 It was also recorded by a man who had made a name for himself with the Soul Stirrers as a gospel singer, and then as a pop singer with hits like You Send Me and Wonderful World. Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale in 1931, where his father, Reverend Charles Cooke, was a holiness minister. His family moved to Chicago, but knew the pains of segregation. Cooke in an interview with Dick Clark. Previous to 1957, how many records did you make?