Neighbor Of The Week.
By: Blair Shiver
Samuel Demming first found is passion for music while playing trumpet in his high school band. As a child in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Sam grew up listening to the rhythms of his native Reggae music. But aftera fateful trip to visit his brother in the Keys in 1989, Sam found himself exposed to all different types of music.
“I grew up in the Islands with only reggae music, but here, there is hip hop, rock and roll, Latin music,” Samuel said.
Sam the DJ, as he’s known to most around town, volunteers his time and service to numerous organizations throughout the Florida Keys. From setting up his tables and pumping out tunes for skaters at Marathon Community Park to spinning at Santiago’s Adames’s recent fundraiser, Sam is a staple at community events and fundraisers. Sam also recently traveled to Daytona to provide music for the Florida Business and Professional Women state conference.
“Sam has bee instrumental in the rejuvenation of the Marathon Jaycees,” said Jaycee president John Keeney. “ He has selflessly donated countless hours to the children of Stabley Switlik Elementary by providing music and fun at the dances as the Jaycees host. There is no doubt that he has had a major contribution to the success of the Marathon Jaycees, and we cannot thank him enough!”
His first trip to the keys proved fateful not only in his exposure to new music anf the real beginning of his disk jockeying career; he met a special someone who would determine the course of his future. Sam met his wife of 24 years, Barbara.
She happened to be down from Georgia visiting here mother the same week Sam was up from the Islands visiting his brother.
“I fell in love with the climate and the waster that surrounds us here,” Sam reminisces. “Then I met my wife that same week and decided to stay for good.”
Sam Sam carried his skills from his first job as a teenager at Pizza Hut in St. Thomas to his first job in Islamorada. These days, between DJ gigs, Sam Shuttles residents and visitors between their destinations in the lower keys for Key West Transit.
“I get to meet so many people that way and learn about who they are, where they came from and how they got to the Keys. It’s a very interesting job,” Sam chuckled.
His passion, though, his music.
“I love playing music that will make people dance,” he said. “I started my DJ Business in the Virgin Islands, my native country working in different club. I began with local music and steadily increased the breadth of my music base and learned the joy of customizing music for different occasions.”
From oldies to salsa and everything in between, Sam has an array of music and will gladly customize his tunes for any celebration – from wedding and birthdays to conferences, quinces and office parties.
“I love giving back to the community of Marathon because they have given so much to me.” Sam explained.
Sam, Barbara and their daughter Jasmine, 17, enjoy the fish sandwich at the Island, cooling off at Frosty’s and the peaceful serenity of their beautiful island home.
