Barbara Campbell: What Happened To Sam Cooke’s Wife?

Who Is Sam Cooke’s Wife, Barbara?

Barbara Campbell was the wife of Sam Cooke. Barbara’s husband Sam Cooke was an American singer and songwriter. He was a popular and beloved performer in both Black and white communities. He was a prolific songwriter and wrote most of the songs he recorded. Barbara was also the ex-wife of American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, Bobby Womack.

Barbara Campbell: Bio Summary

Barbara Campbell was born on 10 August 1935, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA. She was a twin. Her twin sister is called Beverly. She attended Doolittle Elementary School. She became pregnant when she was a teenager and did two jobs to support herself and her child because she and the father of her child Sam Cooke had an on-off relationship.

Barbara Campbell and Sam Cooke were teenagers when they met on the South Side of Chicago. Barbara was 13 and Sam was 18. They had married and divorced other people before marrying each other. They got married in Chicago. Sam’s father Rev. Charles Cook, a minister in the Church of Christ (Holiness), performed the wedding ceremony.

Barbara Campbell and Sam Cooke settled in Los Angeles in a vine-covered Cape in the Hollywood area. They expanded their family by giving birth to three children, Linda Womack (b. 1953), Tracey Cooke (b. 1960), and Vincent Cooke (1961–1963). Vincent who was 18 months old, died by drowning in the family swimming pool.

By the time Sam Cooke became a star, Barbara attempted to live up to his intellectual and social aspirations. According to sources, she read James Baldwin and joined a group of philanthropic African American women known as the Regalettes. Barbara and Sam were married until Sam was killed. Sam died at age 33 after he was shot by Bertha Franklin, the manager of a motel in Los Angeles. Bertha claimed she shot Sam in self-defense.

Also Read: Tracey Cooke: Where Is Sam Cooke’s Daughter Now?

Barbara Campbell Married Her Late Husband’s Friend

After Sam Cooke passed away, Barbara Campbell went on to marry Sam’s friend singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, Robert Dwayne Womack known as Bobby Womack. Barbara married Bobby less than three months after Sam died. It was a surprise to a lot of people. Bobby even wore one of Sam’s suits to the courthouse when he attempted to marry Barbara at the Los Angeles county courthouse. Bobby Womack said:

“My brothers were reluctant to be around me. They knew the threats that were out there against me for marrying Barbara (Sam Cooke’s widow). They didn’t know what to do, but without them, I was totally alone, all by myself, and, because my father and mother had been against the marriage to Barbara, there was no family in my corner.”

At that time, Bobby Womack was 20 years old and Barbara Campbell was 10 years his senior. Initially, Bobby and Barbara were unable to get married because of Bobby’s age, (under 21) and also because he did not have his parent’s permission to get married. However, they got married on March 5, 1965, the day after Bobby’s 21st birthday. They gave birth to a son.

Barbara and Bobby’s son, Vincent Dwayne Womack was born in 1966. Vincent committed suicide at the age of 21 by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. In 1970, Barbara and Bobby separated. The reason was that Bobby was cheating on Barbara. Barbara got to know that Bobby had a sexual relationship with her 17-year-old daughter Linda Womack.

Linda is the daughter of Barbara and her late husband Sam Cooke. After Barbara reportedly found them in bed, she shot Bobby Womack and the bullet grazed his head. Barbara was not charged for her actions, per sources. Barbara and Bobby got separated and their divorce was finalized in 1971. Linda is said to have never spoken to her mother again after the incident.

Years later, Linda married Bobby’s brother Cecil Womack (September 25, 1947 – January 25, 2013). Linda Womack, now known as Zeriiya Zekkariyas, and her husband Cecil Womack, also known as Zekkariyas would form ‘Womack & Womack‘. Linda is a singer and songwriter while Cecil was a singer, songwriter, and record producer.

Also Read: Vincent Cooke: How Did The Son Of Sam Cooke Die?

What Happened To Sam Cooke’s Wife?

Sam Cooke’s wife, Barbara Campbell died on 22 April 2021, at age 85, in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, USA. No public announcement was made when she died, at her and her family’s wish. Her family members refused to talk about her life and death, citing her wish for privacy. The cause of her death is unknown.