The Great Value of Sammy Davis, Jr.
On Soul-Patrol Digest V3 #518 [Thu, 16 May 2002] Bob Davis wrote:SAMMY DAVIS, JR was a true pioneer in the entertainment
business. How foolish the people of my generation (me
included) were to not give him that recognition and label
Sammy Davis Jr. as an "Uncle Tom". What a supremely talented
individual!Sammy Davis, Jr. opened up the doors!
Sammy Davis, Jr. took the abuse!
Sammy Davis, Jr. took the humiliation!
Sammy Davis, Jr. endured the pain!Today he seems to have been forgotten?
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Yes, Bob, I remember and will never forget Sammy Davis, Jr. For much of my teenage and young adult years many of my peers laughed at me and ridiculed me for my respect and admiration for Mr. Davis. To hell with them all. Even today, I have a link from my web site directly to the official Sammy Davis, Jr. web site [since no posting of html is permitted - just put "sammydavis-jr ("dot") com" in front of www and go directly to his web site]. It's particularly annoying to me that many of the "culturally elite" so-called "Black or African-American" groups completely ignore or dismiss Mr. Davis' contributions. I had the great pleasure of seeing Sammy Davis, Jr. perform on several occasions. Your observations about Sammy Davis, Jr. "doing" James Brown is very accurate. Yet, the scope of Mr. Davis' talent continues to escape subsequent generations and, in particular, today's "hot" stars.
Sammy Davis, Jr. was an excellent dancer: He could really dance, equal to the Nicholas Brothers, with high energy and excitement. Sammy Davis, Jr. was doing Michael Jackson's "moon walk" back in the 1940s AND in his concerts late in his life - even after having hip surgery. Sammy Davis, Jr. was "Shirley Temple" before "Shirley Temple" having begun his dancing career performing at 3 years of age in the old Black "chit'lin" circuit. There are NO contemporary performers - of any ethnic group or sex - in his league.
Sammy Davis, Jr. was an excellent singer: He could sing ANYTHING - pop, rock, blues, jazz, country. Plus, even though he had a "signature" sound of his own - - Sammy Davis, Jr. could sing like and sound like anyone. This is NOT my opinion, this WAS his stage act. Sammy Davis, Jr. could imitate Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Pearl Bailey, Billy Daniels, Marvin Gaye (yes, I said Marvin Gaye), Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Mat Monroe, Eddie Fisher and so many, many more. Then, after doing impressions of musical performers he'd do "dead on" impressions of legendary actors like John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Jimmy Stewart and many other performers. And it wasn't completely "acceptable" for a Black man to do impressions of White people back in the 1940s, or 1950s, or 1960s - IN FRONT OF WHITE PEOPLE! There are NO contemporary performers - of any ethnic group or sex - in his league.
Sammy Davis, Jr. was an excellent musician: Sammy played, and played very well, the trumpet, drums, guitar, tall bass violin, sax, piano and many other instruments. Oh, yes, Sammy Davis, Jr. recorded dozens of albums and had hit records and Grammys too! Sammy Davis, Jr. performed at the best concert houses and stages in the world. There are NO contemporary performers - of any ethnic group or sex - in his league. Oh, James Brown can" hang" with a similar level of musicianship but James Brown didn't have access to the "A" houses. And today, where are Sammy's contemporaries with a comparable level of musicianship and access to the best stages, the best audiences, the most diverse audiences?
Sammy Davis, Jr. was an excellent actor: Yes, I've seen "A Man Called Adam" and have been trying to find and purchase this out-of-print movie for more than a decade. Of course, let's not forget Sammy's classic TV appearances on "The Rifle Man" or "All In The Family," or "Laugh In" or musicals like "Porgy and Bess" or "Robin and his 7 Hoods" or his wonderful stage musical appearances in "Golden Boy, " "Mr. Wonderful," and "Stop the World I Want To Get Off." There are NO contemporary performers - of any ethnic group or sex - in his league. Yes, let's be proud of Halle Berry and Denzel Washington but please, please keep this in mind: Sammy Davis, Jr. performed as Rufus Jones in "Rufus Jones for President" in 1933 when he was eight (8) years of age - before Hattie McDaniel's 1939 Oscar winning performance in "Gone With The Wind," and before Sidney Poitier's 1963 Oscar winning performance in "Lilies of the Field." There was absolutely no way for Sammy Davis, Jr. to get the "Hollywood" studio promotion and recognition of child stars like Shirley Temple or even later day child stars like Jody Foster, Haley Joel Osment, or Macaulay Culkin. And Sammy Davis, Jr. could out perform them all.
As Rufus Jones in
"Rufus Jones for President""Two Ounces of Tin" from
The Rifleman (1962)Impressions
of Singers and ActorsLip-synching to "Trouble"
from "The Music ManSammy Davis, Jr. was an excellent writer: Please, everyone should read and LEARN from his four-(4), yes, 4 autobiographies - "Yes, I Can," and "Hollywood In a Suitcase," and "Why Me?" and "Sammy: An Autobiography." Again, there are NO contemporary performers - - of any ethnic group or sex - who have captured their extremely diverse life experiences similarly.
Yes I Can – The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. by
Sammy Davis, Jr.
and Jane and
Burt Boyar
(1965)
Hollywood In A Suitcase by
Sammy Davis, Jr. (1981)Why Me? – The Sammy Davis, Jr. Story by
Sammy Davis, Jr.
and Jane and Burt Boyar (1989)Sammy: An Autobiography by Sammy Davis, Jr.
and Jane and Burt Boyar (2000)PPhoto By Sammy Davis, Jr. by
Burt Boyar
(2007)
Sammy Davis, Jr. was a very vocal civil rights activist: Despite all of the abuse and humiliation and the pain from White people and people of his OWN RACE - Sammy Davis, Jr. marched in the marches, contributed to Black civil rights organizations, and proudly held his head high. Sammy Davis, Jr. "crossed the line" way before it was "politically correct" to marry outside of your race, and switch religions (yes, way before Muhammad Ali), and Sammy openly "embraced" his politics way before it was fashionable to to so.
From "Talk" on the BBC - April 1966 Brownsville Community Center - Miami, FL - April 1966
Sammy Davis, Jr. even got lost in drugs and power and wealth like Frankie Lymon, like Marilyn Monroe, like Judy Garland, like Billie Holiday, like Jimmy Hendrix, like Paul Williams, like Elvis but, nevertheless, Sammy Davis, Jr. got his "act" back together and triumphed. Sammy Davis, Jr. was not superficial even though some people perceived him as such. Instead, Sammy Davis, Jr. gave people the respect people didn't give him. At Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH exposition, "Save The Children," held in 1972 in Chicago arguably Sammy Davis, Jr. appeared out of sync with "hot" R&B stars of the era like Roberta Flack, Marvin gaye, Gladys Knight, The Main Ingredient, The Temptations and The O'Jays. Yet, even after hugging former President Nixon, Sammy Davis, Jr. proudly took the stage and said,
"I am not here...but as only one way. I am here because I have come home as a Black man. Disagree, if you will, with my politics but I will not allow anyone to take away the fact that I am Black! Now, that's all I can say except that I would like to sing - if you would like for me to sing... [and Sammy began singing] Whether I'm right, or whether I'm wrong. Whether I find a place in this world or never belong. I've gotta be me..."Sammy Davis, Jr. was openly acknowledged around the world as "The World's Greatest Entertainer" for the simple fact that, well, he was! Thanks, Bob, for mentioning Sammy Davis, Jr.
Take care!
Reynos
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Hello, Brother C!
RE: Soul-Patrol Digest V3 #528
Yep, you're absolutely correct about the JB and Sammy encounter at the Palace. I recall the program. However, I recall seeing Sammy Davis, Jr. "LIVE" - during concert appearances in Dallas and Chicago in the 1980s - and during his tribute of "contemporary" artists Sammy did get on his "good foot" and sliddddd over to the microphone, pivot into a half-split, reached back and grabbed the mic and yelled, "Good God, Y'all!" I believe this was before his hip replacement, so he was a bit more daring. Of course, let's not forget that Sammy Davis, Jr. did all kinds of tap oriented splits and spins and acrobatics during his Will Mastin Trio days that, well, continue to leave JB in Sammy's shadow. However, I say this NOT to suggest that Sammy was a superior performer to JB. On the contrary, I agree with your insightful observation:
"They [James Brown and Sammy Davis, Jr.] were on separate teams but definitely in the same league. Apples and oranges, as different as chalk and cheese but when they were on in their respective genres, they were untouchable."I've also had the great pleasure of seeing James Brown "LIVE" in concert about a dozen times throughout his career. You're right, when James is "ON" he is untouchable. Hell, ask his progeny Prince Rogers Nelson! I absolutely love the promotional "handles" that are attached to both James and Sammy:
Sammy Davis, Jr. - "The World Greatest Entertainer!"
James Brown - "The Hardest Working Man In Show Business!"
Of course, among other titles James also wears the handles "The GFOS - Godfather of Soul," and "Master of the New Super Heavy Funk."
Sammy Davis, Jr. and James Brown. Two of the greatest and hardest working performers EVER. And, Black and proud too!
Take care!
I welcome your feedback.
Trip Reynolds
trip.reynolds@yahoo.com
Reynolds' Rap
Thu, 16 May 2002
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