BIRTHDAYS
1902     Gus Aiken, Trumpet, b. Charleston, SC, USA. d. 1973.
1947     Ian A. Anderson, guitar/editor: (Folk Roots), b. Weston-Supermare, England, UK
1937     Al Banks, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. Member: 'The Turbans'
1924     Louie Bellson, Drums, b. Rock Falls, IL, USA, né: Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni. Music director for wife Pearl Bailey. Winner of a Gene Krupa talent contest as a teenager, he went on to play with Benny Goodman (1943 and 1946), Tommy Dorsey (1947-'49) and Harry James (1950-'51), and then replaced Sonny Greer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. While with the Duke, he composed two songs "Skin Deep" and "The Hawk Talks" both of which became a part of the Duke's permanent repertoire. In the 1950s, he achieved fame for using two bass drums simultaneously, however, he was never a gimmicky musician. He was equally at home driving a Big Band or quietly supplying the rhythm for a trio. In 1952 he married Pearl Bailey, and left the Ellington band the following year to be her musical director. During 1954-'55, he toured with 'Jazz at the Philharmonic'. He recorded frequently in the 1950s and '60s, and is still active today. (2002). Among his compositions are "Hawk Talks", "Ting-a-Ling", "You Gotta Dance", and "Skin Deep"
1914     Ralph Blane, composer d. Nov. 13, 1995. né: Ralph Hunsecker Blane.
1912     Fred Bohler, Piano, b. Zurich, Switzerland, d.
1931     Patti Bown, Piano, b. Seattle, WA, USA. d.
1938     Joanne Brackeen, Piano, b. Ventura, CA, USA.
1961     Gary Cherone, rock guitar/vocals. né: Gary Francis Caine Cherone. Member: Van Halen
1912     Buddy Clark, Singer, Dorchester, MA, USA. CAUTION: Do not confuse with Buddy Clark the bassist and arranger. born July 10, 1929, Kenosha, WI, USA. né:: Walter Clark, Jr.
1961     Andy Connell, R&R vocals/guitar, Member: Swingout Sister. Best release: Breakout
1927     Bob Davis, piano, a jazz pianist and a rhythm and blues singer.
CAUTION: Do Not Confuse with:
--- Bob Davis, the member (singer, arranger, and director) of 'The Honeydreamers' vocal quintet active from the mid 1940s to to the late '50s. At times, 'The Honeydreamers' were part of bandleader Kay Kyser's entourage. They also performed frequently on radio.
--- Bob Davis the multi-instrumentalist who worked on many dance band and orchestra recording sessions during the 1920s and '30s.
--- Bob Davis who was a journeyman saxophonist active during the 1940s.
--- "Cowboy" Bob Davis, who runs the 'Jam Palace' studios in Lincoln, Nebraska, -a part of that town's rock and roll scene. In addition to his recording activities, he has performed onstage fronting groups such as 'The New Atomic Robert Band'.
--- Bob Davis, Folk musician (b. July 17, 1947), who is perhaps best known as a sound and theatrical designer, soundtrack producer, and college professor. Starting in 1976, Davis taught at the 'City College of New York', and has since also taught at Solano Community College and San Francisco State University, both in California.
--- Bob Davis, the music writer who wrote some liner notes for the live Swing recordings at 'Kimball's East' venue in Emeryville, California.
--- Bob Davis. who played the double-reed English horn as a member of the student orchestra that recorded avant-garde composer Anthony Braxton's "Composition No. 96" in the early 1980s.
--- And.. still other Bob Davis'
1942     "Popsy" Dixon, drums, b. Norfolk, VA, USA. Member: Holmes Bros
1935     Stan Fisher, Rock and Roll vocals, b. Toronto, Ont, Canada. member group: Diamonds
1922     Jim Foglesong, C&W producer/record label executive, b. Lundale, WV, USA.
1931     Fred Foster, C&W songwriter/record label owner, b. Rutherford County, NC, USA.
1966     Derek Frigo, guitar, d. May 28, 2004, Beverly Hills, CA, USA. (apparent drug overdose). Age: 37. The son of singer/actress Brittney Browne ( née: Mara Lynn Brown ) and violinist/songwriter Johnny Frigo (b. Dec. 27, 1916, Chicago, IL, USA, d. July 3, 2007, Chicago,IL, USA, Age: 90), Derek originally planned on pursuing a career in plastic surgery, but the influence of musicians like Kris Kristofferson and Eddie Van Halen soon inspired him to become a professional guitarist. . In 1985, at age 19, his debut album "LeMans," was released, and in 1988. he joined the Chicago-based glam rock band, 'Enuff Z'Nuff'. Donnie Vie (guitar and vocals) and Chip Znuff had met in Chicago in 1984 and and were soon writing songs together. Within the year, the duo had recruited guitar player Gino Martino and drummer B.W. Boeski, named themselves 'Enuff Z'nuff', and begun shopping around a full-length demo called "'Hollywood Squares" to the major labels, without any results. Finally, four years later, and after the arrival of virtuoso guitarist Derek Frigo and drummer Vikki Foxx, the band finally signed a deal with Atlantic Records' subsidiary Atco. . The group scored two hit singles, "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle," off its self-titled album and was named the "hot new band" of 1991 by Rolling Stone magazine. In 1992, Derek left the band and settled in Los Angeles to work on new material and learn how to produce and engineer music. Derek spent more than a decade battling drug and alcohol addiction. Upon his demise, he father, Johnny Frigo, told an interviewer, "He was a gentle, sweet-loving guy. He was courteous to grownups," Then just seven months before his demise, Derek sent a desperate paean on the dangers of addiction to his father, vowing sobriety. The lanky, brown-haired hockey aficionado blamed drugs for destroying relationships, his career and "the most valuable years" of his life. "Dear drugs and alcohol. . . . You have managed to keep me in your grasp far too long. . . . But you have not managed to blind me from the light of God, a higher power or my family, which shine much brighter than you," Derek wrote. "From this day on, this light will stay on, so your darkness cannot enter my being anymore. Drugs and alcohol, I have to say goodbye to you forever." Regretfully, Derek was unable to sustain a life of clean living. Just before his death, he had reunited with 'Enuff Z'Nuff' to perform on the upcoming album, "?" (Question), which was eventually released in November, 2004 on the Pony Canyon label. He had planned to tour with the band overseas.
1937     "Rocky Frisco", keyboards, b. St. Louis, MO, USA. Nickname: "Raccoon". Birthname unknown, although very early on, he recorded as "Rocky Curtiss and the Harmony Flames". He subsequently appeared in films (as an actor) and has worked with a great many other music groups. Currently (2005), he resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he works with various acts including Tom Skinner's 'Wednesday Night Science Project', Susan Herndon, and occasional appearances with the 'Red Dirt Rangers'. He performed on the last 3 or 4 J. J. Cale albums (see Dec. 5 calendar page), and has played live with both J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton.
1943     Dobie Gray, singer/songwriter, b. Brookshire, TX, USA. né: Leonard Ainsworth. Member groups: 'In Crowd', 'Drift Away'
1955     Kevin Harris, tenor sax, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. Played with 'The Dirty Dozen'.
1914     Erskine Hawkins, Trumpet/Leader, b. Birmingham, AL, USA. d. Nov. 11, 1993, Willingboro, New Jersey, USA. né: Erskine Ramsey Hawkins. Dubbed: "The 20th Century Gabriel". Co-composed ( with Julian Dash and Bill Johnson) in 1939: "Tuxedo Junction" -a song icon of the Swing era that became a popular hit during World War II..
1941     Bobby Hebb, C&W singer/songwriter, b. Nashville, TN, USA. At age 12 was already a member of the 'Grand Ole Opry'. Best recalled song: "Sunny". Grammy Award-winner
1943     Mick Jagger, R&R singer/songwriter, b. Dartford, Kent, England. né: Michael Phillip Jagger. member: The Rolling Stones. R&R Hall of Famer had 41 hits between 1964 and 1989, with 5 gold records, and 8 number One hits.
1939     Casey Jones, drums, b. Nitta Yuma, MS, USA.
1962     Miranda Joyce, vocals, b. UK. Member group: 'The Belle Stars'.
1972     Paul David Kirby, C&W a multi-instrumentalist "Tramp", b. Albuquerque, NM, USA. Member: "Cactus Brothers", a quartet of "Walk The West" players comprised of John Robert Goleman, vocalist/guitarist Paul Kirby, multi-instrumentalist "Tramp", and Will Golemon (banjo/guitar) playing a traditional country sound, and only gigging around Nashville. Soon, the popularity of the Cactus Brothers surpassed that of Walk the West, and Walk the West subsequently transformed itself into the Cactus Brothers.
1956     Wayne Krantz, (fusion) guitarist. Member Group: 'Chris Potter's Underground'
1937     Ruben Lopez Furst, Piano, b. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
1941     Darlene Love, singer/actress. née: Darlene Wright. ('Lethal Weapon')
1932     Ray Mosca, drums. Member Group: 'Dorothy Donegan Trio', with Donegan on piano, Jon Burr on bass, and Mosca on drums.
1928     Kitty Noble, vocals. Sang with Artie Shaw Orch. early 1950s
1929     Charlie Persip, Drums, b. Morristown, NJ. USA.
1926     Moacir José dos Santos, (better known as Moacir Santos), composer, conductor, b. Brazil. Please see our April 8 Calendar, where dos Santos speaks of his date of birth.
1876     Ernest Schelling, composer/conductor, b. Belvidere NJ, USA. (Victory Ball)
1930     Jack Six, Bass, b. Danville, IL. USA.
1949     Roger Taylor, Drums. né: Meadows-Taylor Member group: 'Queen'
1963     Andrew C. Timmons, guitar, b. Scottsdale, AZ, USA. Member group: 'Danger Danger'
1903     Donald Voorhees, conductor, b. Allentown PA, USA. d. Jan. 10, 1989, Cape May Court House, New Jersey, USA. (pneumonia) (Perhaps best recalled for conducting the "Bell Telephone Hour" radio program from its radio start in 1942, to its final television broadcast in 1968.)
1922     Charles Walker, guitar, b. Macon, GA, USA.
1945     Rick White, vocals.
1941     Brenton Wood, vocals, b. Shreveport, LA, USA.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1933.   C. A. Tindley, gospel songwriter, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA, Age: 82
1950.   Charlie Mccoy, mandolin/guitar, died in Chicago, IL, USA, Age: 41. Played with the 'Harlem Hamfats'
1950.   Freddy Gardner , alto/tenor/soprano/bari sax, clarinet, died (in ? London, Eng. UK) (Stroke) Age: 39
1970.   Fernando Arbello, trombone, died in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Best recalled as member of Jimmie Lunceford, Fletcher Henderson, Claude Hopkins, and Chick Webb Orchestras)
1980.   Henry Turner, bassist, died
1981.   Leslie Bush, piano, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member: 'Cleveland Singers'
1990.   Ronnie Baker, guitar/bass, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA, Age: 50
1992.   Mary Wells, vocals, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA, Age: 49
1995.   Doris Akers, gospel vocals/songwriter, died in Minneapolis, MN, USA, Age: 72
1995.   Laurindo Almeida guitarist died in Van Nuys, California, USA. (b. Sept. 2, 1917, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
2002.    Composer Buddy Baker, a musical director for nearly 200 Disney movies and TV shows including "The Mickey Mouse Club," died at age 84.
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1912   "Persiflage", - Fred van Epps Trio.
1912   "My Little Lovin' Sugar Baby", - American Quartet.
1912   "Florida Rag", - Fred Van Epps Trio.
1926   "Barcelona", - Ben Selvin Orch.
1926   "I'm Just Wild About Animal Crackers", - California Ramblers.
1926   "She's Still My Baby", - Ben Bernie Orch.
1926   "Water Boy", - Paul Robeson vocal.
1927   "Bye Bye Pretty Baby", - The Broadway Nitelites. (Ben Selvin Orch)
1927   "Sweet Someone", - Nick Lucas vocal.
1929   "Tip Toe Through The Tulips With Me", - Fred Rich and his Orch.
1929   "Oh Baby Where Can You Be", - Merle Johnson Saxophone Quartet.
1931   "Too Late", - Earl Burtnett and his Orch.
1932   "I Would Do Anything For You", - Cotton Club Orch. (Joe Haymes Orch)
1932   "Darktown Strutter's Ball", - The Picken Sisters vocal.
1933   "Smoke Rings", - Clyde McCoy's Hotel Drake Orch.
1933   "Shadows On The Swanee", - Paul Ash and his Pabst Blue Ribbon Orch.
1934   "Here Come The British", - Casa Loma Orch.
1934   "Soft Green Seas", - Sol Bright's Hawaiians.
1934   "Little Church Around The Corner", - Don Bestor Orch.
1935   "I Wish I Were Aladdin", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1940   "Calientito", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1942   "Countess Maritza Part 1 and 2", - Marek Webber Orch.
1945   "Bell Bottom Trousers", - Jerry Colonna
1945   "Tampico", - Stan Kenton
1950   "Hallelujah", - Joe Bushkin and his Rhythm.
1969   "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", - Jackie DeShannon
1969   "Laughing", - Guess Who
1969   "Honky Tonk Women", - Rolling Stones
1969   "Polk Salad Annie", - Tony Joe White
1975   "Feel Like Makin' Love", - Bad Company
1975   "Could It Be Magic", - Barry Manilow
1980   "Fame", - Cara, Irene
1980   "Drivin' My Life Away", - Eddie Rabbitt
1986   "Words Get In The Way", - The Miami Sound Machine