Justice Served: Sam Cooke Pt. 1

Summary

Crime House 24/7

Justice Served: Sam Cooke Pt. 1

Date: August 14, 2026
Host: Vanessa Richardson
Narrator: Carter Roy

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Episode Overview

This episode launches a two-part deep dive into the life, career, and controversial death of legendary soul singer Sam Cooke. Host Vanessa Richardson and narrator Carter Roy trace Cooke’s journey from his early years as a preacher’s son in the Jim Crow South to his meteoric rise as a musical icon and civil rights trailblazer. The show contextualizes how Cooke’s pursuit of justice and empowerment for Black artists both shaped American music and put him at personal risk, setting the stage for renewed questions surrounding his 1964 murder.

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Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. Sam Cooke’s Early Life and Family (04:48 - 09:00)

• Mississippi Beginnings:
  Cooke was born in 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, into a large family living in deep poverty. His father, Charles, sought a better life and worked odd jobs while preaching at local churches.

• Great Migration:
  At age two, Sam’s family moved to Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, a center of Black business and opportunity despite continued segregation in the North.

• Strict Upbringing:
  Religious discipline was paramount; secular music and movies were forbidden. Sundays involved all-day church commitments.

• Early Musical Roots:
  The Cooke children performed as “The Singing Children” at church events, with Sam quickly standing out for his vocal ability and stage presence. By age nine, Sam knew he wanted a career in music.

Quote:
“Sam had found his true calling. By nine years old, he knew this was what he wanted to do with his life.”
— Carter Roy (09:00)

2. Rise Through Gospel Music (09:00 - 15:00)

• Teenage Success:
  At 16, Sam joined the Highway QCs, learning vocal technique and showmanship. His style was “crooning”—smooth, effortless, and distinct from gospel traditions.

• Breakthrough with The Soul Stirrers:
  By 19, Sam replaced the lead singer of the high-profile Soul Stirrers, gaining wider acclaim and drawing in young audiences.

• Personal Life Twists:
  As his fame rose, Cooke juggled complex relationships, including fathering a child with Barbara Campbell but marrying someone else, Dolores Mohawk.

3. Music, Race, and Risk in the Jim Crow Era (19:20 - 26:00)

• The ‘Chitlin’ Circuit’:
  Touring in the South exposed Cooke and his group to severe racism; every aspect of life on the road was dictated by segregation laws.

• Impact of Tragedy:
  The 1955 murder of Emmett Till, a Black Chicago teen in Mississippi, deeply affected Sam, inspiring him to use his platform for social change.

• Crossover Dilemma:
  Cooke faced backlash and risked career ruin by crossing from gospel, seen as “God’s music,” to the more lucrative but controversial world of pop (dubbed “the devil’s music”). He released his first pop song under a pseudonym—“Dale Cook”—but his voice was unmistakable.

Quote:
“Sam was the exception... He had his finger on the pulse. But he wasn’t going to blindly jump ship and risk losing everything he’d worked so hard for.”
— Carter Roy (22:00)

4. Superstardom and Struggle for Control (26:00 - 32:00)

• Breaking Out as a Solo Artist:
  After disputes with Specialty Records, Sam signed with Keen and released "You Send Me," which became a national sensation. White Americans began to take notice.

• National Spotlight and Setbacks:
  His debut on the Ed Sullivan Show was cut short, leading to public outcry and a subsequent re-invitation. But his first performance at the prestigious Copacabana was a flop—his gospel-inflected style clashed with expectations.

• Brush with Death:
  After a 1958 concert, Cooke and his bandmates suffered a car accident deliberately caused by a parked truck in Mississippi. Sam survived with minor injuries; his driver was killed, and others were seriously hurt.

5. Business Expansion and Civil Rights (32:20 - 44:46)

• Pushing for Fair Compensation:
  Realizing artists—especially Black musicians—were cheated of royalties, Cooke started his own publishing company (Kags Music) and later his record label (SAR Records) to empower artists.

• Family and New Beginnings:
  Sam remarried Barbara Campbell and moved to L.A., aligning with RCA Victor (Elvis Presley’s label). His single "Chain Gang" subtly addressed racial injustice, resonating with both Black and white audiences.

• Taking on Segregation Directly:
  Appalled by discriminatory seating at performances, Sam became more vocal. In 1961, he and headliner Clyde McPhatter boycotted a Memphis show over segregated audience policies, releasing a public statement about their decision.

Quote:
"Sam decided this was his line in the sand. He wouldn’t be singing that night… Sam made sure the truth got out."
— Carter Roy (41:00)

• Consequences of Activism:
  Cooke’s civil rights advocacy increased both his influence and his vulnerability to backlash—a foreshadowing of the tragic events to come.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sam’s talent and ambition:
  “He was insatiably curious and constantly checking books out of the library. The max anyone could borrow was five books a week. So that’s what Sam took. And he read every single one.”
  — Carter Roy (07:30)

• On the significance of the Emmett Till case:
  “Emmett’s story was a huge wake up call for many people in the US. And Sam Cooke was no exception."
  — Carter Roy (20:20)

• On Sam’s calculated risk in crossing over genres:
  “There was a strong divide between gospel... and pop, which was considered the devil’s music. And if you were a singer, you did one or the other. Sam was the exception.”
  — Carter Roy (22:00)

• On the music industry's exploitation:
  “Very few artists ever questioned this, but it seemed like they always got the short end of the stick, especially if they were Black.”
  — Carter Roy (34:31)

• On Cooke’s civil rights stand:
  “With that, Sam had declared himself for the cause... In the end, it would cost him more than money. It would cost him his life.”
  — Carter Roy (44:00)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:50 — Introduction to Sam Cooke and the resurrection of interest in his murder case.
• 04:48 — Sam Cooke's early family life in Mississippi and migration to Chicago.
• 09:00 — The Cooke family band and Sam’s early love of performing.
• 15:00 — Sam joins the Highway QCs and later becomes Soul Stirrers' lead.
• 19:20 — Navigating racism on tour, Emmett Till’s murder, and the birth of Sam’s activism.
• 22:00 — Cooke’s controversial leap from gospel to pop, recorded under an alias.
• 26:00 — The hit single “You Send Me” launches Sam into stardom.
• 29:58 — Sam’s disappointing Copacabana debut and the dangerous road accident.
• 32:20 — Taking control with Kags Music and SAR Records to empower Black artists.
• 41:00 — The Memphis boycott and Sam’s public civil rights declaration.
• 44:46 — Tease for Part 2 and the enduring mystery of Sam Cooke’s death.

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Conclusion and Next Steps

Vanessa Richardson closes by underscoring the importance of Cooke’s legacy—not just as a musical trailblazer, but as a crusader for justice and equality. She encourages listeners to catch Part 2 for a detailed investigation of Sam Cooke’s suspicious 1964 death and its controversial aftermath.

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For those interested in the intersection of music, race, business, and justice in America—Sam Cooke’s story is a must-listen.

Transcript

[Vanessa Richardson]

Hi listeners, it's Vanessa. Are you the type to fall down an Internet rabbit hole and not come up for hours? You'll love Crimes of Reddit, a new Crime House original with Sabrina, Diana Roga and Alexis Linklater. Every week one host brings real, true crime stories from Reddit while the other reacts completely blind. No prep, no spoilers. Then they swap. It's the feeling of sending your group chat a thread at 2am that starts with you have to see this. Except Sabrina and Alexis are in the chat with you. Follow Crimes of Reddit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or subscribe@c Crimesofreddit pod on YouTube.

[Narrator (Carter Roy)]

This is Crime House.

[Vanessa Richardson]

He had the voice of a generation and the business instincts of a mogul. Sam Cook was rewriting the rules for black artists, for the music industry, for what was even possible. But on a December night in 1964, everything stopped. The official story never quite added up. Welcome to crime house 24 7. I'm Vanessa Richardson. Twice a day, every day, we bring you the best, most timely and gripping cases from across the entire Crime House network, all in one place right here. And every Friday is Justice Served, where we follow a case all the way to the evidence, the arrests and the verdict that finally delivered justice. Today we're opening the file on the 1964 murder of Sam Cooke, and 60 years on this case still won't stay quiet. The circumstances of Sam Cooke's death, ruled a justifiable homicide within days, have drawn renewed scrutiny as cold case advocates and music historians push for a formal reinvestigation and questions about the original ruling refuse to die. This community exists because of listeners like you want even more? Join Crime House plus for every episode of Crime House 24.7ad free. Not only that, but you'll get complete access to an exclusive limited series every month and early. AD free access to all Crime House shows and bonus episodes. Go to crimehouseplus.com or on Apple Podcasts. Tap Try free at the top of the crime house 24. Seven page now. Carter Roy has the story starting at the very beginning. A preacher's son in depression era Mississippi with a voice that would change the world.

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[Narrator (Carter Roy)]

Even before the Great depression hit in 1929, the state of Mississippi was already struggling. The local economy was heavily reliant on cotton, but after World War I, the price of cotton dropped nearly 80% and only continued to fall from there. As if that wasn't bad enough, a severe drought rocked the state in 1930. Between Mother Nature and the stock market, the majority of Mississippians were barely getting by. And it was even harder if you were black. Jim Crow was the law of the land. In the south, racial segregation was strictly enforced and black residents were largely cut off from the already limited federal support that was available. This was the world Sam Cooke was born into on January 22, 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. But it wasn't the world his father, Charles Cook, wanted to raise him in. He and his wife, Annie Mae, already had three children when Sam was born, and it wasn't long before they had another on the way. Charles and Annie both started working when they were very young, and neither of them had much in the way of formal education. Thanks to Jim Crow laws. Charles knew his children weren't going to fare much better if they stayed put. Charles worked a series of odd jobs to support his family, but his true passion was preaching. So in his spare time, he traveled to nearby churches to deliver sermons. And he thought that was their ticket out of Mississippi. By the time Sam was two years old in 1933, Charles had worked his way north to Chicago, Illinois. He hitchhiked from town to town, stopping to deliver sermons in exchange for room and board. Once he had work and a place to stay, he sent for the rest of his family. Chicago was only 600 miles north of Clarksdale, but it might as well have been another world. The Cooks moved to a neighborhood called Bronzeville. With over 200 black owned businesses serving primarily black customers. Many people considered the area a black Wall Street. Though Chicago still had its own problems with racism. This was exactly the type of mobility that Charles wanted for his family. It was full of opportunity as long as you were willing to put in the work. And as Sam grew older, he watched his father do exactly that. Once again, Charles worked various nine to five jobs to pay the bills. But whenever he had spare time, he dedicated himself to the family's new church, Christ's Temple Cathedral. Eventually he became an assistant pastor and was allowed to preach occasionally. Then around 1937, his hard work paid off. A satellite location of Christ Temple Cathedral needed a pastor. It was about 30 miles south in a suburb of Chicago. And after a good word from his mentor, the honor went to Reverend Charles Cook. It was a huge moment for their family, but not much changed in terms of their day to day lives. Charles had always held his children to very high standards, especially when it came to religion. And that was even more important now that they were officially pastors kids. There was a long list of things that weren't allowed in the cookhouse, like moo movies, secular music and sports. God was their highest priority, while everything else was a distraction. So of course going to church was non negotiable because they now had quite the commute. Church was an all day affair that started at 6:30 in the morning. Then there'd be services throughout the day. Sunday school morning morning service, young people service, evening service in between. Annie Mae used the church kitchen to heat the food she'd brought along. They wouldn't get home until at least 10pm and Sam and his siblings would still be expected to be ready for school the next morning. School was a very close second on the family's list of priorities and Sam was in fact excellent student. But he wasn't just smart. He was insatiably curious and constantly checking books out of the library. The max anyone could borrow was five books a week. So that's what Sam took. And he read every single one. Singing was also a big part of life in the Cook household. Annie May sang in the church choir every single Sunday. And the rest of the Cook children sang pretty well too. Eventually, this gave Charles the idea to start a family band called the Singing Children. Sam's oldest siblings, Charles Jr. And Mary sang lead. 8 year old Hattie, 6 year old Sam and 4 year old LC rounded out the quintet. They started out singing during their father's services, but it wasn't long before they were making appearances at other churches in the area. They even traveled with their father to out of town revivals and other preaching engagements. They sang popular gospel songs, which the ladies at the church absolutely loved. They'd cheer and clap and sing along. The energy was electric. Though all the kids were talented, no one could deny that Sam had something special. He sang tenor, and even though he was still very young, his voice had the tone and quality of someone much older. But more than that, he clearly felt at home on stage. And the rest of the kids sang because their father made them. But Sam had found his way calling. By nine years old, he knew this was what he wanted to do with his life. And thanks to the example his father had set, Sam knew he had to put in the work to make his dreams come true. Though he was still a child, Sam seemed to understand a lot more about the world than most kids his age. And he'd already picked up on how it was designed to keep certain people down. For every successful black person he knew, there were several more living paycheck to paycheck. His own parents still lived that way. No one got rich being a church pastor. That wasn't the life Sam wanted for himself. As Sam got older, he realized he'd need to be more than just a good singer. He needed to be be smart and savvy too. So he kept up with his schoolwork. But it wasn't all work and no play. Heading into his teen years, Sam was definitely one of the popular kids at church and school. He was likable and charming and of course he was handsome. Hanging out with Sam was a double edged sword for the other guys. They Knew there'd be girls around, but their eyes would would always be on Sam, especially when he sang. As the Cook children got older, the singing children eventually disbanded. The two eldest were now adults and had their own lives. At 19, Charles Jr. Enlisted in the Air Force. Mary got married and started her own family. But Sam kept singing and soon his dedication paid off. In 1947, 16 year old Sam was approached by two brothers with a singing group of their own. They already had five members, but when they heard Sam singing in school, they knew they needed to add a sixth. It didn't take much convincing to get Sam to join. The baritone singer's father coached the boys and he was the first to really teach Sam some of the more technical aspects of singing, like breath control. With Sam as their second lead, the group finally gained some traction. They called themselves the highway qcs. The group worked well together, but they all knew Sam was the draw. His voice, which had always been good, had only gotten better. But it was the way he used it that made him truly stand out. Unlike the popular gospel leads of the day, Sam didn't bring down the house with huge belting performances. His style was more relaxed, often described as crooning. He could hit the high notes and do intricate runs like the best of them. And he made all of it look effortless, which was how he got the attention of the Soul Stirrers. The Soul Stirrers were easily the most popular gospel singing group on the circuit. Their shows were always packed and they even had some hit records to their name. Then in 1950, their lead singer unexpectedly left the group. They replaced him with 19 year old Sam Cooke. Sam was stepping into some huge shoes and the group's established fans were weren't convinced he was up for it. All that changed after just a few performances. Sam soon won them over and the group reached new heights. The first single featuring Sam as the lead turned out to be the biggest hit the Soul Stirrers would ever have. In addition to the group's current fan base, Sam also brought a fresh young crowd with him. Suddenly, teens wanted to go to church if it meant getting to see Sam San. And there's no denying that Sam liked the newfound attention. Sam was dating a few different women at the time. One of them was an 18 year old named Barbara Campbell. And in 1953 she came to Sam with some life changing news. She was pregnant. Sam didn't take it very well. His star was rising and he didn't want anything to get in the way of his career. He told Barbara that he wasn't ready for marriage, and it seemed like he wasn't ready to be a father either. Sam was 22 when his daughter was born, and despite what he'd told Barbara, he did get married that year. Just not to her. In July of 1953, Sam and the Stirrers were featured in a major program called Gospel Cade in Fresno, California. While there, Sam met a singer and dancer named Dolores Mohawk. Sam was immediately smitten. To everyone's shock, the pair tied the knot by October. Even then, Sam was focused on his music. Singing with the Soulsters was Sam's big break. They were working, touring professional singers, and now Sam was one too. It was a bit like jumping on a train that was already in motion, but he got his bearings fast. The Stirs didn't just perform around Chicago, they traveled everywhere, including the South. And that's when reality set in

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[Vanessa Richardson]

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[Narrator (Carter Roy)]

Sam Cook had experienced racism growing up in Chicago, but it was nothing compared to life in the south. In the 1950s, Sam Cook, now in his early 20s, toured with his group the Soul Stirrers. Jim Crow laws dictated everything about their tours. How they traveled, where they could sleep, where they could eat, and especially where they could play. Black musicians worked what they referred to as the chitlin circuit. A chitlin is a soul food staple made from animal intestines. They're seasoned and fried, but still a bit of an acquired taste. So were the venues available to them. The Stirrers mostly performed at churches, but also appeared at juke joints from time to time with one microphone in the corner of a crowded room. It was nothing glamorous, but it was certainly meaningful. Sam could feel the audience's hunger for these shows. It wasn't just music. Each show was an escape for his fans and for him. By 1955, Sam had been touring in the south for nearly a decade, first with the highway qcs and then with the Soulsters. He thought he understood the weight of the situation, but that year he learned just how dangerous being black in the south really was. In August of 1955, a 14 year old boy from Chicago named Emmett Till was kidnapped and brutally murdered by two white men while visiting relatives in Mississippi. Allegedly, Emmett had whistled at the wife of one of his killers. Unfortunately, violent murders like these were all too common in the black community at the time, and they didn't usually get much attention. But Emmett's mother wasn't going to let his death go unnoticed. When his disfigured body was returned for burial, his mother insisted on on a public open casket funeral because of her brave decision. Emmett's story made national news and drew attention to the brutality faced by black Americans. Emmett's story was a huge wake up call for many people in the US And Sam Cooke was no exception. After Emmett's murder, Sam's motivations changed. He didn't just want to become rich and famous to improve his own life. He wanted to improve the lives of all black people in the US but to do that, he had to make some difficult decisions. He'd been with the Soulsters for five years by then and had gotten as big as he could in the gospel world. It was no secret that gospel records just didn't make the kind of money that popular music did. The problem was you couldn't do both. There was a strong divide between gospel, which was considered to be God's music, and pop, which was considered the devil's music. And if you were a singer, you did one or the other. Sam was the exception. Thanks to his time in Southern juke joints, he knew what people were listening to. It didn't hurt that he would also regularly sneak out to rock and roll shows while on tour. By all accounts, Sam had his finger on the pulse. But he wasn't going to blindly jump ship and risk losing everything he'd worked so hard for. Instead, Sam started small, just testing the waters. He wrote a few pop, R and B songs on the side, playing them for small groups of friends to see if they were any good. They were. So In December of 1956, Sam took his experiment to the next level. That month, 25 year old Sam worked with the Stirs producer and put out a song called Lovable. And just to be safe, he released it under the name Dale Cook. It was a rewrite of the most recent single he wrote for the Soulsters called Wonderful. The song didn't do so well. Even worse, the fake name didn't fool anyone. Sam's voice was easily recognizable and his secret was out. Sam was still technically, technically a member of the soul Stirs. And living at home in Chicago for a time, he tried to have his cake and eat it too. When his bandmates asked, Sam denied it was him on the track. Afraid of losing him, no one pushed. There were a lot of people whispering in Sam's ear at the time. Friends and fellow gospel artists tried to talk Sam out of crossing over. Why would he, when he had a good thing going with the Stirrers? Sam talked to his father about making the switch. Charles didn't love the idea, but he knew his son. When Sam put his mind to something, there was no stopping him. So if Sam decided to sing pop Music he was sure to succeed. A few months later, In May of 1957, 26 year old Sam moved to Los Angeles, California. It was a big change. Sam wasn't just leaving the Soul Stirrers behind. He was leaving his wife Dolores too. And they had recently separated. So in every way, this was a fresh start for Sam. But that didn't mean it was smooth. Sam had seen signed with Specialty Records. And almost right away he was butting heads with the higher ups at the label. The sticking point was his next single, you Send Me. They didn't support his vision for the song, but the real problem was his contract. Like most artists then and now, Sam was barely making any money from his sales because of how the royalties were split up. His new deal wasn't any worse than the one he'd had with the Soul Stirrers. But now that Sam was trying to make it on his own, it made him angry. So In September of 1957, Sam left specialty and signed with a new record label called Keen. They let him record you Send Me exactly as he wanted to and released it the same month. This time, the only change he made to his name was adding an E to the end to make it classier. Unlike his first release, this one was a hit. Every time DJs played it on the radio, their phones lit up with happy listeners. By the end of September, it had already sold 250,000 copies copies and showed no signs of slowing down. Sam was on the precipice of reaching the mainstream stardom he'd always dreamed of. But he wasn't there just yet. Although he had a large fan base, he was still primarily black. He'd yet to win over white America. Three months after he released you'd Send Me, he got his chance. Sam was invited to sing on the Ed Sullivan Show. The night of the broadcast. There were watch parties all across Bronzeville, the Chicago neighborhood where Sam had grown up. It was rare for a black person to be featured on such a popular show. All of Sam's fans were eager to tune in. Sam was booked and I the last performance slot, which meant he might get cut off if the broadcast went long. And that's exactly what happened. Sam had barely started singing when the show suddenly ended. The outcry was immediate. Sam's fans made angry phone calls and wrote letters to the network demanding they make it right. So four weeks later, Ed Sullivan had Sam back and even apologized to him on the air. By then, you Send Me had sold over 1 million copies. Sam Starr only continued to rise from There he crisscrossed the country making TV appearances and performing shows. Then in March of 1958, he booked the biggest gig any performer of the time could hope for, a show at the Copacabana in New York City. The Copa attracted headliners like Frank sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. And Nat King Cole. Patrons were almost exclusively middle aged rich white folks. It was a completely different world than Sam was used to and it seemed like the cards were stacked against him from the very beginning. To start, none of Sam's music was properly arranged for the 16 piece house orchestra. It became an all hands on deck effort to transcribe all the parts they needed. On top of that, Sam had never performed with such a big band. Suddenly all of his natural stage presence was gone. He still sang all the songs well, but he wasn't performing them. It certainly didn't help that whenever Sam tried to add his own gospel inspired flair, the owner of the Copa shut it down. In the end, the show just never came together. For the first time in his career, Sam flopped. But he was determined to come back better than ever.

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[Narrator (Carter Roy)]

In March of 1958, 27 year old Sam Cooke failed for the first time ever. Unfortunately for him, it was on one of the most prestigious stages of the the time. Bombing at the Copacabana was a blow to his ego, but more importantly, it was a lesson. Sam had more work to do if he wanted to keep climbing the ranks. The good news was Sam still had a big fan base. Even after the Copa disaster, Sam was getting booked for other concerts and TV appearances, which was how he got on Dick Clark's radar. Dick Clark hosted a variety of music shows, including American Bandstand, which was basically MTV for the 1950s and 60s. The show was just teens dancing to top 40 hits, often performed live by the artists. Shortly after Sam's stint at the Copa, Dick invited Sam to perform on his newest show, Saturday Night Beechnut Show. Then In October of 1958, he was invited back. This time the show would be broadcasting from Atlanta, Georgia. Adding Sam to the lineup also meant this would be one of the first US Concerts to feature black and white artists in the same show, and there were no plans to segregate the audience. Integration was not popular in the south, to say the least, and its staunchest opponents were the kkk. So when they heard about the show, the threats came pouring in against the venue, against Dick Clark, and of course, against Sam. To his credit, Dick Clark wasn't willing to back down, but he checked in with Sam to make sure he felt the same way Sam did. This was part of his mission. He was determined to throw open doors and tear down walls so that other black artists didn't face the same adversity as him. On the day of the concert, Sam stepped onto the stage with his head held high. He sang for the crowd of 6,000 adoring fans. And that was it. Despite all the commotion, the show went off without a hitch. But that didn't mean working in the south got any easier for Sam. He was well and truly famous by this point, not just gospel famous. And yet he wasn't any safer. In November 1958, sometime after the Atlanta concert, Sam performed in St. Louis, Missouri. His next show was in Mississippi. So afterward, his team packed up and hit the road. Sam had his own car, a convertible Cadillac and a private driver named Eddie Cunningham. Sam invited his guitarist, Lou Rawls, to to join him for the drive. It was a rainy night, so they had to keep the top up on the convertible. At one point, they were cresting a small hill when suddenly a large shadow blocked the lane. Eddie slammed on the brakes and the tires screeched. The last thing any of the passengers saw was the tailgate of a pickup flying toward their heads. Someone had parked a truck in the middle of the highway and turned the lights off. It was dark and raining, so no one saw until it was too late. The front of Sam's Cadillac slid beneath the bed of the truck. His driver, Eddie Cunningham, was killed instantly. The other passengers were badly injured. Sam's guitarist broke his collarbone. Lou Rawls was severely concussed and in a coma for five days. Somehow, Sam walked away with nothing but a scratch on his face. Still near death experiences have a way of clarifying things. After the accident, Sam was ready to make some professional changes. He'd been a working recording artist for nearly a decade by then and had learned a thing or two about the business. At the time, royalties were split between publishers, recording companies and artists. Most of the time, the publishers were actually part of the record label. So labels would pocket at least 2/3 of all sales, while an artist was lucky to see the rest. Very few artists ever questioned this, but it seemed like they always got the short end of the stick, especially if they were black. Sam wasn't okay with that. He'd always written the majority of his own music, including all of his biggest hits. He firmly believed that the majority of earnings should stay with him. So he started to look into ways to make that happen. A friend of his, J.W. alexander, owned a publishing company and and had been encouraging Sam to start one of his own. As the songwriter and the publisher, Sam would be the one to keep 2/3 of the profits. Now Sam was ready to take the plunge. He asked JW to be his partner in the new business venture, which he called kag's Music. Sam's priorities for his personal life shifted too. It seems like his first marriage officially ended around this time. But Sam wasn't done with family life. He rekindled his romance with Barbara Campbell, who had been raising their daughter for the last six years. By the end of 1959, the pair were married. Sam was 28 and Barbara was 24. Shortly after the wedding, the newlyweds and their daughter moved into a luxurious home in Los Angeles. Besides wanting a fresh start, Sam had also signed with an LA based record label named RCA Victor. This was the same company that represented Sam's biggest competition, Elvis Presley. Sam's first couple of singles with RCA didn't make a very big splash. But then they let Sam release a song he'd written called Chain Gang. Sam wrote it after seeing groups of incarcerated, mostly black men working in fields and along highways in the South. Although it wasn't overtly political, the song was Sam's way of highlighting one of the many injustices happening in the South. At the same time, it was still catchy enough for white audiences to bop along to. It was the closest Sam could come to expressing his personal beliefs without alienating his white fan base. But even though Sam understood that fan base was essential to his success, he was beginning to bristle against that particular constraint. His close friends and family knew that Sam thought deeply about racial inequality. His favorite author was James Baldwin, who wrote extensively about the struggle for civil rights. Creating more opportunities for his people was always at the forefront for Sam. He'd fought his way to the top and he wasn't going to stay there alone. So he got in touch with his business partner, J.W. alexander, who was still running Sam's publishing company, Kags Music. Sam had figured out how to protect himself in the music industry. Now he wanted to do the same for young, up and coming black artists. With the help of Sam's manager, he and JW started their own record company in January of 1961. They called called it SAR Records. But SAR wasn't just about developing and promoting black talent. It was also focused on making sure that black artists were being fairly compensated for their work. The first act Sam signed was his old gospel group, the Soul Stirrers. Sam was putting his money where his mouth was. When it came, it came to advocating for his fellow artists. But out on the road, Sam felt like there was more he should be doing. Most places he performed, the audiences were segregated. Sometimes black and white people were Seated in different sections of the venue. But there were also times when Sam was expected to play two separate shows. These types of appearances weighed on him. Sam worried that by participating, people would think he approved of segregation to some degree. So In May of 1961, 30 year old Sam decided it was time to take a stand. Sam was one of the headliners on a tour that also featured a new R and B artist, 19 year old Ariel Franklin. They were slated to appear at the Memphis auditorium with about 12 other acts. Hours before the show was supposed to start, a telegram arrived at their hotel from the president of the local chapter of the naacp. That's the national association for the advancement of colored people. The president wanted to let the performers know that the seating arrangements were were even more heavily segregated that night. According to the telegram, black audience members were restricted to the left side of the balconies. That meant they'd have a bad view of the stage and absolutely no room to dance. It also severely limited the number of tickets available. There'd be fewer than 1,000 Black spectators in a venue that held close to four. In the past, Sam had pushed back on the issue of segregated seating. He was always polite about it, cautious about rocking the boat too much. Usually he and the venue would come up with some sort of compromise. But the Memphis auditorium wasn't willing to negotiate. The NAACP had already tried. Sam decided this was his line in the sand. He wouldn't be singing that night, and neither would his fellow headliner, Clyde McFatter. By the time Sam and Clyde announced their decision, some acts had already gone to the venue. Sam called everyone who was left and explained the situation. He tried to get the other artists to join him and Clyde in the boycott, but in the end, no one else did. At the show, the host said that Sam and Clyde had missed their connecting flights and that's why they weren't there. But Sam made sure the truth got out. He put out a statement saying that he'd refused to go because of the Memphis auditorium's racist policies. With that, Sam had declared himself for the cause. The civil rights movement was raging and tensions were escalated across the country. And now one of America's biggest stars had stepped into the ring. Sam hoped that by taking a stand, he could help end segregation entirely. It was a huge risk, even for him, and in the end, it would cost him more than money. It would cost him his life.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Thanks for listening to this episode of Crime House 24. 7. Be sure to check out our second episode on the 1964 murder of Sam Cooke. Dropping later today and to enhance your listening experience, join Crime House plus and get every episode of Crime House 24.7 completely ad free along with early ad free access to all Crime House shows plus monthly bonus episodes. To join, go to crimehouseplus.com or if you listen on Apple Podcasts, tap try free at the top of the Crime House 24. 7 page.

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[Vanessa Richardson]

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