The Man And His MusicThe Man And His Music
Releases:
Songs:
Information: During the last year of Cooke's life, he signed on with Allen Klein's company, ABKCO Music. There, he cut several famous songs like "Shake" and "A Change Is Gonna Come." ABKCO, according to Dr. Rhino, is notorious for being tight-fisted about their recordings, which is why the "Man And His Music" was pulled out of print several years ago; they no longer wanted RCA to sell CD's with material they owned. They wouldn't even license any material for the new box set (which is explained at Amazon.com by a reviewer who says he produced the box set). If "A Change Is Gonna Come," "Shake," and other ABKCO owned Sam Cooke material is to be released again, it will have to be on future ABKCO CD releases.
Sale: I can make a copy for those interested, e-mail me for more info. Also try Amazon.com, especially the marketplace. Best source remains Gemm
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"It isn't what you sing that is so important, but rather the fact that God gave you a good voice to use. He must want you to make people happy by singing, so go ahead and do so."
REVEREND CHARLES COOKE TO HIS SON SAM
U. K. TOUR PROGRAM 1962
"He was my father-that's the best part I remember about him. I wish
he were here to see his grandkids."
LINDA COOKE WOMACK
"Sam Cooke...of his time...ahead of his time...for all time."
ALLEN KLEIN
"Sam was the best singer who ever lived, no contest. When I listen to
him, I still can't believe the things that he did. It's always fresh and
amazing to me; he has control, he could play with his voice like an
instrument, his melisma, which was his personal brand -I mean,
nobody else could do it-everything about him was perfection. A
perfect case."
JERRY WEXLER
"Sam was a singer's singer who strongly influenced many male vocal-
ists of the '50s, '60s and '70s, who was loved, respected and revered
by artists in the pop and gospel field of music, as well as by his
audience, as a unique and extraordinary artist and person."
ARETHA FRANKLIN
"Sam Cooke was the only One that really influenced me. Over a
period of two years, that's all I listened to."
ROD STEWART ROLLING STONE JUNE 8, 1972
"Sam Cooke was One of the greatest singers
and performers of our generation. He was
rightly crowned the 'king of soul.' It was a
great loss to the entertainment world that
Sam left us at such an early age."
HUGO PERETTI
"Sam Cooke is some body other singers have to measure
themselves against, and most of them go back to pumping
gas."
KEITH RICHARDS
"Sam never lost his gospel roots. A real feel-
ing of joy and happiness emanated from any-
thing that Sam touched. Singing a Sam Cooke
song makes you feel like you have lifted a
great weight off your shoulders, the same
sense of release that I hear in gospel music."
PAUL YOUNG
"Sometimes I can be up on stage singing and I
feel him there-all of a sudden we hit one of
his runs or something that he would do
There was only One Sam Cooke."
BOBBY WOMACK
"Sam was like an older brother and guardian
for me. I treasure the experiences and pro-
tective role he played in my life on and off the
road."
CECIL WOMACK
"Sam Cooke was an original, One of the all-
time greats."
HUEY LEWIS
"Sam Cooke had one of the most unique and
original singing styles I ever heard. He was my
favorite.."
SMOKEY ROBINSON
"I'd like to give Sam Cooke a lot of credit. He
was a real special gay, he was instinctively
knowledgeable ahout the record business and
what people were looking for. I learned a
great deal from him. For instance, once we
were auditioning a singer, a very good-look-
ing Caribbean man who played guitar. We
listened for about ten minutes and I thought
he sounded great. Then Sam said to me,
'Turn your back on him and check him out
for about five minutes.' I did and I felt it
wasn't the same-it was weird. Then Sam
said, 'That's right, people don't care if you're
black or white, what uou look like, where uou
come from. You're listening to a cold piece of
wax in the record business, and it either
makes it or it doesn't.' I think of that, often,
even today when I listen to a new group."
HERB ALPERT GOLDMINE APRIL, 1980
"Sam Cooke is the world's greatest rock-and-
rollsinger. ..the greatest singer in the world."
MUHAMMAD ALI AFTER THE LISTON/CLAY
FIGHT MIAMI BEACH. FLlORIDA
FEBRUARY 25, 1964