You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke

Be the first to write a review

Overview

In late 1957, when "You Send Me" burst upon the pop scene and shot to number one, it was seen as a phenomenal debut by a young unknown. But in African-American communities across the nation, Sam Cooke was already one of gospel music's most charismatic stars - and his crossover into rock 'n' roll heralded the beginning of a new era. The remarkable string of hits that followed - "Only Sixteen," "Chain Gang," "Cupid," "Twistin' the Night Away," "Bring It on Home to Me," "Havin' a Party," "Shake" - earned Cooke the ...
See more details below
Available through our Marketplace sellers.
See All Options
Other sellers (Hardcover)
  • All (14) from $6.69   
  • New (1) from $145.00   
  • Used (13) from $6.69   
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 1
Showing All
Note: Marketplace items are not eligible for any BN.com coupons and promotions
$145.00
bluehouse
Seller since 2013

Feedback rating:

(39)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

New
Brand new.

Ships from: acton, MA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
Page 1 of 1
Showing All
Close
Sort by
Sending request ...

More About This Book

Overview

In late 1957, when "You Send Me" burst upon the pop scene and shot to number one, it was seen as a phenomenal debut by a young unknown. But in African-American communities across the nation, Sam Cooke was already one of gospel music's most charismatic stars - and his crossover into rock 'n' roll heralded the beginning of a new era. The remarkable string of hits that followed - "Only Sixteen," "Chain Gang," "Cupid," "Twistin' the Night Away," "Bring It on Home to Me," "Havin' a Party," "Shake" - earned Cooke the title of The Man Who Invented Soul Music. At the same time, Cooke became one of the music business's first African-American entrepreneurs, fighting for the publishing rights to his songs and founding his own record label. Enmeshed in the beginnings of the civil rights movement, he crisscrossed the country insisting that rock 'n' roll be fully integrated. And he encouraged younger singers like Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson to follow his crossover example. Despite a near-fatal car accident and the tragic death of his infant son, Sam Cooke managed to forge a career that artists such as Rod Stewart, Keith Richards, and Aaron Neville still revere. Indeed, Sam Cooke was one of the first names inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Just as Cooke achieved a new level of success with sold-out appearances at New York's Copacabana, his life came to a sudden end: He was discovered half-naked in a seedy, south Los Angeles motel with a bullet through his heart. His was a murder that is still viewed by many as inexplicable - and unsolved.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
An important contribution to the history of pop music in mid-century, this work by freelance journalist Wolff in collaboration with singer Craine, guitarist and bandleader White and music researcher Tenenbaum follows the career of Sam Cooke (born Cook) from boy singer in his father's church choir to his murder in a cheap L.A. motel in 1964. Born in 1931 in the Mississippi Delta region, he and his family migrated to Chicago in the Depression. While still a teenager, he was picked to sing in a prestigious gospel group, the Soul Stirrers, in 1951. Later, he crossed over into secular music, where he had a string of hits, including the blockbuster ``You Send Me.'' Handsome and well bred, he was irresistible to many women, married twice and fathered a number of children out of wedlock. The official version that he was shot by a woman during a fight raised many questions, but the LAPD, according to the authors, viewed Cooke as ``just another dead nigger.'' Here we are offered more speculation about his sad end.
Library Journal
When Sam Cooke left the Soul Stirrers in 1957 to cross over into popular music, the gospel scene lost one of its biggest stars. The rest of the world gained the distinctive voice of the first practitioner of the musical style that became known as soul. More than a singer, Cooke composed songs that are still being performed more than 30 years later. He had the business acumen to protect his publishing rights in an era when artists were routinely fleeced. He was also one of the first performers to take a leadership role in the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. Unfortunately, his unsavory shooting death at 33 cast a shadow over a great African American success story. Written with the help of the Soul Stirrers' founder and Cooke's bandleader, this should stand as the definitive biography of one of popular American music's most important stars. Highly recommended.-Dan Bogey, Clearfield Cty. P.L. Federation, Curwensville, Pa.
Gordon Flagg
Sam Cooke epitomized the "crossover" artist. Not only did he cross over from gospel music--he was lead singer of the famous Soul Stirrers while in his teens--to the secular world with his 1957 hit, You Send Me, but he crossed over from the rhythm-and-blues to the pop charts, achieving huge success with white audiences--not just teenagers but adults crowds at the Copacabana and other supper clubs. Wolff effectively sets the story of Cooke's career against the backdrop of the burgeoning civil rights movement, demonstrating how the singer became a powerful and prominent role model, both through his public activism and by going beyond racial pride to actual empowerment when he started his own record label. Unfortunately, Wolff begins the book with an account of Cooke's death by gunshot in a sleazy L.A. hotel at age 33. Although Cooke was no moral paragon (he was, for instance, consistently, notoriously unfaithful to his wives), that initial attention grabber overemphasizes the importance of an event that contradicts the legacy of his music and his career.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780688124038
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 12/10/1994
  • Edition description: 1st ed
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 352
  • Product dimensions: 6.43 (w) x 9.52 (h) x 1.42 (d)

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
    If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
    Why is this product inappropriate?
    Comments (optional)