Biography
Aly Cook is a New Zealand based Multi award-winning recording artist with a deep passion for all things musical. She is a consummate songwriter and performer, who has taken her music to the world, delighting audiences wherever she roams and carving a career as a respected live performer. With a power house vocal and a maturity to bring out the best in her voice Aly's style site across Country Blues and Roots.
She has used her vast entrepreneurial experience to crowd fund all of her recordings to date and also dedicated much of her life to furthering the careers of other independent artists as free lance publicist. She has twice been a finalist for NEXT New Zealand Woman of the Year in 2011 & 2016 for her contribution to the Arts.
Although based in New Zealand Aly has had one foot either side of the Tasman for many years, touring the length and breadth of Australia as she has in her homeland.
Aly Cook's latest album is 'Caught in the Middle' released in September 2020. The first single 'Red Dirt Road Trip' has had #1 placement on both the Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart & the Tasmanian independent Country Airplay Chart, with 2nd single 'Not Pretty Enough (written by Kasey Chambers) reaching top 10 as did the 3rd single 'Cold Wind' a beautiful haunting track which closes the album. 'Caught in the Middle' Album appeared on the ARIA country album charts and the official NZ Top 40 album Chart.
While touring the East Kimberley region, her passion for ancient lands led her to write 'Kimberley' which was used in a TV promotion for the region and many songs of the country and its people have fallen from her pen. ‘Kimberley’ was a single from her sophomore album 'Horseshoe Rodeo Hotel' and was produced in New Zealand by Alan Jansson. The album entered the Top 40 Official New Zealand album charts and also enjoyed 6 number one hits on Australian independent airplay based charts.
Over the past 3 years while Aly has been touring Australia, she established a writing partnership with producer and former Angels member Graham ‘Buzz’ Bidstrup and his wife Kay Bidstrup, who were both founding members of iconic 80’s band GANGgajang. The songs from these sessions are the basis of Aly’s new album ‘Caught in the Middle’, a captivating mix of Country, Blues, Roots and Atmosphere that includes a co-write with renowned Golden guitar winner Allan Caswell and three covers initially recorded for the Asquith Sessions no.3 were included as a special treat on the CD release.
'Caught in the Middle' was recorded in Australia at Asquith Studios in Sydney by Buzz and David Nicholas, a multi ARIA award winning producer / engineer whose resume lists credits on hit Australian and International albums including INXS, Jimmy Barnes and Sir Elton John. The musicians on the record include members of ‘The Tracking Crew’ with Buzz on drums, Rick Melick keys, James Gillard bass and the late Glen Hannah on guitar. Others who helped out were Dean Ray on acoustic guitar, Clive Harrison bass, George Washingmachine violin, John Kaldor pedal steel. Asquith Sessions singer Jon Abo joined Aly , Buzz & Kay Bidstrup on backing vocals. As a special treat, a couple of songs feature guest vocals from a long time friend of Aly’s multi award winning artist Sharon O’Neill.
'Caught in the Middle will be released on the SBD Music label, a partnership between music industry stalwart Sebastian Chase, owner of Australia’s largest independent music distributor MGM (Metropolitan Groove Merchants), Buzz and David. SBD has previously released music from The Asquith Sessions.
Aly plans to continue to support the release of 'Caught in the Middle' with more singles and videos to come for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021
Find Aly Cook:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alycookmusic
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AlyCook
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/166AJiXkYyMbBFzv4SMg1E
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kiwialy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alycooknz/