Sam Cooke:
Sam Cooke, The Man Many Consider The Greatest Soul Singer Ever, And One Of The Founders Of The Soul Music Genre, Was Born January 22, 1931, In Clarksdale Mississippi. His Family Moved To Chicago In 1933.
Cooke Began Singing Gospel As A Child, With His Brothers And Sisters. He Joined The Highway QC's As A Teenager And Became A Member Of The Soul Stirrers At The Age Of 19 And Was An Instant A Gospel Superstar.
Cooke Eventually Decided To Leave Gospel And Record R&B. In 1956 His First Record, "Lovable," On Specialty Records, Was Recorded Under The Alias, Dale Cooke, In Order Not To Alienate His Gospel Fans. However, Because Of His Unique Vocal Style, No One Was Fooled.
In 1957, Cooke Signed With Keen Records And Released, "You Send Me," Which Spent Six Weeks At 1, On The Billboard R&B Chart. "You Send Me" Was Actually The B-Side Of Cooke's Rendition Of George Gershwin's "Summertime."
During The Next Several Years, Sam Cooke's Popularity Grew, Along With Hit After Hit Record. These Included "Chain Gang," "Another Saturday Night," Bring It On Home To Me," "Wonderful World," "Only Sixteen," "Twistin' The Night Away," "(I Love You For) Sentimental Reasons," "Cupid," "Sugar Dumpling," "Shake," And "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Generally Regarded As His Best Composition).
Sam Cooke's Music Has Stood The Test Of Time, Due In Large Part To The Countless Artists He Has Inspired. His Songs Have Been Covered By Everyone -- From Otis Redding, Cat Stevens, James Taylor And The Beatles, To The Supremes. His Vocal Phrasing Has Influenced Singers (Black And White), Including Smokey Robinson, Lou Rawls, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Womack, Rod Stewart, Steve Perry, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Terrence Trent DarbyDavid Ruffin.
On December 11, 1964, Sam Cooke Was Shot And Killed By Bertha Frankli During An Argument At The Hacienda Motel. Franklin Claimed Self-Defense, But The Specific Circumstances Of The Event Are Still In Dispute.
Sam Cooke Was Inducted Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame In 1986.
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"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
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