Though Sam Cooke has been gone for more than five decades, he still retains a very widespread level of fame. His career spans a good amount of time and Sam Cooke net worth is estimated to be USD 19 million.
In this article, we will be writing about Sam Cooke net worth, his career, and his personal life. Check out our review below for more info on him!
| Summary tabel | |
| Stage name | Sam Cooke |
| Legal name | Samuel Cook |
| Date of birth | January 22, 1931 |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 5’9.5” (177cm) |
| Sam Cooke net worth | $19 million |
| Salary/earning/income per year | – |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur |
| Nationality | American |
Sam Cooke’s Bio
Sam Cooke was a Native American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur who pioneered soul music in his time. The artists of today are inspired by him and have followed in his footsteps.
Sam Cooke was king of soul music with his distinctive voice. Many popular musicians inspired by him to this day like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Marvin Gaye.
- Legal Name & Stage Name: Singer, Sam Cooke, was born with the name Samuel Cook and changed his name to Dale Cook when he began his new career as pop music artist.
- Date of Birth: Sam Cooke was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 22, 1931. However, he died in December 1964 at the age of 33 from gunshot wounds.
- Gender Height: Sam Cooke is a male with an average height of 5’9.5” (177cm), with the charisma of his voice and ability to compose songs. This has contributed to Sam Cooke net worth
- Sam Cooke’s Nationality: Sam Cooke was born in America and was an American citizen by birth. He moved frequently as a child and started his career as a singer.
- Best Known For: Sam Cooke is a well-known soul singer, songwriter, and businessman. He helped introduce gospel music to a younger audience and has had an impressive net worth ever since.
Early Days
Cooke, born as Samuel Cook in Mississippi, decided to change his name when he grew up and start a new life. His father was a pastor of the Church of Christ.
L.C., who is one of his younger siblings, is a member of a doo-wop band called Johnny Keyes and the Magnificents. Back when he was young, his family moved to Chicago. Cooke attended Doolittle Elementary and Wendell Phillips Academy High School.
Sam Cooke decided to start his career when he was 6 years old, initially with his brothers. They called themselves the Singing Children, a group that introduced Sam to gospel music and other musicians.
And of course this became the forerunner of his career that determined Sam Cooke net worth until the end of his life.
- Sam Cooke’s Personal Life
Sam Cooke married twice in his lifetime. The first time was to Dee Dee Mohwak in 1953, but they divorced in 1958. She died at a car accident in Fresno, California. But from Sam Cooke net worth, he was able to pay all the funeral expenses of his ex-wife.
Then in 1958 Cooke married Barbara Campbell who accompanied him until the end of his life. With Campbell he has four children, namely Linda, Tracy, and Vincent. Their last child died by drowning in the swimming pool at his home.
Three months after Cooke’s death, Campbell married Bobby Womack, a lifelong friend.
Career Highlights
- The Soul Stirrers
The Soul Stirrers are the first group to start working as professional singers under Cooke, who replaced R.H. Harris, who lead the band.
- Selected Discography
In the time period from 1957 to 1964, 30 of Cooke’s songs were crossed over to Motown and occupied 40 appearances on charts. Some of these smash hits were Twistin’ the Night Away, Another Saturday Night, Wonderful World, Chain Gang, and Cupid, A Change Is Gonna Come and You Send Me.
He changes his life and career when he releases You Send Me in 1957. The song is an instant hit that marks the beginning of his new genre crossing path.
Sam Cooke’s Posthumous Awards
Even though they didn’t have an impact on Sam Cooke net worth, many awards were given to Sam Cooke after his death like these:
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1986.
- Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1987.
- Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1994.
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 1999.
- Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.
- Mississippi Blue Trail, 2009.
Success with RCA
RCA label re-released songs by Sam Cooke several times in the 1960s after his death. There were several new songs that came out in the charts at that time, and also many of them topped.
Sam Cooke Net Worth at the Time of His Death
When he died, Sam Cooke net worth is 2 million dollars, today is the equivalent of $19 million.
Apart from being a famous singer, he was also good at making money. Here, we’ll go into detail about Sam Cooke net worth, income and more below.
- Business of Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke, who is a very famous and talented singer and songwriter, was also said to be a businessman who has set up a record company. This allowed him to produce his own works.
- Real Estate
It is difficult to estimate how many houses or buildings Sam Cooke owned during his life. However, it’s believed that he lived in Los Angeles, California.
- Cars
In addition to Sam Cooke net worth, the fact that he bought a Ferrari has also been discussed. Some time after Cooke’s death, the car was sold and bought by Dennis Wilson, a member of the Beach Boys.
Today’s conversion rates would mean that the car would be around USD 1 million and may even be higher depending on the owner’s story.
How Does Sam Cooke Make Money?
Sam Cooke is a singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur who was quite successful in his time. He has earned royalties from every work he releases, which earns him millions of dollars each year.
Cooke didn’t have a salary and was mostly supported by contracts with sponsors from well-known brands. Many of his releases were through his company and met the need for excellence in content.
Controversial Death
Despite Sam Cooke net worth, the sudden death of Cooke was unexpected.
Cooke was shot in the chest by the manager of a motel, but he only a jacket and shoes at the time because the woman he had taken there disappeared with his clothes.
The hotel manager was horrified by Cooke’s tugging on his body – seeking information but in an angry tone. Therefore, he pulled out a gun and shot Cooke once in the chest. The police consider this a murder case.
Sam Cooke’s Legacy
The story of Sam Cooke has been turned into a biographical film titled The Buddy Holly Story. There is also an event that was based on it, called “One Night in Miami”. In 2020 the movie will hit theaters & be nominated for several awards.
That is a list of facts about Sam Cooke net worth and history during his life. Anyone who is interested in the field of music would be very excited to hear about this influential figure.