419 “It was just an idea of camaraderie”: This is from my interview with Larry McKinley. Georgie Woods made the same point in almost identical words.
420 “You have to understand”: Barlow, Voice Over, p. 209.
421 Crain had his money and briefcase stolen: St. Louis Argus, August 24, 1962; also UPI story, August 21.
422 “I was also informed by Sam”: Oscar Alexander, “Diggin’ Daddy-Oh!” The Carolinian, October 6, 1962.
423 right up until opening night he was uncertain: In addition to my interviews with Don Arden and J.W. Alexander, Charles White describes in The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Quasar of Rock, pp. 107-108, how Arden took out advertisements in the music press in September to reassure the public that “Little Richard has been booked purely as a rock artist,” with further specifics on just which of his rock ’n’ roll hits he would sing.
423 J.W. accompanied Sam to Arden’s hotel: To be fair, Arden recalled this in one interview as a telephone conversation, in another as this meeting. But the impression Sam (and J.W.) made, both then and subsequently, was clear.
424 Richard was wearing what looked . . . like religious robes: Chris Hutchins, “Little Richard Is Amazing!” New Musical Express, October 12, 1962, described Little Richard’s outfit as a “large, baggy white suit”; Arden remembered it as black monk’s robes.
425 Most of the audiences were there for Richard: Various British fans have described the shows to me (and their own preference for Little Richard), including Bill Millar (Maidstone), and Dave Williams (Kingston). Charles White writes about the Mansfield show in The Life and Times of Little Richard, p. 113, and Brian J. Hamblin’s letter to Now Dig This! 235 (October 2002) describes the Bristol performance. At the prompting of Val Wilmer, I spoke to Ian Pickstock, who recalled a much-of-the-night party that Sam and Richard had with the cast of Black Nativity.
427 “he hypnotized the audience”: Dave Williams described a similar effect as Sam mesmerized “all these rockers” just by waving his handkerchief round and round.
428 Sam had simply “dreamed up” another hit: “As Sam Cooke Dreams Up a Song in London,” New Musical Express,” n.d.
428 Sam also spoke to Melody Maker: Chris Roberts, “Doesn’t That Gospel Music Just Swing!” Melody Maker, October 20, 1962.
429 Dressed in “red-patterned pyjamas”: Maureen Cleave, “Disc Date,” Evening Standard, n.d.
431 At the heart of the new act: The attentive reader will note that the show I am describing is available on Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club (RCA [BMG] 5181). The reason I have used this with some confidence as my model is because J.W. Alexander was emphatic that this was the show Sam introduced at the Apollo. The brief reference in the Philadelphia Tribune, December 8, 1962, tends to bear out just how notable a departure the show was for Sam.
433 “his rapport with the femmes”: Variety, November 7, 1962.
436 he played a WAOK benefit: This remains something of a mystery, as the tape never surfaced. When I met Zenas Sears in 1984, it certainly existed, but I don’t know what has become of it since his death. Zenas recalled L.C. Cooke as being part of the show. An article by Thelma Hunt Shirley in the Chicago Defender, December 16, 1964, “Friends, Fans Chorus ‘Sam Was a Good Guy,’” has a DJ named Ed Cooke, formerly of Atlanta, talking about a kids’ benefit show there. Grady Gaines of the Upsetters recalled an Atlanta date being recorded, and J.W. remembered the show, though he thought it was at the Royal Peacock. William Morris’ booking schedule has Sam playing the Rhythm Rink on November 13, 1962, but I could find no advertisement for it.
439 Olsie Robinson (“Bassy”) walked out of a sound check: Everyone agrees that Bassy stopped playing for Sam, but no one can quite agree on the date or reason. Bobby Womack, Grady Gaines, Gorgeous George, and June Gardner all had their own take on the situation, but there is no question that Bobby started playing more and more regularly with Sam from late 1962 on.
440 they had less than $100 among them: Bobby, Friendly Jr., Cecil, and Curtis Womack all recalled the tour (Friendly in his interview with Barbara Cooke). Once again timing is something of an issue, and I have never been able to find a listing for the Birmingham show with Tall Paul on which Johnnie Taylor, the Sims Twins, and possibly Johnnie Morisette were also on the bill. But all of the Womacks appeared to agree that it was before their session in California in December 1962.
441 SAR Pictures had acquired the film rights: Cash Box, June 9, 1962. J.W. told me: “I got a guy named Phil Waddell to [put it out] that I had purchased an original story from him, but then the story broke so damn big I gave Phil some money and said, ‘You [better] start writing something!’”
441 They had given up on Jess at this point: The change in Jess’ role is indicated by Paul Cantor’s attempt to recruit Sam as a client and Jess’ total noninvolvement in the English tour. Jess, however, was never made aware of his change in status by either Sam or J.W.
442 with Linda frequently in tow: You can hear Linda slating Takes 11-13 of “I Wish You Love.”
442 Aretha Franklin was playing the Alexandria: Los Angeles Sentinel, December 13, 1962. Other club dates cited are from the same issue.
442 “Sam (Mr. Feeling) Cooke, who left the gospel field”: St. Louis Argus, December 21, 1962, et al. It was written up in Variety December 19.
442 “an entirely new program of song”: Los Angeles Sentinel, December 27, 1962.
443 “undoubtedly the most sensational gospel show”: St. Louis Argus, December 21, 1962.
444 “on a sort of freelance basis”: Billboard, December 1, 1962. Variety reported the same story on December 5.
444 that was the end of the deal: By the beginning of April, Sam and J.W.’s friend Ed Townsend had moved east to take the job.
445 “I only ever travel with those I like”: This and all other quotes from King Curtis are from Charlie Gillet’s 1971 interview with Curtis, published in The Sound (“a newsletter for King Curtis record collectors” published by Roy Simonds) no. 4, June/July 1985. The interview was concluded in the following issue.
446 “Never had I read words that sounded so real”: Magnificent Montague with Bob Baker, Burn, Baby! Burn: The Autobiography of Magnificent Montague, p. 52. All other quotes are from my interviews with Montague.
448 “he urged all tan performers to pay more attention”: Philadelphia Tribune, June 15, 1963, as well as Cleveland Call, Norfolk Journal and Guide, and Jet, January 31, among others. The story was not attributed to the ANP in the weekly newspapers, but the simultaneity of publication (and replication of language) argue for its syndication in this manner.
449 “This innocent country set you down in a ghetto”: James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time, pp. 21-22.
450 the “coldest New Year’s Eve in history”: St. Louis Argus, January 11, 1963.
451 “I shall return”: Chicago Defender, January 10, 1963; St. Louis Argus, January 11. Like the initial announcement, this report was orchestrated in a manner that indicates its importance.
451 Hugo and Luigi had agreed to record Sam’s live show: Luigi wrote to Mr. Stewart Goldman, vice president of the Harlem Square’s ownership corporation, on January 2, 1963. The contractual form letter that Goldman signed granted RCA permission to record the show, with no remuneration for the club.
453 whatever the sonic shortcomings: As J.W. said: “We could have had more crowd noise, but we were popping.”
455 the BMI Awards dinner: The January 23 dinner was reported in Variety, January 23, 1963, and Billboard, January 26 and February 2.
457 It was as overt a disagreement: J.W. Alexander disagreed that there was ever any overt disagreement, but as likeable as he found L.C., he did not see him as very hardworking.
457 “[L.C.] didn’t want to sing like him”: BBC interview with René Hall.
SCENES FROM LIFE
1 | JOCKO’S PARTNER
464 “He couldn’t lie if he wanted to”: Lex Gillespie interview with Doug “Jocko” Henderson, 1995
, for the Smithsonian series produced by Jacquie Gales Webb for National Public Radio, Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was. Used by permission.
468 an improbable . . . wish list of stars: Variety, February 27, 1963.
468 “Politicians and Dogs Nearly Steal State Theatre Show”: In addition to this story by Chris J. Perry, see also Mark Bricklin, “Sam Cooke Tops, Trib Critic Says,” and an unattributed “Battle Rages at Rock ’n’ Roll Show,” all in the Philadelphia Tribune, March 12, 1963.
471 complaining to Sam that Curt had the lead vocal: The Valentinos’ second record, a re-release of “Somewhere There’s a Girl” on Sam and J.W.’s new Derby label, was actually credited to Curtis and the Boys. According to Bobby: “I was trying to say, ‘Don’t let Curtis sing too many songs.’ But Sam kept saying, ‘Bobby, in later years you’ll happen, but they’ll play Curtis’ record faster.’”
473 “Why doesn’t Sam Cooke appear on television?”: Darcy DeMille, “Just Ask Me,” Sepia, April 1963. In fact, Sam had just appeared on Merv Griffin’s about-to-be-canceled afternoon talk show on March 18.
473 “the excellent song material written” by Negro songwriters: “Sam Would ‘Cook’ Revival of Oldies,” Pittsburgh Courier, April 13, 1963 (ANP).
2 | LESSONS OF THE ROAD
475 “Onstage there’s nobody who could touch him”: Tri-State Defender, April 27, 1963.
475 a new Prudhomme twins-authored . . . song: The song was “Nobody But Me,” and it was listed in Billboard July 20, 1963.
476 his real [name] of “Little” Julius High: This appears to have been a short-lived reclamation of his given name, but Lotsa had just appeared as Little Julius High at the Uptown in Philadelphia with James Brown, March 22-31.
477 “Henry started calling me Gorgeous George [because] I was sharp”: George steadfastly refuses to acknowledge any nominal connection to the popular white wrestler from the fifties Gorgeous George, whose flamboyant style was such an influence on Little Richard, James Brown, and Muhammad Ali. But perhaps he’s right, for this Gorgeous George, too, is an original in every way.
490 Al Hibbler standing side by side with Dr. King: David L. Lewis, King: A Biography, pp. 183-184; The Carolinian, April 27, 1963; Chicago Defender, April 13-19. There is some disagreement about whether or not Hibbler actually went to jail. Some accounts have him being rejected for imprisonment because of his blindness.
490 “Well, now, Mr. Mayor”: Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63, p. 722.
490 “Are Show Biz Folk Sincere?”: Norfolk Journal and Guide, April 20, 1963; also Philadelphia Tribune, April 30, and I’m sure others.
490 an exclusive nightclub in Atlanta: His engagement at the Copa (Atlanta’s Copa) was advertised in the Atlanta Constitution, March 15, 1963.
490 “the right to be treated like an American”: Norfolk Journal and Guide, April 20, 1963.
490 Nat “King” Cole . . . defended “stars who shun[ned] Dixie picket lines”: Chicago Defender, May 11-17, 1963.
491 Fats Domino . . . announced his own break: “Fats Domino Abandons Freedom Push: Will Take Segregated Dates,” Kansas City Call, January 11, 1963 (ANP).
491 he rescinded his new policy: “Fats Domino Denies Break with NAACP,” Kansas City Call, January 18, 1963; Carolinian, January 19 (ANP).
491 “treat[ing] King’s campaign as a disturbing rumor”: Branch, Parting the Waters, p. 710. My account of the Birmingham campaign is largely culled from Branch; David J. Garrow, Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leaadership Conference; and Lewis, King: A Biography.
491 “reporters saw no news”: Branch, Parting the Waters, p. 744.
492 “both wasteful and worthless”: Garrow, Bearing the Cross, p. 240, citing the Birmingham World, April 10.
492 the single word “freedom”: Branch, Parting the Waters, p. 759.
492 “Do not underestimate the power of this movement”: Ibid., p. 791.
492 “sabotaged by a few extremists on either side”: Ibid., p. 800.
492 “the nonviolent movement coming of age”: Lewis, King: A Biography, p. 196.
492 Brook Benton . . . had only recently played Clemson: Account of his Clemson engagement in the Miami Times, March 9, 1963.
493 “We’re waking up”: Morton Cooper, “Brook Benton Afraid He Can’t Be Non-Violent,” Chicago Defender, May 25-31, 1963.
493 “We’re in the middle of a social revolution”: Paul Learn, “Mixing Melody, Love Puts Sam Cooke on Top,” Atlantic City Press, July 30, 1964. It’s interesting that Dick Clark, a friend and great admirer of Sam’s, described Sam as the “first angry black man” Clark had ever met.
494 he and Alex had figured out a way of operating: As Alex said: “Neither one of us looked militant. They didn’t know quite [what to make of me], because I went into so [many] areas. They just look at me and assume maybe I was something else.”
495 Sam would get a $15,000 guarantee: J.W. saw the new deal with BMI as the end of Jess Rand. From his perspective they had hired Allen Klein as an accountant, and Allen had come through. From this point on, Allen had their full trust. Concurrent with the BMI agreement, Allen prudently had L.C. Cooke sign over all interest in any of Sam’s songs credited to him on May 29.
3 | VINCENT
497 “the one and only black history [bookstore]”: This was the Aquarian Bookstore and Spiritual Center (later shortened to the Aquarian Book Shop), which had been founded in 1941 by Alfred Ligon. Ligon, born in Atlanta in 1906 and a devotee of African-American culture, metaphysical philosophy, and the occult, financed the shop originally with the savings from his job as a waiter on the Southern Pacific. He and his wife, Bernice, who went to work for him in 1943, five years before they married, formed a lending library, a black Book-of-the-Month Club, and various other enterprises to keep the store going. Typical titles were The Stolen Legacy and Black Gnostic Studies. The bookstore became a well-known center for black activist political study in the mid-’60s. There is a fascinating oral history by Alfred Ligon at the Oral History Program, UCLA.
498 Barbara “had a custom outfit made”: Gertrude Gipson, “The Sam Cooke I Knew,” Los Angeles Sentinel, December 17, 1964.
499 according to the Sentinel’s “Theatricals” column: Los Angeles Sentinel, June 20, 1963. Gertrude Gipson’s “Candid Comments,” in the same issue, has Sam and Barbara at the pre-opening, with Barbara wearing the wig and mink stole, and Earl Grant not on hand, but I have assigned Barbara the same accoutrements for the show.
500 it was too late: Vincent’s death is noted in many brief news stories, including the California Eagle and Los Angeles Sentinel, June 20, 1963, but I have relied for the most part on the accounts of those who were there.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
503 “the best sepian night club show I’ve ever seen”: “A History of Kentucky Avenue,” compiled by Nancy Loorie, Atlantic City Library (no further information available), provides both the quote from the 1947 Daily News column and a brief history of the club.
504 “tall, cool, cigarette holder-carrying Larry ‘Good Deal’ Steele”: Masco Young, “The Grapevine” (syndicated column), The Carolinian, March 23, 1963.
504 as important to Atlantic City as the Miss America pageant: “Larry Steele’s Smart Affairs,” Sepia, September 1964.
506 “a prizefight is like a cowboy movie”: Thomas Hauser, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, p. 58. Hauser’s book, a mesmerizing oral history, has been an invaluable source throughout.
506 “The fight was a disgrace”: Hauser, Muhammad Ali, p. 59.
506 “simultaneously we’re hearing this voice in the middle of the casino”: Hauser has a very similar altercation taking place before the fight in Muhammad Ali, p. 58.
507 they had a great three days in Vegas: Out on the Coast, Kapralik got Sam together with another Columbia artist, Johnny Mathis, and, he said, the two of them spent much of the evening singing spirituals and discussing the different turns that their c
areers, which dated back to almost exactly the same moment in time, had taken.
507 Bob Yorke . . . had lost his position of independence: Yorke left the company in the fall and went to Colpix about a year later, replacing Don Kirshner as head of a&r, according to Variety, October 16, 1964.
507 Joe D’Imperio was the new man in charge: Almost all of my biographical information on Joe D’Imperio, and my insight into his thinking, apart from my interviews with Allen Klein, who both liked and admired him, comes from Jonny Meadow, a music-industry veteran, who had worked for Atlantic and was working for Hill and Range Songs at the time. Through Hill and Range, Elvis Presley’s publisher, Meadow was in regular contact with D’Imperio, who became something of a role model and mentor to him and whose words and biography he is able to recapitulate in detail. Wherever Meadow’s stories could be cross-checked against other accounts, they were always borne out. It wasn’t quite like interviewing Joe D’Imperio, but it was close!
508 the formal mechanism by which Allen would be involved with the company: Clearly an understanding was worked out by mid-July, because the bill for the Valentinos’ July 19 session at Bell Sound in New York was directed to A. Klein and Co.
509 “These are not the days for anonymous and quiet approval”: Bob Hunter, “Handsome Crooner Takes Strong Stand,” Chicago Defender, July 20-26, 1963. A. S. “Doc” Young, “Mathis to Raise $60,000,” Los Angeles Sentinel, June 13, 1963, details how “one by one and two by two, Negro entertainers—the highest-paid group within the race—are joining the civil rights battle lines.”
510 civic authorities suddenly discovered that the auditorium urgently needed painting: Amsterdam News, August 3, 1963; Brian Ward, Just My Soul Responding: Rhythm and Blues, Black Consciousness, and Race Relations, p. 298.
510 “[Sam’s] Los Feliz area manse buzzed”: Paul McGee, “Theatricals,” Los Angeles Sentinel, August 29, 1963. See also Gertrude Gipson, “Candid Comments,” in the same issue.
Dream boogie: the triumph of Sam Cooke Page 89
