I had one friend who said the only autographs he considers authentic are those signed in front of him. I often find special autographs for bargain prices, because the dealer doesn't know the item is autographed, or does not care to gouge people. When I say bargain, I mean for prices from $1 to $10. Usually, they are inscribed to the original fan.
Maybe, maybe not. Like they stay trying to prove Motown was run by the mob with no proof. In a story about Marvin Gaye at the Apollo in the mid-60s shortly after Sam died (forget the book, I think it was Ben Edmonds' What's Going On and the End of the Motown Sound or whatever the name was), someone from the Mafia actually approached Marvin to get him to leave Motown and sign with whatever label he was assisting. Marvin turned him down flat. Nothing happened to Marvin that day for turning down the Mafia. Even people who claimed BG cheated them out of money always backed him up when it came to denying Mafia ties and since there was really nothing to link the mob and Motown, they had to drop it. So I doubt Sam had that issue... THEN AGAIN, he was regularly performing at the supper clubs in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas so... Looking back at his SAR stuff, it seems Sam didn't learn from many attempts to try record labels. I think Curtis Mayfield and James Brown had more success with artists on their label than Sam did. Of course Sam died before he got a chance to build on the label but he let Mel Carter go to another label and he had his hit with his rendition of "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". The Valentinos ("Lookin' for a Love" and "It's All Over Now") were on the verge of breaking up because of Sam's attention on Bobby (made worse by Bobby marrying Barbara Cooke after Sam's untimely death).
Those few extra years before Curtis and James tried starting to manage their own affairs made a huge difference for black artists attempting this level of control. Louis Armstrong had to flee the United States for several years in 1933 to protect his own life after attempting some degree of independence from the Mob in deciding when and where he would play. He could only return in 1935 after he got a signal that his lesson was learned and he could again play in the USA. Though some can clearly argue that Sam's death was a tragedy caused by a woman at a hotel desk protecting herself, it was the set-up and staging of that situation that is really in question.
When was SAR formed? 1961, right? Yeah him doing what he did was unheard of for black American performers of that time period. Ray Charles did deals similar to Sam: won publishing rights, the right to own masters in the event of him leaving ABC, the formation of Tangerine Records in 1963, etc. I think what adds to Sam's death being a hit could also be his growing involvement in the civil rights movement in '64 ("A Change Is Gonna Come" aside, he also helped to make it easier for soul/R&B-oriented artists to go to the Copacabana, a'la some of the Motown acts, plus he knew Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X and was talking to Martin Luther King Jr.). I did read about Louis running from the Mob...
I connected a much younger person with A Change Is Gonna Come a few days ago. There had been a brief discussion going on about Malcom X and MLK and the current situation. What a song!
My copy of the Keen box arrived yesterday. Nice package and presentation. The bonus tracks are thoughtfully programmed, and it's nice to have both the mono and stereo versions of Tribute To The Lady. There is a dark richness and depth to the fidelity of this box that I've never before heard from the Keen material, no doubt a result of using original masters for the first time in (how many?) years. Probably the most exciting (ah-ha!) moment for me is being able to hear the stereo underdub of "Win Your Love For Me" without the usual overabundance of reverb. Very nice collection; I'm glad this thread motivated me to grab a copy while I still could. The tapes for some of the stereo tracks are in rough shape, probably a side effect of being stored and forgotten in an airplane hangar for (how many?) years now. Noticeable channel wander on the stereo tracks due to the uneven tape pack. Regardless, they hold up well enough to make for an enjoyable listen, and certainly an improvement over grey-market PD issues. I wish the powers that be were rolling stereo for "Love You Most Of All". It's catchy, and it'd be more fun in stereo. Now that I've got updated sound for the Keen stuff, I'll probably have little use for my knock-off EU PD albums. Probably never play 'em again. I guess I could always frame their covers. Sam fans are lucky. Oh, how I wish Patsy's masters were misplaced in an airplane hangar somewhere, rather than having been stored at Universal Studios in 2008...
Just saw Dion's interview in The San Diego Union-Tribune promoting his new album. I didn't know he was friends with Cooke: Rock legend Dion discusses his all-star new blues album and friendships with Bob Dylan and Sam Cooke “I wrote ['Song for Sam Cooke'] about Sam a long time ago...this is more a song of brotherhood and about Sam Cooke’s understanding and compassion for me when we did that tour in 1962 with Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and Little Willie John. Sam took me to see James Brown perform in Memphis and people were getting on my case (for being white). “Sam was a very tall, refined gentleman, and I was from the Bronx and rough around the edges. He protected me. He understood me. And he was always the brightest guy in the room. It was very segregated down there in the South, which — coming from New York — was new to me. Sam understood the deal, and he was kind of above the circumstances. I never saw him lose his temper or get squirrely about stuff. He was remarkable.”
The packaging and remaster is indeed beautiful and pushing perfect. I'm impressed with the amount of care ABKCO put into this release.
I can't stop playing the underdub of "Win Your Love For Me" on this new set. The microphone placement is way off, sure, but it sounds fun in stereo and "dry Sam" comes through with startling presence. The mastering really lets you hear the depth and richness of the master tape.
Ordered mine today from U Discover Store before it goes out of print. Will be interesting to see what else is in store over the next year.
How does the sound quality on the Keen Years version of Tribute to the Lady compare to the SACD? Someone earlier said his two final RCA albums aren’t on the RCA Albums Collection because ABKCO had the rights. What were those albums?
Thanks! I have the At the Copa on SACD. I didn’t pick up Ain’t That Good News because I already had Portrait of a Legend on SACD. Is there anything unique to Ain’t That Good News?
There's about half a dozen songs that aren't on Portrait. Mostly slower songs with strings which are really nice, but probably not essential. Depends how much you like Sam.
I'd argue Rome Wasn't Built In A Day and The Riddle Song are essential. That said, Keep Movin' On has the entire Ain't That Good News LP, with the exceptions of Home and Sittin' in the Sun, and it also has several more great songs, including the previously unreleased title track. I consider it essential.
Thanks. I’ll have to check my collection to see if I have Home and Sittin’ in the Sun elsewhere. Is there anything unique to the Analogue Productions SACD of The Best of Sam Cooke? Why did the ABKCO SACD of Tribute to the Lady have that weird cover art? And how’s the sound quality compared to the Keen Years version of that album?
I ordered The Complete Keen Years from the uDiscover Store, but I just received an email saying my order was canceled because the set was deleted by their supplier. Crap! Does anyone have any leads on anywhere else I can get this set? I’ve been searching but I can’t find it anywhere that ships to the US.