Sam Cooke was a trailblazing recording artist who sang with the gospel group the Soul Stirrers before he had pop and R&B hits like “You Send Me,” “Chain Gang” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.”  Forging a link between soul and pop, Cooke attracted both black and white audiences, and started his own record label and publishing company. 

Cooke had 30 U.S. top 40 hits between 1957 and 1964, plus three more posthumously. Cooke was also among the first modern black performers and composers to attend to the business side of his musical career. He founded both a record label and a publishing company as an extension of his careers as a singer and composer. He also took an active part in the Civil Rights Movement.

If you want to learn about this music legend watch the video “The Legend Sam Cooke,” as see through the eyes of those who knew him, like Lou Rawls, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Dick Clark and more.