Little Sammy Davis is one of the last, great living Delta bluesmen. Born in 1928 in Winona Mississippi, Sammy took up the harmonica by the age of 7. In no time he was entertaining on street corners and traveling medicine shows all over the south. Sammy left Mississippi on the back of a chicken truck and eventually ended up in Florida.
He joined up with many blues greats, including Earl Hooker, Pine Top Perkins, Ike Turner, and Albert King. For awhile, Sammy played in a band with both Earl Hooker and Albert King. However as Sammy puts it, “Unfortunately the band didn’t last but a few weeks,” as the two mighty rivals, Hooker and King eventually came to blows, dissolving the band. All totaled, Sammy spent nine years on the road playing with Earl Hooker. When Sammy finally parted ways with Hooker, he headed to Chicago where he played constantly and shared the stage with many greats, including Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Jimmy Reed. During that time, Sammy would often be called to front Little Walter’s band, “The Mighty Aces” when Walter couldn’t show for a gig.
Sammy married and by the late 1960’s he and his wife settled in the Hudson Valley region of New York State. In 1970, Sammy’s world was rocked when his wife passed away suddenly. Sammy faded from sight, put down his harp, and wouldn’t be seen or heard from for twenty years.
Around 1990, the rumors of an amazing bluesman playing harmonica in a Poughkeepsie barbershop reached the attention of WVKR radio personality Doug Price. As Price began spinning some of Sammy’s old records at the station, the hunt was on to find the lost bluesman. At the same time, Sammy began showing up at blues clubs where he was spotted by drummer Brad Scribner. Brad, along with guitar playing brother Fred were members of the band “Midnight Slim.” The three musicians bonded and the newly formed group, “Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim” began playing gigs and supplying background tracks for New York radio’s long running, “Imus in the Morning Show.”
Following their first appearance on “Imus in the Morning,” Sammy and the band earned high praise from the New York Daily News and became the official “House Band” for the Imus show. Playing everything from Delta and Chicago blues, to gems from Ray Charles and James Brown, “Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim” became one of Imus’ favorite and most frequent guests—often being the object of the “I-Man’s” humor and ire.
In 1996, Little Sammy Davis released “I Ain’t Lyin’” on Delmark Records. The critically acclaimed album was nominated for a W.C. Handy award, received the “Comeback Artist of the Year” award from Living Blues magazine, and received the "Little Walter Lifetime Achievement Award." Don Imus' liner notes for 'I aint' Lyin'-*
"The two most unlikely people to be in the same band, or for that matter, in the same room together, are Little Sammy Davis and Fred Scribner. Little Sammy, who is a blues singer in the tradition of the great Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters looks like a blues singer although he tells me he's never been in jail and does not have a drug habit. He does, however, have more harmonicas than teeth. And the broken-hearted women Sammy's left along the way easily outnumber his harmonicas. Women, I might Do add, who probably still like him about as much as I do. Which is a lot."Then there's Fred Scribner-the Midnight slim band's lead guitarist.In fact Fred IS MIDNIGHT SLIM-along with Sammy,of course.There are other People in the band but i have no idea who they are.Fred keeps kicking them out,so it's dificult to get to know their names.Also i might add,pointless.But back to Fred.Fred looks like he should be the manager of an Ace Hardware store.You know,the guy with the plastic pen holder stuffed full of Bics and two hundred keys hanging on his belt.And he's white.In fact,you can't be.But he can play the blues.Which i suppose proveswhat people can also get the blues-when they wreck theirBMW's,run out of polo shirts-whatever. The first time i heard the lead cut on this album,"I Aint' Lyin'",Sammy was sitting in my radio studio singing it with his headphones over his eyes.At first I thought he had a Ray Charles thing going on.I was relieved to learn the headphones simply did'nt fit.I loved the song.I still do.Both Fred and Sammy are as deserving as any two people i know of the success they are now enjoying.They indeed do belong in the same room,and together,but if i were Sammy,i'd insist on separate beds.-Don Imus[Imus in the Morning Radio Show"]
In 2000, their second album,“Ten Years and Forty Days” was released on their own label, Fat Fritz Records. In 2002, movie director, Arlen Tarlofskey chose Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim as the subject for a documentary, “Little Sammy Davis” which received critical accolades and appeared at film festivals around the world.
From the “House of Blues” in Hollywood and Boston, to the “Beacon Theater” in New York City, enthusiastic audiences turn out to see Little Sammy Davis perform live. In addition to “Imus in the Morning” being syndicated on MSNBC, Little Sammy and the band have been seen on, “Prime Time Live,” “The King Biscuit Blues Hour,” and Dan Akroid’s House of Blues Radio Show.”
In recent years, Sammy has been a regular member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and 2008 Grammy award winning Levon Helm’s band. Sammy and Fred have appeared as an opening act at Levon’s weekly “Midnight Rambles” at his famous studio showcase in Woodstock, New York. 2008 also found Sammy and Fred in Los Angeles recording songs for the upcoming “Mannish Boys” album on Delta Groove Records scheduled for summer release.
Little Sammy Davis currently lives in Orange County, New York and continues to sing and play harmonica as a member of Levon Helm’s band. He also plays gigs with Fred and his own touring band. As his eightieth birthday approaches, Sammy is happy and healthy as ever and receiving the recognition he so rightfully deserves.
