Musician, music writer Peter Cooper passes away at 52
Cooper suffered head injuries in a fall at his home over the weekend.
"We so appreciate the kind of words and prayers you have offered over the past few days," said Cooper's family via Facebook. "Please know that they have provided Peter and us with much comfort."
Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said, "An award-winning music journalist, author, Grammy-nominated producer, recording musician, songwriter, baseball fanatic and former senior lecturer in country music at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music, his talents were immense, but his heart was even bigger, and he touched the lives of those he encountered in immeasurable ways."
Kris Kristofferson said of Cooper, "Peter Cooper looks at the world with an artist's eye and a human heart and soul. His songs are the work of an original, creative imagination, alive with humor and heartbreak and irony and intelligence, with truth and beauty in the details. Deep stuff. And they get better every time you listen."
Cooper was a music writer for The Tennessean, moving there in 2000 from South Carolina. He moved over to the Hall of Fame in 2014. Cooper also enjoyed his own recording career. He cut three solo albums and three with Eric Brace.
Cooper and Brace produced "I Love: Tom T. Hall's Songs of Fox Hollow," a new version of Hall's 1974 children's album. It was nominated for the Grammy for Best Children's Album in 2012. Cooper's last released was "Profiles in Courage,' with Thomm Jutz and Brace, released in 2017.
A celebration of life will be held in early 2023.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Baker Cooper fund to support the education of Cooper's son (Blake Cooper, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 1712 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203) or the CMHoF to support its cultural organization's educational mission (22 Rep. John Lewis Way South, Nashville, TN 37203).
CD reviews for Peter Cooper
Between his solo albums and ones paired with Eric Brace, Peter Cooper has traded the writer-turned-musician tag and now stands on his considerable merit as a songwriter and performer - both of those strengths are fielded nimbly on this new release with a mental athleticism that continues to draw from his days as a music critic and interviewer.
Despite the cover photos and title, this is not a baseball-themed album along the lines of Chuck Brodsky. Opening Day is the exception, taking on the boys ...
It's a little intimidating to write a review of a Peter Cooper album. In addition to being a musician, Cooper is a highly respected music critic. He's written for Nashville's The Tennessean newspaper for years.
Luckily, Cooper's new album requires little criticism. As is implied by the title, Cooper is joined on this project by big time session player Lloyd Green on steel guitar. Green plays on all 12 tracks. And while his playing is often understated and serves to accent ...
It's boggling to think that this is Peter Cooper's debut. The writing is mature, the arrangements thoughtful and artistic. This is storytelling in song by the Nashville-based music journalist. His lyrics are often as brash as introspective. "Boy Genius," for example, features a witty and improbable verse - "We got dark sunglasses and push-up bras/Control-top pantyhose and probable cause." The songs are as likely to feature truths about living life as they are witty ...
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