Jeffrey Alan Cook, born on August 27, 1949, in Fort Payne, Alabama, was a renowned American country musician and a founding member of the legendary band Alabama. Cook's early interest in music and technology was evident when he obtained a broadcast engineer license at just 14 years old and worked as a disc jockey while still in high school. He co-founded the band Wildcountry with his cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry in 1972, which was later renamed Alabama in 1977. The band became one of the most successful in country music history, known for hits like "Mountain Music," "Dixieland Delight," and "Song of the South."

Cook was a multi-instrumentalist, contributing vocals, guitar, fiddle, piano, and other instruments to the band's sound. His contributions were integral to Alabama's success, which included selling over 75 million records worldwide and winning multiple Grammy, CMA, and ACM Awards. After Alabama ceased touring in 2004, Cook continued his musical career with the Allstar Goodtime Band and founded Cook Sound Studios in Fort Payne to support local musicians.

In addition to his musical achievements, Cook was an entrepreneur and philanthropist, known for his culinary endeavors and his role as Alabama's State Fishing Ambassador. He was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2019. Cook married Lisa Williams in 1995, and they lived together in Fort Payne, Alabama. He publicly disclosed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2017 and passed away from complications of the disease on November 7, 2022, in Destin, Florida, at the age of 73.