BIRTHDAYS
1910     Abe (Alvin) Aaron, Reeds, b. Toronto, ON, Canada. d. Jan. 31, 1970
1963     Susan Aglukark, vocal/guitar/bass/piano, b: Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
1955     Pheeroan AkLaff, percussion/drums, b. Detroit, MI, USA.
1911     Joe Attlesey, Vocals/Guitar/Mandolin, b. Reilly Springs, TX, USA. Member: "The Shelton Brothers", a Honky-Tonk/Harmony Duo consisting of Joe Shelton (né: Joe Attlesey), and Robert "Bob" Shelton (né: Robert Attlesey, Vocals/Guitar/Fiddle, b. July 4, 1909, Reilly Springs, TX, USA, d. 1986)
1919     Ross Bagdasarian, actor/songwriter, b. Fresno, CA, USA, d. Jan. 16, 1972 (11 days before his 53rd birthday), aka: David Seville. Perhaps his best known recording is "David Seville and The Chipmunks". Among his other songs are "The Trouble With Harry" (reached No. 44, in 1956), and two solo singles (recording as David Seville), "Armen's Theme" and "Gotta Get to Your House." In early 1958, his "Witch Doctor" hit NO. 1, and later that year, his Christmas gimmick single "The Chipmunk Song" spent four weeks at the top of the charts. Two months later, "Alvin's Harmonica" reached No. 3.
1930     "Blue" Bobby Bland, Blues Vocals, b: Rosemark, TN, USA. né: Robert Calvin Bland.
1933     Jimmy Bond, Bass, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1910     Joe Callahan, Singer/Yodeler/Guitar/String Bass/Comedy b. Madison County, NC, USA. d. Sept. 10, 1971. Member: "The Callahan Brothers", a duo consisting of Joe Callahan (né: Walter Tommie Callahan), and Bill Callahan (né: Homer C. Callahan, b. March 27, 1912, Madison County, NC, USA. Singer, Yodeler, Guitar, Bass Fiddle, Mandolin)
1953     Lee Carroll, keyboards, b. Glasgow, KY, USA. Member: "Exile". (Lee replaced Marlon Hargis)
1946     Jeffrey Alan Castleman, Bass, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1869     Will Marion Cook, Composer, Leader, violin, conductor, b. Washington, DC, USA. d. July 19, 1944
1961     Martin Deguille, guitar, b. UK. Member group: 'Sigue Sigue Sputnik', a group led by former Generation X member Tony James. They were a "conceptual" band that James never intended to be musical. He even recruited Martin Degville, Ray Mayhew, Neal X, and Chris Cavanagh because they lacked musical experience. The band signed with EMI after James had mounted an extensive publicity campaign that was basically meant to solicit such a record contract. In early 1986, their first single, "Love Missile F1-11" hit No. 3 on the U.K. charts. On their debut album, "Flaunt It", -they sold the space between tracks to advertisers. The album fell on deaf ears despite a massive marketing effort. In 1988, they released a somewhat more serious follow-up, "Dress for Excess" whose album cover featured the slogan "This time it's music". This album also was poorly received. In 1991, James was briefly a member of 'Sisters of Mercy'.
1895     Buddy DeSylva, Lyricist, b. New York, NY, USA. d. July 11, 1950, Los Angeles, CA, nee; George Gard DeSylva (Wife: Marie Wallace)
1951     Brian Downey, actor/acoustic and electric guitar/electric bass/harmonica. Newfoundland, Canada. Member group: 'Thin Lizzy', a group formed in the late 1960s by Irish singer/songwriter/bassist Phil Lynott. Sadly, Phil Lynott battled with alcohol and drug addiction problems. He collapsed on Christmas Day, 1985, from a drink and drug binge at his home in Surrey, England.
1964     Migi Drummond, drums, b. London, England. Member group: 'Curiosity Killed the Cat', a group comprised of Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot (né: Martin Benedict Volpeliere-Pierrot, b. May 19, 1965 , Earls Court , London , England ; vocals ), Julian Godfrey Brookhouse, (b. May 15, 1963 , Putney , London, England; guitar ), Nicholas Bernard Thorpe (b. Oct. 25, 1964 , Sunbury-On-Thames , London, England; bass). and Migi Drummond (né: Miguel John Drummond, Jan. 27, 1964 , Strawberry Hill , London, England; drums).
1937     Buddy Emmons, Steel Pedal Guitar/vocals/piano/bass, b: Mishawaka, IN, USA. Worked with the Everly Brothers. Has several books on playing the Steel Pedal Guitar.
1948     Kim Gardner, bass, b. London, England, d. Oct. 24, 2001, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: 'Ashton, Gardner & Dyke', a short-lived UK rock act consisting of two ex-members of the Remo Four, Tony Ashton (b. Edward Anthony Ashton, b. March 1, 1946, Blackburn, Lancashire, England, d. 28 May 2001, London, England; vocals, keyboards), and Roy Dyke (drums), plus bass player Kim Gardner (b. Jan. 27, 1946, Dulwich, London, England, d. Oct. 24, 2001, Los Angeles, California, USA,, formerly of the Birds and Creation).
1961     Gillian Gilbert, keyboards/guitar, b. UK. Member groupa: 'The Inadequates', 'New Order', and 'The Other Two'. Gillian was the keyboardist/guitarist, with 'New Order', and Stephen Morris (b. Oct. 28, 1957, Macclesfield, England) was 'New Order's' drummer. The couple formed a side-project, a dance-orientated duo called 'The Other Two', and shortly afterwards, Stlephen married Gillian.
1946     Bruce Good, vocals/autoharp/dobro, b: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. with: Good Brothers
1946     Brian Good, Vocals/Guitar, b: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With: Good Brothers
1918     "Skitch" Henderson, piano, conductor, arranger leader, b. Halstad, MN, USA, d. November 1, 2005, New Milford, Connecticut, USA. Age: 87. né: Lyle Russell Cedric Henderson.
1914     Andrew "Smokey" Hogg, Blues vocals, b. Westconnie, TX, USA, d. May 1, 1960, McKinney, TX, USA. aka: "Texas Smokey" Hogg. Influenced by Big Bill Broonzy and Peetie Wheatstraw, "Smokey" worked with a slide guitarist "Black Ace" (né: BK Turner, b. 1905 Hughes Springs, TX, USA, d. Nov. 7, 1972) at local Greenville, Texas venues. Hogg first recorded for Decca in 1937, and not again until 1948, when he had a huge hits with 1948's "Long Tall Mama" and 1950's "Little School Girl". ('Black Ace' was one of the few Bluesmen to play their guitar in Hawaiian style -on the lap, using a slide).
1910     Charlie Holmes, Alto Saxophone, b. Boston, MA, USA. d. Sept. 19, 1985, Stoughton, Massachusetts, USA. (some sources claim d. Sept. 12). In 1926, Charlie was playing clarinet in small local Jazz combos, while also playing the oboe for the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra. In 1928, Holmes relocated to New York city, where he first found work in the Luis Russell orchestra. He would work, on and off, with Russell until 1932 when he became a part of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. Interestingly, during the following 20 or so years, he played in the John Kirby's Sextet, Cootie Williams' Orchestra and with Louis Armstrong's band. Then, beginning in 1951, he was out of the music scene for twenty years, before returning to work in Clyde Bernhardt's Harlem Blues & Jazz band and the Swedish band Kustbandet.
1941     Bobby Hutcherson, Vibraphone/marimba, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1918     Elmore James, Guitar, b. Richland, MS, USA. d. May 23, 1963, Chicago, IL, USA. né: Elmore Brooks. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, best known for the song "Dust My Broom"
1951     Seth Justman, keyboards/vocals/producer/songwriter, b. Washington, D.C., USA. Member group: 'The J. Geils Band'
1885     Jerome Kern, Composer,b. New York, NY, USA d. Nov. 11, 1945, New York, NY, USA. né: Jerome David Kern. Died Cerebral Hemmorrhage. One of the 20th Century's leading composers of popular stage musicals. "Show Boat", with libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II, helped to promote the "serious" musical play in U.S. theatre.
1896     Clark W. Kessenger, Old-time Fiddler (Country), d. June 4, 1975. Late 1920s, he recorded on Brunswick Label. His playing influence many Southern fiddlers. In 1960, he was "rediscovered" and appeared on the "Grand Old Opry". In his mid-80s, he appeared at the 47th Annual Union Grove contest, winning first place and the title as World's Champion Fiddler
1968     Tracy Lawrence, C&W vocals, b. Atlanta, TX, USA.
1939     Julius Lester, guitar, b. St. Louis, MO, USA.
1905     Monia Liter, Piano/Piano Accordion/Arranger/Composer, b. Odessa, Russia, d. Oct. 5, 1988
1957     Tom Mahon, piano, b. New York, NY, USA.
1904     Frankie Marvin, (Western) singer-songwriter/guitar/Steel Guitar/actor, b. Butler, Indian Territory (now: Oklahoma), USA. d. January 1985.
1945     Nick Mason, drums, b. Birmingham (Downshire Hills), England. Member group: 'Pink Floyd'. Mason is the only member to have remained in the group for its entire existence.
1931     Rudi Maugeri, baritone vocalist, b: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. with band: Crew Cuts
1930     Dick Meldonian, Alto-Tenor-baritone sax, flute/clarinet, b. Providence, RI, USA. Early on, Dick toured with the Freddie Slack, Charlie Barnet (1950-51) and Stan Kenton (1952) orchestras. He also worked with Shorty Rogers, Nat Pierce, Elliot Lawrence and Bill Russo. With the ending of the Big Band era, Meldonian became a busy New York sessions musician, working with Erroll Garner (1957) and Gerry Mulligan (1960), and others. Meldonian has recorded as a leader, both with combos and with big bands. In the late 1970s, he led the 'Jersey Swingers' quartet and, in the early 1980s, co-led (with drummer Sonny Igoe) a big band.
1953     Bob Mintzer, Reeds, flute, arranger. Has played with Deodato, Tito Puente (1974), Buddy Rich, Hubert Laws and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1977); 1978 - Led own band, worked with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Mainieri, Louis Bellson, Bob Moses and the American Saxophone Quartet. Circa mid-1980s, led his own big band, and also sometime guest with Philharmonic Orchestras. Since 1991, bassclarinet with 'The Yellowjackets'
1914     "Mississippi Matilda", vocals, b. Hattiesburg, MS, USA. Wife of Delta Bluesman Eugene Powell, a.k.a "Sonny Boy Nelson". (guitar/vocals, b. Dec. 23, 1908, Utica, Mississippi, USA, d. Nov. 4, 1998, Greenville, Mississippi, USA). In 1936, Eugene, his wife "Mississippi Matilda", and Willie "Brother" Harris traveled with the Chatmon Brothers to New Orleans, LA, where they recorded for the Bluebird label.
1974     Mark Owen, vocals, b. Oldham, Greater Manchester, UK, Member group: 'Take That'
1908     Oran Thaddeus "Hot Lips" Page. Trumpet, b. Dallas, TX, USA. d. Nov. 5, 1954. Played with Count Basie and many, many others.
1968     Mike Patton, vocals, b. Eureka, CA, USA. Member group: 'Faith No More'
1916     Milt Raskin, Piano, composer, arranger, b. Boston, MA, USA. d. Oct. 16, 1977, Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA, USA.
1895     Harry Ruby, composer/piano, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Feb. 23, 1974, Woodland Hills, CA, USA.
1919     David Seville, comedian, b: Fresno, CA, USA. d: Jan. 16, 1972, Beverly Hills, CA, USA. né: Ross Bagdasarian. (See Bagdasarian entry above.) Perhaps best recalled for his one huge hit recording of "David Seville and The Chipmonks"
1932     Purvis Scott, bass, b. Earle, AR, USA. "Worked with Sunnyland Slim"
1927     Don Shirley, piano, b. Kingston, Jamaica, BWI. (some sources say born Jan. 29)
1938     James Howard "Jimmie" Smith, Drums, b.1938, Newark, NJ, USA. CAUTION: Do not to confuse with jazz organist Jimmy Smith, b. Dec. 8, 1925 Norristown, PA, USA
1946     Nedra Talley, R&B vocals, b. New York (Washington Heights). NY, USA. Member group: 'The Ronettes' x
1945     Henri Texier, Bass, b. Paris, France
1968     Adrian Thawes, hip-hop vocals, b. Knowle West, Bristol, England.
1970     Mark Trojanowski, drums, b. Gainesville, FL, USA. Member group: 'Sister Hazel', a group based in Gainesville, Florida, featuring vocalist/guitarist Ken Block, guitarist/vocalist Andrew Copeland, lead guitarist Ryan Newell, bassist Jeff Beres, and drummer Mark Trojanowski.
1961     Margo Timmons, rock vocals, b. Canada. Member group: 'Cowboy Junkies'
1911     Benay Venuta, vocals/actress, b. San Francisco, CA, USA , d. Sept. 1, 1995, New York, NY, USA. (lung cancer) It's a shame that Benay is not better recalled today, - she was a fine singer, as well as a Broadway and Hollywood actress. Among the films in which she appeared are 'Easter Parade' (1948 -she was a Bar Patron, uncredited), 'Call Me Mister' (1951 playing part of Billie Barton), 'Annie Get Your Gun' (1950 in role of Dolly Tate), 'Bullets Over Broadway' (1994, just a year before her demise), and about a half dozen other films. A very talented little lady, - she was also a sculptor.
1955     Cheryl White, C&W vocals, b. USA. Member group: 'The Whites', a musical family featuring Buck White and his daughters, Sharon White Skaggs, and Cheryl White Warren.
1955     Richard Young, rhythm guitar, b. Kentucky, USA. Member group: 'Kentucky Headhunters', Ricky Lee Phelps (lead vocal) and his brother, Doug (b. Dec. 15, 1960), had played in various groups around Kentucky. In 1984, they met Greg Martin (lead guitar) and he introduced them to his cousins, the brothers Richard Young and Fred Young (bass).
1920     Helmut Zacharias, Leader/Violin b. Germany. Helmut is from a musical family. His father was a violinist and kapellmeister, his mother a singer. In 1950, he was to be heard on all German radio stations, and AFN Frankfurt called him the "Best Jazz Violinist in the World." Sadly, today (2004) Helmut is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. He under the care of his daughter, Dr. Sylvia Zacharias, a medical journalist who has also published a comprehensive biography about her famous father.

         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1961.    "Blind Simmie" Dooley, guitar, died in Spartanburg, SC, USA. Age: 79
1972.    Mahalia Jackson died in Evergreen Park, IL, USA. Age 60.
1981.    Julius Cheeks, vocals, died in Miami, FL, USA. Age: 51.
1986.    Ernie Williams, vocals/drums, died in Kansas City, MO, USA. Age: 81. Worked with Harlen Leonard
1993.    "Little" Johnny Christian, vocals, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 56
1994.    Stanley Adams, songwriter, died in Manhasset, NY, USA. Age: 86
1994.    Eddie Calhoun, bass, died in Paradise Lake, MS, USA. Age: 72
1997.    Gerald Marks, composer, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 96.
2000.    Friedrich Gulda, piano, died, in Weissenbach, Austria. (heart attack) Age: 69

         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
       1944    Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me, -Duke Ellington
       1944    No Love, No Nothin', - Ella Mae Morse
       1950    Music! Music! Music!, - Teresa Brewer
       1950    Quicksilver, - Bing Crosby
       1950    Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy, - Bing Crosby
       1958    Dede Dinah, - Frankie Avalon
       1958    Don't, - Elvis Presley
       1962    Duke Of Earl, - Gene Chandler
       1968    Bottle Of Wine, - Fireballs
       1968    Love Is Blue, - Paul Mauriat
       1968    I Wish It Would Rain, - The Temptations
       1973    Last Song, - Edward Bear
       1973    Love Train, - The O'Jays
       1979    Lady, - Little River Band
       1979    Shake Your Groove Thing, - Peaches & Herb
       1990    C'Mon And Get My Love, - D-Mob
       1990    I Go To Extremes, - Billy Joel