Singer Joe Cocker Dies After Cancer Battle At The Age of 70

Singer Joe Cocker, best known for his cover of The Beatles' With A Little Help From My Friends', has died at the age of 70. The Sheffield-born singer had a career lasting more than 40 years, with hits including 'You Are So Beautiful' and 'Up Where We Belong'.

His agent Barrie Marshall said Cocker, who died after battling lung cancer, was "simply unique". Paul McCartney said he was a lovely guy who "brought so much to the world".

Cocker's friend Rick Wakeman, keyboard player for the rock band Yes, called his rendition of 'With a Little Help From My Friends' "sensational" and said: "He had a voice that was just unique." Known for his gritty voice, Cocker - a former gas fitter - began his singing career in the pubs and clubs of Sheffield in the 1960s before hitting the big time. He was propelled to pop stardom when his version of 'With A Little Help From My Friends' reached number one in 1968.

He performed the song at the famous Woodstock Festival in New York state a year later. He was also well-known for his Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour of 1970, which visited 48 cities across the US. His duet with Jennifer Warnes, 'Up Where We Belong' - from 'An Officer And A Gentleman' - hit number one and went on to win both a Grammy and an Academy Award in 1983.

Joe Cocker was made an OBE in 2011. Last year, his arena tour across Europe saw him achieve a number one album in Germany and give what was to be his final concert in Hammersmith, London, in June. Cocker, who recorded 23 studio albums and 40 albums, lived in Colorado, in the US.