Happy Birthday to Sam The Sham!

[AlwaysWrite]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sam The Sham, born Domingo "Sam" Samudio in Dallas, Texas, 82 years ago today (March 6). He is best known as lead singer and keyboardist of Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs, who hit it big with "Wooly Bully" (a No. 2 Billboard hit in 1965) …

 

[Greg T.]

 

[REVerse °]

Notice how the electric guitar was not the lead instrument in that era of R&R? It was the sax. Guitars sounded thin and less present. Tone has really changed.

 

[Greg T.]

Notice how the electric guitar was not the lead instrument in that era of R&R? It was the sax. Guitars sounded thin and less present. Tone has really changed.

The sax is a carry-over from the big band jazz days when the musicians were trying to cash in on the "new craze". You'll notice a huge number of bands back then were using saxes for lead instruments. Bill Haley, Fats Domino, The Coasters, right on up to Bob Seger, Huey Lewis, and right on thru the semi-modern era. Much easier to bend a note on a reed than a brass instrument. In fact, the first overdrive or distortion units for guitars were designed to somewhat mimic a saxophone.