Joe Cocker collected an OBE, an Order of the British Empire, during an official ceremony Thursday at Buckingham Palace in London.
The veteran singer was confirmed for the accolade in mid-June when the Queen’s Birthday Honours List was published.
The former hell-raiser, who earned the award in recognition of his “services to music,” says he was moved by the royal gesture.
“I must confess, I almost shed a tear upon hearing I was to be awarded an OBE for my contribution to music,” he said in a statement. “Growing up in the north of post-war England, singing in pubs, such an honour seemed inconceivable. My elder brother Vic received a CBE for services to the water industry a few years back in 2000, and I’m told that having two medals in one family is quite a rarity”.
An award from England’s Queen seems a far cry from Cocker’s wild days. In 1972, Cocker and members of his entourage were arrested for possession of an illegal drug while on a tour of Australia. Cocker, controversially, was forced to leave the country as a result.
The rock ‘n’ rock performer will be the recipient of another award Saturday night in his hometown, when he is inducted into Sheffield’s Hall of Fame, ahead of playing his first show in 13 years at the Sheffield Arena.
Cocker rounds-out his European Arena tour Sunday with a performance at London’s O2 Arena.
The artist’s most recent album “Hymn For My Soul” (Parlophone), entered the Official U.K. Albums Chart at No. 9 in March, and stayed in the Top 40 for five weeks.
