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Sam Cooke music biography continued...

on January 22, 1931, one of eight children of a Baptist minister and his wife. Cooke's great voice was discovered early and he sang in the church choir and later formed his own gospel group. His membership in that group led to his introduction to the Soul Stirrers, one of the top gospel groups in the country, and in 1950 he joined them, soon after becoming a star in the religious black community. But Cooke had loftier goals. He split with the Soul Stirrers and soon came up with "You Send Me," which sold over two million copies on the tiny Keen Records label and hit number one on both the pop and R&B charts. Although it seems like a tame record today, "You Send Me" was a pioneering soul record in its time, blending elements of R&B, gospel, and pop into a sound that was new and still coming together at the time. He followed this tune with such signature Sam Cooke songs as "For Sentimental Reasons," "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha," "Only Sixteen," and "(What A) Wonderful World. In 1960
Cooke signed with RCA, where his hits included "Chain Gang," "Cupid," "Another Saturday Night" and "Twistin' the Night Away." According to critics, Cooke was a versatile singer who never really settled on a style; Cooke tackled everything from sophisticated balladry and lighthearted pop to finger-popping rock and roll and raw, raspy rhythm & blues. In addition to being a performer, Cooke established himself as a successful and even groundbreaking black entrepreneur operating within the mainstream music industry. Cooke produced records for other singers, founded his own publishing company (Kags Music) and launched a record label (Sar/Derby). He also helped such fellow artists as Bobby Womack, Johnnie Taylor, Billy Preston and Lou Rawls make the transition from gospel to pop. Tragically, Cooke was shot to death at a Los Angeles motel on December 11th, 1964, under mysterious circumstances. He left behind a legacy that would have an impact on the music industry well into the new millennium.