BIRTHDAYS
1905     Ivie Anderson, Vocal, b. Gilroy, CA, USA. d. Dec. 28, 1949, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Best recalled for her work with Duke Ellington's band.
1915     Milt Buckner, Organ/Piano/composer, b. St.Louis, MO, USA. d. 1977 USA.
1916     Dick Cary, Piano/arranger/trumpet/alto horn, b. Hartford, CT, USA. d. April 6, 1994. First pianist in Louis Armstrong's (1947 to 1948) All-Stars.
1960     Martyn P. Casey, keyboards. Member group: Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds.
1929     Buddy Clark, Bass. b. Kenosha, WI, USA. né: Walter Clark, Jr.
1965     Peter DiStefano, rock vocal/guitar. Member: Porno For Pyros.
1944     John Dymond [Beaky], guitar. His 1968 single "Legend Of Xanadu" hit No.1 on the UK charts.
1949     Ronnie James Dio, Singer/songwriter, né: Padavona
1958     Bela Fleck, vocals, né: Bela Anton Leos Fleck. Member of The Flecktones vocal group.
1926     "Forest City Joe", Blues harp, b. Hughes, Arkansas, USA, d. April 3, 1960 (truck accident while returning home from a dance). né: Joe Bennie Pugh
1947     Bruce Fowler, Trombone, b. Salt Lake City, UT. USA.
1919     Rusty Gill, vocals, b. St. Louis, MO, USA
1947     Arlo Guthrie, Folksinger. Folksinger Woody Guthrie's son.
1924     Major Holley, Bass, b. Detroit, MI, USA. d. 1990.
1933     Jerry Herman, Composer/yricist for such shows as 'Hello, Dolly!', 'La Cage aux Folles', 'Mame', 'Dear World', 'Mack and Mabel'.
1950     Greg Kihn, vocals, b. USA. His 1983 single "Jeopardy" hit No.2 on the US charts.
1964     Graham Lambert, guitarist. b. UK. Member: Inspiral Carpets
1938     Arnie Lawrence, Alto Sax, b. New York, NY, USA, d. April 22, 2005.
1900     Elsie Evelyn Laye, vocals/actress, b. London, England. U.K., d. Feb. 1996, London, England, UK. This strikingly beautiful soprano was the toast of the London stage for more than half a century. While still a teenager, she was already working on London's 'East End' stages. She subsequently won wide fame for her roles in such operettas as 'The Shop Girl' (1920), 'The Merry Widow' (1923) and Sigmund Romberg & Oscar Hammerstein's "The New Moon" (1929). In 1929, she played the lead in the Broadway production of Noel Coward's "Bittersweet". While in the USA, she also appeared in several Hollywood films, including "The Night is Young" (1935), with co-star Ramon Novarro. In the film, she introduced 'Romberg & Hammerstein's' "When I Grow Too Old to Dream". Laye was active on the London stage until 1969, and made concert appearances through 1992.
1936     Lois Lilienstein, vocals, b. Canada. member vocal group: Sharon, Lois, and Bram. (Sharon Hampson March 31, '43; Bram Morrison, Dec. 18, '40)
1894     Jimmy McHugh, composer, b. Boston, MA, USA. d. May 23, 1969, Beverley Hills, CA, USA.
1943     Jerry Miller, guitar Member group: Moby Grape
1952     Kim Mitchell, rock guitar/composer. b. Sarnia, Ont., Canada.
1938     Lee Morgan, Trumpet, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. Feb. 19. 1972. né: Edward Lee Morgan. Played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers
1895     Carl Orff, composer, b. Munich, Germany, d. March 29, 1982, Munich, Germany.
1900     Mitchell Parish (aka: Parrish), lyricist, b. Shreveport, LA, USA. d. May 31, 1993, USA.
1930     Rick Porter, Composer/drummer, b: Antigua, West Indies, d: Jan. 4, 2003 (Coronary) né: Richard Scot Porter. Worked with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Milt Larkin, Ray Charles, Lester Young, Bud Powell, Chet Baker, George Benson, Nancy Wilson, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Arnett Cobb and others.
1946     Brian Priestley, Piano/Writer, b. Manchester, England.
1939     John "Fritz" Richmond, Washtub Bass/Jug/engineer, b. Newton, MA, USA, d. Nov. 20, 2005, Portland, OR, USA. (Lung Cancer) Age: 66. Richmond was a junior high school student when he constructed his first homemade "instrument" using a Sears, Roebuck tub and a Venetian blind cord to construct his first wash-tub bass. (One of his homemade instruments is now in the Smithsonian Institute.) In the 1960s, Fritz began his career playing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and went on to hlow his jug and to play his one-string bass with many of that era's emerging stars, including the Charles River Valley Boys, Jim Kweskin Jug Band, Maria Muldaur, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Tom Rush, the J-Band, John Sebastian, Geoff Muldaur, Richard and Mimi Farina, the Doors, and Jackson Browne. In the 1970s, Richmond worked as an engineer for Elektra Records. He had a good sense of style, and is credited with introducing the "granny glasses" that the Byrds, Lovin' Spoonful and Janis Joplin later made popular. At the time of his demise, "Fritz" was considered to the world's premier washtub bass player,
1933     Eileen Rodgers, vocals
1980     Jessica Simpson, vocals, b. UK. Her 2000 single "I Wanna Love You Forever" hit No.7 on UK charts.
1889     Noble Sissle, Leader/Vocals, b. Indianapolis, IN, USA. d. Dec. 17, 1975, USA. né: Noble Lee Sissle. A fine bandleader also recalled for his work with Eubie Blake.
1949     Dave Smalley, vocals. Member group: The Raspberries. His 1972 single "Go All The Way" hit No. 5 on the US charts.
1937     Sandy Stewart, vocals. née: Galitz. Her husband, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer, known especially for his work on the musical Peter Pan. Their son, Bill Charlap (Piano, b. October 15, 1966, New York, NY, USA) became a fine pianist who backed a great many singers.
1954     Neil Tennant, vocals. b. Gosforth, Northumberland, UK. Many No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 hits in the USA and in the UK.
1904     Hociel Thomas, vocals/piano, b. Houston, TX, USA. d. Aug. 22, 1952, Oakland CA, USA. Hociel was one of several well known early female 'Blues' singers that hailed from Texas (some others include Victoria Spivey (singer/guitarist. b. Oct. 15, 1906, Houston, TX, USA, d. Oct. 3, 1976, New York, NY, USA), Maggie Jones (née: Fae Barnes, b. c.1900. Hillsborough, TX, USA. d. unknown), and Beulah "Sippie" Wallace (b. Nov. 1, 1898, Houston, TX, USA, d. Nov. 1, 1986, Detroit, MI, USA. 87th birthday). Hociel, like the other ladies above, recorded with many of the early Jazzmen including Armstrong, "King" Oliver, "Papa Mutt" Carey, Johnny Dodds, and well into the 1940s, with many others. Hociel was also a wonderful 'boogie-woogie' pianist (taught by her father, George) who carried on the tradition of her short-lived uncle, Hersal Thomas (see Sidenote below).
SIDENOTE re: the Thomas clan:
Fanny and George W. Thomas, Sr., deacon of Shiloh Baptist Church, were the progenitors of the now famous Thomas family of Houston, Texas, which included 13 children, - Beulah "Sippie" Wallace was the 11th of 13. Others included her older brother, George W. Thomas (b. c.1885, Houston, TX, USA, d. March 1930, Chicago, IL, USA -but 1936, Washington DC, USA, is also cited-) who was a pianist, songwriter, and publisher in New Orleans, LA, USA, -for a time in partnership with Clarence Williams. (Hociel Thomas was his daughter.) Among Thomas' compositions were "Muscle Shoals Blues", and "New Orleans Hop Scop Blues". Still another brother was the short-lived piano prodigy Hersal Thomas (b. 1910, d. July 3, 1926, Detroit, MI, USA - Age: 16 food poisoning. Hersal had also been taught to play the piano by his older brother, George, but soon surpassed his teacher. Perhaps his best recording was the instrumental "Suitcase Blues" rec'd: Feb. 22, 1925)
On Feb. 24, 1926, Okeh records released 4 sides with Hociel Thomas singing, backed by Louis Armstrong on Cornet, and pianist Hersal Thomas on piano. The four songs were "Deep Water Blues" (9519-A OKeh 8297), "Lonesome Hours" (9522-A Okeh 8297), "Listen To Ma (9521-A Okeh 8346), and "G'wan, I Told You" (9520-A Okeh 8346) The first three were listed on the label as composed by "Thomas", -but it was not stated if it was brother George W, brother Hersal, or Hociel, but perhaps it was a collaboration. ("G'wan" was listed as composed by Blair/Lethwick.)
1951     Cheryl Wheeler, C&W singer/songwriter.
1910     "Cootie" Williams, trumpet, b. Mobile, Alabama, USA, d. Sept. 15, 1985, New York, NY, USA. né: Charles Melvin Williams One of the many curiosities of Jazz, is that for an artist as popular as "Cootie", - his birthdate remains unknown. He is variously described as being born June 24, or July 10, or July 24, - possibly in 1908, 1910, or 1911., Even his date of demise is variously listed as either Sept 14, or Sept. 15, 1985. However, while his birthdate still remains a mystery, Murray L. Pfeffer, of the Big Bands Database contacted "Woodlawn Cemetary", in New York city, where "Cootie" is buried, and they confirmed that he died on Sept. 15, 1985, and was buried on Sept 18, 1985. ( It seems most likely that Cootie was born July 24, 1910, in Mobile, Alabama, USA. )
A self-taught trumpeter, his first fame came in 1928, - and he will always be remembered for - when he joined Duke Ellington's orchestra (1929 to 1940), where he replaced Bubber Miley,.whose plunger mute and growl contributed to the Ellington band’s distinctive sound. Williams was able to expand on that role with his superior technique and has influenced players such as Wynton Marsalis. During this same time, he also recorded his own sessions both freelance and with artists such as Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, and Lionel Hampton or other Ellington sidemen. In 1940 he joined Benny Goodman's orchestra, for a year, which inspired the song "When Cootie Left The Duke". In 1941, formed his own orchestra, in which (over the years) he employed Bud Powell, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Charlie Parker, , Arnett Cobb, and Eddie Vinson, among others. In 1944, Williams co-composed (with Thelonious Monk) the song “Round Midnight,” introducing it when it also became his band’s theme song. In 1948 when times became tough for big bands, Williams reduced the group to a sextet that played the Savoy Ballroom for eleven years. During the late 1940s and into the 1950s, with the demise of the Big Bands era, he began to play more rhythm and blues with small groups. eventually falling into undeserved obscurity. In 1962 he rejoined Ellington and stayed with the orchestra till 1974, after Ellington's death, when son Mercer Ellington took over..
1941     Ian Whitcomb, Rock vocals. b. Great Britain
1949     John Whitehead, R&B singer-songwriter, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA, d. May 11, 2004, Philadelphia, PA, USA (by gun shots fired during a "drive-by" shooting). né: John Cavadus Whitehead. Member: 'McFadden & Whitehead'. (Gene McFadden, b. July 2, 1948, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., d. Jan. 27, 2006, Philadelphia, PA, USA. -lung and liver cancer). School friends McFadden and Whitehead grew up in Philadelphia, forming 'The Epsilons' in their teen years. "Discovered" by Otis Redding in the 1960s, they toured with Redding for two years singing backing vocals. They are perhaps best recalled for their 1979 global hit "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," which also featured keyboard player Jerry Cohen, The song entered the 'Top 10' on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. In the 1970s the pair signed on as in-house songwriters for the the soul music label 'Philadelphia International Records', where their combined songwriting talents achieved widespread gold and platinum sales. Their first hit was "Backstabbers" for The O'Jays in 1972, then "Let's Groove", originally a hit for 'Earth, Wind & Fire', and "Wake Up Everybody", for 'Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes'.Subsequent years saw them working with such stars as James Brown, Gloria Gaynor, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder. In 1996, Whitehead converted to Islam, and received an LL.D. from Bates College. On May 11, 2004, John Whitehead was murdered by two unknown gunmen while fixing his car on the street outside his Philadelphia home with a friend. He was 55 years old. After Whitehead's demise, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, co-founders of 'Philadelphia International' told reporters "Their talent was indispensable and their music capabilities were uniquely flexible".
1960     "Hawkshaw" Wilson, vocals (c&w), né: Randall Edward Shaw Wilson
         Notable Events on this date include:
1900.    'His Master's Voice', a 'logo' of the Victor Recording Company, (later, RCA Victor), showing the dog, "Nipper", looking into the horn of a gramophone machine, was registered with the U.S. Patent Office. It would become one of the world's most famous trademarks.
1941.    Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton, pioneer jazz pianist, died in Los Angeles. (Age: 56)
1950.    The radio show "Your Hit Parade", premiered first on the NBC TV network, and was later on the CBS TV network.
1987.    John Hammond Sr, producer, died in New York City. (b. Dec 15, 1910, New York, NY, USA) This one man, in his roles as talent scout, producer, and promoter, was greatly responsible for discovering a long list of artists including Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Charlie Christian, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen among others.
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1911   "My Hula Hula Love", - Ada Jones and Billy Murray vocal.
1915   "Wedding of The Winds", - Deiro Pietro's Band.
1916   "If I Knock The Ell Out Of Kelly", - Margaret Farrell voc.
1917   "Aloha Oe", - Conway's Band with H. Benne Henton.
1925   "Stop Flirting", Meyer Davis' Le Paradise Band.
1929   "Let Me Put My Shoes Under Your Bed", - Al Miller and His Market Street Orch.
1930   "Little White Lies", - Ted Wallace and His Campus Boys
1930   "What's The Use?", - Paul Specht and his Orch.
1930   "All For Grits and Gravy", - Fess Williams' Royal Flush Orch.
1933   "I'll Be Dancing With Somebody Else", - Jan Garber Orch.
1933   "Shadows On The Swanee", - Hal Kemp Orch.
1934   "For All We Know", - Hal Kemp Orch.
1935   "Page Miss Glory", - Hal Kemp Orch.
1935   "Thanks A Million", - Paul Whiteman Orch.
1935   "At The Darktown Strutter's Ball", - Paul Whiteman Orch.
1935   "I'm In The Mood For Love", - Paul Whiteman Orch.
1936   "Did I Remember (To Tell You That I Love You", Billie Holiday and Her Orch.
1936   "Billie's Blues", - Billie Holiday voc. backed by Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw and Cozy Cole. Recorded: Okeh Records New York.
1937   "My Cabin Of Dreams", - Tommy Dorsey and His Clambake Seven.
1939   "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now", Wayne King and His Orch.
1965   "I Like It Like That", - The Dave Clark Five
1965   "I'm Henry VIII, I Am", - Herman's Hermits
1971   "Beginnings", - Chicago
1971   "Signs", - Five Man Electrical Band
1976   "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight", - England Dan & John Ford Coley
1976   "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", - Lou Rawls
1982   "You Should Hear How She Talks About You", - Melisssa Manchester