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In 1978, I sat next to the Candy Man on his 30′ monogrammed Gucci couch. It was the first huge movie star’s home I’d ever been in and there we were eating ribs together, Sammy dabbing sauce off the locking G’s and my chin. He was wild about my song that had just come out, EWF’s “September”, but I was still penniless as my royalties were so delayed. Every time I look at this dollar bill I remember the thrill of the ribs/Gucci/ Sammy moment and how excited I was that life was looking up. 

This is a REAL mint one dollar bill, legal and negotiable tender, made via a process permitted by the Treasury Department since 1967. I would never spend it as it’s worth a zillion to me.

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5 Responses to “Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Sammy Davis Jr. Real Dollar Bill”

  1. windupkitty

    oh my god…that’s too cool…i seriously can’t take it….im’ so glad to hear your stories..this is just too much!

    Reply
  2. Scott Finnell

    Ive never heard of this process. Does one request a picture to be placed on the bill? I mean can any picture be put on a one dollar bill, and how would one cash it? If you took this to Macy’s they would probably not take it because nobody has heard of this. This is really something. I loved your story. I can relate to you being a starving artist. It is not a nice place to be. I am glad you are not in that position any longer.

    Reply
  3. Allee

    @Scott- Not sure how this was done but the company who made it said it’s definitely a real deal minted bill. There are definitely places like http://www.festisite.com/money/ that will print up bills with photos you submit but those aren;t legal tender.

    Re me not being in the position of being a starving artist anymore you’d be surprised. i spend every penny I make on doing my creative things and there are more ways than ever to screw songwriters out of their royalties. I’m still fighting to get paid and even to get credit as the writer of a tv theme song on a show currently running. Thank God I love what I do as so often it’s a thankless task.

    Reply
  4. Scott Finnell

    Allee, I feel for you. The companies do, do everything they can do to screw people out of what they deserve for their intellectual property. It makes one nervous about putting things on the web because it may be stolen. I am working on digital art using fractals, and I want to make a website devoted to this. I get nervous that they will be stolen, and used by someone who doesn’t have my permission. I guess with this media, one just has to take a chance or never do anything. I had songs on MP3.com that I wrote, and I was nervous about that. I also worked with a band who stole one of my songs, and all I got was a thank you (in fine print) on the album. I am sending you love and good wishes in your endeavors.

    Reply