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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 name

Alicia Augello Cook

Nickname

Alicia Keys, Lellow

Gender

Female

Date of birth

25 January 1981

Age

43 years as of 2024

Place of birth

Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States

Residence (s)

Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Nationality

American

Ethnicity

Mixed

Religion

Christian

Sexuality

Straight

Hair colour

Brown

Eye colour

Brown

Height in centimetres

168

Height in feet

5'6"

Weight in kilograms

55

Weight in pounds

121

Father

Craig Cook

Mother

Teresa M. Augello

Siblings

1

Marital status

Married

Spouse

Swizz Beatz

Children

2

Education

Professional Performing Arts School Columbia University

Profession

Musician, producer, actress, author, entrepreneur, activist

Net worth

$150 million

Social media

TikTok

,

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:

Film

Role

Year of production

Women of Theatre, New Yor

k

Self

2022

Anais Almonte in Delusional

Dr Barone

2022

Chris Russell in Flyering

Sandy

2019

Beeotch

Rachel's mom

2019

The Marriage Bed

Gram

2017

An Actor Prepares

Landlord

2017

(Un)Balanced

Melissa's mom

2017

Empire

Judith

2015

Cornerstone

Alberta Jones

2014

Alienated

Rocco

2009

Alicia Keys: Like You'll Never See Me Again

Hospital medic

2007

The Big Bad Swim

Norah

2006

Threshold

Woodchipper woman

2005

Shadowboxer

Gwen

2005

Arthur! A Celebration of Life

Billie Jean King

2005

American Dreams

Nurse Shirley

2003

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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 more than four years of experience in writing and content creation while working with Legit.ng, 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, covering lifestyle content. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and participated in the Google News Initiative training program. Email: ciku.njuguna1@gmail.com

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