Guy Davis

I met Guy Davis about 25 years ago in Savannah, Ga. His dad, Ossie Davis, had a first cousin that happened to be my neighbor, Curtis Cooper. Mr. Cooper was also a very good friend of my father. Guy was coming to visit Mr. Cooper for about two weeks and he wanted me to show him around while he was visiting, so I did. We had a great time together, it was the first time I was a tourist in my own hometown, it was great. It was also the year that Jesse Jackson, Sr. was running for president, and there was a rally at my mother's church. Mr. Jackson recognized Guy in the audience and asked him to stand up and told everyone who he was, which meant that we were mobbed after the rally. After those two weeks, Guy and I kept in touch for a bit, and then 20 years passed by.

In 2004, while I was living in Tampa, Florida, I came across a poster downtown that showed Guy Davis was to be in concert there on that very day. So I just hung around the theater where he was to perform, knowing that he would be there for a rehearsal of sorts, and when he got out of the car, I walked up to him and told him who I was. He was really surprised and just grabbed me and hugged me. A month before his father Ossie Davis had passed away in a hotel in Miami while working on a movie I believe. We talked a bit about that and talked about his mother Ruby Dee.

They had been married most of their lives and worked together equally as long. They were a much admired and loved team. He then invited me to come back that night to the show and be back stage with him and the other performers. It was great! We kept in touch a bit after that.

Guy Davis,2008, Getty Museum

Once again in 2008, while reading the LA Weekly I discovered that he would be doing a children show at the Getty Museum and I decided to go. The concert was outside in a large open area, and he was on stage when I walked up and he recognized me immediately. I just started walking around the stage photographing him and when he was finished he walked up to me after being stopped by several fans and gave me a hug and introduced me to his teenage son. Once again it was great!