Samuel Zarnocay Jr., known professionally as Sammy Kaye, was born on March 13, 1910, in Lakewood, Ohio. He was an American bandleader and musician who played the saxophone and clarinet but did not feature himself as a soloist on either instrument. His breakthrough came with his first hit single "Swing and Sway" in 1937, which reached number 15 on the U.S. charts. He went on to record for various labels including Vocalion Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Bell Records, and American Decca. During World War II, Sammy Kaye co-wrote and recorded "Remember Pearl Harbor", which peaked at number 3 in 1942. He also released the first recording of "Blueberry Hill" in 1940 and "Daddy" in 1941, both of which became standards in various genres. Sammy Kaye was known for his "sweet" band sound and his radio show gimmick "So You Want to Lead a Band?". He remained active through the 1950s, scoring a Number 1 hit with "Harbor Lights" in 1950. His television appearances included shows on CBS, NBC, and ABC during the 1950s. Sammy Kaye died on June 2, 1987, at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1992 and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the recording industry.
