Labels: samcooke, tease

One more post before bed in an attempt to get some more new content on the blog. First, Rob Guillory's Sam Cooke:


I love black & white graphic novels, I love that Sam Cooke. But, honestly...just check out the color:



I also wanted to share with you my "kick-off" email to Rob. Chris Stevens, my cowriter on this project, found Rob and started working with him as the potential artist for this book. I saw the above B&W sketch and fell in love. The subject title was, "That's Where It's At." The email went on to say...

My favorite Cooke song. It took me a wile to appreciate it, though. I was at a party, winding down – last song kind of stuff - and I asked the DJ to play some Cooke. He asked what I wanted to hear and I told him, “Something my lady and I can dance to.” He played “That’s Where It’s At.” I must have heard that song a hundred times but, standing there with my girl, holding her close to me, and singing it into her ear – I got it.

That’s what Sam Cooke does, man – he’s in a state when he sings and, sometimes, you find yourself in that exact same state when the song is on and you feel what he was feeling. The best thing about that song, though? Is the fact that the song is better than Sam and Sam knows it. You see, people love “You Send Me” and “Only 16” but those songs are easy – Sam lays them down and it’s clean as all hell. But “That’s Where It’s At” – that song beats him. It beats him and at one point he laughs (and he laughs a lot in his stuff, granted) but you know it’s because it’s beating him. But Sam would just show us that you don’t have to beat a song to master it. It’s an amazing thing.

Chris has been showing me your Sam Cooke illustrations – they’re amazing. I came up with the idea for this book about a year ago and I’ve been tossing it around with Chris. I guess he got sick of hearing me talk about it and he started writing it. Put the fire under my ass. I’ve been reading Dream Boogie and Our Uncle Sam. The former to help build the structure around these stories and the latter to help us understand the man. I know Chris is gearing up to do an opening story about 8 year-old Sam born to sing. I want to fast forward to the end of the QCs and beginning of the Soul Stirrers. I know I want to take the ending – I want to end this book with “A Change Is Gonna Come”. I don’t want to touch the death, that’s not our story.

But I think, thematically, we want to hit the fact that Sam overcame adversity. Chris’s story – the one with the popsicle sticks – that’s more than just about his audience. Back when he started singing in Chicago, a lot of his audience was rival singers. He knew he was going to sing, everyone knew they were going to sing. But Sam KNEW he was going to sing. I want to touch on this story I read about him getting into some trouble in the white park – the cops telling him that they’ll hang him and no-one will find the body. His first brush with racism. He goes on to make pop songs and crossover hits but he never sounded as alive as when he did shows at the Apollo. I think that spirit is what drives “A Change Is Gonna Come”. Knowing you have people that need you, knowing where people are saying you’re supposed to be, but overcoming adversity and laying down the soundtrack for the Civil Rights movement.

That’s what he did, though, all the time. He overcame. He mastered everything he touched, even if he couldn’t beat it. Just like “That’s Where It’s At.

Anyway – I’m just rambling now. I wanted to say that I loved the sketches. I’m excited for this project. Is going to be beautiful, we’re going to introduce a generation to Sam Cooke.

I think I’m ready to start laying down the first two chapters. How we work it logistically – we’ll figure it out. But I think this going to be a blast – I’m real excited to do this.

Goodnight everyone. Kiss your loved ones. That's where it's at.

Labels: preview, samcooke

With each passing generation the number of people who are aware of Sam Cooke's music dwindles. Sam Cooke was a gospel singer turned pop sensation during the height of the Civil Rights movement. His first pop-single, "You Send Me," was considered the first true cross-over hit after selling over two-million copies. He went on to dominate the music industry. His records flew off the shelves. "A Change is Gonna Come" became the anthem of the Civil Rights movement. Elvis and The Beatles wanted to be Sam Cooke.

And then he was murdered.

This graphic novel will focus on the man's life and his accomplishments. His drive from a young age, his ability to charm an entire crowd, and his unrelenting climb to the top of the pop-charts. Written by Jason Rodriguez and Chris Stevens and illustrated by Rob Guillory, the Sam Cooke project is available for acquisition. Contact Jason Rodriguez for further information.

Labels: jasonrodriguez, samcooke