The Day the (Bob Keane) Music Died

News has arrived of the passing of one of the legendary, if mainly long-forgotten figures, from early rock 'n roll. It's Bob Keane, who discovered Ritchie Valens, Bobby "I Fought the Law" Fuller, the Surfaris, and first recorded Frank Zappa, among many other sometimes bizarre achievements. But what I remember most: He was also the man who brought Sam Cooke out of gospel and into rock in 1957 with the mega-hit "You Send Me." Sam Cooke was the greatest male gospel singer of the century but, leaving that behind, he also became one of the greatest singers, performers, writers ("Change Is Gonna Come") , producers in rock history.

Check out the following: Sam doing "Bring It On Home to Me" and "You Send Me." The noted critic Greil Marcus once called it the greatest live male vocal performance in rock/soul history. It's Sam Cooke at a Miami club. There's no video of it--but the moment was re-enacted at the beginning of the Will Smith "Ali" movie. Below that, a little Sam gospel w/ Soul Stirrers.