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Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on October 10, 2010

Soul legend Solomon Burke, seen here at the 2003 Grammy awards, died earlier today in an Amsterdam airport at age 70

Soul legend Solomon Burke — whose hits included “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and “Cry to Me” — died early today at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport while on his way to perform at a concert. Burke was 70 years old.

Rest in peace.

From World Music Central, American Soul Legend Solomon Burke Dies in the Netherlands at 70:

The legendary soul, gospel, country and crossover singer Solomon Burke died October 10th of 2010 at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. He was 70 years old.

An American soul and country music pioneer, Solomon Burke is regarded by many aficionados as one of the best soul singers of all time. He was born on March 21, 1940, in Philadelphia. By the age of seven he was known as the “Wonder Boy Preacher.”

In 1961, Burke had a hit with a cover of the country standard “Just Out Of Reach Of My Two Empty Arms” that became popular on the R&B and pop charts. Over the next seven years, Burke released 32 singles on Atlantic, many of which hit both the R&B and pop charts, including six Top Ten R&B hits, four of which crossed over to the Top 40 — “Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms),” “Cry To Me,” “Got To Get You Off Of My Mind,” “You’re Good For Me,” (penned by Don Covay), “Tonight’s The Night” and “If You Need Me” (written by Wilson Pickett).

From AOL News, Soul Pioneer Solomon Burke Dies at Airport:

AMSTERDAM (Oct. 10) – Soul singer Solomon Burke has died at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. He was 70.

Airport police spokesman Robert van Kapel confirmed the death of the singer Sunday, and referred further questions to the performer’s management.

Burke, who wrote the hit “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” among many others, was both a Grammy winner and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He had been due to perform at a well-known club in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

Solomon Burke – “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”

From FOX Q13 Seattle, ‘King of Rock and Soul’ Solomon Burke dies at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport at age 70:

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Solomon Burke, the larger-than-life “King of Rock and Soul,” whose songs blended soul, gospel, country and R&B, died early Sunday at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport at age 70.

Born to the sound of music in an upstairs room of a Philadelphia church, Burke was acknowledged as one of the greatest soul singers of the 1960s, but his popularity never matched that of contemporaries like James Brown or Marvin Gaye.

Even so, legendary Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler once called Burke, “the best soul singer of all time.”

Burke, a giant man with a powerful soulful voice to match, joined Atlantic in 1960 and went on to record a string of hits in a decade with the label.

Two of his best-known songs were boosted by featuring on the soundtracks of popular movies.

He wrote “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” in 1964 and it was later featured in the Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi movie “The Blues Brothers.” The Rolling Stones and Wilson Pickett also recorded it.

His song “Cry To Me” featured in the background as a bare-chested Patrick Swayze danced seductively with Jennifer Grey in one of the most memorable scenes from the movie “Dirty Dancing.”

From KAIT 8, Solomon Burke dies at Amsterdam airport at 70:

AMSTERDAM (AP) – Soul singer Solomon Burke, who wrote “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” and recorded the hit “Cry To Me” used in the movie “Dirty Dancing,” has died at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. He was 70.

Airport police spokesman Robert van Kapel confirmed the death of the “King of Rock and Soul” on Sunday, and referred further questions to his management.

Dutch national broadcaster NOS said Burke died on a plane early Sunday after arriving on a flight from Los Angles. The cause of death was not immediately clear.

Burke, who was both a Grammy winner and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had been due to perform at a well-known club in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

A Philadelphia native highly acclaimed by music critics, fellow musicians, and many loyal fans, Burke never reached the same level of fame as soul performers like James Brown or Marvin Gaye.

He wrote “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” in 1964 and it was quickly recorded by the Rolling Stones and Wilson Pickett, and later and perhaps most famously by the Blues Brothers.

Legendary Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler once called Burke, “the best soul singer of all time.”

Burke joined Atlantic in 1960 and went on to record a string of hits in a decade with the label.

From AOL Music, Solomon Burke Biography:

While Solomon Burke never made a major impact upon the pop audience — he never, in fact, had a Top 20 hit — he was an important early soul pioneer. On his ’60s singles for Atlantic, he brought a country influence into R&B, with emotional phrasing and intricately constructed, melodic ballads and midtempo songs. At the same time, he was surrounded with sophisticated “uptown” arrangements and was provided with much of his material by his producers, particularly Bert Berns. The combination of gospel, pop, country, and production polish was basic to the recipe of early soul. While Burke wasn’t the only one pursuing this path, not many others did so as successfully. And he, like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, was an important influence upon the Rolling Stones, who covered Burke’s “Cry to Me” and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” on their early albums.

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