He sings his version of Sam Cooke's song "A Change is Gonna Come."

VOA: special.2009.03.27

Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale,Mississippi, in nineteen thirty-one.

VOA: special.2011.02.20

Rod revisits the golden age of soul with a blues-rock rendition of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World,"

VOA: standard.2009.11.25

When Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin began singing popular music, they brought melisma to more mainstream audiences.

NPR: How 'American Idol' Uses (and Abuses) Melisma

They toured with soul star Sam Cooke, who took them under his wing.

BBC: Cecil Womack: Soul star dies aged 65

Well, you know, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Sam Cooke fan and listened to him a lot coming up, and he was an early influence.

NPR: James Taylor Gets Ready for Summer Tour