Peter Guralnick

Some 46 years after his first pop hit, and 39 years after his death, comes only the second attempt at a comprehensive Sam Cooke collection. Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 eclipses RCA's early-'80s The Man and His Music, going it better in running time but losing some important recordings "That's Heaven to Me" and "Soothe Me," arguably one of Cooke's most important songs in the process of summing up his career. From 1951's Soul Stirrers' gospel classic "Touch the Hem of His Garment" through to 1964's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "Shake," we get highlights of Cooke's career presented in state-of-the-art digital audio; superior in every way possible to the audio quality of The Man and His Music.

This compilation pays tribute to the soul music of Boston that was originally captured on tape by legendary Boston record store owner, turned label owner and curator, Skippy White. This release is a labor of love for all involved in compiling it, especially Eli Paperboy Reed. In addition to being a songwriter and performer, Eli is an avid record collector, especially of obscure R&B, soul and gospel 45s from the early 1960s. Many of the recordings on this compilation are from Eli's private collection of 45s and acetates.