Singer Solomon Burke died early this morning of natural causes at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The 70-year-old self-proclaimed King of Rock & Soul had arrived to perform a sold-out show with Dutch band, De Dijk.

Among Burke’s best known songs are “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love,” “Got To Get You Off My Mind” (both of which he co-wrote), and “Cry To Me.” He was signed to Atlantic Records the 1960s, famously home to Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, and Aretha Franklin. The label’s legendary A&R man/producer Jerry Wexler once called him “the best soul singer of all time.” High praise indeed, considering Burke’s contemporaries, however big-time fame still somehow escaped this giant talent.

But as that quote indicates, Burke had certainly won the respect of his peers. He also had the ears of some lads overseas. Early in their career, The Rolling Stones recorded several of Burke’s songs, including “You Can Make It If You Try” (from their 1964 debut, England’s Newest Hitmakers), “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” (on 1965’s The Rolling Stones, Now!) and “Cry To Me” (on Out Of Our Heads, also released in 1965). Such exposure helped turn others on to Burke’s original recordings, boosting the singer’s profile and drawing fans to see him live.

The Stones’ recordings are certainly noteworthy, but it’s Candi Staton‘s much more recent cover of “Cry To Me” that I’ve picked to share in honor of Burke’s passing. Taken from her 2006 return-to-secular-music album, His Hands, Staton’s invitation to lend a shoulder is just how Burke’s music should be best remembered — gritty, heartfelt, and unapologetically soul-soaked. Hear here:

Solomon Burke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. An album of new material he recorded with De Dijk, Hold On Tight, had been slated for release this fall. Listen to one of the tracks, “What A Woman,” here.

Purchase Candi Staton – “Cry To Me” (Solomon Burke cover) via iTunes, Amazon MP3.