Most Jamaicans know the raspy-toned Cocker for the multi Grammy-winning song, Up Where we Belong (with Jennifer Warnes) and the gentle ballad You are so Beautiful.
In 1976, Cocker came to Jamaica to record songs for his sixth album, Stingray. He stayed at the Terra Nova hotel in Kingston with his band Stuff, an impressive aggregation that included: Steve Gad, (drums), Gordon Edwards (bass), Richard Tee (keyboards) and Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree (guitars).
American Lee Jaffe, who was part of Peter Tosh's management at the time, took photographs of Cocker for the Stingray jacket.
"When I met him at the Terra Nova Hotel, introduced by his manager and best friend Mark Agliette, I was thrilled to be asked to do photos for the album jacket as I was a huge fan," Jaffe told the Sunday Observer. "His producer, Rob Fraboni wanted to try recording a reggae version of Bob Dylan's The Man in Me and I suggested that The Wailers (Bob Marley's band) play with him," he added. "I asked Peter if he would be interested and he agreed."
Jaffe recalls the session was scheduled for 7:00 pm at Dynamic Sounds in Kingston. But Cocker, who was alcoholic, was drunk and asleep in his room when the band showed up at the studio more than one hour late.
Tosh and members of the Wailers -- bassist Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, drummer Carlton Barrett, keyboardist Tyrone Downie and percussionist Seco Patterson -- lay the track for The Man in Me, with vocals by the I Three, Marley's harmony group.
"I remember being deeply disappointed that he (Cocker) never got to interact with them. It just seemed so sad and such a missed opportunity," said Jaffe. "Some other day, alone in the studio with producer, engineer, manager and myself doing photos, Joe laid down a remarkable, heart-wrenching vocal."
Released during a time of personal challenges for Cocker, Stingray sold disappointingly, stalling at number 70 on the Billboard album chart.