Billy Cooper (trumpeter)

Billy Cooper, also known as Billy The Trumpet,[1] is a cricket supporter, best known as the trumpet player for the Barmy Army.

Billy Cooper
Billy Cooper in 2012
NationalityEnglish
EducationBachelor of Music (Hons)
OccupationMusician
Known forTrumpet player for Barmy Army

Career

Cooper was educated at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has a Bachelor of Music honours degree and a performer's diploma from the Royal Academy of Music,[2] and plays as a guest trumpeter with several orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and new music specialists Klangforum Wien, as well as in West End musicals.[3]

Barmy Army

Cooper became involved with the Barmy Army in 2004 after following England on a tour of the West Indies and accidentally leaving his trumpet in a taxi in Barbados. It was later discovered by someone in the Barmy Army who was also at the same game Cooper was going to. When Cooper asked for it to be returned, the person asked for him to prove it was his by playing it.[4] Cooper then played The Great Escape theme tune,[5] which led to some of the Barmy Army offering to pay his air fare if he would join them on England's tour of South Africa.[1]

At matches Cooper usually plays theme tunes from popular television programmes such as the theme tunes from Blackadder,[2] Only Fools and Horses,[6] and Coronation Street.[7] Cooper also plays songs such as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "YMCA".[5]

During the 2010–11 Ashes series, Cooper played Jerusalem from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge early in the morning of the last Test game of the series.[8] During the last delivery of the Ashes series, Cooper played The Last Post.[9]

Cooper also plays tunes appropriate to a particular passage of play. For example, during England's 2013 tour of New Zealand, he would play a passage of Wagner whenever the New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner began a spell of bowling.

In January 2020, he announced his retirement from touring matches after the South Africa tour.[10]

Controversies

Cooper's actions have sometimes led him into trouble. In 2006, Cooper was thrown out of the Gabba and arrested for playing the Neighbours theme tune on his trumpet during the 2006–07 Ashes series due to playing a "banned musical instrument".[11] However, in 2010, Cricket Australia gave Cooper special dispensation to be the only person allowed into the Gabba with a musical instrument.[12]

In 2009, he was banned from attending a Test match at Headingley along with Barmy Army leader Vic Flowers for potentially being a distraction to people watching matches according to the operators of Headingley.[1] He was not permitted to enter Trent Bridge during the 2013 or 2015 Ashes series due to a stadium ban on musical instruments.[13][14]

References
  1. McSmith, Andy (5 August 2009). "Headingley silences Barmy Army trumpeter". London: The Independent. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  2. Fordyce, Tom (25 March 2008). "NZ-England day 4 as it happened". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  3. "A Musical Biography". billythetrumpet.com. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  4. "Barmy Army's Billy Cooper". Time Out Abu Dhabi. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  5. Marie-Louise Olson. "Barmy Army Bill brings music to England's ears". The National. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  6. "Pakistan v England: First Test day two, Dubai as it happened". BBC Sport. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  7. Bates, Stephen (28 December 2010). "England's Barmy Army revel in new-found respectability in Melbourne". The Guardian. London.
  8. The Ashes (2 January 2011). "The Ashes: Australia changes its tune by welcoming England's Barmy Army ahead of fifth Test in Sydney". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  9. The Ashes (7 January 2011). "The Ashes: Andrew Strauss salutes 'outstanding' triumph and 18,000 join the party". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  10. "Billy Cooper, the Barmy Army's trumpet player, to retire". BBC Sport. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  11. "Barmy Army trumpeter receives warm Ashes welcome". New Indian Express. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  12. "Oz welcome for Barmy Army trumpeter". Cricket365. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  13. Riley-Smith, Ben (11 July 2013). "A day at Trent Bridge with banned Barmy Army trumpeter Bill Cooper". London: The Daily Telegraph.
  14. "Notts stand firm over Barmy Army trumpeter ban". ESPN Cricinfo. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
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