Calvin Cooke began playing the pedal steel guitar in Cleveland at the age of 11, and by the time he was 14 had introduced a new style of playing in a church that had a long tradition of steel guitar. The Bishop was so impressed he took Calvin on the road with him to preach the Gospel, eventually landing in Detroit to launch the House of God, which spread around the country.

From the very beginning, Cooke was the official musical voice of the church, and today is considered the most influential master of the pedal steel guitar in the Sacred Steel tradition. Like his distant cousin Sam Cooke, his protégé Robert Randolph took what he learned in gospel music and crossed over to popular music, introducing a style of pedal steel to a much wider audience and paving the way for the Lee Boys to follow suit, another family band born in the House of God who included the song “Tribute to Calvin Cooke” on their first album.

Though Cooke has been performing almost daily for over 50 years, he never recorded a major-label album until now. “Heaven,” out now on Dare Records, is produced by his former student Robert Randolph, and features long-time band mates as well as family performing with him, and Randolph contributing guitar, drums and pedal steel.

The album is an amazing collection of gospel, blues, funk, rock and some of the most amazing pedal steel mastery you'll ever hear. Unlike most Sacred Steel masters, Cooke sings even while playing, and with a soulful gospel voice that has the power to melt one's heart.

“Heaven” is obviously a real work coming from deep in his soul, as Cooke bares it all in song after song. Opening the album with the blazing “Christian Stand,” he continues with the very bluesy “Help Me Make It Through” before the achingly touching title cut. The track listing practically reads like a life story, finding solace in “Music,” going on the road with the “Motor City Preacher Man,” and closing the album with the urgent “Look at the People.”

Calvin Cooke should be a name recognized by every music lover. “Heaven” is good enough to make that happen.

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