World-known singer Joe Cocker dies at 70

Joe Cocker, the raspy-voiced, Grammy-winning singer best known for his cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends” and “You Are So Beautiful,” died on Monday, his agent said. He was 70. Reuters news agency writes about this.

The death was confirmed by Marshall Arts, the company of Cocker’s agent, Barrie Marshall, in England.

The rock singer, known for flailing his arms on stage during performances, lost a long battle with lung cancer, his record label, Sony Music, said in a statement.

“His international success as a blues/rock singer began in 1964 and continues till this day. Joe created nearly 40 albums and toured extensively around the globe,” his label added.

Cocker, a native of Britain, lived in Crawford, Colorado.

Musicians and fans took to Twitter to express their grief at the death of the rocker, who was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at Buckingham Palace for his contribution to music.

“Goodbye and God Bless to Joe Cocker from one of his friends peace and love. R.,” tweeted former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.

Cocker was born in Sheffield, England, into a working-class family. He worked as a plumber while pursuing a singing career, covering Motown songs in pubs in northern England in the 1960s.

He became known as a white soul singer and for his unique stage presence, twisting his body and face into contortions as he sang with his signature husky delivery.