Kaye, Sammy, 1910-1987

Band leader Sammy Kaye (SK) was born as Sam William Zarnocay on March 13, 1910 in Rocky River, Ohio. He attended Ohio University (OU) on a track scholarship and played basketball and baseball. Originally a civil engineering major, he soon forgot a career in his field of study when he fell in love with music instead.

SK changed his name to Kaye around the time of his sophomore year because he found it difficult to get gigs with his given last name. SK began performing at dances on OU campus, and soon rented the basement of Logan's Book Store (Follett's Books as of 2010) to use as a dance hall. Already a favorite among his classmates at OU, he went on to play his first radio performance in 1936. "Swing and Sway" became a household term used in reference to the increasingly popular SK. A popular gimmick SK used at his shows was his "So You Want To Lead A Band," where contestants from his audience could step up on the stage and lead the band, which would try to follow the contestant's baton motions.

On December 7, 1941, his radio broadcast was interrupted by news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Saddened and angered by the attack, he went straight home and wrote "Remember Pearl Harbor," which became an instant hit. SK played throughout the fifties, sixties, and seventies; his Swing and Sway sound never losing its fan base. In the early 1980s SK was asked if he planned to retire soon. His reply was "Hell no, this is my life." SK died of cancer in 1987.

From the guide to the Sammy Kaye Collection, 1930-1980, (Ohio University)