BIRTHDAYS
1940     Arthur Adams, Guitar, b. Medon, Tennessee, USA
1939     Don Alias, percussion, d. March 29, 2006 Although he perfomed or recorded with Weather Report, Carla Bley, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Peter Erskine, The Brecker Brothers, Joey Calderazzo, Jaco Pastorius, Terry Lyne Carrington and many others, he has no sessions available as a leader. Alias was very widely recorded, but he is perhaps best recalled for his work in the early 1970s with Miles Davis and David Sanborn. Though better known for his skill at congas and other hand drums, Alias was also a capable drum kit performer.
1927     Ernie Andrews, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1959     Dale Barlow, Tenor Sax, b. Sydney, Australia
1953     Steve Barta, piano
1905     Willie "61" Blackwell, piano.
1895     Merritt Brunies, Cornet/trombone, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Feb. 5, 1973
1946     "Little" Jimmy Buffett, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Mobile, AL, USA. né: James William Buffett
1907     Joe Butler, Bass, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. June 19, 1982
1907     Cabell "Cab" Calloway, III, Leader/singer, b. Rochester, NY, USA. d. Nov. 18 , 1994, Hockessin, DE, USA. Often presented as "Cab Calloway. The King of "Heigh De Ho", presents a bit of Heated Harlem Rhythm." Always dressed in an all-white "Fish and Tails" - even a White Top Hat.
1954     Robin Campbell, Guitar / Vocals, b. Birmingham, England. Member group: 'UB40', a pop / reggae band comprised of Robin Campbell, and
Earl Falconer (Bass / Vocals, b. Jan. 23, 1959, Birmingham, England),
James Brown (Drums, b. Nov. 20, 1957, Marlborough)
Ali Campbell (Vocals / Guitar, b. Feb. 15, 1959, Birmingham, England)
"Astro" (Vocals / Trumpet, b. June 24 1957, Birmingham, England)
Brian Travers (Saxaphones / Horn Arrangements, b. Feb. 7, Birmingham, England)
Michael Virtue (Keyboards, b. Jan. 19, 1957, Birmingham, England),
Martin Meredith (Saxophone / Keyboards, b. Jan. 4, 1971, Birmingham, England ),
Laurence Parry (Trumpet / Flugal / Trombone, b. May 16, 1966, London, England).
Norman Hassan (Percussion / Vocals / trombone, b. Jan. 26, 1958, Birmingham, England )
1905     Wayman Carver, Flute/alto - tenor saxes/clarinet, b. Portsmouth, VA, USA. d. May 6, 1967
1964     Kimber Clayton, C&W songwriter, b Montgomery, AL, USA.
1878     Louis Cottrell Sr., Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Oct. 17, 1927
1941     Ronnie Cuber, Baritone Sax, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
1941     Eb Davis, vocals, b. West Memphis, AR, USA.
1908     Alton Delmore, C&W vocals, b. Elkmont, AL, USA, d. June 8, 1964 . Member: "The Delmore Brothers" and "The Brown's Ferry Four" vocal groups.
1934     Ben Dixon, drums, b. Gaffney, SC, USA.
1944     John Edwards, vocals, b. St. Louis, MO, USA. Member group: 'The Spinners'.
1982     Alecia Elliott, C&W vocals, b. Muscle Shoals, AL, USA.
1928     Chris Ellis, Vocal, b. Shrewsbury, England
1926     Rick Fay, clarinet, saxophone, b. Chicago, IL, USA. d. March 22, 1999, Evanston IL, USA. né: Richard Melvin Fay. CAUTION: Do not confuse with clarinetist Richard "Rick" Fay, who died on June 12, 1999 in Lake Mary, FL, USA. Age: 72.
1903     "Izzy" Friedman, Clarinet/saxophones, b. Linton, IN, USA. "Izzy" began his music career in Terra Haute, IN, USA. (Another famous musician from Linton, IN, USA, was bandleader Phil Harris.)
1908     Eddie Gibbs, Guitar/banjo/bass, b. New Haven, CT, USA. Eddie was a student of banjoist/bandleader Elmer Snowden. In the late 1920s, was already working with such players as Wilbur Sweatman, Eubie Blake and Billy Fowler. In 1937 he began playing quite regularly with Edgar Hayes, and in 1938 toured Europe with Hayes. During this period, Gibbs switched to playing a guitar. In 1940, after a brief stint with Teddy Wilson, Gibbs joined Eddie South for two years. Subsequently, Eddie played with pianist Dave Martin, Luis Russell, and Claude Hopkins. In the early 1950s, he was part of a Wilbur De Paris combo (playing mostly banjo). In the mid '50s, he left De Paris, and began to study the Bass with Ernest Hill. Before the decade ended, Gibbs was playing the Bass full time. However, in the 1960s, there was a revival of interest in Dixieland Jazz, and Gibbs was soon back playing his banjo full timne with various groups, as well as at the 1965 New York World's Fair. During the late 1960s, Gibbs worked with a combo called 'The Happy Family' playing both banjo and bass. In the 1970s, Gibbs 'hung up' his banjo and retired.
1952     Larry Good, vocals/banjo, b. Newmarket, Ont, Camada. Member grojup: Good Brothers (Bruce Good, b. Jan. 27, 1946, Toronto, ONT, Canada. vocals/autoharp/dobro; Brian Good b. Jan. 27, 1946, vocals/guitar; and Travis Good b. April 10, 1968; and Dallas Good, b. May 22, 1973)
1971     Noel Hogan, Guitar/Songwriter, b. Moycross, Limerick, Ireland. Member group: 'Cranberries'
1929     Billy Horton, vocals, b: Philadelphia, PA, USA. Member: 'Silhouettes'
1937     O'Kelly Isley JR., singer, b: Cincinnati, OH, USA. member: 'Isley Brothers'
1939     Bob James, Piano/keyboard/composer/arranger/leader, b. Marshall, MI, USA.
1914     Pat Jenkins, Trumpet, b. Norfolk, VA, USA.
1948     L. V. Johnson, guitar, b. ?Chicago, IL, USA.
1929     Chris Kenner, singer/composer, b: Kenner, LA, USA
1928     Harry Klein, Baritone, alto sax, clarinet, arranger, b. London, England, UK
1904     Harry "Big Jim" Lawson, Trumpet, b. Round Rock, TX, USA.
1937     Carol Leigh, vocals
1954     Annie Lennox, singer/songwriter/piano/flute, b. Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Eurythmics'.
1932     "Little Richard", vocals/piano/composer, b: USA
1945     Steve Mancha, vocals, b. Walhall, SC, USA.
1948     Barbara Mandrell, vocalist/actress/producer/writer, b. Houston, TX, USA. née: Barbara Ann Mandrell. Her sister Irlene Mandrell is also a vocalist (See Jan. 29 Entry). Barbara married Ken Dudney in 1967, and they are still married. In 1970, she gave birth to Matthew, and to a daughter, Jaime Nicole Dudney, in 1976. Barbara and the two children were in a major auto accident in 1984. In 1984 (after the accident) her second son, Nathaniel, was born.
1913     Tony Martin, Vocals/Sax, b. San Francisco, CA. USA. né: Alvin Morris, Jr. Bow best remembered for his 'Pop' vocals in the Hollywood films, but Tony started out as Sax and vocals with the Tom Gerun band (under his real name of Al Morris, Jr.). In Gerun's band at the time were a young clarinetist and vocalist Woody Herman and a young Virginia Simms, who later become famous as Ginny Simms singing for Kay Kyser's band. With fame, Tony had his own radio show. Georgie Auld was his Musical Director. And, the Erskine Butterfield band also appeared on his show during the 1950s. Tony married film star Alice Faye, but the marriage ended in divorce 4 years after it started. (Alice went on to marry bandleader Phil Harris.) Tony then wed dancer Cyd Charisse in 1946, and they had two sons.
1965     Dmitri Matheny, flugelhorn/composer, b. Nashville, Tennessee, USA
1957     Shane McGowan, vocals, b. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England (while his parents were visiting relatives. His home was actually in Puckhaun, county Tipperary, Ireland). Member group: 'Pogues'.
1953     Chucho Merchan, double bass/electric bass, percussion, percussion, b. Bogota, Columbia aka: Chucho Merchant and Chucho Merchán. He has appeared in the film 'Showgirls' (1995, as bassist Chucho Merchant), in the film 'Perdita Durango' (1997, as Chucho Merchán, a percussion soloist), and also in the film 'Cookie's Fortune' (1999, as a double bassist).
1934     McKinley Mitchell, vocals, b. Jackson, MS, USA.
1912     Oscar Frederic Moore, Guitar, b. Austin, TX, USA. d. Oct. 8, 1981. Recalled for his work with the Nat King Cole Trio
1912     Leighton Noble, Leader/vocal/piano, b. Pasadena, CA, USA. d: March 6, 1994, né: Faye Leighton Jepsen
1886     Edward "Kid" Ory, Trombone, b. La Place, LA, USA. d. Jan. 23, 1973, Honolulu, Hawaii. . Probably the most famous of all the original "Tailgate" trombonists. Played with all the legendary New Orleans bands, and later renowned for his work on the 'Louis Armstrong Hot Five' Chicago recordings.
1917     Frank Pappalardi, piano/songwriter, b. Providence, RI, USA. Worked with Louis Jordan.
1921     Amos "Big Amos" Patton, harmonica.
1941     Don Pullen, Piano, b. Roanoke, VA, USA. d. April 22, 1995
1945     Noel Redding, bassist/guitar, b. Kent, England, d. May 11, 2003. Member group: 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience'. In 1966, Chas Chandler selected him to join Hendrix's band and left in 1969. Although he did appear in other bands both before and after after Hendrix's death, he never achieved a similar level of success. In 1972, Noel retired to Co. Cork, Ireland.
1920     Jerome C. Richardson, reeds/woodwinds, b. Oakland, CA, USA, d. June 23, 2000. (some sources say born Nov. 15). Studied San Francisco State College.
1934     Boyd Rivers, guitar, b. Pickens, MS, USA.
1903     'Bat' "The Humming Bird" Robinson, piano, b. Algiers, LA, USA.
1892     "Big Jim" Robinson, Trombone, b. Deer Ranger, LA, USA. d. May 4, 1976, New Orleans, LA, USA. One of the original New Orleans Jazzmen. As a child Robinson first played guitar, but in 1917, at age 24 and while stationed in France during World War I, he started playing trombone In 1919 he was back home in New Orleans working with "Kid Rena", the "Golden Leaf Band", and in 1923, with the "Tuxedo Band". In 1927, he played and recorded with Sam Morgan's band. During the great world-wide economic depression of the 1930s, Robinson's "day job" was that of a working Longshoreman in the busy dock areas of New Orleans. In 1940, he recorded with Kid Rena's group, and in 1942 became a part of Bunk Johnson's group, where he met, and began touring with George Lewis and his orchestra. In 1946, they returned to New Orleans where Lewis' band remained popular all during the 1950s and '60s, while also touring the world and recording extensively. In the 1970s, Robinson was a member of the famous "Preservation Hall Jazz Band", and he remained active until his demise at age 83.
1915     Pete Rugolo, Arranger/Composer, b. San Piero, Sicily. His arrangements for Kenton were spectacular.
1918     Eddie Safranski, Bass, leader, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. d. January 10, 1974 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Perhaps best known for his work with Stan Kenton, but he had also worked with Charlie Barnet and Benny Goodman From 1946 to 1953, he won the "Down Beat Readers Poll" for best bassist. As a leader, his band recorded two songs with singer Ginny Gibson, --."Doodle Bug" and "Scutter-Botch", (Gibson is little recalled today, but she did also record backed by the Hugo Winterhalter, Bobby Sherwood, Lenny Herman, and Joe Lipman orchestras. )
1932     Heinz Sauer, soprano/alto/tenor/baritone sax, electronics b. Merseburg, Germany (some sources claim b. Dec. 24)
1919     John Ray "Curly" Sechler, C&W singer-songwriter, b. China Grove, NC, USA. member: 'Nashville Grass' Group.
1899     Nat Shilkret, leader, piano, cornet, clarinet, violin, b. New York (Queens) NY, USA. d: Feb., 18, 1982, Long Island, NY, USA. His brother Jack Shilkret was also a bandleader.
1928     'Herbie' Spanier, trumpet, b. Cupar, Sask. Canada, (raised in Regina). d. Dec 13, 2001, Toronto, ON, Canada. né: Herbert Anthony Charles. (also piano, reeds, percussion).
1900     "Tampa Red", singer/guitar, b. Atlanta, GA, USA. né: Hudson Whittaker. Raised in Tampa, FL, hence the name.
1909     Rabon Tarrant, drums/vocals, b. Ennis, TX, USA
1899     Saul Tepper, composer, b. New York, NY, USA. (Worked with Louis Jordan )
1944     Henry Vestine, (rock) guitar, b. Washington, DC, USA, d. Oct. 20, 1996, (near) Paris, France (heart failure). Age: 52. {Prior to his demise, Vestine had asked that his ashes, now buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, eventually be transported to a crater on the dark side of the moon, named after his father, a noted astrophysicist.) Member group: 'Canned Heat'. In 1965, blues fanatics Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, a 300-pound singer nicknamed "The Bear", formed this 'electric boogie band. Beside their biggest hit "On the Road Again" (1968), the band was notable for performing at three of rock 'n' roll's most famous festivals - the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, Woodstock in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in England 1970.
1949     Joe Louis Walker, guitar/songwriter, b. San Francisco, CA, USA
1945     Clyde Wilson, vocals, b. Walhalla, SC, USA. Member: '100 Proof Aged In Soul'
1954     Steve Wariner, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Noblesville, IN, USA.
1925     Chris Woods, Alto Sax, b. Memphis, TN, USA. d. July 4, 1985
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1954.    Johnny Ace, piano, died in Houston, TX, USA. Age: 25 (Died backstage playing playing "Russian Roulette" with a revolver)
1958.    Charles L. Cooke, (aka: "Doc" Cook) (ragtime) piano, died in Wurtsboro, NY, USA. Age: 67
1972.    Wilbur "Dud" Bascomb, trumpet, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 56
1972.    Lawrence Brown, piano, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 79. Played with Paul Robeson
1973.    Richard "Hacksaw" Harney, piano tuner/guitarist/pianist, died in Jackson, MS, USA. Age: 71. Sadly, "Hacksaw" is not too well remembered today. "Hacksaw" was an excellent guitarist (recorded by Adelphi label -1969). During the early 1920s, he worked in a local band, and then had an ongoing exposure to a variety of musicians in his travels as a piano tuner and rebuilder. His peers regarded him as one of the greatest musicians in the Mississippi Delta.
1982.    Roger Bowling, C&W songwriter, died in Wiley, GA, USA. Age: 39
1985.    Eddie Taylor, guitar, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 62
1985.    George Rhodes, piano/arranger, died in, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 66
1987.    Nat Tarnopol, ceo (Brunswick Records), died in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Age: 56
1987.    Gene "Bowlegs" Miller, trumpet, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 54
1988.    Lloyd Rowe, guitar, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1992.    Clarence M. King, vocals coach/manager (Motown label), died in Detroit, MI, USA. Age: 81
1995.    Dean Martin died at age 78 in Beverly Hills, CA, USA. On the singer/crooner, actor, comedian's tombstone is engraved; Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime.
1998.    Bryan MacLean, C&W songwriter, died. Age: 52 He is perhaps best recalled for the Patty Loveless' hit release "Don't Throw Us Away."
1998.    Damita Jo, vocal, died née: Damita Jo DuBlanc. Perhaps her greatest hit, "I'll Save The Last Dance for You", was an answer to The Drifters' "Save the Last Dance for Me"
2005.    Derek Bailey, guitar, died in London, England, UK.
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1954     No More, (My Baby Don't Love Me) , - De John Sisters
1954     Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) , - The Penguins
1965     Day Tripper , - Beatles
1965     No Matter What Shape , - T-Bones
1971     Sugar Daddy , - The Jacksons
1976     New Kid In Town , - The Eagles
1976     Weekend In New England , - Barry Manilow
1976     Torn Between Two Lovers , - Mary MacGregor