
Sam Cooke
The Truth
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
B.G. Rhule
About this listen
The only biography of Sam Cooke that his family has claimed as being both truthful and inclusive of not only his life, but his death. For over half a century, the man who invented soul music by marrying gospel to pop when he crossed over in 1957, with his immense hit "You Send Me", was blamed for causing his own death by kidnapping a woman who was a known prostitute and being shot by a .22 pistol in the hand of motel owner, even though her registered firearm was a .38. What happened when Sam's attorney attempted to request a trial? Where were his bloody clothes? Why wasn't the crime scene preserved? How did LA Police Chief William H. Parker's easy relationship with mobsters since the days of Mickey Cohen factor into the coverup? How did his label's manager so easily take his titles of operation to Reno and make Sam an employee of his own company?
What has never been revealed until now are the true motives for not only Sam being set up and murdered, but others in the then-mobbed up music industry killed, as well, with evidence beyond circumstantial that would seem to implicate, among others, Allen Klein, Sam's last manager--with whom he had no contract--who was a protégé of mobster Morris Levy, himself a conduit for mob bosses Vito Genovese and Sam Giancana. Klein and Levy may have played significant roles in the deaths of Beatles manager Brian Epstein, singer/songwriter Bobby Fuller, Stones' founder Brian Jones, Shep Shephard, Larry Williams, and Johnny Burnette. For the first time, connections have been discovered that seem to indicate Sam Cooke's desire to be an independent producer of young Black talent was what set off RCA (as mobbed-up as most labels), particularly Liberty Records distribution, where Sam's oversight of his pressings limited money laundering and set a bad precedent for those like Klein and levy who skimmed off the top, if allowed to continue. "He didn't go along with the program," Col. Tom Parker told Elvis. Lou Rawls' wife, Lana, spoke of opportunism overheard at Sam's office and studio.
Like other victims, Sam was egregiously mislabeled and chastised in character, called "a womanizer", said to be hot-tempered. Yet, numerous testimonies from those who knew him best, including mothers of his children who were unwittingly bamboozled out of copyright monies by Allen Klein's attorneys back in the '80's, and his many friends and associates in the music business, contradict such character assassination. Even his neighbors in the Los Feliz section of LA have long disbelieved the fabrications. His girlfriend of 13 years, Dorothy Holloway Miller, has never gotten over the sight of Sam in the casket, whom she witnessed as "having been beaten by at least five people" while those he discovered, like Billy Preston and Johnny Morissette, were never the same.
Today, Sam Cooke's music has enjoyed a cultural resurgence, yet the movies that try to tell his story fall short, mostly because they fail to also include the stories told by his family and closest friends. Sam was very close to his family, particularly his parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. He loved all his children, despite his wife, Barbara, telling their daughters otherwise. This is the story of a warm, affable, beloved brother, son, uncle, dad, and boyfriend who had the misfortune of striving to be an independent Black artist in 1964, when such a notion would not be tolerated by the powers that be....
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
White Fear
- How the Browning of America Is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds
- By: Roland S. Martin
- Narrated by: Roland S. Martin
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For two centuries, the deep-seated fear that many White people feel—of losing power, of losing economic standing, of losing a particular “way of life”—has been the driving force behind American politics and culture. And as we approach a future where White people will become a racial minority in the US, something estimated to occur as early as 2043, that fear is only intensifying, festering, and becoming more visible. Are we destined for a violent clash? What can we do to step into our country’s inevitable future, without tearing ourselves apart in the process?
-
-
an interesting and informative lesson
- By Mo Shaabazz on 09-14-22
By: Roland S. Martin
-
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- By: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
-
-
it's Nearly perfect
- By Kerry on 09-16-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
-
Lucky Me
- A Memoir of Changing the Odds
- By: Rich Paul, Jesse Washington - contributor, LeBron James - foreword
- Narrated by: Rich Paul, Dennis Logan
- Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a story about Rich Paul that everyone knows: A twenty-one-year-old kid from Cleveland who sells sports jerseys out of his car meets a high school basketball phenom named LeBron James at an airport—the two become friends and forge a decades-long partnership that reinvents the business of sports. That random meeting might seem like the lucky break that changed Paul’s life. But a moment of good fortune means nothing without the struggle that gets you there. And the truth is, Paul had always been lucky.
-
-
Bad choices made this man
- By Lynn Gibson on 10-18-23
By: Rich Paul, and others
-
Last Train to Memphis
- The Rise of Elvis Presley
- By: Peter Guralnick
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 22 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley is the first biography to go past that myth and present an Elvis beyond the legend. Based on hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of research, it traces the evolution not just of the man but of the music and of the culture he left utterly transformed, creating a completely fresh portrait of Elvis and his world. This volume tracks the first 24 years of Elvis' life, covering his childhood, the stunning first recordings at Sun Records, and the early RCA hits.
-
-
I'm an Elvis fan now
- By Vicki on 07-12-13
By: Peter Guralnick
-
Adversity for Sale
- Ya Gotta Believe
- By: Jeezy
- Narrated by: Jay Jenkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To Jeezy’s legion of fans, his name is synonymous with hustle, grit, and the integrity to go out there and achieve your dreams. In his first book, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, Jeezy shares never heard stories of what it took for him to beat the odds and get out of the streets, his mindset he carefully honed to get an edge, and the lessons that changed his life and business.
-
-
Couldn’t turn it off!!
- By Anonymous User on 09-11-23
By: Jeezy
-
Astor
- The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune
- By: Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
- Narrated by: Anderson Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society. The family fortune, first made by a beaver trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic.
-
-
A family first made, then destroyed by wealth.
- By Barbara W. on 09-23-23
By: Anderson Cooper, and others
-
White Fear
- How the Browning of America Is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds
- By: Roland S. Martin
- Narrated by: Roland S. Martin
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For two centuries, the deep-seated fear that many White people feel—of losing power, of losing economic standing, of losing a particular “way of life”—has been the driving force behind American politics and culture. And as we approach a future where White people will become a racial minority in the US, something estimated to occur as early as 2043, that fear is only intensifying, festering, and becoming more visible. Are we destined for a violent clash? What can we do to step into our country’s inevitable future, without tearing ourselves apart in the process?
-
-
an interesting and informative lesson
- By Mo Shaabazz on 09-14-22
By: Roland S. Martin
-
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- By: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
-
-
it's Nearly perfect
- By Kerry on 09-16-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
-
Lucky Me
- A Memoir of Changing the Odds
- By: Rich Paul, Jesse Washington - contributor, LeBron James - foreword
- Narrated by: Rich Paul, Dennis Logan
- Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a story about Rich Paul that everyone knows: A twenty-one-year-old kid from Cleveland who sells sports jerseys out of his car meets a high school basketball phenom named LeBron James at an airport—the two become friends and forge a decades-long partnership that reinvents the business of sports. That random meeting might seem like the lucky break that changed Paul’s life. But a moment of good fortune means nothing without the struggle that gets you there. And the truth is, Paul had always been lucky.
-
-
Bad choices made this man
- By Lynn Gibson on 10-18-23
By: Rich Paul, and others
-
Last Train to Memphis
- The Rise of Elvis Presley
- By: Peter Guralnick
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 22 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley is the first biography to go past that myth and present an Elvis beyond the legend. Based on hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of research, it traces the evolution not just of the man but of the music and of the culture he left utterly transformed, creating a completely fresh portrait of Elvis and his world. This volume tracks the first 24 years of Elvis' life, covering his childhood, the stunning first recordings at Sun Records, and the early RCA hits.
-
-
I'm an Elvis fan now
- By Vicki on 07-12-13
By: Peter Guralnick
-
Adversity for Sale
- Ya Gotta Believe
- By: Jeezy
- Narrated by: Jay Jenkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To Jeezy’s legion of fans, his name is synonymous with hustle, grit, and the integrity to go out there and achieve your dreams. In his first book, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, Jeezy shares never heard stories of what it took for him to beat the odds and get out of the streets, his mindset he carefully honed to get an edge, and the lessons that changed his life and business.
-
-
Couldn’t turn it off!!
- By Anonymous User on 09-11-23
By: Jeezy
-
Astor
- The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune
- By: Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
- Narrated by: Anderson Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society. The family fortune, first made by a beaver trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic.
-
-
A family first made, then destroyed by wealth.
- By Barbara W. on 09-23-23
By: Anderson Cooper, and others
-
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
- By: Curtis 50 Cent Jackson
- Narrated by: Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his early 20s, Curtis Jackson, known as 50 Cent, rose to the heights of fame and power in the cutthroat music business. A decade ago, the multi-platinum selling rap artist decided to pivot. His ability to adapt to change was demonstrated when he became the executive producer and star of Power, a high-octane, gripping crime drama centered around a drug kingpin's family. The series quickly became "appointment" television, leading to Jackson inking a four-year, $150 million contract with the Starz network - the most lucrative deal in premium cable history.
-
-
The King of PETTY to Coach of the Chess team
- By Yas on 04-29-20
-
E.A.R.L.
- The Autobiography of DMX
- By: DMX
- Narrated by: Beresford Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
His real name was Earl Simmons. As a child, he placed higher on tests than his fellow students and liked to spend mornings with his mother and sisters playing games and making pancakes. But for young Earl - a boy growing up on the streets of Yonkers, New York - that kind of childhood didn’t last long. Beatings, abuse, and neglect very soon had him moving on to other things, like robbing, stealing, drugs, and, eventually, jail. Along the way, however, he found a talent and a passion for rhyme.
-
-
Not a good listen
- By Ty on 03-24-22
By: DMX
-
Straight Shooter
- A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes
- By: Stephen A. Smith
- Narrated by: Stephen A. Smith
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stephen A. Smith has never been handed anything, nor was he an overnight success. Growing up poor in Queens, the son of Caribbean immigrants and the youngest of six children, he was a sports-obsessed kid who faced struggles, from undiagnosed dyslexia to getting enough cereal to fill his bowl. As a basketball player at Winston-Salem State University, he got a glimmer of his true calling when he wrote a newspaper column arguing for the retirement of his own Hall of Fame coach, Clarence Gaines.
-
-
Trash🗑
- By Maurice Davis on 01-25-23
By: Stephen A. Smith
-
Soulless
- The Case Against R. Kelly
- By: Jim DeRogatis
- Narrated by: Jim DeRogatis
- Length: 14 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In November 2000, Chicago journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis received an anonymous fax that alleged R. Kelly had a problem with “young girls”. Weeks later, DeRogatis broke the shocking story, publishing allegations that the R&B superstar and local hero had groomed girls, sexually abused them, and paid them off. DeRogatis thought his work would have an impact. Instead, Kelly’s career flourished. No one seemed to care: not the music industry, not the culture at large, not the parents of numerous other young girls. But for more than 18 years, DeRogatis stayed on the story.
-
-
The story only Jim DeRogatis could write
- By Lighteyes214 on 06-14-19
By: Jim DeRogatis
-
Otis Redding
- An Unfinished Life
- By: Jonathan Gould
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life, Jonathan Gould finally does justice to Redding's incomparable musical artistry, drawing on exhaustive research, the cooperation of the Redding family, and previously unavailable sources of information to present the first comprehensive portrait of the singer's background, his upbringing, and his professional career.
-
-
a brilliant musical history lesson
- By John M. Twomey on 03-11-21
By: Jonathan Gould
-
Tupac Shakur
- The Authorized Biography
- By: Staci Robinson
- Narrated by: Jamal Joseph, Staci Robinson
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest and most controversial artists of all time. More than a quarter of a century after his tragic death in 1996 at the age of just twenty-five, he continues to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated, and prolific figures in modern history. Drawing on exclusive access to Tupac’s private notebooks, letters, and uncensored conversations with those who loved and knew him best, this estate-authorized biography paints the fullest and most intimate picture to date of the young man who became a legend for generations to come.
-
-
The Biography we’ve been waiting for
- By carl zayas on 02-24-24
By: Staci Robinson
-
The Last Folk Hero
- The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson
- By: Jeff Pearlman
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 22 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, the greatest athlete of all time streaked across American sports and popular culture. Stadiums struggled to contain him. Clocks failed to capture his speed. His strength was legendary. His power unmatched. Video game makers turned him into an invincible character—and they were dead-on. He climbed (and walked across) walls, splintered baseball bats over his knee, turned oncoming tacklers into ground meat.
-
-
If you are a sports fan and over 35 years old, you have to listen/read this. Awesome!
- By betty sammons on 06-29-23
By: Jeff Pearlman
-
LeBron
- By: Jeff Benedict
- Narrated by: Chris Jackson
- Length: 17 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of the twenty-first century, and he’s in the conversation with Michael Jordan as the greatest of all time. The reigning king of the game and the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, LeBron wears the crown like he was born with it. Yet his ascent has been anything but effortless and predetermined—the truth is vastly more interesting than that. LeBron tells the full, riveting saga of how a child adrift found the will to become a titan. Jeff Benedict paints a vivid picture of LeBron’s epic origin story, showing the gradual rise of a star.
-
-
Anyone could have written this book
- By Kevin Crane on 05-01-23
By: Jeff Benedict
-
Before You Judge Me
- The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson's Last Days
- By: Tavis Smiley, David Ritz
- Narrated by: Leo Coltrane
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With the insight and compassion that he brought to his best-selling telling of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s final year, Tavis Smiley provides a glimpse into the superstar's life in this emotional, honest, yet celebratory audiobook. Listeners will witness Jackson's campaign to recharge his career - hiring and firing managers and advisors, turning to and away from family members, fighting depression and drug dependency - while his one goal remained: to mount the most spectacular series of shows the world had ever seen.
-
-
Beautiful book
- By Jai Dev Singh on 07-09-16
By: Tavis Smiley, and others
-
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
- The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations
- By: Mark Ribowsky
- Narrated by: Bill Andrew Quinn
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Temptations are an incomparable soul group, with dozens of chart-topping hits such as "My Girl" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". From the sharp suits, stylish choreography, and distinctive vocals that epitomized their onstage triumphs to the personal failings and psycho-dramas that played out behind the scenes, Ain't Too Proud to Beg tells the complete story of this most popular - and tragic - of all Motown super groups. Based on in-depth research and interviews with founding Temptations member Otis Williams and many others, the book reveals the highly individual nature of the group's members.
-
-
Can't Finish It
- By Chris on 08-19-13
By: Mark Ribowsky
-
Untouchable
- The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson
- By: Randall Sullivan
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 28 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beginning with his final departure from Neverland, Untouchable takes listeners through Jackson's final four years, as he shuttled from California to the Middle East, Ireland, Asia, the East Coast, and Las Vegas, planning to recapture his wealth and reputation with a comeback album and a series of 50 mega-concerts, for which he was rehearsing until the day before his death. Sullivan has never-before-reported information about Jackson's business dealings and the pedophilia allegations that irreparably marked his reputation, and he had exclusive access to inner-circle figures.
-
-
Don't expect a definitive biography
- By Scott on 11-15-13
By: Randall Sullivan
-
Sophisticated Giant
- The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon
- By: Maxine Gordon
- Narrated by: Joe Morton, Terria Joseph, Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophisticated Giant presents the life and legacy of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon (1923-1990), one of the major innovators of modern jazz. In a context of biography, history, and memoir, Maxine Gordon has completed the book that her late husband began, weaving his “solo” turns with her voice and a chorus of voices from past and present. Reading like a jazz composition, the blend of research, anecdote, and a selection of Dexter’s personal letters reflects his colorful life and legendary times.
-
-
Beautifully Told
- By Light Mentat on 03-23-21
By: Maxine Gordon
What listeners say about Sam Cooke
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steven Gerweck
- 12-05-22
Captivating research on a soul pioneer
B.G. Rhule challenges the official narrative surrounding the death of pioneer soul singer Sam Cooke on December 11, 1964, who was slain at age 33. The author presents evidence of a cover-up, and interviews Cooke's family, friends, and associates. Rhule's research is meticulous, and demonstrates the connection between the recording industry and the mob. The book recalls a time when Elvis Presley vented frustration with movie projects being arranged by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and "The King" being encouraged not to end up like his friend Sam Cooke. Rhule points out that Cooke's body was discovered wearing one shoe, which translates in mob code for authorities not to investigate. Rhule explores the reasons behind the "You Send Me" singer's murder, and the suspected conspirators. "Sam Cooke: The Truth" is also a gripping biography tracing his gospel roots, and clears up many misconceptions about this phenomenal entertainer.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kimberly
- 01-27-25
Poor reading and story flow
I enjoyed the story but the author did not do a good enough job with the story flow
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!