Sam przez większość kariery grał na bębnach firmy Gretsch, które w późniejszych latach zastąpił zestawem marki Slingerland.
Dyskografia Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra 1966/1994 Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones - Mel Lewis the Jazz Orchestra (Blue Note) 1978 It Only Happens Every Time z Monicą Zetterlund (EMI) 1994 Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band • Village Vanguard Live Sessions 3 (Absolute Spain) 1994 Presenting Joe Williams & Thad Jones/Mel Lewis The Jazz Orchestra (Blue Note) 1996 Mel Lewis Thad Jones • Dedication (Laserlight) 1996 The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra • Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series 4 (TCB) 1997 Live in Tokyo (Columbia Japan) 2002 The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis featuring Miss Ruth Brown (Koch Records) 2002 Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Consummation (Blue Note) 2002 Opening Night • Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band at the Village Vanguard February 7, 1966 (AGP) 2004 Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra • Central Park North (Blue Note) 2006 Thad Jones Mel Lewis Live on Tour Switzerland (LRC Ltd.) 2005 Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note) 2007 Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe 1978 (Vertriebsges.mbH/ITM Archive) 2007 Rhonda Scott in New York with Thad Jones & Mel Lewis (EmArcy) 2009 Thad Jones Mel Lewis Live (LRC Ltd.) 2009 Thad Jones/Mel Lewis