October 6, 1958 New York City, NY

The Arthur Murray Party

Monday, October 6, 1958

In the fall of 1958, Sam was touring the South on a package arranged by Atlanta promoter B.B. Beamon. Following a show in Birmingham, Alabama, Sam took a break from the tour and flew to New York for an appearance on The Arthur Murray Party. Murray’s wife, Kathryn, provides the introduction, stating that the artist has “an amazing list of hit records, and he’s earned every one of them.” With her final announcement, “It’s Sam Cooke!,” Sam darts out from the wings of the stage just in time to deliver the first beat of “Mary, Mary Lou.” This is one of Sam’s most memorable TV appearances, perhaps because he appears so confident and happy, despite having to share the stage with Murray’s dancers. Most noticeable in listening to this performance is how the microphones pick up Sam’s finger snapping and hand clapping.