Sam Donahue

Sam Koontz Donahue ( born March 18, 1918 in Detroit, Michigan, † March 22, 1974 in Reno, Nevada ) was an American jazz musician, who emerged as a saxophonist, trumpeter, arranger and especially bandleader.

Life and work

Sam Donahue had in Detroit since 1933, a first band with young musicians, which was later acquired by Sonny Burke; He then played 1938/40 in the band of Gene Krupa and then worked with Harry James and Benny Goodman. With his own band he stepped on the east coast, inter alia, in Glen Iceland Casino and Frank Dailey 's Meadowbrook. In 1942 he served in the U.S. Navy; where he played in the first of Artie Shaw led U.S. Navy Dance Band, with which he toured during the war years in Europe and great success celebrated. Donahue led the band until 1946, and then reformed his own war band, with whom he performed at the Paramount Theatre; belonged to his soloists, among others Doc Severinsen. In the 1950s, he worked with Gene Krupa, Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey and Billy May From 1951 to 1965, after a brief stint in the Stan Kenton band, he led the Tommy Dorsey Memorial band to perform with Frank Sinatra and Charlie Shavers. He then worked as a bandleader in the Playboy Clubs and continued to play in the swing style.