Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964

Compilation album by Sam Cooke

Released

June 17, 2003

Recorded

March 1, 1951–November 16, 1964
Various recording locations

Genre

Length

79:08

Label

ABKCO

Producer

Sam Cooke chronology

Keep Movin' On
(2002)

Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964
(2003)

The RCA Albums Collection
(2011)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
BBC Online	Favorable

Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released on June 17, 2003 by ABKCO Records. The disc covers Cooke's entire career, from his early 1950s beginnings with the Soul Stirrers to the posthumous 1964 single "Shake". The collection includes most of the singer's hit singles, including "You Send Me", "Wonderful World", "Chain Gang", "Cupid", "Twistin' the Night Away", "Bring It on Home to Me", "Another Saturday Night", "Little Red Rooster", "Ain't That Good News", "Good Times", and what is often regarded as the singer's magnum opus, "A Change Is Gonna Come".

The compilation is generally considered the most complete and comprehensive collection of Cooke's work. It has been included on various "best-of" lists by music publications, including Rolling Stone and Time.

Biographer Peter Guralnick, author of Cooke's biography Dream Boogie and the liner notes for the disc, writes: "For an overview of Sam's career, from his gospel beginnings through "A Change Is Gonna Come," nothing can compare to Portrait of a Legend which serves as a guide to Sam at his very best." The BBC's Alwyn Turner writes, "With perfect sound quality, and with sleeve-notes by Peter Guralnick, this is the best single-volume introduction to his work available." Bruce Eder of Allmusic considered it an improvement on the 1986 compilation The Man and His Music in terms of running time and audio quality; he did, however, lament the lack of inclusion of "'That's Heaven to Me' and 'Soothe Me', arguably one of Cooke's most important songs."

...
Wikipedia