"A Change is Gonna Come: The Life and Music of Sam Cooke"
Case teams up with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to present 10th annual American Music Masters conference
October 26, 2005 | For more information: Susan Griffith 216-368-1004
Sam Cooke, photo courtesy of
Michael Ochs Archives.com
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Case Western Reserve University will celebrate the legacy of Sam Cooke, considered to be one of the primary architects of soul music, during the 10th
Annual American Music Masters Conference, Saturday, November 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Ford Auditorium at Allen Memorial Library, 11100 Euclid Avenue.
A pre-conference panel discussion, "Sam Cooke in Context," on Thursday, November 3, from 7-9 p.m., in Harkness Chapel on Bellflower Road, will set the stage for the Saturday conference. The event is free and open to the public.
Many hail Cooke as the definitive soul singer and crossover artist, a model for African-American entrepreneurship and one of the first performers to use music as a tool for social change. His contributions and music legacy were recognized when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in the inaugural class of 1986.
The Case conference is part of a weeklong tribute, October 31 to November 6, that features panels, films, symposia and two tribute concerts. The main tribute concert will feature Cooke's pop and R&B material and the gospel show will focus on his spiritual music.
Among the conference headliners are:
- Keynote speaker Peter Guralnick (whose book Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke was just published by Little, Brown)
- Chair of the NAACP and legendary Civil Rights activist Julian Bond
- Leroy Crome of the Soul Stirrers
- Ira Tucker of the Dixie Hummingbirds
- Legendary R&B MCs Early Byrd and Gorgeous George
- Sam Cooke's brother L.C. Cooke
Tickets to the conference, which includes a lunch buffet, are available through Ticketmaster; cost is $30. Admission is free for Case students.
The pre-conference talk on Thursday night with Case music department faculty and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum staff will offer the public an opportunity to learn more about Sam Cooke's life and contributions to music.
Panelists will be Mary E. Davis, conference director and associate professor of music; Daniel Goldmark, assistant professor of music; Warren Zane, vice president for education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum; and Howard Kramer, associate curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
Sam Cooke's contributions
Sam Cooke was one of the most influential performers in the history of American popular music. His work cuts across genres of gospel, R&B and pop.
Cooke's career with the Soul Stirrers was enough to secure his place in the annals of music history, but his ambition and talent would take him much further still. He was a pioneering figure in African-American entrepreneurship, gaining remarkable artistic control of his music and the business surrounding it. Recognizing the importance of owning publishing rights to music, he founded his own record label and publishing company after being courted aggressively by the leading record labels of the day.
His extraordinary voice and unforgettable melodies appealed to black and white audiences, and the popularity of his music helped introduce many other black performers to mainstream audiences. When he died in 1964, Cooke was one of the most financially successful black artists up to that point.
Sam Cooke's music expanded from its gospel roots into more mainstream R&B and pop genres while managing to keep the interest of many among his core gospel following. Cooke was also a force in harnessing the power of music for a socially conscientious cause. He recognized both the growing popularity of the early folk-rock balladeers and the changing political climate in America, using his own popularity and marketing savvy to raise the conscience of his listeners with such classics as "Chain Gang" and "A Change is Gonna Come."
Honoring Sam Cooke's Legacy
Several American Music Masters tribute concerts will take place during the celebration. The main tribute concert will take place Saturday, November 5 at 8:00 p.m. at the State Theatre, Playhouse Square. Among the featured performers will be Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Aretha Franklin, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Elvis Costello, The Dixie Hummingbirds, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Cissy Houston, Peter Wolf, Taj Mahal, Otis Clay and William Bell. Tickets for this concert are $20, $30 and $40 through Tickets.com.
A Gospel Tribute follows on Sunday, November 6, at 6 p.m., also at the State Theatre, Playhouse Square. Scheduled to perform are Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Cissy Houston, Taj Mahal and Otis Clay. Tickets are $15, $25 and $35, also through Tickets.com.
Learn more about Sam Cooke and American Music Masters online at http://www.case.edu/events/amm/.
About Case Western Reserve University
Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826
and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western
Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research,
service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally
recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering,
Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu.
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