CHUK COOLEY BIO: Being kin to the late great Spade Cooley, king of country & western swing music from the 1930s era, it seems the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. But for protégé Chuk Cooley, nothing has come easy. After leaving home in Odessa , TX at the age of fifteen, crossing the country on a battered old motorcycle, living on the streets and sleeping under bridges… After surviving numerous addictions and two life-threatening drug overdoses… After serving hard time with both the Texas and Oklahoma D.O.C… Most would have given up by now! But eight years in prison actually gave Chuk Cooley a sense of awareness, the time to truly find himself, and an education in the craft of writing meaningful songs. Music is all Chuk Cooley has left in this world. Besides his five beautiful children (all of whom sing and play music), he has found that songwriting provides freedom from the pain of his life. FREEDOM to just let go and be himself. Like many, he has had a wretched battle against the demons of addiction – the needle and the spoon. And like many he has lost much… two families, and several career opportunities. But whenever his faith in life began to waver, always the gift of music was there in front of him. During those darkest days, always there was an acoustic guitar just waiting to be picked up. Chuk grew up watching his father Dallas Cooley write and play songs, and once behind bars he finally learned to play the guitar himself. Having been out of prison for 15 years, with several attempted bands behind him, he has tried time and time again to make it. But Chuk now gives ALL with his own words and his own songs - one final shot at his lifelong dream. His goal is to truly live life, and to right his wrongs by sharing his story and writing music that inspires and touches people’s souls.
CHUK COOLEY AND THE DEMON HAMMERS BIO: Chuk Cooley is a bluesy, southern, tattooed rocker trying to share his life story through songs - a story of courage and change that he calls “Heart and soul anthems from the streets of hell”. After many years of being in and out of bands, Chuk finally went solo… with words and music he had written over 20 years of hard life. With just an acoustic guitar and his voice, Chuk started opening for heavy metal acts such as Jackyl, Soldiers Of Scrape, Blood of the Sun, Rhino Bucket, and many many others. Though there was something missing, so A short time later Chuk asked lifelong friend and heavy rock guitarist Tony Loretti to learn a few of the songs for a recording. Chuk and Tony had previously been band mates in the groundbreaking metal group Berserkr. This addition started to really fill out the sound of Chuk’s songs. He also found several musicians to play bass and drums. The chemistry was immediate and undeniable. After just a few jam sessions it was clear that something very special was happening. With just two acoustic guitars, an acoustic bass,and a five-piece trap kit, Chuk’s songs came to LIFE. Thus Chuk Cooley and the Demon Hammers were born. The band had their first live appearance at the historic Cain’s Ballroom during the 2007 Freaker’s Ball, where they received a very enthusiastic audience response and a write-up in the Tulsa World newspaper. Since then they have stayed very busy, working up new material and playing shows around the region to larger and larger crowds. Their unique style – all acoustic but very heavy southern rock, with a deep and serious lyrical theme – never fails to get the attention of anyone who sees them live. The band has also been in the studio where they recorded 2 Ep's titled “Chuk Cooley & the Demon Hammers (Volume 1)” & "Look at Us Now". The song "The Lost" was used in the award winning film festival independent movie “Jesus Fish”, and has generated great reviews among the local music scene. They also since 2007 have played well over 400 shows around the country from Austin TX to Kansas City playing all over the Midwest from small towns to big cities. Also they recorded 2 professional videos for the songs "The Lost"which they won Best Music Video at the Script to Screen Film Festival 2008 and for the song "Black Jarr" which they won Best Music Video at the Bare Bones Film Festival 2009. They' also recently been nominated for Best Male Vocalist & Best Metal/Hard Rock Act for the Absolute Best of Tulsa/ Urban Tulsa Awards 2009.WINNING the Abot award for best hard rock band beating out 2 signed bands and 2 heavier well known acts with just there acoustic guitars.They were Nominated 5 times this year at the ABoT Music Awards 2010 for Best Hard Rock / Metal band, Best Band of the Year, Best Live Band,Best Song of the Year for Moving Mountains, Best Album of the Year for Born Rebels.WINNING again 2 years in a roll for Best Metal/ Hard Rock band and for Best Live Performance grabbing 2 more awards!Chuk and the band did question how they kept winning the for Best / metal hard Rock band with just their acoustic guitars.Until a friend of Chuk's shared with him the wise words of Jimmy page "Metal is not about the volume.but its intensity." Go to a CCDH concert and you will find an intensity that will just blow you away!
They even played Rocklahoma 2010 & Bikelahoma 2010 and the Republic of Texas Rally 2010 sharing the stage with bands as the likes of The Marshall Tucker Band,Godsmack,Buck Cherry,3 Days Grace,Savin Abel,Jackyl,Rev.Theory, Blue Oyster cult, Bret Michaels,Blood Sweat & Tears, Dee Snider and many more.Rocking out and blowing fans minds with their acoustic sounds! Also receiving many 5 star reviews and write ups and interviews in local & surrounding states magazines and newspapers.The goal of the band is nothing less than international success – to bring Chuk’s personal story of redemption to life with a backdrop of unique and melodic Acoustic Southern Heavy Rock-n-Roll.
RELEASED OCTOBER 31ST 2009
"STOMPING GROUNDS" MUSIC VIDEO STORY WRITTEN BY CHUK COOLEY AND TITUS JACKSON DIRECTED BY MATTHEW LORD AND DONE BY TIROMA FILMS.STARRING "ROB HARRIS" & "THE DEMONETTES & DIEHARDS"
BLACK JARR~CHUK COOLEY & THE DEMON HAMMERS
BARE BONES FILM FESTIVAL WINNER 2009 FOR BEST
MUSIC VIDEO FOR THE SONG "BLACK JARR" DONE BY : TITUS JACKSON & CHUK COOLEY
WITH ACTRESS'S: AMY SMITH, SAMANTHA & ANGEL , ACTORS: JJ GAFFORD & GYPSY STEVE
