BIRTHDAYS
1966     Rick Astley, vocals, b. Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, England.
1950     Mike Batt, singer/songwriter/arranger/producer, b. Southampton, Hampshire, England. Member-- 'The Wombles'
1941     Dave Berry, vocals. b. Sheffield, Yorkshire. né: David Holgate.
1928     Nelson Boyd, Bass, b. Camden, NJ, USA. d. Oct. 19, 1985, USA.
1966     Melissa Brooke-Belland, vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: 'Voice Of the Beehive'
1902     George Brunis, trombone, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Nov. 19, 1974. né: George Brunies, but he dropped the "e" when a numerologist told him it was an "unlucky" letter.
1967     Anita Cochran, C&W singer-songwriter/guitar, b. Pontiac, MI, USA.
1950     Natalie Cole, vocals. b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Nat "King" Cole's daughter.
1951     Skip Ewing, Singer/songwriter, b. Redlands, CA, USA.
1943     Fabian, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. né: Fabiano Anthony Forte Bonaparte.
1927     Donald A. Fagerquist, Trumpet, b. Worcester, Massachusetts, d. Jan. 24, 1974, Los Angeles, CA, USA. While basically recalled as a West Coast big band and studio player, Don did record twice as a leader, - in 1955 for Capitol and in 1957 for Mode ("Music to Fill a Void"). Among the bands with whom he played are Mal Hallett (1943), Gene Krupa (1944-1950), Artie Shaw (1949-1950), Gramercy Five (1949-1950), Woody Herman (1951-1952), Les Brown (1953), and the Dave Pell Octet (1953-1959). In 1956, Fagerquist became a staff musician for Paramount Films. Among the many Jazz stars with whom he worked - and recorded- are Billy May, Pete Rugolo, Si Zentner, Frank Comstock, Art Pepper, Paul Weston, Shelly Manne, Nelson Riddle, and singer Mel Torme.
1888     Haven Gillespie, Lyricist, b. Covington, KY, USA. d. March 14,1975, Las Vegas, NV, USA. Probable best known for his "Santa Claus is Coming To Town", a huge hit for Cowboy actor Gene Autry.
1926     Bernie Glow, Trumpet, b. Manhasset, NY, USA. d. May 8, 1982
1914     Irving Goodman, Trumpet, b. Chicago, IL, USA, d. July 7 1990. (Bandleader Benny Goodman's brother.) Little recalled today, but it was Irving who introduced his friend, pianist Joe Bushkin, into the social world of Jazz musicians. Both youngsters were then attending DeWitt Clinton High School in New York city.
1922     Conrad Joseph Gozzo, Trumpet, b. New Britain, CT, USA. d. Oct. 8, 1964. Studied with his father; a Trumpet teacher. In 1938, he replaced one his dad's students in the Isham Jones band. During the 1939-'41 period, he worked with such bands as: Johnny "Scat" Davis; Bob Chester; Tommy Reynolds, and Red Norvo. In 1941-'42, he worked with Claude Thornhill (3 mos.) and then with Benny Goodman.From 1942 to '45, he served in the US Navy (in Artie Shaw's Service Band), and then re-joined Goodman after he was mustered out of the Armed Forces. He spent a year with the Woody Herman's 'First Herd' until Woody disbanded in 1946. He then freelanced working with such men as Tex Beneke and Boyd Raeburn until he finally settled in Los Angeles, CA, (1947) and spent the next 4-5 years with the Bob Crosby Orch.
1966     Larry Grenadier, bass, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. In 1989, Larry graduated from California's Stanford University with a degree in English Literature, and chose music as his career. He has performed and recorded with guitarist John Scofield (b. Dec. 26, 1951, Dayton, Ohio, USA), pianist Brad Mehldau (b. August 23, 1970, USA), guitarist Pat Metheny (né: Patrick Bruce Metheny, b. Aug. 12, 1954, Lee's Summit, MO, USA), and drummer Bill Stewart (b. 1967, Des Moines, IA, USA). Among others with whom he worked are Leon Parker, Brian Blade, Danilo Perez, h Mark Turner, David Sanchez, and Chris Potter.
1947     Alan Jones, Bass-Guitar/Vocals, b. Swansea, South Wales, U.K. Member group: 'Amen Corner'
1916     Esther "Violet" Koehler, Vocals/Guitar/Mandolin, b. Wilton, WI, USA. Member: "Coon Creek Girls", a group formed in 1937 consisting of Lily May Ledford (Vocals, Banjo, Fiddle b. March 17, 1917, Pilot, Kentucky, USA. d. July 14, 1985), Rosie Ledford (Singer, Guitar, Banjo b August 16, 1915, Pilot, Kentucky, USA. d. July 24, 1976), Daisy Lange (Singer, String Bass, Fiddle b.July 7, 1919, Ohio, USA), Violet Koehler (Singer, Guitar, Mandolin b. Feb. 6, 1916, Wilton, Wisconsin, USA. d. October 4, 1973), and "Black Eyed" Susan (Vocals, String Bass, b. Oct. 10, 1923, Pilot, Kentucky, USA. d. July 22, 1987)
1945     Ernie Krivda, tenor sax
1940     James Ross Lovelace, drums, b. Kansas City, MO, USA, d. Oct. 29, 2004, New York, NY, USA (pancreatic cancer). From the 1960's on, Lovelace was active in the New York city area. He can be heard on more than two dozen recordings, including "Tony Scott"; "The George Benson Cookbook"; "We Loved You," (composed by Frank Hewitt); and "The Eternal Pyramid" (with the band 'Across 7 Street'). During his later years, he was a regular fixture at 'Smalls', a club in New York's West Village area (that closed 2003). The club's band was called 'Across 7 Street', and besides Lovelace on drums, featured pianist Frank Hewitt, Chris Byars on saxophone, Ari Roland on bass and Sacha Perry on piano. Among other Jazzmen with whom Lovelace worked are the guitarists Wes Montgomery and George Benson, pianist Junior Mance and clarinetist Tony Scott. Upon his demise, Lovelace was survived by his wife, Okaru Hoshino and a sister, Myra Hobson, of Kansas City, MO.
1945     Bob Marley, Reggae vocals, b. St. Anne's, Jamaica, d. May 11, 1981, Miami, FL, USA. né: Robert Nesta Marley.
1962     Richie McDonald, C&W Guitar (Acoustic)/Keyboards/Vocals, b. Lubbock, TX, USA. Member group: 'Lonestar'
1946     Kate McGarrigle, singer/songwriter (with her sister Anna b: Dec. 4, 1944), b: St. Sauveur-des-Monts, Que. Canada. Music critic Gil Asakawa has written of the sisters "Here were two intelligent, whimsical, and decidedly quirky women. who wrote often witty,often wrenching songs that shot straight for the heartstrings without a hint of cheap hamming."
1927     Tom McIntosh, Trombone, , composerb. Baltimore, MD, USA.
1966     Michael Mondesir, Bass, b. London, England
1935     Ann Marie Moss, vocals.
1924     Sammy Nestico, Trombone/Arranger/composer/piano, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
1899     Ben Oakley, trombone, b. Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K., d. Jan. 1980, Clapham-London, U.K. né: Henry Percival Benjamin Oakley. Ben played trombone with Jack Payne's Orchestra, and with Jack Hylton's Band - the 'Barnstormers', and others! He also played trumpet (not forgetting that as a Bandboy, he played the 'Last Post' in the 'Whispering Gallery of St. Paul's Cathedral' at the funeral of Lord Roberts!) He served as a Bandboy in the Royal Artillery during the 1st World War. During the 2nd World War, he was Bandmaster (as a Lieutenant) of the Royal Pioneer Corps Band. Later, he was the Conducter of Ben Oakley's Orchestra that played all over London with 12 consecutive Seasons on the end of Southend Pier.
1917     Rev. Dr. Percell Perkins, Gospel Singer/composer/arranger, b: Duncan, MS., US, d: Jan. 31, 2003, Helena, MT, US. Over his long career, this Gospel Music Hall Of Fame Inductee recorded more than 200 songs, and worked with such groups as The Fairfield Four Of Alabama, The Soprocco Singers Of New Orleans, The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi (They did, "Our Father"), The Five Blind Boys Of Alabama, The Fairfield Four, The Soprocco Singers, The Swan Silvertones, The Pilgrim Jubilee, Judge L.T. Simes And The Jury and The Glorybound Singers.
1957     Simon Phillips, drums, b. London, England. Member group: 'Toto'. Simon has been variously reported to have been born Jan 2 or Jun 2, however, in 2000, Simon wrote (in a brief bio) " I was born in London on Feb 6, 1957. My first introduction to the drums was at the age of three while my father, English bandleader, Sid Phillips, was rehearsing his band. Although I had been exposed my father's band before, he had just hired a new drummer, Dave Rogers, and suddenly I noticed the drums. From that moment on life was not the same"
1931     John Pisano, guitar, b. New York, NY, USA. Member: Herb Alpert's 'Tijuana Brass'
1902     Leon Rene, songwriter/producer/label owner, d. May 30, 1982
1961     Dale Reno, guitar/vocals. member: "The Reno Brothers" vocal group.
1962     Axl Rose, vocals, b. Lafayette, IN, USA. né: William Bruce Rose. Assumed the name of William Bailey, when his mother remarried. Member: 'Guns 'n' Roses'
1921     Ernest Andrew "Ernie" Royal, Trumpet, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. d. March 16, 1983. New York, NY, USA. Ernie was the brother of Count Basie's great saxophonist, Marshall Royal. From 1937 to 1942, Ernie played with Les Hite's band, and then briefly with Lionel Hampton before serving in the U. S. Navy for three years during WW2. At war's end, Ernie again played with Count Basie, following which be worked with Woody Herman's "second herd" until 1949. Early 1950 found him touring Europe with Duke Ellington, and later in 1950, he returned to France and worked with bandleader Jacques Helian. In 1952, Royal returned to the USA where he and Wardell Gray co-led a band in Hollywood. In 1953, Ernie toured with Stan Kenton. In the early 1970s, Ernie worked was as a staff musician for the ABC radio and television network. He subsequently performed and recorded intermittently with Gil Evans. He also recorded with Quincy Jones, Oliver Nelson, and Friedrich Gulda. Still other bands with which Ernie had the pleasure of working include Charlie Barnet, Cee Pee Johnson, Vernon Alley, and the Phil Moore Four.
1900     Roy Smeck, guitar, d. April 5, 1994
1927     Pete Terrace, drums
1944     "Willie Tee" Turbinton pianist, Singer, songwriter, arranger, composer, producer, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Sept. 11, 2007, New Orleans, LA, USA. (colon cancer). né: Wilson Turbinton. His brother was saxophonist Earl Turbinton, (b. Sept. 23, 1941,New Orleans, LA, USA, d. d. Aug. 3, 2007. often called: "The African Cowboy,") During his career, "Willie T" worked, played and/or recorded with Joe Zawinul's Weather Report, "Cannonball" Adderley, Nat Adderley, The Wild Magnolias, Herbie Mann, Carl Anderson, "Dr. John" and many others. A number of his R&B hits charted in the 'Top 20', and he also had a small part in the Oscar-winning movie "Ray!". In 2006. 'WillieTee' was formally recognized by the Office of the Governor of Louisiana for his contribution to the evolution of Mardi Gras Indian music.
1950     John Wallace, Guitar, b. Calais, ME, USA.

   Notable Events occuring this date include:
1843.    America's very first minstrel show, the "Original Virginia Minstrels", debuted at New York City's 'Bowery Amphitheatre'.
1929.    Rudy Vallee and his orchestra recorded "Deep Night" (Victor #21868).
1943.    Frank Sinatra appeared on the radio show "Your Hit Parade". He had left Tommy Dorsey's Band just four months before.
1948.    Sidney Arodin, clarinet, composer, died
1960.    Jesse Belvin, vocals/songwriter, died in Hope, AR, USA. Age: 27
1962.    Les Hite, bandleader, died in Santa Monica, CA, USA. Age: 58
1973.    Nick Stabulas, drums, died
1976.    Vince Guaraldi, piano, composer, leader, died in Menlo Park, California, USA (heart attack)
1977.    Edgar Battle, songwriter, trumpet, valve trombone, alto sax, arranger, composer, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 69
1978.    Frances Wayne, vocal, died
1979.    Rodney and Will ("The Balfa Brothers"), C&W stars were killed in a car wreck in Louisiana.
1979.    Hans Jan Lengsfelder, songwriter, died in Hallandale, FL, USA. Age: 75 With Juan Tizol, he co-composed "Perdido"
1981.    Orchestra leader Hugo Montenegro, died in Palm Springs, CA, USA. (emphysema)
1995.    Art Taylor, drums, died
2002.    Wendell Marshall, bass, died
2007.    Frankie Laine, vocal, died

   Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1942    "Deep In The Heart Of Texas", Alvino Rey Orch.
      1948    "Now Is The Hour", Eddy Howard
      1961    "Dedicated To The One I Love", Shirelles
      1965    "Birds And The Bees, The", Jewel Akens
      1965    "Boy From New York City, The", Ad Libs
      1965    "King Of The Road", Roger Miller
      1971    "Have You Ever Seen The Rain", Creedence Clearwater Revival
      1971    "Mama's Pearl", Jacksons
      1988    "Out Of The Blue", Debbie Gibson
      1988    "I Want Her", Keith Sweat
      1993    "Bed Of Roses", Bon Jovi
      1993    "Hip Hop Hooray", Naughty By Nature
      1993    "Informer", Snow