Senior Roy Crain

Gospel singer born June 7, 1911 in Augustine, Texas, and died September 13, 1996 in Vallejo, Solano County, California (aged 85). Known as “S.R.” or “Senior” and inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Gospel Hall of Fame. Founder and manager of the Soul Stirrers gospel quartet. He sang as a teenager with a group that called itself the Soul Stirrers. When he moved to Houston in 1932 and joined a quartet, took the name with him and founded the professional group. He brought Sam Cooke into the Soul Stirrers, and later served as Cooke’s road manager, business partner and advisor when Cooke became a rock ‘n’ roll star. Coauthored a best-selling book about Cooke’s turbulent career, titled “You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke.” The book won the Ralph J. Gleason Award as best music book of 1995. After Cooke’s death in 1964, Crain continued to write gospel music and perform at special events.

He was married to Myrtis and had a son, Steven, two daughters, Loretta Vaugn and Delores Smith and 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

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