livin' On a Prayer
"Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi, and is the band's second chart-topping single from their third album '' Slippery When Wet''. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in ...
" for his audition. For his first Hollywood audition, Cook performed "
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Written by Adams, Michael Kamen, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the power ballad was the lead single for both the soundtrack album from the 1991 film '' Robi ...
" by
Bryan Adams
Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...
, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. On the second song in Hollywood, he sang "
I'll Be" by
Edwin McCain
Edwin Cole McCain (born January 20, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His songs " I'll Be" (1998) and "I Could Not Ask for More" (1999) were radio top-40 hits in the U.S., and five of his albums have reached the ''Billboard ...
. Cook took advantage of the decision to allow contestants to
play musical instruments. Besides his Hollywood audition, he also accompanied himself on electric guitar for his performances of "
All Right Now
"All Right Now" is a song by English rock band Free. It originally appeared on the band's third album '' Fire and Water'' (1970), which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed by Chris Blackwell. Released as the album's second single ...
", "
Hello
''Hello'' is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses
''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the ''Norwich C ...
", "
Day Tripper
"Day Tripper" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a double A-side single with "We Can Work It Out" in December 1965. The song was written primarily by John Lennon with some contributions from Paul McCartney and ...
", "
I'm Alive", "
Baba O'Riley
"Baba O'Riley" is a song by the English rock band the Who, and the opening track to their fifth album ''Who's Next'' (1971). It was issued in Europe as a single on 23 October 1971, coupled with "My Wife".
Roger Daltrey sings most of the song ...
", "
Dare You to Move
"Dare You to Move" is a single by American alternative rock band Switchfoot from their fourth studio album, ''The Beautiful Letdown'' (2003). The song was originally called "I Dare You to Move", and was on the album '' Learning to Breathe'', but ...
", and "
Dream Big", and on acoustic guitar for "
Little Sparrow
''Little Sparrow'' is the thirty-eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on January 23, 2001, by Sugar Hill and Blue Eye Records. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album and ...
", "
All I Really Need Is You", and "
The World I Know
"The World I Know" is a song by American band Collective Soul, originally released on their 1995 eponymous album. Written by lead singer and guitarist Ed Roland, "The World I Know" peaked at number 19 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart when ...
". His white, left-handed
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...
electric guitar has the letters "AC" on it; as Cook told ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'', "I have two brothers, Adam and Andrew. So, because of superstition, I put their initials on everything growing up." Starting from the Top 12-week, he also wore (and continued to wear throughout competition) an orange
wristband
Wristbands are encircling strips worn on the wrist or lower forearm. The term can be used to refer to a bracelet-like band, similar to that of a wristwatch, to the cuff or other part of a sleeve that covers the wrist, or decorative or function ...
to support a then-7-year-old fan, Lindsey Rose, with
leukemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...
. Lindsey Rose is now many years recovered and perfectly healthy.
Another of Cook's performances,
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' "
Day Tripper
"Day Tripper" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a double A-side single with "We Can Work It Out" in December 1965. The song was written primarily by John Lennon with some contributions from Paul McCartney and ...
", was credited to
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English hard rock band formed in London in 1978. The group was originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their own entit ...
.
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
-based band Doxology has claimed that Cook's performance of
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' "
Eleanor Rigby
"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. It was also issued on a double A-side single, paired with " Yellow Submarine". The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to L ...
" was based on a version the band recorded over a year ago.
On April 1, before performing his self-arranged rendition of
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's "
Little Sparrow
''Little Sparrow'' is the thirty-eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on January 23, 2001, by Sugar Hill and Blue Eye Records. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album and ...
" on ''American Idol'', Cook told
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and '' ...
in the interview session that his performance of "
Eleanor Rigby
"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. It was also issued on a double A-side single, paired with " Yellow Submarine". The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to L ...
" was based on
Neil Zaza
Neil Zaza is an American guitarist known for his instrumental rock compositions as well as his adaptation of classical works by Bach and Mozart into his own blend of neo-classical, melodic, guitar instrumentals.
Biography
Neil Zaza was born in ...
's and Doxology's versions. He also reiterated the credits of Whitesnake and Chris Cornell. Despite the controversy, critics praised Cook for choosing versions of songs that fit his vocal style.
Cook's arrangements of "Happy Together", "
Hello
''Hello'' is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses
''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the ''Norwich C ...
", "Little Sparrow", "
Always Be My Baby
"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996, as the third single in the United Sta ...
", "All I Really Need Is You", "
Baba O'Riley
"Baba O'Riley" is a song by the English rock band the Who, and the opening track to their fifth album ''Who's Next'' (1971). It was issued in Europe as a single on 23 October 1971, coupled with "My Wife".
Roger Daltrey sings most of the song ...
", "
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith as the official theme song for the 1998 sci-fi disaster film ''Armageddon'', in which lead singer Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. It is one of four ...
", "Dream Big" and "
The World I Know
"The World I Know" is a song by American band Collective Soul, originally released on their 1995 eponymous album. Written by lead singer and guitarist Ed Roland, "The World I Know" peaked at number 19 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart when ...
" were original arrangements.
Cook won the
seventh season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' on May 21, 2008, receiving 56 percent of the votes, with 12 million votes over
David Archuleta
David James Archuleta (born December 28, 1990) is an American pop singer. At ten years old, he won the children's division of the Utah Talent Competition, leading to other television singing appearances. When he was twelve years old, he becam ...
, the runner-up. Cook then sang "
The Time of My Life", the winning song of the 2008 ''American Idol'' Songwriter's Competition. In the final tally, Archuleta received 44 percent of the votes. During the final show, identical commercials promoting ''
Guitar Hero
''Guitar Hero'' is a series of music rhythm game video games first released in November 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead, bass guitar, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Player ...
'' featured Cook and fellow finalist Archuleta mimicked the
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...
scene from ''
Risky Business
''Risky Business'' is a 1983 American teen comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Brickman (in his directorial debut) and starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay. Best known as Cruise's breakout film, ''Risky Business'' was a critical ...
'' where he dances in his underwear playing an
air guitar
Air guitar is a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play an imaginary rock or heavy metal-style electric guitar, including riffs and solos. Playing an air guitar usually consists of exaggerated strumming and picking m ...
.
Performances
Post-''Idol'' career
A week following Cook's ''American Idol'' victory, in the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' chart week ending May 25, 2008, Cook broke several ''Billboard'' chart records. Most notable was his record shattering feat of having 11 songs debut on the
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
that week, beating the previous record set by
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
(''
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), a ...
'') in 2006 when she had six songs debut on the chart.
Cook's first single, "The Time of My Life" led the pack, debuting at number three on the Hot 100.
Cook's eleven charting songs also gave him the most songs by one artist on the Hot 100 of any week in the
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
era (which began in 1991), and the most of any era since
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
placed 14 songs on the chart the week of April 11, 1964.
In addition, that same week Cook also broke the record for the most debuts on ''Billboards
Hot Digital Songs
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally start ...
chart, where he placed 14 debut entries, the record for which was previously six, set by
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
in 2007.
Cook's 17 entries had a combined total of 944,000 digital downloads in the first week of selling.
Cook also signed an endorsement deal with
Skechers
Skechers USA, Inc. is an American multinational footwear company. Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, it was founded in 1992 and is now the third largest footwear brand in the United States.
History
Skechers was founded in 1992 by Ro ...
that ran through December 2009.
Cook's photo was also featured on the cover of The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2009, along with President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
and Senator
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
.
2008–09: Major label debut and ''David Cook''
Cook worked with
Espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangibl ...
,
Ed Roland
Edgar Eugene Roland, Jr. (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the rock band Collective Soul. He is also active with his side project ...
(
Collective Soul
Collective Soul is an American rock band originally from Stockbridge, Georgia. Now based in Atlanta, the group consists of lead vocalist Ed Roland, rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, drummer Johnny Rabb, and lead guitarist Jes ...
), Zac Maloy (
The Nixons
The Nixons are an American alternative rock band formed in 1989. They found commercial success during the mid-1990s, releasing two albums through MCA Records in 1995–1997. The band is best known for the hit singles "Sister" and "Wire" from ...
),
Jason Wade
Jason Michael Wade (born July 5, 1980) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Lifehouse.
Career
Lifehouse
At the age of 15, Wade co-founded Lifehouse (originally called Blyss) wit ...
(
Lifehouse),
Neal Tiemann
Neal Tiemann (born December 22, 1982) is an American musician, currently the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band the Midwest Kings (MWK). He is a former rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band DevilDriver, and served as the lead guita ...
(the
Midwest Kings
Midwest Kings (aka MWK) is a touring band based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, whose most notable member is David Cook, winner of the seventh season of American Idol. Described as a "regional touring band", the Midwest Kings play throughout the midwest, in ...
),
Kevin Griffin
Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra.
His songs have been performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor ...
(
Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and signed with The End Records. The band formed in 1988 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and consists of Kevin Griffin (vocals and guitar), Tom Drummond (bass g ...
),
Chantal Kreviazuk, and
Raine Maida
Raine Maida (born Michael Anthony Maida; February 18, 1970)
– Ourladypeace.cc. Retrieved April 30, 2010. is a C ...
(
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and J ...
) on his self-titled, major label debut album. The album was produced by
Rob Cavallo
Robert Siers Cavallo (born March 21, 1963) is an American record producer, musician, and record industry executive. He is among the biggest-selling producers in history, and has produced or had creative involvement in albums that have sold over ...
. On
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and '' ...
's morning show
''On Air'' of
KIIS-FM
KIIS-FM (102.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, United States, and broadcasts to the Greater Los Angeles area. The station airs a top 40 format. Owned by iHeartMedia, KIIS-FM is the origin of the conglomer ...
on September 5, 2008, the singer revealed that the CD release date would be November 18, 2008.
The first single released from the album, "
Light On
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 ...
" premiered as an AOL Exclusive on September 23, 2008 and debuted at No. 17 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the week of October 18, 2008. The single was certified platinum January 20, 2010. This is followed by a dual release of
Come Back to Me and
Bar-ba-sol
"Come Back to Me" is the second official single released from ''American Idol'' season 7 winner David Cook's major label debut studio album, ''David Cook'' (2008). It was released as a joint double-A single with " Bar-ba-sol".
Song information
" ...
, with "Come Back to Me" being released to
HAC radio stations and Bar-ba-sol to rock radio. The music video for "Come Back to Me" was released on April 4, 2009.
His debut album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association for America (RIAA) for sales exceeding one-million units in January 2009. He was presented with his plaque while recording a performance that was aired during the April 1, 2009, episode of
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
.
Cook had earlier announced via his
myspace blog that two former bandmates from Midwest Kings (MWK) would join his band, with
Neal Tiemann
Neal Tiemann (born December 22, 1982) is an American musician, currently the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band the Midwest Kings (MWK). He is a former rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band DevilDriver, and served as the lead guita ...
as the lead guitar player, and
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
on rhythm guitar and keyboard. Other members who joined later were
Joey Clement (replaced later by Monty Anderson) on bass guitar, and Kyle Peek on drums and backing vocals. ''
The Declaration Tour'' began on February 13, 2009, in
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...
, and was originally set to end in
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
, on April 25, 2009. The tour however was extended twice – the first time through May 31, 2009, and then again starting from June 18, 2009, in
Del Mar, California
Del Mar (; Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach town in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The Del Mar Horse Races are hosted on the De ...
, and finally ending December 1, 2009, in
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, after a total of 153 shows. On August 23, 2009, in an interview and at his concert in
Yakima, Washington
Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...
, Cook announced that the band would be known as The Anthemic.
2010–11: ''This Loud Morning''
Cook began to concentrate working on this his second album after his first major tour, ''The Declaration Tour,'' concluded in December 2009. While on the tour, he put down some riffs and lyrical ideas, and started song-writing as a band towards the end of the tour. In an interview with Idolatry's Michael Slezak on February 8, 2010, Cook revealed that he was hard at work on his second album. He had been collaborating with
Raine Maida
Raine Maida (born Michael Anthony Maida; February 18, 1970)
– Ourladypeace.cc. Retrieved April 30, 2010. is a C ...
and
Chantal Kreviazuk,
Matt Squire
Matt Squire (born May 7, 1976) is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixing engineer, and songwriter. His production, songwriting, and mixing credits include Underoath, Panic! at the Disco, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Kes ...
,
Gregg Wattenberg
Gregg Wattenberg is a Grammy Award nominated songwriter, music producer, and musician residing in New York City, New York.
Work
Gregg Wattenberg has co-written and/or co-produced eight No. 1 hit songs that reached the top of Billboard Hot AC, Adu ...
,
John Rzeznik
John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik (; born December 5, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter, best known as the founder, guitarist and frontman of the American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, with whom he has recorded 14 studio albums.
Early life
Rzeznik w ...
,
Sam Hollander
Sam Hollander is an American songwriter. He has collaborated with the likes of Panic! at the Disco, One Direction, Fitz and the Tantrums, Train, Weezer, Blink-182, Ringo Starr, Def Leppard, Katy Perry, Carole King, Jewel, Pentatonix, Daughtry, ...
and
Dave Katz,
Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly (born December 27, 1980)Shirley Halperin and Bob Love"THR Names Music's 35 Top Hitmakers,"''The Hollywood Reporter'', February 6, 2013. is an American singer, songwriter and music producer. He is a four-time Grammy Award nominee, a ...
,
Brian Howes
Brian Howes, also known as Howes, is a Canadian songwriter and record producer.
Career
Howes played in a British Columbia band, Young Guns, and later fronted the group DDT which blended punk, ska, and rap. The band was signed to Metallica drumme ...
,
David Hodges
David Hall Hodges (born December 5, 1978) is an American songwriter and record producer from Little Rock, Arkansas. He was a studio contributor to the rock band Evanescence from 2000–2002. He has since had success co-writing and co–produci ...
, Tommy Henriksen,
Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin ...
,
Kevin Griffin
Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra.
His songs have been performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor ...
, Zac Maloy,
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
,
Jim Irvin
Jim Irvin is an English singer, songwriter, music journalist and podcast host.
Early life
Born James Lawrence Irvin and raised in west London.
Career Furniture
Irvin was the singer in the English new wave band Furniture, who released singles ...
, Jamie Jamie Houston,
Ryan Star
Ryan Stahr Kulchinsky (born January 7, 1978) is an American rock singer-songwriter from Long Island, New York, currently signed on Island Records. His first major label record '' 11:59'', released via Atlantic in 2010, reached No. 31 on Billb ...
&
Julian Emery
Julian Emery is a British musician, producer and songwriter, best known for his work with McFly
McFly are an English pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the '' Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. ...
and
.
Besides that, he also collaborated with members of his band, The Anthemic –
Neal Tiemann
Neal Tiemann (born December 22, 1982) is an American musician, currently the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band the Midwest Kings (MWK). He is a former rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band DevilDriver, and served as the lead guita ...
and
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
. In an April interview with
HitQuarters
HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
– recorded in March – the producer-songwriter
Steve Mac said that Cook had recently visited his Rokstone Studios in London where together with Mac he had also been writing with
Savan Kotecha
Savan Harish Kotecha is an American songwriter and record producer from Austin, Texas. Kotecha is of Indian (Gujarati) descent. He was also the executive music producer of the 2020 film '' Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga'', for ...
and Andrew Frampton.
He had hoped initially that a single would be ready for release in April 2010 and the album that summer. However, a producer for the album was not announced until May, and recording started in June that year with producer Matt Serletic at the helm. On March 31, 2011, Cook tweeted that the title of his new single would be
The Last Goodbye and debuted on April 19, 2011. ''
This Loud Morning
''This Loud Morning'' is the second major-label studio album, third overall by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on June 28, 2011, by RCA Records. Executive produced by Matt Serletic, the album featured tracks written and co ...
'' was released on June 28, 2011. He has also stated that at the beginning his goal was to make an album that "really, really pushed the concept of dynamic".
Cook toured in support of ''This Loud Morning'' with a 2011 Fall Tour, co-headlining with
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin Shane DeGraw (born February 4, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. DeGraw rose to fame with his song "I Don't Want to Be" from his debut album '' Chariot'' (2003); the song became the main theme song for The WB drama series ''One Tree ...
and with
Carolina Liar in support, for 22 shows across 15 states beginning October 9, 2011, in
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is a home rule municipality in Centre County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a college town, dominated economically, culturally and demographically by the presence of the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania Sta ...
, and ending November 10, 2011, in
Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...
.Cook's second single, "
Fade into Me
Fade into Me is the second single from American rock singer David Cook's second major label studio album, '' This Loud Morning''. It was written by Cook along with Kevin Griffin, and Jamie Houston and produced by Matt Serletic.
Song Information
O ...
", was released to coincide with the tour.
Cook tweeted that there would be "more dates/info to come"
In this tour,
Devin Bronson
Devin Bronson (born Seattle, Washington, May 15, 1983) is a guitarist, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles, having worked with artists such as Avril Lavigne, David Cook and Sebastian Bach. Bronson's versatility on stage and in the stud ...
replaced Neal Tiemann as the lead guitarist.
2012–16: Label change, independent, and ''Digital Vein''
On May 10, 2012, Cook performed a new song, "
The Last Song I'll Write for You" on the
eleventh season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''. Before the performance, Cook confirmed to Shirley Halperin of the ''Hollywood Reporter'' that he was without a recording contract, having departed from RCA, and was self-releasing "The Last Song I'll Write for You". On April 30, 2013, Cook released a new single, "
Laying Me Low
"Laying Me Low" is a song recorded by American recording artist David Cook. It was released as a single on April 30, 2013 through XIX Recordings and Cook's imprint Analog Heart Music. The song is also included on Cook's fourth studio album, '' Di ...
", through
XIX Recordings, the record label of ''American Idol'' creator
Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller (born 17 May 1960) is a British entrepreneur, artist manager, and film and television producer renowned for nurturing and inspiring world class entertainment talent. He is the creator of the ''Idols'' TV format, including the UK s ...
, although Cook shortly departed from Fuller's label.
Cook co-penned country music singer
David Nail
David Brent Nail (born May 18, 1979) is an American country music artist, and frontman of the band ''David Nail & The Well Ravens''. In 2002, he debuted the single "Memphis" from an unreleased album for Mercury Records Nashville. Five years lat ...
's 2014 single, "
Kiss You Tonight" from his album ''
I'm a Fire
"I'm a Fire" is the first single from Donna Summer's seventeenth studio album, '' Crayons''. The song was released on March 11, 2008 by Burgundy Records. It was written by Summer, Sebastian Morton and Al Kasha and produced by Morton. The club ...
''. On March 24, 2015, Cook signed a publishing deal with
Warner/Chappell Music
Warner Chappell Music, Inc. is an American music publishing company and a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group. Warner Chappell Music's catalogue consists of over 1.4 million compositions and 65,000 composers, with offices in over 40 countries.
...
.
Cook's move to Nashville saw his newfound role as producer of his fourth album, often citing his move as the source of creativity. He worked with previous songwriters like Zac Maloy,
Kevin Griffin
Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra.
His songs have been performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor ...
,
David Hodges
David Hall Hodges (born December 5, 1978) is an American songwriter and record producer from Little Rock, Arkansas. He was a studio contributor to the rock band Evanescence from 2000–2002. He has since had success co-writing and co–produci ...
, and
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
(who also contributed as
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
). Cook also collaborated with Jerry Flowers,
Earth to Andy members Andy Waldeck and Chris Reardon (with Reardon also serving as co-producer on one track – "Laying Me Low"), local Nashville writers Blair Daly and Chad Carlson, former bandmate
Devin Bronson
Devin Bronson (born Seattle, Washington, May 15, 1983) is a guitarist, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles, having worked with artists such as Avril Lavigne, David Cook and Sebastian Bach. Bronson's versatility on stage and in the stud ...
, and Steven Miller. "Criminals" was the first official single from the album released on July 31, 2015. ''Digital Vein'' was released on September 18, 2015, through Cook's own independent label, Analog Heart Music.
Cook promoted the album on the Digital Vein Tour throughout late 2015 and early 2016. The first half of the tour, with opening act
Andrew Ripp
Andrew Ripp is an American singer and Grammy-nominated songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. Andrew first broke into the national music scene as a songwriter; his contributions, such as Ryan Cabrera's album, '' You Stand Watching'', have char ...
, consisted of 33 shows in 24 states, beginning on September 30, 2015, in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
, and ending on November 21, 2015, in
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. In this tour, Daniel Damico replaced
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
and
Devin Bronson
Devin Bronson (born Seattle, Washington, May 15, 1983) is a guitarist, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles, having worked with artists such as Avril Lavigne, David Cook and Sebastian Bach. Bronson's versatility on stage and in the stud ...
as the lead guitarist and keyboardist, drummer Adam Reidelbach replaced Nick Adams, and Andy Wildrick replaced Monty Anderson as the bass guitarist.
His second single "Broken Windows" was released on February 22, 2016, and coincided with the second half of the tour. Featuring opening act
Tony Lucca
Tony may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer
* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
, the run consisted of 18 shows in 14 states, beginning on February 23, 2016, in
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
, and ending on March 19, 2016, in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, Oklahoma.
2017–present: ''Chromance'', ''Kinky Boots'', and ''The Looking Glass''
On March 27, 2017, Cook teased a thirty-second clip on social media with the quote "#gimmeheartbreak", indicating his new single, "Gimme Heartbreak" would be released on June 23, 2017.
An EP, ''Chromance'', was released on February 16, 2018. Cook made his
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut playing Charlie Price, in ''
Kinky Boots'' on April 3, 2018, and would play a limited run through May 5.
Cook returned to ''Kinky Boots'' for a second limited run starting July 17 to September 9, 2018. From October 25 to November 20, 2018, Cook embarked on ''Acoustic Tour.''
On October 26, 2018, Cook released his stand-alone single, "Death of Me."
On June 26, 2020, he released his single, "Reds Turn Blue," from ''The Looking Glass.'' In an interview with ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
,'' Cook explains that the title is a reference to the manic highs and lows of anxiety and states that the song is "kind of a letter from my anxiety to me," after publicly announcing that he had been diagnosed with an
anxiety disorder
Anxiety disorders are a cluster of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal function are significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause physi ...
two years after winning ''American Idol.'' On December 4, 2020, he released the second single, "Strange World", from the EP. Cook released his third single, "Fire", from the EP on March 19, 2021. Cook released his third EP, ''The Looking Glass'', on April 16, 2021.
On April 29, 2022, Cook released his stand-alone single, "TABOS" (an acronym for "This'll all be over soon" from the song's chorus).
Other performances
Cook appeared at the 2008 ''
Glamour'' magazine Women of the Year Awards as a guest of
Mary Steenburgen to surprise honoree
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
, a fan of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''. He sang one of Clinton's favorite songs, "
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife. At the time, the couple were lovers, although MacColl was still married to his ...
", which he also sang during the Top 3-week on ''Idol''.
Cook appeared in several promotions for the November 1, 2008, episode of ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'', hosted by
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup.
Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educationa ...
. Cook performed two songs on the program, the first "Light On" and the second "Declaration".
In 2009, Cook performed songs from his debut album for the troops during a
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
tour, where he was able to visit seven bases (including Camp Liberty, Camp Phoenix, and Camp Taji in Iraq). Cook has since had the honor of performing for military personnel and their families at more than 40 military installations around the world with the USO, Armed Forces Entertainment, Navy Entertainment, and Air Force Entertainment.
On August 11, 2009, Cook performed "Starseed" with Canadian alternative rock band,
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and J ...
at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas.
On February 18, 2010, Cook performed with the original line-up of his band, Midwest Kings (which included
Neal Tiemann
Neal Tiemann (born December 22, 1982) is an American musician, currently the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band the Midwest Kings (MWK). He is a former rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band DevilDriver, and served as the lead guita ...
and
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
), in Tulsa, Oklahoma, performing songs from the band's discography.
Since his ''American Idol'' win, Cook attended many of the show's promotional events. On February 12, 2009, Cook appeared on the morning news program, ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'' and talked about Walt Disney World Resort's new attraction, ''
The American Idol Experience
The American Idol Experience was a theme park attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. Inspired by the popular American television series ''American Idol'', the attraction invited park guests to audition in fron ...
'', where he performed "
Light On
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 ...
" and covered "
Go Your Own Way
"Go Your Own Way" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their eleventh studio album, '' Rumours'' (1977). The song was released as the album's first single in December 1976 on both sides of the Atlantic. Written and sung ...
" with fellow winner
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...
. He and all the other six winners received a mic-shaped statue from the creator of the
franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
,
Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller (born 17 May 1960) is a British entrepreneur, artist manager, and film and television producer renowned for nurturing and inspiring world class entertainment talent. He is the creator of the ''Idols'' TV format, including the UK s ...
to honor them for winning the competition. On August 7, 2009, Cook performed the Fleetwood Mac hit "
Little Lies
"Little Lies" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their fourteenth studio album, ''Tango in the Night'' (1987). It was written by band member Christine McVie and her then-husband, Eddy Quintela, with lead vocals performed ...
" with ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' season 8 winner
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Prior to ''Idol'', he self-released a 2007 album, ''Brand New Shoes''.
Allen's ...
and runner-up
Adam Lambert
Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. Since 2009, he has sold over 3 million albums and 5 million singles worldwide. Lambert is known for his dynamic vocal performances that fuse his theatrical tra ...
on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
's Summer Concert Series in
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...
. Cook performed "Lie" in a Christmas TV variety special hosted by
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...
.
Cook also made numerous returns to ''American Idol''. On April 1, 2009, Cook performed "
Come Back To Me" and was presented with his Platinum Album for
David Cook (album)
''David Cook'' is the first major-label studio album, second overall from seventh season ''American Idol'' winner David Cook, released on November 18, 2008, in the United States by RCA Records. It was certified platinum and has sold over one mill ...
. On May 20, 2009, Cook performed "
Permanent
Permanent may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* ''Permanent'' (film), a 2017 American film
* ''Permanent'' (Joy Division album)
* "Permanent" (song), by David Cook
Other uses
* Permanent (mathematics), a concept in linear algebra
* Permanent (cy ...
" during the finale of
eighth season in honor of his late brother Adam, where proceeds from the live single went to Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2). During the March 17, 2010, episode of ''American Idol'', Cook sang the Rolling Stones song "
Jumpin' Jack Flash
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released as a non-album single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, the song was perceived by some as ...
". On April 21, 2010, Cook made an appearance on Idol Gives Back. On March 7, 2011, Cook released the send-off song for the
tenth season, the
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...
song "
Don't You (Forget About Me)
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as a single in 1985. It was written and composed by the producer Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, a guitarist and songwriter from the Nina Hagen band. Forsey ...
", played upon elimination and returned on May 24, 2011 to perform the song live. He later performed "
The Last Goodbye" on the stage on April 21, 2011. He returned in the
eleventh season to perform "
The Last Song I'll Write for You" and once more in the
twelfth season to sing "
Laying Me Low
"Laying Me Low" is a song recorded by American recording artist David Cook. It was released as a single on April 30, 2013 through XIX Recordings and Cook's imprint Analog Heart Music. The song is also included on Cook's fourth studio album, '' Di ...
". Cook mentored the top 8 finalists during "Songs from the 1980s" week in the
thirteenth season. He mentored once more with two semi-finalists during the
fifteenth season, dueting with C.J. Johnson on "
The World I Know
"The World I Know" is a song by American band Collective Soul, originally released on their 1995 eponymous album. Written by lead singer and guitarist Ed Roland, "The World I Know" peaked at number 19 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart when ...
" and Olivia Rox on his own song "
Light On
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 ...
". On April 7, 2016, he returned again, performing a
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
medley in tribute with fellow winners
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Prior to ''Idol'', he self-released a 2007 album, ''Brand New Shoes''.
Allen's ...
,
Lee DeWyze,
Phillip Phillips
Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr. (born September 20, 1990) Note: An inaccurate birthdate (Sept. 29, 1990) and birthplace (Leesburg, Georgia) appear in is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame after winning the eleventh season of ''Americ ...
, and
Nick Fradiani. During Hollywood Week of
season 20, Cook returned to mentor contestants in the rock genre and later returned to duet with
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Prior to ''Idol'', he self-released a 2007 album, ''Brand New Shoes''.
Allen's ...
as part of that seasons "The Great Idol Reunion" special, which aired on May 2, 2022.
Personal life
In May 2008, Cook asked Season 2 ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' alum and
TV Guide Network
The American cable television, cable and satellite television network Pop (American TV channel), Pop was originally launched in 1981 as a barker channel service providing a display of localized electronic program guide, channel and program listings ...
correspondent
Kimberly Caldwell
Kimberly Ann Caldwell-Harvey is an American singer, actress and television hostess. She rose to fame when she was a finalist on the second season of ''American Idol''. After her American Idol stint, Caldwell was an entertainment correspondent ...
for a dinner date while on the red carpet before the show's
seventh-season finale. During a radio interview with
XL 106.7 on October 13, 2008, Cook revealed that he and Caldwell were "still seeing each other." In a November 2008 interview with ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' magazine, Cook said his relationship with Caldwell was a "nice break from the chaos" of post-''Idol'' fame. They ended their relationship in December 2008.
''People'' reported on March 31, 2009, that David was canceling dates on his current tour due to "family matters". Cook's elder brother, Adam, had been diagnosed with brain cancer since 1998 and died on May 2, 2009. On May 3, 2009, at the "Race for Hope" in Washington, D.C., Cook announced the death of his brother during the awards speech, and stated that he "couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now." He finished the 5k with a time of 28 minutes. His team raised $136,376.16 for the cause. Donations were accepted through September 30, 2009. On the finale of the 8th season of ''American Idol'', Cook sang his song "Permanent" in honor of his brother. Audio of the performance was made available on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
, and the proceeds from the sale of it were put toward brain cancer research.
Cook married longtime girlfriend, Racheal Stump, in a private ceremony in Nashville on June 20, 2015.
Influences
His musical influences include
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and J ...
,
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
,
Big Wreck
Big Wreck are a Canadian-American Rock music, rock band formed by Ian Thornley and Brian Doherty in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994. The band was rounded out with David Henning and Forrest Williams. They disbanded in 2002 and Ian Thornley pursued ...
,
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
,
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
,
Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. H ...
,
The Goo Goo Dolls
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
,
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass guitar, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums, percussion), and Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards, back ...
,
Collective Soul
Collective Soul is an American rock band originally from Stockbridge, Georgia. Now based in Atlanta, the group consists of lead vocalist Ed Roland, rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, drummer Johnny Rabb, and lead guitarist Jes ...
, and
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
. Immediately after winning American Idol, Cook was asked backstage by ''Entertainment Weekly'' who his top five favorite bands were.
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and J ...
and
Big Wreck
Big Wreck are a Canadian-American Rock music, rock band formed by Ian Thornley and Brian Doherty in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994. The band was rounded out with David Henning and Forrest Williams. They disbanded in 2002 and Ian Thornley pursued ...
were on this short list, as well as the
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
,
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Mesa, Arizona. The band is composed of lead vocalist and lead guitarist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind. They h ...
and
8stops7
8stops7 are a rock band from Ventura, California.
Background
8stops7 formed in Ventura, California, in 1996. The band's unusual name is the result of some intentionally vague number symbolism. According to band members, the "8" in 8STOPS7 r ...
.
Backing band
;Current members
* Jeffrey B. Scott – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
(2016–present)
* Donovan "Dono" White – bass guitar
(2022–present)
* Thomas Branch – drums / percussion
(2019–present)
;Former members
*
Joey Clement – bass guitar
(2008–2009)
*
Neal Tiemann
Neal Tiemann (born December 22, 1982) is an American musician, currently the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band the Midwest Kings (MWK). He is a former rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band DevilDriver, and served as the lead guita ...
– lead guitar
(2008–2011)
* Kyle Peek – drums, backing vocals
(2008–2011)
*
Andy Skib
Andy Skib (born November 9, 1985, San Diego, California) is the lead singer of the rock band Midwest Kings (MWK). He spent most of 2009 on the Declaration Tour with ''American Idol'' season seven winner David Cook. Skib has previously co-writ ...
– rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
(2008–2014)
*
Devin Bronson
Devin Bronson (born Seattle, Washington, May 15, 1983) is a guitarist, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles, having worked with artists such as Avril Lavigne, David Cook and Sebastian Bach. Bronson's versatility on stage and in the stud ...
– lead guitar
(2011–2014)
* Monty Anderson – bass guitar
(2009–2015)
* Nick Adams – drums
(2012–2015)
* Daniel Damico – lead guitar, keyboards
(2014–2016)
*
Andy Wildrick – bass guitar
(2015–2016)
* Joshua Zarbo – bass guitar
(2016)
* Adam Reidelbach – drums
(2015–2016)
* Mike Ball – bass guitar
(2017–2022)
Discography
;
Albums
*''
Analog Heart
''Analog Heart'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter David Cook. All songs on the album were written by him. Though originally released as an independent record on May 6, 2006, ''Analog Heart'' sales jumped during Cook's a ...
'' (2006)
*''
David Cook David Cook may refer to:
Entertainment
* David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR
* David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol''
* David Cook (writer) (1940–2015), Briti ...
'' (2008)
*''
This Loud Morning
''This Loud Morning'' is the second major-label studio album, third overall by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on June 28, 2011, by RCA Records. Executive produced by Matt Serletic, the album featured tracks written and co ...
'' (2011)
*''
Digital Vein
''Digital Vein'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter David Cook. It was released on September 18, 2015, through Cook's Analog Heart Music. The album features tracks co-written by Cook along with well-known songwriters such as ...
'' (2015)
;
Extended Plays
*''This Quiet Night'' (2011)
*''Chromance'' (2018)
*''The Looking Glass'' (2021)
Tours
;Headlining
*
The Declaration Tour (2009)
*This Loud Tour (2011)
*Fall Tour (2013)
*Navy Entertainment/AFE Tour (2013-14)
*Winter Tour (2015)
*Digital Vein Tour (2015–16)
*Summer Tour (2017)
*Acoustic Tour (2018)
*Summer Sessions/Fall Sounds Tour (2019)
*The Looking Glass Tour (2021)
*Summer/Fall Tour (2022)
;Co-headlining
*
American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008
*2011 Tour with
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin Shane DeGraw (born February 4, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. DeGraw rose to fame with his song "I Don't Want to Be" from his debut album '' Chariot'' (2003); the song became the main theme song for The WB drama series ''One Tree ...
*Dave & Kris Go To Europe Acoustic Tour (2021) with
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Prior to ''Idol'', he self-released a 2007 album, ''Brand New Shoes''.
Allen's ...
Theatre
Awards and nominations
See also
*
List of ''Idols'' winners
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, David
1982 births
Living people
American alternative rock musicians
American Idol winners
American male singer-songwriters
American rock bass guitarists
American rock guitarists
American male bass guitarists
American rock singers
American rock songwriters
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of English descent
Singer-songwriters from Missouri
University of Central Missouri alumni
Musicians from Houston
Musicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma
People from Blue Springs, Missouri
Alternative rock singers
Alternative rock bass guitarists
Alternative rock guitarists
Singer-songwriters from Oklahoma
Singer-songwriters from Texas
19 Recordings artists
RCA Records artists
XIX Entertainment artists
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
20th-century American bass guitarists
21st-century American bass guitarists
Guitarists from Missouri
Guitarists from Oklahoma
Guitarists from Texas
20th-century American male singers
21st-century American male singers