Legendary Sam Cooke

The Sam Cooke story begins in 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi the place of his birth.  The story ends just 33 years later in a motel in Los Angeles, Sam Cooke shot fatally by the motel manager.

Controversy abounds surround Sam’s death.  A documentary titled “The Two Killings of Sam Cooke” was released in 2019.  It explores the singer’s early life with his life in Chicago – where his family moved to when he was two years old.  He and some of his siblings were in a Gospel group called the “Singing Children”.  Sam was six years old at the time.

His next musical step was to join another Gospel group when he was 14 – the long running “Highway Q.C.’s”.  Sam would depart to join the famous “Soul Stirrers”.  His place in the Q.C.’s would be taken by his friend Lou Rawls who came over from another similar group.

Sam would become the Soul Stirrers’ lead vocalist and being up in front paired with his youthfulness and good looks, the group would attract a large female teen following.

When Sam joined the Soul Stirrers in 1950 he was still Sam Cook.  He would add the ‘e’ in 1957 when his musical journey would take a new direction.

“The Two Killings of Sam Cooke” focuses largely on his social consciousness with regard to black Americans and holds a sub theme of a possible conspiracy in the execution of his death.

The first theme is poignant with on screen testimony from many prominent black musicians relating the abhorrent conditions they endured when traveling and performing – large telling tales from the deep South.  We hear from fellow Soul Stirrers, Dionne Warwick, Quincy Jones, Billy Davis from the Midnighters, and Smokey Robinson.  Former football great Jimmy Brown – who was very close to Cooke, is featured as is record producer Lou Adler.  Lou provides some of the most revealing and intimate recollections.

Dionne recalls a particulars disturbing incident in the South when traveling and performing with Cooke.  When members of the tour were refused restaurant service, Dionne lashed out verbally in their defense.  Then, back in the tour bus, a police office pulled them over inquiring about the “gal” who had made the remarks.

Cooke placed himself firmly between the officer and the entourage and informed his that there were no “gals” on the bus – only professional women and ordered him off.  Black musician after black musician had painful experiences to share as could only be imagined.

Cooke would champion black musicians’ plight in the U.S. speaking out often about segregation and second class citizen status.  “Two Killings” details Cooke’s boycott of an upcoming performance in Memphis which was to have a segregated audience.  Sam urged all the musicians on the program to boycott.

When push came to shove only Billy Davis would join Sam – but Cooke understood his fellow musician’s dilemma – they had to make a living – and weren’t in a top tier earning position as was Cooke.

Sam became close friends with Muhammed Ali, Jimmy Brown and Macolm X in their common struggle for human rights.

The film features a brief segment on the death of another young black musician, Jesse Belvin.  Jesse died the day after a supposedly integrated concert in Little Rock which took place on February 5th.

He and his wife were both killed in a head-on car crash the next day when in route to another concert.  The film, as do many other sources state that his tires were slashed causing the wreck.

In fact, the audience at Belvin’s Little Rock appearance was segregated and performances there (Robinson Auditorium) would remain segregated for another year – when there would be a one-time integrated audience – a practice which would be abandoned until the Civil Rights act was passed in 1965.

The entire Little Rock incident alluded to in the Netflix film has been debunked quite thoroughly by a Jackie Wilson fan in her site “Jackie Wilson Lovers” (click to read the entire 3-part series about this incident).

The second theme is speculative and rushes through the possibilities:  The FBI – L.A. Police – RCA records – even Cooke’s manager Alan Klein (who had just assumed control over Cooke’s catalog) were all mentioned as possible ‘suspects’ but that portion of the film is brief and not well-documented.

What is great about the Sam Cooke documentary is his tremendous talent – his influence with black and white musicians and fans, his music of course – and his stance on human rights!  Sam would even start up his own music label “SAR” in the early 1960’s to provide black musicians with a recording opportunity when other venues were closed to them.

The label ran up until Sam’s untimely death.

Sam’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” was an anthem for the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement and was voted number 12 of the 500 greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Singer/Song Writer Cooke

Sam Cooke’s success as a performer was perhaps outdistanced only by his output as a writer of hit songs.  Cooke’s songs consistently charted high on the pop charts as well as the R&B charts in much the same fashion as the Motown family of writers.

His song’s continued to chart long after his early death at age 33 in late 1964 especially by a diverse group of artists ranging from Rod Stewart to Aretha Franklin.  All of the recordings pictured below charted in the U.S. – usually on both the Billboard Pop Charts as well as the Billboard R&B charts and often on the U.K. charts as well. (Cooke is not credited on “Sweet Soul Music” but was a co-writer with Redding and Conley.)

R&B musicians who recorded Cooke’s compositions reads like a soul/R&B royalty list: Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Mel Carter, Eddie Floyd, Jackie Wilson and more.

THE HIT TALLY

70 songs enter the Hot 100 (or “Bubbling Under”)

• 22 songs entering other charts (R&B – Country – Adult Contemporary or the U.K.)
• 92 total chart songs
• 20 Songs entered Billboard’s Top 20
• 12 Songs entered Billboard’s Top 10
• 1 Song achieved Billboard’s #1 position

Sam Cooke Recognition

1986 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee

1987 – Song Writer’s Hall of Fame Inductee

1989 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Soul Stirrers

1994 – Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

1999 – Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

2004 – Rolling Stone’s “4th Greatest Singer of All Time Award”

2008 – Clarksdale, Mississippi Walk of Fame

2009 – Rolling Stone’s “16th Greatest Artists of All Time Award”

2009 – Sam Cooke on the Mississippi Blues Travelers on the Mississippi Blues Trail

2011 – Chicago’s “Honorary Sam Cooke Way” Designated

2013 – Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Inductee – Cleveland, Ohio

2016 – Sam Cookes’ “A Change Is Gonna Come” Commemorated in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sam Cooke Miscellaneous

1959 – Motion Picture – “Houseboat”
(Sam Cooke performs the theme song “Love Song From House Boat”)

Sam Cooke Selected Discography

45 – Keen 4013 – “You Send Me” – Charted Hot 100 October 21st, 1957 – #1 for three weeks  – R&B #1 for six weeks – b/w “Summertime” – Charted Hot 100 November 4th, 1957 – #81

45 – Specialty 596 – “Forever” b/w Lovable” – Released 1957 (Dale Cook is Sam Cooke)

45 – Specialty 619 – “I’ll Come Running Back to You” – Charted Hot 100 December 234d, 1957 – #18 – R&B #1 for 1 week – b/w “Forever” – Charted Hot 100 December 23rd, 1957 -#60

45 – Keen 4002 – “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons” – Charted Hot 100 – December 30th, 1957 #17 – R&B #15 b/w “Desire Me” – Charted Hot 100 December 30th, 1957 #47 – R&B #17

45 – Keen 4009 – “Lonely Island” – Charted Hot 100 March 17th, 1958 #26 – R&B #10 b/w “You Were Made For Me” – Charted Hot 100 March 24th, 1958 – #27 – R&B #10

45 – Keen 2005 – “Stealing Kisses” b/w “All My Life” – Released 1958

45 – Specialty 627 – That’s All I Need To Know b/w I Don’t Want To Cry – March, 1958

45 – Keen 2006 – “Win Your Love For Me” b/w “Love Song From Houseboat” – Charted Hot 100 August 4th, 1958 #22 – R&B #4

45 – Keen 2008 – “Love You Most of All” b/w “Blue Moon” – Charted Hot 100 November 17th, 1958  #26 – R&B #12

45 EP – Keen 2001 – “Songs By Sam Cooke – Vol. 1” – Released 1958

45 EP – Keen 2002 – “Songs By Sam Cooke – Vol. 2” – Released 1958

45 EP – Keen 2003 – “Songs By Sam Cooke – Vol. 3” – Released 1958

45 EP – Keen 2006 – “Encore, Vol. 1” – Released 1958

45 EP – Keen 2007 – “Encore, Vol. 2” – Released 1958

45 – Specialty 627 – “That’s All I Need to Know” b/w “I Don’t Want to Cry” – Released 1958

LP – Keen 2001 – “Sam Cooke” – Released 1958

LP – Keen 2003 – “Encore” – Released 1958

45 – Keen 2018 – “Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha” b/w “Little Things You Do” – Charted Hot 100 March 9th, 1959 – R&B #2

45 – Keen 2022 – “Only Sixteen” b/w “Let’s Go Steady Again” – Charted Hot 100 June 8th, 1959 #28 – R&B #13

45 – Keen 2101 – “Summertime Part 2” b/w “Summertime Part 1” – Charted Bubbling Under August 24th, 1959 #106

45 – Keen 2105 – “There, I’ve Said It Again” – b/w “One Hour Ahead of the Posse” – Charted Hot 100 November 9th, 1959 #18 – R&B #25

45 – Keen EP 2010 – “Sam Cooke Sings His Hits” – Released 1959

LP – Keen 2010 – Sam Cooke Sings His Hits – 1959

45 – Keen EP 2012 – “Tribute to the Lady, Vol. 1” – Released 1959

45 – Keen EP 2013 – “Tribute to the Lady, Vol. 2” – Released 1959

45 – Keen EP 2014 – “Tribute to the Lady, Vol. 3” – Released 1959

45 – Specialty 667 – “Happy in Love” b/w “I Need You Now” – Released 1959

LP – Keen 2004 – “Tribute to the Lady” – Released 1959

LP – Keen 86101 – “Hit Kit” – Released 1959

45 – Keen 2111 – “No One (Can Ever Take Your Place” b/w “It Ain’t Nobody’s Business (If I Do)” – Charted Record World August January 11th, 1960 #103

45 – Keen 2117 – “With You” b/w “Thank God” – Released 1960

45 – Keen 2122 – “Mary, Mary Lou” b/w “Ee-Yi-Ee-Yi-Oh” – Released 1960

45 – RCA 7730 – You Understand Me b/w I Belong To Your Heart – March 5th, 1960

45 – RCA  7701 – “Teenage Sonata” b/w “If You Were the Only Girl” – Charted Hot 100 March 14th, 1960 #50 – R&B #22

45 – Keen 2112 – “Wonderful World” b/w “Along the Navajo Trail” – Charted Hot 100 May 9th, 1960 #12 – R&B #2

LP – Keen 86103 – “I Thank God” b/w “With You – Released July, 1960

LP – Keen 86106 – “The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke” – Released 1960

45 – RCA 7783 – “Chain Gang” b/w “I Fall in Love Every Day” – Charted Hot 100 August 15th, 1960 #2 – R&B #2

45 – RCA 7816 – “Sad Mood” b/w “Love Me” – Charted Hot 100 December 5th, 1960 #29 – R&B #23

LP – RCA 2221 – “Cooke’s Tour” – Released 1960

LP – RCA 2236 – “Hits of the 50’s – Released 1960

LP – RCA 2293 – “Swing Low” – Released 1960

45 EP – RCA Special Products 93 – “Be a Hit at School” with “Far Away Places” by Sam Cooke – Released 1960

45 – RCA 7853 – “That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin’ On” b/w “What Do You Say” – Charted Hot 100 March 6th, 1961 #31 – R&B #25

45 Compact Single – RCA 7853 – “That’s It I Quit I’m Movin’ On” – Released March, 1961 – Did Not Chart

45 – RCA 7883 – “Cupid” b/w “Farewell My Darling” – Charted Hot 100 June 5th, 1961 #17 – R&B #20

45 – RCA 7927 – “Feel It” – Charted Hot 100 September 25th, 1961 #56 b/w “It’s All Right” Charted Hot 100 #93

33 Compact Single – RCA Victor 7927 – Feel It b/w It’s All Right – August, 1961

45 – SAR 122 – “Just For You” b/w “Made For Me” – Released November, 1961 – Did Not Chart
(from 45 Cat member Dave Gordon:

“I can’t check the exact chronology at the moment but from what I remember from at least “Bring It On Home To Me” onwards Sam wasn’t signed directly to RCA but to Tracey Productions, run by Sam and Alan Klein, who lease the masters to RCA for manufacture / distribution.

Apparently Klein did an audit of RCA’s books after “Twistin’ The Night Away” and found they’d been holding back on royalties due from the time he initially signed to RCA making them technically in breach of their contract with Sam. The SAR single was probably issued while Sam and Alan Klein were setting up Tracey Productions and renegotiating their deal with RCA.”)

LP – RCA 2392 – “My Kind of Blues” – Released 1961

LP – Famous 502 – “Sam’s Songs” – Released 1961

LP – Famous 505 – “Only Sixteen” – Released 1961

45 – RCA 7983 – “Twistin’ The Night Away” b/w “One More Time” – Charted Hot 100 February 3rd, 1962 #9 – R&B #1 for 3 Weeks

45 – RCA 8036 – “Bring It On Home to Me” – Charted Hot 100 June 23rd, 1962 #13  R&B #2 b/w “Having a Party” – Charted Hot 100 May 26th, 1962 #27 – R&B #4

LP – RCA 2555 – “Twistin’ the Night Away” – Charted Hot 200 June 30th, 1962 #72

45 – RCA 8088 – “Nothing Can Change This Love” – Charted Hot 100  September 29th, 1962 #12 – R&B #2 b/w “Somebody Have Mercy” – Charted Hot 100 October 27th, 1962 #70 – R&B #3

LP – RCA 2625 – “The Best of Sam Cooke” – Charted Hot 200 October 20th, 1962 #22

33 Special Release – RCA 2555 – Twistin’ The Night Away b/w Sugar Dumpling – Released 1962

33 Special Release – RCA 2555-2 – “Twistin’ in the Kitchen with Dinah” b/w A Whole Lotta Woman – Released 1962

33 Special Release – RCA 2555-3 – “The Twist” b/w Movin’ and Groovin – Released 1962

33 Special Release – RCA 2555-4 – “Somebody Have Mercy” b/w Captown Twist – Released 1962

33 Special Release – RCA 2555-5 – Soothe Me b/w That’s It – I Quit – I’m Movin’ On – Released 1962

LP – Famous 508 – “So Wonderful” – Released 1962

LP – Famous 509 – “You Send Me” – Released 1962

LP – Famous 512 – “Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha” – Released 1962

45 – RCA 8129 – “Send Me Some Lovin'” – Charted Hot 100 January 26th, 1963 #13 – R&B #2 b/w”Baby, Baby, Baby” – Charted Hot 100 February 2nd, 1963 #66

LP – RCA 2673 – “Mr. Soul” – Charted Hot 200 March 23rd, 1963 #94

33 Special Release – RCA 2673 – Mr. Soul Volume 1 – 1963

45 – RCA 8164 – “Another Saturday Night” b/w Love Will Find a Way” – Charted Hot 100 April 20th, 1963 #10 – R&B #1 for 1 Week

45 – RCA 8215 – “Frankie & Johnny” b/w “Cool Train” – Charted Hot 100 July 27th, 1963 #14 – R&B #4

LP – RCA 2709 – “Night Beat” – Charted Hot 200 September 14th, 1963 #62

45 – RCA 8247 – “Little Red Rooster” b/w “You Gotta Move” – Charted Hot 100 October 26th, 1963 – R&B #2

45 – RCA 8299 – “Good News” b/w “Basin Street Blues” – Charted Hot 100 January 25th, 1964 #11 – R&B #1 for one Week

LP – RCA 2899 – “Ain’t That Good News” – Charted Hot 200 April 4th, 1964 – #34

45 – RCA 8368 – “Good Times” – Charted Hot 100 June 6th, 1964 #11 – R&B #1 for two Weeks b/w “Tennessee Waltz” – Charted Hot 100 June 13th, 1964 #35 – R&B #6

45 – RCA 8426 – “Cousin of Mine” – Charted Hot 100 September 26th, 1964 #31 – R&B #6 b/w “That’s Where It’s At” – Charted Hot 100 October 10th, 1964 #93 – R&B #8

LP – RCA 2970 – “Sam Cooke at the Copa” – Charted Hot 200 October 31st, 1964 #29

33 Double Pack – RCA 2970 – Sam Cooke At The Copa – 1965

45 – RCA 8486 – “A Change is Gonna Come” Charted Hot 100 January 30th, 1965 #31 – R&B #9 b/w “Shake” – Charted R&B January 16th, 1965 #2

(“A Change is Gonna Come” is ranked as the number 12 song of all time – predictably by a very “hip” Rolling Stone Magazine staff)

 

LP – RCA 3367 – “Shake” – Charted Hot 200 February 13th, 1965 #44

45 – RCA 8539 – “It’s Got The Whole World Shakin'” b/w “(Somebody) Ease My Troublin’ Mind”) Charted Hot 100 April 10th, 1965 – R&B #15

 

45 – RCA 8586 – “When a Boy Falls In Love” b/w “The Piper” – Charted Hot 100 June 5th, 1965 #52

 

45 – RCA 8631 – “Sugar Dumpling” b/w Bridge of Tears” – Charted Hot 100 July 24th, 1965 #32 – R&B #18

LP – RCA 3373 – “The Best of Sam Cooke Vol. 2” – Charted Hot 200 July 24th, 1965 #128

33 EP – RCA 3373 – The Best Of Sam Cooke Volume 2 – 1965

LP – RCA 3435 – “Try a Little Love” – Charted Hot 200 October 30th, 1965 #120

45 – RCA 8751 – “Feel It” b/w “That’s All” – Charted Hot 100 February 19th, 1966 #95

45 – RCA 8803 – “Let’s Go Steady Again” b/w “Trouble Blues” – Charted Hot 100 April 30th, 1966 #97

45 – RCA 8934 – “Meet Me At Mary’s Place” b/w “If I Had a Hammer” – Released Spring 1966 – Did Not Chart

LP – RCA 3517 – “The Unforgettable Sam Cooke” – Released 1966

LP – RCA Camden 2264 – “The One and Only Sam Cooke” – Released 1967

45 Special Release – RCA 173 – “A Change is Gonna Come”  b/w same – Released 1968

LP – RCA 3991 – “The Man Who Invented Soul” – Released 1968

45 – Specialty 921 – “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone” b/w “The Last Mile of the Way” (with the Soul Stirrers) – Released April, 1970

LP – RCA Camden 2433 – “Sam Cooke” – Released 1970

LP – RCA 6027 – “This is Sam Cooke” – Released 1971

45 – Cherie 4501 – Darling I Need You Now b/w Win Your Love For Me – 1971

LP – Cherie 1001 – Soulin’ Sam Cooke Right On – 1971

45 – Cherie Bonus Record 4500 – Rap Session – 1971

This bonus record was included with the above Cherie LP

45 – Specialty 928 – “Just Another Day” b/w “Christ is All” – (with the Soul Stirrers) – Released 1971

LP – RCA Camden 2610 – “The Unforgettable Sam Cooke” – Released 1972

45 – Specialty 930 – “That’s Heaven To Me” b/w “Lord, Remember Me” – (with the Soul Stirrers) – Released 1972

LP – RCA Camden 0445 – “You Send Me” – Released 1975

LP – RCA 2658 – “Sam Cooke at the Copa” – Released 1977

LP – West 16032 – “My Foolish Heart” – Released 1979

LP Special Products – RCA 3863 – “The Best of Sam Cooke” – Released 1981

LP – RCA 5181 – “Live at the Harlem Square Club” – Charted Hot 200 June 22nd, 1985 #134

45 – RCA 14146 – “Bring it On Home To Me” b/w “Nothing Can Change This Love” – Released 1985

 

45 Box Set – Specialty SPB6 – “Collector’s Series” – Released 1986

LP CD  – RCA 7127 – “The Man and His Music” – Charted Hot 200 April 5th, 1986 – #175

LP CD – ABKCO 2970 – “Sam Cooke at the Copa” – Released 1988

LP CD – ABKCO 1124 – “Sam Cooke’s Night Beat” – Released 1995

Sam Cooke Compositions by Others Discography

(Vinyl listed – Also listing SAR and Derby Records releases – both labels founded by Sam Cooke)

Teresa Brewer – Coral 61898 – You Send Me – Number 8 Hot 100 – September, 1957

Craig Douglas – Top Rank UK 159 – Only Sixteen – Number 1 UK Charts – July, 1959

Al Saxon UK – Fontana 205 – Only Sixteen – Number 24 UK Charts – July, 1959

The Flamingos – End 1068 – Nobody Loves Me Like You – Number 23 R&B – Number 30 Hot 100 – March, 1960

The Sims Twins – SAR 117 – Soothe Me Number 4 R&B – Number 8 Hot 100 – b/w I’ll Never Come Running Back To You – June, 1961

Johnnie Morisette – SAR 126 – Meet Me At the Twistin’ Place – Number 18 R&B – Number 63 Hot 100 – b/w Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere – January, 1962

Johnny Taylor – SAR 131 – Rome (Wasn’t Built In A Day) – Number 112 Bubbling Under Charts – b/w Never, Never – April, 1962

Carla Thomas – Atlantic 2163 – I’ll Bring It On Home To You – Number 9 R&B – Number 41 Hot 100 – September, 1962

Mel Carter – Derby 1003 – When A Boy Falls In Love – Number 30 R&B – Number 44 Hot 100 – b/w So Wonderful – June, 1963

Johnnie Taylor – Derby 101 – Dance What You Wanna b/w Shine Shine Shine – February, 1963

Johnnie Taylor – Derby 1006 – Baby We’ve Got Love – Number 98 Hot 100 – b/w (I’ll Always Be) In Love With You – October, 1963

Johnny Rivers – Imperial 66087 – Cupid – Number 76 Hot 100 – January, 1965

The Animals – MGM 13339 – Bring It On Home To Me – Number 32 Hot 100 – Number 7 UK – April, 1965

Dee Clark – Constellation 147 – T.C.B. – Number 132 Bubbling Under – March, 1965

Herman’s Hermits – MGM 13354 – Wonderful World – Number 4 Hot 100 – Number 7 UK – May, 1965

Arthur Conley – Atco 6483 – Sweet Soul Music – Number 2 R&B – Number 2 Hot 100 – Number 7 UK – February, 1967

(Cooke is not credited on the label but was a co-composer)

The British Walkers – Cameo 466 – Shake – Number 106 Bubbling Under – March, 1967

Otis Redding – Volt 149 – Shake – Number 16 R&B – Number 47 Hot 100 – Number 28 UK – April, 1967

Jackie Wilson & Count Basie – Brunswick 55373 – Chain Gang – Number 37 R&B – Number 84 Hot 100 – April, 1968

Sam and Dave – Stax 218 – Soothe Me – Number 16 R&B – Number 56 Hot 100 – Number 35 UK – May, 1967

Aretha Franklin – Atlantic 2518 – You Send Me – Number 28 R&B – Number 56 Hot 100 – May, 1968

Eddie Floyd – Stax 12 – Bring It On Home To Me – Number 4 R&B – Number 17 Hot 100 – October, 1968

Brenton Wood – Double Shot 137 – A Change Is Gonna Come – Number 131 Bubbling Under – February, 1969

Johnny Nash – JAD 207 – Cupid – Number 39 Hot 100 – Number 38 Adult Contemporary – Number 6 UK – July, 1968

Ray Charles – ABC/Tangerine 11259 – Laughin’ & Clownin’ – Number 18 R&B – Number 96 Hot 100 – February, 1970

Bobby Womack – Liberty 56186 – I’m Gonna Forget About You – Number 30 R&B – July, 1970

Lou Rawls – Capitol 2856 – Bring It On Home – Number 45 R&B – Number 96 Hot 100 – July, 1970

The Ponderosa Twins – Horoscope 102 – You Send Me – Number 12 R&B – Number 96 Hot 100 – July, 1971

Luther Ingram – KoKo 2110 – You Were Made For Me – Number 18 R&B – Number 93 Hot 100 – February, 1972

Rod Stewart – Geffen 28303 – Twistin’ The Night Away – Number 59 Hot 100 – June, 1973

This song charted again for Stewart in July, 1987 at Number 80

The Ovations – MGM 14623 – Having A Party – Number 7 R&B – Number 56 Hot 100 – August, 1973

Cat Stevens – A&M 1602 – Another Saturday Night – Number 6 Hot 100 – Number 12 Adult Contemporary – Number 19 UK – July, 1974

Buddy Alan – Capitol 11400 – Another Saturday Night – Number 88 Country – June, 1975

Dr. Hook – Capitol 4171 – Only Sixteen – Number 6 Hot 100 – Number 55 Country – Number 14 Adult Contemporary – October, 1975

Jim Croce – Lifesong 45001 – Chain Gang Medley – Number 63 Hot 100 – Number 22 Adult Contemporary – December, 1975

Tony Orlando and Dawn – Elektra 45302 – Cupid – Number 22 Hot 100 – Number 2 Adult Contemporary – January, 1976

Johnny Nash – Epic 50219 – Wonderful World – Number 66 R&B – Number Adult Contemporary – Number 103 Bubbling Under – Number 25 UK – May, 1976

Mickey Gilley – Playboy 6075 – Bring It On Home To Me – Number 1 Country – Number 37 Adult Contemporary – Number 101 Bubbling Under – June, 1976

The Pointer Sisters – Blue Thumb 275 – Having A Party – Number 62 R&B – October, 1977

Norma Jean Wright – Bearsville 331 – Having A Party – Number 83 R&B – August, 1978

Art Garfunkle with James Taylor and Paul Simon – Columbia 10676 – (What) A Wonderful World – January, 1978

Michael Martin Murphey – Epic 50686 – Chain Gang – Number 93 Country – April, 1979

The Spinners – Cupid (Medley) – Number 5 R&B – Number 4 Hot 100 – Number 3 Adult Contemporary – Number 50 Dance – Number 4 UK – May, 1980

Luther Vandross – Epic 3205 – Bad Boy/Having A Party – Number 3 R&B – Number 55 Hot 100 – September, 1982

The Manhattans – Columbia 4754 – You Send Me – Number 20 R&B – Number 81 Hot 100 – Number 8 Adult Contemporary – February, 1985

Dan Seals – Capitol 79120 – Good Times – Number 1 Country – 1990