Patricia Sampson

Patricia "Sledgehammer" Sampson was a founding member and percussionist of Plutonium Sledgehammer.

Personal life
Named Patricia Ilana Sampson, she was born in 1945 and was the second of four children born to Lawrence "Larry" and Vera Sampson of Springfield, Calasota. She had an older brother named Lawrence "Larry Jr.," a younger brother named Morgan, and a younger sister named Yvette.

Even as a baby, she was known for hitting things. She got made fun of became she wanted to do stereotypical boy things, but by junior high she could beat up most of the boys. She got nicknamed 'Samson."

She was a member of the Medieval Recreation Society which started in 1966. Her member name was Hilliard Gesine.

Career
She sang with her brother Morgan and sister Yvette, and then even formed their own singing trio called The Sampson Trio. She was upset when her brother left to form The Strawberries but didn't want her or Yvette because they were girls. In spite of mediocre grades, she went to the University of Calasota, Kelberry on a music scholarship in 1963. At the university she tried forming a band called Tough Girls, but it didn't last long, and she was kicked out of school.

Her brother Morgan, who called himself Jack Hoffer, left The Strawberries which changed its name to Strawberry Sunday. She wanted to form a band with him, Yvette, and others, but Yvette wasn't interested in their harder sound, and ended up joining Strawberry Sundae. So she, Jack, and others formed Pluto Nine, later known as Plutonium Sledgehammer. As the drummer, she took "Sledgehammer" as her stage name.