Dick Cole Revisits Rock’s Independent Spirit on “King of Cool” Album

Dick Cole’s "King of Cool" reflects an independent musician’s determination to keep creating beyond conventional career expectations. The six-song album draws on Cole’s songwriting and musical interests, with the title track receiving particular attention after gaining some airplay in the United Kingdom. 

Based in Chester, Virginia, Cole brings a varied life experience to his creative work. A retired military officer and civil servant, he is also a photographer, pilot, published author, and motorcyclist. These interests give his musical identity a foundation beyond the recording studio, particularly his longstanding fascination with motorcycle culture. At 73, he continues pursuing songwriting as an active creative practice, demonstrating that artistic ambition need not disappear when professional routines change.

The title song is the album’s principal focus. Cole confirms that he wrote its melody and lyrics, while he and other musicians performed the music. He also explains that Suno Pro helped process and separate the recording into streams for mixing, followed by final mastering through eMastered. His openness about using artificial intelligence to reduce production time and expense provides useful context for understanding the finished work.

The album’s strongest selling point remains Cole’s personal involvement, but songwriting and production choices must ultimately connect with listeners on their own merits.

"King of Cool" represents continued creative commitment from an artist unwilling to abandon music simply because recognition arrives slowly. Its next challenge is reaching listeners beyond its existing audience. Cole’s persistence deserves respect.