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Ian Cooke ; born February 26, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Adelaide, Australia. He is best known as the leader and singer of a 4-piece folk/rock/indie band from Denver, Colorado. Other members of the group include Ian O'Dougherty (Vocals/Guitar/piano), Whit Sibley (Vocals/Bass), and Sean Merrell (drums). In 2012 Cooke also played with Paper Bird for their ballet 'Carry On'.

History
Cooke was born in Adelaide, Australia and grew up in rural Colorado, learning to play the piano at age 5 and cello at age eleven. At eighteen, Cooke relocated to Denver to join Uphollow. Uphollow released Ten Fingers in 2001 and Jackets For The Trip in 2004. Cooke then released The Fall I Fell on Vasoon Records in April 2007, and then on DVD on Popshop in July 2009.

In 2007, Reverb.com said Cooke's music made you feel invigorated and alive Denver Post said "Cooke's 2007 opus "The Fall I Fell" remains one of the most memorable Denver releases of the last decade"

While touring over the next several years, Cooke composed and recorded the music for his second album, Fortitude, an album using elements from progressive-rock and electronic music.

Cooke has contributed to the music of Paper Bird, Eric Bachmann, Crooked Fingers, The Gamits, Uphollow, Bela Karoli, and Andy Thomas.

He has contributed covers of Joanna Newsom ("Monkey & Bear" and "Colleen" alongside Billy Bragg, M. Ward, and Ben Sollee), Natalie Cole ("This Will Be An Everlasting Love") and Jackie DeShannon ("Put A Little Love In Your Heart") to various projects.

Critically acclaimed, he has been given several nods from Westword Magazine: Best Album, Best Singer-Songwriter, Best Avant-Garde Act. In addition he has been on year end lists for Denver Post, CBS, Reverb.com, and has performed at SXSW and Daytrotter.

In October of 2013 he released an illustrated book, CD, DVD and animated short film of the song Cassowary & Fruit Bat.

In 2014, he will collaborate with 303 Choir, a kids choir, in January and with Wonderbound, a ballet group, in April. He plans to release his next album in Summer 2014.

Recognition
In 2008,SPIN Magazine saw Cooke as as kindred spirit to Sufjan Stevens and Joanna Newsom.

Denver Post named him #1 in their music poll for 2009.

CBS called Cooke a musician's musician and named him one of their top acts of 2010, alongside Slim Cessna's Auto Club and others.

Denver Post writer Ric Baca named him #3 Colorado artists for 2012, behind The Lumineers.

Cooke has also shared the stage with artists such as Dresden Dolls, Flaming Lips, Decemberists, Rasputina, Blonde Redhead, Nathaniel Rateliff, Paper Bird, The Lumineers, The Head & The Heart and Wovenhand, among others

Studio albums
[Album Info: http://iancooke.bandcamp.com]
 * Cassowary & Fruit Bat (October 10, 2013) Popshop-US
 * Fortitude (March 2011) Popshop-US
 * The Fall I Fell DVD (May 2010) Popshop-US
 * The Fall I Fell (April 2007) Vasoon-US