Alice Cooper: Rock’s “Nice Guy”

Rock music is usually associated with sex, drugs, booze, and a wild lifestyle; many musicians stick to this stereotype. However, some of them surprise fans with the stark difference between their stage persona and real life.  A perfect example is found in one Vincent Damon Furnier aka “Alice Cooper.”

The Detroit-born rocker is known for shows featuring guillotines, electric chairs, and plenty of fake blood. It’s no wonder he’s been nicknamed the Godfather of Shock Rock.

However, the onstage persona is the farthest thing from Alice Cooper’s real life as Vince Furnier.  On that “stage,” Furnier lives as a devout Christian, sober for decades, and faithful to his wife, dancer Sheryl Goddard. But it wasn’t always that idyllic.

Cooper and Goddard met in the mid-’70s when Sheryl performed with the musician. In 1976, the couple married, but a few years later, they faced a significant obstacle. Because of Cooper’s drinking problems, Goddard moved out and filed for divorce. This was a wake-up call for the singer, who promised to stay sober. The couple reconciled in mid-1984.

In an interview for the New York Daily News, Cooper stated: “My wife and I are both Christians. My father was a pastor, my grandfather was an evangelist. (…) I grew up in the church, went as far away as I could from it – almost died – and then came back to the church.” His beliefs extend to his charity work. Cooper founded the Solid Rock Teen Centers to help kids in communities around the country. He also plays charity golf tournaments (he credits golf for helping him get sober and tries to play as often as 6 days a week). And he’s been quietly observed serving food at a homeless shelter.

Mr. And Mrs. “Cooper” have been together for over forty years, with no scandals or cheating. A few years ago, he shocked fans when he appeared to say that he would end his own life if his wife passed. “There  will never be a time when one of us will be mourning the other.”

Cooper later clarified his comments: “What I was meaning was that because we’re almost always together, at home and on the road, that if something did happen to either of us, we’d most likely be together at the time. But neither of us has a suicide pact. We have a life pact. And, besides, I’m booked through 2028, so…”

Cooper’s recipe for his happy, long-term marriage is simple: no cheating, and regular dates with each other. He’s among several legends who’ve proven they can still rock as hard as ever, even if they’re now often in bed by 11 pm. For example, Keith Richards and Patti Hansen have been together since 1983, Ringo and Barbara Bach since 1981.

Alice Cooper is a prime example of a rock star devoted to his passion, but never swallowed by it. A few pythons and (fake) severed heads aside, what’s not to love?

-Gabriel Karkovsky

Photo: Alice Cooper, 2024 (Stefan Brending / Lizenz: Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons)