Sammy Kaye

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Sammy Kaye

Sammy Kaye, born Samuel Zarnocay Jr. on March 13, 1910, in Lakewood, Ohio, was a prominent American bandleader and songwriter known for his "sweet" big band music. He gained fame during the Big Band Era with his catchy tag line, "Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye," which originated from his 1937 hit single "Swing and Sway." Kaye was the first to record the standard "Blueberry Hill" in 1940 and the song "Daddy" in 1941, which became a No. 1 hit. During World War II, he co-wrote and recorded "Remember Pearl Harbor," reaching No. 3 on the charts. Kaye was also known for his audience-participation segment "So You Want to Lead a Band?" and his "singing of song titles" style. He continued to be active in music into the 1950s, unlike many of his contemporaries who disbanded after the war. Sammy Kaye passed away on June 2, 1987, in Ridgewood, New Jersey, at the age of 77.