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PHOTO BY APRIL TURNER
NICE GUYS FINISH FIRST: WESLEY COOK ON BUSKING, ROLLING STONE AND BEING ONE OF ATLANTA’S MOST ELIGIBLE BY BRET LOVE
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inger/songwriter Wesley Cook may just be the “Next Big Thing” to come out of Athens, despite the fact that his earnest music sounds nothing like what you might expect to emerge from the Classic City scene. Cook has been kicking around said scene for over half a decade now—his 2005 debut album, We’ve Been Here Before, earned him a Best Solo Artist nomination at the Athens Music Awards—but it wasn’t until this year that a broader audience really started to take notice of his laid-back, infectiously positive sound. The primary reason for the sudden surge of interest is Rolling Stone magazine’s Street To Stage competition. The contest scoured the nation to find the best and brightest unsigned street musicians, ultimately selecting eight standout singer/songwriters from all around the country as semi-finalists. After the votes were tabulated, Cook was named one of four finalists, all of whom are competing for a chance to perform on the Rolling Stone Rock Room stage at the 2012 South By 14 | GEORGIA MUSIC
Southwest music festival. Cook, who has played his fair share of venue gigs over the years as well, couldn’t be more excited about getting such amazing national recognition. “It's really helped me bring more attention to what I'm doing and maybe has helped people take me more seriously,” he says. “It's been very touching to see the amount of support that's out there for me. Even if I don't go any farther in this contest, I've won a lot already.” (Note: Contest results had not been announced as of our deadline.)
‘MAN MEAT’ Around the same time news of Cook reaching the Street To Stage finals was released, he also received recognition from local publication Jezebel. But this time, the honor had a lot less to do with his music than it did with his level of physical attractiveness: He was named one of the lifestyle magazine’s “Most Eligible Atlantans of 2011,” and as of this issue’s press deadline a date with him was