Sam Cooke Honored January 20-23rd, 2011
Entertainment — By Buddy Sampson on December 1, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Legendary Singer, Sam Cooke, Pictured Above. Image by © Michael Ochs Archives/Corbis.
Sam Cooke, Honored January 20-23rd, 2011
By Buddy Sampson
Sam Cooke was one of the true legends and R&B crooners of modern times. He has left a tremendous legacy, and many singers have emulated his voice and stage presence, including timeless musical icon Michael Jackson. Many young people today don’t realize the impact of his vocal influence and he has had several timeless hits and standards. Educator Richard Nichols has taken the time to honor Sam Cooke in an event that’s coming up in January at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel. “I’m part of the family,” said Richard Nichols, who also is organizing the event and is a relative of the Sam Cooke’s late brother in law, Joe Hoskins. “I love his music, but he was more than just his music. I know some of the background, his background. It’s the business of Sam Cooke, the personality of Sam Cooke and the wonderful legacy that he left.” The Sam Cooke Tribute Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the life, legacy and music of the late gospel and soul singer, Sam Cooke, plans to honor the legendary singer during the weekend of what would have been his 80th birthday in Los Angeles the weekend of January 20-23, 2011. “We want to have a party, to have fun, to bring people together who enjoy Sam Cooke, who are Sam Cooke fans and understand the importance of him and his music.” said Nichols. “We also hope to make the community, his fans and the nation aware of his contribution to the music world.”
A lot of Sam Cooke’s fans know him from the tragic circumstances of his death in 1964. Reginald McDaniel, first President of the Sam Cooke Tribute Foundation, Inc. indicated that Sam Cooke was at the pinnacle of his career when his life unexpectedly ended on that December night. “Many circumstances surrounding his death remain cloudy and many of his contemporaries, family and fans believe foul play was involved,” McDaniel said. But many consumers aren’t aware of Cooke’s influence, that he was more than a music artist that died under suspicious causes. Cooke’s influence had an impact on how recording artists release product today. “Cooke was a music industry pioneer in many ways and way ahead of his time,” explained McDaniel. “Sam Cooke had the audacity to tell the music industry that he would write, produce and control his own music and career. He encouraged other artists of his time to do the same.”
Sam Cooke’s music is influential and relevant, even in these turbulent times. Many artists, including Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, the late Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, The Fugees, Brandy and The Supremes among many, many other artists have covered his perennial hit, “A Change Is Gonna To Come,” released after his untimely death in 1964. But the song was an influential mantra of the Civil Rights movement and helped to galvanize and inspire a culture and generation of people. It has been hailed by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” President Barack Obama referred to the song after winning the Presidential election in 2008 and the classic song has been sampled by rappers Ghostface Killah, JaRule and Lil Wayne, making the composition a timeless mantra- a beacon of social change.
Cooke exploded onto the pop/soul music scene in 1957 with his number one hit and two-million seller, You Send Me. Cooke had 29 top forty hits over the seven-year period of his career. They include such classics as: “Cupid,” “Chain Gang,” “Another Saturday Night,” “Bring It On Home To Me,” “Nothing Can Change This Love,” “Wonderful World” and “Having a Party,” among others.
- Richard Nichols (L), Lisa Sheridan, Pat Woertink and Bob Arias.
Many characteristics of Cooke’s music even impressed some younger relatives of Nichols, who surprised them by putting on a classic Sam Cooke record. “I put on Sam Cooke’s record, “Portrait Of A Legend,” said Nichols “I could hear a pin drop. Then one of them said, ‘Is that Sam Cooke? I see why people like him, he has a good voice.’ And then my grandson said, ‘Yeah Sam Cooke sings. Most singers sing hard and loud and he tells a story while he’s singing.’ He’s eleven years old and it shows you how that 40 years later that his music is still relevant.”
The weekend of January 23rd promises to be an outstanding tribute to the life and legacy of Sam Cooke. Tickets are still available. The total cost of the tribute is a mere $125.
The agenda is as follows:
LOS ANGELES TOUR-Hollywood Walk of Fame, Gravesite and Sam Cooke House visit.
8:00 pm-12 midnight
Reception and music
Saturday, January 22
5:30 pm-7:00 pm
Red Carpet Arrival
7:00 pm-1:00 am
Having A Party, “Dinner and Show.”
Confirmed entertainers and celebrities for the Sam Cooke Tribute are:Gerald Alston of the Manhattans ( Let’s Just Kiss and Say Goodbye) Mel Carter, Vel Omar, Sam Cooke’s Granddaughter ( Ejyptsian Queen), Leroy Crume (last surviving original Soul Stirrer),Willie Rogers (Soul Stirrer) Nikeyla Johnson, The Victory Praise Dancers and many more.
The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles will officially open a display room honoring Sam Cooke on January 21st when the mayor of Los Angeles will proclaim Sam Cooke Day. The Greek Theatre will hold a press conference to announce the first annual Sam Cooke Concert on May 19, 2011. Los Angeles Unified School District will also be at the press conference to announce the naming of a school in Sam Cooke’s honor.
For more information, contact Richard Nichols at (909) 210-6999.
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