BIRTHDAYS
1940     Alan Caddy, guitar/producer, b. London, England. Member group: 'The Tornados', 'Johnny Kidd & the Pirates'
1935     Glenn Barber, (Country/Rockabilly) Vocals/Guitar, b. Hollis, OK, USA.
1929     "Vlady" Bas, Alto Sax/Clarinet/Flute, b. Bilbao, Spain. né: Wladimiro Bas Zabache
1934     Clyde "Skip" Battin, bass, b. Gallapolis, OH, USA. Member groups: 'The Byrds', 'New Riders Of the Purple Sage', and 'The Flying Burrito Brothers'.
1946     Howard Bellamy, harmony vocals, b. Darby, FL, USA. Member group: 'The Bellamy Brothers'
1900     Andrew Brown, Reeds, b. New York, NY, USA. d. August 19, 1960, New York, NY, USA.
1920     Bill Brunskill, Trumpet, b. London, England, d. Nov. 18, 2002, London England. A true "cockney", Brunskill originally worked as a guitarist in East End dance bands of the late 1930s. After working as a military policeman during WW2, Bill took up the trumpet when he became interested in the New Orleans traditional Jazz sound and the playing of such men as Muggsy Spanier and Bunk Johnson. Some of his East End contemporaries included clarinetists Cy Laurie and Monty Sunshine. In 1952. Brunskill's semi-pro group, fronted by guitarist Tony Donegan, appeared at a Royal Festival Hall concert, along with visiting American Bluesman Lonnie Johnson. During 1954-'55, Brunskill was a member of trombonist Bob Dawbarn's Barnstormers, then playing various Soho basement 'dives'. At the time, fellow trumpeter Ken Colyer wrote of him having "...tremendous tone and attack, if short on technique." In 1955, Brunskill formed a group that played Sunday afternoons at Cy Laurie's Club in London's West End. The group was designed for young musicians to 'sit in' and gain experience playing in public. Guitarist 'Diz' Disley once featured such a rough and ready session in one of his satirical Melody Maker cartoons entitled " Bill Brunskill's Workshop". In 1959, banjoist Eddie Smith, then visiting New Orleans with Chris Barber, remarked that the "pre-Preservation Hall" style of playing reminded him of a typical Sunday afternoon Bill Brunskill gig. Also beginning in 1955, and continuing for the next 16 years, Brunskill's group performed every Sunday evening at the 'Fighting Cocks', in Kingston-Upon-Thames. While membership did vary, the group usually had trombonist (and journalist) Mike Pointon, "Uncle John" Renshaw on bass, Barry Martyn, and Keith Smith. Bill's own banjoist son, Bill, often sat in. Others who worked with him at times included bassist Jim Bray, trombonist Roy Crimmins, and Sammy Rimington. With the collapse of the 'Trad' boom, many New Orleans style groups disbanded, and Brunskill (whose "day job" was working as a Tower Hamlets housing officer) began another long engagement at the 'Lord Napier' in the South London surburb of Thornton Heath (again encouraging fledgling Jazzmen to sit in). He also began to record, and after rarely leaving his native London area for so many years, now toured to Belgium and to Holland, where one Dutch newspaper dubbed him 'The Grand Old Man of the London New Orleans Jazz scene". When his son emigrated to Australia, Bill visited him, and on one occasion even sat in with his son as a "guest soloist". In 1984, George Melly presented a TV documentary "Whatever happened to Bill Brunskill?" The Lord Napier club, where Brunskill had attacted a devoted following, had become a mecca for visiting Jazzmen from all over the world. After more than 30 years, illness finally forced Brunskill to give up performing. When he died, his legacy included his unceasing kindness and encouragement to younger musicians.
1963     Eva Cassidy, Pop vocals, b. Oxon Hill, Maryland, USA, d. Nov. 2, 1996 (Cancer)
1932     Jodie Christian, piano, b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1944     Basil "Manenberg" Coetzee, saxophonist, flute, vocals, b. Cape Town, South Africa, d. March 11, 1998, Rocklands, Mitchell's Plain, South Africa.
1928     Alan Fluck, Music educator, d. Dec. 24, 1997.
1927     Stan Getz, Tenor Sax, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA, d. June 6, 1991.né: Stanley Gayetzsky
1966     Greg Gisbert, trumpet
1940     Tony Gould, Piano, b. Melbourne, Australia
1964     Charlie Heather, drums, b. Brighton, England. Member group: 'The Levellers', consisted of five Brighton, England, musicians --Charlie Heather, Mark Chadwick (vocals, guitar, banjo), Alan Miles (vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica), Jeremy Cunningham (bass, bouzouki), and Jon Sevink (fiddle).
1907     Godfrey Hirsch, vibraphone, drums, piano, d. May 2, 1992
1951     Alphonso Johnson, Bassist, b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, He was also one the first musicians to introduce the 'Chapman Stick' to the music public.
1888     Louis Keppard, Guitar/Tuba, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Feb. 18, 1986
1940     Russell "Rusty" Kershaw, Cajun and C&W vocals, b. Tiel Ridge, LA, USA.
1965     Jonny King, piano. Jonny has played with such players as Art Blakey, Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, Tony Aless, Kenny Garrett, Vincent Herring, Mulgrew Miller, Roy Hargrove, Joe Lovano and many others.
1952     William King, R&B trumpet/keyboard, b. Tuskegee, AL, USA. Member group: 'The Commodores'
1912     Burton Lane, composer, b. New York, NY, USA, d. Jan. 5, 1997, New York, NY, USA. né: Burton Levy
1947     Peter Lucia, drums/percussion/vocals, b. Niles, MI, USA. Member group: 'Tommy James & the Shondells', consisting of 13-year-old Tommy James (né: Thomas Jackson, April 29, 1947, Dayton, OH, USA), and four friends from junior high school, -Larry Coverdale (guitar), Larry Wright (bass), Craig Villeneuve (piano), and Jim Payne (drums).
1902     Lester McFarland, (Country) Singer-Songwriter/Harmonica/Mandolin/Fiddle, b. Gray, KY, USA. Lester was the 'Mac' in the group "Mac & Bob," Bob was Robert Alexander Gardner (Singer-Songwriter, Guitar, b. Dec. 16, 1897, Oliver Springs, Tennessee, USA, d. Sept. 30, 1978)
1948     Alan McKay, Trumpet. Member group: 'Earth, Wind & Fire'
1900     Emmett Miller, Minstrel/C&W vocals. b. ??Barnesville (near Macon), GA, USA. d 1962. Basically a vaudeville singer who performed in 'blackface', Miller was well known as a minstrel performer, touring widely with minstrel shows for several decades. Miller's yodeling trill, was widely admired and he heavily influenced such country singers as Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Williams (who learned "Lovesick Blues" from a Miller record). His history is still clouded in mystery, yet his singing contributed elements to later Country, Pop, and Jazz. When Miller died, he was hopelessly alcoholic, penniless and completely forgotten. (Miller's dates of birth and demise are largely the result of research by Bret Wood, and his friend Nick Tosches, who has written about Miller.)
1971     Ben Mize, vocals/drums. Member group: 'Counting Crows'
1920     Joe Mondragon, Bass, b. Antonio, CA, USA, d. 1987
1942     Graham Nash, vocals/guitar. member: 'Crosby, Stills, and Nash'.
1958     Dave Newton, Piano, b. Glasgow, Scotland
1959     David Parmley, (Bluegrass) Guitar/vocals, b. Alameda CA, USA. Member: "Bluegrass Cardinals"
1904     Emanual Paul, Violin, Banjo, tenor sax, clarinet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. May 23, 1988
1926     Mimi Perrin, Vocal, b. Paris, France
1926     Wilburt "Red" Prysock, Tenor sax, b. Greensboro, NC, USA. d. July 19, 1993. Red is the younger brother of Arthur Prysock (b. Jan. 2, 1929, Spartanburg, SC, USA. d. June 21, 1997, USA.) Red" learned the tenor sax while serving in the U. S. Army during World War II. In 1947 , after his demobilization, he turned professional and joined the 'Tiny Grimes Rocking Highlanders' band. In 1950 he joined 'Roy Milton and his Solid Senders', after which he worked Tiny Bradshaw's band. In the mid-1960s, he backed his vocalist brother Arthur Prysock on many club dates as well as some TV spots. Over his career, "Red" also worked with the 'Cootie Williams Orchestra', "Dr. Horse", and Alan Freed's Rock n' Roll Stage Show.
1953     Louis Sclavis, tenor & soprano saxes/clarinet, b. Lyon, Fraance.
1946     Whistling Jack Smith, whistler, b. Great Britain. né: Billy Moeller
1937     Tom Smothers, vocals/guitar. Member: 'The Smothers Brothers' vocal group.
1955     Tom Stephen, member: Jeff Healey Band
1924     Edward "Sonny" Stitt, Alto/baritone/Tenor Sax, b. Boston, MA, USA. d. July 22, 1982
1942     James Blood Ulmer, Guitar, b. St.Matthews, SC, USA.
1949     Ross Valory, guitar/vocals/drums/piano/clarinet, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. Member group: 'Steve Miller Band', 'Journey'
1901     Walter Vinson, guitarist, b. USA. Member of 'The Mississippi Sheiks', a group formed in Jackson, MS, USA around 1926. The band blended Country and Blues fiddle music -- both old-fashioned and risqué -- and became one of the most popular string bands of the late 1920s and early '30s. The band included guitarist Walter Vinson and fiddler Lonnie Chatmon, with frequent appearances by guitarists Bo Carter and Sam Chatmon.
1891     Frank "Cicero" Weaver (Hillbilly) vocals/comedy, b. Ozark, MO, USA. Frank was one-third of "The Weaver Bros. & Elviry", a Hillbilly act that parlayed their 'Grand Ole Opry' show success into a lucrative contract with Republic Pictures. One third of the act was Frank Weaver as "Cicero" ( b, 2 February 1891, Ozark,Missouri, USA, d. 29 October 1967, Ventura County, California, USA.) his brother Leon Abner Weaver, as "Abner" who played the "Saw" (b. 12 August 1882, Ozark, Missouri, USA, d. 27 May 1950, Los Angeles, California, USA. heart attack), sister-in-law June Weaver as "Elviry", and niece Loretta Weaver as the ingénue, "Violey".
1965     Ken White, guitar/vocals, b. Louisville, KY, USA. Member: "New Tradition", and "Big Twang"
1926     David Whitfield, vocals, b. Great Britain.
1927     Ken Wray, Trombone, b. Manchester, England

         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1935.    Clara Smith, vocals, died in Detroit, MI41
1937.    Guy Lombardo Orchestra recorded "Boo Hoo" (Victor Records), -one of their all-time great hits.
1959.    The tune, "Charlie Brown", sung by the Coasters was released. It stayed at #2 for three weeks, but was prevented from reaching #1 by Frankie Avalon's "Venus".
1968.    Jenks 'Tex' Carman, C&W singer-songwriter, died.
1975. ;;   Herman E. Johnson, guitar, died in Scotlandville, LA
1983.    Sam Chatman, guitar, died in Hollandale, MS. Age: 86
1987.    Alfred Lion, label founder (Blue Note), died in San Diego, CA. Age: 79
1987.    "Spike" Hughes, leader, arranger, bassist, composer, writer, died in London, England.
1994.    Willie Mae Ford Smith, vocals/gospel songwriter, died in St. Louis, MO. Age: 89
1994.    Zilner Randolph, trumpet, piano, arranger, composer, leader, died
1995.    Jack Allen, clarinet, died
1996.    Phyllis Marshall, vocals, died
2001.    C&W Songwriter Hal Blair, died Biggs, CA, USA. Age: 85 Perhaps his best known tune: "Please Help Me I'm Falling."
2002.    James Blackwood, C&W vocals, died Memphis. TN, USA. Age: 82

         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1951    "Aba Daba Honeymoon", Carleton Carpenter
     1951    "Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)", Patti Page
     1957    "Who Needs You", Four Lads
     1959    "Tall Paul", Annette
     1959    "Petite Fleur (Little Flower)", Chris Barber
     1963    "You're The Reason I'm Living", Bobby Darin
     1974    "Dark Lady", Cher
     1980    "Desire", Andy Gibb
     1980    "Second Time Around, The", Shalamar
     1985    "Relax", Frankie Goes To Hollywood
     1985    "Too Late For Goodbyes", Julian Lennon
     1985    "Only The Young", Journey
     1985    "Lovergirl", Teena Marie
     1991    "Iesha", Another Bad Creation
     1991    "Coming Out Of The Dark", Gloria Estefan
     1991    "All This Time", Sting