Eddie Cooley facts for kids

Edward James Cooley (born April 15, 1933 – died April 15, 2020) was an American R&B singer and songwriter. He is famous for helping to write the well-known song "Fever." Many famous artists have recorded "Fever" over the years. Eddie Cooley also had a popular song called "Priscilla" in 1956. He performed this song with a group called Eddie Cooley and the Dimples.

The Life of Eddie Cooley

Eddie Cooley was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Later, he moved to New York City. There, he became good friends with another singer and songwriter named Otis Blackwell.

Writing the Hit Song "Fever"

Around 1955, Eddie Cooley had an idea for a song. He called it "Fever." He told Otis Blackwell about his idea. Eddie asked Otis to help him finish writing the song.

Otis Blackwell helped complete "Fever." In 1956, a singer named Little Willie John recorded it. "Fever" quickly became a number one hit on the R&B music charts. Many other famous singers later recorded the song. These included Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Madonna, and Beyoncé.

"Priscilla" and Other Songs

Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell kept working together. They wrote songs for other musicians. In 1956, Eddie wrote a song called "Priscilla." He wanted another singer, Boyd Bennett, to record it, but Bennett said no.

A test recording, called a demo, of "Priscilla" was heard by a record producer. This producer helped Eddie Cooley record the song himself. He recorded it with three girl singers called The Dimples. The Dimples were Beverly Coates, Carolyn Coates, and Barbara Sanders.

The song "Priscilla" was unique because it mixed R&B with a rockabilly style. A popular DJ named Alan Freed helped promote the song. "Priscilla" became very popular on the East Coast of the United States. It then reached number 20 on the Billboard pop chart in November 1956. Even though Eddie Cooley was mostly a songwriter, he toured to promote "Priscilla."

Later Music Career

Eddie Cooley and The Dimples recorded more songs. However, none of them became as popular as "Priscilla." Eddie then went back to writing songs for other artists. His songs were recorded by singers like Tiny Topsy and Conway Twitty.

In the early 1960s, Eddie Cooley performed his song "Fever" on an album. The album was called We Wrote 'Em, We Sing 'Em. It was released by MGM in 1961.

Eddie Cooley passed away on April 15, 2020, which was his 87th birthday. He died in Meridian, Mississippi.