Photo of Sam Cooke
Deceased

Sam Cooke

Risk 100

Soul singer

33 years oldAmerican0 picksBorn January 22, 1931

The "King of Soul" pioneered an entire genre and racked up 29 Top 40 hits with a voice smoother than silk sheets, influencing everyone from Aretha Franklin to modern R&B artists. His trajectory was meteoric—crossing over from gospel to pop at a time when that was nearly unheard of, all while building his own record label and publishing company. At just 33, Cooke was rewriting the rules of the music industry, though fate had other plans for December 1964. *(87 words)*

Risk Analysis

Entertainment-only risk assessment based on various factors

Risk Score100/100 - Critical

About Sam Cooke

The "King of Soul" pioneered an entire genre and racked up 29 Top 40 hits with a voice smoother than silk sheets, influencing everyone from Aretha Franklin to modern R&B artists. His trajectory was meteoric—crossing over from gospel to pop at a time when that was nearly unheard of, all while building his own record label and publishing company. At just 33, Cooke was rewriting the rules of the music industry, though fate had other plans for December 1964. *(87 words)*

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