Solomon Burke

Solomon Burke is a soul singer and R&B artist from Philadelphia, United States, born in 1940 and died in 2010. He is associated with soul, ballad and rhythm and blues, and is also linked with the Soul Clan. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is widely regarded as a major figure in American music.

Early life and religious broadcasting

Burke begins adult life as a young preacher in Philadelphia, where he also presents a gospel radio show. That background shapes his later move from sacred music into secular styles.

1960s recordings and Atlantic Records

In the 1960s he signs to Atlantic Records and builds a run of R&B chart hits. His first hit is Just Out Of Reach Of My Open Arms, a cover version of a country song. Although he records several major R&B successes and some moderate pop hits, he does not reach the Top 20 of the pop chart.

Burke’s singing combines a polished studio sound with emotive delivery, along with elements of country and pop. These qualities make him influential among other singers, even when his commercial profile is smaller than that of contemporaries such as Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.

Key songs and later recognition

In 1964 he writes and records Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, which becomes his best-known attempt at a lasting soul standard. The song is covered by the Rolling Stones in the same year, and later appears in versions by Wilson Pickett and in the film The Blues Brothers.

His biggest hit is a 1969 cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary. In 2002 his career receives a renewed lift with Don’t Give Up On Me, an album produced by Joe Henry and built around songs written for him by Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and Joe Henry. He also appears in the 2004 film Lightning in a Bottle, performing Turn on Your Love Light and Down in the Valley.

Legacy

Burke’s influence extends beyond his chart performance. He is described as a soul music pioneer, and his work continues to attract covers and tributes. Mick Jagger performs a tribute to him at the 2011 Grammy Awards, and a version of Everybody Needs Somebody To Love later gains wide exposure through an Amazon Christmas commercial.

At the time of his death, Burke has 14 daughters and 7 sons, along with 64 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Several of his children and grandchildren work in music.