Sammy Price
Samuel Blythe Price, known as Sammy Price, was born on October 6, 1908, in Honey Grove, Texas, and passed away on April 14, 1992, in New York City. Price was an influential American jazz, boogie-woogie, and jump blues pianist and bandleader. His musical style was characterized by a dark, mellow, and relaxed approach, creating the perfect mood and swing for blues and rhythm and blues recordings.
Price's musical journey began in Waco, Texas, where he learned to play the alto saxophone and studied piano under Portia Marshall Washington, the daughter of Booker T. Washington. He initially toured as a dancer and later led his own big band in Dallas during the 1920s. His career took him to Kansas City, Chicago, and Detroit before he settled in New York City in 1937.
In New York, Price became a staff musician and musical director for Decca Records, where he worked as a session sideman and recording supervisor. He collaborated with notable artists such as Trixie Smith, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Ella Fitzgerald. Price also led his own band, the Texas Bluesicians, and recorded with musicians like Sidney Bechet and Doc Cheatham.
Price's career was marked by extensive touring, including a significant tour in Europe in the mid-1950s, and he was involved in organizing jazz festivals. He was also active in civil rights and community affairs, serving in various capacities with the Haryou-Act antipoverty program in Harlem.
In addition to his musical achievements, Price was an entrepreneur, operating nightclubs in Dallas and running the Down Home Meat Products Company. His autobiography, "What Do They Want?" was published in 1989. Sammy Price's legacy is celebrated for his contributions to jazz and blues music, and his influence remains significant in the history of American music.
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