Erik Greene, Sam Cooke’s great-nephew, recently contacted Thriller about our article on “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and we asked if he had anything he’d like to add.  Greene wrote a book called “Our Uncle Sam:  The Sam Cooke Story from His Family’s Perspective,” which is full of the recollections of those who knew him best, as well as some intriguing information on Cooke’s untimely death.  Here, Greene shares a few thoughts about his great-uncle:

Our Uncle Sam
Words:  Erik Greene

December 11, 2009 marked the forty-fifth anniversary of the death of legendary Soul pioneer Sam Cooke, while December 22 marked the forty-fifth anniversary of the posthumous release of A Change is Gonna Come–-the unofficial anthem of the Civil Rights movement and arguably his most defining composition. While the significance of these events may ring hollow to some, their effect hasn’t been lost on modern-day music.

After six years as the reigning voice in gospel music, Sam Cooke blasted onto the pop scene with the 1957 release of his million-selling single, “You Send Me.” The song’s innovative blend of Gospel, Pop, and R&B earned him the title of “The Man Who Invented Soul,” rising to #1 in both the Pop and R&B markets. The next single he’d release, “I’ll Come Running Back to You,” soared to #1 on the R&B charts as well. Cooke would eventually chart an amazing 34 Top 40 R&B hits over his eight year pop career, with most like “You Send Me” and “I’ll Come Running Back to You” written by Sam himself. Cooke also wrote and recorded such classics as “Chain Gang,” “Only Sixteen,” “Cupid,” “Wonderful World,” “Having a Party” and the aforementioned “A Change is Gonna Come.” He was among the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and ranks #4 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

The son of a strict but loving Baptist preacher, Cooke adapted his father’s determination to give nothing but his best effort. “There were no such things as obstacles when it came to Sam Cooke,” his oldest niece Gwen remembered.

In addition to being an accomplished singer, songwriter and producer, Sam Cooke is remembered as the first artist to take a political stand and refuse to sing to segregated audiences. At a time when record labels often left even the most talented and successful artist broke and penniless, Cooke was one of the first artists, black or white, to buck the system and demand ownership of his career.

“One thing about Sam,” his oldest brother Charles states. “You didn’t tell him what to do, and you damn sure didn’t tell him what he couldn’t do!”

Cooke signed an historic deal with RCA in 1960 after coming to the agreement they let him retain control of the copyrights to his music. This move set a new precedent in a recording industry notorious for swindling artists out of their record royalties and future earnings. In addition, he was also one of the first artists to “crossover” by intentionally recording songs that targeted both the black and white markets. Sam Cooke was also the first African-American artist to own a record label, and he established his own management company and music publishing company as well. Even more remarkable, he did all of these things before his thirty-fourth birthday.

So as the calendar turns another year into 2010, let us remember an entertainer whose efforts tipped the scales of power more in favor of the artist, and who did so with a smooth, melodious voice and movie-star good looks. His songs, like his many accomplishments, have managed to withstand the test of time. In the words of the legendary DJ Magnificent Montague, “Sam Cooke’s yours; he’ll never grow old.”

Erik Greene is the great-nephew of Sam Cooke. “Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family’s Perspective” can be ordered through his website at www.ourunclesam.com.