BIRTHDAYS
1921     Tony Aless, Piano/leader, b. Garfield, NJ, USA. d. Sept. 23, 1985. né: Anthony Alessandrini In 1938, he began his professional career performing with Bunny Berigan, followed by a short stays with Johnny McGhee, Teddy Powell, and Vaughn Monroe (1940-'42). During World War II (1942-'44), Aless served in the U. S. Army. After his Service discharge, he played briefly with Charlie Spivak, then replaced Ralph Burns in the Woody Herrman band ('45-'46). For the next 3 years he taught at the "New York Conservatory". This was followed by a 1-1/2 year stint on New York's radio station WNEW. He then replaced bandleader Elliot Lawrence on the daily CBS Jack Sterling show. (At the time, his friend, Sanford Gold, who worked with Charlie Parker, was the Musical Director of the Ed Sullivan TV Show). Among the stars with whom Aless worked are George Auld, "Flip" Phillips, "Chubby" Jackson, Neal Hefti, Stan Getz and Charlie Parker. In his later years (1971), he had a piano studio in Great Neck ( Long Island, New York), where among his students was future Jazz pianist Ted Rosenthal, Perhaps Aless' best-known album is the 1955 release "Long Island Suite", which, besides the music, is also notable for the inclusion of (uncredited - named "Moe and Joe") trombonists J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding, as well as alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut.
1963     Tori Amos, singer/songwriter. 1994 single "Cornflake Girl" charted UK No.4.
1956     Claude Barthelemy, guitar, b. Saint Denis (Paris suburb), France. In 1978, after obtaining a Master's degree in Mathematics, he joined the "Michel Portal Band" beginning a professional career as a guitarist (self taught). In 1979, he formed and recorded with his own Jazz group. From 1989 to 1991, Claude was the director of the "Orchestre National de Jazz". Following that, he played in local venues with either his trio (Jean Luc Ponthieux as bass player and Manuel Denizet drums), or his quartet (Daunik Lazro, Claude Tchamitchian, Christophe Marguet). In 1997, he was the recipient of the "Django D'or" award as 'musician of the year'. As a composer, some of his works have been played by the Ensemble Modern of Frankfurt, the "Orchestre National des Pays de Loire", the "Orchestre Lyrique d'Avignon Provence", and the "Ensemble Ars Nova", among others. He has worked and recorded with such vocalists as Elise Caron, Lucilla Galaezzi, La Baronne, and the Malian singer Nahawa Dumbia. Beginning in 1999, Claude started playing the 'Oud', and appearing at numerous concerts playing that instrument.
1930     Rolf Gunnar Billberg, alto sax, b. Lund, Sweden (raised in Gothenburg, Sweden), d. August 17, 1966 Käringön, Gothenburg archipaelago), Sweden. Age: just short of 36.
1911     Doyle Blackwood,vocals, b. Ackerman, MS, USA. né: Doyle J. Blackwood. member: 'The Blackwood Brothers'
1959     Eric Boeren, trumpet, cornet, alto horn, melodica, b. Ulicoten, Holland.
1910     Rod Brasfield, C&W comedian, b. Smithville, MS, USA, d. Sept. 12, 1958. né: Rodney Leon Brasfield.
1955     Tim "Buck" Buckley, C&W Guitar, b. St. Louis. MO, USA. d. Jan. 6, 2002, Arlington TX, USA (Coronary Arrest). né: Timothy P. Buckley.
CAUTION: Do not confuse with vocalist Tim Charles Buckley, b. Feb 14, 1947, Amsterdam, NY, USA, d. June 29, 1975, Santa Monica, CA, USA. (heroin overdose)

Tim "Buck" Buckley was a Member of the group: 'Doug Supernaw And The Possum Eatin' Cowboys' (and also worked with 'The Tearjerkers', -but only when they were a part of Doug Supernaw's group).
In private correspondence, Buck's wife, Mrs Linda Buckley, has recalled that:
      "'Buck' was Doug Supernaw's lead Gutiar player from 1991- 1998. He worked for Supernaw until
      Supernaw stopped paying the EX- Band Members which were known as ( 'The Possum Eatin'
      Cowboys'). Some of the ( PEC'S) formed a band together in the Houston area after quiting Supernaw,
       --called "The Tearjerker's". Tim was never a part of this band. He had quit Supernaw in 1998,
      and went to work for 'Quik Trip',and did not want to play music again. Although the band called
      asking ( "Buck" ) to come play in the band but he said No.

      Tim was also 'The Wall Brothers' Lead guitar player. Tim ( "Buck") Buckley also played many years
      with Mundo Earwood from the Houston area. Mundo is known for such songs as "Behind Blue Eyes",
      "You're In Love With the Wrong Man", and "Anglien". "Buck" played with many local bands in the
      Houston Texas,area local bars. He was well known in a 'Country' bar off of I-96 in Houston that was
      called 'Chip Kikker's'. It is no longer there but Buck worked there many nights with locals & Mundo
      Earwood. He played with local bands while growing up in St Louis MO. He was one of the writers on
      two of Supernaw's songs' ( "Reno" and "What In The World" ).

      Our 13 1/2 year son " Patrick " was in Supernaw's video "She Never Looks Back" (he was the little boy
      that they Zoomed in on waving his Astro cap in the air with his guitar on singing. In fact most of the
      Supernaw's band members & Supernaw's kids were in this same video. Patrick ( our son) was
       always seen on stage doing everything Supernaw did ."'

On January 6 ,2005, Tim P ( Buck ) Buckley left behind his wife of 17 years, Linda Mesecke Buckley (b. Aug. 18, 1954), and their son, Timothy ( Patrick ) Buckley (b. May 8, 1991). (Buck died while at work as manager of the company 'Ouik Trip').
1923     "Carolina Slim", guitar, b. Leasburg, NC, USA. né: Edward Harris.
1942     Joe Chambers, guitar/vocals.
1927     Lou Columbo, trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet. In 1990s, he cut a tribute album to Bobby Hackett (Concord label), but Lou is better known as a 'sessions' musician rather than as a leader. .
1915     Elisse Cooper, vocalist, b. Columbia (Richland Cotton Milltown), South Carolina, USA, d. Oct. 5, 1962, Columbia, South Carolina, USA (lung cancer). née: : Mabel Elisse Cooper. In 1936, Elisse, was working in the cotton Mill when a touring band arrived to play at the Carolina Theater. Elisse entered her little sister, Elizabeth Cooper, in the theater's talent contest, and while Elisse was coaching her for the contest, the bandleader observed her, and recruited her on the spot. She quit the mill, and left town with the band next day. In 1944, Elisse married Gabe Gelinas, the sax player in the Jan Savitt Orchestra. Here's a photograph of Elisse Cooper, in 1942-'43, when she was singing with the Jan Savitt Orchestra. It was a happy marriage, but sadly, Gabe died just 6 years later in 1950, leaving her with a young son. She continued working as a songstress until 1949, singing in Radio and Chicago dinner clubs. However, the 'Big Bands era' had ended, and by 1953 she was working as a musical talent agency placement representative. In 1954, she married Jim Cleary, a small club owner who was mob connected, and it came out badly, with him landing in jail accused of using a screw driver to murder the young lady manager of a Western Union store during a robbery. In his defense, he claimed that he was present, but that an accomplice had committed the murder. It was very sad for her and the family, and newspapers across the country chronicled the murder trial in Nevada. After the experience with her second husband, she never married again. From 1955 to '61-'62, she owned a women's clothing store in Chicago, "Elisse Cotton shop", that capitalized on her name recognition, and history from the Southern Cotton mill. Elisse had always been a heavy smoker, and on Oct. 5, 1962 she died of lung cancer. She was buried in the Mill Cemetery in Columbia, South Carolina. During her career with the Big Bands, Elisse was a featured singer with the Bob Chester, Eddie DeLange, Ben Bernie, Chico Marx, and Jan Savitt orchestras. She had a lot of fun in the music business, but sad times too. An enthusiastic and optimistic lady, she was always trying to organize friends and family into singing, both as a child and in family reunions. She had tremendous drive in a small size, -just about 4' 10' and, until about 1952, weighed about 105 lbs. Ben Bernie, "the old Maestro", was fond of introducing her as the "Pixie from Dixie". Chico Marx Introduced her as "Sugar, " 'cause she's so sweet". Several New York Times Articles referred to bandleader Eddie Delange always dancing his pretty, "diminutive songstress" off the stage.
(The Big Bands Database thanks Ms Marjorie Sorrels, Elisse Cooper's niece, for this small biography, and photos, of her famous aunt. )
1969     Steve Cradock, Member group: 'Ocean Colour Scene'. 1996 single "The Day We Caught The Train" charted UK No.4.
1959     Juan Croucier, rock guitar. (Ratt-Round & Round).
1973     Howie D, Member group: Backstreet Boys. 1997 single "Quit playing Games With My Heart" charted US No.2, and their 1999 single "I Want It That Way" charted UK No.1.
1943     Warren Daly, Drums, Leader, arranger, composer, b. Sydney, Australia
1945     Ron Dante, b. New York (Staten Island), NY, USA. Member group: Archies. 1969 single "Sugar Sugar" charted US and UK No.1,
1952     Debbie Davies, (Blues) guitar, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Recorded for Blind Pig Records
1950     Teresa Davis, vocals. Member group: The Emotions.
1963     James Debarge, vocals/guitar, b. Grand Rapids, MI, USA. 1985 single "Rhythm Of The Night" charted UK No.4.
1944     Jackie DeShannon, vocals, b. Hazel, KY, USA. née: Sharon Myers. 1969 single "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" charted US No.4.
1972     Paul Doucette, Member group: Matchbox 20. 2000 single "Bent" charted US No.1.
1957     Holly Dunn, C&W singer/songwriter, b. San Antonio, TX, USA.
1937     Malachi Favors, Jazz bassist, b. Chicago, IL, USA, d. Jan. 30, 2004, Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 76.(pancreatic cancer). Perhaps best recalled for his work with 'The Art Ensemble Of Chicago'. Favors sometimes added 'Maghostut' to his name, which was an Egyptian word meaning “I am the host.” He served in the Army during the Korean War, and then, back in Chicago in the late 1950’s, he studied with the bassists Wilbur Ware and Israel Crosby, and worked with the pianists Andrew Hill and King Fleming. He briefly attended what was then Wilson Junior College, where the saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell was a fellow student. By the mid-1960’s, Favors and Mitchell had moved into the circle of the pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, whose Experimental Band provided the initial spark for the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (or A.A.C.M.), a cooperative Jazz society. At first the Art Ensemble of Chicago was Roscoe Mitchell’s own group, which included Favors, Moye, trumpeter Lester Bowie and saxophonist Joseph Jarman. In 1969, while touring in France, they were first billed as the 'Art Ensemble of Chicago'. The group remained in Europe until 1971, recording more than a dozen albums, and establishing itself as one of the innovative new Jazz ensembles. 1972 found the ensemble recording for Atlantic Records. In 1978, the group switched to ECM Records, and later recorded for the Japanese label DIW. Lester Bowie died in 1999, and the group’s last recording (a quartet without Mr. Bowie) was “The Meeting” (Pi Records).
1926     Bob Flanigan, trombone/bass/vocal, b. Greencastle, IN, USA. Part of 'the Four Freshman' vocal group.
1906     Jacob Roger "Brick" Fleagle, Banjo/Guitar/aranger, b. Hanover, PA, USA. d. April 15, 1992. Worked with the Jimmy Lunceford band.
1947     Donna Godchaux, vocals, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Grateful Dead'.
1961     Ricky Lynn Gregg, C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar, b. Longview, TX, USA.
1938     Dale Hawkins, guitar, b. Goldmine, LA, USA. Member group: 'Susie-Q'
1979     Nelly, Cornell Haynes Jr., 2000 album "Country Grammar" charted US No. 1.
1920     John Lee Hooker, (Mississippi Blues) vocals/guitar, b. Clarksdale, MI, USA. d. June 21, 2001, USA. (Not born 1917)
1936     Lex P. Humphries III, Drums, b. Rockaway, NJ, USA. d. July 11, 1994, age 57. Lex worked and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie and with the Donald Byrd-Pepper Adams Quintet
1916     Kenny Leighton, Saxophone d. Aug. 1. 2002, Estero, FL, U.S.A. (a series of strokes, ) né: Kenneth A. Tesmer Orchestra. He is best recalled as the musical director of the Guy Lombardo Band. Among the other orchestras in which he played are The Andy Powell Band, The Gay Claridge Band, The Cal Pigeon Band, and The Jan Garber.
1942     Kathy Lennon, b. Santa Monica, CA, USA. vocals. Member group: 'Lennon Sisters'.
1948     Marian Leighton-Levy, Label owner: Rounder Records (one of the founders), b. Harrington, ME, USA.
1954     Frank Marino, rock guitar, b. Del Rio, TX, USA.
1963     Mila Mason, C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar, b. Murray, KY, USA. née: Mila Jade Macmillan.
1966     Mark Michaels, rock guitar.
1939     Freddie Milano, vocals, b. New York (The Bronx), NY, USA. Member group: 'The Belmonts'.
1958     Ian Mitchell, vocals/guitar, b. Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Bay City Rollers'. 1975 single "Bye Bye Baby" charted UK No. 1, and then 1976 single "Saturday Night" charted US No. 1. (also had 11 UK top 20 singles.)
1912     Hubert Maxwell "Bumps" Myers, Tenor-Baritone sax, b.Clarksburg, W.VA, USA. d. 1968
1950     Sam Neely, C&W vocals, b. Cuero, TX, USA. Best release: "Loving You Just Crossed My Mind".
1961     Roland Orzabal, Vocals/Guitar/Organ/Piano/Songwriter/Synthesizer. b. Portsmouth, England. né: Roland Orzabal De La Quintana. Member group: 'Tears For Fears'. (founding members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith split up in 1991, and got together again in 2004 for an album entitled: "Because Everyone Loves A Happy Ending" - released Sept. 2004) 1985 US No. 1 and UK No. 2 single "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", plus over 12 other UK top 40 singles.
1946     Kim Parker, vocals. Kim is the a daughter of saxist Charlie ("Yardbird") Parker, Jr. (b. August 29, 1920 – d. March 12, 1955)
1899    Jack Payne, Bandleader/vocals, b. Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, UK. d. Dec. 4, 1969, Tunbridge Wells, England, UK. né: John Wesley Vivian Payne
1961     Debbi Peterson, drums/vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: The Bangles
1958     Vernon Reid, guitar, banjo, synthesizer, voice, b. London, England, UK. However, while still a child, his family moved to New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA, where, at age 15, he began playing guitar.
1931     Roscoe Shelton, Blues vocals, b. Lynchburg, TN, USA.
1961     Pete Siers, drums
1890     Henry "Son" Sims, violin, b. Anguilla, MS, USA.
1923     "Carolina Slim", Blues vocals, né: Edward P. Harris. b. Leasburg, NC, USA. aka: "Lazy Slim Jim", "Jammin' Jim", "Paul Howard", and Country Paul".
1910     Adie "Sweet Peas" Spivey, vocals, b. Houston, TX, USA.
1968     Will Taylor, violin/viola
1924    Bob Thompson, Leader, b. San Jose, CA
1916     Sonny Thompson, piano, b. Centreville, MS, USA.
1954     Alan Wilkinson, Saxophone/Vocal, b. London, England
1965     Graham Wilmington, vocals/guitar, b. Paisley, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Close Lobsters'.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1906.     The Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden, New Jersey started production of the Victrola (record player). The hand-cranked unit, with horn cabinet, sold for $200. Records not included..
1932.     The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began its first experimental TV broadcast in England.
1952.     Hociel Thomas, piano, died in Oakland, CA, USA. Age: 48
1965.     Henry "Bass" Edwards, tuba, died in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1977.     "Judge L." Riley, drums, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 68 Worked with Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (b. Aug. 24, 1905, Forest, MS, USA, d. March 28,
1974) who was a Delta Blues singer and guitarist.
1979.     John Lee Granderson, (Blues) harmonica, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 66
1980.     Linda Ronstadt opens on Broadway in "The Pirates Of Penzance".
1987.     Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston, Blues pianist, died in Minneapolis, MN, USA. Age: 70
2003.     Floyd Tillman (b. Dec. 8, 1914, Ryan, Oklahoma, USA), C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Mandolin/Banjo, died at his home in Bacliff, Texas, USA. Age 88
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1922     "Three O'Clock In The Morning", - Paul Whiteman Orch.
1924     "When I Was The Dandy and You Were The Belle", - Eileen Stanley/Billy Murray vocal duet.
1927     "Just A Memory", - Vincent Lopez and his Casa Lopez Orch.
1929     "Too Wonderful For Words", - Sam Lanin and The Ipana Troubadors.
1929     "Moanful Blues", -Jabbo Smith and his Rhythm Aces.
1930     "Why Have You Forgotten Waikiki", - Irving Aaronson and The Commanders.
1930     "I'm Confessing (That I Love You)", - Ben Bernie .
1931     "Nobody's Sweetheart", - Clyde McCoy's Hotel Drake Orch.
1934     "Flirtation Walk", - Irving Aaronson and The Commanders.
1934     "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", - Johnny Johnson Orch.
1938    "Jumpin Round Woodside", - Count Basie Orch. (head arrangement) made same time as "Texas Shuffle"
1939     "Ill Wind", - Maxine Sullivan vocal.
1939     "Sing Something Simple", - Maxine Sullivan vocal.
1945     "Autumn Serenade", - The Modernaires.
1945     "Holiday For Strings", - The Modernaires.
1946     "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie", - Louis Jordan
1952     "Trying", - Hilltoppers
1952     "You Belong To Me", - Patti Page
1952     "I Went To Your Wedding", - Patti Page
1952     "Meet Mister Callaghan", - Les Paul
1952     "Jambalaya", - Jo Stafford
1953     "Dragnet", - Ray Anthony
1964     "Bread And Butter", - Newbeats
1964     "G.T.O.", - Ronny & The Daytonas
1970     "Snowbird", - Anne Murray
1970     "I'm Losing You, (I Know)", - Rare Earth
1981     "For Your Eyes Only", - Sheena Easton
1987     "Carrie", - Europe
1987     "Lost In Emotion", - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam