Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers - "Specialty Profiles" (Specialty, 2006)

My “thing” with the gospels and the artists that served the genre started because of people like Rev. Julius Cheeks, Rev. Charlie Jackson or Bunker Hill. It was the screams and the filth in their voice of people like the aforementioned that made me “turn my head to God”…
However, there was a quartet that took genre into other places, more popular and (why not) sexier? The Soul Stirrers got my attention because they had in their potential, Sam Cooke (they had also for a moon, Julius Cheeks, but he left picture as quickly as he entered). Their origins go back to 1920’s but that’s not our subject here. Our subject basically is Sam. You know, screamers are my main diet but Sam was something special. The funny thing’s that I discovered Cooke through Rod Stewart. I must was 16 or 17 at the time and I was chasing records in a big basement. Suddenly I’m hearing an amazing worm voice coming out of the speakers. I turned then to the owner with a self trust that brakes bones and say “Rod the Mod” right? Ouch… I still remember how he turned me down, moved his head right and left with negativity only to quip, “No, Sam Cooke”… I know, he should have add “you moron”…
That day was a good lesson for me, for both my arrogance and my knowledge. I should have thanked him then but I left just chattering insults. Now’s time to correct things, so thanks a lot Mr. bald headed smart ass!
With Sam Cooke, the Soul Stirrers hit big. The ladies of course found in him not something spiritual but sexual. The Sam Cooke fronted Stirrers often said was the forerunner for doo wop and soul. I kinda agree. That’s a cool compilation (and the only thing anyway I got by them) on sides they cut for Specialty. 
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Stirring your Soul