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　　Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1931. He grew up in Chicago Illinois. His father was a minister in a baptist church. Sam started singing religious music when he was only 15 years old. When he was 19 he became the lead singer of a famous gospel singing group called the Soul Stirrers. In 1950 he began writing and recording for the Soul Stirrers. During his 6 years with the group Cooke brought his own kind of expression to gospel music. He became gospel music's biggest star. His good looks and singing abilities made him very popular among women, both young and old.