Gerry Cooper

Born and raised in the great city of Newcastle upon Tyne but long resident in West Yorkshire, Gerry Cooper plays acoustic blues, ragtime tunes, and other good hand-made music. He is primarily a solo artist but is happy to work with other like-minded musicians. Since returning to the acoustic music scene in 2003 after a long absence due to health issues, Gerry has worked with and supported a wide variety of musicians, including Steve Phillips, Brendan Croker, Roger Sutcliffe, Steve Tilston, Allan Taylor, the late Maggie Boyle, Harvey Andrews, Wizz Jones, Lucy Zirins, Tom Attah and Dave Kelly. He has also studied blues guitar with Stefan Grossman, the late Woody Mann and Michael Messer, and is proud to call these artists his friends. Although skilled on a variety of instruments including mandolin, 5-string banjo, bouzouki and bass, in public Gerry usually sticks to guitar and harmonica. He plays a Martin 000-28, a Paul Brett Signature Model 12-string, and two Michael Messer resonators, the brass-bodied Lightning and the wooden Blues 28. Gerry has several CDs of his music available: Big Road Blues (2004), My Train Is Waiting (2006), Live at Keighley Blues Club (2010), and Follow The River (2012). The title track of the latter album, recorded in Phil Snell's Limbo Studios, was nominated in the Songwriter category of the British Blues Awards in 2013. Gerry's latest CD is an all-acoustic collection of old, classic blues entitled On My Way Down Home (2018). Work on another album, provisionally entitled New Wine in Old Bottles, was curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic and Gerry's subsequent (but unrelated) health problems. Gerry has played gigs all over the UK (and a few in Europe) though mostly in the North, and welcomes enquiries from clubs and festivals. Fees are always negotiable. Gerry also has his own PA, suitable for rooms up to 'village hall' size.

Bradford, UK