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Sam Cooke
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Chicago, United States (1950 – 1964)
Sam Cooke (Samuel Cook, Clarksdale, Mississippi, January 22, 1931 – Los Angeles, California, December 11, 1964) was a popular and influential American gospel, R&B, soul, pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. Recognized as one of the true founders of soul music.
Sam Cooke (he added an “e” onto the end of his name because he thought it added a touch of class) was one of eight children of Rev. Charles and Mrs. Annie Mae Cook. The family moved to Chicago in 1933.
Cooke began his musical career as a member of a quartet with his siblings, the Singing Children, followed by a turn as a teenager as a member of the Highway QCs, a gospel group. In 1950, at the age of 19, he joined The Soul Stirrers and achieved significant success and fame within the gospel community.
His first pop single, “Lovable” (1956) was released under the alias of “Dale Cooke,” in order to not alienate his fan base; there was a considerable taboo against gospel singers performing secular music. However, the alias failed to hide Cooke’s unique and distinctive vocals. No one was fooled. Art Rupe, head of Specialty Records, the label of the Soul Stirrers, gave his blessing for Cooke to record secular music under his real name, but was unhappy about the type of music Cooke and Bumps Blackwell, Cooke’s pop producer, were making. Rupe expected Cooke’s secular music to be similar to that of another Specialty Records artist, Little Richard. When Rupe walked in on a recording session and heard Cooke covering Gershwin, he was quite upset.
Sam Cooke (he added an “e” onto the end of his name because he thought it added a touch of class) was one of eight children of Rev. Charles and Mrs. Annie Mae Cook. The family moved to Chicago in 1933.
Cooke began his musical career as a member of a quartet with his siblings, the Singing Children, followed by a turn as a teenager as a member of the Highway QCs, a gospel group. In 1950, at the age of 19, he joined The Soul Stirrers and achieved significant success and fame within the gospel community.
His first pop single, “Lovable” (1956) was released under the alias of “Dale Cooke,” in order to not alienate his fan base; there was a considerable taboo against gospel singers performing secular music. However, the alias failed to hide Cooke’s unique and distinctive vocals. No one was fooled. Art Rupe, head of Specialty Records, the label of the Soul Stirrers, gave his blessing for Cooke to record secular music under his real name, but was unhappy about the type of music Cooke and Bumps Blackwell, Cooke’s pop producer, were making. Rupe expected Cooke’s secular music to be similar to that of another Specialty Records artist, Little Richard. When Rupe walked in on a recording session and heard Cooke covering Gershwin, he was quite upset.
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Tribute To The Lady
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The Man and His Music
Sam Cooke
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Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964
Sam Cooke Buy- Download Album
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The Man Who Invented Soul (disc 4)
Sam Cooke Buy- Download Album
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Cupid
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Twistin' The Night Away
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Nothing Can Change This Love
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Having A Party
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I'll Come Running Back to You
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Another Saturday Night
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Touch The Hem Of His Garment
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Sad Mood
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Shoutbox
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deviantpsyche wrote:
just got this Artist's ringtones at www.itsflycell.com. A Change Is Gonna Come is my favorite! love it.
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perkins_o1 wrote:
he looks so cool
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BostonIrish wrote:
45 years ago today music lost a legend
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jeanses wrote:
Change was come.
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jeanses wrote:
R.I.P. Sam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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paulie2703 wrote:
the voice of an angel!
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kennyken07 wrote:
I'm really glad my father heard this when I was a little kid, I really appreciate this music and Sam cookes music. Choose this over the so called "r&b and soul" of today. Where has all the passion gone?
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pirlusotto wrote:
King
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ladysaw wrote:
"Live at the Harlem Square Club" - one of the best records [3]
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rockingdaddy wrote:
coooool
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cyankuruma wrote:
Ol' Sam can always lift your spirits!
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jackwolfesucks wrote:
"Live at the Harlem Square Club" - one of the best records [2]
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DonnieSTFU wrote:
Probably one of my top 10 favorite singers.
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NYCMan wrote:
He's the greatest!! Love his music sooooo much!
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DonnieSTFU wrote:
God rest his soul. Great music.
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Waes-GOD wrote:
http://www.last.fm/group/Fans+of+the+old+music
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nihald123 wrote:
Instead of bein' my deliverance, she had a strange resemblance to a cat named frankenstein.
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mathcore16 wrote:
man that was witty
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kturner423 wrote:
why would anybody not be listening to Sam Cooke at every moment of the day
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Cousin_Eddy wrote:
The greatest vocalist to ever live in my opinion..Rest in peace Sam.
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Recent Activity
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coffeeboy81, mejume, ngoodwin10 and 9 other people added Sam Cooke to their libraries. 3 minutes ago
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vitazzz tagged Sam Cooke with rhythm and blues and soul. 19 hours ago
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hippopeabodymus, candylane132000, Mandy9r and 2 other people added Sam Cooke to their libraries. 19 hours ago
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lady_veronicah uploaded Image6 to Sam Cooke’s images. yesterday afternoon
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unicum1, julz-girlie, RS_2011 and 17 other people added Sam Cooke to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
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purplerain6 tagged Sam Cooke with ‘soul’. Thursday evening
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SOUL50, satellitegazing, maximechareton and 3 other people added Sam Cooke to their libraries. Thursday evening
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Hoptza tagged Sam Cooke with gospel, rhythm and blues and soul. Thursday afternoon
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NEWORLEANSDEE, heypennyband, JacobAGrippen and 6 other people added Sam Cooke to their libraries. Thursday morning
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Groups (83)
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Sam Cooke
73 members
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Golden Tunes Vertigo
47 members
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Late 1950s, Early 1960s
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Protest
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Soul & Funk Connection
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