Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke - Hold On. Another Saturday Night. Only Sixteen. Chain Gang. Twistin' The Night Away. Wonderful World. You Send Me. A change is gonna come. Official website of Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke[1] (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), born Samuel Cook, was an American recording artist, singer-songwriter and entrepreneur.[4] He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and influence on the modern world of music. His pioneering contributions to soul music led to the rise of Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Billy Preston and popularized the likes of Otis Redding and James Brown.[5][6][7] On December 11, 1964, Cooke was fatally shot by Bertha Franklin, the manager of the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 33.

At the time, the courts ruled Cooke was drunk and distressed, and the manager had killed Cooke in what was later ruled a justifiable homicide. Since that time, the circumstances of his death have been widely questioned. Early life and career[edit] Cooke was born "Cook" in Clarksdale, Mississippi. In 1950, Cooke replaced gospel tenor R.H. Marriages[edit]