1 hit. Outside, more than 200,000 fans stood in silence as the hearse made its way to the cemetery. According to TMZ, his family is still allegedly trying to pay off debts left behind that include $250,000 back child support. Another son of his, Truth, died when he was a baby, and Mr. Womacks brother Harry was murdered by a girlfriend. She stated Sam was so badly beaten he was almost decapitated, and both hands were bruised and completely crushed as if he had been in a fight for his life. She was killed in the early 80s under unsolved circumstances. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. She then went by the named Zeriiya Zekkariyas, a nod to her African heritage. They ended up becoming a recording duo titled "Womack & Womack." But it upset many people to see Mr. Womack, sometimes in Mr. Cookes clothes, squiring Mr. Cookes widow about. Cooke was registering for a sleazy hotel room? Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. BERRY GORDY, FOUNDER OF MOTOWN, ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF HIS LONG 10 Most Underrated Great Black Female Singers, Top 12 Best Black Female Singers of All Time, Injecting Cooking Oil to Create Muscles? All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Sam and Barbara Cooke's daughter, Linda, married Bobby Womack's brother, Cecil, who was divorced from singer Mary Wells. Within days, Bobby Womack began a relationship with Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell (who was 10 years . Thats the way I see it.. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Sam didnt need to rape any woman, he was the most handsome guy of his era. In addition, Bobby had an affair with her daughter Linda Cooke (later Linda Womack) which caused Barbara to shoot Bobby. Allen Klein, his manager and accountant was helping him to get back paid royalties that were mysteriously withheld from previous record companies for FREE (?). One of eight children born to a Church of Christ (Holiness) minister and his wife, Sam moved, with his family, to Chicago in 1933. All types of women lined up to see him, touch him, or get a hug from him. Its no accident that Sams family didnt get a cent from his estate until AFTER Kleins death, decades after Sam was killed. The clerk, Bertha Franklin, peered to the side of Cooke and saw Boyer in Cookes car and informed him that he would have to register as Mr and Mrs. Please try again later. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Lastly, it is known that Sam crossed the Mob. Haven't spoken to Cecil for years. Court documents filed in Los Angeles by Womacks widow, Regina, outline money the entertainer owed for two male children, one 14-years-old and the other, who is now an adult. . In fact, on the day of Sam Cooke's funeral, that bartender was reported to be wearing Cooke's watch and his ring. So now you have Barbara and Bobby Womack, married, but Bobby begins an affair with Barbara's daughter. Well wishers have been interrupting their conversation, while they wait for their dinner order to arrive. Cooke was 18 and Barbara was 13 when they met on the South Side of Chicago. Barbara Cambell-Cooke Womack lives in the US. I dont speak to Barbara no more, Mr. Womack wrote in his memoir. The Two Killings of Sam Cooke is streaming on Netflix. Barbara Campbell scandal In March 1965, just three months after Sam Cooke's death, Womack created scandal by marrying Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell. They divorced in 1970.Years later, Linda Cooke married Mr. Womack's brother Cecil, and the couple became a recording duo, Womack & Womack. Vincent Womack struggled with drugs and alcohol, his father wrote, and committed suicide in 1986 when he was 21.Bobby Womack experienced fame early on when the Rolling Stones covered his 1964 song "It's All Over Now," their first No. After he threatened her life, she acted in self-defense. that benefits the victims. WHO WE AREThe news you want unfiltered.The Electronic Urban Report/EUR puts the most buzz worthy African American news at your fingertips. A lot of people felt that since Bobby and Sam Cooke abandoned God by leaving gospel music, that they both would be punished severely for it. He claimed she turned onto him for a shoulder to lean on at that time, so he went for it. You're welcome. Left: Sam Cooke at New York's Copacabana nightclub, June 1964. Cooke had ownership of his master recordings, a feat that not many recording artists could achieve at the time. Year should not be greater than current year. She stated he got physical with her, and they fell to the floor, she was 30 pounds heavier than him and managed to wrestle herself away from the drunk Cooke and ran to grab the gun off the top of the fridge, and she shot at him three times. Were talking about a time when the average rent for an apartment was $75.00 to $100.00 a month. But do I also respect the brotha as an incredible artist and musician? '"She added: "Everybody wants a happy ending. Mind you it was unheard for a black man to do these things and get away with it. "I think if Sam were able to be here tonight, he would be thrilled just to see me on this stage," Mr. Cooke's father declared. This browser does not support getting your location. They were called the Valentinos. Hes coming to take us to our mansion., She added: Everybody wants a happy ending. Failed to remove flower. Linda . Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. They lived in Los Angeles, where he lived his life while his wife fended for herself. Widely publicized, their union made them pariahs in their families, to much of the music community and to Mr. Cookes adoring fans. Cooke's wife, Barbara, took up with a friend of her husband, singer Bobby Womack, almost immediately . Sponsored by Karma Shopping LTD Stop overpaying on Amazon! So for starters, lets dig into what Mr. Womack revealed in his book, about being abandoned by his family after marrying Barbara Cooke, among other things. We have set your language to He was not a saint but he did NOT deserve to die the way he did. On top of their loveless marriage, they suffered a tragedy when their third child, Vincent, died at 18 months old after drowning in their pool. This has never been explained. The death was recently confirmed by David Washington, a Detroit radio host who is close to the Cooke and Womack families. Cooks life and everybody involved with him were in shambles. Their marriage was met with disapproval by many people, especially when they would see Womack in Cooke's clothes or when they would see Barbara and Womack walking around together. Cooke is survived by Ms. Zekkariyas and another daughter, Tracey Cooke; her twin sister, Beverley Lopez; and a granddaughter.Family members and Mr. Guralnick declined to speak about Ms. Cooke's life and death, citing her wish for privacy.But Ms. Cooke had the last words in Mr. Guralnick's nearly 750-page biography. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. His sons accidental drowning was a warning. Sam Cooke was 18 and Barbara Campbell was only 13 when they met on the South Side of Chicago. Try again later. Mr. Cooke, once a teenage gospel singer, was music royalty, a movie-star-handsome crooner of hits like "You Send Me" and "Wonderful World," as well as the wrenching "A Change Is Gonna Come," which would become a civil rights anthem.The son of a preacher, he took a firm stand in playing the American South, refusing to perform for segregated audiences. She and her grandfather's estate held a toast to bring together celebrities who were impacted by his music. READ ALSO: Alexa Knierim children: Does Alexa Knierim have a child? Thousands flocked to see his body, and at his funeral Ray Charles stepped up from the congregation when the gospel singer doing the tribute collapsed in tears. On the night that Sam Cooke was murdered, he stopped by Lou Rawlss house to visit, and Lous newborn baby would not stop crying. Some have speculated Sam was set up and robbed by Boyer and Franklin. She was not charged, and they divorced in 1970. After the Sam Cookes widow incident simmered down, Womack began a solo career and became an in-demand songwriter. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Boyer was proven to be a murderer. He crossed over in the days when very few Black artists had the opportunity. According to witnesses, Cookes attorney barely had a chance to question her or anyone else as the trial was very brief and one-sided. The entertainment industry is like a Vegas Casino. In her later years Ms. Cooke lived in relative obscurity, and when she died in April at 85, no public announcement was made, at her and her familys wish. The music industry, then as now, is set up in a way where NOBODY becomes world famous unless they play ball with the powers that be. At 6 a.m., Sam's widow Barbara greeted the news with hysterics, trying to shield their two young children from reporters and fans who were gathering at their house. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. I just need you to walk with me here."Mr. Unsurprisingly perhaps, few of those involved remained on speaking terms. The Netflix movie tells a great story but leaves a LOT of information out too. In December 1964, when she was 11 years old, her father was killed. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Cooke's first marriage was to singer and dancer Dolores Elizabeth Milligan cook who was killed in a car accident in Fresno, California, in 1959. Do I think Mr. Womack was outright wrong for marrying Sam Cookes wife? She stated Sam got on the freeway against her repeated requests to take her home and was driving towards the hood to go to the sleazy motel HaciendaHeights, notorious for one-night stands and one-hour rentals. There is speculation in the movie that his manager Allen Klien was long suspected of being behind the set-up as he benefited TREMENDOUSLY from Cookes catalog after his untimely death at the age of 33 leaving a mere $50,000 to Cookes wife and getting allegedly getting millions of the catalogs true value for himself. Sam Cooke died tragically on December 11, 1964, at 33. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. Her daughter was in the group Womack and Womack and ended up marrying the late Cecil Womack who was the younger brother of Bobby. Soul singer Sam Cooke was acclaimed as " a bravura vocal stylist who blazed the path for a generation of singers from Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett to Aretha Franklin and AI Green, " by Jim Miller in Newsweek.A prominent feature on the music scene from the early 1950s, when he sang with the . Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? its a shame he died the way he did and no one was ever charged for murder. does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. news.AmoMama.com speaks out against the above mentioned and news.AmoMama.com advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. She is survived by her two daughters, her twin sister Beverley, and a granddaughter. The couple settled down in Los Angeles in a vine-covered Cape in the Hollywood area. The son of Reverend Charles Cook, Sr., a Baptist minister and Annie May Cook, Sam Cook was born on January 22, 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi and raised . Womack, who had recently achieved fame when the Rolling Stones covered his 1964 song Its All Over Now, their first No1, suddenly found himself a pariah. At her urging, they married in early 1965.In his own memoir, "Bobby Womack: My Story" (2006), Mr. Womack likened Ms. Cooke's proposal to a scene out of "The Graduate," the 1967 film in which a dazed and disillusioned young man is seduced by a friend of his parents. The official version of his death says nothing of Cooke beating either Boyer or Franklin much less with such force as to break his own hands and fingers. Thats Mrs. Cooke, thats Sams wife., He told her Mom I am getting married anyway.. Experience in NYC (PICS), CASH MONEY RECORDS SIGNEE SAXKBOY KD DROPS COLLABORATIVE EP THE SHOW MUST GO ON WITH THAT MEXICAN OT, Urban One Inc. and Radio Ones Charlottes Inspiration Station Praise 100.9-FM Promote Melanie Pratt to Assistant Program Director, deem spencer Releases Sophomore Album adultSW!M, AUDACY ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF FRONT RANGE COUNTRY 103.1 IN DENVER, CHIIILD UNVEILS NEW ALBUM BETTER LUCK IN THE NEXT LIFE, BREAKOUT NIGERIAN PHENOMENON LOJAY UNLEASHES NEW GANGSTER ROMANTIC EP TODAY, DONNA SUMMERS SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY IS CELEBRATED WITH EXPANDED, DIGITAL-ONLY 40TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION. Peter Guralnick. In addition, Cooke owned his work and masters, which didnt sit well with some people, according to elders in the industry. When they were introduced at a concert, the crowds would openly boo them, too. The show delves into the circumstances and conspiracies surrounding his untimely death aged 33. Cooke was 18 and Barbara was 13 when they met on the South Side of Chicago. Barbara Cambell-Cooke . If there's one person who decided to move on quickly, though, it was his wife, Barbara. She was 29 at the time, while he was 19. His wife is Barbara Campbell (9 October 1959 - 11 December 1964) ( his death) ( 3 children), Dolores Mohawk (19 October 1953 - 15 November 1957) ( divorced) Sam Cooke Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Why do I say that? That caught many by surprise, because they're history goes way back. "But it upset many people to see Mr. Womack, sometimes in Mr. Cooke's clothes, squiring Mr. Cooke's widow about. In summation, Sam Cooke was killed. With her were two small children. Cooke was reportedly shot at the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles on December 11, 1964, by motel manager Bertha Franklin, who claims it was self-defense, as he tried to attack her. At the time, she welcomed Womack into her life to protect her. | Source: Getty Images Advertisement MOVING ON WITH HER LIFE Just a year later, Cooke was shot dead. 750 pp. READ MORE:Sam Cooke Estate Signs with ALG Brands. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When Barbara found them in bed, she shot Mr. Womack, the bullet grazing his temple. They really did.. Linda was married to Cecil Womack, the youngest of the five Womack brothers. Sam Cooke, said to be an astute businessman, wanted to create a vehicle for other black singers to get out of being pigeonholedon the Billboard R&B charts and chitlin circuits and to make money for the work they deserved. Family members linked to this person will appear here. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. On February 7, 1964, when he appeared on The Tonight Show, the producer asked him to sing one of his hit songs . Sam got no justice for These people killing him and stealing his money. Cookes family (he was the son of a preacher) never approved of Barbara. It is beyond evident there is a lot more to this story. The author quoted her reminiscing about falling in love with Mr. Cooke, and he with her, and about their wandering through Chicago's Ellis Park in the snow when they were teenagers. Mr. Cooke had graduated from high school when they met, but Barbara, a teenage mother, worked two jobs to support herself and her child. Who was Barbara Campbell Cooke? This is further proof that our favorite entertainers arent perfect; theyre simply humans who create perfect music, but not perfect humans by far, just like the rest us. His wife, Barbara, was the widow of the singer/producer Sam Cooke (murdered December 11, 1964). As many of us know, Bobby married his mentor, Sam Cookes,wife just a few months after Sam was killed in 1964. On August 10, 1935, in Chicago, Barbara Campbell and her twin sister Beverly were born. His death photo is actually a mob signature. Dont Miss A Story. Sam was intellectual, kind, jovial, and a musical genius. Ok, we goSam Cooke married a woman named Barbara Campbell, and after Sam Cooke passed away, Barbara then married Bobby Womack. In the end, Nicole was surprised by how so many celebrities took the initiative to join the event. At one point in their relationship, they even received a package containing a baby doll in a coffin. Linda went on to write Womacks 1972 hit Womans Gotta Have It, went on the road with him and began to make strides as a songwriter before marrying Womacks younger brother Cecil, with whom she formed the successful recording duo, Womack & Womack. He also began a sexual relationship with the Cookes' daughter, Linda, by then a teenager. Meanwhile, Barbara was born alongside her twin sister Beverly Campbell on August 10, 1935. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. A month later, police arrested Elisa Boyer for prostitution. . But Cooke was chronically unfaithful, fathering several illegitimate children. Barbara was his teenage sweetheart but only one of many girlfriends. Ms. Cooke is survived by Ms. Zekkariyas and another daughter, Tracey Cooke; her twin sister, Beverley Lopez; and a granddaughter. The marriage was in shambles, and there were reports of extramaritalactivity on both ends, but the story continued to take more strange turns. Barbara Campbell Cooke his second wife was surely aware of her husband's late night . I loved Sam Cooke. Al Schmitt reported that Sam was flashing about $1,000 at the bar the night before. He told Womack, shortly after the marriage, "Man, anybody else could have married Sam's wife, but you. Center: Barbara Campbell. Singer, songwriter. Barbara Campbell and her twin sister, Beverly, were born on Aug. 10, 1935, in Chicago. In the end, Womack would end up being entangled in a messy love triangle with Cooke and his then-wife Barbara. Sam Cookes 1964 Murder Case Needs Further Exploration. Did he know? Cooke blamed his wife Barbara but also felt guilty for not being there. She was 17 when she became pregnant by him, by which time Cooke, with his film-star good looks, was winning admiring female fans as lead singer of the gospel group the Soul Stirrers. Mr. Womack wrote of his new wife: 408 Show detail Preview View more Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore. Also, examining the casket photo, his hands are clearly broken with his fingers dislocated and bruises plainly visible. Sadly, I dont think Sam will ever receive justice. Sam Cooke/Spouse Fifteen years later, Mr. Cooke, by then a pop superstar, was dead, killed in a motel tryst gone awry. RCA and Abkco will later be involved in numerous disputes over the use of Sam's post-Sept. 1, 1963 recordings. We didnt have a dime between us, but youd have thought I was the princess and he was the prince. All those logical questions are just conspiracy related and he did it to himself. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Lack of blood at the crime scene. While even the new documentary on Netflix points to Sam having rejected the Mob, that is false. Used as songwriter pseudonym for Sam Cooke, Lou Adler, Herb Alpert and Bobby Womack . WasElisa Boyer one of Bertha Franklins whores. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Born with a twin sister on August 10 1935 in Chicago, Barbara Campbell was a 13-year-old high school pupil when she met and fell in love with the 18-year-old Cooke in Chicagos South Side. Joined Dec 30, 2017 Messages 11,300 He's coming to take us to our mansion. Even the pictures from those days tell a dark story of some of those people that Cooke or the people around him should have been wearier of. As for Allen Klein and JW Alexander having been complicit in Sams death. The couple settled down in Los Angeles in a vine-covered Cape in the Hollywood area. Mr. Cooke had graduated from high school when they met, but Barbara, a teenage mother, worked two jobs to support herself and her child.In 1986, when Mr. Cooke was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ms. Cooke stood by Mr. Cooke's father to accept the award on the singer's behalf. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. I still listen to all of his songs and I sometimes cry bc justice was never given for him. Linda now goes by the name Zeriiya Zekkariyas, a nod to her African heritage.Ms. Inscription. _taboola.push({ The 60s were a time of very strong racial prejudice and segregation. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Sams wife Barbara ended up selling the remainder of Sams work to Klien. The couple received hate mail, including a package containing a baby doll in a coffin. He died in 2014 at 70, but not before suffering other tragedies. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. The gospel industry didnt see the bigger picture Cooke had in mind as his friend Lou Rawls stated, Sam would have been the first Berry Gordy.. He not only knew but was the middle man between the powers that be and Sam. Barbara and Womack ended up having a son whom they named Vincent, named after her late son. Years later, Linda Cooke married Mr. Womacks brother Cecil, and the couple became a recording duo, Womack & Womack. . $27.95. Cooke developed his musical abilities as a gospel singer before crossing over and basically inventing . In his own memoir, Bobby Womack: My Story (2006), Mr. Womack likened Ms. Cookes proposal to a scene out of The Graduate, the 1967 film in which a dazed and disillusioned young man is seduced by a friend of his parents. Little, Brown. His family and friends have asked all the same questions that you have posted. Sources. Ms.Gripenast . In addition, Bobby had an affair with her daughter Linda Cooke (later Linda Womack) which caused Barbara to shoot Bobby. Sam Cooke, as much as people still dont want to believe or admit this, was a product of the industry and, as such, had to do certain things in order to reach the level of success and fame hed enjoyed. He added: "She and Sam were a pair. "No one speaks to no one," he said. Mr. Cooke, steely in his ambition and chronically unfaithful, went about his life while Ms. Cooke fended for herself. Finally, Bobby tragically lost several of his kids and ended up with a severe cocaine habit in the 80s. Type. She said she had welcomed the 19-year-old Mr. Womack into the house as a kind of protector. )The marriage was a hard bargain. Here at ILOSM we always give you Old School news with a new point of view and as truth diggers, were always on the hunt for just that. Right: Bobby Womack at Riverside Studios, September 18, 1984 | Source: Getty Images. along with his wife, Barbara and two others. The group's lead singer, Sam Cooke, became their mentor and helped them go on tour. Barbara divorced Bobby Womack after she found him in bed with her 18-year-old daughter Linda. He had another son, Truth, who died when he was an infant. Sam Cook (he added an at the end of his name later in life) was born on January 22, 1931, in Clarksdale Mississippi, to a large family steeped in the Christian tradition. I know not. Sam Cookes teenaged sweetheart Barbara Campbell Cooke has died. Some of those who took part in the ceremony included Jennifer Hudson, Regina King, Rod Stewart, and Leslie Jordan. Please reset your password. As of 2023, his estimated net worth is $100 million. (The elder Mr. Cook had not initially been thrilled with his sons transition from gospel to secular music.). Cooke's music remains a symbol of hope for several generations, especially his song "A Change Is Gonna Come" which was an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement in the sixties. Even women close to the situation on Sams behalf stated thats not how situations like this go. In 1958, perhaps to return to some degree of stability after all this philandering, Cooke settled down and finally married his original high school sweetheartBarbara Campbell, the mother of his first child. She was embroiled in a controversy when she married Sams protege Bobby Womack very shortly after Sams death. In 2014, Womack died at the age of 70. Wouldnt even a drunk person wrap themselves in a sheet instead of walking to the office naked? https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/230812194/barbara-cooke. He was a voracious reader, of everything from James Baldwin to William L. Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich." Budapest Travel Vlog (Avelovinit & Solhaugen 2022), Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Latest News and Video Coverage, Over Ukraine, Lumbering Turkish-Made Drones Are an Ominous Sign for Russia, Congress Clears $1.5 Trillion Spending Bill, Including Ukraine Aid, Defense Lawyer Asks to Quit 9/11 Case, Amid Murky Investigation, Flu Vaccine Was Not Very Effective This Season, the C.D.C. He was only 18 months old. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. A third child, Terry, 4, drowned in the swimming pool at their home . Barbara and Sam had married and divorced other people before marrying each other in Chicago in 1959, with Mr. Cookes disapproving father, the Rev. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. I read he didnt pay for the $14,000 giant poster of himself when he did Live at the Copa and he was supposed to (the copacabana was mafia owned). (Ms. Cooke was not charged, according to Mr. Womack's book.) Wed walk around the park and fantasize, she told Mr. Guralnick. The movie tells the story of how Cooke brought Klien on as his manager AND business partner for his label which signed such acts as The Valentinos. No one speaks to no one., There was at least some degree of family reconciliation in 1986 when Sam Cooke was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Barbara and his father stood side by side to collect the award on his behalf. As a teenage mother Barbara did two jobs to support herself and her child as her on-off relationship with the star continued. Cooke and his wife were living separate lives because of the death of their youngest son, who drowned in the family pool. I believed the official account of Sams death until I saw the wake photos. Try again later. Remembering Avicii by Stepping Into His Bewildering World, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, 77, Dies; Expanded Classical Guitars Reach, Geffen Halls $550 Million Makeover Is Fully Funded. Linda doesnt speak to her. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. Her father, Sam Cooke, was a legendary soul singer and her mother was Barbara Campbell Cooke. Failed to report flower. He admitted to Dick Clark when posed with the question, Why did you leave Gospel? responding, For financial reasons, Cooke also had greater plans and wanted to be a music industry executive. He founded his own record label in the early 1960s and helped launch the careers of Billy Preston, Bobby Womack, and others. Cooke would be 86 if he was still alive today. By this time Cooke was a soul superstar, and Barbara attempted to live up to his intellectual and social aspirations by reading James Baldwin and joining a group of philanthropic African American women known as the Regalettes. No word on what happened to Bertha Franklin except that she moved because of numerous death threats. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. Their story started out as if lifted from one of his love songs. The pair were. Barbara Campbell Cooke, 85, Widow of the Slain Sam Cooke, Is Dead They were teenage sweethearts, but their marriage turned tragic, and when she married the 284 Show detail Preview View more To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. That caused a myriad of problems for Bobby Womack back then. Learn more about managing a memorial . He was beaten to death and Bertha the pimp shot him after he was already beaten to death.