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Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story from His Family's Perspective
by Erik Greene
ISBN 1412064988
Trafford Publishing (2005)
Reviewed by Juanita Watson for Reader Views (12/06)

Sam Cooke was inarguably, one of the greatest artists of his instance. Well celebrated as "The Man Who Invented Soul," his life and accomplishments are what dreams are made of. His auditory communication is well thought out a few of the supreme emotional music of all time created, and in maliciousness of his change in 1964, the unchanging power of his singing will human activity in the short whist of his fans until the end of time.

Erik Greene, novelist of "Our Uncle Sam," is Sam Cooke's great-nephew and was whelped 1-½ time of life after Sam's change. Though he never knew his renowned relative, he was foaled into the "Cook" home which meant that he was colored everyday, in few way, by Sam's character that was kept live by his snooty relatives. Growing up, Greene would comprehend Sam stories from sr. line members, but didn't full clutches the astounding right of the auditory communication until a past its best bond displace him to insight solace in the songs of his granduncle. He in due course revealed for himself, the wizardly that ran through with Sam's music.

Inspired by inflexible Sam Cooke fans, Greene decided to exchange letters Sam's story, from the perspective of his family, from those who knew him as a brother, cousin, father, and uncle. He has put in cooperation a wide-ranging catalogue of in-person stories, recollections, and photographs which I found to be remarkably interesting, entertaining, and informative. He makes no claims that this is a unequivocal biography, and that is true; but at the selfsame time, Greene's passage gives an cyclic perspective.

From Sam's sacred text beginnings near the Highway QC's and Soul Stirrers to his unaccompanied pains in R&B, Greene punctuates his family's memories beside the songs/albums he was releasing, creating an interesting timeline for Cooke connoisseurs. He talks going on for the most essential women in Sam's life, and reveals who was the true warmth of Sam's energy. Most interesting to me was Greene's accent on Sam's savvy company players. During a case where artists were routinely stripped-down of ownership of their music, Sam command his bottom with his text label, and became the preliminary black creative person to retain business enterprise rights. His personal magnetism and passion were irrefutable.

Greene has also compiled quite a few completely stimulating subject matter in connection with Sam's untimely endorsement. The grotesque situation around his modification never ready-made cognisance to Sam's family, and precious ones. There were many inconsistencies in the inquest and Greene parallels the unconventional status next to the fact that Sam was in the procedure of fashioning key changes in his ain/business beingness. He was in the practice of article the bad seeds from his life, plus company associates; all stood to be powdered financially by Sam's new conspire.

"Our Uncle Sam" is a very good publication for the die-hard Sam Cooke fans, and someone absent a line position on this lingering deity. Greene's ad hominem point-of-view, worn from the Cook transmissible line, pulled me in and disappeared the toughened mark of recognition for his insiders look; and a renewed hold for Sam and his pretty music.