Ken Cooke is a solo acoustic 'instrumental' guitarist.
He has been a professional musician playing at weddings & corporate events around Adelaide for over 15 years.
During this time, he has performed regularly at such venues as :
- The Adelaide Convention Centre,
- Festival Theatre,
- The Hyatt Regency,
- The Hilton International Hotel,
- The Stamford Plaza,
- Glen Ewin Estate
- Carrick Hill
- Tapestry Winery
- Wirra Wirra Winery
Ken performs a wide variety of music, ranging from timeless classics to jazz, classical, latin and beyond.(See attached song-list)
His performances are all-acoustic, using nylon and steel-string guitars, and Ken can perform both amplified and unamplified.
Ken is a reliable, professional and experienced musician, providing quality entertainment for his listening audience.
Testimonial
"I just wanted to express my thanks for the wonderful job you did at our wedding. Everyone commented on how wonderful your guitar playing was - and how you picked a great list of songs that perfectly suited our wedding and us as a couple. We had a perfect day and without you it wouldn't have been - so thank you so much."
Emma Grigson
(Ceremony held at Glen Ewin Estate, November 2014)
Weddings:
Ken peforms before, during and after your wedding ceremony. (Choose as many songs as you like from Ken's extensive list)
Your booking price also includes a specially labelled CD of your ceremony songs.
FAQ answered by Ken:
What is an 'instrumental' guitarist?
In short, a guitarist who doesn't sing! I have found over the years that the sound of a live acoustic guitar provides the perfect backdropfor almost any event. No vocals means you and your guests can still talk and hear each other too!
Can you play outdoors ?
Yes, I play outdoors, using portable amplification.
When do you play at my wedding?
I play up to 20-30 minutes before your ceremony starts. I then play your 'processional' (arrival) song, and during the register signing. I also play 15 minutes of 'post-ceremony' music.
Can you also play at our 'pre-dinner/cocktail' drinks?
Yes - I'm happy to play a different mix of upbeat music for you and your guests.
Do you play requests?
Yes, I can write/arrange your favourite song for solo guitar (for a small cost) to cover my time involved.
Songs Ken regularly perform include:
WEDDING FAVOURITES
Traditional
Canon - Pachabel
Ave Maria (trad.)
Here Comes The Bride (trad.)
The Bridal Waltz (trad.)
Modern / Classic
- Stay With Me - Sam Smith
- You Are So Beautiful To Me - Joe Cocker
- All Of Me - John Legend
- One Thousand Years - Christina Perri
- Songbird - Eva Cassidy
- I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
- Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
- Make You Feel My Love - Adele
- Paradise - Coldplay
- Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding
- Angel - Sarah McLachlan
- Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
- Marry You - Bruno Mars
- Fields Of Gold - Sting
- Halo - Beyonce
- I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith
- You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
- Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx
- Angels – Robbie Williams
- Eternal Flame - The Bangles
- Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You) - Rod Stewart
- Someone Like You – Van Morrison
- Everything I Do (I Do It For You) – Bryan Adams
- Can’t Help Falling In Love, Always On My Mind (Elvis Presley)
- When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating
- Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion
- Isn’t She Lovely, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
- Your Song – Elton John
- We’ve Only Just Begun - The Carpenters
- Love Is All Around – Wet Wet Wet
- It Had To Be You - Harry Connick Jnr.
- Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
- Happy Together – The Turtles
- Morning Has Broken – Cat Stevens
- Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins
- I Believe In You And Me - Whitney Houston
- Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
- Faithfully - Journey
- The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face) - Roberta Flack
- Only You - The Platters
- Even When I'm Sleeping - Leonardo's Bride
- Save The Best For Last - Vanessa Williams
- 'Til There Was You - Barbara Cook, The Beatles
- You're Still The One - Shania Twain
- Cavatina - Stanley Myers
LOUNGE / JAZZ / LATIN (For Your Cocktail Hour/Pre-dinner drinks)
- Say A Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
- Stardust - Nat King Cole
- Fly Me To The Moon, Strangers In The Night– Frank Sinatra
- Dream A Little Dream Of Me, California Dreamin’ – Mamas & Papas
- Moondance – Michael Buble
- They Long To Be (Close To You) - The Carpenters
- Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
- What The World Needs Now Is Love – Jackie DeShannon
- Walk On By - Dionne Warwick
- Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters
- Downtown – Petula Clark
- I Hope You Dance - Leanne Rimes
- Crazy – Patsy Cline
- Hard To Say I’m Sorry – Chicago
- It Had To Be You – Harry Connick jnr.
- Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
- God Only Knows – Beach Boys
- I Will Remember You - Sarah McLachlan
- Manha De Carnaval (latin) Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (latin) The Girl from Ipanema (latin) How Insensitive (latin)
- Sway, That's Amore – Dean Martin, Michael Buble
- Just The Way You Are, Piano Man – Billy Joel
- Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
- Classical Gas – Tommy Emmanuel, Mason Williams
- My Cherie Amour, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
- Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones
- Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) – Don Mclean
- Apache – The Shadows
- Mrs. Robinson, Scarborough Fair - Simon & Garfunkel
- From A Distance – Bette Midler
- Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland
- Twighlight Time – The Platters
- What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
- I Will Always Love You, The Greatest Love Of All, I Believe In You And Me – Whitney Houston
- Somewhere Out There - Linda Ronstadt
- Say You, Say Me, Three Times A Lady, Hello - Lionel Richie
- I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song - Jim Croce
- Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
CLASSIC ROCK & POP
- Hotel California – Eagles
- She’s Always A Woman To Me, Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel
- Paradise, Yellow – Coldplay
- Mad World - Gary Jules
- Baby Can I Hold You ? - Tracy Chapman
- Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
- Plans - Birds Of Tokyo
- Rhiannon, Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
- Livin’ On A Prayer, Wanted Dead Or Alive – Bon Jovi
- Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman ? - Bryan Adams
- American Pie– Don Mclean
- Baby I Love Your Way – Peter Frampton
- She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5
- Better Be Home Soon, Weather With You – Crowded House
- Tiny Dancer, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Daniel – Elton John
- You Are Not Alone, Man In The Mirror – Michael Jackson
- Band On The Run – Wings
- Africa – Toto
- Freefalling – Tom Petty
- Flame Trees – Cold Chisel
- Change The World, , Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton
- Grenade – Bruno Mars
- Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
- Every Breath You Take, Message In A Bottle – Police
- Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin
- Reckless – Australian Crawl
- Stand By Me – Ben E. King
- Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, All I Want Is You – U2
- Don't Speak - No Doubt
- Fire & Rain - James Taylor
- If - Bread
- Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker / Jennifer Warnes
- You're The Inspiration - Chicago
THE BEATLES
- In My Life All You Need Is Love Across The Universe Here Comes The Sun Eleanor Rigby Imagine (John Lennon) Let It Be Hey Jude The Long And Winding Road Norwegian Wood Michelle Something I'll Follow The Sun
ELVIS PRESLEY
- Can’t Help Falling In Love It’s Now Or Never Love Me Tender Memories My Way Are You Lonesome Tonight?
STAGE AND SCREEN
- Everything I Do (I Do It For You) – Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves
- Love Me Like You Do - 50 Shades Of Grey
- Colours Of The Wind – Pocahontas
- All I Ask Of You – Phantom Of The Opera
- I Will Always Love You - The Bodyguard
- Love Changes Everything – Aspects Of Love Don’t Cry For Me Argentina - Evita
- You’ve Got A Friend In Me – Toy Story Edelweiss, My Favourite Things – The Sound Of Music
- A Whole New World - Alladin
- Memory - Cats
- As Time Goes By – Casablanca
- Unchained Melody – Ghost
- Smile, Wind Beneath My Wings – Beaches
- I Don’t Know How To Love Him – Jesus Christ Superstar
- My Heart Will Go On – Titanic
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight – The Lion King
- How Deep Is Your Love – Saturday Night Fever
- Beauty And The Beast (title song)
- When I Fall In Love (Sleepless In Seattle)
- Mrs. Robinson – The Graduate
- Somewhere Over The Rainbow – The Wizard Of Oz
- Say A Little Prayer – My Best Friend’s Wedding
- Love Is All Around – Four Weddings & A Funeral, Love Actually
CLASSICAL
- Ode To Joy (Beethoven) Cavatina Greensleeves Canon (Pachelbel) Air On The G String
Please click on the Media Tab to listen to Song Demos.
