Cooke, Sam (Samuel Cook)
1931-1964 · Contribution: 1950-1964
Singer & Songwriter
Became known as the “King of Soul” and “inventor of soul music,” crossing over from gospel stardom with the Soul Stirrers to a thirteen-year run of pop hits including “You Send Me” and “Chain Gang,” and composed “A Change Is Gonna Come,” later ranked the No. 1 protest song of all time by Rolling Stone
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1931
- Active since
- 1950
- Category
- Arts, Music & Entertainment Tech
- Best known for
- "A Change Is Gonna Come""King of Soul"Gospel-to-pop crossover
Impact on the world
Cooke helped invent soul and insisted on owning his work, a radical act of business independence for a Black artist. "A Change Is Gonna Come" became an anthem of the civil-rights movement.
Sources
- Britannica
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