Joe Cocker dead of cancer at age 70

CRAWFORD, Colo., Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Joe Cocker died at age 70 on Monday.

The singer died after a long struggle with lung cancer, ITV reported. Cocker was born and raised in Sheffield, England, but died at his home in Crawford, Colo., according to the Yorkshire Post.

Cocker came to fame in the 1960s, and topped the U.K. Top 40 with a cover of Beatles hit "With a Little Help from My Friends" in 1968. His version of the single became the theme song for ABC sitcom The Wonder Years.

The singer released his first album in 1969, and reached the U.S. Top 5 with "You Are So Beautiful" in 1975 and "Up Where We Belong" in 1982. The latter is a duet with Jennifer Warnes recorded for the film An Officer and a Gentleman, and earned the duo a Grammy Award.

Cocker last debuted his 22nd studio album, Fire It Up, in November 2012. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Pam Baker, and his agent, Barrie Marshall, told the BBC "it will be impossible to fill the space he leaves in our hearts."