By J. Brown

The year was 1963. The location was Miami. The venue was the Harlem Square Club on a Saturday night. The most important detail of all was the event’s headliner: Sam Cooke.

As Cooke made his way to the stage to perform that night for an eager and excited crowd, the MC announced: “Right now, ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to get ready to introduce the star of our show, the young man you’ve all been waiting for, Mister Soul, so what d’you say let’s all get together and welcome him to the stand with a great big hand, how ‘bout it for Sam Cooke.”

That night, Cooke’s performance led to the creation of one of the greatest live albums of all time. However, RCA did not even release the album capturing that night’s show until June of 1985. Now, almost 25 years later, the album still stands as a remarkable testament to the talent of Cooke. It is an album that transports you to that night. The sounds and energy of the crowd resonate as Cooke’s raw and powerful voice grabs a hold of you. The recording is particularly special because it captures a different side of Sam Cooke that many had not heard before. Cooke was undeniably gifted with a smooth and graceful voice, but on this album the listener gets to hear a grittier and rougher version that harks back to his gospel days.

Sam Cooke-01 Bring It On Home to Me (live)

There has never been a time in my life when I can remember being without Sam Cooke’s music. My father imparted his love for the soul singer to me at a very young age and consequently I have listened to him religiously ever since. In fact, if I was forced to listen to only one singer for the rest of my life, without a doubt it would be Sam Cooke. I have heard the same songs from his entire collection probably a million times, and yet I never tire of them. They remain as fresh to me as they were during my childhood. There is truly a Sam Cooke song for every occasion.

His impact on my musical tastes over my life as well as my overall love for music cannot be overstated, so you’ll forgive me for using superlatives to describe Sam Cooke, but simply put, to me he is the greatest singer of all time. He was the consummate performer, he oozed charm and sex appeal, and a self-confidence fitting of a man blessed with a remarkable gift that could drive audiences into a frenzy. He could make even the simplest of lyrics powerful and achingly beautiful. Cooke was not just a singer, as he was also a talented songwriter and notably an accomplished producer. He took a great interest in helping the careers of his friends and helping them achieve the ultimate sound in the recording studio.

I fear there will be a day when his music won’t be as cherished as it should be, and that his rightful place in music history will be forgotten.  It seems increasingly evident that people of my generation are unfamiliar with Cooke and his influence on modern music. If you’ve not heard Cooke before, I can’t recommend this album enough or his entire collection. Although I am far from religious, his gospel records with The Soul Stirrers are particularly incredible. Peter Guralnick, the foremost biographer of Cooke, relayed that a soul DJ once said the following of the singer at the conclusion of an interview, perfectly capturing his appeal and legacy:

“And when the humming’s over / And time finds its soul / All I can say to you, darlings / Sam Cooke’s yours / He’ll never grow old.”