What's New? (Updates)
Update #34
It is with regret that the SCFC Planning Committee announces that the sixth Sam Cooke tribute, originally planned to be held January 21-23, 2010 in Los Angeles has been postponed. No new date has been set.
In the interim, we recommend that fans everywhere celebrate Sam's 79th birthday (January 22, 2010) by planning to watch "Crossing Over", a new documentary on Sam produced by John Antonelli, which is scheduled to air on most PBS stations across the country on January 11, 2010. Check your local listings for exact broadcast dates and times. This is an outstanding film and features interviews of many of Sam's family members and music contemporaries.
We also wish to mark the one year passing of Agnes Cook-Hoskins, Sam's sister and the guiding light behind the fan club and all of the previous tributes. She is deeply missed.
Update #33
A recently completed Sam Cooke documentary entitled "Sam Cooke: Crossing Over" (produced by John Antonelli of Mill Valley Film Group will broadast January 11, 2010 on PBS stations. Don't miss it! Click here for additional information.
Update #32
The webmaster apologizes for lengthy delays in updating the Sam Cooke Fan Club web site. Updates include changes to Sam's television appearances web page. NBC "master books" were recently reviewed at the Library of Congress to determine content of "lost" television appearances. We discovered Sam did, in fact, sing "A Change Is Gonna Come" on "The Tonight Show" and discovered what songs Sam sang on "The Howard Miller Show", "Saturday Prom", and "The Big Record." See updates page for further information. We hope to discover additional information later.
Update #31
Sam's television appearance on "The Dick Clark Beech-Nut Show" on November 14, 1959 has been removed from the television appearances web page. Though TV Guide mentions Sam appears in this episode, he does not. We have confirmed this by viewing recently uncovered footage of this episode.
Update #30
The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel festival will be celebrating its 22nd Annual event this coming August with a special tribute to hometown hero Sam Cooke. This event takes place in Clarksdale, Mississppi - the birthplace of Sam Cooke - from August 7 - 9, 2009. The event is held on four different stages and is free. We have also received word that some very special musical guests will be on hand for the tribute to Sam. More information will be forthcoming once it is released by the Festival organizers. Check back here, or follow the link to the festival's web site for the most current news.
Update #29
It is with great sadness that the Sam Cooke Fan Club announces the passing of Sam Cooke's youngest sister, Agnes Cook Hoskins. Jack Kaplan writes:
It is with the heaviest of hearts that I let all of the members of the Sam Cooke Yahoo family know that Agnes Cook Hoskins passed away today. Agnes battled cancer over the last year.
I send all of our prayers and deepest sympathies to Agnes' husband Joe, her son Eugene, her dauther Renee, her Grandson Anthony their spouses, Margaret, Kermit and Angie along with all of her grandchildren, her brothers, Charles, L.C. and David and their spouses. I apologize for not using everyone's name. I also want to express our prayers and deepest sympathies to all of Agnes' nieces and nephews: Mary's Children: Gwen and Donald; Hattie's Children: Ophelia, Doncella, Junior, Derek, ;Charles' Children: Charles III, ; LC's children: Toni, ; David's Children: David Jr, ; and all of her great nephews and great nieces: Erik, Starr,
Agnes was one of the warmest people I ever met. She invited me along with everyone of the fan club members into her family and her heart when she met us. The spirit of Mama and Papa Cook was passed down the family to Agnes. The stories we read in books about friends coming home with each of the children and being welcomed at the Cooks dinner table is true. I was fortunate enough to be invited to Agnes' dinner table and share a meal with her and her family. It made me feel like I had been invited by the whole cooke family. I will remember so many things from the times I visited with Agnes at the Fan Club Tributes, her home, the Grammy Awards, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame American Music Mast's Tribute to Sam Cooke and talking in the phone. I will remember her happy and smiling sharing stories about her brother, singing songs on the bus, crying while she loved hearing "A Change Is Gonna Come", the song she told me was her favorite. I can even here are shouting, "QC's in the house".
I spoke to Agnes last Wednesday night and I knew she was having a very difficult time. She told me to "take care of myself", as sick as she was, she was looking out for others. She will be missed by us all. Please keep her family, freinds and extended family in your thoughts and prayers.
Update #28
Due to the current financial crisis and the uncertainty in the country's economic situation, the Sam Cooke Fan Club Planning Committee has elected to postpone the 6th Sam Cooke Tribute, previously announced to take place in the August/September 2009 time frame.
The Committee has tentatively rescheduled the event for January 21-23, 2010. This is an appropriate weekend to hold the Tribute as we will be able to celebrate Sam's birthday on January 22.
The 3rd Tribute, held in Los Angeles in January 2005, was blessed with wonderful weather so we are optimistic that a return to Southern California in January 2010 will be greeted with sunny skies and warm temperatures.
Update #27
The Sam Cooke Fan Club announces that the following individuals have been elected to serve as officers for the 2008/09 Term:
President: Greg Alldredge
Vice President: Toni Cook Howard
Treasurer: Amanda Spurlin
Secretary: Don Piper
In addition, the Planning Commitee has selected Los Angeles as the site of the 6th Annual Sam Cooke Tribute. The Tribute will be held in late summer/early fall 2009. We will announce the exact date shortly, once hotel facilities have been confirmed. Please check back for updates through the end of the year.
Update #26
In April 1988, a brief history of SAR Records was featured in Goldmine Magazine. That article has been reproduced on this web site with the permission of the respective copyright holders. The biography page has been redirected to Erik Greene's web site. Some pages have been "optimized". For example, the 'albums' page does not branch out into fourteen pages anymore. It is now one page. Other optimization is present on the web site.
Update #25
The Memphis tribute page has been updated with photos. Links are seen throughout Don Piper's tribute recollection - click them, and a pop-up displaying the respective photo will appear. The "Lyrics" (now "Songs") page is being revised. We hope to make the revision available soon. A biography of Sam (that re-directs to Erik Greene's web site) is finally available. A history of SAR Records will be available shortly. The memories page has also been updated with a new story. New Memphis tribute recollections will be coming shortly. Expect some new updates soon.