# Kate Cook (singer) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kate_Cook_(singer) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kate_Cook_(singer).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Cook_(singer) > Source revision: 1317102942 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Kathryn Dee-Anne Cook** (1983 – 3 March 2019) was an Australian [country](/source/Country_music) singer and *[Australian Idol](/source/Australian_Idol_(season_7))* (2009) finalist. She had solo chart success with "[Give the Girl a Spanner](/source/Give_the_Girl_a_Spanner)" and "[Hit the Highway](/source/Hit_the_Highway_(Kate_Cook_song))" from her debut extended play, *Come a Long Way* (July 2013). She died on 3 March 2019, aged 36. ## Biography Kathryn Dee-Anne Cook was born in 1983 in [Pine Mountain, Queensland](/source/Pine_Mountain,_Queensland).[1][2][3] She grew up with her father, Dave Cook, who was a diesel engineer, her mother, Jenny, and four siblings on a farm in Pine Mountain before moving to [Lowood](/source/Lowood,_Queensland).[4][5] Jenny Cook committed suicide shortly before her daughter's birthday.[4] Cook resided in Toowoomba and Rockhampton before returning to Lowood.[2][3] ### *Australian Idol* Cook auditioned for *[Australian Idol](/source/Australian_Idol_(season_7))* on the Mothers Day weekend in 2009 to perform, "Make You Stay", dedicated to her mother, Jenny. By August of that year Cook was in the Top 24.[6] The new-found fame by being on *Australian idol* put pressure on her domestic relationship, causing it to end.[4] Cook made the final six of *Australian Idol* in October.[5] She later reflected, "Once you're out of the *Australian Idol* spotlight, you soon lose the support network of people who helped you during the show... But I'm extremely humbled by what *Idol* did for me and overwhelmed with how the country music industry has opened its arms to me."[5] ### Later music career In May 2011 Cook performed her new single, "Survive", at the Lockyer Valley flood appeal.[7] She toured Australia, appearing at various pubs, clubs and bars, showcasing her own style of country music. She played the Tamworth Music festival and the Gympie Muster. Also she supported [Troy Cassar-Daley](/source/Troy_Cassar-Daley) and [Beccy Cole](/source/Beccy_Cole). In July 2013, after two years of appearing at various venues, she decided to take a break. She headed to Rockhampton to join her younger sister Sam and work as a trades assistant, working on hydraulic machinery for CAT trucks and vehicles. It was there while working with other women in the job she got the inspiration for a new song. It was "Give the Girl a Spanner".[5] Her debut extended play, *Come a Long Way*, was released in July 2013. Also that year she was a nominee at the Tamworth Songwriters Competition,[8] and a finalist in the Music Oz Australian Independent Music Awards.[9] By October 2013, a song from her EP was getting significant airplay in Australia. The song was "Give the Girl a Spanner". It was about women finding strength in jobs that men usually did. The inspiration for the song was drawn from hard working women across the world.[10] It was written by Cook and [Allan Caswell](/source/Allan_Caswell).[11] The song peaked at No. 3 in the Australian Tracks Top 30.[12] She won an Australian Independent Music Award for the song.[13] It also did well at the Music Oz Awards as the 2013 country single of the year.[14] In 2014, Cook had Country Songs Top 40 chart success with another song from the EP. "[Hit the Highway](/source/Hit_the_Highway_(Kate_Cook_song))" had made its way into the Australian country music chart.[15] In April the song had moved up from No. 23 to No. 20.[16] It peaked at No. 5 in May.[17][15] ## Death After going missing on 3 March 2019, Cook was found dead in bushland close to her [Lowood, Queensland](/source/Lowood,_Queensland) home. The cause of death was not believed to be suspicious.[18][19][20] She was 36 years old at the time of her death.[21] ## Discography 2013 No. Track Time Notes 1 "Give the Girl a Spanner" 3:21 2 "Hit the Highway" 4:04 3 "Survive" 4:53 4 "Come a Long Way" 3:32 5 "Free" 3:50 [22] ## References 1. ["'Hit the Highway' at APRA search engine"](http://apraamcos.com.au/search?searchtype=works&keywords=hit+the+highway). [Australasian Performing Right Association](/source/Australasian_Performing_Right_Association) (APRA) | [Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society](/source/Australasian_Mechanical_Copyright_Owners_Society) (AMCOS). Retrieved 22 January 2020. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:' 1. "Kate Cook Obituary". *[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide))*. 9 March 2019. 1. ["The Ryerson Index"](http://ryersonindex.net/search.php). [Ryerson Index Inc](/source/Ryerson_Index). Retrieved 22 January 2019.. Note: User must add 'Cook' into the Surname search parameter and 'Kate' into the Any Given Name(s) parameter. 1. Shearer, Geoff (9 October 2009). ["*Australian Idol* Kate dumps long-term girlfriend"](https://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/australian-idol-kate-dumps-long-term-girlfriend/news-story/262bfdea3be7b85d16a19dbb4b90df1d). *[The Courier-Mail](/source/The_Courier-Mail)*. Retrieved 22 January 2020. 1. Owen, Chris. ["Music refuses to let Kate go"](https://www.qt.com.au/news/music-refuses-to-let-kate-go/1951928/). *[The Queensland Times](/source/The_Queensland_Times)*. Retrieved 22 January 2020. 1. *Lismore Echo*, 23rd Aug 2009 - ["Kate Cook makes Idol Top 24"](https://www.echonews.com.au/news/kate-cook-australian-idol-top-24/302329/)[dead link] 1. *Country Music Bulletin*, May 2011 - [NEWS ARCHIVE ... MAY 2011, Launch of Lockyer Valley flood appeal calendar](http://www.countrymusicbulletin.com.au/newsarchive_May11.html) 1. *The Chronicle*, 26 September 2013 - [Kate Cook set to light up at Somerset Festival By COWEN](https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/with-a-musical-style-that-crosses-the-boundaries-o/2032424/) 1. *The Chronicle*, 19 October 2013 - [Heartfelt collection of songs earns Cook further recognition by COWEN](https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/heartfelt-collection-of-songs-earns-cook-further-r/2056607/) 1. *[Daily Mercury](/source/Daily_Mercury)*, 19 October 2013 - [Heartfelt collection of songs earns Cook further recognition by COWEN](https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/heartfelt-collection-of-songs-earns-cook-further-r/2056607/) 1. *[Melbourne Observer](/source/Melbourne_Observer)*, 2 October 2013 - [Page 108 Observer Showbiz, New EP for Kate](https://issuu.com/mediaflash/docs/ob_02oct13_cz/4) 1. Amrap's AirIt - [Page 594 Kate Cook - Hit the Highway Country 2 July 2014](https://airit.org.au/search.php?mode=search&by_title=Y&by_descr=Y&by_sku=Y&search_in_subcategories=Y&page=594) 1. *The Queensland Times*, 23 January 2014 - [MUSIC, Kate takes her 'spanner' to fine tune music career by Geoff Egan](https://www.qt.com.au/news/kate-takes-a-spanner-to-fine-tune-music-career/2147483/) 1. *Melbourne Observer*, 13 November 2013 - [Page 104 Observer Showbiz, Music Oz Award to Kate - Rob Foenander](https://issuu.com/mediaflash/docs/ob_13nov13_cz/2) 1. Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart, 28 June 2014 - [HIT THE HIGHWAY - Kate Cook](https://countrytrackschart.com.au/index.php?chartid=9) 1. *Country Music Bulletin*, NEWS ARCHIVE – APRIL 2014 - [29 APRIL 2014, Chart Update – Roo takes over the top spot](http://www.countrymusicbulletin.c7om.au/newsarchive_apr2014.html)[dead link] 1. Country Songs Top 40, 10 May 2014 - [HIT THE HIGHWAY - *Kate Cook*](https://countrysongschart.com.au/index.php?chartid=2) 1. [*Australian Idol* star Kate Cook has died after being involved in a police search](https://www.who.com.au/australian-idol-star-kate-cook-found-dead-after-police-missing-person-search), who.com.au; accessed 15 May 2019. 1. [Former *Australian Idol* Star Kate Cook, 36, Found Dead a Day After Being Reported Missing](https://people.com/music/former-australian-idol-contestant-kate-cook-dead/), [People.com](/source/People.com), 4 March 2019. 1. [Kate Cook dead: *Australian Idol* star dies at 36 after wandering into bushland](https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/kate-cook-dead-australian-idol-14083941), [Mirror.co.uk](/source/Mirror.co.uk); accessed 15 March 2019. 1. Rota, Genevieve (4 March 2019). ["*Australian Idol* contestant Kate Cook dead at 36"](https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/australian-idol-contestant-kate-cook-dead-at-36-20190304-p511q6.html). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. Retrieved 6 March 2019. 1. [Spotify](/source/Spotify) - [Come a Long Way By Kate Cook](https://open.spotify.com/album/1VDX7A0VurT6xntHrUCNzu), spotify.com; accessed 15 March 2019. ## External links - *[The Queensland Times](/source/The_Queensland_Times)*: [Music refuses to let Kate go Chris Owen](https://www.qt.com.au/news/music-refuses-to-let-kate-go/1951928/) - [Shazam: Kate Cook *Come A Long Way*](https://www.shazam.com/track/92664943/come-a-long-way) - [*The Chronicle* Kate Cook](https://www.thechronicle.com.au/search/?tag=kate%20cook&all-sites=on) - [FB: Kate Cook Music](https://www.facebook.com/pg/katecookmusic/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kate Cook (singer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Cook_(singer)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Cook_(singer)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.