| Bio |
THE LIFE AND TIMES
OF
SINGER
by Mark Cosenza
is one of those rare country artists who have managed to make money despite the lack of support of country radio. And quite frankly, Cooter is one of those artists who just never fit the mold as to what a country singer should look like, with his significantly plump figure and wild hair. But he was able to tap into a market that at the time was a relatively open one - the line dance market.
Cooter first got his start following the divorce of his fourth wife after finding her in bed with a vacuum cleaner salesman. And while the whole marriage experience had made him bitter, he decided to channel his bitter energies by hitting the road on an endless tour of seedy clubs and chicken shacks where he joked about his experiences while singing to enthusiastic and sometimes unenthusiastic crowds across the U.S. It was after he found the country line dancers doing dances to his self-penned tunes that he discovered a great way to make money with his music. So he commissioned several well-known choreographers to create dances to his uptempo tunes, and the rest has been history.
clowns around and performs at a recent dance convention in Canada.
That was until the country music line dance scene started to falter, and Cooter's music sales took a tumble. He first attempted a whole string of disco and hip-hop tunes to try and continue his gravy train of success, but, unfortunately, the public didn't buy it, and he only managed to anger his hard-core country base. His next album returned to country, and it was then that he began to publicly speak out against the whole pop revolution through monthly newsletters and an editorial that was featured in a popular Asian magazine dedicated to line dancing, called En Yo Face.
I was fortunate to catch up with Cooter on a recent stop at a local Chicago area K.F.C.
CountryEdge: So, Cooter, what's new and exciting?
Cooter: I didn't know they deep-fried the biscuits here - this is really tasty.
CountryEdge: Anything else?
Cooter: I am so pleased to announce that I just took home a prestigious "Leather Boot" award from my fans in Sweden for Best International Line Dance Artist. They like me! They really like me! The dancers know that I care about them and their needs. You know, I really don't do any of this for the money - I mean, I'd be just as happy if I had jobs like sweeping floors or pumping gas - jobs are everywhere, but you just don't find people like those that dance to Cooter's music. The dancers are my life, and I live each and every day for them!
CountryEdge: Just how do you show them you care?
Cooter: Well, I recently wrote a series of line dance-related En Yo Face editorials telling them that their needs are my top priority.
CountryEdge: Oh, so you're not only a singer and writer, you're also a line dancer?
Cooter: Heck, no. This body wasn't made for line dancing - I just provide for all of their musical needs.
CountryEdge: What are some of your thoughts regarding their musical needs.
CountryEdge: Well, one of my En Yo Face articles talked about how we need to get back to dancing only to country music. All of the "Cooter" choreographers are now only going to be coming out with country music dances, and believe me, they will - I've got lots of stories up my sleeve about them that I can come up with that will keep them in their place - ha, ha, ha.
CountryEdge: Do you think that the pop line dance revolution might have something to do with your recent downtrend in music sales?
Cooter: No. That's due to everyone downloading my music from Napster and selling it out on the black market. They tell you that it's perfectly legal - in fact, one of them black marketers came over the other day and tried to tell me that they're not hurting anyone. I turned him over to some overzealous "Cooter" fans, who proceeded to burn the guy at the stake - just like the days of them Salem witch trials. Too bad later I found out I had my facts all wrong and he really was just an Encyclopedia salesman. But he could have been a black marketer. And I know they are out there - they are everywhere! I currently have my secret network of "Cooters" out there - we're talking real Cooter fans - giving me tips on those selling my music on the black market. I then am publishing the names of all of the offenders they feed to me in my monthly Cooter newsletter - letting everyone know that these scoundrels are responsible for my lost music sales, and they don't care about anyone - especially me - . And just between you and me, I'm not positive about the accuracy of these allegations, but this will scare the rest of them counterfeiters from ever touching my music. I just care about the dancers and their needs, and they deserve a genuine CD.
CountryEdge: How fascinating. So what's in store for the future?
Cooter: Well my big hit dance single Frerra Jacka is now finally being released for radio - I never understood why them folks didn't take to it in France - those snobs. My French is just so muoy bien. I'm also starting my own Cooter fan club, where, for just $20 per month, the dancers can get the latest news and gossip regarding all of my fantastic adventures - complete with color pictures. It will be like they are living a part of my life with me. The dancers tell me that their dream is that I get my own Cooter television series - so they can watch me every week. I can be such a hoot. The dancers will love it. "Look at me, Look at me, I'm ..." The dancers also think it's a good idea to start up a chain of fried catfish joints - "Cooter's Killer Catfish" - I could dedicate my first one to that encyclopedia salesman that was killed - ha! ... anyway, that's just something else I'm thinking about. I really love all of the dancers - they are just so great, and I know each and everyone of them can't wait to hear about what I'll be up to next!
CountryEdge: Sounds like you really thought this through Cooter. Anything else?
Cooter: My newest CD, "Counterfeit Blues" is about to be released and I've written all of the music myself. My first single, "Burn Bootlegger Burn" is being released next month.
Exclusive footage from Cooter's upcoming video for the single, "Burn Bootlegger Burn".
CountryEdge: I'm sure we'll all look forward to your next release.
Cooter: Thanks, I expect everyone can't wait! Now if you'll excuse me, this extra crispy is getting extra cold.