The Smiley Smile Message Board

I have to admit, I've never completely caught the whole thing with Sammy Davis Jr.  He appears to be one of the most talented guys of all time, but he doesn't really get much respect anymore.  Anybody a big fan that can clue me in to what his best stuff is?

If you've never seen his version of Mr. Bojangles, it's completely magical.  Apparently he did some minstrel shows when he was a kid and of course could sing, dance, act, do stand up comedy and everything else. 

Check out this performance, it's legendary.  It's so nuanced, the guy was a real artist.  Makes me want to study dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5voM2HExV_Q

I'm no fan although I do admire the man. However, I just love this gem from 1964:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ynNiUs_St8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ynNiUs_St8)

That's the same impression I get the more I hear and see his work. But like you I don't know too much about him and his work

I saw him live at the Latin Casino in New Jersey in the early 70's. He put on great show. He could sing, dance, play an array of musical instruments and could tell a good joke. Also, I met him on the set of the Mike Douglas Show in 1971 or 72. He was a tiny guy, as I towered over him by a foot, and I'm 6'2". When the show was done taping, he came up in the audience and shook everyone's hand and chatted with anyone who came up to him. He was a very charming and nice guy to do such a thing. No one else on the show did that. I will always have very fond memories of him. The Candy Man. :)

I don't own any Sammy Davis, Jr. albums, but I always appreciated his work.

I used to look forward to his appearances on the MDA/Jerry Lewis telethons each year. I liked when he did the Anthony Newley medleys including "What Kind Of Fool Am I" and "Once In A Lifetime". And, back in the day of AM radio I used to enjoy "The Candy Man"!!!!!! And, of course, he dazzled with his interpretation of "Mr. Bojangles".

Oh boy, this is gonna get me in trouble...I love Sinatra, huge Sinatra fan, but...in SOME ways Sammy was more talented than Frank Sinatra and easily the rest of The Rat Pack. Well, maybe I should specify LATER in their careers (Sinatra's recordings were incomparable)...Sammy had a great, great voice. The way he could hold his notes. His voice held up better than Sinatra's. If you watch some of those Frank, Sammy & Dean and later Frank, Sammy, & Liza performances, it was Sammy who dazzled. Sinatra could dance and act but so could Sammy. Sammy was a better dancer. Sammy didn't make as many movies as Sinatra, but I always enjoy catching an old TV show from the early 1960's where Sammy would pop up in.

I also remember the televised 60th Anniversary In Show Business Tribute To Sammy. There were a lot of big names present including Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Ella Fitzgerald. Sammy sat at a table with his family and he was so gracious, laughing and applauding to all of the performers. It was sad the way Sammy passed from throat cancer. He really suffered and was relatively young at age 64 when he died.

I saw that 60th anniversary show when I was a kid (I was a big Michael Jackson fan) but just completely didn't understand it at the time, I was very young.  I'm going to buy some of his albums, but with a guy like him I guess you can't really catch the whole deal because he was so much more than just a singer.

I hear you. I never just listened to his music. In almost every circumstance I have always watched him perform. The man just wasn't a singer, he was an Entertainer, with a capital E. :)