Sam Cooke

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Samuel Cook  (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964),  known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur.

Influential as both a singer and composer,  he is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocals and importance within popular music. His pioneering contributions to soul music contributed to the rise of Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Billy Preston, and popularized the likes of Otis Redding and James Brown.

AllMusic biographer Bruce Eder wrote that Cooke was "the inventor of soul music", and possessed "an incredible natural singing voice and a smooth, effortless delivery that has never been surpassed".

On December 11, 1964, Cooke was shot and killed at the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles, California after an alleged altercation with Bertha Franklin, the manager of the motel, who said she fatally shot him when he attacked her in a rage. A jury ruled that the shooting was justifiable homicide, preventing Franklin from being convicted.  Since his death, the circumstances of Cooke's killing have been called into question by his family.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSoPeZMHMf4

Twistin' the Night Away" is a song written and recorded by Sam Cooke. It was released as a single in 1962 and became very popular, charting in the top ten of both the Billboard Hot 100 (#9) and Billboard's R&B chart (#1). "Twistin' the Night Away" was successful overseas as well, peaking at #6 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song was recorded with The Wrecking Crew as session musicians, including Rene Hall as band leader, Red Callender on bass, Earl Palmer on drums, Tommy Tedesco and Clifton White on guitars, Ed Beal on piano, John Kelson, John Ewing and Jewell Grant on saxophone and Stuart Williamson on trumpet.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4GLAKEjU4w


"Wonderful World" (occasionally referred to as "(What A) Wonderful World") is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke. Released on April 14, 1960 by Keen Records, it had been recorded during an impromptu session the previous year, Cooke's last recording session at Keen Records.

He signed with RCA Victor in 1960 and "Wonderful World," then unreleased, was issued as a single in competition. The song was mainly composed by songwriting team Lou Adler and Herb Alpert, but Cooke revised the lyrics to mention the subject of education more.
"Wonderful World" ended up doing substantially better on the charts than several of his early RCA singles, becoming his biggest hit single since "You Send Me" (1957). The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit number two on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart.

Herman's Hermits charted better with a cover of the song in 1965, reaching number four in the United States and number seven in the United Kingdom, respectively. Another cover by Art Garfunkel with James Taylor and Paul Simon charted at number 17 in 1978. The Sam Cooke version was featured in the 1978 film Animal House and gained greater recognition in the UK upon a 1986 re-release when it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart,

going silver (it had peaked at number 27 on the UK singles chart on first release in 1960). Its 1986 success was attributed to sound-alike versions featured in the film Witness (1985) and a memorable Levi's 501 television commercial.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHACIV0MvXs

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANDbq0N0MzU

"Only Sixteen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released in May 1959.

The song was a top 15 hit on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart and also charted within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.

It the UK it was covered, and taken to No. 1, by Craig Douglas.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-5zlj49ugk

"Having a Party" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released on May 8, 1962 by RCA Victor.

Produced by Hugo & Luigi and arranged and conducted by René Hall, the song was the A-side to "Bring It on Home to Me". The song peaked at number four on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart, and also charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S28tILqie1o

Cupid" is a song by American singer Sam Cooke, released on May 16, 1961. It charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the Hot R&B Sides chart; the track performed best in the United Kingdom, peaking at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. Cooke's producers had asked him to write a song for a girl they had seen on a Perry Como TV show — but once they heard her sing, they kept "Cupid" for Cooke himself. It was Cooke's idea to drop in the sound of an arrow being fired "straight to my lover's heart."  Personnel on the recording included Cooke's session regulars Clifton White and Rene Hall on guitar, Clifford Hills on bass, Earl Palmer on drums and Joseph Gibbons on guitar and banjo.

"Cupid" was ranked at number 452 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". AllMusic critic Bill Janovitz described the track as a "perfect pop song" which combines "Latin, R&B, jazz, and mainstream pop elements".

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O8m0mMDpHw

Another Saturday Night" is the title of a 1963 hit single by Sam Cooke from the album Ain't That Good News. It reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was No. 1 on the R&B chart for a single week. In the UK, the song peaked at No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart.

Session drummer Hal Blaine played on this version of the song. Other musicians on the record included John Anderson on trumpet, John Ewing on trombone, Jewell Grant on sax, Ray Johnson on piano, and Clifton White and Rene Hall on guitar, and Clifford Hills on bass.

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Saturday Night