Cooper plays almost 300 rounds of golf a year. Nowadays he is the antithesis of a musician – he is on the tee-box most days at 6:30am! An all-round athlete (proficient at baseball and was a track athlete in high school where he would run about 100 miles a week), Cooper at 66 years old feels his health is better now than when he was 30.
While Cooper plays golf or is on tour, Goddard’s day job is a dance instructor and choreographer but accompanies Cooper often on tour.
When asked what’s the secret to their marriage longevity he smiles and says, “We continue to go out on dates.”
Goddard will occasionally play a round of golf with Cooper but he laments, “I can’t get her addicted to the game. She always has 10 little girls waiting for her to learn ballet.”
Date nights usually involve hitting a favourite restaurant in Phoenix and then going to the movies. “We have a deal. I’ll take her to go see the movie like Evil Dead and two nights later we’ll go and see the ballet.”
Another favourite pastime for Cooper, “I am the consummate shopper,” he says proudly. What more could a woman want? A husband who loves to shop! Whether at home in Phoenix or when touring it doesn’t matter what he is shopping for.
“I know that the heart of the city is in the shopping centre. So I tie my hair back, put my sunglasses on, put my hat on and we head for the biggest mall.”
Not what you expect to hear from the king of shock rock who wrapped boas around him, wore androgynous costumes, included guillotines and other fake bloodletting in his concerts and was the curse of all parents everywhere.
Almost 30 albums later, a syndicated radio show in many countries, an induction in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 with his original Alice Cooper band, owner of a restaurant, and father of three grown children, this rock legend shows no signs of slowing down. Retirement is one tune he is not singing yet.
In real life Cooper has evolved from an alcoholic destructive lifestyle at death’s door to becoming a successful restaurateur, businessman and legendary performer. Goddard is the glue that has kept Alice as a man, father and rock legend together and through it all their love and marriage has grown stronger. He has now become the king of romance and enduring marriage.
For Cooper, his wife Sheryl is his most treasured and greatest hit.
photo credit: Kyler Clark
photo credit: Kyler Clark