Sam Donahue: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox musical artist |
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'''Samuel Koontz Donahue''' (March 18, 1918 – March 22, 1974)<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor= |
'''Samuel Koontz Donahue''' (March 18, 1918 – March 22, 1974)<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book |title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]] |editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |editor-first=Colin |editor-last=Larkin |publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]] |year=1992 |edition=First |isbn=0-85112-939-0 |pages=715/6}}</ref> was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, and [[musical arranger]]. He performed with [[Gene Krupa]], [[Tommy Dorsey]], [[Benny Goodman]], [[Billy May]], [[Woody Herman]], and [[Stan Kenton]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Carr |first1=Ian |author1-link=Ian Carr |first2=Digby |last2=Fairweather |author2-link=Digby Fairweather |first3=Brian |last3=Priestley |author3-link=Brian Priestley |title=Jazz: The Rough Guide |publisher=The Rough Guides |year=1995 |pages=175–176 |isbn=1-85828-137-7}}</ref> |
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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Donahue was born in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], United States. He played in the bands of Gene Krupa, [[Harry James]], and Benny Goodman.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> During [[World War II]], Donahue took over the [[US Navy]] band of [[Artie Shaw]]. After the war, he assembled and led a group that recorded for [[Capitol Records]].<ref name=vera>{{cite AV media notes |title= |
Donahue was born in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], United States. He put together his first band when he was only 15 years old.<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography of Sam Donahue |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sam-donahue-mn0000288575/biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=27 July 2022}}</ref> Donahue played in the bands of Gene Krupa, [[Harry James]], and Benny Goodman.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> During [[World War II]], Donahue took over the [[US Navy]] band of [[Artie Shaw]]. [[Marc Myers]] of ''JazzWax'' stated that “Donahue's Navy Band was easily one of the most swinging bands of the war.”<ref>{{cite web |last=Myers |first=Marc |title=Sam Donahue's Navy Band |url=https://www.jazzwax.com/2014/06/sam-donahues-navy-band.html |website=JazzWax |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="AAJ">{{cite web |last=Myers |first=Marc |title=Sam Donahue's Navy Band |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/sam-donahues-navy-band/ |website=[[All About Jazz]] |date=June 18, 2014 |access-date=6 June 2023}}</ref> After the war, he assembled and led a group that recorded “extensively” for [[Capitol Records]].<ref name="AAJ"/><ref name=vera>{{cite AV media notes |title=From the Vaults Vol. 3: Capitol Jumps |year=2000 |first=Billy |last=Vera |page=6 |type=CD |publisher=[[Capitol Records]] |location=Hollywood}}</ref> Trumpeters [[Harry Gozzard]] and [[Doc Severinsen]], Wayne Herdell, arranger [[Leo Reisman]] and vocalists [[Frances Wayne]] and [[Jo Stafford]] were some of the members included in the new band. It dissolved in 1951 when Donahue re-enlisted in the Navy to serve in the [[Korean War]].<ref>{{cite web |title=IMDB |website=[[IMDb]] |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3839319/bio}}</ref>{{Unreliable source|date=April 2024}} |
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It is mentioned in Donahue’s [[IMDb]] bio and also in an [[UPROXX]] article that [[Frank Sinatra Jr.]] was a vocalist for Donahue.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roberts |first=Andrew |date=March 17, 2016 |title=Frank Sinatra Jr. Has Died At The Age Of 72 |url=https://uproxx.com/music/rest-in-peace-frank-sinatra-jr/}}</ref> According to a [[DownBeat]] article, “he began performing in his mid-teens for the Sam Donahue band.”<ref>{{cite news |last=Zimmerman |first=Brian |title=Frank Sinatra Jr. Dies at 72 |url=https://downbeat.com/?/news/detail/frank-sinatra-jr.-dies-at-72 |access-date=30 July 2022 |agency=DownBeat Magazine |date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> Sinatra later mentioned that the majority of what he learned about singing was learned through the time he spent with Donahue and the other musicians in the band.<ref>{{cite web |title=Frank Sinatra Jr. |url=http://www.capitolint.com/03htm/newsinatrajr03.htm}}</ref> Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped in [[Lake Tahoe]] while on tour with Donahue. His father [[Frank Sinatra]] paid the $240,000 ransom which ultimately led to his son’s release from the kidnappers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Richard |date=March 17, 2016 |title=Frank Sinatra Jr Obituary |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/17/frank-sinatra-jr-obituary}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=It Was A Very Bad Year |date=November 29, 2023 |isbn=9780727881915 |url=https://archive.org/details/itwasverybadyear0000rand |last=Randisi |first=Robert J. |publisher=[[Severn House]] |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> |
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⚫ | Donahue was married to actress [[Patricia Donahue (actress)|Patricia Donahue]], was the father of one-time Fairport Convention member guitarist [[Jerry Donahue]] who played on the album, ''[[Fotheringay 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/2-mw0000801142 |title=2 - Fotheringay | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref> |
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⚫ | His compositions included "Quiet and Roll 'Em" with [[Gene Krupa]], "Convoy" released as [[V-Disc]] No. 610B, "LST Party" |
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⚫ | His compositions included "Quiet and Roll 'Em" with [[Gene Krupa]], "Convoy" released as [[V-Disc]] No. 610B, "LST Party" released as V-Disc No. 573A in January, 1946, with the Navy Dance Band, "Scuttlin'", "Love Scene", "Please Get Us Out", "Root Toot", "Constellation", "Conversation at Lindy's", "Saxa-Boogie", and "Saxophone Sam". |
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[[File:(Portrait of Sam Donahue, Stan Kenton, Nick Callonus, and Hep, Aquarium, New York, N.Y., ca. Dec. 1946) (LOC) (5269521138).jpg|thumb|left|Donahue, left, talking with [[Stan Kenton]] at the Aquarium in NYC, 1946. He later worked with Kenton, performing in two album recordings that won [[Grammy Awards]].]] |
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"[[I’ll Never Tire of You]]" is a 1941 song written by [[Richard Kollmar]], [[Cy Walter]] and [[James Dobson (actor)|Jimmy Dobson]]. It was recorded in [[New York City]] on November 12, 1941, by Donahue and his orchestra as a [[Bluebird Records|RCA Victor - Bluebird]] [[78 rpm]] [[Single (music)|single]]. Andy Blaine was the sole vocalist. The song is featured in ''The Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48''<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Donahue - The Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48 (2021) |url=https://www.isrbx.net/3137865632-sam-donahue-the-sam-donahue-collection-1940-48-2021.html |website=IsraBox - Music is Life |access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ansell |first=Derek |title=SAM DONAHUE - Collection 1940 - 1948 |url=https://www.jazzviews.net/sam-donahue---collection-1940---1948.html |website=Jazz Views |access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref> on Acrobat Records. Marketing and distribution for the album was handled by [[Arista Records]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Acrobat Records |url=https://www.discogs.com/label/80942-Acrobat-Records |website=Discogs |access-date=23 July 2022}}</ref> An article in [[Jazz Journal]] featured that reissue album; which has a majority of Donahue’s songs from the 1940s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jack |first=Gordon |title=Sam Donahue: Collection 1940-48 |url=https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2021/06/04/sam-donahue-collection-1940-48/ |access-date=22 July 2022 |agency=Jazz Journal |date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> [[Online database|Online music database]] [[AllMusic]] also highlighted that album on their website.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Donahue Collection: 1940-48 |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sam-donahue-collection-1940-48-mw0003472718 |website=AllMusic |access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=I'll Never Tire of You |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/ill-never-tire-of-you-mt0058720938 |website=AllMusic |access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref> ''Trapeze Music & Entertainment Limited'', an independent label and distributor with a loyal customer base in the UK, US and throughout mainland Europe, highlighted a quote in their reviews (borrowed from ''Jazzviews'' March 2021) by [[Derek Ansell]], a regular contributor to Jazz Journal, stating, “Although these pieces vary tremendously from track to track the music is all well played and shines a spotlight on a musician who really deserved to be much better known than he was.”<ref>{{cite web |last=Ansell |first=Derek |title=Sam Donahue - The Collection 1940-48 |url=https://www.trapezemusic.com/sam-donahue---the-collection-1940-48-61047-p.asp |website=Trapeze Music |access-date=29 July 2022}}</ref> In an article in ''The Syncopated Times'', [[Scott Yanow]], who has written for ''[[DownBeat]]'', ''[[JazzTimes]]'', [[AllMusic]], ''[[Cadence (magazine)|Cadence]]'', ''[[Coda (magazine)|Coda]]'' and the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', stated, regarding the collection of Donahue’s songs, that “it is a pity that it could not have been a three-CD set that included everything” that he recorded during 1940-48. Yanow also voiced his opinion in that article regarding the musical skills of Donahue and his band members, stating that “the musicianship is consistently excellent.”<ref>{{cite news |last=Yanow |first=Scott |author-link=Scott Yanow |title=Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48 |url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/sam-donahue-collection-1940-48/ |access-date=31 July 2022 |agency=The Syncopated Times |date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> The songs from that album are listed in the [[Spotify]] and [[Apple Music]] listening databases.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/38QqwuVHcPE363tGFCsXWA |website=[[Spotify]] |access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref> |
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==Discography== |
==Discography== |
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===As leader=== |
===As leader=== |
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* ''For Young Moderns in Love'' (Capitol, 1954) |
* ''For Young Moderns in Love'' (Capitol, 1954) |
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* ''Dance Date With Sam Donahue'' (Remington, 1957) |
* ''Dance Date With Sam Donahue'' (Remington, 1957) |
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* ''Stop Look Go And Listen To Sam Donahue'' (Prescott, 1958) |
* ''Stop Look Go And Listen To Sam Donahue'' (Prescott, 1958) |
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* ''Convoy'' (Hep, |
* ''Convoy'' (Hep, 1994) |
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* ''LST Party'' (Hep, 1994) |
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* ''Hollywood Hop'' (Hep, 2000) |
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* ''Take Five'' (Hep, 2002) |
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* ''The Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48'' (Acrobat, 2021) |
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===As sideman=== |
===As sideman=== |
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'''With [[Stan Kenton]]''' |
'''With [[Stan Kenton]]''' |
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* ''[[Cuban Fire!]]'' (Capitol, 1956; CD: 1991) |
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* ''[[Adventures in Jazz (album)|Adventures in Jazz]]'' (Capitol, 1961) |
* ''[[Adventures in Jazz (album)|Adventures in Jazz]]'' (Capitol, 1961) |
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* ''[[Kenton's West Side Story]]'' (Capitol, 1961) |
* ''[[Kenton's West Side Story]]'' (Capitol, 1961) |
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* ''Together Again'' (First Heard, 1982) |
* ''Together Again'' (First Heard, 1982) |
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* ''Mellophonium Magic'' (Status, 1989) |
* ''Mellophonium Magic'' (Status, 1989) |
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'''With others''' |
'''With others''' |
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* [[Will Bradley]]/[[Johnny Guarnieri]], ''Live Echoes of the Best in Big Band Boogie'' (RCA Camden, 1974) |
* [[Will Bradley]]/[[Johnny Guarnieri]], ''Live Echoes of the Best in Big Band Boogie'' (RCA Camden, 1974) |
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* [[Cab Calloway]], ''Hi De Hi De Ho'' (RCA, |
* [[Cab Calloway]], ''Hi De Hi De Ho'' (RCA, 1960) |
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* [[Woody Herman]], ''The Herd Rides Again'' (Everest, 1958) |
* [[Woody Herman]], ''The Herd Rides Again'' (Everest, 1958) |
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* [[Gene Krupa]], ''Gene Krupa's Sidekicks'' (Columbia, 1955) |
* [[Gene Krupa]], ''Gene Krupa's Sidekicks'' (Columbia, 1955) |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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{{Commons}} |
{{Commons}} |
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* {{ |
* {{IMDb name|3839319}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:1974 deaths]] |
[[Category:1974 deaths]] |
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[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]] |
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]] |
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[[Category:20th-century American |
[[Category:20th-century American saxophonists]] |
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[[Category:20th-century |
[[Category:20th-century American trumpeters]] |
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[[Category:20th-century trumpeters]] |
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[[Category:American jazz tenor saxophonists]] |
[[Category:American jazz tenor saxophonists]] |
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[[Category:American jazz trumpeters]] |
[[Category:American jazz trumpeters]] |
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[[Category:Big band bandleaders]] |
[[Category:Big band bandleaders]] |
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[[Category:Capitol Records artists]] |
[[Category:Capitol Records artists]] |
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[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Nevada]] |
[[Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in Nevada]] |
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[[Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer]] |
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[[Category:Hep Records artists]] |
[[Category:Hep Records artists]] |
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[[Category:Progressive big band bandleaders]] |
[[Category:Progressive big band bandleaders]] |
Latest revision as of 20:16, 7 November 2024
Sam Donahue | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Samuel Koontz Donahue |
Born | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | March 18, 1918
Died | March 22, 1974 Reno, Nevada, U.S. | (aged 56)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Saxophone, trumpet |
Samuel Koontz Donahue (March 18, 1918 – March 22, 1974)[1] was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, and musical arranger. He performed with Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Billy May, Woody Herman, and Stan Kenton.[2]
Biography
[edit]Donahue was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He put together his first band when he was only 15 years old.[3] Donahue played in the bands of Gene Krupa, Harry James, and Benny Goodman.[1] During World War II, Donahue took over the US Navy band of Artie Shaw. Marc Myers of JazzWax stated that “Donahue's Navy Band was easily one of the most swinging bands of the war.”[4][5] After the war, he assembled and led a group that recorded “extensively” for Capitol Records.[5][6] Trumpeters Harry Gozzard and Doc Severinsen, Wayne Herdell, arranger Leo Reisman and vocalists Frances Wayne and Jo Stafford were some of the members included in the new band. It dissolved in 1951 when Donahue re-enlisted in the Navy to serve in the Korean War.[7][unreliable source?]
It is mentioned in Donahue’s IMDb bio and also in an UPROXX article that Frank Sinatra Jr. was a vocalist for Donahue.[8] According to a DownBeat article, “he began performing in his mid-teens for the Sam Donahue band.”[9] Sinatra later mentioned that the majority of what he learned about singing was learned through the time he spent with Donahue and the other musicians in the band.[10] Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped in Lake Tahoe while on tour with Donahue. His father Frank Sinatra paid the $240,000 ransom which ultimately led to his son’s release from the kidnappers.[11][12]
Donahue was married to actress Patricia Donahue, was the father of one-time Fairport Convention member guitarist Jerry Donahue who played on the album, Fotheringay 2.[13]
His compositions included "Quiet and Roll 'Em" with Gene Krupa, "Convoy" released as V-Disc No. 610B, "LST Party" released as V-Disc No. 573A in January, 1946, with the Navy Dance Band, "Scuttlin'", "Love Scene", "Please Get Us Out", "Root Toot", "Constellation", "Conversation at Lindy's", "Saxa-Boogie", and "Saxophone Sam".
"I’ll Never Tire of You" is a 1941 song written by Richard Kollmar, Cy Walter and Jimmy Dobson. It was recorded in New York City on November 12, 1941, by Donahue and his orchestra as a RCA Victor - Bluebird 78 rpm single. Andy Blaine was the sole vocalist. The song is featured in The Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48[14][15] on Acrobat Records. Marketing and distribution for the album was handled by Arista Records.[16] An article in Jazz Journal featured that reissue album; which has a majority of Donahue’s songs from the 1940s.[17] Online music database AllMusic also highlighted that album on their website.[18][19] Trapeze Music & Entertainment Limited, an independent label and distributor with a loyal customer base in the UK, US and throughout mainland Europe, highlighted a quote in their reviews (borrowed from Jazzviews March 2021) by Derek Ansell, a regular contributor to Jazz Journal, stating, “Although these pieces vary tremendously from track to track the music is all well played and shines a spotlight on a musician who really deserved to be much better known than he was.”[20] In an article in The Syncopated Times, Scott Yanow, who has written for DownBeat, JazzTimes, AllMusic, Cadence, Coda and the Los Angeles Times, stated, regarding the collection of Donahue’s songs, that “it is a pity that it could not have been a three-CD set that included everything” that he recorded during 1940-48. Yanow also voiced his opinion in that article regarding the musical skills of Donahue and his band members, stating that “the musicianship is consistently excellent.”[21] The songs from that album are listed in the Spotify and Apple Music listening databases.[22]
Donahue died from pancreatic cancer on March 22, 1974.[23]
Discography
[edit]As leader
[edit]- For Young Moderns in Love (Capitol, 1954)
- Classics in Jazz (Capitol, 1955)
- Dance Date With Sam Donahue (Remington, 1957)
- Stop Look Go And Listen To Sam Donahue (Prescott, 1958)
- Convoy (Hep, 1994)
- LST Party (Hep, 1994)
- Hollywood Hop (Hep, 2000)
- Take Five (Hep, 2002)
- The Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48 (Acrobat, 2021)
As sideman
[edit]With Stan Kenton
- Cuban Fire! (Capitol, 1956; CD: 1991)
- Adventures in Jazz (Capitol, 1961)
- Kenton's West Side Story (Capitol, 1961)
- The Romantic Approach (Capitol, 1961)
- Sophisticated Approach (Capitol, 1962)
- Adventures in Blues (Capitol, 1963)
- Together Again (First Heard, 1982)
- Mellophonium Magic (Status, 1989)
With others
- Will Bradley/Johnny Guarnieri, Live Echoes of the Best in Big Band Boogie (RCA Camden, 1974)
- Cab Calloway, Hi De Hi De Ho (RCA, 1960)
- Woody Herman, The Herd Rides Again (Everest, 1958)
- Gene Krupa, Gene Krupa's Sidekicks (Columbia, 1955)
- Vic Lewis, Volume 1: The War Years (Harlequin, 1986)
References
[edit]- ^ a b Larkin, Colin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 715/6. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby; Priestley, Brian (1995). Jazz: The Rough Guide. The Rough Guides. pp. 175–176. ISBN 1-85828-137-7.
- ^ "Biography of Sam Donahue". AllMusic. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ Myers, Marc. "Sam Donahue's Navy Band". JazzWax. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ a b Myers, Marc (June 18, 2014). "Sam Donahue's Navy Band". All About Jazz. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Vera, Billy (2000). From the Vaults Vol. 3: Capitol Jumps (CD). Hollywood: Capitol Records. p. 6.
- ^ "IMDB". IMDb.
- ^ Roberts, Andrew (March 17, 2016). "Frank Sinatra Jr. Has Died At The Age Of 72".
- ^ Zimmerman, Brian (March 28, 2016). "Frank Sinatra Jr. Dies at 72". DownBeat Magazine. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "Frank Sinatra Jr".
- ^ Williams, Richard (March 17, 2016). "Frank Sinatra Jr Obituary". TheGuardian.com.
- ^ Randisi, Robert J. (November 29, 2023). It Was A Very Bad Year. Severn House. ISBN 9780727881915 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "2 - Fotheringay | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ "Sam Donahue - The Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48 (2021)". IsraBox - Music is Life. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ Ansell, Derek. "SAM DONAHUE - Collection 1940 - 1948". Jazz Views. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ "Acrobat Records". Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ^ Jack, Gordon (June 4, 2021). "Sam Donahue: Collection 1940-48". Jazz Journal. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ "Sam Donahue Collection: 1940-48". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ "I'll Never Tire of You". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ Ansell, Derek. "Sam Donahue - The Collection 1940-48". Trapeze Music. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ Yanow, Scott (May 27, 2021). "Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48". The Syncopated Times. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^ "Sam Donahue Collection 1940-48". Spotify. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ Popa, Christopher (April 2009). "Sam Donahue: "No Other Life of Which I'm Fonder"". Big Band Library. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Sam Donahue at IMDb
- 1918 births
- 1974 deaths
- 20th-century American male musicians
- 20th-century American saxophonists
- 20th-century American trumpeters
- American jazz tenor saxophonists
- American jazz trumpeters
- American male jazz musicians
- American male saxophonists
- American male trumpeters
- Big band bandleaders
- Capitol Records artists
- Deaths from pancreatic cancer in Nevada
- Hep Records artists
- Progressive big band bandleaders
- Swing saxophonists
- Swing trumpeters
- United States Navy personnel of World War II