Kate Cook (singer)

Kathryn Dee-Anne Cook (1983 – 3 March 2019) was an Australian country singer and Australian Idol (2009) finalist. She had solo chart success with "Give the Girl a Spanner" and "Hit the Highway" from her debut extended play, Come a Long Way (July 2013). She died on 3 March 2019, aged 36.

Kate Cook
Birth nameKathryn Dee-Anne Cook
Born1983
Pine Mountain, Queensland, Australia
Died3 March 2019
Lowood, Queensland, Australia
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2009–2019
Websitefacebook.com/pg/katecookmusic/

Biography

Kathryn Dee-Anne Cook was born in 1983 in Pine Mountain, Queensland.[1][2][3] She grew up with her father, Dave Cook, who was a diesel engineer, her mother, Jenny, and four siblings on a farm in Pine Mountain before moving to Lowood.[4][5] Jenny Cook committed suicide shortly before her daughter's birthday.[4] Cook resided in Toowoomba and Rockhampton before returning to Lowood.[2][3]

Australian Idol

Cook auditioned for Australian Idol on the Mothers Day weekend in 2009 to perform, "Make You Stay", dedicated to her mother, Jenny. By August of that year Cook was in the Top 24.[6] The new-found fame by being on Australian idol put pressure on her domestic relationship, causing it to end.[4] Cook made the final six of Australian Idol in October.[5] She later reflected, "Once you're out of the Australian Idol spotlight, you soon lose the support network of people who helped you during the show... But I'm extremely humbled by what Idol did for me and overwhelmed with how the country music industry has opened its arms to me."[5]

Later music career

In May 2011 Cook performed her new single, "Survive", at the Lockyer Valley flood appeal.[7] She toured Australia, appearing at various pubs, clubs and bars, showcasing her own style of country music. She played the Tamworth Music festival and the Gympie Muster. Also she supported Troy Cassar-Daley and Beccy Cole. In July 2013, after two years of appearing at various venues, she decided to take a break. She headed to Rockhampton to join her younger sister Sam and work as a trades assistant, working on hydraulic machinery for CAT trucks and vehicles. It was there while working with other women in the job she got the inspiration for a new song. It was "Give the Girl a Spanner".[5] Her debut extended play, Come a Long Way, was released in July 2013. Also that year she was a nominee at the Tamworth Songwriters Competition,[8] and a finalist in the Music Oz Australian Independent Music Awards.[9]

By October 2013, a song from her EP was getting significant airplay in Australia. The song was "Give the Girl a Spanner". It was about women finding strength in jobs that men usually did. The inspiration for the song was drawn from hard working women across the world.[10] It was written by Cook and Allan Caswell.[11] The song got as far as #3 in the Australian Tracks Top 30.[12] She won an Australian Independent Music Award for the song.[13] It also did well at the Music Oz Awards as the 2013 country single of the year.[14]

In 2014, Cook had Country Songs Top 40 chart success with another song from the EP. "Hit the Highway" had made its way into the Australian country music chart.[15] In April the song had moved up from #23 to #20.[16] It peaked at #5 in May.[17][15]

Death

After going missing on 3 March 2019, Cook was found dead in bushland close to her Lowood, Queensland home. The cause of death was not believed to be suspicious.[18][19][20] She was 36 years old at the time of her death.[21]

Discography
Come a Long Way (EP) 2013
No. Track Time Notes
1 "Give the Girl a Spanner" 3:21
2 "Hit the Highway" 4:04
3 "Survive" 4:53
4 "Come a Long Way" 3:32
5 "Free" 3:50 [22]

References
  1. "'Hit the Highway' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 22 January 2020. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  2. "Kate Cook Obituary". The Advertiser. 9 March 2019.
  3. "The Ryerson Index". Ryerson Index Inc. Retrieved 22 January 2019.. Note: User must add 'Cook' into the Surname search parameter and 'Kate' into the Any Given Name(s) parameter.
  4. Shearer, Geoff (9 October 2009). "Australian Idol Kate dumps long-term girlfriend". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  5. Owen, Chris. "Music refuses to let Kate go". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  6. Lismore Echo, 23rd Aug 2009 - "Kate Cook makes Idol Top 24"
  7. Country Music Bulletin, May 2011 - NEWS ARCHIVE ... MAY 2011, Launch of Lockyer Valley flood appeal calendar
  8. The Chronicle, 26 September 2013 - Kate Cook set to light up at Somerset Festival By COWEN
  9. The Chronicle, 19 October 2013 - Heartfelt collection of songs earns Cook further recognition by COWEN
  10. Daily Mercury, 19 October 2013 - Heartfelt collection of songs earns Cook further recognition by COWEN
  11. Melbourne Observer, 2 October 2013 - Page 108 Observer Showbiz, New EP for Kate
  12. Amrap's AirIt - Page 594 Kate Cook - Hit the Highway Country 2 July 2014
  13. The Queensland Times, 23 January 2014 - MUSIC, Kate takes her 'spanner' to fine tune music career by Geoff Egan
  14. Melbourne Observer, 13 November 2013 - Page 104 Observer Showbiz, Music Oz Award to Kate - Rob Foenander
  15. Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart, 28 June 2014 - HIT THE HIGHWAY - Kate Cook
  16. Country Music Bulletin, NEWS ARCHIVE – APRIL 2014 - 29 APRIL 2014, Chart Update – Roo takes over the top spot
  17. Country Songs Top 40, 10 May 2014 - HIT THE HIGHWAY - Kate Cook
  18. Australian Idol star Kate Cook has died after being involved in a police search, who.com.au; accessed 15 May 2019.
  19. Former Australian Idol Star Kate Cook, 36, Found Dead a Day After Being Reported Missing, People.com, 4 March 2019.
  20. Kate Cook dead: Australian Idol star dies at 36 after wandering into bushland, Mirror.co.uk; accessed 15 March 2019.
  21. Rota, Genevieve (4 March 2019). "Australian Idol contestant Kate Cook dead at 36". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  22. Spotify - Come a Long Way By Kate Cook, spotify.com; accessed 15 March 2019.
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