Gary Pinto sings and magic happens. One of Australia’s finest vocalists, Gary is best known for his work with CDB (‘Hook Me Up’, ‘Hey Girl’, ‘Let’s Groove’) and for the time he has spent onstage and in the studio with artists such as Guy Sebastian, Jimmy Barnes, Christine Anu and Taylor Dayne.

With a career full of highlights, Gary returns to the spotlight with a brand-new album, SAM COOKE THE MUSIC. The album is Gary’s unique tribute to an American icon - the man known as the ‘King of Soul’ and a key figure in the American Civil Rights movement - who died in December 1964 at age 33.

Gary has had some big endorsements in his musical career but one from Sam Cooke’s own daughter Carla came after she saw Gary performing some of her father’s songs over the internet. Carla reached out to Gary and thanked him for keeping her father’s music and legacy alive - an honour that Gary will treasure from the family of his musical hero.

The album features new readings of such Sam Cooke classics as ‘Wonderful World’, ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, ‘Cupid’, ‘You Send Me’ and ‘Bring It On Home To Me’ as well as duets with Jimmy Barnes and Guy Sebastian.

Sam Cooke’s music is part of Gary Pinto’s DNA. Chatting to him, it’s obvious why he decided to record SAM COOKE THE MUSIC.

“It was to showcase one of the greatest songwriters that ever lived,” he explains. “It really is that simple.”

Gary has been besotted by the music of Sam Cooke for as long as he can remember. 

“I grew up on Sam Cooke,” he tells us. “My parents are musicians from India. In our household, when I was a kid, we listened to The Beatles, Al Green, Stevie Wonder and Sam all the time. From birth we’d always be hearing these incredible records. Those iconic melodies appear so simple, but they are soaring and so well considered.

“Sam’s daughter got in touch with me recently and she was appreciative that we were playing Sam’s music … it’s the first time it has been played at the Opera House on that large a scale.”

Gary has long been respected as one of Australia’s greatest Soul and R&B Singers. At a prayer meeting at Smokey Robinson’s House, Gary received a standing ovation from Smokey and his guests, including Greg Philinganes who said that Gary reminded him of the great Donny Hathaway. The joy that he exudes whilst singing is infectious and has drawn comparisons to Sam Cooke’s approach to performing- the charismatic smile coupled with the soaring melodies. 

Sam Cooke the Music was produced by Justin Stanley who is best known for his work with Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Jet, Mark Ronson, and Noiseworks.  The album was recorded at Garth Porter’s famed Rancom St. Studios using vintage gear that was either in-house or freighted over from Los Angeles by Justin.

“Originally Sam Tesky was going to produce,” explains Gary of the process, “but Sam and his partner were about to have a child and it just happened that Justin was in the country - he’s one of the best producers in the world. I was so fortunate to have him.

“The musicians on board include Declan Kelly, Dave Tweedie, Rowan Lane, Shannon Stitt. We had strings from L.A. and horns from New York City … it came together beautifully.”

The album is packed to the brim with music Sam Cooke made timeless, alongside the aforementioned ‘Wonderful World’, ‘Bring It On Home’, ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, ‘You Send Me’, there’s ‘Unchained Melody’, ‘Another Saturday Night’, ‘Jesus Gave Me Water’ and much more. 

“When Justin was producing the record, he asked what my favourite songs were to do in the show,” continues Gary. “I said ‘Jesus Gave Me Water’, he said ‘No, not the popular ones … just tell me the ones you love’. So we recorded the ones that resonate the most with us as musicians.”

Asking Gary about his intentions for the record is fascinating. It’s a story bound up in good music, theology and liberation.

“When I’m singing on the album, I’m living for the moment - I’m not channeling Sam,” he explains. “Sam’s intention was always to be beautiful in his approach to everything. Sam’s ethos in life was liberation. He was brought up as a Christian singer. Liberation from sin … liberation from the things that bind you. His last song - which he only sang five times was ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ - it was intended to assist the liberation of the African/American people. That concept of ‘liberation’ ran throughout his life … the same as it does in mine.

“Sam started hanging out with people like Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X … they were pushing the liberation of the African/American people … Sam started voicing his own stance on life. He wanted to help his brothers who were struggling,

“I’m a Catholic, I long to use my music for liberation too. It was a real blessing to sing an artist’s music that was steeped in that sense of ‘liberation theology’.”

While Gary handles the lion’s share of vocals on the album. He did invite a couple of guests along, Jimmy Barnes and Guy Sebastian. The pair share a huge admiration for both Sam Cooke and Gary Pinto.

“I sat in Jimmy Barnes’ lounge room about fifteen years ago,” recalls Gary with a broad smile, “and Jimmy goes ‘You like Sam Cooke, right?’. He said, ‘Listen to this …’ and he played me the Soul Stirrers record. He loved Sam playing gospel music.

“Jimmy sings ‘Somebody Have Mercy’. It’s unbelievable, he wasn’t 100% that day, but he said ‘I’m doing it … I’m gonna do it for ya’. I love him so much.”

“‘All Of My Life’ was my wedding waltz. Guy Sebastian sang it that day, so I had to have Guy on the record as he’s like my family. Those songs were part of a thread that ran through my life.

“Guy sings ‘Bring It On Home’. He came in and we had a U47 microphone that Justin had set up. I’d been singing on it all day - then Guy opens his mouth and it’s like ‘Oh my gosh… amazing’.

“My personal favourite on the record is ‘Unchained Melody’, the strings and the horns sound like they’re straight off an Al Green record.”

Gary will be taking his Sam Cooke album around the country and beyond with a series of live dates.

“We’ll be going around Australia and hopefully overseas too … the band is so good man. They embody the music. We’re all steeped in the music. As such as its Sam’s music, we take the basis of it and tear into it as much as we can.”

Spend a minute in Gary Pinto’s company and you’ll see him glow with enthusiasm for his muse and his life.

“It was beautiful to be a part of this,” he tells me.

As a listener, it’s equally beautiful to sit back and listen to this astonishing collection of songs.