Memories and tributes have been flowing in the past week - here in Chattanooga and around the world - for Sam Gooden.
A native of this city and an original member of the iconic R&B group The Impressions, Sam died last week at the age of 87.
Barry Courter is entertainment reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press.
He interviewed Sam - and longtime Impressions member Fred Cash - several times in the past few decades.
![From 2019 - Legendary Impressions members Fred Cash, left, stands with Sam Gooden, at the unveiling of The Impressions sign in front of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dd8ede2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/541x658+0+0/resize/880x1070!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F65%2Fff%2Fecf4de5c4fcdacd31eeb46d0378d%2Ftheimpressions-tnpathways-b.jpeg)
Tim Barber / Chattanooga Times Free Press