Solomon Burke (March 21, 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American recording artist and vocalist, who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s and a "key transitional figure in the development of soul music from rhythm and blues. He had a string of hits including "Cry to Me", "If You Need Me", "Got to Get You Off My Mind", "Down in the Valley" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love". Burke was referred to as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", "Bishop of Soul" and the "Muhammad Ali of soul". Due to his minimal chart success in comparison to other soul music greats such as James Brown, Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, Burke has been described as the genre's "most unfairly overlooked singer" of its golden age. Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler referred to Burke as "the greatest male soul singer of all time".Burke's most famous recordings, which spanned five years in the early 1960s, bridged the gap between mainstream R&B and grittier R&B. Burke was "a singer whose smooth, powerful articulation and mingling of sacred and profane themes helped define soul music in the early 1960s." He drew from his roots – gospel, jazz, country and blues – as well as developing his own style at a time when R&B, and rock were both still in their infancy. Described as both "Rabelaisian" and also as a "spiritual enigma," "perhaps more than any other artist, the ample figure of Solomon Burke symbolized the ways that spirituality and commerce, ecstasy and entertainment, sex and salvation, individualism and brotherhood, could blend in the world of 1960s soul music."During the 55 years that he performed professionally, Burke released 38 studio albums on at least 17 record labels and had 35 singles that charted in the US, including 26 singles that made the Billboard R&B charts. In 2001, Burke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a performer. His album Don't Give Up on Me won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003. By 2005 Burke was credited with selling 17 million albums. Rolling Stone ranked Burke as no. 89 on its 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."
March 21, 1940, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died
October 10, 2010, Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands
Place Of Birth
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Height
6' 1" (1.85 m)
Profession
Soundtrack, Actor, Composer
Nationality
American
Spouse
Frances Sunday, Doris P. Williams, Cry to Me, If You Need Me, Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Children
David Burke, Melvia Burke
Parents
Josephine Moore
Siblings
Elec Edward Burke, Vladimir H. Burke, Mario Burke, Jolester R. M. Burke, Laurena Burke-Corbin, Daniel S. Burke, Cry to Me, If You Need Me, Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Awards
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album, Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award, Cry to Me, If You Need Me, Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Movies
The Big Easy, Time of Fear, The Little Death, Solomon Burke: Everybody Needs Somebody, A Stack of Soul, Solomon Burke: The King Live at Avo Session Basel
Star Sign
Aries
#
Fact
1
Died on a plane at Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam) after arriving from Los Angeles to perform on 12 October.
2
Passed away while waiting to catch a flight at Schipol Airport in the Netherlands.
$17 Million
