From the late ’50s until his death in 1964, the great R&B singer Sam Cooke championed other important artists on his SAR Records label. Having launched his own career in the early ’50s as a member of ...

The landmark 1955 event featured acts like the Caravans, the Pilgrim Travelers and the Soul Stirrers — led by a young Sam Cooke. Sixty years ago this month, some of the biggest names in gospel music ...

A few years ago, I was at a party for a friend’s kid. In the midst of a brief lull, my friend April dramatically waved me back into the kitchen to whisper a secret. The huge secret? She finds ...

“Before there was soul music – before there was rock & roll – there was the Legendary Soul Stirrers.” Most bands could never live up to such a towering introduction, but this one’s true. And on Sunday ...

Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul, hosted by Cece Winans, is a four part documentary series illustrating the influence of Black gospel on early rock and soul music. May 9 – The first program begins and ...

This Grammy-winning film documents the rise of soul music legend Sam Cooke. This Grammy-winning film documents the rise of soul music legend Sam Cooke, from his beginnings as a gospel singer to his ...

For some, it's an expression of faith; to others, it's an important element of culture. But whatever its meaning, gospel music helped create the foundation for rock 'n' roll, as well as rhythm and ...

On Sunday, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Soul Stirrers will perform at the "Bridge The Gap; A Change Is Gonna Come" event, 5:30 p.m. at the Blessed Hope Worship Center, Robin Street and ...

Crediting a single individual with creating a genre is a tricky proposition. Sometimes, as with Louis Armstrong and jazz singing or with Bill Monroe and bluegrass, history supports such a notion. But ...

More than 40 years after his violent death, Sam Cooke is still known as the legendary soul and gospel singer who penned “A Change Is Gonna Come,” which found a new audience with the election of ...

When he is not singing with the Legendary Soul Stirrers, a group once led by Sam Cooke, Park Forest resident Gene Stewart is doing tributes to the late singer. That made Stewart the perfect choice to ...