RIP Solomon Burke

The legendary soul singer (and mortician) passed away on Sunday, at Schiphol Airport in in Amsterdam, aged 70.

From the New York Times obituary...

"... Drawing on gospel, country and gritty rhythm and blues in songs like “Cry to Me” (1962), “You Can Make It if You Try” (1963) and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” (1964), Mr. Burke developed a vocal style that was nuanced yet forceful. Steeped in church traditions from a young age, he could make a sermon out of any situation, as in “The Price” from 1964, a catalog of the wages of a bad romance. (“You cost me my mother/The love of my father/Sister/My brother too.”)

In a genre known for outsize personalities and flamboyant showmanship, Mr. Burke stood out for his sheer boldness and eccentricity. A radio D.J. crowned him the King of Rock and Soul in 1964, and Mr. Burke took the coronation to heart. For the rest of his career, he often performed in full royal habit — crown, scepter and robe — and sat on a golden throne onstage. Wide-shaped in his youth, he grew into Henry VIII-like corpulence, and in his later years had to be wheeled to his throne.

An ordained minister, licensed mortician, resourceful entrepreneur and champion raconteur, Mr. Burke inspired almost as much amazement with his offstage persona as he did with his music. A biography on his website says that he had 21 children, 90 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. “I got lost on one of the Bible verses that said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply,’ ” he once said. “I didn’t read no further.”

His career revival began in the 1980s, helped by Hollywood: “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” was featured in “The Blues Brothers” in 1980, and in 1987 “Cry to Me” had a prominent role in “Dirty Dancing.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and in 2002 he released “Don’t Give Up on Me” (Fat Possum/Anti-), with songs by Brian Wilson, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and others written for Mr. Burke.

He never stopped touring or making records. His most recent album, “Nothing’s Impossible” — his first and last collaboration with the celebrated producer Willie Mitchell, who died in January — was released on the E1 label in April. On Sunday he had flown to Amsterdam to perform a sold-out concert there with a Dutch band, De Dijk."