Undated publicity photo of Sammy Kaye.
Sammy Kaye (born Samuel Zarnocay, Jr., 13 March 1910, Lakewood, Ohio — died 2 June 1987, Ridgewood, New Jersey) was a famous U.S. bandleader and songwriter, whose tag line "Swing and sway with Sammy Kaye" became one of the most famous of the so-called Big Band Era.
He graduated from Rocky River High School in Rocky River, Ohio in 1927. He attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where he was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity. Kaye could play the saxophone and the clarinet, but he never featured himself as a soloist on either one.
A leader of one of the so-called "Sweet" bands of the Big Band Era, he made a large number of records for Vocalion Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, and the American Decca record label. He was also a hit on radio. Kaye was known for an audience participation gimmick called "So You Want To Lead A Band?" where audience members would be called onto stage in an attempt to conduct the orchestra, with the possibility of winning batons. Kaye was also known for his use of "singing of song titles", which was emulated by Kay Kyser and Blue Barron.
Shortly after the Japanese attack December 7, 1941.Sammy Kaye wrote the music and Don Reid wrote the words to: Remember Pearl Harbor. His NBC radio show was interrupted by the announcement of the attack. On December 17, 1942, Decca Records recorded the song, with Sammy Kaye's Swing and Sway Band and The Glee Club.
Musicians included Ralph Flanagan, Dale Cornell and Marty Oscard. Singers included Don Cornell (not related to Dale Cornell), Billy Williams, and Nancy Norman.
In the musical Bye, Bye, Birdie he is mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Kids": "Why can't they dance like we did?/What's wrong with Sammy Kaye?"
He was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1992 and for his contribution to the recording industry has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Discography
- Come Dance to the Hits -- Decca (DL 4502) -- 19xx
- Music Maestro Please -- Columbia CL-668 -- 1956
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