Elvis and Sam Cooke

[Chucky99]

For me,Sam Cooke was the second male vocalist ever,after Elvis.I mean this guy could sing anything: pop,gospel,soul,his voice was very smooth and versatile.
Considering the fact that both of them were recording at the same label, in the same period (1960-1964),how come they never met?
I know Elvis met some black singers back then, but did he like Cooke's music? Was he interested in meeting him?
There are a lot of similarities between those singers:both of them born poor in the south,both of them influenced a lot of people and they both sang excellent gospel
What do you guys think?

[Brian Quinn]

Sam Cooke was a great singer and entertainer. I had the pleasure of seeing him on stage in the UK in the 1960's. He closed the first half of the show and Little Richard closed the second. I am sure that Elvis would have heard Sam's songs even if he didn't meet him. In fact Sam's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' was on Elvis' personal jukebox. Elvis was very chart aware in the fifties and sixties

Brian

[Jaime1234]

I believe Elvis met Sam' little brother in 1957.

[Johnny 99]

Sam Cooke was a great singer and entertainer. I had the pleasure of seeing him on stage in the UK in the 1960's. He closed the first half of the show and Little Richard closed the second. I am sure that Elvis would have heard Sam's songs even if he didn't meet him. In fact Sam's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' was on Elvis' personal jukebox. Elvis was very chart aware in the fifties and sixties

Brian

Wow sounds amazing. Sam had the voice of an angel.

[drjohncarpenter]

For me,Sam Cooke was the second male vocalist ever,after Elvis.I mean this guy could sing anything: pop,gospel,soul,his voice was very smooth and versatile.
Considering the fact that both of them were recording at the same label, in the same period (1960-1964),how come they never met?
I know Elvis met some black singers back then, but did he like Cooke's music? Was he interested in meeting him?
There are a lot of similarities between those singers:both of them born poor in the south,both of them influenced a lot of people and they both sang excellent gospel
What do you guys think?

They also share a biographer, Peter Guralnick.

Sam Cooke is one of the great singers of the century, and an innovator in his time, as singer, songwriter, performer, producer and fledgling executive. It has always been a bit strange that they were label mates in the sixties, both scored pop and R&B hits, yet never crossed paths. He even toured a bit with Presley favorite Jackie Wilson, and both appeared on Memphis' "Talent Party," the local TV show hosted by George Klein. All these connections, and I've never even read a word from anyone about what Elvis might have thought about Sam.


..

Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke "Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha" (WHBQ-TV, Memphis - Tuesday, November 3, 1964)
Rehearsal taping for "Talent Party" ... Wilson and Cooke were playing Ellis Auditorium that evening ...
Sam would be killed in Los Angeles just 5 weeks later.

[nyelvfan]

Doc, there have been only 3 male singing voices that have ever made me literally cry- Elvis Presley, brook Benton, and Sam Cooke. My 3 favorites...

[r&b]

For me,Sam Cooke was the second male vocalist ever,after Elvis.I mean this guy could sing anything: pop,gospel,soul,his voice was very smooth and versatile.
Considering the fact that both of them were recording at the same label, in the same period (1960-1964),how come they never met?
I know Elvis met some black singers back then, but did he like Cooke's music? Was he interested in meeting him?
There are a lot of similarities between those singers:both of them born poor in the south,both of them influenced a lot of people and they both sang excellent gospel
What do you guys think?

They also share a biographer, Peter Guralnick.

Sam Cooke is one of the great singers of the century, and an innovator in his time, as singer, songwriter, performer, producer and fledgling executive. It has always been a bit strange that they were label mates in the sixties, both scored pop and R&B hits, yet never crossed paths. He even toured a bit with Presley favorite Jackie Wilson, and both appeared on Memphis' "Talent Party," the local TV show hosted by George Klein. All these connections, and I've never even read a word from anyone about what Elvis might have thought about Sam.


..

Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke "Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha" (WHBQ-TV, Memphis - Tuesday, November 3, 1964)
Rehearsal taping for "Talent Party" ... Wilson and Cooke were playing Ellis Auditorium that evening ...
Sam would be killed in Los Angeles just 5 weeks later.

Doc always wondered that myself. So I sent a question to Marty Lacker once about it in one of the 'Ask Marty' forums. He said Elvis admired and was a big fan of Sam's but they never met. I consider Sam, Jackie Wilson, Bobby Darin , Brook Benton, & Ray Charles the best male singers to come out of the 50's (along with Elvis). All of them could sing many styles of music.

[drjohncarpenter]

They also share a biographer, Peter Guralnick.

Sam Cooke is one of the great singers of the century, and an innovator in his time, as singer, songwriter, performer, producer and fledgling executive. It has always been a bit strange that they were label mates in the sixties, both scored pop and R&B hits, yet never crossed paths. He even toured a bit with Presley favorite Jackie Wilson, and both appeared on Memphis' "Talent Party," the local TV show hosted by George Klein. All these connections, and I've never even read a word from anyone about what Elvis might have thought about Sam.


..

Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke "Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha" (WHBQ-TV, Memphis - Tuesday, November 3, 1964)
Rehearsal taping for "Talent Party" ... Wilson and Cooke were playing Ellis Auditorium that evening ...
Sam would be killed in Los Angeles just 5 weeks later.

Doc always wondered that myself. So I sent a question to Marty Lacker once about it in one of the 'Ask Marty' forums. He said Elvis admired and was a big fan of Sam's but they never met. I consider Sam, Jackie Wilson, Bobby Darin , Brook Benton, & Ray Charles the best male singers to come out of the 50's (along with Elvis). All of them could sing many styles of music.

Interesting comment from Marty Lacker. Still, I have read many, many books on Elvis, and not seen a single word about Sam Cooke. After I discovered his greatness, I was always looking for a connection, but never found one. Did you know he was born in Mississippi as well? Sam was born in Clarksdale in January 1931, Elvis in Tupelo four years later. Sam only made it to 33, Elvis to 42.

[Mister Moon]

Did you know he was born in Mississippi as well? Sam was born in Clarksdale in January 1931, Elvis in Tupelo four years later. Sam only made it to 33, Elvis to 42.

This is off-topic but, coincidentially, another music great, Ike Turner, was also born in Clarksdale in 1931 (November).

Not bad for such a small town !

[r&b]

Did you know he was born in Mississippi as well? Sam was born in Clarksdale in January 1931, Elvis in Tupelo four years later. Sam only made it to 33, Elvis to 42.

This is off-topic but, coincidentially, another music great, Ike Turner, was also born in Clarksdale in 1931 (November).

Not bad for such a small town !

Yes, all great talents. I only found out years later that Ike Turner played piano on what many consider the first rock and roll record, Rocket 88.

[elvis-fan]

As an aside, from the video posted above, I came across this documentary...

..
Not know very much about Sam, I found it very informative and interesting... watched it last night.
It's an absolute shame he was gunned down in the prime of his life.

[Mister Moon]

I only found out years later that Ike Turner played piano on what many consider the first rock and roll record, Rocket 88.

Brenston.jpg

"Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats" was in fact a pseudonym for Turner's band The Kings of Rhythm, for which Brenston played tenor saxophone and sang. Turner was usually the piano player, although he also played lead guitar.

A second Chess record under the same billing was issued after "Rocket 88", without success. When the same band recorded for Federal, the labels identified Brenston (or Billy Gayle, another singer in the band) as well as "Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm".

[EPA4368]

One of my favorite singers!

Why Elvis and Sam never had the chance to meet is a mystery to me.

It's a shame he died so young but Sam left us with some breathtaking music...

A Change Is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke, 1963

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming

..

[Mister Moon]

Recorded at Sam's first session as a member of The Soul Stirrers, in March 1951. This was also his first ever single release that same year. As would be costumary for other recordings of the group, Cooke shares the lead vocal duties with baritone Paul Foster, another awesome singer. This is strictly accapella, a real gem. Many others were to come :


..

Sam 1st.jpg

[lanadelslay]

One of the greats, wish Elvis collaborated with different artists back then

[r&b]

Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers (Peace In The Valley CD pictured above here) is my favorite gospel album ever. If anyone is interested in that genre (prob not that many outside of Elvis), I highly recommend it. Its R&B tinged gospel.

[jeanno]

Thanks for the recommendation, r&b.

Sam had an amazing voice for sure. My two favorite voices remain Elvis and Ray Charles.

[Revelator]

I believe Elvis met Sam' little brother in 1957.

This meeting is described in Peter Gurlanick's Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke. According to L. C. Cooke, Elvis "shook my hand and told me he loved my brother--he knew his gospel music--and he talked to me for twenty minutes about Sam."
Guralnick also writes that Elvis was also among the many people who thought there was something fishy about Sam Cooke's tragic, senseless death. '"You can only go so far," Elvis told Larry Geller. "Sam got out of line and he was taken care of."'

[ElvisLife]

New fantastic doc on Sam Cooke(Netflix) said Sam wanted to meet Elvis and that E met Sam at a studio he was recording at. First I've ever heard of this. Great that they admired each other.

[drjohncarpenter]

New fantastic doc on Sam Cooke(Netflix) said Sam wanted to meet Elvis and that E met Sam at a studio he was recording at. First I've ever heard of this. Great that they admired each other.

Is it this 2019 work?

"ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke"
https://www.netflix.com/title/80191045


..


Unfortunately, the suggestion that "E met Sam at a studio he was recording" is likely untrue.

Can you elaborate what exactly is said about this so-called meeting at a studio? I suspect you misheard what was said.

Elvis one time met L. C. Cooke, Sam's younger brother. It was when Presley attended the December 7, 1956 WDIA Goodwill Revue at Ellis Auditorium. Cooke was 14 years old and a member of an r&b group called the Magnificents. Even then Presley had heard of his brother and asked about him, at a time when Sam was still singing gospel with the Soul Stirrers.

[Gary Crawford]

New fantastic doc on Sam Cooke(Netflix) said Sam wanted to meet Elvis and that E met Sam at a studio he was recording at. First I've ever heard of this. Great that they admired each other.

Is it this 2019 work?

"ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke"
https://www.netflix.com/title/80191045


..


Unfortunately, the suggestion that "E met Sam at a studio he was recording" is likely untrue.

Can you elaborate what exactly is said about this so-called meeting at a studio? I suspect you misheard what was said.

Elvis one time met L. C. Cooke, Sam's younger brother. It was when Presley attended the December 7, 1956 WDIA Goodwill Revue at Ellis Auditorium. Cooke was 14 years old and a member of an r&b group called the Magnificents. Even then Presley had heard of his brother and asked about him, at a time when Sam was still singing gospel with the Soul Stirrers.

Funnily enough literally just watched this documentary on Netflix last night. One associate of Cooke is saying that he told him that Elvis was going to come over to the studio the following day and he (the friend) was dubious but sure enough Elvis showed up. It seems like they were suggesting circa 1957 when Teddy Bear was number 1 and you send me number 2. Elvis was bound to like and be intrigued by Cooke and what he was up to given his recent hit and both RCA artists so you never know but would think it would have been documented before. I suppose if someone does a bit of research into the dates of Cooke's recording sessions during this period and where he was recording and matched this to Elvis's known whereabouts it may shed some light on whether remotely possible or not. With regard to Marty he wouldn't have been about during 57 so would likely been unaware if Elvis met him then. Sadly GK and Red would have been more reliable in this regard. The documentary also mentions that Elvis thought Cooke has been taken out (so to speak) due to being too vocal/political about things or certainly that is what is inferred. I do remember one of the MM saying something similar to Elvis view on Sam being shot, possibly Marty?

[DarrylMac]

I'll have to check, but I seem to recall a few lines from If I Can Dream by Larry Geller where he's talking about the death of Sam Cooke, and that potentially the colonel had used it to influence Elvis as an example of what can happen when you don't toe the line, and if you cause trouble.

I'll dig out my copy tonight and check, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was used as a mind control tactic by the colonel.

[jon_burrows]

I watched this recently too. Friendly Womack is the associate of Cooke who is relating the story. He doesn't mention Cooke by name as being present at the meeting neither does he mention a date, although they were discussing the period of 1957 during this part of the documentary, and Womack says that Elvis came in and met "us" during his recounting.

[r&b]

New fantastic doc on Sam Cooke(Netflix) said Sam wanted to meet Elvis and that E met Sam at a studio he was recording at. First I've ever heard of this. Great that they admired each other.

Is it this 2019 work?

"ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke"
https://www.netflix.com/title/80191045


..


Unfortunately, the suggestion that "E met Sam at a studio he was recording" is likely untrue.

Can you elaborate what exactly is said about this so-called meeting at a studio? I suspect you misheard what was said.

Elvis one time met L. C. Cooke, Sam's younger brother. It was when Presley attended the December 7, 1956 WDIA Goodwill Revue at Ellis Auditorium. Cooke was 14 years old and a member of an r&b group called the Magnificents. Even then Presley had heard of his brother and asked about him, at a time when Sam was still singing gospel with the Soul Stirrers.

Funnily enough literally just watched this documentary on Netflix last night. One associate of Cooke is saying that he told him that Elvis was going to come over to the studio the following day and he (the friend) was dubious but sure enough Elvis showed up. It seems like they were suggesting circa 1957 when Teddy Bear was number 1 and you send me number 2. Elvis was bound to like and be intrigued by Cooke and what he was up to given his recent hit and both RCA artists so you never know but would think it would have been documented before. I suppose if someone does a bit of research into the dates of Cooke's recording sessions during this period and where he was recording and matched this to Elvis's known whereabouts it may shed some light on whether remotely possible or not. With regard to Marty he wouldn't have been about during 57 so would likely been unaware if Elvis met him then. Sadly GK and Red would have been more reliable in this regard. The documentary also mentions that Elvis thought Cooke has been taken out (so to speak) due to being too vocal/political about things or certainly that is what is inferred. I do remember one of the MM saying something similar to Elvis view on Sam being shot, possibly Marty?

Sam was not an RCA artist in 1957. He was on the Keen label. I think he started recording on RCA in 1960

[Gary Crawford]

New fantastic doc on Sam Cooke(Netflix) said Sam wanted to meet Elvis and that E met Sam at a studio he was recording at. First I've ever heard of this. Great that they admired each other.

Is it this 2019 work?

"ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke"
https://www.netflix.com/title/80191045


..


Unfortunately, the suggestion that "E met Sam at a studio he was recording" is likely untrue.

Can you elaborate what exactly is said about this so-called meeting at a studio? I suspect you misheard what was said.

Elvis one time met L. C. Cooke, Sam's younger brother. It was when Presley attended the December 7, 1956 WDIA Goodwill Revue at Ellis Auditorium. Cooke was 14 years old and a member of an r&b group called the Magnificents. Even then Presley had heard of his brother and asked about him, at a time when Sam was still singing gospel with the Soul Stirrers.

Funnily enough literally just watched this documentary on Netflix last night. One associate of Cooke is saying that he told him that Elvis was going to come over to the studio the following day and he (the friend) was dubious but sure enough Elvis showed up. It seems like they were suggesting circa 1957 when Teddy Bear was number 1 and you send me number 2. Elvis was bound to like and be intrigued by Cooke and what he was up to given his recent hit and both RCA artists so you never know but would think it would have been documented before. I suppose if someone does a bit of research into the dates of Cooke's recording sessions during this period and where he was recording and matched this to Elvis's known whereabouts it may shed some light on whether remotely possible or not. With regard to Marty he wouldn't have been about during 57 so would likely been unaware if Elvis met him then. Sadly GK and Red would have been more reliable in this regard. The documentary also mentions that Elvis thought Cooke has been taken out (so to speak) due to being too vocal/political about things or certainly that is what is inferred. I do remember one of the MM saying something similar to Elvis view on Sam being shot, possibly Marty?

Sam was not an RCA artist in 1957. He was on the Keen label. I think he started recording on RCA in 1960

Thanks, Couldn't remember off the top of my head whether he was with RCA at that point. I suppose it makes the meeting even less likely with Cooke not being a label mate until the '60's. Although, as pointed out it may be one of those things that is inferred (not actually claimed/stated) as to Cooke being present at any such meeting.