Dr. Hook

Dr. Hook (Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show until 1975) are fondly remembered for their warmth, humour, irreverence and slightly left field approach to pop music, represented by the unusual characterisations in the lyrics of their biggest hits, "Sylvia's Mother", "A Little Bit More" and "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" (written by Shel Silverstein). Originally formed by three friends Ray Sawyer, George Cummings and Billy Francis as the Chocolate Papers, their career took off in earnest after they landed up in New Jersey and met singer Dennis Locorriere. They changed their name to Dr. Hook and created a lot of interest - partly due to the distinctive eye-patch worn by Ray Sawyer following injuries sustained in a road accident in 1967 (sparking the frequent misconception that Dr. Hook was Sawyer's pseudonym). Their big break came in 1970 when they were chosen to play Shel Silverstein's soundtrack music for the movie Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying These Terrible Things About Me? Their debut album and first hit "Sylvia's Mother" followed in 1971 and the band had further major success with "A Little Bit More" and "The Cover of the Rolling Stone"; a title changed to "The Cover of the Radio Times" for UK consumption. Other hits included "Only 16", "Sharing the Night Together", "When You're In Love with a Beautiful Woman" and "Sexy Eyes". They were a hugely popular live act until Ray Sawyer's departure to launch a solo career in 1983 and the band effectively split two years later when Dennis Locorriere also started playing solo. Ray Sawyer reformed the band in 1988 and remained with it until 2015. He died three years later, on December 31, 2018, at the age of 81. Other original members, drummer John Wolters and bassist Jance Garfat, died in June 1997 and November 2006, respectively. Keyboardist Billy Francis, who joined Ray Sawyer in 2001, died on May 23, 2010, at the age 68. In 2015, Dennis Locorriere reformed Dr. Hook, which remained active until 2025. He died of kidney disease on May 16, 2026, at the age of 76.