Sam Cooke was an American singer and songwriter known as the "King of Soul," recognized for his smooth vocals and major impact on soul and popular music. Active for just eight years, he released numerous hits, with 29 singles reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 20 making the Top 10 on Billboard's R and B chart. His life was cut short in 1964 when he was fatally shot in Los Angeles. Cooke's legacy as a pioneering artist endures, and in 2015 he was named one of the top R and B artists of all time by Billboard magazine.