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You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke
When Sam Cooke was shot dead in a cheap motel in Hollywood, he was one of America's most successful pop stars. He left a world in which he had been born poor and had become very rich from the success of such records as "You Send Me" and "A Wonderful World", yet his body lay unrecognised in a morgue for two days. This biography follows Cooke's life in a racist America where his voice was one of the first to reach beyond the segregated audiences and command a white following, Cooke himself becoming a player in the fledgling civil rights movement. This award-winning biography is a full and sometimes shocking story of a man whose songbook is revered by great performers such as Otis Redding, Rod Stewart and Aretha Franklin.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 13, 2012
I wanted to learn more about the man who wrote and sang "A Change Is Gonna Come", a song that, no matter how many times I hear it and no matter the context, moves me deeply every time. Friends and family who share my love for Sam Cooke's music often have difficulty articulating why they adore his songs. His hits are seemingly effortless, simple, and evocative of a varitey of basic human emotions including love, longing, and the ever-present desire to be happy, and, once happy, to revel in the feeling.
You Send Me answered all of my questions of how and why, and provided a rich history lesson in gospel and early rock and roll music (as they relate to Sam, of course). I delighted in listening to all of the examples of Cooke's influences Daniel Wolff provided. I was left with a portrait of a complicated and troubled man, who sought to write and perform songs he believed his listeners needed to hear. He provided an aural balm for the hurting souls of his listeners; springboards of hope in a time of dispair, confusion, and upheaval.
You Send Me answered all of my questions of how and why, and provided a rich history lesson in gospel and early rock and roll music (as they relate to Sam, of course). I delighted in listening to all of the examples of Cooke's influences Daniel Wolff provided. I was left with a portrait of a complicated and troubled man, who sought to write and perform songs he believed his listeners needed to hear. He provided an aural balm for the hurting souls of his listeners; springboards of hope in a time of dispair, confusion, and upheaval.
March 31, 2013
I've been listening to more and more Sam Cooke these past few years and was delighted when my husband surprised me with his biography a few weeks ago.
I was really interested to read about his gospel roots and the crossing over as well as his latter years and untimely death. It dragged a bit at the beginning (the Soul Stirrers bit was a little long but then again, it was the bulk of his adult life I suppose), but it picked up once he made the transition from gospel to rock and roll/r&b. I wasn't aware of all the people hanging around at that time and just how influential he was - very interesting indeed. What a shame his death wasn't properly investigated - as Daniel Wolff says, he could have been restored, at least in reputation. Might inspire me to read a few more biographies, not normally my kind of reading, but I did enjoy it in the end.
I was really interested to read about his gospel roots and the crossing over as well as his latter years and untimely death. It dragged a bit at the beginning (the Soul Stirrers bit was a little long but then again, it was the bulk of his adult life I suppose), but it picked up once he made the transition from gospel to rock and roll/r&b. I wasn't aware of all the people hanging around at that time and just how influential he was - very interesting indeed. What a shame his death wasn't properly investigated - as Daniel Wolff says, he could have been restored, at least in reputation. Might inspire me to read a few more biographies, not normally my kind of reading, but I did enjoy it in the end.
March 25, 2022
I have adored Sam Cooke’s music since I heard my dad playing it when I was a little girl. When ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke became available on Netflix, I watched it and realized I had known nothing about this man with an angel’s voice. I wanted to learn even more which is what led me to this book.
The book begins at the end. Sam’s end. It then starts with the story of his mother and father and a younger Sam and how he got his start with the QCs. This is an extremely thorough biography when it comes to Sam's work, covering all aspects of his career, including the earlier portions of it. In fact, his breakout hit, You Send Me, isn't covered until Chapter 10.
It was, however, sorely lacking when it came to Sam's personal life. There is practically nothing about his childhood. There is not much information about his marriages or women he fathered children with - the author didn’t even mention how many there were exactly. When they are mentioned, it’s briefly and only in such a way as if Cooke dodged a bullet by settling out of court with them. There is more mention of Barbara beginning in Chapter 19, but mostly as a segue into the death of his son, Vincent, which was so hard to read about it.
I appreciated the very thorough coverage of his murder and the perspectives and theories of his friends and family. I cannot believe Barbara called off the investigation. I am absolutely flabbergasted by that. There are so many theories; I am not sure what to believe. All I know is that the circumstances were definitively fishy, and I wish there could be some justice still for Sam and some answers for his family, friends and fans.
This book took me twice as long to read as it should have because I had to stop and listen to all the songs I hadn't heard before. I love the soulfulness of Sam's gospel music, and his pop/R&B songs that he puts his heart and soul into are also his best, IMO. It is quite a shame that he had to "tame" that side of himself to appease white audiences at the time. While I did enjoy this book, I wish I had picked up Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story from His Family's Perspective for more personal anecdotes, and I plan to read it in the future.
The book begins at the end. Sam’s end. It then starts with the story of his mother and father and a younger Sam and how he got his start with the QCs. This is an extremely thorough biography when it comes to Sam's work, covering all aspects of his career, including the earlier portions of it. In fact, his breakout hit, You Send Me, isn't covered until Chapter 10.
It was, however, sorely lacking when it came to Sam's personal life. There is practically nothing about his childhood. There is not much information about his marriages or women he fathered children with - the author didn’t even mention how many there were exactly. When they are mentioned, it’s briefly and only in such a way as if Cooke dodged a bullet by settling out of court with them. There is more mention of Barbara beginning in Chapter 19, but mostly as a segue into the death of his son, Vincent, which was so hard to read about it.
I appreciated the very thorough coverage of his murder and the perspectives and theories of his friends and family. I cannot believe Barbara called off the investigation. I am absolutely flabbergasted by that. There are so many theories; I am not sure what to believe. All I know is that the circumstances were definitively fishy, and I wish there could be some justice still for Sam and some answers for his family, friends and fans.
This book took me twice as long to read as it should have because I had to stop and listen to all the songs I hadn't heard before. I love the soulfulness of Sam's gospel music, and his pop/R&B songs that he puts his heart and soul into are also his best, IMO. It is quite a shame that he had to "tame" that side of himself to appease white audiences at the time. While I did enjoy this book, I wish I had picked up Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story from His Family's Perspective for more personal anecdotes, and I plan to read it in the future.
November 26, 2016
amazing, tho I differ with the conclusion. I think Klein "did it".
July 18, 2024
Very good of the author to credit two of Cook(e)'s acolytes. Exhaustive on the singer's family heritage and mysterious death, with first-person accounts of his rise from gospel-singing teenager to the grandfather of soul, who died before Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding took his style to an even bigger audience than Cooke did. Plenty of race politics in a sensitive account that cements the legend.
November 13, 2025
While Sam is my all-time favorite musical artist, I am not sure why this ended up being so mid for me. It has been too long since I read it to really recall why, but I am betting it was too much info about Sam's life and the times surrounding him rather than the music. I always want the stories of the songs I love so much, not necessarily info about someone's third wife or their childhood.
March 14, 2019
A thorough and respectful account. Heavy on the music, light on salacious speculation. I learned a LOT.
June 9, 2021
This biography leaves you with an understanding of the musician and the man, while it also describes how gospel music of the black church influenced white rock and roll in America in the fifties and sixties. Many black singers from church choirs participated in gospel quartets who travelled the South to perform at other churches. Singers from these quartets frequently crossed over from gospel to popular music, by using the melodies of church hymns but secularizing their lyrics to create mainstream rock and roll tunes for mass appeal. Singers like Sam Cooke, Aretha, and Lou Rawls who grew up singing in the black church are examples of singers who crossed over with great success.
Cooke not only had the ability to win over "Sister Flute, the archetypal woman who could be found in any black church congregation surrendered to the power of gospel music , but the marketing intelligence, musical talent and personal charisma to win over white radio audiences with hits like "You Send Me, Chain Gang, and Red Rooster. He evolved from singing in gospel groups, and cutting records on small gospel labels to recording rock and rythm and blues for white producers like Lou Adler. Cooke succeded as a performer playing gigs like the Copa to all white audiences, and as manager of his own record label producing his own material the way he wanted. Successful as he was, Cooke had a social consciousness, of civil rights and was an example of success for many blacks. The 50s and 60s were a time of black civil rights, and Cooke worked to emancipate himself from small record labels that would dictate the songs he sang, and assume rights to a catalog of original tunes he wrote. His death at a seedy motel, and the sordid public spéculation about it remains an unresolved tragedy, but his legend as a musical superstar prevails.
Cooke not only had the ability to win over "Sister Flute, the archetypal woman who could be found in any black church congregation surrendered to the power of gospel music , but the marketing intelligence, musical talent and personal charisma to win over white radio audiences with hits like "You Send Me, Chain Gang, and Red Rooster. He evolved from singing in gospel groups, and cutting records on small gospel labels to recording rock and rythm and blues for white producers like Lou Adler. Cooke succeded as a performer playing gigs like the Copa to all white audiences, and as manager of his own record label producing his own material the way he wanted. Successful as he was, Cooke had a social consciousness, of civil rights and was an example of success for many blacks. The 50s and 60s were a time of black civil rights, and Cooke worked to emancipate himself from small record labels that would dictate the songs he sang, and assume rights to a catalog of original tunes he wrote. His death at a seedy motel, and the sordid public spéculation about it remains an unresolved tragedy, but his legend as a musical superstar prevails.
July 4, 2012
As a monster Sam Cooke fan I really enjoyed this book, but of course it has a sad ending (Cooke's killing, accidental or deliberate). Still, it is an interesting of how a singularly unique vocal talent crossed over from gospel to pop, and then was able found his own production and record company - light years ahead of his time. “Sam Cooke is somebody other singers have to measure themselves against, and most of them go back to pumping gas.” - Keith Richards
January 6, 2016
Excellent read about the history of gospel music, rock and roll, and the civil rights movement. Also great to learn about the background of the songs and life of Sam Cooke. He truly was ahead of his time as far as the music business goes. Really enjoyed this book!
Want to read
March 8, 2008recommended by Don
August 21, 2012
Sam Cooke... a man of contradiction. Good read.
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May 19, 2022What a talented man am was and a excellent soul and Gospel singer an excellent read and very sad he lost his life so young
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews