Samuel Cook

Born in Mississippi in 1931 and raised in Chicago, he began singing in church and first gained attention with the gospel group the Soul Stirrers. He later moved into secular music and became one of the defining voices of early soul, blending gospel feeling with pop and rhythm-and-blues appeal.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he recorded a run of major hits, including "You Send Me," "Chain Gang," "Cupid," and "Twistin' the Night Away." He is also remembered for "A Change Is Gonna Come," a powerful song released around the end of his life that became one of the most enduring anthems of the civil rights era.

Beyond his voice, he stood out for taking an unusual level of control over his career, including songwriting and business decisions. He died in 1964 at just 33, but his influence on soul, pop, and later generations of singers has remained enormous.