Little Sammy Davis
Encyclopedia
Little Sammy Davis is an American
blues
musician
based in New York
's Hudson Valley
. Although his musical career began in the 1940s, he was not widely known until the mid-1990s when he began working in radio, singing, playing live on tour, and recording studio albums.
, Mississippi
, United States
, and raised in a one-room shack, Davis learned to play the harmonica
at the age of eight. He eventually left home and settled in Florida
, where he continued to play the blues in the Miami
area while working in orange grove
s and saw mills to make ends meet.
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Davis traveled with medicine show
s and played with blues musicians like Pine Top Perkins, and Ike Turner
. He spent a total of nine years on the road with Earl Hooker
, including with the short-lived band of Hooker and Albert King
, and recorded four sides for Rockin' Records in 1952 and 1953 (as Little Sam Davis).
In the late 1950s, Davis lived in Chicago, Illinois, performing with Muddy Waters
and Jimmy Reed
. He later married and settled in Poughkeepsie, New York, during which time he recorded a session for Trix Records
that resulted in one "45" single. After the sudden death of his wife in 1970, Davis stopped playing and dropped out of the music scene for the next two decades.
Doug Price spotted Davis playing harmonica in a Poughkeepsie barber shop. Price made mention of Davis's story and played some of his old recordings on WVKR
, which in turn caught the attention of radio personality Don Imus
. Imus invited Davis to perform on his show with guitarist Fred Scribner, and "Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim" became the house band for Imus in the Morning
for years to come. Imus, in his trademark style, later quipped that Davis had "more harmonicas than teeth".
Capitalizing on this Imus fame, Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim toured radio and television stations around the United States. In 1996 Davis released his first full-length album, I Ain't Lyin, for Delmark Records
. The record was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award
and earned Davis a "comeback artist of the year award" from Living Blues
magazine. Davis and Scribner released a second album, Ten Years and Forty Days, in 2000.
During this time, Davis began collaborating with Levon Helm
for performances at Helm's home in Woodstock
and on tour with the Levon Helm Band.
In October 2008, after recording his third album, Travelin' Man, Davis suffered a stroke
. He recovered, and was able to resume performing the following Spring.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
based in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
. Although his musical career began in the 1940s, he was not widely known until the mid-1990s when he began working in radio, singing, playing live on tour, and recording studio albums.
Early life and career
Born in WinonaWinona, Mississippi
Winona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County....
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and raised in a one-room shack, Davis learned to play the harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
at the age of eight. He eventually left home and settled in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where he continued to play the blues in the Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
area while working in orange grove
Orange Grove
-Music:* Orange Grove , a Dutch/Antillean reggae band-Australia:* Orange Grove, Western Australia* The Orange Grove affair, a political scandal-United States:...
s and saw mills to make ends meet.
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Davis traveled with medicine show
Medicine show
Medicine shows were traveling horse and wagon teams which peddled "miracle cure" medications and other products between various entertainment acts. Their precise origins unknown, medicine shows were common in the 19th century United States...
s and played with blues musicians like Pine Top Perkins, and Ike Turner
Ike Turner
Isaac Wister Turner was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, talent scout, and record producer. In a career that lasted more than half a century, his repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk...
. He spent a total of nine years on the road with Earl Hooker
Earl Hooker
Earl Hooker was an American Chicago blues guitarist, perhaps best known for his slide guitar playing. Considered a "musician's musician", Hooker performed with blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, Junior Wells, and John Lee Hooker as well as fronting his own bands...
, including with the short-lived band of Hooker and Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
, and recorded four sides for Rockin' Records in 1952 and 1953 (as Little Sam Davis).
In the late 1950s, Davis lived in Chicago, Illinois, performing with Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
and Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Reed
Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed was an American blues musician and songwriter, notable for bringing his distinctive style of blues to mainstream audiences. Reed was a major player in the field of electric blues, as opposed to the more acoustic-based sound of many of his contemporaries...
. He later married and settled in Poughkeepsie, New York, during which time he recorded a session for Trix Records
Trix Records
Trix Records was a record label set up in 1972 by folklorist Peter B. Lowry.It lasted just under a decade as an active label dealing mainly with Piedmont blues artists from the Southeastern states , together with the anthology Detroit After Hours, a collection of Detroit piano players...
that resulted in one "45" single. After the sudden death of his wife in 1970, Davis stopped playing and dropped out of the music scene for the next two decades.
Comeback
In 1990, local DJDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Doug Price spotted Davis playing harmonica in a Poughkeepsie barber shop. Price made mention of Davis's story and played some of his old recordings on WVKR
WVKR
WVKR-FM is a college radio station owned by, and primarily staffed by students of, Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The station broadcasts on 91.3 MHz at 15 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Milton, New York with a directional signal to the south...
, which in turn caught the attention of radio personality Don Imus
Don Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
. Imus invited Davis to perform on his show with guitarist Fred Scribner, and "Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim" became the house band for Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
for years to come. Imus, in his trademark style, later quipped that Davis had "more harmonicas than teeth".
Capitalizing on this Imus fame, Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim toured radio and television stations around the United States. In 1996 Davis released his first full-length album, I Ain't Lyin, for Delmark Records
Delmark Records
Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
. The record was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award
W. C. Handy Award
The Blues Music Awards are presented by the Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to foster the blues and its heritage. The awards were started by the Blues Foundation in 1980, and are widely regarded as the highest honor for blues artists in the United States.The awards were formerly...
and earned Davis a "comeback artist of the year award" from Living Blues
Living Blues
Living Blues is a bi-monthly magazine focused on covering the African American blues tradition, and America's oldest blues periodical. The magazine was founded as a quarterly in Chicago in 1970 by Jim O'Neal and Amy van Singel. Alligator Records owner and founder Bruce Iglauer was also one of the...
magazine. Davis and Scribner released a second album, Ten Years and Forty Days, in 2000.
During this time, Davis began collaborating with Levon Helm
Levon Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
for performances at Helm's home in Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
and on tour with the Levon Helm Band.
In October 2008, after recording his third album, Travelin' Man, Davis suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. He recovered, and was able to resume performing the following Spring.