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VOICE 1:
I’m Shirley Griffith.
VOICE 2:
And I’m Ray Freeman with the VOASpecial English program, People in America. Every week we tell aboutsomeone important in the history of the United States. This week wetell about black singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke.
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VOICE 1:
It has been years since that song was a hit. Yet it is stillpopular today. The song is called “You Send Me.” It was written andsung by a young singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke.
During the late nineteen-fifties and early sixties, Sam Cooke wasone of the biggest stars in the music industry. His smooth voice andmusical style were popular with both blacks and whites. Although SamCooke died years ago, his influence still is present in today’smusic.
VOICE 2:
Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, innineteen-thirty-one. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His father wasa minister in a Baptist church. Sam started singing religious musicwhen he was only fifteen years old. When he was nineteen, he becamethe lead singer of a famous gospel singing group called the SoulStirrers.
In nineteen-fifty, he began writing and recording for the SoulStirrers. During his six years with the group, Cooke brought his ownkind of expression to gospel music. He became gospel music’s biggeststar.
His good looks and singing abilities made him very popular amongwomen, both young and old. Here is Sam Cooke with the soul stirrers,singing, “Touch the Hem of his Garment.”
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VOICE 1:
Although Sam Cooke was a star with the soul stirrers, he wantedto sing other kinds of music. So, he decided to sing popular musicinstead.
Cooke’s decision to “cross over” to pop music shocked manyblacks. That was because making such a change was not as easy thenas it is today. Racial tensions were high between blacks and whitesin the nineteen fifties. And gospel music was popular among blackpeople. It was considered an important part of black culture.
The company that recorded the soul stirrers’ records urged himnot to start singing pop music. They thought it would offend thegroup’s fans.
VOICE 2:
Cooke, however, wanted to sing to all groups of people. He wantedto express his racial identity without offending whites. At thattime, most records by black artists were not played on radiostations that had white listeners. So, he left the gospel musicworld where he was extremely popular with blacks. But the move wasnot a mistake. He soon became a big star singing pop music.
Sam Cooke’s first pop record was released by a small company,keen, in nineteen-fifty-seven. It was “You Send Me. ” It was a hugesuccess. It sold one-million-seven-hundred-thousand copies in thefirst year alone. It is one of his most memorable recordings. Hereis the first version he recorded of that song. It was made to showCooke’s ability to sing.
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VOICE 1:
Sam Cooke had a voice that was unlike any the public had everheard. His voice was soft, yet intense. He made singing seemeffortless.
Cooke was also a wise businessman. In nineteen-fifty-nine, hebecame the first black artist to establish his own record company,SAR Records. He wrote most of his own material. And, he owned therights to his songs through his music publishing company, KagsMusic. Very few blacks at that time were able to control theirmusical profession in such a way. And, without such businesscontrol, they lost money.
Here is another hit by Sam Cooke, when he was with the KeenRecord Company, called “Wonderful World.”
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VOICE 2:
In nineteen-sixty, Sam Cooke signed an agreement with a majorrecord company, RCA. Such a move is common today. But, a move froman independent black-owned record company to a major record companywas something few black artists were able to do then.
Cooke had a number of big hits at RCA. In this song, Sam Cookeuses a call-and-answer form of musical expression that started inthe black church. The song is called, “Bring It on Home to Me.”
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In nineteen-sixty-two, Sam Cooke recorded a song for RCA about apopular new dance step, the Twist. The song is called “Twistin’ theNight Away.”
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VOICE 1:
In December nineteen-sixty-four, Sam Cooke’s life was suddenlycut short. He was shot and killed at a hotel during a visit to LosAngeles. He was thirty-three years old.
His death shocked his fans. Thousands of people gathered at hisfuneral.
Two of Cooke’s last songs were released after he died. One of thesongs is called “A Change Is Gonna Come.” It is a powerful song thatcombines gospel and pop music. The song is like many of Sam Cooke’sthat made him so popular as a singer and songwriter. It is aboutnever losing hope.
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VOICE 2:
This Special English program was written by Cynthia Kirk. It wasproduced by Lawan Davis. I’m Ray Freeman.
VOICE 1:
And I’m Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for anotherpeople in American program on the Voice of America.