BIRTHDAYS
1912     "Dutch" Andrus, Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1989
1913     Mel Bay, guitar/music publisher, b. Bunker, MO, USA.
1911     Frank Blevins, C&W fiddler/vocals, b. Smyth County, VA, USA. Member: 'Frank Blevins & His Tarheel Rattlers'
1945     Elkie Brooks, vocals, b. Manchester, England. née: Elaine Bookbinder.
1937     Andrew Brown, guitar, b. Jackson, MS, USA.
1929     Sandy Brown, Clarinet, b. Izatnagar, India, d. 1975
1941     Sandy Bull, Jazz guitar, banjo, electric bass, b. New York,. NY, USA. d. April 11, 2001, (near) Nashville, TN, USA.
1896     Ida Cox, Vocal/songwriter, b. Toccoa, GA, USA. d. Nov 10, 1967, Knoxville, TN, USA. née: Ida Prather.
1895     "Mother" Annie Davis, vocals, b. ?SC, USA. (Mrs. Gary Davis)
1957     Dennis Diken, drums. Member group: 'The Smithereens'
1954     John Doe, Singer-songwriter, b. Decatur, IL, USA. Member group: 'X'
1908     George Dunning, composer, b. Richmond, IN (USA), d. Feb. 27, 2000, San Diego, CA (Heart disease).
1928     Albert Gay, Tenor Sax, clarinet, b. London, England
1952     Larry Gelb, piano/arranger/composer
1904     Sam Goody, Record Store owner (Sam Goody) b. New York (Manhattan), NY, USA.
1898     "Gregor (and his Gregorians)", Vocalist/Bandleader, b. Turkey, d. 1973.
1928     Bill Green, Alto Sax, b. Kansas City, KS, USA. d. July 29, 1996
1931     Lawrence Gushee, Writer, b. Ridley Park, PA, USA.
1943     George Harrison, b. Liverpool, England, UK. d. Nov. 29, 2001. member: The Beatles vocal group. For most of his life, Harrison believed his birthday was Feb 25, but a family birth record has his birth at near 11:50 p.m. Feb 24.
1925     Ralph Hutchinson, Trombone, b. Newcastle, England
1924     John Jackson, guitar, b. Woodville, VA, USA
1973     Justin Jeffre, vocals, b. Mt. Clemens, MI, USA. Member group: '98 Degrees'
1909     Clifton "Sleepy" Johnson, C&W guitar, b. OK, USA. Worked with Bob Wills
1919     Fred Katz, Cello, b. New York, NY, USA.
1947     Ryo Kawasaki, Guitar, b. Tokyo, Japan
1925     (Elsie) Lisa Kirk, vocals/actress. b. USA. d. Nov 11, 1990. In addition to her singing, she appeared in the shows 'The Producers', and 'Gypsy'.
1915     Willie Lacey, guitar, b. Selma, AL, USA.
1935     Barry McRae, Writer, b. London, England
1942     Roy Michaels, bass/guitar/vocals. Member group: 'Cat Mother & the All Night News Boys'
1934     Clarence Nelson, guitar, b. Galloway, TN, USA.
1929     Tommy Newson, Alto-tenor Sax/clarinet/arranger/composer, b. Portsmouth, VA, USA, d. April 28, 2007, (suburb of) Portsmouth, VA, USA, . (liver cancer). He ws also the back-up conductor for NBC's 'Tonight Show' band. né: Thomas Penn Newsom, As a child, he was exposed to opera and big band music over the radio. His mother played piano and sang. His parents bought him a saxophone when he was 8, and he later received formal training. By 1952, he had graduated from the Norfolk division of the College of William and Mary and the Peabody Institute in Baltimore -- taking music jobs in strip clubs to supplement his income. He spent four years in the Airmen of Note, the Air Force's big band, and received a master's degree in music education from Columbia University. He started freelancing in New York, and recorded with fellow Tidewater (VA) jazzmen such as Byrd and clarinetist and vibraphonist Tommy Gwaltney. His most prestigious early job came in 1961 and 1962, when he toured the Soviet Union and South America with Goodman's big band. While with Goodman, he wrote a well-received composition, "Titter Pipes," that became a showcase number for two other saxophonists on the Soviet tour, Phil Woods and Zoot Sims. Newsom also worked in bands led by guitarist Charlie Byrd, and society bandleader Vincent Lopez.. . Over his long career, Newsom composed and/or arranged for Byrd (including 1964's "Brazilian Byrd" album), jazz trumpeter Buck Clayton (for whom he wrote "Kansas City Ballad") and the all-female jazz orchestra 'Diva'. He also arranged for opera singer Beverly Sills, country singer Kenny Rogers and the Cincinnati Pops orchestra. He shared Emmy Awards for his work on the TV broadcasts as "Night of 100 Stars" (1982) and the "40th Annual Tony Awards" (1986). Newsom was a graceful musician and veteran of bands led by guitarist Charlie Byrd, clarinetist Benny Goodman and society bandleader Vincent Lopez. In early 1962, . Newsom became an NBC studio musician (working for Merv Griffin), and soon after was assigned to the "Tonight" program several months before Carson took over. For the next 30 years, Newsom worked on the show, most of the time directly under the bandleader and trumpeter "Doc" Severinsen, who was known for his loud outfits. In the late 1960s Newsom became assistant music director and took over the baton in "Doc" Severinsen's absence. Newsom once told an interviewer, "I guess my cardboard-cutout style makes a good contrast to Doc's flamboyant image," he said. "Carson has really laid some heavy ones on me. One night, he said I was the only person who was going to reach puberty and senility at the same time." A son, Mark Newsom, died in 2003.
1900     "Tiny" Parham, organ, piano, celeste, leader, composer, b. Winnipeg, Canada, d. April 4, 1943. USA. né: Hartzell Strathdene Pahham
1915     Ray Perry, Violin/Alto Sax, b. Boston, MA, USA. d. 1950
1932     Ake Persson, Trombone, b. Hassleholm, Sweden, d. 1975
1959     Mike Peters, vocals, b. Prestatyn, Wales, UK. Member group: 'The Alarm'
1937     Don Randi, piano
1938     Dieter Reith, organ, piano, keyboards, arranger, b. Mainz, Germany
1923     Joe Saye, pianist, b. England, UK. Also led his own 'Joe Saye Trio'.
1899     Winifred Shaw, vocals, b. Hawaii, d. May 2, 1982, New York, NY, USA. née: Winifred Lei Momi. NOTE: Wini's date of birth is sometimes shown as 1910, and place of birth as San Francisco, CA, USA. While still a child, Winifred, the youngest of 13 children, was already appearing in her parents vaudeville act. In 1934, the Warner Brothers film studio offered her a contract. Unfortunately (for the world) the Warners only starred her in minor ("B") pictures, however, she will always be recalled as the singer who introduced Harry Warren's and Al Dubin's "Lullaby of Broadway" in the Busby Berkeley's movie "Gold Diggers of 1935". Also unfortunately, Wini made only one record for Decca (1938). Sadly, by the late 1930s her career faded away. Her marriage to Leo Cummins (? - ?) which produced 3 children ended in divorce. Her marriage to William O'Malley' (1955 - 1982) lasted till her death.
1927     Ralph Stanley, C&W vocals, b. Stratton, VA, USA. né: Ralph Edmund Stanley. Member:'The Stanley Brothers' and later 'The Clinch Mountain Boys'
1962     Foster Sylvers, vocals/songwriter/producer, b. Memphis, TN, USA.
1927     Rene Thomas, Guitar, b. Liege, Belgium, d. Jan. 3, 1975 in Spain. (heart attack) Age: 47, while touring with Lou Bennet.
1959     Johnny M. Tulucci, drums, b. Miami, FL, USA. Member: "Cactus Brothers", formed in the late 1980s as a spin-off from rock band 'Walk The West', -with former members Paul Kirby (b. 26 July 1972, Alburqueque, New Mexico, USA; lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Will Golemon (b. 16 November 1963, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA; guitar, banjo, backing vocals), John Golemon (b. 18 July 1972, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA; bass) and Richard Ice (drums) were joined by Tramp (b. Michael Halpin Lawing, 16 March 1965, Marion, North Carolina, USA; fiddle, mandolin, guitars, backing vocals) shortly afterwards, while Dave Kennedy took over on drums. In May 1993,the Cactus Brothers were augmented with Sam Poland (pedal and lap steel guitar, dobro) and David Schnaufer (electric and acoustic dulcimers, harp). 1994 saw further personnel shuffles with Schnaufer leaving to resume his solo career. A month later Poland departed, and was replaced by steel guitarist Jim Fungaroli (b. 28 February 1958, Harrisonburg, Pennsylvania, USA) after a short tenure by Argyle Bell. Kennedy was soon replaced on drums by Johnny M. Tulucci (b. 25 February 1959, Miami, Florida, USA).
1946     Peter Wernick, Banjo, b. New York, NY, USA. aka "Dr. Banjo". Began his career in 1971 working with the group "Country Cooking" Before the decade ended, he formed his own progressive bluegrass group "Hot Rize". Subsequently, he recorded as a solo artist. His 1993 Sugar Hill records release, 'On a Roll', contained the hit "Ruthie." Wernick teaches Banjo, composes tunes and is a published author. He has also served as president of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)
1957     Stewart "Woody" Wood, guitar, b. Edinburgh, Scotland. - 'The Bay City Rollers', a Beatles cover band formed in Edinburgh in 1967, by brothers Derek Longmuir (b. 19 March 1955, Edinburgh, Scotland; drums) and Alan Longmuir (b. 20 June 1953, Edinburgh, Scotland; bass). Various members such as Nobby Clark and John Devine came and went, but they finally solidified with a line-up including the Edinburgh-born trio of Les McKeown (b. Nov. 12, 1955; vocals), Stuart "Woody" Wood (b. Feb. 25, 1957; guitar) and Eric Faulkner (b. Oct. 21, 1955; guitar).
1938     Mike Wofford, piano
1932     Faron Young, C&W vocals, b. Shreveport, LA, USA. d. Dec. 10, 1996
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1957.    Buddy Holly and The Crickets recorded "That'll Be the Day" and "I'm Looking for Someone to Love".
1964.    Johnny Burke, songwriter, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 56
1974.    Julian Dash, tenor sax, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 57
1975.    J. B. Long, A&R, died in Burlington, NC, USA. Age: 71. Worked with "Blind Boy" Fuller
1988.    Buddy Enlow, drums, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 54
1995.    Madona's "Take a Bow" hit #1 in the USA.
1996.    Elwood "Pee Wee" Claybrook, tenor sax, died in Richmond, CA, USA. Age: 83
1998.    "Rockin' Sidney" Simien, (zydeco) accordion/harmonica, died in Lake Charles, LA, USA. Age: 59
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1944    "Besame Mucho", - Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen)
1978    "If I Can't Have You", Yvonne Elliman
1984    "Adult Education", Hall & Oates
1984    "Hold Me Now", Thompson Twins
1989    "She Drives Me Crazy", Fine Young Cannibals
1989    "Look, The", Roxette
1989    "Stand", Rem
1989    "Superwoman", Karyn White