BIRTHDAYS
1895     Irving Aaronson, Piano/Leader, b. New York, NY, USA. d. May 10, 1963, Hollywood, CA, USA.
1901     "Austin" Ambrose Allen, C&W Singer/Banjo/Guitar/Tenor Banjo, b. Sewanee, TN, USA, d. 1959. Member: "Allen Brothers", consisting of Austin and his brother Lee William Allen, Singer/Guitar/Kazoo/Piano, b. Sewanee, Tennessee, USA, d. 1980s)
1925     Ray Alexander, vibes, d. June 8, 2002 Franz Bak, piano, 1958, Copenhagen, Denmark
1914     Carl Barriteau, Clarinet, Trinadad, d. August 24, 1998
1883    Eubie Blake, composer/pianist, b. Baltimore, MD, USA. d. Feb. 12, 1983, New York, NY, USA. Eubie and his long time partner, Noble Sissle, worked on stage originally as "The Dixie Duo". In 1921, they wrote the All-Black Broadway musical "Shuffle Along". Among the shows great songs were: "If You've Never Been Vamped By A Brownskin Gal, You've Never Been Vamped At All", and the huge hit "I'm Just Wild About Harry". For the 'Blackbirds of 1930' show, Blake wrote "Memories of You", You're Lucky For Me", and "The Lindy Hop". When Eubie died on Feb. 12, 1993, he was just 5 days past his 100 birthday. He had once told an interviewer "If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."
1898     Moran Lee "Dock" Boggs, C&W Singer/Banjo, b. West Norton, VA, USA. d. Feb. 7, 1971 (his birthday)
1886     Eric Borchard, Leader/alto sax/clarinet, b. Berlin, Germany, d. July 30, 1934
1943     Tony Booth, C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Bass Guitar, b. Tampa, FL, USA.
1920     Oscar Brand, folk singer/composer. b, USA. Among his compositions was "Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads"
1933     Hugh Brodie, tenor sax, b. Warrenton City, SC, USA
1962     Garth Brooks, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Tulsa, OK, USA. né: Troyal Garth Brooks
1960     Steve Bronski, (Acoustic) Guitar/Keyboards, b. Glasgow, Scotland. Member group: 'Bronski Beat'
1896     Norman Brownlee, Piano, b.Algiers, LA, USA. d.
1949     Stoney Browder, vocals, b. USA. Member group: 'Kid Creole & the Coconuts'
1962     David Bryan, piano/vocals, b. New Jersey, USA. Member group: 'Bon Jovi'
1907     Raymond "Coco" Colignon, Piano, b. Liege, Belgium, d. Feb. 10, 1987
1864     Arthur Francis Collins, vocals, b: Philadelphia, PA, USA. d: Aug. 3, 1933, Florida, USA. Collins was certainly one of the best known "dialect" singers of the "Coon" song era. One of his friends was the Black vaudevillian Bert Williams, whose composition "Nobody" was first recorded by Collins. Collins' version of "The Preacher and the Bear" (Edison 1905) is reported to have been the the first two million seller recording. He also worked with singer Byron G. Harlan and they were a very popoular vaudeville and recording team. From 1906 to 1917, Collins was also a member of the 'Peerless Quartet' vocal group. He retired in 1926, and became resident in Florida.
1957     Richard David Cook, British jazz writer, magazine editor and record company executive, b. Kew, Surrey, England, UK, d. August 25, 2007, London, England, UK. (cancer), Age: 50. He will perhaps be best recalled as co-author (with Brian Morton) of "The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings", and " Richard Cook's Jazz Companion".
1921     Wilma Lee Cooper, C&W vocals, b. Valley Head, WV, USA. né: Wilma Leigh Leary. Member: 'Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper'
1924     Ray Crawford, Guitar, b. Pittsburgh, PA, d. December 30, 1997, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
1934     "King" Curtis, Tenor Sax, b. Fort Worth, TX, USA. d. Aug. 13, 1971, New York, NY, USA. (Murdered - Stabbing -some sources say d. Aug. 14). né: Curtis Ousley. King Curtis was an influential saxaphonist in the 1950's and '60's as both a sideman and as a leader with recordings for Prestige, Capitol, and the Atlantic Labels. The stars with whom he worked include Lionel Hampton, Herbie Mann, Alan Freed's Stage Show, Buck Clayton's Swinging Combo, Mickey and Sylvia, The Coasters, "Big" Joe Turner, Nat "King" Cole, Chuck Willis, Buddy Holly, La Vern Baker, The Drifters, vocalists Brook Benton, and Aretha Franklin.
1969     Chris Minh Doky, bass, b. Copenhagen, Denmark. Born into a musical family, Chris' father, a medical doctor, was also an accomplished classical guitarist, while his mother was a former successful pop singer. At age six, Chris began studying the Classical piano, and received three awards from the 'Royal Danish Conservatory', -for Classical Music. At 15, be began to play the electric bass, and just two years later, at 17, began to study the upright bass after hearing Ron Carter on the Miles Davis album "My Funny Valentine". The following year Chris again received a Gold Medal the 'Royal Danish Conservatory', -for Contemporary Music, but this time for his playing on the upright bass.
1974     Danny Goffey, Drums/Vocals, b. Oxford, England. Member group: 'Supergrass', Danny Goffey, Gaz Coombes (Guitar/Lead Vocals), Mick Quinn (Bass/Vocals), and Rob Coombes (Keyboards), - all born in Oxford, England.
1948     Jimmy Greenspoon, piano/keyboards, b. Los Angeles, CA. USA. Member group: 'Three Dog Night'
1927     Michel Hausser, vibes, b. Colmar, France
1936     Steve Huffstetter, guitar, b. Monroe, Michigan, USA CAUTION: Do not confuse with rock guitarist Steve Hufsteter, who played with groups 'The Dickies', 'Quick', 'The (3)'
1934     Earl King, R&B singer-songwriter/guitar, b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
1949     Alan Lancaster, guitar/vocals, b. Peckham, South London, England. Member group: 'Status Quo'
1927     Joe Maneri, tenor sax
1933     Warren Smith, C&W vocals. b. Humphreys County, MS, USA
1929     Dave Shepherd, Clarinet/Leader, b. East London, England
1934     "Donna" Laverne Stoneman, C&W vocals, b. Alexandria, VA, USA. née: Donna LaVerne Stoneman, member: The Stoneman Family
1959     Brian Travers, sax, b. Birmingham, England. Member group: 'UB40'
1882     Wilbur C. Sweatman, Leader, clarinet and saxophone, b. Brunswick, MO. USA. d. March 9, 1961, New York, NY, USA.
1964     Matt Wates, soprano/alto/tenor/baritone sax, bass clarinet, flute, b. London, England, UK. In 1988, Wates graduated from the Berklee College of Music. Since then he has appeared with Bucky Pizzarelli, Humphrey Lyttelton, Georges Arvanitas, John Colliani, Don Weller, Bobby Wellins, Dusko Goykevich, Duncon Lamont, Ian Shaw, Norma Winstone and Peter King. He has recorded with Paz, Roadside Picnic, Sax Apeal, NYJO and the Michael Garrick Big Band, and has recorded three albums with his own sextet on the Audio-B label. In 1997, Wates won the Rising Star Award, BT British Jazz Awards
1942     Barry Zweig, guitar

         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1948.    Red McKenzie, vocals, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 48
1951.    Shirley Clay, trumpet, died in NY, USA. Age: 49
1957.    Sonny Parker, vocals, died in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Age: 31
1959.    "Guitar Slim" (né: Eddie Lee Jones), guitar, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 33
1961.    Noah Lewis, harmonica, died in Ripley, TN, USA. Age: 66. Member: "Cannon's Jug Stompers"
1974.    Al Smith, producer/songwriter, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 50
1976.    Joe Brown, label co-owner (JOB), died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 71
1979.    Peanuts Holland, vocals/trumpet, died in Stockholm, Sweden. Age: 68
1985.    "New York, New York" became the official anthem of New York City. (sounds reasonable!)
1987.    "Open Your Heart", sung by Madonna, hit #1 in the U.S., her third straight number-one single from her "True Blue" album.
1988.    "Pie Plant Pete" (Claude J. Moye), C&W Singer/Guitar/Harmonica, died. (b. July 9, 1906, Ridgeway, Illinois, USA)
1995.    Carrie B. Harrison, vocals, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 66
1999.    Richard Boone, trombone, vocal, died
1999.    Bobby Troup, piano, vocal, songwriter, died
2002.    Walter Bolden, drums, died
2001.    Dale Evans, (Western) singer-songwriter, widow of 'cowboy' Roy Rogers, died in Apple Valley, California, USA. (congestive heart failure) Age: 88. Dale wrote Roy's theme song "Happy Trails To You", and some lesser known tunes. (She was b. Oct. 31, 1912, in Uvalde, Texas, USA )
2006.    Elton Dean, alto sax, died (or Feb. 8)

         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1941    "It All Comes Back To Me Now", Kemp, Hal
1941    "High On A Windy Hill", Krupa, Gene
1941    "Concerto For Clarinet", Shaw, Artie
1946    "Oh! What It Seemed To Be", Carle, Frankie
1947    "Open The Door, Richard!", Basie, Count
1947    "Anniversary Song", Jolson, Al
1953    "Wild Horses", Como, Perry
1970    "Give Me Just A Little More Time", Chairmen Of The Board
1970    "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", Delfonics
1970    "Travelin' Band", Creedence Clearwater Revival
1970    "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", Hollies
1970    "Evil Ways", Santana
1970    "Ma Belle Amie", Tee Set
1976    "Lonely Night (Angel Face)", Captain & Tennille
1976    "Only Sixteen", Dr. Hook
1976    "Junk Food Junkie", Groce, Larry
1976    "Bohemian Rhaspody", Queen
1987    "Let's Wait Awhile", Jackson, Janet