Sam Cooke is usually regarded as one of the inventors of soul music. As the son of a baptist minister he frequently sang in the choir in his father's church. It was obvious that he possessed an extraordinary voice.

In his teenage years he was in various vocal groups and had great interest in both gospel and popular music. In 1950 he joined the gospel group the Soul Stirrers. During the next 6 years he recorded frequently with this group.

Around 1955-56 Cooke felt like seeking a career in popular music and he began recording as a solo artist. His first single under the pseudonym Dale Cooke. He signed with the label Keen and recorded some very succesful singles like "You Send Me", "Only Sixteen" and "Wonderful World". With elements of R&B, gospel and pop he was beginning to establish a new sound that would eventually develop into soul.

1. The Soul Stirrers, Featuring Sam Cooke - Speciality SP-2106 - 1959

Tracks:
1. Wonderful / 2. Be With Me Jesus / 3. The Love Of God / 4. Come And Go To That Land / 5. By And By, Part 2 / 6. He'll Welcome Me / 7. Touch The Hem Of His Garment / 8. It Won't Be Very Long / 9. Sinner Run To Jesus / 10. Let Me Go Home / 11. Feel Like My Time Ain't Long / 12. I'm So Glad
Rating : 5

2. The Gospel Soul of Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers, Volume 1 - Speciality SPS-2116 - 1969 ( early recordings )

Tracks:
1. Jesus Wash Away My Troubles / 2. Jesus I'll Never Forget / 3. Nearer To Thee / 4. One More River / 5. Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone / 6. Any Day Now / 7. He's My Friend Until The End / 8. I'm Gonna Build On That Shore / 9. Just Another Day / 10. Someday Somewhere / 11. Jesus Paid The Debt 12. /Peace In The Valley
Rating : 4

3. The 2 Sides of Sam Cooke - Speciality SPS-2119 - 1970 ( early recordings )

Tracks:
1. The Last Mile Of The Way / 2. Touch The Hem Of His Garment / 3. Jesus Gave Me Water / 4. Were You There / 5. Pilgrim Of Sorrow / 6. He's My Guide /7. I'll Come Running Back To You / 8. I Don't Want To Cry / 9. Lovable / 10. That's All I Need To Know / 11. Forever / 12. Happy In Love
Rating : 6

4. Gospel Soul of Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers, Volume 2 - Speciality SPS-2128 - 1970 ( early recordings )

Tracks:
1. Christ Is All / 2. Wonderful / 3. Until Jesus Calls Me Home / 4. Come And Go To That Land / 5. Let Me Go Home / 6. I'm So Glad (Trouble Don't Last Always) / 7. I'm On the Firing Line / 8. He'll Make A Way / 9. Be With Me Jesus / 10. It Won't Be Very Long / 11. How Far Am I From Canaan / 12. Farther Along
Rating : 4

5. Sam Cooke - Keen - A-2001 - 1957

Tracks:
1. You Send Me / 2. The Lonesome Road / 3. Tammy / 4. Ol' Man River / 5. Moonlight In Vermont / 6. Canadian Sunset / 7. Summertime / 8. Around the World / 9. Ain't Misbehavin' / 10. The Bells Of St. Mary's / 11. So Long / 12. Danny Boy / 13. That Lucky Old Sun
Rating : 6

6. Encore - Keen - A-2003 - 1958

Tracks:
1. Oh Look At Me Now / 2. Someday / 3. Along The Navaho Trail / 4. Running Wild / 5. Accentuate The Positive / 6. Mary Mary Lou / 7. When I Fall In Love / 8. I Cover The Waterfront / 9. My Foolish Heart / 10. Today I Sing The Blues / 11. The Gypsy / 12. It's The Talk Of The Town
Rating : 5

7. Tribute to the Lady - Keen 2004/S-2004 - 1959

Tracks:
1. God Bless The Child / 2. She's Funny That Way / 3. I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues / 4. Good Morning Heartache / 5. T'Aint Nobody's Bizness (If I Do) / 6. Lover Girl (Man)/ 7. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off / 8. Lover Come Back To Me / 9. Solitude / 10. They Can't Take That Away From Me / 11. Crazy In Love With You
5 Rating :

8. Hit Kit - Keen LP 8-6101 - 1959

Tracks:
1. Only Sixteen / 2. All Of My Life / 3. Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha / 4. Blue Moon / 5. Win Your Love For Me / 6. Lonely Island / 7. You Send Me / 8. Love You Most Of All / 9. For Sentimental Reasons / 10. Little Things You Do / 11. Let's Go Steady Again / 12. You Were Made For Me
Rating : 7

9. Cookeīs Tour - RCA 2236 - 1960

Tracks:
1. Far Away Places / 2. Under Paris Skies / 3. South Of The Border / 4. Bali Ha'i / 5. The Coffee Song / 6. Arrivederci, Roma / 7. London By Night / 8. Jamaica Farewell / 9. Galway Bay / 10. Sweet Leilani / 11. Japanese Farewell Song / 12. The House I Live In
Rating :

10. Hits of the 50īs - RCA LPM- 2236 - 1960

Tracks:
1. Hey There / 2. Mona Lisa / 3. Too Young / 4. The Great Pretender / 5. You, You, You / 6. Unchained Melody / 7. The Wayward Wind / 8. Secret Love / 9. The Song From The Moulin Rouge / 10. I'm Walking Behind You / 11. Cry / 12. Venus
Rating :

11. Swing Low - RCA 2293 - 1961

Tracks:
1. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / 2. I'm Just A Country Boy / 3. They Call The Wind Mariah / 4. Twilight On The Trail / 5. If I Had You / 6. Chain Gang / 7. Grandfather's Clock / 8. Long, Long Ago / 9. You Belong To Me / 10. Goin' Home
Rating :

12. My Kind Of Blues - RCA 2392, RCA RD - 1962

Tracks:
1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore / 2. Little Girl Blue / 3. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out / 4. Out In The Cold Again / 5. But Not For Me / 6. Exactly Like You / 7. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So / 8. Since I Met You Baby / 9. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home / 10. Trouble In Mind / 11. You're Always On My Mind / 12. The Song Is Ended
Rating : 3

13. The Best of San Cooke - RCA 3863 - 1962

Tracks:
1. You Send Me / 2. Only Sixteen / 3. Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha / 4. For Sentimental Reasons / 5. Wonderful World / 6. Chain Gang / 7. Cupid / 8. Twistin' The Night Away / 9. Sad Mood / 10. Having A Party / 11. Bring It On Home To Me / 12. Summertime
Rating : 7

14. Twisting The Night Away - RCA Victor LSP-2555 - 1962

Tracks:
1. Twistin' The Night Away / 2. Sugar Dumpling / 3. Twistin' in the Kitchen / 4. Somebody Gonna Miss Me / 5. Whole Lotta Woman / 6. Twist / 7. Twistin' In The Old Town / 8. Movin' And A Grovin' / 9. Camptown Twist / 10. Somebody Have Mercy / 11. Soothe Me / 12. That's it, I Quit, I'm Moving On
Rating : 7

15. Mr. Soul - RCA 2673 - 1963

Tracks:
1. I Wish You Love / 2. Willow Weep For Me / 3. Chains Of Love / 4. Smoke Rings / 5. All The Way / 6. Send Me Some Lovin' / 7. Cry Me A River / 8. Driftin' Blues / 9. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons / 10. Nothing Can Change This Love / 11. Little Girl / 12. These Foolish Things
Rating : 5

16. Night Beat - RCA 2148 - 1963

Tracks:
1. Lost And Lookin' / 2. Mean Old World / 3. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen / 4. Please Don't Drive Me Away / 5. I Lost Everything / 6. Get Yourself Another Fool / 7. Little Red Rooster / 8. Laughin' And Clownin' / 9. Trouble Blues / 10. You Gotta Move / 11. Fool's Paradise / 12. Shake Rattle And Roll
Rating : 6