BIRTHDAYS
1939     Peter "Ginger" Baker, Drums/trumpet, b. London, England, UK. Member groups: 'Cream', 'Ginger Baker's Airforce'. 'Masters of Reality'; 'Yes, it's a guy!' 1963     Lionel Belmondo, soprano and tenor sax, flute,b. Hyeres,France.(brother of Stéphane Belmondo (tp, flh)).As youngsters, Lionel first studied the piano while Stéphane studied the accordion. Soon, however, Lionel picked up the sax and Stéphane began to play the trumpet.In later years, both brothers formed the B-Flat record label.
1978     Natasha Borzilova, C&W vocals/guitar,b. Russia.Member: 'Bering Strait'
1955     Dean Brown, guitar, electric bass, b. Chateauroux, France,
1957     Gary Chapman, (Christian/C&W) singer/songwriter/talk show host.
1936     "Little" Johnny Christian, vocals, b. Cleveland, MS, USA.
1946     Bill Clinton, tenor sax/president USA, b. Hope, AR, USA.
1940     Roger Cook, songwriter. Member group: 'Blue Mink', 1970 single "Melting Pot" charted UK No.3.
1951     John Deacon, bassist/vocals. Member group: 'Queen'. 1975 single "Bohemian Rhapsody" charted UK No.1, and the single "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" charted US No.1. (over 40 other UK top 40 singles).
1923     Luchi DeJesus, songwriter/arranger,b. New York, NY, USA.Worked for Mercury Records
1929     Jimmy Donley, (Cajun) vocals, b. Gulfport, MS, USA.
1957     Marc Ducret, guitar, b.Paris, France
1906     Eddie Durham, Trombone,guitar, composer, arranger,b. San Marcos, TX, USA, d. March 6, 1987, New York, NY. USA. His father, Joe Durham, played the fiddle at square dances, and his oldest brother, Joe, took correspondence lessons in Music, and in turn taught Eddie and his other brothers to read and write music.By just age 10, Eddie was already performing in public. (Interestingly to note,brother Joe later played cello briefly with a Nat King Cole group.)Circa 1920, Eddie, his brother Roosevelt, along with cousins Allen and Clyde Durham, formed the Durham Brothers Band.Circa 1924, Eddie was a member of The101 Ranch Brass Band playing in circuses throughout the Southwest. The band even reached New York City, where they performed in Yankee Stadium.In 1929, Allen, playing trombone, recorded with Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy Orch.In 1934, Eddie relocated to New York City.Eddie (who was proficient on both Guitar and Trombone)became one of the most important composer-arrangers of the entire Swing era.The 1935, the Lunceford orchestra recorded a Durham arrangement of "Hittin' the Bottle".It featured Eddie playing an amplified guitar. This made him one of the first Jazz musicians to use an Electric guitar.Durham's guitar style greatly influenced a fellow Texan guitarist, Charles (Charlie) Christian.During the 1930s and 1940s, Durham's original compositions and arrangements contributed greatly to the success of such bands as Bennie Moten, (later Count Basie's band),The Blue Devils, and Jimmy Lunceford.During the In the 1940s, Durham organized his own, very short lived band, and also directed Eddie Durham's All-Star Girl Orchestraan all-girl orchestra. During the 1950s and 1960s, with the Swing Era long since gone, he was still able to find work as an arranger for various groups.Over his career, Eddie may have composed more that 50 tunes. Some of the better known are:
"Every Tub"
"Glen Island Special"
"Good Morning Blues"
"Harlem Shout"
"I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"
"John's Idea"
"Little Eva"
"Lunceford Special"
"Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today"
"Sliphorn Jive"
"Swingin' ON C"
"Topsy"
"Wham"
In the 1980s, Eddie toured Europe with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band. He died 1987, a giant of American Swing and Jazz.
1948     Ron Eschete, guitar,b.Houma, LA, USA.
1943     Don Fardon, vocals,b. Coventry, West Midlands, England, UK.né: Donald Maughn.Was a member of "The Sorrows". Also fronted the band "A Touch of Raspberry". Recently formed a management agency with Tony Walsh called "Prestige Artiste Management".
1935     Al Ferrier, (Cajun/rockabilly) guitar, b. Montgomery, LA, USA.Tag:"King of Louisiana Rockabilly"
1935     Earl Gaines, vocals, b. Decatur, AL, USA.
1945     Ian Gillan, vocals,b. Hounslow, London, England, UK.
1945     Brian Godding, Guitar, keyboards, b. Wales, UK.
1947     Alan Gowen,(rock) keyboards,b. North Hampstead, England .UK.d.May 17, 1981, London, England, UK.(leukemia)
1959     Steve Grimmett, rock guitar.
1954     Tim Hagans, Trumpet, b. Dayton, OH, USA.
1948     Susan Jacks, R&R Vocals, b. Saskatoon, Canada.né:Susan Pesklevits. Member: The Poppy Family
1906     Isham "Manzie" Johnson, Drums, b. Putnam, CT, USA.d. 1971. As a child, he studied Violin and Piano, but later became the pit drummer in Harlem's Lincoln Theater while also playing "socials" around town with such men as James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. "Manzie" is probably best remembered today as the drummer witn Don Redman's band between 1931-'40. One of the most respected Swing era drummers, he played with such bands as Louis Armstrong, the Fletcher and Horace Henderson bands, and even subbed in the Duke Ellington and Jimmy Lunceford bands on occasion. He recorded with Mezz Mezzrow, Lil Armstrong, Henry "Red" Allen, and in the '40s, with Sidney Bechet.
1923     Dill Jones, Welsh stride Pianist, b. Newcastle Emlyn, Wales, UK. d. 1984, New York, NY, USA (Throat Cancer) Age: 60. During World War II, Jones served in the Royal Navy for service in the Far East. After his Service discharge, he briefly attended London's Trinity College of Music, but did not matriculate. Jones then played with the Harry Parry Sextet and Vic Lewis' Orchestra before becoming ship's pianist on the Queen Mary, sailing between New York and Southampton. In 1961, he emigrated to New York city and was soon playing with Gene Krupa, Jimmy McPartland and Yank Lawson. In 1984, after his demise, he was honored at the National Eisteddfod in Lampeter, being posthumously admitted to the Gorsedd of Bards, cited as "one of the leading jazz pianists in the world".
1943     Billy J. Kramer, songwriter/singer,b. Bootle, Lancashire, England, UK. né:William Howard Ashton.Played with the Manchester-based 'Dakotas', consisting ofMike Maxfield (b. Feb. 23, 1944; lead guitar), Robin McDonald (b. July 18, 1943; rhythm guitar), Ray Jones (b. Oct. 22, 1939, Oldham, Lancashire, England, d. Jan. 20, 2000; bass) and Elkie Brooks' older brother Tony Mansfield (b. Anthony Bookbinder, May 28, 1943, Salford, Lancashire, England; drums).The group was signed to Brian Epstein's management agency.Many of his compositions were hits for 'The Beatles.'
1942     Bob Kuban, drums, b. St. Louis, MO, USA.Member: 'In-Men', 'The Cheater'
1951     Stuart Laughton, Trumpet, b. St. Catherines, Canada.Member:'Canadian Brass'.
1932     "Shorty" Lavender, C&W fiddler, b. Old Fort, NC, USA, d. March 1,1982
1944     Peter Leitch,Guitarist, b.Ottawa, ON, Canada ( raised in Montreal ).
1948    Elliot Lurie, singer/guitarist.Member: 'Looking Glass', Elliot formed this rock band while still a student at Rutgers University in New Jersey in the early 1970s.
1913     Harry Mills, vocals.b. Bellefonte, PA, USA, d. June 28, 1982.Member of famous Mills Bros. Vocal Group (some say b. Piqua, OH, USA)
1910     John Mills, Jr. vocals, d. Jan. 23, 1936. né: John Charles Mills, Jr. Member: The Mills Brothers. His father, John Mills,Sr, was born on February 11, 1882.
1949     Danny Mixon, Piano, b. New York, NY, USA.
1908     Al Morgan, Bass, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. April 14, 1974, Los Angeles, CA, USA.Age: 65.Played with the Jimmy Noone, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Fletcher Henderson, and Duke Ellington orchestras.He was also a member of 'The Jones & Collins Astoria Hot 8', and led his own group for awhile
Note:Bob Loewy (Robert Loewy: guitar/vocals/arranger, Born 1926, Died Oct. 2, 2003, Evanston, IN, USA -Kidney failure). It is not often recalled, but Loewy,a member of "The Three Talents" (possibly: Jim Cox (b); Phil Gratteau (d)), was a good arranger who wrote for both the Al Morgan group, and for The Fletcher Henderson Band. His daughter was singer Judy Roberts, and the two of them can be heard playing together on one of Judy's releases "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" (Judy Roberts (Piano and Vocals), Bob Loewy (Guitar and Vocals), Richie Cole (Alto Sax), Jim Cox (Bass), and Phil Gratteau (Drums))
CAUTION: Do not confuse with Al Morgan, pianist/singer, b. Cincinnati, OH, USA,(In the late 1940s, pianist/singer Al Morgan scored a national hit with his "pop" version of the country song "Jealous Heart". His showy piano style of energetic flailing arms gave rise to his billing as "Mr. Flying Fingers
1908     >Lyle "Spud" Murphy, Trumpet/Alto sax/composer/Arranger, b. Salt Lake City, UT, USA, d. Aug. 5, 2005, Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA, USA. (2 weeks before his 97th birthday - Complications from surgery).Also see our Spud Murphy Orchestra, entry on the American Bands Database.
1934     Michael Naura, Piano, b. Klaipeda (near Memel), Lithuania
1940     Johnny Nash,vocals, b. Houston, TX, USA. d. 1971.
1902     Ogden Nash, b. Rye, NY, USA.American humorous poet ("I'm a Stranger Here Myself").
1956     Dickie Peltier, guitar, b.Port Arthur, TX, USA.
1944     Eddy Raven, R&R guitar/singer-songwriter, b. Lafayette, LA, USA. né: Edward Garvin Futch.
1918     James George "Jimmy" Rowles, vocal/piano, b. Spokane, WA, USA, d. May 28, 1996Played with Billie Holiday.
1915     Herman Stein, composer, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1963   Joey Tempest, vocals, b. Stockholm, Sweden. né: Joakim Larsson. (He found fame as the lead vocalist of heavy rock band 'Europe')
1969    Clay Walker, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Beaumont, TX, USA. Walker owes much of his vocal style to George Strait. He was taught guitar by his father at a young age, and was writing songs as soon as he knew enough chords.
1949     Ralph Wash, guitar, b. San Francisco, CA, USA.Worked with Paul Butterfield
1942     Clive Wilson, Trumpet/leader, b. London, England, UK
1935     Doug Willson, Bassist, b. Welland, Ontario, Canada. d: March 14, 2002, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
1966     Lee Ann Womack, C&W singer/songwriter, b. Jacksonville, TX.Her disc jockey father would regularly take his daughter to bookings. She went on to attend college in Levelland, Texas, which was one of the first schools to offer degrees in Country and Bluegrass music

         Notable Events on this date include:
1918.    Yip Yip Yaphank,Sgt. Irving Berlin's musical about army life in World War I opened at the Century Theatre in New York City. Two of the great hit songs from that play were"Mandy", and "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning."
1929.    Chris Kelly, cornet, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. (Alcohol related).(b. Oct. 18, 1890,Plaquemines,LA, USA.)(Along with Buddy Petit and Buddy Bolden, Kelly is one of the three great unrecorded trumpeters of old New Orleans Jazz.
1939.    The Dick Jurgens Orchestra recorded, "Day Dreams Come True at Night" (Okeh) with vocalist Eddy Howard.It became Jurgens' theme song.
1953.    Willie Love, piano, died in Jackson, MS, USA. Age: 46
1959.    "Blind" Willie Mctell, guitar, died in Milledgeville, GA, USA. Age: 61
1960.    Andrew Brown, reeds, died inNew York, NY, USA.(b. Feb. 2, 1900, New York, NY, USA)
CAUTION:Do not confuse with:
--- Andrew Brown,Blues guitarist, b. Feb 25, 1937 in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. d.Dec 11, 1985.In 1946, moved to Chicago. ('60s-'80s)
--- Andrew Brown,Rock Guitar, Percussion, b. England, UK.Member British group:"Left Hand Right Hand,"('90s-2000s)
--- Andrew Brown,Country music Producer, Photography,("That'll Flat Git It!")('90s-2000s)
--- Andrew Brown,Celtic Violinist'70s British Folk musician.
--- Andrew Brown,British Viola player( '80s, '90s, 2000s)
1969.    Norman Brown, guitar, died in Hollywood, CA, USA. Age: 55Member: 'Mills Bros' vocal group.
1972.    First NBC-TV Telecast of The Midnight Special. John Denver was the MC for the first show, and"Wolfman Jack" was the show's announcer.
1973.    Charlie Elgar, violin, leader, died.( b. June 13, 1885)
1973.    "Brew" Moore, tenor sax, died in Copenhagen, Denmark. ( né: Milton Aubrey Moore, Jr.b. March 26, 1924 in Indianola, Mississippi, USA )
1979.    Dorsey Burnette, Rockabilly singer/songwriter (member of the Johnny Burnette Trio) died (heart attack).
1984.    Luchi DeJesus, songwriter/arranger, died in Canoga park, CA, USA. Age: 61
1993.    Fred Grant, guitar, died in St. Louis, MO. USA.Played with the 'Silvercloud Blues Band'
1985.    Cedric Wallace, bass, died in NY, USA. Age: 76Played with Fats Waller
1988.    American jukebox operators announced that their most played record of all time was Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog".
1991.    Richard Maltby, composer, trumpet, leader, died inSanta Monica, CA, USA.
1997.    "Curly" Ray Cline of the "Lonesome Pine Fiddlers" died. Age: 74

         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1920    "Japanese Sandman", - Paul Whiteman Orch.
      1925    "Because of You", - Ray Miller Orch.
      1929    "Indiana", - Mound City Blue Blowers.
      1929    "Fire House Blues", - Mound City Blue Blowers.
      1931    "Stardust", -Bing Crosby vocal.
      1931    "Dancing In The Dark", - Bing Crosby vocal.
      1937    "Goin' Haywire", - Hudson-DeLange Orch.
      1932    "We Were Only Walking In The Moonlight", - Tom Gerun Orch.
      1935    "Foolish Heart", - Richard Himber Orch.
      1935    "Love Makes The World Go Roung", - Richard Himber Orch.
      1935    "Oh Give Me Something To Remember You By", - Richard Himber Orch.
      1941    "Pale Moon", - Tommy Dorsey Orch.
      1941    "Whistler's Mother In Law", - Orrin Tucker Orch.
      1941    "Under Blue Canadian Skies", - Orrin Tucker Orch.
      1941    "Are You Kiddin'", - Orrin Tucker Orch.
      1941    "Mandy Is Two", - Claude Thornhill Orch.
      1943    "Sunday, Monday Or Always", - Bing Crosby
      1943    "Pistol Packin' Mama", - Al Dexter
      1949    "My Bolero", - Vic Damone
      1949    "That Lucky Old Sun", - Frankie Laine
      1957    "That'll Be The Day", - Buddy Holly
      1957    "Honeycomb", - Jimmie Rodgers
      1967    "San Franciscan Nights", - The Animals
      1967    "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie", - Jay & The Techniques
      1967    "Brown-Eyed Girl", - Van Morrison
      1967    "Reflections", - The Supremes
      1972    "Popcorn", - Hot Butter
      1972    "Go All The Way", - Raspberries
      1978    "Whenever I Call You "Friend"", - Kenny Loggins
      1978    "Summer Nights", - Olivia Newton-John
      1978    "You Needed Me", - Anne Murray
      1989    "Kisses On The Wind", - Neneh Cherry
      1989   "Cherish", - Madonna