SOLVED: Sam Cooke 1

Summary

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Murder: True Crime Stories (Crime House Original)

Episode: SOLVED: Sam Cooke 1

Released: April 21, 2026
Host: Carter Roy

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Episode Overview

This episode is the first of a two-part deep dive into the life, activism, and untimely death of legendary musician Sam Cooke. Host Carter Roy explores Cooke’s journey from his Mississippi childhood, steeped in gospel music, to his rise as a crossover superstar, business innovator, and, crucially, a burgeoning figure in the civil rights movement. The episode captures how Cooke’s choices—artistic and personal—broke barriers but also put him at tremendous risk in a racially divided America. The second part will cover Cooke’s murder in 1964 and the lasting mysteries and ripple effects surrounding the case.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Sam Cooke’s Early Life and Family Background

• Great Depression & the Jim Crow South:
  • Sam born in 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in the shadow of economic hardship and pervasive racism.
  • “Even before the Great Depression hit in 1929, the state of Mississippi was already struggling.” [05:46]
• The Migration to Chicago:
  • The Cook family moves to Bronzeville, a thriving Black neighborhood in Chicago, seeking opportunity.
  • “[Bronzeville] was full of opportunity, as long as you were willing to put in the work.” [08:02]
• Faith and Family:
  • Sam’s father, Charles, a passionate preacher, instills strict religious discipline.
  • The Cooke children form “The Singing Children” gospel group, foreshadowing Sam’s career.

2. Musical Talents and Personal Drive

• Intellectual Curiosity and Ambition:
  • Sam’s voracious reading and sharp mind stand out:
    • “He was insatiably curious and constantly checking books out of the library…[he’d] read every single one.” [09:48]
• First Experiences Performing:
  • Sam quickly emerges as the standout in his family group:
    • “No one could deny that Sam had something special…even though he was still very young, his voice had the tone and quality of someone much older.” [11:24]
• Career Development:
  • Joins the Highway QCs at 16, then the Soul Stirrers (major gospel group) at 19.
  • Soul Stirrers popularity explodes with Sam as lead; attracts both traditional fans and new youth audiences.

3. Crossing from Gospel to Pop Music

• Breaking Genre Boundaries Despite Backlash:
  • Gospel considered "God's music”; pop “the devil’s”—crossing over was taboo.
  • Sam experiments with pop under the pseudonym “Dale Cook,” but his identity is revealed due to his distinctive voice.
  • “Thanks to his time in Southern juke joints, he knew what people were listening to…Sam had his finger on the pulse.” [20:41]
• First Breakout Pop Success:
  • Releases “You Send Me” (1957) under the “classier” name Sam Cooke—huge hit; over a million copies sold by year’s end.
  • Initial attempt on the Ed Sullivan Show is cut off, prompting widespread protest and an on-air apology.
    • “[Sam] was invited to sing on the Ed Sullivan Show…there were watch parties all across Bronzeville…the outcry was immediate.” [26:07]

4. Civil Rights Context and Personal Stakes

• Touring Under Jim Crow:
  • Southern tours expose Cooke and his group to entrenched segregation and danger:
    • “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.” [19:15]
• Impact of Emmett Till’s Murder:
  • The 1955 lynching of Emmett Till marks a turning point for Cooke:
    • “Emmett’s story was a huge wake up call for many people in the US. And Sam Cooke was no exception.” [20:23]

5. Commercial and Cultural Breakthroughs & Setbacks

• The Copacabana Flop:
  • Prestigious New York gig goes badly due to mismanagement and racial barriers:
    • “For the first time in his career, Sam flopped.” [29:19]
• Triumphs and Threats in the South:
  • Performs at one of the first integrated concerts in Atlanta, despite KKK threats.
    • “Sam stepped onto the stage with his head held high…despite all the commotion, the show went off without a hitch.” [32:08]
• Deadly Near Miss:
  • After a Mississippi concert, Cooke narrowly survives a car crash that kills his driver and gravely injures his bandmates:
    • “Someone had parked a truck in the middle of the highway and turned the lights off…somehow, Sam walked away with nothing but a scratch on his face.” [34:03]

6. Artist Empowerment and Activism

• Music Business Innovator:
  • Resents record label exploitation; starts his own publishing company (KAGS Music) and, later, SAR Records to empower Black artists and secure fair compensation.
  • “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.” [37:01]
• Taking a Public Stand:
  • In May 1961, refuses to perform in Memphis after learning of extreme audience segregation:
    • “Sam decided this was his line in the sand. He wouldn’t be singing that night, and neither would his fellow headliner Clyde McFadder…Sam made sure the truth got out.” [39:07]
  • Publicly aligns with civil rights movement, risking both career and personal safety:
    • “With that, Sam had declared himself for the cause…now one of America’s biggest stars had stepped into the ring.” [40:30]
    • “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.” [41:00]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “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.”
  — Carter Roy [20:41]

• “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.”
  — Carter Roy [19:15]

• “For the first time in his career, Sam flopped. But he was determined to come back better than ever.”
  — Carter Roy on the Copacabana show [29:19]

• “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 on the Memphis NAACP boycott [39:07]

• “With that, Sam had declared himself for the cause. The civil rights movement was raging and tensions were escalating across the country. And now one of America’s biggest stars had stepped into the ring.”
  — Carter Roy [40:30]

• “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.”
  — Carter Roy closing the episode [41:00]

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Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 05:46 | Mississippi hardship, Jim Crow context; Sam’s birth | | 09:48 | Sam as a curious, book-loving child | | 11:24 | Sam’s musical talent emerges in childhood performances | | 20:23 | Emmett Till’s murder influences Sam Cooke’s activism | | 20:41 | Crossing over to pop; using "Dale Cook" pseudonym | | 26:07 | Ed Sullivan Show fiasco and public reaction | | 29:19 | Copacabana performance failure; lessons learned | | 32:08 | Atlanta integrated concert, KKK threats | | 34:03 | Near-fatal car crash in Mississippi | | 37:01 | Founding of KAGS Music and SAR Records | | 39:07 | Memphis boycott, public stand on segregation | | 40:30 | Explicit support for the civil rights movement | | 41:00 | Closing statement foreshadowing the high cost of activism |

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Tone & Style

The episode is delivered in Carter Roy's clear, thoughtful storytelling style, blending historical context with emotional resonance. He maintains a respectful, insightful, and at times somber tone, particularly reflecting on the risks and stakes of Cooke’s activism. Roy bridges past and present, making the story accessible to listeners regardless of prior knowledge.

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Next Episode Preview

The episode ends by promising that Part 2 will:

• Detail how Sam Cooke’s involvement in the civil rights movement increased threats against him.
• Describe the circumstances surrounding his murder in 1964, its impact on music and society, and the investigation’s lasting controversies.

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This episode provides a rich, nuanced portrait of Sam Cooke as both an artist and activist, setting the stage for the tragic events to come.

Transcript

[Carter Roy]

Hi listeners, it's Carter Roy. Real quick. Before today's episode of Murder True Crime Stories, I want to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Listen to and follow America's Most infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. This his crime house. Every artist hopes to make their mark on the world, but few succeed. Sam Cooke was one of those rare exceptions. By blending gospel and pop music, Sam created his own sound and his own unique fan base. Unlike a lot of singers in the late 1950s and 60s, Sam had black and white fans. At a time when the civil rights movement was in full swing, this meant Sam had successfully bridged a gap that even politicians couldn't. But maintaining that audience meant Sam had to walk a fine line. He couldn't swing too far in either direction or he'd risk alienating a portion of his fan base. So he towed that line for a while, building momentum. But eventually, Sam had enough. He decided to take a stand against racism, even if it cost him everything. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon, and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Friday's episodes covering the cases that deserve a deeper look. Thank you for being part of the Crime House community. Please rate, review and follow the show and for ad free access to every episode. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. This is the first of two episodes on the 1964 murder of music legend Sam Cooke in Los Angeles, California. Today we'll learn about Sam's childhood and rise to stardom. And as the son of a Baptist minister, Sam grew up singing gospel music in Chicago. After taking his God given talent to the masses, Sam used his fame to speak out against racism and injustice. But not everyone appreciated his advocacy. Next time, I'll explain how Sam's increasing involvement with the civil rights movement put a target on his back. I'll also discuss the crime that changed the music industry forever. And finally, I'll dig into the investigation that followed and the reasons why we're still not sure what actually happened to Sam Cooke back in 1964. All that and more coming up. You know that moment in spring when you open your closet and you think, do I really need all this? I do. Lately I've been trying to keep fewer pieces, but ones that actually feel special and wear well every day. And that is why I keep coming back to Quint's. Their linen pants and shirts are lightweight, breathable and comfortable. I literally have one on right now. And the kind of pieces that make spring mornings effortless. And their flit activewear. Oh, soft moisture wicking anti odor. Honestly, I wanna live in it. The best part is the value. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen. So you're getting premium quality at prices 50 to 60% lower than similar brands. Everything is made to last and simplifies getting dressed. Refresh your wardrobe with quince. Go to quints.com crimehouse for free shipping and 365 day return. Now available in Canada too. Go to Q-U-I-N-C-E.com crimehouse for free shipping, and 365 day returns. Quince.com crimehouse what they did to your family. You're lucky to make it out alive. Streaming on Peacock these men are going to come after me.

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MIA Streaming now only on Peacock. 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 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 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 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 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 an 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 Mae sang in the church choir every 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, 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 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 dream 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 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 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 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 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 sing. 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 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 Stirrers didn't just perform around around Chicago. They traveled everywhere, including the South. And that's when reality set in.

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[Carter Roy]

Sam Cooke had experienced racism growing up in Chicago, but it was nothing compared to life in the south. In the 1950s, Sam Cooke, 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 Stirrer is 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 Soulsterers. 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 way 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 Love 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 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 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 in 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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[Carter Roy]

In March of 1958, 27 year old Sam Cook failed for the first time ever. Unfortunately for him, it was on one of the most prestigious stages of the time. Bombing at the Copacabana was a blow to his ego, but more important, suddenly 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 Amazing 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 Beach Nut 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, and not just gospel famous. And yet he wasn't any safer. In November 1958, sometime after the Atlanta conflict 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 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. But 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 had been encouraging Sam to start one of his own. As the songwriter and the publisher, Sam would be the one to keep two thirds 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 J.W. started their own record company in January of 1961. They called it Sar Records. But Sar wasn't just about developing and promoting black talent 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 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 Aretha 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 even more heavily segregated that night. According to the telegram, black audience members were restricted to the left side of the back 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. He 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 McFadder. 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 artist 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 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 escalating 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. Thanks so much for letting me listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is True crime stories. Come back next week for part two on the murder of Sam Cook and all the people it affected. 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