This day in music history.

December 11, 1964, Sam Cooke is shot to death at the age of 33. Cooke had checked into the Hacienda Motel in L.A., along with a women (Lisa Boyer), the manager of the motel (Bertha Franklin) made him sign in as Mr. and Mrs. Cooke. 20 minutes after checking in the manager had a knock on her door, it was Sam dressed only in his coat and one shoe. He demanded that she let him in because he said he knew the girl was in there. The women did not open the door and Sam busted in. She says he attacked her and she shot him 3 times with a 22 hand gun. Lisa Boyer tells police she was kidnapped by Sam and that he was trying to rape her when she ran out. It is later revealed that Lisa Boyer is a prostitute. As far as Sams family and friends are concerned the truth of what happened that night was never fully revealed.
At the Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Los Angeles, In an emotion packed atmosphere, super charged by the singing of Lou Rawls, Bobby Blue Bland and Arthur Lee Simpkins, women fainted, tears ran down men's cheeks and onlookers shouted. Gospel singer Bessy Griffin, who was to appear on the funeral program, became so grief stricken she had to be carried off. Ray Charles stepped in from the audience to sing and play 'Angels Keep Watching Over Me'.
Some posthumous releases followed, many of which became hits, including "A Change Is Gonna Come" an early protest song which some regard as his greatest composition.
A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come,
oh yes it will
It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come,
oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me Back down on my knees
Ohhhhhhhhh.....
There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come,
oh yes it will