BIRTHDAYS
1904     Samuel Applebaum, arranger. b. Passaic, NJ, USA.
1927     Edward 'Buddy' Banks, bass, vocals, b. St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
CAUTION: Do not confuse with:
--- Alvin "Buddy" Banks, originally a saxophonist who then switched to Bass.(please see our Oct 3 calendar).
--- Jazz pianist "Buddy" Banks, who is perhaps best recalled for his work with bassist Al Morgan
--- Edward Lee "Buddy" Banks, member of the '90s (black) vocal group 'Rude Boys'('90s vocal group,- Cleveland, OH, USA) consisting of Larry Marcus, Melvin Sephus, and brothers Edward Lee "Buddy" Banks,(vocals, Keyboards) and Joe Little III (vocals)
--- bassist Buddy Banks, member of rock band "The Shame Idols" group, formed 1991 in Birmingham, AL, USA, by singer-songwriter/guitarist Tim Boykin, Members: guitarist Bryan Price, bassist Buddy Banks, and drummer Jesse-Diego Suttle, (All previously together in the "punk" band 'Working Mothers').
--- Ulysses "Buddy" Banks was a member of 'Jetplane Landing '
1942     Edward "Sonny" Bivens, vocals, b. Jersey City, NJ, USA. Member group: 'The Manhattans', a group formed in 1962, not in Manhattan (NYC), but in nearby Jersey City, NJ. The group was originally formed by lead singer George "Smitty" Smith, and bass (and sometime lead) vocalist Winfred "Blue" Lovett; the other original members were Kenny Kelley, Richard Taylor (d. Dec. 1987), and Edward "Sonny" Bivins. Bivens occasionally co-wrote material with songwriter Lovett.
1953     Boris Blank, composer/arranger, b. Switzerland. Member group: 'Yello'. In 1979, this Swiss electronic duo was formed by vocalist/conceptualist Dieter Meier -- a millionaire industrialist, professional gambler, and member of Switzerland's national golf team -- and Boris, a solo artist who had also been with the group 'Fresh Colour'. A The single, "Pinball Cha Cha", a 'clip' offrom their 1981 video "Claro Que Si" (directed by Meier), was selected in 1985 as one of 32 works included in the Museum of Modern Art's Music Video Exhibition.
1949     George Brown, vocals. Member group: 'Kool & the Gang'
1885     Henry Burr, vocals (tenor), b. St. Stephen, New Brunswick.Canada. d. 1941, New York, NY, USA. One of the foremost and the most prolific recording artist of his day. In 1902, he began his recording career for Columbia, and before he was through, it is estimated that he recorded an astounding 12,000 titles for dozens of companies. From 1910 to 1928, Burr also managed a vocal group which recorded as the 'Columbia Male Quartet', for the Columbia label, and as the 'Peerless Quartet' for the Victor label. After his recording career had ended, Burr was heard on Chicago's radio station WLS, singing old-time ballads on the "National Barn Dance" show.
1922     Thelma Carpenter, vocals, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA, d. June 7, 1997, New York, NY, USA. (heart attack)
1947     Baikida Carroll, Trumpet/flugelhorn, b. St.Louis, MO, USA.
1931     Jeanne Carroll, vocals, b. Ruleville, MS, USA. née: Alberta Jeanne Simmons
1941     "Charo", actress/vocals/dancer/guitar, b. Murcia, Spain. née: Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza. - 'Xavier Cugat Orch.'. Full married name: Charo Cougat (ex wife of bandleader Xavier Cugat). Charo's date of birth is obscure. Some sources show March 13, 1941, Some show 1942, 1952, and 1957. Charo has not be helpful in clearing this up. Presently (2004) living in Hawaii, where she teaches Japanese language. She had a restaurant on the island of Kauai, which she sold when her son graduated from High School. Few people know that Charo is an award-winning classical guitarist who trained under Andres Segovia.
1951     Martha Davis, Lead vocals, b. Berkeley, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Motels', a Los Angeles based rock band formed in 1972 by Davis while she was still living in Berkeley, CA,
1928     Werner Dies, Clarinet'alto & tenor saxes/guitar, b. Frankfurt am Main, Germany
1942     Vincent Dionne, percussionist/composer, b. Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada.
1936     Ronnie Free, Drums, b. Charleston, SC, USA.
1952     Melvyn Gale, Cello, b. London, England. Member group: 'Electric Light Orchestra', a group formed:in 1970 in Birmingham, England; they disbanded in 1988. Gayle joined the ELO ca. 1975, and was released in 1979. Original ELO members included Roy Wood (b. Roy Adrian Wood, b. Nov. 8, 1946, Birmingham, England; vocals/cello/woodwinds/guitars), Jeff Lynne (b. Dec. 30, 1947, Birmingham, England; vocals/piano/guitar) and Bev Bevan (b. Beverley Bevan, Nov. 24, 1945, Birmingham, England; drums). They had all been members of pop group the 'Move'. For their debut release, they were joined by Bill Hunt (French horn) and Steve Woolam (violin). In 1972, with Woolam's departure, the remaining quartet added Hugh McDowell (b. July 13, 1953), Andy Craig (cellos), ex-'Balls' keyboard player Richard Tandy (b. March 26, 1948, Birmingham, England/bass/piano/guitar) and Wilf Gibson (b. Feb. 28, 1945, Dilston, Northumberland, England; violin). Shortly thereafter, Wood, Hunt and McDowell departed to form their own group 'Wizzard'. Andy Craig simply left the group, - joining no one.. Once again, the remaining quartet kept the ELO band going by adding Mike D'Albuquerque (b. June 24, 1947, Wimbledon, London, England; bass/vocals) and cellists Mike Edwards (b. May 31, Ealing, London, England) and Colin Walker (b. July 8, 1949, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England).
1910     J. C. Ginyard, vocals, b. St. Mathews, SC. USA. Member: 'Dudroppers', and 'Dixieaires'
1905     Roosevelt Holts, guitar, b. Tylertown, MS, USA.
1930     Earl Zebedee Hooker, Blues guitar/vocals, b: Clarksdale, MS, USA, b: April 21, 1970, Chicago, IL, USA
1958     Brian Jones, drums, b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1950     David Lynn Jones, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Bexar, AR, USA. In 1986, Willie Nelson recorded Jones' song "Living in the Promiseland", and the tune promptly rose to No. 1 on the country charts. After a string of hit song, Jones continues (2004) to compose (from his home in Bexar) tunes for various artists.
1919     Steve Phillip Jordan, Guitar, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Sept. 13, 1993, Age: 74.
1920     Yvonne King, vocals. née: Yvonne Driggs. One of the King Sisters group that worked with Alvino Rey
1909     Gene Krupa, Drums, b. Chicago, IL, USA. d. Oct. 16, 1973, Yonkers, NY, USA.
1909     Dick Lammi, Bass/Tuba/banjo, b. Red Lodge, MT, USA. d. 1970
1936     "Little" Eddie Lang, guitar, b. New Orleans, LA. USA. né: Eddie Langlois Eddie, and his siblings Melvin and David on trumpet and saxophone, played in the group 'The House Rockers', formed by drummer Jessie Hill (b. December 9, 1932, New Orleans, LA, USA)
1915     Leroy "Happy Fats" LeBlanc, (Cajun) singer-songwriter, b. Rayne, LA, USA.
1915     Alan Lomax, Folk historian/vocals/guitar. d. d. July 19, 2002. Distinguished ethno-musicologist, and one of the 20th.Century's most able folk-music scholars. After one year at Harvard Univ, he transferred to and matriculated from Univ. of Texas. Alan and his Father toured Southern (USA) prisions where they discovered 'Ledbelly' - then serving a sentence for his second murder.
Another of his projects was documenting the cowboy songs of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, where a folk-song growth was in process well into the 20th.Century. This quote from his book, "Cowboy Songs", (written 1927 near the close of that growth), is indicative of his style and perceptions: "---Not only were sharp, rhythmic yells (sometimes beaten into verse) employed to stir up the lagging cattle, but also during the long watches the nightguards, as they rode round and round the herd, improvised cattle lullabies which quieted the animals and soothed them to sleep. Some of the best of the so-called "dogie songs" seem to have been created for the purpose of preventing cattle stampedes - such songs coming straight from the heart of the cowboy, speaking familiarly to his herd in the stillness of the night."
Alan then worked on CBS radio for some years presenting such folk singers as Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, and Josh White. During 1951-8, he resided in Europe where he recorded many folk songs of England, Spain, and Italy. Basically a folklorist whose interest in Gospel and Rhythm and Blues provided him with some knowledge of Jazz roots.
1945     Bob Maize, Bass, b. San Diego, CA, USA, d. Nov. 20, 2004, Burbank, CA, USA.
1907     Sully Mason, vocalist, d. Nov. 1970. Left Kay Kyser Orch. 1944 to form his own band.
1893     Ivor Novello, composer/playwriter,b. Cardiff, U.K., d. Mar., 6, 1951, London, U.K., Son of the choral conductor, Clara Novello Davies. Wrote the World War 1 song, "Keep the Home Fires Burning", which earned him a considerable sum. Made a reputation in many fields as actor-manager, composer, playwright, and screenwriter. Best known for his sentimental musicals in the interwar years.
1961     Damian O'Neill, bass guitar, b. Derry, Northern Ireland. Member group: 'The Undertones', a group formed 1976 in Derry, Northern Ireland, comprised of Feargal Sharkey, Mickey Bradley, Billy Doherty, Damian O'Neill, and John O'Neill. They disbandd during the summer of 1983.
1929     "Queen Ida", (Zydeco) Accordion/piano, b. Lake Charles, LA, USA. née: Ida Guillory. Favoring a 31-button accordion, "Queen Ida" was the first female accordion player to lead a zydeco band. Born into a musical family, she learned to play the accordion after her mother had taught her to play the piano.
1916     Artie Shapiro, Bass, b. Denver, CO, USA.
1920     Bob Smith, DJ (on CBC radio), b. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
1959     Peter Trewavas, bass, b. (?Aylesbury), England. Member group: 'Marillion'
1967     Lisa Velez, R&B vocals. b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. aka: Lisa Lisa. née: Lisa Velez. Member group: 'Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam', was comprised of Mike Hughes and Alex "Spanador" Moseley.
1941     Don Van Vliet, vocals/harmonica, b. Glendale, CA, USA. AKA: 'Captain Beefheart'. The 'Captain' was backed by a 'revolving' group of musicians generically known as the 'Magic Band'. While a very important "Underground Rock" musician, still, "Captain Beefheart's" legacy is one of poor record sales, critical aclaim, and a devoted following which includes famed actor (and clarinetist) Woody Allen, among others.
1948     Ronald Wayne Van Zant, vocals, b. Jacksonville, FL, USA. d. Oct. 20, 1977. USA (plane crash). Member: 'Lynyrd Skynyrd'
1919     Jerry Wald, leader/clarinet, b. Newark, NJ, USA, d. 1973, Las Vegas, NV, USA. (some sources show b. Jan. 15, 1918). né: Jervis Wald. All during the great big bands Swing era, Wald led his own band. Clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw was his inspiration, and Wald's band even utilized many ex-Shaw musicians. Members of Wald's orchestra over the years included Bernie Privin, Bill Evans, Les Elgart, Ray Conniff, Billy Bauer, Bobbie Dukoff, Nelson Riddle, Ray Simms, and Les Robinson. Wald's most memorable vocalist was Anita Boyer. CAUTION: Do not confuse with famed film producer/actor/writer Jerry Wald (b. Sept. 16, 1911 New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA, d. July 13, 1962, Hollywood, California)
1942     Johnny Williams, vocals, b. Tyler, AL, USA.
1905     Allie Wrubel, composer, b. Middletown, CT, USA, d. Dec. 13, 1973, 29 Palms, CA, USA. Worked for Paramount and Disney Films.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1948.    Country singer Jack Guthrie, a cousin of Folk singer Woody Guthrie, died while serving with U.S. armed forces in the South Pacific. Age: 32. For six weeks in 1945, his recording of "Oklahoma Hills" had topped the country charts.
1963.    Red Arnold, trumpet, cornet, died
1964.    Famed Jazz trombonist Jack Teagarden died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age 59.
1966.    Charlie Smith, drums, died
1974.    Frank Schiffman, Theatre owner (Apollo), died in Surfside, FL, USA. Age: 80
1983.    Graham Jackson, piano/accordion, died in Atlanta, GA, USA. Age: 79
1993.    lyricist Sammy Cahn, responsible for such Oscar-winning songs as "Call Me Irresponsible," "Three Coins in the Fountain" and "All the Way," died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 79.
1994.    Harry Nilsson, singer and songwriter, died at his Los Angeles-area home. Age: 52. Among his biggest hits were the theme from the 1969 film "Midnight Cowboy", "Everybody's Talkin'" (composed by Fred Neil), and 1972's "Without You, (composed by Pete Ham and Tom Evans, -of group 'Badfinger')
1995.    Vic Willis, the last surviving member of the Willis Brothers C&W trio, died in a car accident in Hohenwald, Tennessee, USA. Age: 72. Formed in 1932, 'The Willis Brothers', were comprised of Guy Willis (Guitar, Vocals, b. July 5, 1915, Alex, Arkansas, USA), Skeeter Willis (Fiddle, Vocals, b. December 20, 1917, Coalton, Oklahoma, USA), and Vic Willis (Accordion, Piano, Vocals, b. May 31, 1922, Schulter, Oklahoma, USA)
1996.    Famed orchestra leader Les Baxter died in Newport Beach, California, USA, of a heart attack brought on by kidney failure. He was 73. Often hailed as "the godfather of exotica", Baxter composed and recorded the original version of "Quiet Village," which became a top-10 hit for Martin Denny in 1959. Also in the 1950s, Baxter recorded some instrumentals for Capitol, two of which, "Unchained Melody" and "The Poor People of Paris," reached No. 1 on the charts.
2005.    Leslie Wilburn, brother of Teddy & Doyle, died. Age: 79. Member: 'Wilburn Family Band', formed in 1938 and comprised of Doyle Wilburn (Singer, Songwriter, Guitar, Music Publisher, Talent Agent , né: Virgil Doyle Wilburn, b. July 7, 1930, Hardy, Missouri, USA), and Teddy Wilburn (Singer-Songwriter, Guitar, Music Publisher, Talent Agent né: Thurman Theodore Wilburn, b. November 30, 1931, Hardy, Missouri, USA)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
       1955 Melody Of Love, - Four Aces
       1966 Barbara Ann, - Beach Boys
       1966 Crying Time, - Ray Charles
       1966 My Love, - Petula Clark
       1972 Without You, - Nilsson
       1977 Night Moves, - Bob Seger
       1983 Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, - Culture Club
       1983 Pass The Dutchie, - Musical Youth