Sam Cooke — Timeline
Key moments in the life of Sam Cooke.
1931
Born Samuel Cook on January 22 in Clarksdale, Mississippi
1948
Joined The Soul Stirrers as lead vocalist, a prominent gospel group
1956
Released first single 'Lovable' and signed with Keen Records
1957
Achieved breakthrough success with 'You Send Me,' reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
1960
Signed with RCA Records and released 'Chain Gang,' establishing himself as a major pop artist
1962
Founded SAR Records, becoming one of the first African American-owned record labels
1964
Released 'A Change Is Gonna Come,' an iconic civil rights anthem
1965
Performed at the San Remo Music Festival in Italy, expanding international presence
1966
Inducted into the NAACP Image Awards and continued to influence soul and pop music
1964
Died on December 11 in Los Angeles, California at age 33