Sam Cooke, byname of Samuel Cook, (born January 22, 1931, U.S.—died December 11, 1964, California), American singer, songwriter, producer, and who was a major figure in the history of and, along with, one of the most influential black vocalists of the post-World War II period. If Charles represented raw, Cooke symbolized sweet soul. To his many celebrated disciples—, and among them—he was an icon of unrivaled stature. Cooke’s career came in two phases. As a member of the groundbreaking, a premier group of the 1950s, he electrified the church nationwide with a light, lilting vocal style that soared rather than thundered. “Nearer to Thee” (1955), “Touch the Hem of His Garment” (1956), and “Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles” (1956) were major gospel hits and, in the words of, “perfectly chiseled jewels.” Cooke’s decision to turn his attention to pop music in 1957 had tremendous in the black musical community.
On December 11, 1964, in response to a reported shooting, officers of the Los Angeles Police Department were dispatched to the Hacienda Motel, where they found Sam Cooke dead on the office floor.
There long had been a taboo against such a move, but Cooke broke the mold. He reinvented himself as a crooner in the manner of. His strength was in his smoothness. He wrote many of his best songs himself, including his first hit, the “,” which shot to number one on all charts in 1957 and established Cooke as a superstar. While other artists stressed sexuality, Cooke was essentially a spiritualist, even in the domain of romantic love.
When he did sing dance songs—“Twistin’ the Night Away” (1962), “Shake” (1965)—he did so with a delicacy theretofore unknown in. Cooke also distinguished himself as an independent businessman, heading his own publishing, recording, and management firms.
He broke new ground by playing nightclubs, such as the Copacabana in, previously off-limits to rhythm-and-blues acts. The tragedy of his in 1964—he was shot to death at age 33 by a motel manager—is shrouded in mystery. But the mystery has done nothing to damage the strength of his. “ A Change Is Gonna Come” (1965) remains his signature song, an anthem of hope and boundless optimism that expresses the genius of his poetry and sweetness of his soul. Cooke was inducted into the in 1986 and was a 1999 recipient of the for lifetime achievement.