BIRTHDAYS
1957     Tom Bailey, piano/guitar/vocals, b. Halifax, Yorkshire, England. Member group: 'The Thompson Twins', a group originally formed 1977 in Sheffield, England by three friends - Tom Bailey (bass), Pete Dodd (vocals and guitar) and John Roog (guitar). The group's name came from the twin detecives in Hergé's comic book series "Adventures of Tintin". The initial group was short lived and ended up as a trio with Bailey, his girlfriend Alannah Currie, and joining them, Joe Leeway (vocals/songwriter/percussion, b. Nov. 15, 1957, London, England) In 1979, after relocating to London, drummer Andrew Edge (b. August 12, 1956, Leeds, England, UK) joined the band, and when he left in 1981, Chris Bell joined). Early 1980 Tom Bailey took over lead vocals from Pete Dodd. In 1980, Bailey met Alannah Currie (b. Sept. 20, 1959, Aukland, North Island, New Zealand), then playing sax in an all-girl 'dread punk' group called 'The Unfuckables', and she soon became a full member of the 'Thompson Twins'. Early in 1981, Alannah gave up the sax and switched to percussion. Eight years after they first met in 1980, Bailey and Currie had their first child.
1926     Johnny Bragg, R&B vocals, b. (North side of) Nashville, TN, USA, d. Sept. 1, 2004, Madison, WI, USA. (cancer, aged 79 at the Imperial Manor Convalescent Center) né: John Henry Bragg. Curiously, Bragg made a rather large contribution to American music, yet remains largely unknown. In 1943 (age 17), Bragg, was convicted of rape, -a charge he always denied. He had found his young girlfriend in bed with another man, and had beaten her. To explain her bruises, she told the police that Bragg had raped her....a charge she later retracted. The Police then "pinned" 5 more unsolved rape charges on him, and he was sentenced to six life terms in jail. In 1959, Governor Clement commuted his sentence, but Bragg soon returned to prison on a parole violation and spent time in and out of incarceration until 1977. While serving time in the Tennessee State Penitentiary, Bragg became the leader of a singing group of inmates calling themselves "The Prisonaires". It was their R&B music that greatly helped start Sam Phillips's Sun Records, and probably influenced a young truck driver named Elvis Presley. In the summer of 1953, 'The Prisonaires' traveled, under heavy guard, from their Nashville prison to Memphis where they recorded at Sun Record's studio. One of the tunes recorded that day was "Just Walkin' in the Rain," ( Bragg was the co-writer). That song put Sun Records 'on the map', and captured the attention of Elvis Presley, who that same summer made his first demonstration recordings at Sun. Just a few years later, singer Johnny Ray recorded that song, and it would go on to sell more than a million copies. In 1961, Presley visited Bragg in prison. Another interesting comment on Bragg is that upon his demise, the 'London Independent' (and other European newspapers) noted that Bragg once managed to talk to country singer Hank Williams, then playing a concert at the prison. Bragg played Hank a tune he'd written, and Williams bought it for five dollars. The song was "Your Cheatin' Heart."
1940     Pat Britt, (Jazz) alto sax/label owner (Catalyst), b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
1961     Bobby Broom, Jazz guitar, b. New York, NY, USA. Among those with whom Broom has worked ar Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, trumpeter Tom Browne, Dave Grusin, and Sonny Rollins. In 1987, Broom joined Miles Davis' band, which only lasted for a handful of performances. Broom next played with Kenny Burrell in his Jazz Guitar Band for several years, Broom relocated to Chicago where he formed his own trio, that performed in local venues. He has currently (2004) 3 solo releases.
1973     Christian Burns, vocals, b. Liverpool, England. Member group: 'BBMak', a trio comprised of Christian Burns, Mark Barry (b. Manchester, England), and Ste McNally (b. Liverpool, England). 'The Beatles' were their major inspiration. Christian's dad Tony Burns had opened for 'The Beatles' when he was a member of the rock band 'The Signs'. Ste has told interviewers that he is distantly related to Ringo Star of The Beatles. His dad's cousin was Ringo's first wife. In 2003, BBMak disbanded. (The name came from the initials of their last names.)
1937     Ric Cartey, rockabily vocs, b: Atlanta, GA, USA. né: Whaley Thomas Cartey
1935     Bernie Cash, Jazz educator/bassist, b. UK. Cash has worked with such stars as guitarist Dave Cliff (b. 1944, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK), double bassist Peter Ind.(b.July 20 1928, UK), Cliff also obtained his diploma in Jazz studies while studying with Peter Ind and Bernie Cash at Leeds College of Music.
1956     George "Mark" Collie, C&W (honky tonk and rockabilly) guitar/singer-songwriter, b. Waynesboro, TN, USA.
1922     Johnny Costa, piano/arranger/composer, b. Arnold, Pennsylvania, USA, d. 1996. Costa began work as a musician on a Pittsburgh television station on the day he graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University (with two degrees in music). Early on, he provided piano and organ music for many programs. In time, he teamed with Fred Rogers to create the most successful children's program on television, and is still perhaps best known for his work as the musical director of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood". A musician's musician, his work was applauded by jazz masters Benny Carter, Dave Brubeck, Tommy Dorsey, Dizzy Gillespie, Marion McPartland, Peter Nero, Andre Previn, Buddy Rich, Mel Torme and Art Tatum, -Costa's most significant influence. Referring to his chart of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," Larry Rosenthal, a pianist with the Gus Arnheim orchestra, once said, "It's as good as Chopin." Like George Gershwin, Costa was a man of the heart whose inner qualities were revealed in his music. Helen Costa, Johnny's wife of 55 years said, "Johnny is as beautiful a person as the music he plays."
1971     Jonathan Davis, Vocals/Bagpipes, b. Bakersfield, CA, USA. né: Jonathan Houseman Davis. Member group: 'Korn'
1911     Charles Delauney, Discographer/Writer, b. Vineuil, St.Fermin, France, d. Feb. 16, 1988 Son of designer Sonia Terk (Stern), and Orphist painter Robert Delaunay. Growing up in Paris, France, he was always surrounded by artists and writers such as Poet Apollinaire, surealist Andre Breton and Paul Aragon, Stravinsky and Paul Klee. Delaunay did paint (Impressionism). At times he was an Artist, editor/writer and Club owner. He is best remembered today as one of the founders of the "Hot Club Of France" that later employed a group of musicians that came to be known as "The Quintet of the Hot Club of France", - that included Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli. Delaunay was the First Jazz Discographer, publishing his "Hot Discography" in several editions (both in French and in English).
1936, Published in Paris, France.
1938, Publ'd in Paris
1939, First English Version, Paris,
1940, English Edition, Publ., New York, NY., USA
1943, Publ'd in Paris.
As a club owner, he hired was responsible for bringing many American Jazz stars to Europe. However, he and his friend Hugues Panassie, - who also owned a Bistro in Paris became competitors in hiring U.S. Jazz talents.
1926     Bobby Edwards, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Anniston, AL, USA. né: Robert Moncrief
1967     Peter Epstein, Saxophone, b. Eugene, Oregon, USA
1952     Russell Ferrante, keyboards, b. San Jose, California, USA Russell came from a musical family, - his father was a choirmaster (and occassional singer) in the family's local church.
1944     Al Foster, Jazz Drums, b. Richmond, VA, USA.
1904     Anthony Galla-Rini, accordion, b. Mancester, Connecticut, USA , d. July 30, 2006, USA. (cardiac arrest) While still a young child, Galla-Rini, with his three sisters, performed as a family act in Vaudeville. The act broke up in 1932, and Galla-Rini continued solo, touring Europe and the USA. His accordion playing can also be heard on several film soundtracks, including Laura (1944) and High Noon (1952)
1933     Vernon Garrett, vocals/drums, b. Omaha, NB, USA.
1941     Bobby Goldsboro, guitar/vocals/composer. b. Marianna, FL, USA. Goldsboro owns 'House of Gold Music' which is one of the most successful music publishing companies in Nashville, TN, publishing such songs as "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Behind Closed Doors." Goldsboro compositions have received twenty-seven B.M.I. awards and have been recorded by such diverse artists as Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Dr. John, Paul Anka, John Denver, Billy Vera, and Bette Midler. Two of his compositions, "With Pen In Hand," and "Autumn Of My Life," are members of B.M.I.'s exclusive "Million-Airs Club".
1943     David Greenslade, keyboards. Played with Colosseum and Greenslade.
1951     Steve Grossman, Jazz Soprano and Tenor Sax, b. New York, NY, USA.
1915     Paul Gunther, drums, b. Kansas City, Kansas, USA, d. 1996 Among the stars with whom Gunther played are Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (guitar and vocals), Jay McShann (piano), and Roland Lobligeois (bass), among others.
1962     Jeremy Healey, DJ, b. London, England. Member group: 'Haysi Fantayzee', a group formed by Paul Caplin, his fashion model girlfriend Kate Garner, and Jeremy Healy. Paul mostly remained in the background writing the music and arrangements. The duo (Healey was just the 'mixer') charted four UK singles and also became a staple of groundbreaking US "alternative" radio stations.
1953     Brett Hudson, vocals, b. Portland, OR,USA. né: Brett Stuart Patrick Hudson Member group: 'Hudson Brothers', consisting of Bill, Mark and Brett, and for a time , guitarist/singer Bob Haworth, later of the Kingston Trio. (Bill: b. Oct. 17, 1949, Portland, OR, USA. né: William Louis Hudson II; Mark: b. Aug. 23, 1951, Portland, OR, USA. né: Mark Jeffrey Anthony Hudson).
1918     Elmore James, Blues vocals/guitar, b. USA. d. May 24, 1963, USA.
1896     Art Kassel, Leader, alto and tenor sax, clarinet, b. Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. Feb. 3, 1965, Van Nuys, California, USA.
1913     Danny Kaye, Actor/Vocalist, d. Mar. 2, 1987. né: David Daniel Kominski. His wife, Sylvia Fine, wrote many of his best hit songs.
1925     Christian Kellens, Trombone, bass trombone, baritone horn, tuba, b. Andenne, Belgium
1932     Irene Kral, Vocals d. August 15, 1978, Cancer-age 46. Debuted as vocalist with the 'Jay Burkhardt Big Band'. Freelanced in Chicago, IL and also worked with 'The Tattle Tales' vocal group. In 1957, she was with the Maynard Ferguson Band for 9 months, following which she worked with the Herb Pomeroy Band. Marriage and retired until 1974 when she started recording for 'Choice' and 'Catalyst' labels. She had many fine recordings but her "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" is most remembered. She was a superb Ballad singer.
1961     Frits Landesbergen, Vibes, Drums, percussion, b. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1903     Min Leibrook, Bass Saxophone/Double Bass/Tuba, b. Hamilton, Ohio, USA, d. June 8, 1943
1912     "Red" Mack, vocals/trumpet, b. Memphis, TN, USA
1917     Matthew "Hogman" Maxey, guitar, b. Haynesville, LA, USA
1931     Charles "Chuck" Metcalf, Bass/composer (also violin/piano), b. Grand Rapids Missouri, USA
1973     Crispian Mills, vocals/guitar, b. Hammersmith, West London, England. Member group: 'Kula Shaker', originally comprised of Alonza Bevan, Paul Winter-Hart, Crispian Mills, Jay Darlington (keyboards) and Suan Dismont (Mills's cousin) as lead singer. Crispian is the son of English actress Hayley Mills (née: Hayley Catherine Rose Vivian Mills (b. April 18, 1946, London, England), and Roy Boulting. (born Nov. 21, 1913, d. Nov. 5, 2001, film director) Boulting was age 57 when he married the 25-year-old Hayley Mills in 1971. Four years later, the couple separated, and in 1977, divorced. (Crispian was just two years old, and presumably this is why Crispian took his mother's surname.)
1920     Constance Moore, Vocals/Actress, b. Sioux City, Iowa, USA (raised in Dallas, TX ), d. Sept. 16, 2005, Los Angeles, California, USA. (heart failure) Age: 84. When the CBS radio network hired the dark-haired beauty for a musical program, her rich contralto captured the attention of a visiting Universal Studio talent scout. Signed to a contract, she appeared in several B pictures as well as the classic W.C. Fields comedy, "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man." Perhaps her best work for Universal were 'Earl Carroll Vanities', and 'Show Business'. She went on to appear in other films such as "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me", "Take a Letter Darling", "I Wanted Wings", and "Las Vegas Nights". Moore appeared in comedies, dramas, musicals, westerns and a 1939 Sci-Fi series called Buck Rogers. She also starred with Robert Young in a short-lived TV series, "Window on Main Street", following Mr. Young's success in "Father Knows Best". Moore retired from making regular films in 1947, after which she appeared as a vocalist with some big bands, but made a handful more films during the 1950s and early 1960s. In a 2002 magazine interview, Moore said "I never really thought about going into show business. All I knew is that I wanted to sing."
1964     Andy Panayi, all reeds/flute/Composer/Arranger, b. London, England, UK.
1912     Linda Parker, C&W vocals, b. Covington, KY, USA. Parker may have been the first female artist to have a successful solo career in country music. She later went on to become a cast member of the WLS National Barn Dance radio show.
1938     Hargus "Pig" Robbins, C&W Guitar/Vocals/arranger. b: Spring City, TN, USA. Hargis "Pig" Robbins, Pete Wade, and Jimmy Capps, are some of the talents who helped create the "Nashville Sound".
1959     Bob Rosenberg, DJ/R&B Singer-Songwriter/Keyboards/Drums, b. Miami, FL, USA. Member group: 'Will To Power', a group named after a book by Nietsche.
1941     David Ruffin, vocals, b. Whyknot, MS, USA, d. June 1, 1991, Member group: 'The Temptations'
1957     Roman Schwaller, Tenor Sax, b. Frauenfeld, Switzerland
1921     Ray Sims, Trombone, trombonium, vocal, b. Wichita, KS, USA. Brother of saxman "Zoot" Sims.
1944     'Legs' Larry Smith, drums, b. Oxford, England. Member group: 'The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band', a group originally founded by a pair of "Dada" enthusiats, Rodney Slater and Roger Ruskin Spear (a descendant of Victorian literary giant John Ruskin, and son of the British artist Ruskin Spear). and (their two main songwriters) Neil Innes (piano/guitar, b. Dec. 9, 1944),Essex, England), and Vivian Stanshall (b. March 21, 1943, Shillingford, Oxfordshire, England, d. March 5, 1995, London, England), . One of the later members was Gus Dudgeon (b. Aug. 30.1942, Surrey, England. d. June 21,.2002, car crash).
The Bonzo Dog band opened every performance with "The Intro and the Outro", during which each member of the band was introduced and played a solo.
The festivities started with the genuine band members:
* Hi there, nice to be with you, happy you could stick around.
* Like to introduce "Legs" Larry Smith, drums
* And Sam Spoons, rhythm pole
* And Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell, bass guitar
* And Neil Innes, piano.
* Come in Rodney Slater on the saxophone
* With Roger Ruskin Spear on tenor sax.
* and I, Vivian Stanshall, trumpet. "
Vivian then proceeded to include imaginary members such as:
* " Say hello to big John Wayne on xylophone. (John Wayne, actor, b. May 26, 1907, Winterset,
    IA, USA, d. June 11, 1979, CA, USA. né: Marion Robert Morrison),
* Looking very relaxed, Adolf Hitler on vibes. (Adolf Hitler b. April 20, 1889, d. April 30,
    1945 Nazi Party leader and fuhrer of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945)
* Yeah! Digging General de Gaulle on accordion. Rather wild, General! Thank you, sir.
* Roy Rogers on Trigger " (sound of flowing liquid). (né: Leonard Frank Slye, famous
    as Roy Rogers, singing cowboy actor, b. Nov. 5, 1911, d. July 6, 1998)
* Eric Clapton on ukulele (it was actually Clapton playing), (Eric Clapton CBE, b. March 30,
    1945, The Green, Ripley, Surrey, England.)
(NOTE:né Eric Patrick Clapp. British guitarist and composer, nicknamed "slowhand" or,
in the 1960s, "God". The illegitimate son of the 16 year old Patricia Molly Clapp and Edward
Edward Walter Fryer, a 24 year old Canadian soldier stationed in the UK, Clapton's father
returned to his wife in Canada before he was born. Eric grew up with his grandparents believing
they were his parents, and that his mother was his older sister. Years later his mother married
another Canadian soldier, moved to Canada and left Eric with his grandparents. At age 9,
Eric was told the truth; it was a defining moment in his life.)
1963     Dan Spitz, guitarist. Member heavy metal band: 'Anthrax'.
1940     Don Thompson, Bass/piano/vibes/Drums, b. Powell River, B.C., Canada.
CAUTION: There were two Don Thompsons, both Canadian and (at one time) both living in Toronto. This Don Thompson (a multi-instrumentalist, and the better known of the two) has played for a number of years with George Shearing and with Rob McConnell's Boss Brass. Previously, he was also in John Handy's Quintet. The other Don Thompson (often referred to as "DT". b. Sept. 19, 1932, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, d. March 21, 2004, Vancouver, Canada), played the Sax. Also, one should not confuse these two men with female singer Dawn Thompson (who should not be confused with the New Zealand-born opera Mezzo Wendy Dawn Thompson)
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1948.    Ted Mack's "The Original Amateur Hour" debuted on the DuMont Television network. (It originiated on radio as the "Major Bowes Amateur Hour".) Mack's program continued on different TV networks for the next 22-years. Teresa Brewer and Pat Boone got their start on this program.
1957.    George Girard, trumpet, died
1960.    Gladys Bentley, piano, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 52
1968.    Singer Eartha Kitt made headlines when she confronted Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, wife of the President of the United States, at a White House luncheon to discuss urban crime. Eartha told Lady Bird (the First Lady) that American youth were rebelling against the war in Vietnam.
1969.    Roberta Martin, vocals, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 61. Member: 'Roberta Martin Singers'
1971.   Harry Shields, clarinet, died
1986.    Mckinley Mitchell, vocals, died in Chicago Heights, IL, USA. Age: 51
1988.    Al Hall, bass, and label owner (Wax Records), died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 72
1992.    Paul P. Gewirtz, Owner (Colony Record Shop -NYC), died in Melbourne, FL, USA. Age: 87
1993.    O. B. Wright, vocals, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1994.    Eddie Hill, singer-songwriter/DJ/TV host, died. Age: 74
1995.    Charles Baskerville, vocals, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 54. Member: 'SHEP & The Limelites
1999.   Virgina Verrell, vocals, died. (Her voice was dubbed for many Hollywood starlets)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
       1933 "My Cousin In Milwaukee", - Eddie Duchin and his Central Park Hotel Orch., with Gertrude Niesen, voc. (George Gershwin tune. Lyricist Ira Gershwin. George Gershwin later recalled the show as "a headache from start to finish".)
       1945    "I Dream Of You", - Perry Como
       1945    "Cocktails For Two", - Spike Jones
       1945    "I Dream Of You", - Frank Sinatra
       1952    "Here I Am - Broken Hearted", - Johnnie Ray
       1952    "Please, Mr. Sun", - Johnnie Ray
       1960    "Handy Man", - Jimmy Jones
       1960    "What In The World's Come Over You", - Jack Scott
       1960    "Lonely Blue Boy", - Conway Twitty
       1964    "What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)", - Tams
       1969    "Build Me Up Buttercup", - Foundations
       1975    "Lonely People", - America
       1975    "Nightingale", - Carole King
       1975    "Lady", - Styx
       1975    "My Eyes Adored You", - Frankie Valli
       1986    "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)", - 'Mike + The Mechanics'
       1986    "Sara", - Starship
       1992    "I'm Too Sexy", - 'Right Said Fred'