Net Worth Ranker
What Is Ray Cooper’s Net Worth
Ray Cooper, the English percussionist, boasts an estimated net worth of $10 million as of recent estimates in February 2025. This financial standing reflects his long and successful career as a session musician, touring performer, and collaborator with numerous iconic figures in the music industry. While specific details regarding his assets, such as real estate holdings or vehicle collections, are not publicly available, his consistent contributions to the music world have undoubtedly provided him with a comfortable and rewarding lifestyle.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Raymond “Ray” Cooper was born on September 19, 1947, in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. From a young age, Cooper demonstrated a keen interest in music, leading him to pursue classical piano, strings, and woodwind studies. He also explored theatre, which contributed to his dynamic stage presence later in his career. Details about his family remain private, as Cooper has chosen to keep his personal life out of the public eye. Cooper began his musical journey in the 1960s as a session musician, playing with the band Blue Mink and contributing to recordings by artists like America, Carly Simon, and David Essex. These early experiences allowed him to hone his skills and build a reputation as a versatile percussionist. By 1982, Cooper was already an experienced session musician, having worked with producers such as Steve Lillywhite, Martin Rushent, Phil Chevron, Joe Jackson, Pete Bellotte, Aki Dean, and Edwin Starr when he became a member of 3 Mustaphas 3.
Key Musical Collaborations and Achievements
A pivotal moment in Ray Cooper’s career occurred when he began working with Elton John. He first collaborated with John during the recording sessions for “Madman Across the Water” and made his live debut with him in early 1972. By 1974, Cooper had become a full-time member of the Elton John Band, contributing to numerous albums and tours. His energetic performances and unique percussion setups, which included instruments such as cowbells, glockenspiels, and tubular bells, distinguished him in the rock music scene. Cooper has played on over 90 of Elton John’s recordings and performed in more than 800 concerts with him, both as a member of the band and as a duo. In 1979, Cooper joined Handmade Films at the invitation of George Harrison, where he served as Head of Development and Production for over a decade.
Throughout his illustrious career, Cooper has collaborated with a wide array of renowned artists, including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. He co-produced George Harrison’s album “Somewhere in England” in 1981, showcasing his skills both as a percussionist and a producer. Ray Cooper and Eric Clapton first worked together on the ARMS Tour in 1983. He toured with Eric between 1988 and 1992, but played on Eric’s recording sessions from 1984. Both men played on George Harrison’s hit album Cloud 9.
Cooper won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Long Form Music Video for his work as a video producer on “Concert for George”. This tribute concert to George Harrison featured performances by Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney, among others.
Film, Theatre, and Television Career
Ray Cooper’s career extends beyond music into film, theatre, and television. He appeared in the 1980 film “Popeye” as The Preacher. He has also worked on every feature film directed by Terry Gilliam, including “Time Bandits,” “Brazil,” “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen,” “Twelve Monkeys,” “The Fisher King,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” “Zero Theorem,” and “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote”. As Head of Development and Production at Handmade Films, Cooper oversaw the creation of 23 films, including “Mona Lisa,” “The Long Good Friday,” “Time Bandits,” “Withnail and I,” and “A Private Function”. More recently, Cooper produced “A Little Chaos,” directed by Alan Rickman and starring Kate Winslet, and the BBC Television award-winning series “Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Scotland”. He served as an executive producer for “A Sketchbook for the Library Van” in 2005, and as a co-producer for “How to Get Ahead in Advertising” in 1989 and “Mona Lisa” in 1986.
Musical Style and Influences
Cooper’s musical style has been described as bridging the gap between classical, jazz, and contemporary music. He is known for introducing ethnic, orchestral, and tuned percussion instruments into pop music. Ray absorbed the influence of rock drummers from the 1960s and 1970s such as Ginger Baker, Carmine Appice, and John Bonham. He studied classical piano for 12 years, before a desire to compose lead him to strings and woodwinds. Later, he studied percussion.
Oysterband and Solo Career
Ray Cooper was a member of the folk-rock band Oysterband for 23 years. In 2012, the band won three BBC Radio 2 “Folk Awards” for Best Group, Best Album, and Best Traditional Track. Despite the band’s success, Cooper left in 2013 to pursue a solo career and released his fifth solo album, “Even Like A Shadow”. It features collaborations with singers Emma Hardelin, Kathryn Roberts and Sunniva Bondesson, as well as musicians John Eriksson, Anders Peev, Gustav Andersson and Ben Paley. Ray sings and plays piano, guitars, cello, bass, harmonica, harmonium, mandolin, percussion and kantele. In 2000, Cooper moved to Sweden, but continued to work with the Oysterband, with whom he performed in 27 countries and recorded many albums.
Ray Cooper’s Diverse Collaborations
Throughout his career, Ray Cooper has been associated with a diverse range of musicians and bands, illustrating his versatility and broad appeal within the music industry. His early experiences included playing with Blue Mink, a pop band active in the early 1970s, known for hits like “Melting Pot”. Cooper’s involvement with Blue Mink and other artists such as America, Carly Simon, and David Essex, helped him establish a strong foundation as a session musician. He played on and co-produced the album Somewhere in England by George Harrison in 1981. Cooper had a short stint with The Rolling Stones playing percussion for their 1974 It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll album. Following his work with The Rolling Stones, Cooper joined the Elton John Band full-time in 1974. In 1983, he participated in a short tour for the Ronnie Lane ARMS Charity Concert along with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and other artists, including Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.
Ray Cooper’s contributions extend to working alongside jazz pioneers like Cleo Laine, Johnny Dankworth and Maynard Ferguson. His ability to seamlessly transition between classical, jazz, and contemporary music has enabled him to leave a lasting impact on both stage and recorded performances. Cooper’s dynamic collaborations and energetic stage presence have made him an influential figure in the world of percussion, earning him the moniker “father of rock and roll percussion”.
Personal Life
Ray Cooper is known for maintaining a private personal life, with limited public information available about his relationships, marital status, or children. This discretion allows him to keep the focus on his professional achievements and contributions to the music industry.
