The Last Mile Of The Way

Recorded on August 17, 1955 during Sam Cooke’s Specialty gospel sessions with the Soul Stirrers. The posthumous 1970 single paired the track with “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone.” The track captured Cooke’s gospel work at its most polished and devotional, and Specialty issued it as part of the label’s posthumous revival of his gospel catalog in 1970. It reinforced his standing as one of the defining voices of mid-1950s gospel. The song remains one of the best-known Sam Cooke gospel performances and is regularly included on retrospective collections of his Specialty years. It has endured as a touchstone for his pre-pop artistry and for the emotional reach of his gospel singing.