April 9           BIRTHDAYS 1941     Kay Adams, C&W vocals, b. Knox City, TN, USA. 1917     Woodrow W. Adams, guitar, b. Tchula, MS, USA. 1941     Cliff Aungier, guitar, b. Croydon, UK 1937     Betty Ann Blake, vocals, b. ? Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, d. 2003, USA. née: Elizabeth Ann Baldrige (or Baldrich) Vocalist with the bands of Buddy Morrow (1957) and Ernie Rudy (1955-'56). Last known as recording artist for Bethlehem records (album: "Betty Blake Sings In A Tender Mood", 1961) 1904     Joseph "Sharkey" Bonano, Trumpet/leader, b. New Orleans (Milenburg neighborhood by the shores of Lake Pontchartrain), LA, USA (Note: Some sources claim b. 1902), d. March 27, 1972, New Orleans, LA, USA. né: Joseph Gustaf Bonano. Sharkey (he sometimes billed himself as Sharkey Banana or Sharkey Bananas) was a straight forward New Orleans trumpeter who could be relied upon to lead driving ensembles and play hot, melodic solos. He first recorded in New Orleans with Norman Brownlee's band in 1925, and soon after had a band under his own name. In 1936, Bonano was a part of Ben Pollack's band before forming his own New York-based group, 'The Sharks of Rhythm', with which he recorded much of his finest work. From 1949 on, he led his own groups. He remained active around New Orleans, Chicago, and New York until the 1960s, when ill health forced him to retire. 1899     Arthur Briggs, Trumpet, b. St. Georges, Canada, d. July 15, 1991 1952     Tony Burke, editor (Blues & Rhythm Mag), b. Stockport, UK 1916     Julian Dash, tenor sax, b. Charleston, SC, USA, d. Feb 25, 1974. né: St. Julian Bennett Dash. Well remembered for playing such hits as "Gin Mill Special", "My Silent Love," "Midnight Stroll", "Long Moan", "No Soap", "Weddin' Blues", "Creamin'", "Goin' Along", and "Double Shot". 1884     Clement Doucet, Piano/Composer, b. Brussels, Belgium, d. Sept. 9, 1950 1912     Carl Fischer, songwriter/piano, Perhaps best known as Frankie Laine's accompanist and musical director. Among Fischer's compositions are "Who Wouldn't Love You?" (w. Bill Carey m. Carl Fischer), "We'll Be Together Again" (m. Frankie Laine, w. Carl Fischer), "You're Just The Kind", "You've Changed", and "It Started All Over Again" (w. Bill Carey m. Carl Fischer). It is rarely recalled now but, Frankie Laine was fine musician who, very early in his career, sang mostly with small Jazz groups, including 'Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers'. The '3 Blazers' were comprised of Johnny Moore and Oscar Moore on guitars, and Charles Brown on piano and vocals. Carl Fischer and Frankie Laine were musical soulmates, recording and writing songs that soon became 'Standards'. During the early part of their careers, Fischer usually led the band that backed Frankie. Some of the sidemen included Mannie Klein, Al Killian and Ziggie Elman on trumpets, Babe Russin and Vido Musso on tenors; with Ted Nash, and Abe Most, on reeds. CAUTION: Do not confuse with Carl Fischer Music, the New York city music publisher and distributor. (Carl Fischer is one of the earliest music publishers in the United States dating to 1872.) 1945     Steve Gadd, Drums, b. Rochester, NY, USA. 1941     Alexander Gafa, Guitar, b. New York, NY, USA. 1946     Les Gray, singer. Group: 'Mud': "Tiger Feet", "Lonely This Christmas","Oh Boy" 1945     Gus Hardin, C&W vocals, b. Tulsa, OK, USA. 1956     Michael Hashim, soprano, alto and tenor sax/leader, b. Geneva, New York, USA. Leader: 'Michael Hashim Quartet' 1957     Toshiyuki Honda, Saxes/Flute/piano/keyboards/vocal/arranger, b. .Tokyo, Japan. Son of Jazz critic Toshiyuki Honda Sr 1960     Ed Howard, bassist, b. Washington D.C., USA. Howard originally studied with bassists Marshall Hawkins and Buster Williams. From 1983-1992, Howard was the bassist in Clifford Jordan’s quartet, and has performed with musicians like Pat Metheny, Jaki Byard, Greg Thomas and Eddie Henderson. 1945     Con Hunley, C&W piano/vocals, b. Fountain City, TN, USA. 1888     Sol Hurok, World's most famous Impresario, b. Pogar, Russia. d. March 5, 1979, New York, NY. USA. né: Solomon Isaievich Hurok. (He also presented Benny Goodman in the famous Carnegie Hall concert.) 1959     Dave Innie, C&W vocals, b. Bartlesville, OK, USA. 1894     Edmund Thornton Jenkins, Reeds/Bandleader/Composer, b. Charleston, South Carolina, USA, d. Sept. 12, 1926 1961     Mark Kelly, keyboard. Group: Marillion: "Market Square Heroes", "Grendel", "Lavender", "Heart of Lothian" 1953     Hal Ketchum, C&W vocals, b. Greenwich, NY, USA. 1943     Terry Knight, Vocals, Founded Groups: 'Terry Knight and the Pack', and 'Grand Funk Railroad'. Best recalled hit song "I Who Have Nothing" 1928     Tom Lehrer, folksinger/parodist, (proposed poisoning Pidgeons) Among his song titles are "The Masochism Tango", "Vatican Rag", "New Math", "Werner Von Braun", "The Old Dope Peddlar", "We Will All Go Together When We Go", "Be Prepared", "National Brotherhood Week", "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie". 1923     Bobby "Lips" Levine, Clarinet, b. Washington, NJ, USA. (near: Easton, PA). d. Sept. 7, 1997. Early on, Bobby studied reeds with Joe Allard in New York City, and later attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. In 1942, during WWII, he served in the U. S. Army Air Corps Band. In 1946, after his Service discharge, he resumed his musical career first touring and recording (Capitol label 1946-'48) with Billy Butterfield's first big band, after which as a member of Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians (for four seasons), and then with Hugo Winterhalter. By this time, the Big Band Era had ended, and work for both bands and their sidemen was hard to come by. Bob returned to his hometown of Washington, NJ, and spent the next 18 years in the retail clothing business. However, even at this time, he and his good friend Parke Frankenfield were part of a small group (that also recorded four albums). During the 1970's, Bob returned full time to music as a member of the Tommy Dorsey band, then led by Sam Donahue, and later by Warren Covington. Ca. 1972, he became a member of the Bob Crosby band, and subsequently became Crosby's "contractor", with duties that included putting bands together for Crosby that toured Hawaii, Brazil, and throughout the USA. Ca. 1987, Bob, again back in Easton, PA, formed a band known as the Bob Crosby Orchestra. In addition to appearing at many Jazz festivals, concerts, and Jazz cruises, Bobby also worked with such other bands as Vaughn Monroe, Jimmy Dorsey, Skitch Henderson, Sammy Kaye, Art Mooney, and Chris Griffin. He appeared at inaugural balls for Presidents Nixon, Carter, and Reagan. He died at age 74. 1895     Mance Lipscomb, blues musician, b. Navasota, Texas, USA 1932     Mel London, songwriter/producer, b. MS, USA. 1969     Kevin Martin, vocals/guitar, b. Seattle, WA, USA. Member group: 'Candlebox' 1944     Gene Parsons, drums, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Byrds', and 'The Flying Burrito Brothers'. 1932     Carl Perkins, (Rockabilly) singer/songwriter/guitarist, b. Jackson TN, USA. d. Jan. 19, 1998, Jackson, TN, USA. Best known composition: "Blue Suede Shoes and "Go, Cat, Go!" Greatly influenced Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, the Beatles, John Fogerty... and so many, many more. He was called the 'Godfather of Rock and Roll'. His "Blue Suede Shoes" was a huge Elvis Presley hit record. 1957     Mark Roberts, Flute/Tin Whistle, b. Wareham, MA, USA. Member group: "Red Clay Ramblers" 1898     Paul Robeson, vocalist/Actor, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. Jan. 23, 1976. né: Paul Leroy Robeson. His best known vocal: "Old Man River" from Kern Musical "Show Boat". Also remembered today as a Singer, Athlete, Actor, and Civil Rights Leader. The full story of Robeson's career would take more pages than we can give here. As an undergrad, Robeson earned an academic scholarship to Rutgers College in 1915. As a post-grad, he studied at Columbia Law School where he paid his fees by playing with the National Football League for three years. He briefly worked in a law firm and then turned to theater. He went on to act in films and on stage, and sang in concerts, winning international acclaim. Robeson, - outspoken in his criticism of racism - was blacklisted in the 1940s and 1950s because of his Communist Party affiliation. He spent many years in Communist Russia, but finally returned to the USA. His beautiful bass singing voice has never been forgotten. 1938     "Rockin' Sidney", (zydeco) accordion/harmonica/vocals, b. Lebeau, LA, USA. né: Sidney Semien. 1905     Teddy Roy, Piano, b. DuQuoin, IL, USA. d. August 31, 1966 1948     Dave "Chico" Ryan, bassist, b. Arlington, MA, USA. d. July 26, 1998. Member group: 'Sha Na Na'. 1942     Margo Smith, singer-songwriter, b. Dayton, OH, USA. Margo started out as a kindergarten teacher singing folk and country songs to her students (frequently writing the songs herself). Smith moved to singing at PTA meetings, then to radio broadcasts, where she developed a following, cut a demo and, in 1975, signed to 20th Century Fox Records. In 1975, she had a major hit with her own "There I Said It." 1978     Rachel Stevens, vocals. Member group: 'S Club 7' 1944     Emil Stuccio, vocals, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Member: 'The Classics' 1940     Ricky Valance, vocals, b. Great Britain. Best recalled release: "Tell Laura I Love Her" 1920     Art Van Damme, Accordion, b. Norway MI, USA. Perhaps best recalled for his Art Van Damme Trio/Quintet Recordings, which are better classified as pleasant "Pop" - not "Jazz". While still a child, his family moved to Chicago, and Art studied both Piano and Accordion with P. Caviani in Iron Mountain, MI, and accordion with Andy Rizzo in Chicago, IL. In 1941, Van Damme played with the Ben Bernie Band. From 1942 to 1944, he worked in various Combos in Chicago. In 1944, he became a staff musician with NBC radio network. Thereafter, led his own quintet both in public and recording performances. 1921     George David Weiss, composer, b. New York, NY, USA 1935     Reuben Wilson, organ 1921     Sheb Wooley, vocals, b. USA. Best known release: "The Purple People Eater" 1948     Phillip Wright, vocals. Member group: 'Paper Lace', In America, they were a classic one-hit wonder band. (In the U.K. they were a classic two-hit wonder.) CAUTION: Do not confuse with Steven Wright, comic, b: December 6, 1955 in New York, NY, USA.)          Notable Events occuring this date include: 1968.    Bumps Myers died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 55. 1976.    Phil Ochs died in Far Rockaway, NY, USA. Age: 35. 1988.    Dave Prather, of Sam and Dave, died in Syracuse, GA, USA. Age: 50. 1988.    Brook Benton died in New York City. Age: 56. 1990.    Darrell Glenn, C&W singer, died. He was the son of singer-songwriter Artie Glenn, who also wrote his son's first hit record "Cryting In The Chapel".(Darrell was b. December 7, 1935). 1997.    Mae Axton died in Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 82. 1997.    Laura Nyro died. Age: 49. 1997.    Johnny Hicks, (hillbilly) singer-songwriter, died. Among songs he wrote are "Honey Bun" and "Nuevo Laredo". 2002.    Dorothy Love Coates died in Birmingham, AL,USA. Age: 74.           Songs Recorded/Released this date include:      1940 "Six Lessons From Madam LaZonga", Jimmy Dorsey Orch., with Helen O'Connell voc.      1947 "The Anniversary Song" - Dinah Shore      1947 "How are Things in Glocca Morra" - Buddy Clark      1947 "Managua, Nicaragua" - The Guy Lombardo Orchestra (vocal: Don Rodney)      1947 "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" - Merle Travis      1948 "St. Louis Blues March", Tex Beneke      1977 "Dancing Queen", Abba (hit No. 1 on the Charts)      1955 "Unchained Melody", Les Baxter      1955 "Unchained Melody", Al Hibbler      1955 "Breeze And I, The", Caterina Valente      1955 "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" - Perez Prado      1955 "Unchained Melody" - Les Baxter      1963 "Can't Get Used to Losing You" - Andy Williams      1966 "Sloop John B", Beach Boys      1971 "For All We Know" - Carpenters      1971 "After the Fire is Gone" - Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn      1979 "I Just Fall in Love Again" - Anne Murray      1979 "What a Fool Believes" - The Doobie Brothers      1983 "Let's Dance", David Bowie      1983 "Overkill", Men At Work      1987 "Ocean Front Property" - George Strait      1987 "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" - Genesis      1987 "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" - Starship      1988 "I Don't Want To Live Without You", Foreigner      1988 "Aways On My Mind", Pet Shop Boys      1988 "Wait", White Lion