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We’ve all heard of a true American legend by the name of Sammy Davis, Jr. Most people know him due to the fact that he sang ‘The Candyman,’ but few know of his lengthy career that carried him all across the country! He was born in New York city and after spreading his wings proceeded to blow the minds of the crowds all across Las Vegas with his vast array of musical talents.

His notable success began somewhere around the early 1920s when he, along with his father and esteemed performer Will Mastin, formed the famous Will Mastin Trio. Most people would agree that this was the start of his brilliant career. The Trio’s first performance was at the famed El Rancho Vegas, which is located on the Las Vegas Strip. After immediately becoming popular with the people, they moved to the Last Frontier Hotel and worked as one of the top showroom acts! In 1954, on his way from a show at the Last Frontier, Davis was involved in an unfortunate motor vehicle accident which resulted in the loss of his eye. Fortunately, he made a comeback shortly thereafter as a solo artist in Las Vegas. He was also lucky enough to find opportunities to perform on Broadway, in various films, and in major cities like Reno, Nevada.

Sammy Davis, Jr. became very close with Frank Sinatra. Sometime after 1960, the Rat Pack was formed. It introduced a groundbreaking hip-hop freestyle genre and became a hit. The Rat Pack composed of big-name artists like Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, and, of course, Davis. The Pack’s success really started rolling after they performed at the ‘Summit at the Sands’ shows on the Las Vegas Strip. The Rat Pack published a number of records, with music from their live performances, such as: Ratpack: From Vegas to St. Louis; The Rat Pack Live at the Sands; and The Rat Pack on Stage: Las Vegas/St. Louis. The Rat Pack even appeared in a number of popular films: Some Came Running, Never so Few, Ocean’s Eleven and Sergeants 3, just to name a few.

Unknown to most, however, Sammy did more than just sing and dance -- he was heavily involved in the civil rights movement. Throughout his life, he performed at a number of charity gatherings in Las Vegas, Chicago and other heavily-populated locations. His work with the civil rights movement began with his career as a headliner at The Frontier Casino. Like all other black artists, he was forced to reside in a very simple boarding house on the opposite end of the city. In fact, black performers were not even given the luxury of having dressing rooms! They were also forbidden from gambling or partaking in any casino games, eating at the restaurants, or drinking at the bars!

Understandably so, he soon enough became disheartened by the racial segregation and his demands would later influence the integration of many Las Vegas casinos. Upon his death, Sammy was remembered by the displaying of marquees and a variety of expensive, neon lights across the Las Vegas Strip, to honor his abilities as a performer.
photo credit: cliff1066™
photo credit: Nevada Tumbleweed

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