Sam Cooke (1931-1964)

Sam Cooke was a trailblazing recording artist who helped shape the soul and pop scene with hits like “You Send Me,” “Chain Gang,” and “A Change is Gonna Come.”  His hypnotically smooth voice and finely chiseled good looks brought him instant success.  Cooke is commonly referred to as the “King of Soul.”

Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale MS in 1931.  In 1933 the family moved to Chicago where began his career singing with his siblings in the group The Singing Children at the age of six.  At fourteen he became lead singer of the gospel group the Highway Q.C.’s.  In 1950 Cooke joined the Soul Stirrers who had signed with Specialty Records.  Cooke brought gospel singing to the attention of a younger audience, mainly girls, who would rush the stage just to get a glimpse of Sam.

Cooke had 30 U.S. Top 40 hits between 1957 and 1964 including “Cupid,” “Another Saturday Night,” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.”

Sam married his high school sweetheart Barbara Campbell in 1959 and they had three children.

In 1960, Sam became the first major black artist to sign with RCA Records.  Sam’s untimely death due to a gunshot wound on December 11, 1964 remains controversial to this day with many different conflicting accounts.

Sam Cooke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.  He was voted the fourth best singer in the rock and roll era by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Sam Cooke is arguably the most important soul singer of all time.