BIRTHDAYS
1930     Liz Anderson, singer-songwriter, b. Roseau, Mn, USA. née: Elizabeth Jane Haaby Anderson. Liz is the mother of country star Lynn Anderson, and the duo often collaborate on composing songs. In 1966, "The Fugitive", a song Liz co-wrote with her hubby Casey, was a Number 1 hit for Merle Haggard, while "Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart", written by Liz, was Conway Twitty's first country hit. Today (2004) Liz and daughter Lynn continue to collaborate. In 1970, Liz wrote Lynn's hit, "Big Girls Don't Cry".
1904     Richard Addinsell, b. London, England, UK, d. Nov. 14, 1977, His best known work - "The Warsaw Concerto"
1962     Trace Adkins, C&W vocals, b. Springhill, LA, USA.
1909     Danny Barker, Banjo/Guitar/vocals, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. March 13, 1994, age: 85.
1890     Steve Brown, Tuba/Bass, b. New Orleans,LA, d.Sept 15, 1965
1909     Ed Burke, Trombone, b. Fulton, MO, USA, d. April 19, 1988
1915     Jenny Lou Carson singer-songwriter/"cowgirl", b. Decatur, IL, USA. née: Virginia Lucille Overstake.
1907     Ezra Cline, C&W Fiddle, d. July 11, 1984. Member: 'Lonesome Pine Fiddlers'.
1902     Putney Dandridge, Piano/Vocals, b. Richmond, VA, USA. d. Feb. 15, 1946, Wall Township, NJ, USA.
1941     Carl Dobkins, C&W, b: Cincinati, OH, USA
1946     Bill Easley, alto & tenor saxes/flute/clarinet, b. Olean, NY, USA. Bill was born into a musical family, his mother played the piano, while his father was a drummer. By age 13, he was an accomplished reeds player. In 1964, Bill became resident in New York city where he began studying at the Juilliard School of Music, before being drafted into the U. S. Army just one year later. After his service discharge, Bill became a member of the George Benson Quartet, touring the U.S. with the group between 1968 and 1970. In 1971, he moved to Memphis and while studying at Memphis State University, also played with the Isaac Hayes Movement, Al Green, and Albert King. Among those with whom Easley has toured and recorded are Mercer Ellington, Jimmy McGriff, James Williams, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, and Ruth Brown. He currently (2004) resides in New York city, where, since 1990, he has performed, recorded, and toured with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has one record, "First Call" to his credit.
1959     Simon Fell, bassist/composer, b. Dewsbury, England
1916     Allen A. Haberman, banjo/guitar d. July 29, 2002. Allen played with Earl Keller Melody Rangers Of New Tripoli, The Perseverance Jazz Band, The Keystone String Band, and The Ben Salem Boys & Girls Church Band.
1974     Brad Hawkins, C&W singer/actor, b. Dallas, TX, USA.
1905     Percy Humphrey, Trumpet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. July 22, 1995
1909     Quentin "Butter" Jackson, Trombone, b. Springfield, OH, USA. d. Oct. 2, 1976. Best recalled for his work in the Duke Ellington orchestra.
1910     Otis Johnson, Trumpet, b. New York, NY, USA.
1938     Jack Jones, Pops Vocalist, Son of vocalist Allan Jones
1939     Neil J. Kelly, Bluegrass banjo, d. Jan. 10, 2002 (Coronary) Member: The Hand Hewn String Band.
1967     Tim Kelly, guitar, b. Trenton, NJ, USA, d. Feb. 5, 1998, AZ, USA (auto accident). Member group: 'Slaughter'
1941     Eero Koivistoinen, Tenor-soprano sax, b. Helsinki, Finland
1948     John Lees, guitar/vocals, b. UK. Member group: 'Barclay James Harvest', a '70s British rock band formed in September of 1966 in Oldham, Lancashire, and originally comprised of John Lees, guitar, vocals; Les Holroyd, bass, vocals; Stuart, "Woolly" Wolstenholme, keyboards, vocals; and Mel Pritchard, drums.
1930     Robert ('Squirrel' or 'Bobby') Lester, vocals, b. USA. Member: 'The Moonglows'.
1926     Melba Liston, Trombone/arranger, b. Kansas City, MO, USA, d. April 23, 1999, age 73
1959     James Lomenzo, bass. Member group: 'White Lion', a 'metal' quartet originally formed in 1983 led by singer Mike Tramp (originally from Denmark) and guitarist Vito Bratta. Several bassists and drummers came and went (including future Black Sabbath and Great White bass player Dave Spitz), until 1987 when Lomenzo and former 'Anthrax' drummer Greg d'Angelo joined. 'The White Lion' finally died ca 1991
1964     David McClusky, drums. Member group: 'The Bluebells', a British ska band.
1914     Andy McDevitt, Saxes/Clarinet, b. Scotland, UK, d. March 15, 1980
1961     Graham "Suggs" McPherson, vocals, b. Hastings, England. Member group: 'Madness'. Graham's mother was a Jazz singer.
1885     James V. Monaco, composer, b. Genoa, Italy, d. Oct. 16, 1945, Beverly Hills, CA, USA.
1966     Shayne Morrison, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Athens, TX, USA.
1913     Vido Musso, Tenor Saxophone, b. Carini, Sicily, d. Jan 9, 1982. (Some sources claim b. Jan. 17, 1913.) Raised in Detroit, MI, and then, in 1930, moved to Los Angeles, CA where he worked with various local bands. First fame when he worked for Benny Goodman between 1936-8, in '38, he worked in Gene Krupa's band, then followed terms in '40-1 with Harry James, '41 again with Goodman, late '42 with Woody Herman, and in '45-7 with Stan Kenton. During these years he had led his own bands briefly, -none successful. Finally settled in Los Angeles and led own small groups in clubs. His excellent full-toned playing earned him Down Beat Poll awards in '43, '46, and '47. (some sources say b. Jan. 17th)
1957     Jim Paris, double bass, Finchley, London, England. Member group: 'Carmel', a trio formed in Manchester, England in 1981 by Carmel McCourt (b. 24 November 1958, Scunthorpe, Humberside, England; vocals) and former members of Bee Vamp, Jim Paris, and Gerry Darby (b. 13 October 1959, Finchley, London, England; drums/percussion).
1929     Joe Pass, Guitar, b. New Brunswick, NJ, USA. d. May 23, 1994. né: Joseph Anthony Jacob Passolaqua
1925     Nat Peck, Trombone, b. New York, NY, USA.
1954     Trevor Rabin, guitar/songwriter, b. Johannesburg, South Africa. Member group: 'Yes'. Rabin left the band in 1994, but during his time with them, he also worked as keyboardist, singer, producer, and recording engineer. In 1994, he began a new career as a film composer, and has since composed the music for Remember the Titans, Bad boys 2, Armageddon, The Banger Sisters, Enemy of the State,, Gone in 60 seconds, Con Air, Deep Blue Sea, Kangaroo Jack and many others.
1918     Lester Sill, C&W, prodicer/publisher, b: Los Angeles, CA, USA, d: Oct. 31, 1934, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1957     Don Snow, pianist. Member group: 'Squeeze'
1884     Sophie Tucker, vocalist, b Russia. d. Feb. 9, 1966, New York, NY (Lung Cancer). née: Sophie Kalish. Tag: "The Last of The Red Hot Mamas" was raised in Hartford CT, where she first appeared at her father's cafe; was in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1909; in her first talking picture in 1929; starred on Radio and TV. Sophie enjoyed a career that lasted 6 decades, from the 1900 Vaudeville stages through to films and television to 1966
1925     Gwen Verdon, Dancer/Vocals, b. Culver City, Los Angeles, CA, USA, d. Oct. 18, 2000, Woodstock, VT, USA. (natural causes). née: Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon. Her mother, Gertrude, was a vaudevillian/dancer, and her father, Joseph, was an MGM studio electrician. In 1955. her big break came when she appeared in Bob Fosse's "Damn Yankees". In 1960, she married Fosse, and in the mid-'70s, separated but never divorced him. Her stage and screen work includes starring in 'New Girl In Town', 'Redhead', 'Sweet Charity', and 'Chicago'.
1927     Dick Wetmore, violin, b. ??, d. Jan. 4, 2007
1931     Ian Gordon Wheeler, all Saxes, Clarinet, Harmonica, flute, b. Greenwich, London, England, UK
1955     Fred White, drums. Member group: 'Earth, Wind & Fire'
1950     Bernd Wippich, R&R vocals/guitar. Member groups: Petards, Randy Pie
1930     Rual Yarbrough, Bluegrass singer/banjo, b. Lawrenceburg County, TN, USA.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1864.    Stephen Foster, died in a New York City hospital after falling over a wash basin in a drunken stupor. In his pocket was found the manuscript for what became one of his most famous songs, "Beautiful Dreamer."
1906.    The magazine "Scientific American" carried what may have been the very first advertisement for a radio, a Telimco selling for $7.50
1961.    Lem Winchester, vibes, died in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (died while unsuccessfully demonstrating a trick with a loaded revolver)
1963.    Sonny Clark, piano, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 31
1968.    Farris Coursey, C&W sessions drummer, died. Age: 56
1970.    Harry Woods, composer, died in Phoenix, AZ, USA. Age: 74
1971.    Willie Lewis, alto sax/bass sax, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 65
1979.    Louis "Sabu" Martinez, percussion died in Stockholm, Sweden. (gastric ulcer)
1979.    Donny Hathaway, composer,vocalist, and producer, died in a fall from a hotel window in New York City. Age: 34. His own vocals influenced many other singers, including Stevie Wonder amd George Benson, while his compositions have been recorded by such artists as Cold Blood, Jerry Butler, the Staple Singers, Carla Thomas, and Aretha Franklin.
1980.    Fames as a Classical conductor/arranger, Andre Kostelanetz died. Age: 78. In the 1940s, he had recorded the scores of many Broadway shows for the Columbia label. For RCA, he backed Perry Como on some of his recordings, including the No. 1 "Prisoner of Love" (1946). In the 1950's and '60s, he released many albums, that became staples on "easy listening" radio stations.
1983.    Barry Galbraith, guitar, died in Bennington, VT, USA. Age: 64
1983.    "Doodles" Weaver (b..May 11, 1911, Age 71) died this day. né: Winstead Sheffield Glendening Dixon. A novelty msician, Variety Show Host, and comedian, he is best recalled as a comic member of "Spike Jones & the City Slickers". "Doodles was the brother of Sylvester Laflin "Pat" Weaver, Jr., (b. Dec. 21, 1908, Los Angeles, CA, USA, d. March 15, 2002, Santa Barbara, CA, USA --pneumonia) the ex-NBC president, and father of Sigourney Weaver (née: Susan Alexandra Weaver Oct, 8, 1949, New York, NY, USA)
1988.    William Smith, author/critic, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 84
1989.    Sterling A. Brown, author who wrote of Black history and music, died in Takoma Park, MD, USA. Age: 87
1996.    Janne M. Rosenqvist, author/researcher, died in Stockholm, Sweden. Age: 48. For over twenty years, Janne Rosenqvist, a true 'Roots Music' enthusiast, wrote for the Scandinavian Blues magazine 'Jefferson' until his tragic early in 1996.
2001.    Stan Freeman, piano, celeste, vocal, arranger, died in Los Angeles, California, USA (emphysema).
2003.    Odell 'Mac' McLeod, C&W singer-songwriter died in Benton Harbor, MI, USA Age: 86
2007.    Michael Brecker, soprano and tenor sax, EWI, arranger, died in New York NY, USA
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
       1944    How Sweet You Are, - Armen, Kay
       1944    My Shining Hour, - Gray, Glen
       1950    Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy, - Foley, Red
       1950    Enjoy Yourself, - Lombardo, Guy
       1958    La Dee Dah, - Billy & Lillie
       1958    Catch A Falling Star, - Como, Perry
       1958    Sail Along Silvery Moon, - Vaughn, Billy
       1962    Dear Lady Twist, - Bonds, Gary "U.S."
       1968    Spooky, - Classics IV
       1973    Daddy's Home, - Jackson, Jermaine
       1973    Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend, - Lobo
       1990    We Can't Go Wrong, - Cover Girls
       1990    All Or Nothing, - Milli Vanilli
       1990    Here We Are, - Miami Sound Machine