Australian Soul music journeyman Doug Parkinson feels a kinship with English rocker Joe Cocker, and he wants to share the love of his music with Dubbo.
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Parkinson will bring a full eight-piece band to help him interpret Cocker's catalogue on Saturday, June 22 at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre.
Cocker is most famous for what he did with other people's songs Hitchcock Railway, Delta Lady, You Can Leave Your Hat On, She Came in through the Bathroom Window, The Letter, You Are So Beautiful, Up Where We Belong and Cry Me A River.
Cocker's interpretation of the Beatles' With a Little Help From My Friends was often celebrated as being better than the original.
Parkinson knows a thing or two about interpreting others songs and making them unique.
His version of the Beatles' Dear Prudence has long been lauded as spectacularly original; many punters also class it as better than the original version.
"That is absolutely the reason I put this Cocker show together," Parkinson said.
"I have a few things in common with Joe, we both are not songwriters, we interpret other people's songs, and as I do, Joe tried to make them original.
"Another thing we have in common is we were both born steel towns, Joe was from Sheffield, and I am from Newcastle NSW and as young men we both did a few stupid things!"
But Dubbo music fans will not only get to hear Parkinson sing Cocker's hits, but they'll also get to hear a swag of his music.
"I split the show into two halves," he said.
"The first half are songs that I have recorded, and people will know, plus a few I like and would like to record, the second half will feature the Joe Cocker tunes."
Parkinson believes bringing shows like this to rural and regional areas like Dubbo is important.
"It is essential to bring shows like this to places like Dubbo, I have only been to Dubbo once, and I know the bush always seems to miss out on full-production shows like this," he said.
"I know with the drought you guys are doing it a bit tough so bringing shows like this to town and playing that beautiful regional theatre is a pleasure for me.
"It's all about the music; it's two shows in one really, my stuff and Joe's stuff, we want to put on a great show that people in Dubbo will remember."
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Craig Thomson
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
