One More River to Cross: The Redemption of Sam Cooke

By B.G. Rhule and EUGENE JAMISON

The true story of the iconic life of Soul Music inventor Sam Cooke, and his untimely, tragic murder in 1964, covered up by authorities and music business alike for nearly half a century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483522401

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Copyright © 2009 B.G. Rhule

All rights reserved under International and Pan American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Case i SR#:       1-209814031

Case Date:        06/2712009

Title:                  One More River To Cross: The Redemption of Sam Cooke

Library of Congress

Copyright Office - TX

101 Independence Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20559 – 6222

ISBN#: 9-781467-542906

ISBN: 9781483522401

Printed in the United States of America

Third printing, December 2013, All State Printing, Los Angeles, CA.

All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

One More River to Cross: The Redemption of Sam Cooke

Third Edition

Special Tribute by Nephew Eugene Jamison

Foreword

Preface

1.    Popsicle Stick Dreams

2.    Gospel Roots: From the Highway QCs to the Soul Stirrers

3.    Pop Music Crossover: Rupe Sowed, Bumps, Bob and Sam Reaped

4.    The Women

5.    A Gift Horse Spurned

6.    Road Life

7.    The Auto Accident

8.    Sam, Ritchie, and Jewel at ...West Covina High School?

9.    That’s My Song!

10.    Stabbing at the Apollo

11.    Gene Vincent’s idol, Sam Cooke, visits his house in England

12.    Sam Cooke and Civil Rights

13.    1964: The Final Year of His Life

14.    Morris Levy: Allen Klein’s Mentor

15.    Klein, Not Yoko, Was the Walrus

16.    Allen Klein: Master Thief and Mastermind

17.    Loose Connection: Tying Elements of the Sam Cooke Murder to the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

18.    First Family of Soul: Cooke-Womack-Wells

Postscript to the Third Edition

Timeline

Autopsy and Inquest

Bibliography and Resources

Sam Cooke Photo Gallery

"I've learned that people will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget

how you made them feel."

--Maya Angelou

Special Tribute

Eugene Gene Jamison

The oldest of SamCooke’s nephews, a member of The Gashouse Gang.

One More River To Cross: The Redemption of Sam Cooke is a great book on the short, but amazing career and life of one of music’s pioneers. Certainly not a perfect man, Sam Cooke was more than a singer and recording artist; he was an amazing businessman in a business that was filled with corrupt and ruthless people. This is the story of how certain individuals had no intentions of letting their gravy train be derailed by an ambitious young black man.

The author of this book, B.G. Rhule, has done a remarkable job of digging behind the scenes to uncover the truth of what happened that December 11, 1964, and the months leading up to that day…and after.

The Redemption of Sam Cooke is personal. As the nephew of this remarkable man, it’s important to me to clear his name. My uncle was a proud, confident and determined man who never forgot the life lessons taught by his parents, Charles and Annie Mae Cook. Family was first, and blessings were meant to be shared. On his ride to the top of the entertainment world, he always had a plan to include family and close friends. While not without flaws, he certainly is not the man as described on the last day of his life. Everyone who ever met him felt as we, his family did. He was a giving, God loving man, who wanted equality for all people. A man who was loved and admired not only for his talent, but for his personality and willingness to share a moment anytime with fans the world over.

In the next pages, B.G. Rhule will take you on the trail of truth. Her painstaking investigative work, and perseverance when digging through reams of documents and witness statements, will allow a post-Jim Crow industry to let that truth surface.

Thank you B.G. I can now look across the river and see redemption for my dear Uncle Sam.

September, 2013, Chicago, Illinois

Foreword

Sharon Cooke, Sam Cooke's daughter

Sam Cooke means love to me. He was my father, and possessed a talent that no one could touch. Being his daughter was overwhelming at times, because his talent was bigger than life. I only met my father one time, but that one time provided me with a loving memory that will remain with me forever.

To answer the question of what Sam Cooke means to me, he means EVERYTHING. As Sam Cooke's' daughter, I feel very deeply about the truth being told about his passing. For so long the public has been bombarded with lies regarding Sam's death. Sam Cooke was a man of integrity and I never believed for a moment the events and fabrications surrounding the way he died. I pray that the truth will be told, and that it will be told with dignity, to show his fans and the public the man he truly was. Sam Cooke was a beautiful person inside and out, and did not deserve to be taken away from us so soon.

I love you dad, and I miss you every day. Your music inspires me to continue to spread the love that you sing about in your songs. I can only aspire to be half the person that you were.

July 10, 2011

Paula Cooke Jackson, daughter of Sam Cooke

I missed growing up with my dad. Yet, when I see the love that so many people over the years have shown for him and for his music, it truly warms my heart. I miss him. I love music, and wish we could have shared that passion. While I wish he had been in my life, I have known always that he was with me. I will always have his spirit. Sam Cooke was a great and wonderful man. I wish he had lived longer.

August 14, 2011, Chicago, Illinois

Mack Cooke-Womack, grandson of Sam Cooke

Singer and Poet

Sam Cooke was a great man, father, son, brother, and, I am proud to say, my grandfather. He was a mentor to all those who were close to him and loved him. His legacy carries on to this day.

As my sisters and I were growing up, his music and talent was always instilled in us. We were made aware from a young age, as the saying goes, 'To whom much is given, much is expected.' Thus, forever will we focus on the musical gifts he left us, and work to share those with the world.

R.I.P. Sam Cooke,

Gone, but not forgotten,

Never late,

Always great.

July 8, 2011, Vancouver, Canada

Herb Alpert

Sam Cooke? Loved him! He was a gentleman and a tremendous, creative talent. He taught me to listen (to music) with my eyes closed.

On one occasion, Sam was auditioning an artist for his SARS label, a guy who was from the Caribbean. I was there with Lou Rawls, and we were all sitting there listening to him. He was a tall, good looking kid, and he sang well. Sam asked me what I thought about him, and I told him I liked him, liked his style. Sam said, Turn your back on him for a few minutes and listen. See, it doesn’t matter what the artists look like, what color they are; to people listening, we all are just a cold piece of wax. He was all about feeling the music.

He used to come into the session with a notebook filled with lyrics of potential songs. I looked at one of them, and I honestly thought these particular lyrics sounded rather trite. Then, Sam picked up the book and started singing these same lyrics that I had thought were so trite, and he made them sound magical. His intent, his musicality, were so great.

When he recorded (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons, we were listening as Bumps Blackwell did the playback. Jack Costanzo, (the percussionist on Win Your Love For Me), suggested Sam throw in a few Woah-oh-woah-oh, and Sam said, Jack, you don’t throw in a woah-oh just anywhere! Sam was a great man, so it was terrible he had to go out that way …"

Lou Adler

I met Sam through music producer Bob Keane, and, we did, in fact, live together for a time, when he first came out to Los Angeles. What a special person Sam was! He was completely color blind, and I, in turn, never thought of him in black and white terms, either. He never thought of people by separating them on a color basis. That tells you a lot about his character.

As far as talent, I can tell you that no one ever had or ever will have the musical instrument of voice that Sam Cooke possessed.

I can recall every moment that Sam and I shared. It was such an important part of my life, and, one just savors the memory of something so important and so good. It was a learning experience as well as a really happy time. It started my career in the music business, and I am grateful he was an integral part of that. When you lose the most important element of it, you know then how much he had meant to me as a friend, as well as to my career.

November 3, 2011, Los Angeles, California

Drummer Hal Blaine

Sam Cooke was simply a beautiful person. I was a young drummer, just starting out. A man named H.P. Barnum arranged for me to play drums for Sam on Another Saturday Night. Barnum told Sam, You all better listen to this cat, because he's where it's at in music.

When I got to the session, everyone was murmuring, 'What's this white dude doing here? Folks still didn't mix it up like that in the studio back in those days, but Sam was so very gracious to me. He welcomed me, made me feel right at home. I'll never forget that about him.

July 29, 2011, Los Angeles, California

Jesse Thomas

New Orleans musician

I first met Sam at The Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans when he came into town as a singing star with The Soul Stirrers. He had red-hot popularity, as this young, good-looking singer with this well-known gospel group. The Dew Drop Inn was just a few blocks from the hotel where the singers and musicians all stayed.

Sam, like Lloyd Price, Ernie K. Doe, Fats Domino and so many others who recorded locally at Cosmo's Studios, held court at The Dew Drop, after their shows, where they were known to often have a full house party even at 1 or 2 A.M. Because he was so likeable, so easy-going and downto-earth, both men--and especially women--gravitated toward him.

The word I would use to describe Sam is tender. He was a kind and caring gentleman. I personally know of a young musician in Mobile, Alabama that Sam went out of his way to help. He also was a businessman. Taking care of business always came before socializing. His brother Charles was often with him, especially after he was a solo act in the later years when Charles served as Sam's driver. I knew both his brothers Charles and L.C. Sam seemed closer to Charles, while with L.C. I sensed there was some sibling rivalry.

September, 2013, New York, N.Y.

Darlene Love

The Blossoms and Author of My Name is Love

We were still in high school when we signed to sing backup for Sam Cooke. Fellow Blossoms member Gloria Jones, called a radio station when she heard Sam being interviewed. She intentionally spoke in an older sexy voice, and dedicated a song to Sam from the Blossoms. He told the deejay to ask Gloria to call back, and he made plans to meet with us at his room in the Knickerbocker Hotel the next morning. When we arrived, he was eating breakfast, wearing a silk robe, and undoubtedly surprised that we were so young, yet still very much interested in hearing us sing. We were trying to be cool, but were overcome by his beauty. The next day, Sam arrived in front of Fremont High School in a green Cadillac convertible to pick me up, the other Blossoms already in the car. And that’s how it was— a true Cinderella story in which the finest black prince on earth came to get me in front of all my friends.

Working in the studio with Sam was my first experience at seeing what a real genius could do. There was a full-sized orchestra and six other singers, mostly all white, which was my first whiff at how Sam operated with a racially mixed crew. They recorded Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha and Chain Gang, among other lesser hits. Throughout it all, like two schoolgirls, Gloria and I giggled at our good fortune. Sam bit his lip a lot, and whenever he did, we melted quietly to ourselves.

Claudette Robinson

formerly of the Miracles

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles appeared with Sam Cooke on several shows, and visited his home. He was an amazing talent and an extremely gracious host. His music lives on through his many recordings. There will never be another voice like Sam Cooke. His rendition of You Send Me simply does it for me. Good luck and God bless you on your project.

Clarence Frogman Henry

I was on the bill with Sam at a club in Virginia Beach back in 1961. I knew his drummer June Gardner, who was also from New Orleans, like me. Sam Cooke was just such a nice guy. He was quiet, very respectful toward other musicians. Some guys who get that famous are all about them, but he had none of that attitude. Just a nice, nice guy.

December, 2011, New Orleans, LA

Fats Domino

Sam and I used to tour on the buses together—and sometimes with Lloyd Price. And I used to do the cooking for us, because in those days we couldn't eat nowheres white folks did down south. It was like a family. We got to know each other pretty well. Sam was a great guy, and those were great times, great times.

February, 2011, New Orleans, Louisiana

Lee Silver, music producer, former A & R man,

Mad Men music contributor

It was 1960, and, I was on a plane from Los Angeles, bound for Hawaii with Sam, who was on the same bill. I was producing a group called The Buttons, and he was still riding the crest of You Send Me, despite his other hits. He was huge. We sat next to each other on the plane ride, and talked about the music business. I remember he was dressed so very sharp, and when we got to the big island, he was busy rehearsing; very professional, in all he did. Sam