Sam Cooke: Deep Cuts

The voice of this icon of American music stirred souls, with good reason. Sam Cooke's sweet, lilting tone sustains light doo-wop numbers such as “Just For You,” and he adds a gospel undertone to familiar pop standards like “Summertime.” But Cooke had the chops for jazz-inflected rhythm ‘n' blues too (“Lover Come Back to Me”). On live tracks like “It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons,” the adulation he drew from his audience is unmistakable.