I can recall no singer of any color being able to move between the races (outside of Jim Crow South) with such popularity as Sam Cooke the gospel, soul singing pop star destined for superstardom (if not already) when he was gunned down in an LA motel seeking out some "strange." It was a loss to music that far exceeded the similar tragedy of John Lennon in that the already famous Cooke was an arrow pointing up and moving perhaps into a new area of appeal with his latest hit "Shake" expanding his style from pop to rock.
In this doc on the singer we are mislead into thinking it is a re-investigation into the motel shooting with the possibility of a massive conspiratorial cover-up possibly related to Cooke's courageous activism (he refused to do segregated shows, did tours of the South when he did not have to) regarding civil rights. It is a bit of a stretch with speculation being relegated to last 15 minutes of the film with most of it hearsay and far from the detail available in bios available for years.
What does make the film worthwhile however is its subject and the story of his rise and success through newsreel and performances along with interviews with friends, fellow musicians and intimates. It reveals an incredibly natural and graceful personality featuring one of the truly great voices of the twentieth century who had at least 30 good years in front of him when tragedy struck. Compare him to stiffs like Andy Williams or Pat Boone who paled in comparison to his smooth style, beating them at their own game while having the ability to belt out soul the equal of Marvin Gaye. The future was wide open for Cooke with anything (variety show, Vegas, touring) in the entertainment business he wanted as well as being an eloquent spokesman and committed individual for Civil Rights. His loss as an entertainer spreading joy through his music was large but his loss as the man in full was beyond enormous. Give him a listen now and feel the pain.
