A life in six movements
From a sardine can
to Madison Square Garden.
Sixty years of Caribbean music, told the way Sammy lived it — one stage at a time.
The beginning
A guitar made from a sardine can & nylon
Growing up between Nevis and St. Kitts, Sammy couldn’t afford a guitar — so he built one. A well-known musician heard him play, showed him chord structures, and a self-taught career began. No formal training; he reads, writes, and records his own music.
1965
Lands in St. Thomas
Relocates to the U.S. Virgin Islands just as the islands open to the world. Within a few years he fronts Soul Sides — called “the most sensational quintet in the Virgin Islands.”
1971–74
Discovered by Isaac Hayes
Playing acoustic in a downtown guitar shop, Sammy catches the ear of Isaac Hayes — “Black Moses” himself. Three and a half years touring the U.S., Europe, and Canada follow: Memphis, New York, Hollywood, Paris, Madison Square Garden.
Late ’70s
Writes “Good Morning, Neighbors”
Commissioned for The Virgin Islands Adventure, the welcome song outlives the show — becoming the sound of island hospitality on the radio for a generation.
1980–85
“Forward On” & the Hillside Club
Records Forward On with his band High Voltage at Ochoa Studios. Opens the legendary Hillside Club (Pilgrim’s Terrace) — THE place to be on a St. Thomas weekend until Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Today
A living link to the golden age
Still performing at Bolongo Bay — calypso, reggae, soca, salsa, and his own originals. He can make a guitar sing like a steel pan. Watch his fingers when he does it.
