Spanky Davis

Ronald J. “Spanky” Davis – (b. Indianapolis, March 6, 1943 - d. Manahawkin, New Jersey, October 23, 2014) – Trumpet player. Davis played with a vast array of famous acts including Benny Goodman (1982-83), Al Cohn (1983-84), Buddy Tate (1986-90), Buck Clayton (1986-92), Ruth Brown (1990), and Frank Sinatra (1991-93). Throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s, Davis led the Jimmy Ryan All Stars (Dixieland band), originally the house band at Jimmy Ryan’s in New York until its closing in 1983. (The previous leader of the group was Roy Eldridge.) Starting in 1997, Davis played in Chuck Fold’s group at New York’s Sweet Basil.