‘Legend’ a complete look at Sam Cooke

The soul-stirring music of Sam Cooke still echoes on radio and often in film, but beginning this week the handlers of his legacy will turn up the volume on Cooke’s role as civil rights activist, prolific songwriter and savvy businessman.

“Sam Cooke: Legend,” a documentary that arrives in stores Tuesday on DVD and VHS, tracks the life of the influential soul singer from his days as a gospel artist in the 1950s to his violent death in 1964.

The documentary was written by Peter Guralnick, an author noted for his biographies of music figures, most notably his acclaimed two-volume tome on Elvis Presley (“Last Train to Memphis” and “Careless Love”). Guralnick is also working on a biography of Cooke, whose elegant style and gospel roots shaped a sound that would influence Al Green, Otis Redding and a generation of soul singers.

In new interviews with Lou Rawls, Bobby Womack and others, along with vintage appearances by people such as Aretha Franklin and Cooke’s close friend Muhammad Ali, the film pieces together a portrait of Cooke as activist, lyricist and entrepreneur. Cooke was among the first modern African American pop artists to position himself as a business success, founding his own label and publishing company.

Those facets of Cooke’s career have been overshadowed by his hits (“You Send Me,” “Twistin’ the Night Away,” “Wonderful World”), which became a template for soul music. Cooke’s shooting death during a sordid conflict in an L.A. motel has also detracted from his legacy.

“He is one of the great American voices, a great songwriter,” says Allen Klein, whose company, Abkco, is behind the project. Klein is a well-known figure in rock history with stints as manager for Cooke, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. “Sam was the first artist I ever met,” he adds. “He was very special.”

The film ties in to a series of CDs to be released the same day, the Sam Cooke Remastered Collection, five albums including the live classic “Sam Cooke at the Copa.”