There are voices that belong to history, and then there are the rare artists who can walk into that history and make it breathe again. Bradd Marquis is one of those artists. On April 25, 2026, he brings The Music of Sam Cooke to Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs for an evening that promises to be as much spiritual experience as concert.
Sam Cooke’s catalog is sacred ground. From the gospel fire of his Soul Stirrers years to the silken pop mastery of “You Send Me” and the prophetic weight of “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Cooke didn’t just sing — he shifted the axis of American music.
Marquis brings all of that and then some. A seasoned touring performer with deep roots in R&B and soul, he’s built a reputation for inhabiting the Cooke songbook with authenticity and fire. This isn’t karaoke in a suit. It’s a full-bodied celebration of one of the greatest voices ever recorded.
Universal Preservation Hall, with its stunning restored architecture and warm acoustics, is the perfect setting for music this intimate and powerful.
Whether you grew up on Sam Cooke’s records or you’re discovering his genius for the first time, this is a night that will move you. Bradd Marquis doesn’t just perform these songs. He carries them.
Get tickets for The Music of Sam Cooke at Universal Preservation Hall.