Bio of solomon burke
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Solomon Burke was a minister and renowned singer of Rhythm & Blues and Soul music with a career stretching from the 1950s to his death in 2010. Although never reaching chart-topping fame, Burke is heralded as one of one of the best soul singers of all time.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 21, 1940, Burke was quickly wrapped in a world of faith that gave him inspiration for his musical career. By age 7 in 1947, he had given his first sermon, by 12 in 1952 he was a minister who was called the “Wonder Boy Preacher,” and by 21 in 1961, he was an ordained bishop of his Philadelphia church, the nonsectarian House of Prayer for All People.
His music career began at age 14 in 1954 after he was scouted out by a DJ in Philadelphia who brought him to a recording studio in New York where he quickly produced his first hit, “Christmas Presents from Heaven” in 1955.
The path was not always smooth for Solomon Burke. In 1957 the 17-year-old was dropped by his first manager, Kae Willia
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Solomon Burke
American preacher and singer (1940–2010)
Musical artist
Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been called "a key transitional figure bridging R&B and soul",[3] and was known for his "prodigious output".[4]
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 honorifically as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", "Bishop of Soul", and the "Muhammad Ali of Soul".[7][8][1] 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
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Solomon Burke
Home » Jazz Musicians » Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an important early soul pioneer. On his '60s singles for Atlantic, he brought a country influence into R&B, with emotional phrasing and intricately constructed, melodic ballads and mid tempo songs. At the same time, he was surrounded with sophisticated "uptown" arrangements and was provided with much of his material bygd his producers. The combination of gospel, pop, country, and production polish was basic to the recipe of early soul. While Burke wasn't the only one pursuing this path, not many others did so as successfully. And he was an important influence upon the Rolling Stones, who covered Burke's "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" on their early albums. Burke came bygd his gospel roots even more deeply than most soul stars. He was preaching at his family's Philadelphia church and hosting his own gospel radio show