MUSICAL LEGEND Rock hall, Case Western to celebrate Sam Cooke

Performers who were influenced by Cooke will perform Saturday and Sunday.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CLEVELAND -- Odds are, if you don't know of Sam Cooke, you know of his music.
The two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum inductee is a gospel, R & amp;B and pop legend, who is credited with helping to define soul music with hit singles such as "You Send Me," "Chain Gang," "Twistin' the Night Away" and so much more.
Despite the fact Cooke's life was tragically cut short -- he was shot to death at the age of 33 under mysterious circumstances in a seamy hotel in 1964 -- his influence on the music world is undeniable.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Case Western Reserve University are celebrating his life and influence as part of its Tenth Annual American Music Masters Series. "A Change is Gonna Come: The Life and Music of Sam Cooke" salutes one of music's greatest artists and culminates in two star-studded tribute concerts Saturday and Sunday at Playhouse Square Center's State Theatre.
Gospel roots
"The important thing to me about honoring Sam Cooke is that we do pay a fair amount of time looking at the blues roots of rock 'n' roll, and the country roots of rock 'n' roll and the R & amp;B roots of rock 'n' roll," said Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Vice President of Education Warren Zanes. "But this is an opportunity to really pay some attention to the gospel roots of rock 'n' roll."
He added, "Some of our favorite songs associated with rock 'n' roll, the first time they were performed, those songs were pointing out toward rows of pews. A lot of what we love best in terms of its infectious rhythm comes from gospel."
At a time when the civil rights movement was gaining steam, Cooke was at its forefront. As a black man, the Mississippi native grew up in the Jim Crow South, witnessing firsthand the evils of segregation in a supposed free society. After hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind," Cooke was inspired to write his own sociopolitical anthem in "A Change is Going to Come."
Those he influenced
One can only imagine what role his music could have further played in the tumultuous '60s. Still, he inspired many, some of whom who will be present at the upcoming tribute shows, which are divided between Cooke's pop-based material on Saturday and his gospel songbook on Sunday.
Considering Northeast Ohioans often complain the Rock Hall city doesn't hold the annual induction ceremonies, the same folks shouldn't overlook the who's-who list of musicians coming to Cleveland for the sole purpose of performing at "A Change is Gonna Come: The Life and Music of Sam Cooke."
The list includes Rock Hall inductees Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello and Solomon Burke, along with Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child's), Gavin DeGraw, The Dixie Hummingbirds, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Lou Rawls, Cissy Houston, Peter Wolf, Taj Mahal and more.
"They asked me and I immediately accepted," said Williams, calling from Philadelphia. "Sam Cooke is somebody that I listened to on a daily basis. I like how he pronounced his words. Every single word you can hear. I like his yodel that he would do. He was just a smooth kind of singer that didn't have to do too much. And his voice is wonderful. It makes a lot of sense [to have a tribute] because he touched so many people's lives and is such a musical influence on everybody."
Williams said she's planning on singing with Cissy Houston on famed gospel song "Any Day Now." Cooke recorded the tune with his pre-solo-career gospel act the Soul Stirrers. As a member of arguably the world's biggest urban act, Destiny's Child, which recently called it quits after selling millions of albums, Williams says her career parallels Cooke's in that both artists began as gospel singers before reaching pop audiences.
"If you love Sam Cooke, you'll come out," Williams said. "If you love his music, you'll be there and with the wide array of people paying tribute to him, you know this is going to be awesome."
Zanes concurred, "Real simple, get to know one of the key figures in American popular music just a little bit better."