Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective [Paperback]

Erik Greene (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2006

Sam Cooke. His silky voice, dashing smile, and laundry list of hit records have managed to withstand the test of time. Now the extraordinary life of The Man Who Invented Soul Music is remembered by those who knew him best:

Our Uncle Sam:

The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective

Available for the first time in print... Sam Cooke's great-nephew Erik Greene has compiled cherished memories and personal photos celebrating the private life of this legendary superstar. Sam's family reveals how his sparkling personality, captivating presence and enormous generosity not only made him a popular entertainer in the music industry, but a favorite within the family as well.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412064988
• ISBN-13: 978-1412064989
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sam Cooke: A Real role model, November 9, 2006

By 

Devin McCoy - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective (Paperback)

Unforunately, I was not born when Sam Cooke graced the earth with his presence and voice, but I have had the priveledge of hearing that voice, preserved forever on vinyl. I remember hearing "Cupid" as a kid and never really paying attention to it and I remember being told by elders that Sam Cooke was 'grown folks music." So it wasn't until I had experienced some love, heartache, joy and pain that I listened to Sam Cooke again @ the age of 34 and really understood what he was talking about. I had to know everything about him and asked older family members and read various stories about him (some urban legend, some true) and decided to search on my own. I appreciate this novel because it was written by a family member, but the information wasn't sugar coated. He was a man who made some mistakes, sang about what he saw, and fought for equality in a world that didn't fully understand or appreciate his talents.
This novel raises legitimate questions about Mr. Cooke's death that I believe ought to be looked at and it saddened me that the details of his death have just been overlooked. Like Dorothy Dandridge, he star burned so bright for such a short time and his departure was tragic. Clearly the world, especially his family, still miss him.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uncle Sam, November 5, 2006

By 

Bilal Yasin El-Amin (Richmond, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective (Paperback)

Sam Cooke's nephew, Erik Green, did an excellent job of telling Sam's story from the perspective of family members. This book is well written and is easy to read. Every Sam Cooke fan, old and new, should have this book. Sam, as Areatha Franklin says, was a prince of a man.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, and poignant at the same time, February 27, 2007

By 

Cornelia Jones (Shreveport, La.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective (Paperback)

Out of all the books about Sam Cooke that I have read - this one answers the question of what happened to Sam's family after his death. It is just so hearbreaking to read different family members account of those days after he passed, and the pandemonium that insued. This book also includes an engrossing alternate account of what may have been Sam's last hours - a horrifying possibility that seems infinitely more logical than the "official" story. There needs to be some cold case investigating on the real story of this man's death, for real. It is also infuriating to find out what happened to Sam's musical legacy after his passing - one that he worked so hard to build. This book is an uplifting read, because through everything - it is a love story that this family has had for someone who was so extraordinary, even the little things that he did could be remembered with vivid detail by them over 40+ years later.

This book also points out some inconsistencies with a couple of other Sam Cooke bios out there. That was really great. Who would know, better than family?

This is a must for every Sam Cooke fan out there. You owe it to yourself to get an inside look, from the people who knew and loved him best.