Sam Cooke Documentary Airs On PBS

Sam Cooke

The subject of the newest American Masters series is Sam Cooke, a singer whose legacy should be studied by anyone with an interest in African-American history and culture.

His career paralleled the development of black music as a critical and commercial force. Starting out with the Soul Stirrers, Cooke was a gospel superstar when he decided to record secular material. He brought the passion of the church to pop music, combining spirituality and sensuality in a way that was rivaled only by Ray Charles.

Among his hits were “Chain Gang,” “Twistin’ The Night Away,” “Wonderful World,” and 1957’s landmark “You Send Me,” the first song recorded by an African-American to top the pop and r&b charts.

In addition to his stylistic innovations, Cooke was an activist and entrepreneur. He took a stand against segregation, writing the civil rights anthem “Change Is Gonna Come” in 1962, and formed his own publishing company and record label, years before Berry Gordy started Motown.

He was at the peak of his powers when he was killed in a Los Angeles motel under mysterious circumstances in 1964.

Sam Cooke: Crossing Over took more than twelve years to complete, as director John Antonelli ran into problems with Cooke’s estate which included many people declining to be interviewed due to pressure from Cooke’s manager Allen Klein. As a result of Klein’s refusal to participate in the film, Crossing Over will not be made available on DVD.

So catch it while you can, starting January 11.

The documentary is narrated by Danny Glover and includes interviews with Muhammad Ali, Herb Albert, James Brown, Jimmy Carter, Dick Clark, Billy Preston, Lou Rawls, Smokey Robinson, Jerry Wexler, and Bobby Womack. (Aretha Franklin, who was mentored by Cooke, is one of the individuals who refused to be interviewed.)

The web site for Sam Cooke: Crossing Over is here.