Sammy Ridgley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sammy Ridgley
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| Birth name | Samuel Ridgley |
| Born | August 6, 1943 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
Samuel Ridgley, also known as Sammy Ridgley, was born on August 6, 1943. He is a musician who plays R&B music and also helps his community in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
Contents
Sammy's Music Journey
Sammy grew up in a place called Shrewsbury in Jefferson Parish. He began singing gospel music at the First Zion Baptist Church. A singer named Joe Tex was a big inspiration for him early on.
Starting a Band
In 1962, Sammy joined a band with seven members. They earned $100 each night playing music. During the day, Sammy also worked at a funeral home.
Early Recordings
In 1965, Sammy recorded a song called "The Hully Gully" at a studio. His brother Tommy Ridgley, Eddie Do, and Irma Thomas sang background vocals. However, this song was never released. Sammy also remembers that another group, the Magnificents, recorded some music at WYLD's studio. He doesn't know what happened to those recordings.
Around 1968, Sammy started his own band called Operation Plus. This band played at "the Young Man's Night Club" for 24 years.
Working with a Producer
In 1972, Sammy signed with a local music producer named Elijah Walker. Walker helped Sammy record his first two songs: "I’ve Heard That Story" and "Shake A Shake Sue". Wardell Quezergue arranged the music, and King's Row produced the record. Sadly, Elijah Walker passed away in 1973. After that, Sammy's music career slowed down, and he only recorded one more song later on.
In 1981, Sammy's brother, Tommy Ridgley, invited Sammy to open his show with another singer named Rose Davis.
Later Career
In 1998, Sammy was working at the Treasure Chest Casino. There, he met Donald Lang and Ernie Vincent, who run Kolab Records. They asked him to record a music CD. At the same time, Sammy was also a supervisor for community programs at the Harvey Center.
In 2010, Sammy Ridgley performed at the Ponderosa Stomp, which is a music festival.
Sammy's Life and Community Work
Sammy Ridgley is the younger brother of another recording artist, Tommy Ridgley. Sammy is very involved in helping his Shrewsbury community. He is a member of the Young Men's Union Benevolent Association. This is one of the oldest groups in Jefferson Parish, started way back in 1801.
