About Sam Cooke
Samuel Cooke was an American soul singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distinctive vocals, pioneering contributions to the genre, and significance in popular music. During his eight-year career, Cooke released 29 singles that charted in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as 20 singles in the Top 10 of Billboard's Black Singles chart. In 1964, he was shot and killed by the manager of a motel in Los Angeles. After an inquest and investigation, the courts ruled Cooke's death to be a justifiable homicide. His family has since questioned the circumstances of his death. His legacy inspired the likes of Tina Turner, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Steve Perry. In 2015, Cooke was ranked number 28 in Billboard magazine's list of the "35 Greatest R&B Artists of All Time". Cooke first became known as lead singer with the Highway Q.C.'s when he was a teenager, having joined the group at the age of 14. Their first recording under Cooke's leadership was the song "Jesus Gave Me Water" in 1950.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.