NASHVILLE, TN. (Jeff Cook Enterprises/ www.JeffCookEnterprises.com) - There is wonderful news for music lovers all across America! A great new duo with a great band has been formed, and they're ready to spread their talents and showmanship from coast to coast.
This isn't an ordinary team of musicians who think they might be able to put together their sounds and hope people listening will have a good time - no, it's much, much bigger than that.
This is a group of all stars, headed by country music's legendary guitarist and Country Music Hall of Famer, Jeff Cook, of Alabama band and talented newcomer from North Carolina, Mitch Glenn.
And what would you name such a group? The answer is simple - Get ready to meet Cook & Glenn, featuring the All-Star Goodtime Band!
As Alabama's Farewell tour has ended, Jeff Cook is looking to the future with Mitch Glenn & the AGB, which will feature a variety of Country, Soul and Rock 'n' Roll music guaranteed to get your toes tapping and hands clapping. Entertainment isn't just about making great music, which Cook & Glenn, and AGB will certainly do. It's also about showmanship - that special talent for making audiences have a great time - and the All-Star Goodtime Band will do just that for your audience.
Let's look at the 'starting lineup' of Cook & Glenn , featuring the All-Star Goodtime Band.
Without a doubt, the Most Valuable Players of the AGB are Jeff Cook & Mitch Glenn. As lead guitarist and a founding member of Alabama, Cook's list of awards rivals that of any entertainer in music history. Jeff has collected two Grammys and over 150 industry awards - including the highest music has to offer. He was in on eight 'Entertainer of the Year' awards from the County Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, and Alabama was named 'Artists of the Decade' for the 1980s by the Academy of County Music, Guitarist of theYear and now one of the newest members of the Country Music Hall Of Fame.
And as if 'Artists of the Decade' isn't impressive enough, the (RIAA) Recording Industry Association of America named Jeff Cook and Alabama 'County Band of the Century' That's no surprise, since Alabama has racked up 42 No. 1 singles in their incredible, record-setting career. That's more No. 1 singles than any other group or solo performer in any field of music... even Elvis and the Beatles combined.
Cook has earned individual honors galore, as well. He was named 'Guitarist of the Year' by the Gibson Guitar Company, and was the only 'country' artist featured in Dick Clark's American Bandstand 50th Anniversary Show's All-Star Band. Perhaps you've heard of some of the other artists who made that team - Mick Fleetwood, Sheila E, Billy Preston, Chicago Horn Section, Johnny Rivers, Leif Garrett, the Pointer Sisters and Little Richard, to name a few.
Jeff Cook is a world-class guitarist, but his abilities don't stop there. Despite not reading music, Jeff's musical talents include playing the bass, fiddle, banjo, piano and other keyboards, as well as being an accomplished solo vocalist.
And he's not just a musician, not by any stretch. Jeff's devotion to bass fishing and his efforts to benefit children's charities through fishing tournaments in his home state have earned him the title of 'Alabama State Fishing Ambassador' from the last five Alabama governors. He is part owner of a company which has developed biodegradable plastic worm type baits, designs and builds custom guitars, enjoys skeet shooting and is a gourmet cook.
Introducing Mitch Glenn, a native of Marion, North Carolina, is a powerful entertaining force on the stage. Growing up in a musical family, Mitch Glenn learned and appreciated music from a very early age. Mitch's dad was a drummer in a high school Rock-n-Roll band and taught him how to play the drums when he was just four years old. Mitch acquired his singing skills from his mother, who often sang in church.
Through elementary school and up until high school, Mitch played in garage bands as both a drummer and vocalist. When he started high school, he stopped playing and concentrated on athletics so that he might further his higher education through athletic scholarships.
Concentrating on athletics paid off-Mitch was offered a baseball scholarship in 1993 to Montreat (NC) College, where he graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and a concentration in Marketing. He was part of the first conference championship in Montreat history.
While he was in college, Mitch's friends would hear him sing in the car or around campus and began urging him to go onstage in Karaoke bars. Singing up there-that first time, in front of all those people-rekindled Mitch's love for music.
After college, Mitch bought his first guitar, taught himself to play from an ALABAMA CD and hasn't looked back since. He cut his first "demo" album of three songs in 2003 and all three were played on 120 radio stations from coast to coast through the John Boy and Billy show and other stations. The single "I Salute You" was dedicated to America's service men and women, winning wide acclaim.
He has represented UniLever Foods at numerous NASCAR race events, played for beauty pageants and in 2004, he opened for Grammy award winner Tim McGraw at the Verizon Amphitheater in Concord, N.C. Mitch has also shared the stage with Trick Pony at Fan Fare in Nashville and with Mark Wills at a NASCAR race festival in Martinsville, VA. A clip of one of his shows has been aired on Country Music Television as part of the Country Music Festival.
Mitch is fired up about the forming of Cook & Glenn. Combining new adrenalin and vast experience, the Cook & Glenn duo is on the road to making some fantastic music.
But a great team has to have more than an MVP's, and the All-Star Goodtime Band's supportive cast is just as impressive.
J.D. Cooper, Larry Hanson, Jim Nelson, Randall Key, Randy Brown, Link Detten, Ronnie Farmer & Ken Harper are great talents in their own rights, and together they make a spectacular team of artists, performers and entertainers.
J. D. 'Big Stick' Cooper is veteran musician with a professional approach to drums. He plays like he means it, and he does. His talents are well known in the studio as well as on the road. His vocals, both lead and harmonies, are exceptional, also. When the AGB does their own sound, J.D. serves as the 'soundman' for the group. He really enjoys his music and all these things make him a perfect 'heartbeat' for the AGB.
Larry Hanson, gifted on the guitar, saxophone, keyboards and trumpet, already has an incredible list of artists with whom he has appeared on stage. In addition to over 18 years performing with Alabama, the other performers he has worked with reads like a 'who's who' of the music industry. He toured with The Righteous Brothers for six years, with Bill Medley for another five years, and has performed with such artists as Kenny Chesney, Jennifer Hanson, Mark Nesler, Gretchen Wilson, Mike Walker and Little Anthony.
Saxophonist Jim Nelson, a.k.a. 'The Alabama Wild Man,' has recorded on numerous Gold and Platinum albums and CD's by the group Alabama, as well as other major artists. That list includes Percy Sledge, The Drifters, The Platters, The Coasters, Boots Randolph and too many more to mention. Jim plays a custom red, white and blue L.A. Sax Artist Signature Series tenor sax he calls 'Lady Liberty,' as he's always been a proud American. Although trained in the classics, Jim's favorites are classic rock, pop, rock, country, soul, blues, bluegrass and gospel. He plays notes above the range of an ordinary saxophone, giving the AGB a sound that can't be beat!
Randall Key is one of the music industry's rarest individuals - a combination of musician, singer and entertainer. He's comfortable playing a smooth ride on the trumpet, driving a solid groove on a set of drums, playing the fiddle or crooning a ballad. His proficiency in over 14 instruments and knowledge of musical styles disregards limitations set by music purists. Key is a musician's musician, and possesses an intense passion for music. He is currently the conductor for the Hartselle High School band, and has directed bands at Cullman High School and taught jazz improvisation at Troy University and Wallace State Community College. He has performed with Alabama, Percy Sledge, Allman Brothers guitarist Dickie Betts, actor Danny Glover and Rockabilly sensation Big Sandy and the Fly Rite Boys.
R.K. "Randy" Brown heard the call of the road at the tender age of 16, and began his fulltime career as a professional entertainer in the summer of 1979 as a bass guitarist. In 1990, he was offered the position of bass player with R&B legend Curtis Mayfield, and was on stage with Mayfield that fateful day when heavy winds blew down the stage lighting and severely injured Mayfield, who eventually died of the injuries. He has performed on stage with such superstars as Clint Black, Charlie Pride, T. Graham Brown, Billy Dean, Hank Williams Jr., and the list goes on. He's opened for many other stars, including George Jones, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chessney, Clay Walker and Restless Heart.
Link Detten has been a professional entertainer for over 20 years as a lead guitarist, front man and vocalist. From a solo act to a twenty-piece band, he's toured from the Key West to Canada, with both musical and comedic experience. The Nashville native has played lead guitar for Dobey Gray on The Grand Ole Opry, wrote and worked with Tommy Riggs, Wayne Carson, David Malloy, Nelson Larkin, Snake Reynolds, Dwayne Hitchings and Larry Strickland, and has even done standup comedy at Zanie's of Nashville. He's a well-respected studio musician in The Music City, and brings a special sound and life to the AGB.
Ronnie Farmer will be on keyboards and vocals for the AGB. Coming from a religious background and musical family, his first influence was church music, with Southern Gospel music. He lists Merle Haggard, Ronnie Millsap, Charlie Rich, Keith Whitley and, of course, Alabama as being the major influences in country music. After performing with lots of country music legends, he's ready to hit the stage with Cook and Glenn along with the All-Star Goodtime Band.
Ken Harper, percussionist, is definitely an asset to the overall sound of the group. Ken's job is to support and augment the songs rhythmically as well as add "color" to the songs through percussive effects. Ken began his musical career on keyboards, gradually moving to Drum Set then into Percussion. Ken had the honor of playing drums as backup for Percy Sledge to open June Jam 6, along with Jim Nelson, AGB's saxophonist. Ken makes his home on one of Alabama's beautiful lakes.
What a great line-up, what a great team of players in the All-Star Goodtime Band! With Cook & Glenn leading the way , Jeff, with his world-class guitar playing Mitch with his incredible talent and a team of extraordinary musicians and entertainers. For more information: www.JeffCookEnterprises.com
