jjares reviewed on 3/8/2023 + 3297 more book reviews

Growing up in the 1960s, I bought Sam Cooke's music because it was sublime. I didn't care what his skin tone was. Listening to Cooke was like getting a personal performance; he uniquely spoke to each listener. So I was stunned when I heard that Sam Cooke was murdered; the Houston DJ said his father had killed him by mistake. What a bizarre bit of news; I don't remember them correcting the error on the air. Until reading this eBook, I never got the straight of the story.

I knew significantly less about Otis Redding and had no idea how he'd died. This book is about both men and their legacies and is excellent reading. The author did a great job comparing and contrasting the two men and their styles. It brought each man in sharper focus.

However, analyzing African-American attitudes toward gospel and secular music was enlightening. It showed how hard it was to break out of the black music genre and become internationally known as a significant artist. However, the real strength of this eBook is the analysis of each man's legacy. I couldn't put it down.

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