Sam Cooke, Tribute To The Lady (1959)
Oh man, what a voice – Sam Cooke. Here he is, as the title tells you, paying tribute to Lady Day (aka Billie Holiday). The 12 songs here were all staples for Holiday, this was Cooke’s third album. He was still establishing himself as a great singer across gospel-influenced pop, soul and jazz. He’d had hits, but there were plenty more to come on the records after this. Only 29 or so at the time he performed these versions of Songbook classics. And dead before he turned 34. Fucking hell. He’s pretty wonderful still – whenever you hear him, whenever you discover him. This LP (reissued) comes with not a free download code but the full album on CD (old school!) I’ll post the CD to the first NZ-based reader who leaves a comment on this page asking politely for it (er the CD, that is).

Sample Track: God Bless The Child

The Vinyl Countdown is a document of every LP I listen to, brand new discoveries and old-old favourites; extremely pre-loved, previously abandoned or with the shrink-wrap having just been removed it’s all here at The Vinyl Countdown