Meet Alicia Keys' parents: The faces behind the incredible talent

Meet Alicia Keys' parents: The faces behind the incredible talent

Alicia Keys is a world-renowned singer, songwriter, producer and actress. The classically trained pianist has wowed the world with timeless tunes since she was 15. Her success as a recording and performing artist has amplified fans' interest in her background. Learn more about Alicia Keys' parents and their impact on her life.

Craig Cook (L), Alicia Keys (C), Terria Joseph (R)
Craig Cook at an event (L), Alicia Keys at a film premiere (C), and Terria Joseph posing outdoors (R). Photo: Kris Connor/WireImage, Kayla Oaddams/WireImage, @cole_cook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

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Alicia Keys' mother, Terria, has been a fundamental figure in her life. Her unmistakable presence throughout her daughter's career has contributed to Keys's success as a musical powerhouse. However, growing up in the limelight had its downsides, with many wondering about her father's identity and absence.

Profile summary

Full nameAlicia Augello Cook
NicknameAlicia Keys, Lellow
GenderFemale
Date of birth25 January 1981
Age43 years as of 2024
Place of birthHell's Kitchen, New York, United States
Residence (s)Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityMixed
ReligionChristian
SexualityStraight
Hair colourBrown
Eye colourBrown
Height in centimetres168
Height in feet5'6"
Weight in kilograms55
Weight in pounds121
FatherCraig Cook
MotherTeresa M. Augello
Siblings1
Marital statusMarried
SpouseSwizz Beatz
Children2
EducationProfessional Performing Arts School Columbia University
ProfessionMusician, producer, actress, author, entrepreneur, activist
Net worth$150 million
Social mediaTikTok, Instagram, X(Twitter), YouTube, Facebook

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Who are Alicia Keys' parents?

Alicia was born on 25 January 1981 in Hell's Kitchen, New York, in the United States, to Teresa M. Augello and Craig Cook. She has one brother, Cole Cook. Learn more about them below:

Teresa M. Augello

Alicia Keys and her mother, Terria Joseph, attend the 77th Annual Tony Awards
Alicia Keys and her mother, Terria Joseph, attend the 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on 16 June 2024 in New York City. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/WireImage
Source: Getty Images

Teresa M. Augello, also known as Terria Joseph, was born on 8 May 1950 to Donna Jean and Joseph 'Little Joe' Augello in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Terria was the fourth of nine children in a family of eleven. She is 74 years old as of 2024, and her zodiac sign is Taurus.

Her father was a disc jockey and news director at the WOHO radio station. He was also an actor and is remembered for his roles in Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet radio series. Unfortunately, Little Joe died of cardiac arrest when Terria was about twelve years old. Donna was a pianist and vocalist.

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After the death of their father, all the children, including Terria, had to work to support the family. In More Myself: A Journey, Keys shares the story of her mother's difficult upbringing, shedding light on the challenges she faced, as excerpted by People:

Throughout junior high and high school, my mother weeded yards, worked at the National Biscuit Company, even painted backstops at the baseball field.

She attended Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio. After graduating, she moved to New York, where she was accepted into New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Like her daughter, Terria is a performing artist. However, she supported her children by working as a paralegal at Chadbourne and Parke law firm at the Rockefeller Center from 1980 until 2001.

Terria broke into the film industry playing in the 1981 film Death of a Prophet. She is best known for:

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FilmRoleYear of production
Women of Theatre, New YorkSelf2022
Anais Almonte in DelusionalDr Barone2022
Chris Russell in FlyeringSandy2019
BeeotchRachel's mom2019
The Marriage BedGram2017
An Actor PreparesLandlord2017
(Un)BalancedMelissa's mom2017
EmpireJudith2015
CornerstoneAlberta Jones2014
AlienatedRocco2009
Alicia Keys: Like You'll Never See Me AgainHospital medic2007
The Big Bad SwimNorah2006
ThresholdWoodchipper woman2005
ShadowboxerGwen2005
Arthur! A Celebration of LifeBillie Jean King2005
American DreamsNurse Shirley2003

Craig Cook

Alicia Keys poses with her brother (L) and her father (R).
Alicia Keys (C) poses with her brother (L) and her father (R). The singer attends the 77th Annual Tony Awards (Far right). Photo: @cole_cook, Jamie McCarthy/WireImage (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Craig Cook was born in the United States of America in the 1970s. He was an air steward who later worked as a masseur.

Although he left when Keys was two years old, she has maintained a civil tone when discussing him in the media. In 2001, she told the Guardian:

I am not in contact with him. That is fine. When I was younger, I minded that. It made made me angry. But it showed me what a strong woman my mother was. Probably, it was better for me this way.

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Does Alicia Keys have siblings?

The 15-time Grammy award winner has one brother, Cole Cook. Cole was born on 24 March 1991 to Craig Cook and Susan Cook in the United States of America. He is 33 years old as of 2024, and his zodiac sign is Aries.

Alicia Keys hugs her brother, Cole Cook (L). The singer poses standing at the premiere of The Colour Purple (R).
Alicia Keys hugs her brother, Cole Cook (L). The singer attends the premiere of The Colour Purple (R). Photo: @cole_cook, Gilbert Flores/Variety (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Like his sister, Cole is a performing artist. He performed extensively in theatres, including the Artists Repertory Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Idaho Repertory Theatre, and Shakespeare on the Bluff. He is known for his performances in Connect, Hail, Caesar! and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

FAQs

  1. How old is Alicia Keys? She is 43 years old as of 2024 and is an Aquarius.
  2. What is Alicia Keys' ethnicity? She is of mixed ethnicity; African-American-Scottish-Italian-Jamaican.
  3. Who is Alicia Keys' mother? Alicia's mother is Teresa M. Augello, popularly known as Terria Joseph.
  4. Who is Alicia Keys' biological father? The American singer's father is Craig Cook.
  5. Who raised Alicia Keys? Alicia was raised by her mother, Joseph as a single mother.
  6. Is Alicia Keys' father Jamaican? Craig Cook is of African-American ethnicity with Jamaican roots.
  7. Are Alicia Keys' parents still together? The couple split in 1983, two years after Alicia Keys was born.
  8. Is Alicia Keys' father still alive? At the time of writing, Cook is alive.
  9. How is Cole Cook related to Alicia Keys? Cole Cook is Alicia Key's half-brother.
  10. Who is Cole Cook's mother? Cole's mother is Susan Cook.

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The question surrounding Alicia Key's parents has drawn attention to the singer's profile as a successful entertainer. Her parents are Terria Joseph, a part-time actress, and Craig Cook, a former air steward.

Legit.ng also published an article about Sam Howell's parents, Amy and Duke Howell. Sam Howell is a rising star in the American National Football League.

The quarterback's roots in South Korea add to some of the interesting facts about him. Read on for details of his parent's influence on his career and his personal and professional lives.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ciku Njuguna avatar

Ciku Njuguna (Lifestyle writer) Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with four years of experience in content creation working with Sports Brief and CyberSchool technologies. She has a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics (2018) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Nairobi (2022). Ciku joined Legit.ng in 2024, where she currently covers lifestyle content. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In 2024, she participated in the Google News Initiative training program. Email: ciku.njuguna1@gmail.com

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