Sam Cooke
“The smooth, soaring voice that bridged gospel and pop and helped invent soul.”
In 1957, gospel star Sam Cooke crossed over to secular pop with 'You Send Me,' which topped the Billboard R&B chart and made him a national sensation. The bold move from sacred to popular music established him as a pioneer of soul.
Gospel Roots
Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1931, Samuel Cook grew up singing in church in Chicago. In 1950 he became lead singer of the famed gospel group the Soul Stirrers, gaining a devoted following.
Crossover to Soul
Cooke shocked the gospel world by going pop in 1957 with 'You Send Me.' A string of hits followed, and his blending of gospel feeling with pop polish helped invent the soul genre.
Voice of Change
Beyond hits, Cooke ran his own label and recorded 'A Change Is Gonna Come,' a civil-rights anthem. His life was cut short in 1964 when he was shot at a Los Angeles motel.
Career Timeline
- 1931Born Samuel Cook in Clarksdale, Mississippi
- 1950Becomes lead singer of the Soul Stirrers
- 1957'You Send Me' tops the R&B chart
- 1960Releases 'Chain Gang' and 'Wonderful World'
- 1961Founds SAR Records and the Cupid hit
- 1962Scores with 'Twistin' the Night Away'
- 1963Records the live 'Live at the Harlem Square Club'
- 1964Records civil-rights anthem 'A Change Is Gonna Come'
- 1964Shot dead at a Los Angeles motel on December 11
- 1965'A Change Is Gonna Come' released posthumously
Biggest Hits
- He added the 'e' to his surname, going from Cook to Cooke, when he launched his secular pop career.
- He ran his own label, SAR Records, and his publishing company at a time when few Black artists controlled their business.
The Moment You Remember
Strings swell, and Sam Cooke sings of a long, hard road and the faith that change is finally coming. A Change Is Gonna Come, released soon after his death, gave the civil rights movement an anthem of weary hope that still resonates.
Portrait: RCA Victor Records (Billboard advertisement) · Public Domain · via Wikimedia Commons