Sam Cooke | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Samuel Cook |
| Also known as | Dale Cooke |
| Born | January 22, 1931 Clarksdale, Mississippi |
| Died | December 11, 1964 (aged 33) Los Angeles, California |
| Genres | R&B, soul, gospel, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1950–1964 |
| Labels | Specialty, Keen, RCA |
Sam Cooke (January 22, 1931–December 11, 1964) was an American soul singer, record producer, dancer [source?] and songwriter. He was born Sam Cook but later changed the spelling of his name. He was very important and influential in the beginning of soul music. He had many hit songs in America. Some of his most famous songs were "You Send Me", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Chain Gang", "Wonderful World", and "Bring It on Home to Me".
Cooke started his own record label and publishing company. He was an important part of the Civil Rights Movement, helping African-American people to get civil rights.