Sam cooke biography video only elvis

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Who Was Sam Cooke?

Sam Cooke sang with the gospel group the Soul Stirrers before going on to land huge hits like "You Send Me," "Wonderful World," "Chain Gang" and "Twistin' the Night Away." Forging a link between soul and pop, he had a diverse repertoire that attracted both black and white audiences, and started his own record label and publishing company.

Cooke died on December 11, , in Los Angeles, California.

Early Life

Sometimes called the father of soul music, singer Sam Cooke first reached the top of the charts in with "You Send Me." A string of pop and R&B hits soon followed, but he actually started out as a gospel performer.

Born Samuel Cook in Clarksdale, Mississippi, he grew up in Chicago as the son of a minister.

Cooke began performing with his family as a child. In his teens, he formed a quintet called the Highway QCs. Cooke modeled his early work after one of his greatest inspirations, the Sou