Born 86 Years Ago Today in England, the Songwriter Who Crossed the Ocean To Pen Country Hits for George Strait, Crystal Gayle, and Don Williams

August 19, 2026, 4:30am

On this day (August 19) in 1940, Roger Cook was born in Fishponds, Bristol, England. Before focusing on songwriting, he was a member of several British singing groups. Notably, he was a member of Blue Mink. His songwriting partnership with Roger Greenway yielded several hit songs, including one that was the center of an international ad campaign for Coca-Cola. Later in his career, he moved to Nashville, where he wrote country hits.

Cook was a member of multiple pop acts in the 1950s and ’60s. He was in the Sapphires, the Londons, and Jon & Julie. Then, in 1965, he joined the Kestrels alongside Roger Greenway. They began writing songs together and had their first hit later that year. They wrote “You’ve Got Your Troubles,” which was a top 10 hit for the Fortunes. A year later, their song “Green Grass” was a top 10 hit for Gary Lewis & the Playboys.

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According to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Cook joined Blue Mink in 1969. They became popular in the United Kingdom, seeing success with Cook-Greenway compositions. The pair’s most successful collaboration came in 1972. They co-wrote “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” with William Backer and Bill Davis. It was the cornerstone of an international ad campaign for Coca-Cola. It was also a hit for The Hillside Singers and The New Seekers in 1972,

When Blue Mink dissolved in 1974, Cook came to the United States. He lived in New York and Los Angeles, but was unhappy in both cities. So, in late 1975, he moved to Nashville.

Roger Cook Goes Country

After settling in Nashville, Roger Cook began writing songs that became hits for country artists. However, he didn’t immediately take the city by storm. He was in Music City for roughly three years when Crystal Gayle gave him his first major hit on the country chart. She took “Talking in Your Sleep” to No. 1 in 1978. She also had a top 10 hit with “Livin’ in These Troubled Times” in 1982.

Don Williams had multiple hits with Cook’s songs. He made “Miracles” a top 10 hit in 1981. Two years later, he took “Love Is on a Roll,” which Cook co-wrote with John Prine, to No. 1.

Cook and Prine also wrote “I Just Want to Dance with You.” In 1998, George Strait took it to the top of the country chart. This happened a year after he became the first British songwriter to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.