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Elizabeth Cook

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For other people named Elizabeth Cook, see Elizabeth Cook (disambiguation).
Elizabeth Cook
Background information
Born (1972-07-17) July 17, 1972 (age 52)
Wildwood, Florida, U.S.
GenresCountry, Ameripolitan, Americana, honky-tonk
OccupationSinger
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, mandolin
Years active2000–present
LabelsWarner Bros., Hog County, 31 Tigers
Websitewww.elizabeth-cook.com

Elizabeth Cook (born July 17, 1972 in Wildwood, Florida) is an American country music singer. She made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry on March 17, 2000. Cook, "the daughter of a hillbilly singer married to a moonshiner who played his upright bass while in a prison band,"[1] was "virtually unknown to the pop masses" before she made a debut appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman in June 2012.[2] The New York Times called her "a sharp and surprising country singer" and an "idiosyncratic traditionalist."[3]

Biography

The youngest of 11, Cook was born in Wildwood, Florida. Her mother Joyce played mandolin and guitar and performed on radio and local television in her younger years. Her father Thomas also played string instruments. He honed his skills playing upright bass in the prison band while serving time for running moonshine. Also while serving time at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for the crime, he learned the welding trade to which Elizabeth paid tribute in the title of her 2010 album.[4] After her father was released, he and Joyce began playing in local country bands together. Elizabeth was on stage with them at age four, singing such inappropriate songs as 'I'm Having Daydreams About Night Things'.[5] At the age of nine, she had her own band.

Cook graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1996 with dual degrees in Accounting and Computer Information Systems.[6] In 2000, she independently released The Blue Album; she made her major label debut in 2002 with Hey Y'All. But following a corporate re-structuring that left the album virtually abandoned and stagnant on sales, Elizabeth fought back with her 2004 independent release This Side Of The Moon, which received positive reviews from The New York Times[7] and No Depression. Her album Balls was released May 2007. It has been her most successful album to date, thanks to glowing press reviews and significant video play for the song "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman." Her 2010 album Welder features appearances by an all-star roster of guests including Dwight Yoakam, Crowell and Buddy Miller. Two songs on the album featured in an NPR report at the time of its release were "El Camino" and "Heroin Addict Sister."[4]

Through it all, Elizabeth maintained a full touring schedule, playing in America, as well as South Korea, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Poland France and the UK, the last of these including appearances at the Cambridge Folk Festival, the Maverick Festival and the Borderline in London. She has continued appearing on stage at the Grand Ole Opry - indeed, she has appeared over 300 times and yet is still a "non-member".[5]

She toured the UK in support of her Welder LP performing 18 dates with her husband Tim Carroll and her upright bass player Bones Hillman, formerly of Midnight Oil, who had relocated to Nashville, Tennessee after hearing nothing out of Midnight Oil for a year.[8]

Cook was invited by the Atlanta Braves to sing the national anthem before their 2011 home opener on April 8, 2011.[9]

At the suggestion of Paul Shaffer, Cook was invited as a guest on Late Show with David Letterman in August 2011, where she discussed satellite radio and growing up in Florida. In June 2012 Cook returned to the Late Show to perform with Jason Isbell. American Songwriter notes that they sang covers of Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and Lefty" and "Tecumseh Valley."[10] On March 14, 2013, she appeared a third time on the Late Show with David Letterman, this time having a sit down interview with Dave before performing "If I Had My Way," written by blues/gospel singer Blind Willie Johnson. On June 2, 2014, she appeared a fourth time on the Late Show with David Letterman, performing "Pale Blue Eyes," written by Lou Reed.

Radio show

Cook hosts the morning radio show "Elizabeth Cook's Apron Strings" on the Sirius XM radio station Outlaw Country on Channel 60. The show airs weekdays from 6:00 AM until 10:00 AM (Eastern Time). The show format is a mix of Americana, Outlaw, and Alt Country. As a radio presenter, Cook has been nominated for 2 Ameripolitan Music Awards.

Discography

Studio albums

Balls was produced by Rodney Crowell, and nine of the album's 11 tracks were written or co-written by Cook, including the single "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman", co-written with Melinda Schneider. Her next album, Welder, released May 11, 2010, was produced by Don Was.

Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Sales
US Country US Heat
The Blue Album — —
Hey, Y'all — —
This Side of the Moon
  • Release date: May 17, 2005
  • Label: Hog Country
 — —
Balls
  • Release date: May 1, 2007
  • Label: 31 Tigers
 72 —
Welder
  • Release date: May 11, 2010
  • Label: 31 Tigers
 43 23
Exodus of Venus
  • Release date: June 17, 2016
  • Label: Agent Love Records
 23 7
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended plays

Title Album details
Gospel Plow
  • Release date: June 12, 2012[12]
  • Label: 31 Tigers

Singles

Year Single Album
2002 "Stupid Things" Hey, Y'all
2004 "Before I Go That Far" This Side of the Moon
"Heather Are You with Me Tonight"
2005 "Ruthless"
2007 "Sometimes It Takes Balls to Be a Woman" Balls
2008 "Sunday Morning"
2010 "All The Time" Welder
2012 "Leather & Lace" (with Aaron Watson) Hearts Across Texas

Music videos

Year Video Director
2002 "Stupid Things" Chris Rogers
2005 "Before I Go That Far"
2007 "Sometimes It Takes Balls to Be a Woman" Roger Pistole
2008 "Sunday Morning" George Nicholas
2010 "All the Time" Kristin Barlowe

Guest appearances

Year Song Artist Album
2007 "The Great Atomic Power" (with The Grascals) Various Song of America
2012 "Leather and Lace" (with Aaron Watson) Various Hearts Across Texas
2013 "Feels So Right" (with Todd Snider) Various High Cotton: A Tribute to Alabama
2014 "Blackie's Gunman" Carlene Carter Carter Girl
2015 "I Had Someone Else Before I Had You" Asleep at the Wheel Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
2016 "From Here to the Blues" Doug Seegers Walking on the Edge of the World
2016 "If Teardrops Were Pennies" Buddy Miller Cayamo Sessions at Sea

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated Work Result
2007 Americana Music Awards Song of the Year Sometimes, It Takes Balls to Be a Woman Nominated
2011 Americana Music Awards Album of the Year Welder Nominated
2011 Americana Music Awards Song of the Year El Camino Nominated
2011 Americana Music Awards Artist of the Year Elizabeth Cook Nominated
2014 Ameripolitan Music Awards Outlaw Female Elizabeth Cook Won
2015 Ameripolitan Music Awards DJ Elizabeth Cook - Sirius XM Outlaw Nominated
2016 Ameripolitan Music Awards DJ Elizabeth Cook - Sirius XM Outlaw Nominated

Live radio appearances

  • Bob Harris Country, BBC Radio 2, July 8, 2010. Cook performed 3 songs live: "All The Time", "El Camino", "My Heroin Addict Sister".[5]
  • The Back Road Radio Show, Indianapolis, IN 91.9FM WITT, Cook did a Live Interview/>

References

  1. ^ Michael Bialas (September 12, 2014). "Show and Tell It Like It Is: Elizabeth Cook Pulls Some Apron Strings in Nashville". Huffington Post.
  2. ^ Marissa Moss (May 14, 2015). "How David Letterman Built a Late-Night Haven for Country Music". Rolling Stone.
  3. ^ Jon Caramanica (June 22, 2010). "Country Singer, With Entourage of Characters in Tow". The New York Times.
  4. ^ a b "Elizabeth Cook: Daughter Of A 'Welder'" interview/report by All Things Considered host Melissa Block, May 18, 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  5. ^ a b c 19:00 (2010-07-08). "BBC Radio 2 - Bob Harris Country, Elizabeth Cook in session". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-09-16. {{cite web}}: |author= has numeric name (help)
  6. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2009-10-05. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ " CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; Stealth Sounds That Missed the Charts but Merit a Hearing" by Kelefa Sanneh, The New York Times, December 22, 2005. E. Cook's album one of ten noted in the article. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  8. ^ "Bob Harris playlist for Bob Harris Country - 8 July 2010". Bobharris.org. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  9. ^ "Braves Opening Day: The Fredi G. Era begins". ajc.com (March 31, 2011). Retrieved 2011-04-01
  10. ^ "Elizabeth Cook and Jason Isbell Cover Townes Van Zandt". Elizabeth Cook and Jason Isbell Cover Townes Van Zandt. American Songwriter. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  11. ^ Bjorke, Matt (July 12, 2016). "Country Albums Sales Chart: July 12, 2016". Roughstock.
  12. ^ Newcomer, Wendy (May 31, 2012). "Elizabeth Cook to Release Gospel Plow June 12". Great American Country. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
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