Singing Cookes

As with everything, there is always a story behind the formation of a group, and yes, the Singing Cookes have their own story. It all started back in 1962 with two guitars, a dream, and a lot of faith. Hubert, who had been a Virginia coal miner for 16 years, decided to leave his job and start working for the Lord. Hubert had been reared around music all his life--namely bluegrass. He was once even in a bluegrass group called The Ramblin Mountain Boys. His wife Jeanette had always been in church. She was the daughter of Rev. Gordon Freeman, so she would often attend revivals with her father to help him out by playing the guitar and singing. With the ending of Hubert's coal mining, a couple of guitars, and the start of something new, The Singing Cookes were formed; although, at that time they called themselves the Cooke Duet.

The Cooke Duet traveled from place to place singing and becoming more and more
popular. Then James, the oldest son, decided that he wanted to join the group, so he began to play the bass guitar. It wasn't until the group recorded the 9th album that James started singing. Ronny, the keyboardist, and Donny, the drummer, joined the group, respectively, around the age of fourteen. Now, since the whole family had joined in, Hubert and Jeanette decided that they needed to change the name to The Singing Cookes.

The Cookes became very successful with their first national release, "He Rows Me over the Tide." They continued to be successful with hits such as "Moses," climbing to #3 in the Southern Gospel Charts, "Earth's Loss is Heaven's Gain," which went to #10, and "I Hope We Walk the Last Mile Together," which reached #14. The project that included both "Earth's Loss is Heaven's Gain," and "I Hope We Walk the Last Mile Together," reached #1 in the Gospel Voice Distributors Top Sales Chart, in the early spring of 1994. Most of all, though, the Cookes were ministering to souls, and seeing people give their lives to Jesus Christ.

After playing for mom and dad for many years, James, Ronny, and Donny found that the Lord was calling them to sing. The boys formed their own group called, The Cooke Brothers. They are a dynamic trio with that great harmony that can only be found with brothers. They, too, have been successful with fan-favorites like "Chiseled in Stone" and "Go Rest High on that Mountain." The Cooke Brothers still travel with mom and dad, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Another chapter in the Singing Cookes' legacy has now unfolded. Daniel Cooke, Donny's son, now plays and sings with the two groups. Daniel recorded his first song entitled "He Was Thinking of Me" on the Cooke Brother Project CB-14 "Driving Nails." Daniel also plays guitar for the Singing Cookes and drums on the Cooke Brothers' other songs.

The Singing Cookes and The Cooke Brothers now travel all over the nation ministering to souls and have even performed concerts in Canada and the British Virgin Islands. They have met thousands of people, seen thousands of souls accept the Lord into their lives, and have enjoyed every moment of it. They truly are a family group and are very dedicated to their purpose--the spreading of the Gospel.

Scheduled Appearances

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Name

Date

City / State

Venue

Time

07/31	Wayne, WV	Wayne County Fair	6:00pm
08/13	Princeton, WV	Fairview Christian Community Church	7:00pm
08/14	Max Meadows, VA	Draper Valley Pentecostal Church	7:00pm
08/15	Afton, TN	65 Chuckey Doak Rd.	6:30pm
08/19	Orgas, Keith, WV	Keith Full Gospel Church	7:00pm
08/20	Mabscott Beckley, WV	Mabscott Holiness Church	7:00pm
08/21	Tazewell, VA	Tazewell Family Worship Center	7:00pm
08/26	Fourmile, KY	Bell County Fair	7:00pm
08/27	Waynesville, OH	Der Dutchman Restaurant	6:00pm
09/03	Beckley, WV	Ewing Creek Community Church	7:00pm
09/04	Stuart, VA	Dominion Park	3:00pm
09/05	Stuart, VA	Dominion Park	10:00am
09/12	Hope, KY	Hope First Church of God	10:00am
09/16	Albemarle, NC	Full Gospel Mission Church	7:00pm
09/17	Cheraw, SC	Forest Pine Gospel Park	7:30pm
09/18	Union Grove, NC	Union Grove Christian Church	6:00pm
09/24	Marysville, OH	Living Waters Church of God	7:00pm
10/02	Rutledge, TN	Ritter Farm	11:00am
10/07	Hurricane, WV	Teays Valley Community Center	7:00pm
10/08	Shelbiana, KY	Blessed Hope Freewill Baptist Church	7:00pm
10/09	Candler, NC	Hominy Valley Singing	2:00pm
10/27	Moreland, KY	House of Prayer	7:00pm
10/29	Muncie, IN	Mt Olive Freewill Baptist Church	7:00pm
10/30	Scottsburg, IN	Solid Rock Community Church	6:00pm
11/26	London, KY	South Laurel High School	7:00pm