James Curly Cooke -- whose middle name is sometimes spelled "Curley" and who is also often referred to as
Curly Cooke -- is a great guitar player who's never quite gotten his due, despite very well-known professional collaborations with
Steve Miller,
Jerry Garcia,
Boz Scaggs, and
Ben Sidran.
Cooke was part of the original
Steve Miller Band, and was in the lineup that backed
Chuck Berry at the Fillmore West and played at the Monterey Pop Festival. He was later replaced in
Miller's group by the leader's boyhood friend
Boz Scaggs, and subsequently played with
Scaggs as well as returning to work with
Miller on
Fly Like an Eagle and other 1970s projects. He also appeared with
Mother Earth on
Make a Joyful Noise (1969), and worked with
Garcia and
Howard Wales on the
Hooteroll? album in 1971. During the 1970s, he was most visible on albums by
Scaggs and
Sidran. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide