Samuel Cooke, the influential American soul singer and songwriter known as the "King of Soul," passed away on December 11, 1964, at the age of 33, in Los Angeles, California. He was fatally shot at the Hacienda Motel, an incident ruled a justifiable homicide by a coroner's jury. His death sparked controversy, with family and friends questioning the official account. Cooke's impactful career spanned eight years, during which he released numerous chart-topping hits and made significant contributions to the soul genre and the Civil Rights Movement. Two funeral services were held: one on December 18, 1964, at A. R. Leak Funeral Home in Chicago, and another on December 19, 1964, at the Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Los Angeles.