Mississippi Monday | Soul Singer, Sam Cooke

Mississippi is full of rich history and has been home to some amazing artists and talent; from writers like Eudora Welty to actors like Morgan Freeman, our state is the birthplace and has been the home to so many great people. So, where do we even start when selecting a person to highlight? Well, on a slow moving Monday morning, nothing gets us energized for the day like a strong cup of coffee and an upbeat tune, so we thought we'd start right there. First thing on arrival to our shop each day, we turn up the music, and more often then not, it's the the tune of great 40's and 50's jazz and soul hits from such talent as Otis Redding, Billie Holiday and Sam Cooke, that we can all agree on and love. And, we get a special joy knowing when Sam Cooke's voice rolls through our studio space, that he and his family were MS Delta natives- the home to a great many musical talents. Though the Cook family (Sam later added an e to his last name, though no one is sure why) moved in 1933 to Chicago, we're sure that the deep musical roots of the Mississippi Delta played a key role in the musical career paths taken by both Sam and his siblings. Beginning his adult career, Cooke performed and made a living as a gospel singer most notably in the group The Soul Stirrers, but later broke off on his own and found his place in mainstream music, though his gospel roots still shown through in his styling and songwriting. In his lifetime, he had 30 U.S. Top 40 ranked songs, and another 3 to hit the charts after his death at the young age of 33. MTE4MDAzNDEwNDg3Mzc5NDcw Such tracks as "Chain Gang", "Cupid", "A Change is Gonna Come", and "Twistin' the Night Away" all ring true and bring such a fun rhythm to our day here at Studio Thimblepress® just as we're sure they've done for many others for decades since they were first recorded. Today we're happy to honor Sam Cooke and the amazing compilations of music he created in his short lifetime. We're sure you've heard these tunes before, but take a listen below and add a little extra soul and energy to your day, thanks to the wonderful life that was Sam Cooke:

(IMAGE CREDITS // Header: wliw.org , Main: Biography.com )



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