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Photo Memories of Coy Cook
The Ole Mayor of Flee Hop, Alabama
Coy Cook was one of the most popular first tenor singers in the history of Southern Gospel Music, and he really was from Flee Hop, Alabama.
Coy came to the Florida Boys in the late fifties. I came to work fulltime with the Florida Boys in 1960. Coy and I were already good friends before I starting working with him. Coy and his wife Janelle had two sons, Bill and Bruce, and a daughter, Shirley. Son, Bill played guitar with the Senators Quartet and then pursued a career as a musician in the secular world. I understand he has been very successful.
Coy really hit his stride when The Gospel Singing Jubilee came about. One of my jobs in the Florida Boys office was to open the mail. During the early Jubilee days, the mail came in, and it filled the US Postal bags. We were selling Jubilee Songs Books on the show, so I had to open each envelope and read everything that came in. When a Jubilee fan would write about someone in those days, it was usually Coy Cook.
Coy not only sang with his voice, he also sang with his hands. He had a habit of putting his hands together, his two thumbs touching and the next two fingers touching each other making what thousands of fans called Coy's heart. This also brought tons of mail.
During his many years with the Florida Boys, Coy recorded several hit song; however, "Just One Rose" became his signature song. The Florida Boys could not do a live performance without Coy singing "Just One Rose."
The pride of Flee Hop, Alabama - Mayor Coy Cook
I took this photo in '56 or '57 after Derrell and Coy came with the Florida Boys. It's not a very good photo, but you can see how skinny everyone was. L/R: JG Whitfield, Glen Allred, Les Beasley, Coy Cook and Derrrell Stewart
The Florida Boys on their old SilverSide Bus. Pictured L/R: Les Beasley , Billy Todd, Coy Cook, from the back side L/R Derrell Stewart with hair, and Glen Allred.
The Florida Boys in front of the SilverSide. L/R: Les Beasley, Glen Allred, Coy Cook, Billy Todd and Derrell Stewart. Date Late 50"s early 60"s.
Florida Boys all decked out in Tux's in the late 50's or 60's. L/R: Les Beasley, Coy Cook, Glen Allred, Billy Todd
This photo of Coy and me was taken in New York in 1963. We were there for our Carnige Hall program. Pictured L/R: Jerry Kirksey, Coy Cook, and George Forbus, tenor singer for the Dixie Echoes.
After leaving the Florida Boys Quartet, Coy joined the Dixie Echoes. This photo was taken, I think, in the late 60's or maybe early 70's. Pictured L/R: Coy Cook, Dale Shelnut, Joe Whitfield and J G Whitfield.
This photo was taken on the set of The Gospel Song Shop, the TV program that was the forerunner of The Gospel Singing Jubilee. This photo was taken in about 1961. Pictured: L/R J G Whitfield (then owner of the Florida Boys) and host of the TV program. Derrell Stewart at the piano, Billy, Todd, Glen Allred, Les Beasley and Coy Cook.
I think this was the only official group photo of the Senators Quartet. At this time in our history, J G Whitfield owned the Florida Boys, The Dixie Echoes and the Senators Quartets. Pictured L/R top row, Calvin Runion, Bass, Mack Evans, Lead, Dave Roland, Baritone. (After he left the Dixie Echoes, Dave Roland went into country music and became very successful with his group Dave & Sugar.) Next to Dave is Bill Cook, Coy's son. I apologize, but I do not remember the names of the two young men stting on the front row on either side of Coy, but that's Coy Cook in the middle of the bottom row.
Coy Cook and J G Whitfield going over the program before the concert.
As I told you earlier, Coy sang with his hands. Pictured L/R: Coy Cook and Mack Evans during a recording session.
Hand singing again. L/R: Coy Cook, Mack Evans, Dave Roland, Calvin Runion.
I'm sorry Nick, but the devil made me do it. Nich Bruno was the pianist for The Senators Quatet - which has nothing to do with this awful photo.
Hal Kennedy, a local Pensacola Florida country music DJ, joined the Dixie Echoes in the 60's and became a major hit. His recording of "Walking My Lord Up Calvarys Hill" sold tons of records. The group became know as "The Dixie Echoes with Hal Kennedy" for many years. This photo was taken at a political event for then Alabama Governor George Wallace. The Dixie Echoes and Hal Kennedy made numerous appearances with Governor Wallace during several gubernatorial campaigns. Pictured L/R: Hal Kennedy, Coy Cook, J G Whitfield, Governor Wallace, Dale Shelnut is standing right behind the governor, Billy Todd, Sue Whitfield and Joe Whitfield.
Our last photo is of the Senators with (L/R) Dave Roland, Coy Cook, Calvn Runion and Nick Bruno.
After leaving The Senators Quartet, Coy retired from singing. He lived the rest of his years in the Nashville area. He used his bus driving skills in his latter years driving buses for the Hemphill Brothers of Nashville.
Coy Cook died May 17, 1996, at the age of 71. He had suffered from a long bout with diabetes and congestive heart failure. Coy was buried in the Providence Baptist Church Cemetery in Tallassee, AL, near his beloved Flee Hop, Alabama.
JG Whitfield said, " Without a doubt, Coy Cook was the most famous and loved tenor singer the Florida Boys has ever had. Coy loved people and people loved him. He was a communicator and one of Southern Gospel Music's greats."
Copyright 2005 Jerry Kirksey
Posted by Jerry Kirksey at 12:00 AM - Send Comments -   Email This Post
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