"Thank you music lovers!"




I just received word that Jack Cooke, the Norton Flash, died a few days ago. Hee died December 1, which is the same day that Carter Stanley died. Which is kind of spooky.

Tragic loss, he was truly one of the all time great old timers and they aren't minting any more of them. He was of course Ralph Stanley's bass player. He also played guitar with Bill Monroe for four years back in the golden era of the late 1950s, which people forget. jack had a great voice too, one of the best, just exactly the way a bluegrass voice should sound.

And always, hell or high water, when he played with Ralph he sang "sitting on top of the world." And always threw in the tagline above, which is among the greatest of things to say on stage.

I blogged a few years back about his very long awaited solo album, it is a great record with some fine older stuff on it too.

Jack had been the mayor of Norton, Virginia too. One of a kind! Gone but not forgotten!