David is celebrating his 35th year in the music industry. He has been singing since the age of five. Known mainly as the baby of The Cook Family Singers, David has had a wonderful career outside as a solo artist since the families retirement in 1980.
Testimony
In his early life while performing with his family, David suffered at the hands of a father with a severe drinking problem. His father would become very violent with David's mother and all of the children after becoming intoxicated. After many years of this abuse David developed many psychological problems that ended up following him through to his life as an adult. He developed a severe Dissociative Identity Disorder coupled with psychogenic amnesia. David recalls having periods of "missing time" but never really understood why it was happening. In 1990 the disorders finally came full front when David experienced what they thought was a full blown stroke while in Ft Lauderdale. He was rushed to Coral Springs Medical Hospital where doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with him. David checked himself out of the hospital and disappeared from his Florida home and was found five months later in a Charlotte, NC hospital with similar health complaints. David had been around Charlotte for five months and no one realized that there was anything wrong with him until he started developing stroke symptoms again. Doctors finally realized that his problems were not organic and sent him to see specialists. He had no recollection of leaving Florida, nor what he had done during his five months in Charlotte. When asked, he stated that, "It was like someone switching off a light and then switching it back on." David's story has been told on many occasions and through various media and television shows.
Music
His first solo Christian album, Come Follow Me, was released in 1985. The album was written and produced for him by famed producer/singer, Frank X. Loconto, former member of the popular 50's group, the Lane Brothers . The following year, he signed with the American Musical Academy of Arts Association (AMAAA) and recorded a follow up album entitled Personal Feelings.
In 1997, Mountainview Records released his In the Middle of it All album, which went on to earn David a Gospel Music Association Dove Award nomination for Christian Country Album of the Year in 1999.
After a fallout with Mountainview records in 1999, he started his own record label called DLC Records. It was during that transitional period that he created a comedy character, named Mortermer Crabbottom, in the tradition of comedic country alter egos like Jim Nabors' eccentric Gomer Pyle persona. He even recorded an album in character, Split Personality, based on the life and times of Mortermer Crabbottom growing up in the fictitious town of Crabbottom USA.
That same year the CGMA (Country Gospel Music Association) inducted David into its Hall of Fame, along with Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Andy Griffith, Jody Miller and Lulu Roman. To date, he is the youngest person to ever be inducted.
The CGMA has over the years decorated David with many prestigious awards such as the 2005 Christian Comedian of the Year, 2006 "Media Personality of the Year", "Comedian of the Year" and "Christian Country Entertainer of the Year."
His most recent release is 2006's Have You Ever. On September 9, 2006, the song "Why Can't I go Back" from that same album charted at number one on the Country Gospel Connection charts.
In July 2006, the ICGMA announced the 2006 International Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductees. They were David L. Cook, Mike Manuel, Gayla Earlene, Doug DeRamus and Marijohn Wilkin.
In August of 2007 David joined in partnership with the Firebird Arts Alliance. He was asked by the president of Firebirds to write and produce a theme song for the television series entitled, "New South Crossings."
The theme song was written by David and his writing partner Zach Roberts. The song is entitled, "Meet Me at the Crossroads." The series is based on artist from various genres coming together and combining their talents.
David actually appears in the episode entitled, "Master Class." In this episode you will see David working with younger artists such as the Whippersnappers and Caroline Keller. David will shows them the in's and out's of how to work together musically and during the episode they perform the actual theme song for the series.
Awards from 1997 forward
Year Award Organization
1997 Induction into the World Christian Music Hall of Fame (WCMA International)
1999-2000 Induction into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame (CGMA)
2005 Christian Comedian of the Year (CGMA)
2006 Best Children's Television Show (Crabbottom USA) (Telly Awards)
2006 Best Writing in a Children's Television Show (Crabbottom USA) (Telly Awards)
2006 Induction into the International Country Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame (ICGMA)
2006 Media Personailty of the Year (CGMA)
2006 Male Entertainer of the Year (CGMA)
2007 Male Entertainer of the Year (CGMA)
2007 Christian Songwriter of the Year (CGMA)
2007 Christian Comedian of the Year (CGMA)
2007 Media Personality of the Year (CGMA)
2007 Favorite Christian Artist (CGMA)
2007 Producer of the Year (CGMA)
2007 Comedian of the Year (ICGMA)
Whats up! Just wanted to let you know I have FREE VIP tickets to our upcoming networking party on the OrlandoBands.com site for our Networking Party on Saturday Sept. 26th. Here are some details:
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-Open mic event-Band and Industry professional interviews- $1 Raffles (click below to see all the prizes!) Come and hang your banner! Free vendor space
-This event will be streamed online LIVE and seen throughout the world! Thanks to Right Step Media for their donation of a multiple camera video shoot!
