Mike Cotton

Jazz trumpeter Michael Edward Cotton was born on August 12, 1939, in Tottenham, North London, England. In 1952 he assembled a group and called it the “Mike Cotton Jazzmen.” In 1962 the name of the group changed to the “Mike Cotton Sound.” At that time the group changed musically from a traditional jazz sound to a modern popular music sound. This change was rewarded with popular success: a hit single in “Swing that Hammer.” That earned the group an appearance in performance in a motion picture, The Wild and the Willing. In 1965 Dave Rowberry left the Mike Cotton Sound to join the rock group “The Animals.” Among those who auditioned to take his place in the Mike Cotton Sound were Elton John and Joe Cocker. They were both overshadowed by the man Mike selected, Eric Delaney. The Mike Cotton Sound backed a number of high profile vocalists in live performances and in recordings, including Stevie Wonder, Gene Pitney and The Four Tops. In 1969, Jim Rodford, bass player for Mike Cotton Sound, left to form a group with his cousin, Rod Argent. In the following year, Mike changed the name of his ensemble to “Satisfaction” and recorded one album under that name. Later that year he dissolved the group, retained the brass section and went back to working under the name of the “Mike Cotton Sound.” In 1971, this revised group joined the Kinks and appeared on the Kinks' 1971 album, The Muswell Hillbillies.” In the mid-70s the association with the Kinks ended and Cotton went back to jazz.

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