Uploaded April 2019 | Updated September 2026, 59 minutes ago
On February 4, 1990, Michael Jackson performed the song “You were there” at a musical variety special in honor of Sammy Davis, Jr. at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Michael wrote the song the night before with Alan 'Buz' Kohan especially for Sammy and pledged to never sing it again (which he didn’t) Other attendees included Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Jesse Jackson, Quincy Jones, Shirley MacLaine, Dean Martin, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Frank Sinatra, Mike Tyson, Dionne Warwick, Steve Wonder and Eddie Murphy. Proceeds from the special, $250,000, were donated to the United Negro College Fund. Sammy Davis Jr passed away 3 months later from throat cancer on May 16th.
On February 4, 1990, Michael Jackson performed the song “You were there” at a musical variety special in honor of Sammy Davis, Jr. at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Michael wrote the song the night before with Alan 'Buz' Kohan especially for Sammy and pledged to never sing it again (which he didn’t) Other attendees included Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Jesse Jackson, Quincy Jones, Shirley MacLaine, Dean Martin, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Frank Sinatra, Mike Tyson, Dionne Warwick, Steve Wonder and Eddie Murphy. Proceeds from the special, $250,000, were donated to the United Negro College Fund. Sammy Davis Jr passed away 3 months later from throat cancer on May 16th.
