Edward Eugene Coker (born December 1, 1960, in Midland, Texas) is a children's singer/songwriter from Dallas, Texas, now living in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Coker grew up in Highland Park, Texas, attended Highland Park High School, and earned a degree in music from Southern Methodist University. Originally an opera singer, Coker has been writing, recording, and performing children's music since 1987. Coker's songs draw on a wide range of rock and popular influences ranging from The B-52's and Queen to classical music. His songs and performances also feature fanciful and quirky characters such as Fred, a "purple red-truck-driving duck", and Regina, a musician-turned-construction-worker octopus.
Coker has composed music for Barney & Friends, Chuck E. Cheese's, and Borders Books, and was the host of the Saturday-morning show "The Weird, Wild World of Eddie Coker" on Radio Disney. He typically performs over 200 concerts a year; fellow Texas musician Sara Hickman described him as "the James Brown of children's music... The hardest-working man in kids' show business."
Eddie Coker | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 1, 1960 |
| Occupation | musician |
| Years active | 1987-present |
Discography
- The Happy One (1992)
- Say Hello (1994)
- Welcome to the Island (1995)
- What's Cooking? (1996)
- Schnorgel & Berg (1998)
- E.C. on CD (compilation) (1998)
- Wow! (compilation) (1998)
- Hmmm.... (compilation) (1998)
- Save Our Planet (compilation) (2000)
- Seven Songs (compilation) (2002)
- Wezmore (2014)
Videos
- Sock Lobster
- Take A Walk on the Child Side
- The Bright Side of the Moon
- Kids for Character-Himself
- Choices Count-Himself
- Eddie Coker Rocks Your World
References
- Ann Pinson, "Eddie Coker", Dallas Morning News, June 3, 2005, p. 36.
- Cindy Boykin, "Eddie Coker", Plano Profile, Sept. 2003.
- Nancy Churnin, "Boy band seeks boy fans using hero approach", Dallas Morning News, August 28, 2000, p. 1C.
- Jodi Duckett, "Opera funnyman finds children don't snore during the show", Allentown Morning Call, March 17, 2000, p. D1.
- Ryan Sanders, "Grand Prairie church kids around", Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sept. 13, 1998, p. 17.
- Holly Williams, "Eddie Coker: Singer is rockin' the world of children's music", Dallas Morning News, Dec. 29, 1996, p. 1E.