Sam Cooke

• LIMITED EDITION CLASSIC LPs

• 180 gr. VINYL–AUDIOPHILE PRESSING

• HIGH-DEFINITION PREMIUM VINYL

• PRESSING FOR SUPER FIDELITY

• INCLUDES 2 BONUS TRACKS

Songwriter and singer Sam Cooke was one of the most popular and influential African-American figures to emerge in the late ‘50s. Cooke successfully synthesized a blend of gospel music and secular themes that provided the early foundation of soul music. Cooke’s pure, clear vocals were widely imitated, and his suave, sophisticated image set the style of soul crooners for the next decade.

This collector’s LP release includes one of Cooke’s finest albums, The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke, originally issued by Keen Records in 1960. It contains some of Cooke’s greatest studio recordings, including well-known hits from the peak of his career, such as “(What a) Wonderful World,” “Desire Me,” “No One (Can Ever Take Your Place),” and “Summertime,” or tunes that come from his spiritual background like “I Thank God” and “That’s Heaven to Me.”

PERSONNEL:

• SAM COOKE, lead vocals, plus:

• ON TRACKS A1 & A5 / B6 & B7:
• Cliff White (guitar), Red Callender (bass), Earl Palmer (drums on A5 / B6 & B7), unknown drummer on A1, but it might be Ronald Selico. Unknown backing vocals.
• Recorded in California, March 2 & 3, 1959 .

• ON TRACKS A2, A4 & A7:
• probably Cliff White (guitar), Adolphus Asbrook (bass), Charles Blackwell (drums). Unknown piano and backing vocals.
• Recorded in California, 1958.

• ON TRACKS A3 / B4:
• Cliff White (lead guitar), René Hall (rhythm guitar), Ted Brinson (bass), Earl Palmer (drums), Lee Gotch, Pied Pipers (backing vocals).
• Recorded at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles, California, June 1, 1957.

• ON TRACKS A6 / B5:
• probably René Hall, Cliff White (guitar), Adolphus Asbrook (bass), Charles Blackwell (drums).
• Recorded at Sound Enterprises, Hollywood, California, January 14, 1959.

• ON TRACKS B1:
• Cliff White, René Hall (guitar), Adolphus Asbrook (bass), Charles Blackwell (drums).
• Recorded at Rex Productions, Los Angeles, California, January 1959.

• ON TRACKS B2:
• probably René Hall, Cliff White (guitar), Adolphus Asbrook (bass), Charles Blackwell (drums). Unidentified backing vocals.
• Recorded at Rex Productions, Los Angeles, California, September 1958.

• ON TRACKS B3:
• René Hall, Cliff White (guitar), Adolphus Asbrook (bass), Charles Blackwell (drums).
• Recorded in California, June 6, 1958.

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1 (WHAT A) WONDERFUL WORLD
• A2 DESIRE ME
• A3 SUMMERTIME
• A4 ALMOST IN YOUR ARMS
• A5 THAT’S HEAVEN TO ME
• A6 NO ONE (CAN EVER TAKE YOUR PLACE)
• A7 WIN YOUR LOVE FOR ME (*)

• SIDE B
• B1 WITH YOU
• B2 BLUE MOON
• B3 STEALING KISSES
• B4 YOU WERE MADE FOR ME
• B5 THERE I’VE SAID IT AGAIN
• B6 I THANK GOD
• B7 STEAL AWAY (*)

• (*) BONUS TRACKS