Sam Cooke (1931-1964) Is The Focus of a New Biography
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Our Uncle Sam by Erik Greene
Tinley Park (BlackNews.com) - Sam Cooke fans around the world have praised the recent release of Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective (Trafford Publishing, $22.50 http://www.ourunclesam.com , written by his great-nephew Erik Greene. But now, those same fans will be glad to know there's more.
In Our Uncle Sam, Greene not only emphasizes Sam Cooke's accomplishments in music history, but also gives the reader an inside look into the childhood influences that pushed him to excel. The updated version details shocking revelations concerning Sam's business enterprises, disputes information contained in recently published material, and provides an account as to how and why Sam died that has never been explored.
"One thing most people are shocked to learn when they read my book," says Greene, the grandson of Sam's oldest sister, Mary, "Is that Sam's brothers and sisters do not receive direct royalties from his music. This fact has bothered the family ever since Sam died, because those closest to Sam knew how strongly he felt about protecting his legacy."
"Since I first wrote Our Uncle Sam," Greene continues, "I've come in contact with outsiders who had relevant information about my uncle. For years, these people have either known or had access to key information concerning his business dealings and his death. They hadn't felt compelled to come forward until they saw that a family member had written a book giving the inside perspective."
Sam Cooke burst onto the pop scene with the 1957 release of his million-selling single, "You Send Me." The song rose to #1 on both the R&B and Pop charts, and its innovative blend of Gospel, Pop, and R&B earned him the title "The Man Who Invented Soul." Cooke charted an amazing 34 Top 40 R&B hits over his eight year pop career, writing and recording such classics as "Chain Gang," "Only Sixteen," "Cupid," "Wonderful World," "Having a Party" and "A Change is Gonna Come." He was among the original inductees when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1986.
Cooke was one of the first artists, Black or White, to demand control of his publishing rights when he negotiated his monumental recording contract with RCA in 1960. He fought persistently to educate other artists by encouraging them to take control of their careers in a similar fashion. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his 1964 death in a Los Angeles motel shocked and saddened music fans worldwide. Now, these issues and more have been directly addressed in Our Uncle Sam.
"A wise man once said, 'Sunlight is the best disinfectant,'" Greene adds, "And as far as I'm concerned, my uncle deserves his day in the sun. It's time to set the record straight."
Personally autographed copies of Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective by Erik Greene can be ordered through www.ourunclesam.com. Non-autographed versions are also available on the website or can be ordered by dialing (888) 232-4444 toll-free.
CONTACT:
Erik Greene
888-232-4444
http://www.ourunclesam.com
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