Sam Cooke, King of Soul

On his birthday, we look back at the life of the man called the King of Soul.

They Made a Joyful Noise

We've lost many gospel singers in recent weeks. The renowned , who famously sang with James Cleveland’s Gospel Chimes and Bill Gaither’s Homecoming crew, died Sept. 26, 2011 at age 73.

The Very Versatile Andy Griffith

Andy Griffith was one of those rarest of performers – the kind who play one very iconic role, but don't spend the rest of their lives trying to escape from that role's shadow.

The Powerful Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972) was known as the "Queen of Gospel" and "the single most powerful Black woman in the United States."

Dee Dee Warwick: Soul Sister

It must have been tough growing up around star power as bright as Dionne Warwick, Cissy Houston and . But Dee Dee Warwick—Dionne’s kid sister, Cissy’s niece, and Whitney’s cousin—could hold her own. She was a two-time Grammy nominee for "Foolish Fool" and "She Didn't Know."

The Multitalented Billy Preston

Keyboardist could play it all—gospel and rock, classical and punk, show tunes, country, blues and funk—and he did just that, either on his own or alongside some of the biggest names in music. During his storied career, which was cut short when he , 2006 at age 59, Preston recorded with the likes of the Rolling Stones, , Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, , and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. He earned the moniker "the Fifth Beatle" because he is the only musician to share label credit with —on 1969's "Get Back."

Ruby Wilson (1948 - 2016), singer known as the Queen of Beale Street

Ruby Wilson, the singer known as the Queen of Beale Street, died Aug. 12, 2016, according to multiple news sources. She was 68.

Joe Ligon (1936–2016)

Joe Ligon, the energetic founder and lead singer of the three-time Grammy-winning gospel group Mighty Clouds of Joy, died Sunday in Georgia, according to multiple news sources. He was 80.

Linda Hopkins (1924–2017), actress and gospel singer

Linda Hopkins, the actress and gospel singer who won a Tony Award in 1972 for her show-stopping performance in the musical "Inner City," died Monday, April 10, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to multiple news sources. She was 92.

Edwin Hawkins (1943–2017), gospel music star

Best known for the crossover hit "Oh Happy Day"

Yvonne Staples (1937–2018), member of The Staple Singers

Yvonne Staples, member of the gospel/soul family singing group The Staple Singers, has died at the age of 80, according to the . 

Eddy Clearwater (1935–2018), Chicago bluesman known as “The Chief”

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago bluesman Eddy Clearwater, lauded for his guitar playing and flamboyant showmanship, has died of heart failure.

Clarence Fountain (2018), founding member of Blind Boys of Alabama

The esteemed gospel group won four Grammy Awards.

Legend Is Too Small a Word for Aretha Franklin

“Legend” becomes a small word when applied to someone like . Her influence on music is so profound, it is as if she has always been with us, her gospel-tinged siren call both able to kick off a house party or send someone on their loving way into the afterlife. Once she was crowned “the Queen of Soul” fifty-plus years ago, no other artist could assume the mantle, ever. Even after her death, time will likely prove that any attempt to transfer the title will be met by ridicule.

Aretha Franklin (1942–2018), the "Queen of Soul"

Aretha Franklin (1942–2018) was affectionately called “the Queen of Soul.” Blessed with an incredible voice, she was a giant of soul music. Franklin’s signature song was her version of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” released in 1967. Her many hit songs included “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Freeway of Love,” and “Rock Steady.”

Roy Hargrove (1969–2018), Grammy-winning visionary jazz trumpeter

Worked with Common and Erykah Badu.

Elvis Should Have Died in 2019, not 1977

When Memphis radio DJ , the late Elvis Presley’s best friend, died on Feb. 5, he was not the first or the second or even the third but the fourth of Elvis’s friends, colleagues, and peers to pass away in the first few weeks of the year. Klein’s death comes on the quick heels of two of Elvis’s recording-studio guitarists, (Jan. 17) and (Jan. 21). All three men died of natural causes in their 80s and 90s. So did Elvis's longtime drummer, , just a few months ago. And Elvis’s stepbrother, the evangelist , died just last week, in his 60s.

Kim English (1970-2019), gospel and house music singer

Kim English was a gospel and house music singer who topped the Billboard dance charts eight times in the 1990s and 2000s.

Jerry Lawson (1944–2019), lead singer for the Persuasions

Jerry Lawson was the lead singer of the a cappella group the Persuasions. Lawson and his bandmates revived the a cappella style as young men singing their favorite songs together in their neighborhood, applying the style to songs from diverse genres including R&B, pop, gospel, blues, and more. They continued singing together for decades, recording more than two dozen albums and influencing later groups including Boyz II Men and Take 6. Lawson later left the Persuasions and joined another group they had influenced, Talk of the Town. With Talk of the Town, Lawson appeared on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” in 2011. Lawson released his only solo album, “Just a Mortal Man,” in 2015.

George Chambers (1931–2019), Chambers Brothers bassist

George Chambers  was the bass player for the pioneering psychedelic soul rock band, the Chambers Brothers. George and his brothers Lester, Joe, and Willie started singing in church together as children in Mississippi and formed the band in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s. They started out as a gospel group but later became known in the LA folk music community and were invited by to play at the Newport Folk Festival. The band went electric, adding drummer Brian Keenan, making them one of the first interracial bands. They embraced psychedelic soul music and had a huge hit in 1968 with “Time Has Come Today.” They continued to perform and record as the Chambers Brothers until the mid-1970s. George would go back to gospel music and he would occasionally get back together with his brothers and perform.

Rev. Clay Evans (1925–2019), civil rights leader and gospel legend

Rev. Clay Evans was the founder of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, where for 50 years he was a leading voice in the civil rights movement, evangelical broadcasting, and American gospel music. He supported Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work in Chicago; he cofounded Operation PUSH, one of the nation’s pioneering civil rights organizations, with Rev. Jesse Jackson, whom he ordained at Fellowship in 1968; and he released eleven albums of gospel music, including “I’ve Got a Testimony,” which was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award in 1997.

Troy Sneed (1967–2020), Grammy-nominated gospel singer

Troy Sneedwasan acclaimed gospel musicartistwho reached No. 2 on the gospel charts with hishit song My Heart Says Yes.

Darick Campbell (1966–2020), lap steel guitarist with the Campbell Brothers

Darick Campbell was the lap steel guitarist with the gospel band the Campbell Brothers.

Rance Allen (1948–2020), gospel music legend

Rance Allen was the lead singer of the popular gospel band the Rance Allen Group.

Carman (1956–2021), contemporary Christian singer and songwriter

Carman was a popular contemporary Christian singer and songwriter known for songs including “The Champion.”

Pervis Staples (1935–2021), co-founder of the Staple Singers

Pervis Staples was a co-founder of the legendary gospel and R&B group the Staple Singers, along with his father and sisters.

Lee Williams (1946–2021), gospel singer with the Spiritual QC’s

Lee Williams was a gospel singer and the leader of Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s.

Shawn McLemore (1967–2021), gospel singer

Shawn McLemore was a gospel singer known for music including his 1997 album with New Image, “Wait on Him.”

LaShun Pace (1961–2022), gospel singer

LaShun Pace was a gospel singer known for songs including “I Know I’ve Been Changed.”

Deborah McCrary (1954–2022), singer with the McCrary Sisters

Deborah McCrary was a singer with the Nashville gospel music quartet the McCrary Sisters.

Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson (1972–2022), gospel singer

Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson was a gospel singer known for songs including “Let Go and Let God.”

Mylon LeFevre (1944–2023), singer for Mylon and Broken Heart

Mylon LeFevre was a Gospel Music Hall of Fame Christian rock singer who is best known for his work with Mylon and Broken Heart. 

Chad Allan (1943–2023), founding member of the Guess Who

Chad Allan was a multi-instrumentalist musician who helped found Canadian rock band the Guess Who as their original lead singer.

Etterlene DeBarge (1935–2024), gospel singer and musical matriarch 

Etterlene DeBarge was a gospel singer and the matriarch of the musical DeBarge family.

Sandra Crouch (1942–2024), Grammy Award-winning gospel artist 

Sandra Crouch was a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer and songwriter who also performed on several Motown records and contributed songs by the Jackson 5.

Mandisa (1976–2024), Grammy-winning American Idol finalist

Mandisa was a contemporary Christian singer who came to prominence when she competed in season five of “American Idol” in 2006.

Rusty Golden (1959–2024), country and gospel singer and songwriter

Rusty Golden was a country and gospel singer-songwriter and also the son of The Oak Ridge Boys‘ William Lee Golden.

Bernice Johnson Reagon (1942–2024), founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock

Bernice Johnson Reagon was a singer, band leader, and social activist best known for performing with two influential singing ensembles: the 1960s protest group The Freedom Singers and the Grammy-nominated a cappella troupe Sweet Honey in the Rock.

The Nelons plane crash (2024) 

Seven people were killed in a Wyoming plane crash on Friday, July 26, 2024, including three members of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame group the Nelons.

Shaun Martin (1978–2024), Snarky Puppy keyboardist

Shaun Martin was a seven-time Grammy Award winner as a keyboardist for the jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy and music director and producer for gospel singer Kirk Franklin.

Cissy Houston (1933–2024), gospel singer and Whitney Houston’s mother

Cissy Houston was a legendary gospel and soul singer, as well as the mother of and the aunt of Dionne and .

Rodessa Barrett Porter (1930–2024), gospel music great

Rodessa Barrett Porter was the last surviving member of the beloved gospel trio The Barrett Sisters.