BIRTHDAYS
1941     Paul Anka, vocals, b. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. This fine Canadian singer/songwriter composed "Johnny's Theme" (the 'Tonight Show' theme) and, over 3 decades, had 33 hits including "Diana" and "Puppy Love".
1964     Ron Block, Guitar/banjo. Ron is best known as a member of the "Alison Krause & Union Station" Bluegrass group.
1947     Marc Bolan, vocals. né: Marc Feld. Member group: 'T. Rex'
1889     Charlie Bowman, C&W vocals/guitar, "The Hill Billies," born Gray Station, TN, USA.
1958     Kate Bush, singer/songwriter, b. Bexleyheath, Kent, England. Bwtween 1980 and 2000, Kate was one of the most successful and popular solo female acts to come out of England
1938     JoAnn Campbell, vocals, b. Jacksonville, Florida, USA. "Wolverton Mountain", composed by Merle Kilgore, was a top No. 1 hit on the Country charts (for 9 weeks) in 1962 for singer Claude King (b. 1933, Shreveport, Louisiana). Shortly afterwards, JoAnn Campbell released her own Top 40 hit (USA) "I'm The Girl On Wolverton Mountain". At the time, JoAnn was the wife of Troy Seals, a singer-songwriter (related to Jim and Dan Seals and Johnny Duncan).
1918     Joe Daley , Tenor Sax/clarinet/flute/piccolo, d. March 5, 1994.
1944     Chris Darrow, C&W vocals/violin/guitar/mandolin, b. Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
1956     Phil Fearon, rock guitar, Member groups: Galaxy, Kandidate. 1983 single "Dancing Night" rose to No.4 on UK charts.
1912     Benny Featherstone, Trumpet/drums/leader/clarinet, b. Tasmania, Australia, d. 1977.
1928     Vernal Fournier, Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Nov. 7, 2000, age 72.
1936     George "Buddy" Guy, Blues vocals/Elec. & Acoustic Guitar, b. Lettsworth, LA. USA. Just as his idol and mentor "Muddy" Waters was before him, Buddy is Chicago's reigning blues king today. His own club remains the most successful blues joint in the Windy City, where you will usually find him sitting at the bar, if he's not performing for the audience.
1972     Brad Hargraves, guitar, b. UK. Member group: Third Eye Blind
1950     Jan Jankeje, Jazz Bassist, b: Bratislava, Slovakia. This fine Contra-bassist has appeared with many well known Jazzmen and groups. Much more information may be had on his website at: http://www.jankeje.de/index2.htm
1903     Hilton Jefferson, Alto Sax, b. Danbury, CT, USA d. 1968. USA
1940     "Big Jack" Johnson, guitar, b. Lambert, MS, USA
1946     Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, guitar/bass. Member: 'Jethro Tull' (left 1967, rejoined Dec. 1970, left Dec. 1975)
1949     Joyce Jones, vocals, b. .Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1940     Debbie Lang, vocals, b. New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. d. Jan. 25, 2008, Weeki Wachee, FL, USA. (heart attack) Age: 67. (née: Ethel Elizabeth Lang.) At just age nine, she started voice studies with Carmen Cortez of the Metropolitan Opera, and both voice and piano with Hans Furmann of the Columbia Broadcasting System. Just one year later, in 1910, she was singing professionally. At age 15 Ms. Lang worked both as a model with the Candy Jones Agency, and sang with Walt Disney Productions. Ms. Lang then became part of Lester Lanin's Society Orchestra and sang at top New York City venues with the band. In June 1958, Ray McKinley, then director of the Glenn Miller Orchestra invited her to sing with the band, and Debbie remained with McKinley into the early 1960s. In subsequent years Ms. Lang sang at President Kennedy's inaugural ball. She later married the Miller band's lead tenor sax and clarinetist Lou Chev (Ciavolella), and then quit the band to settle down in Glen Rock, New Jersey, to have her two daughters. In time, she became involved in the Rev. Gensil's St. Peter's Lutheran Church (in New York city), and sang Jazz Vespers with Duke Ellington. Ms. Lang continued singing at her local church and in various New Jersey clubs. At the time of her demise, she was in the process of doing a CD with Jazz pianist Mike Longo, and had recently sung with the legendary guitarist Les Paul. One interesting note on her life is that, at one time, Ms. Lang had owned and operated a 100 year old gas station that she inherited from her Aunt Dolly in Bedford New York. Customers of the station knew her not only for her overalls and her famous railroad cap, but also for her warm smile and sultry voice. She moved from Bedford, NY to Margate, FL, where she lived on her houseboat "All That Jazz" until, not too long before her demise, she built a home in Weeki Wachee, Florida, and split her time between the home and the houseboat. Another interesting note is that not long before her demise, she had traveled to Las Vegas, NV, where she graduated with three degrees including her masters and doctorate.
1961     Neal McCoy, C&W vocals.
1958     Kevin Mahogany, vocals.
1958     Neal McCoy, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Jacksonville, TX, USA. né: Hubert Neal McGauhey Jr.
1904     Dick McDonough, guitar, banjo, d, May 25, 1938, New York, NY, USA. (pneumonia caused by alcoholism). Age: 34
1929     Christine McGuire, vocals. b. Middletown, OH, USA. Member: The McGuire Sisters
1944     Joe Mendelson, vocals/piano/harmonica/slide guitar, b. Toronto, Ont., Canada. member group: 'McKenna Mendelson Mainline'
1899     Gerald Moore, pianist, b. England.
1968     Sean Moore, drums, b. UK. Member group: Manic Street Preachers. 1996 single "A Design For Life" hit No. 2 on UK charts.
1949     Hugh Nicholson, Guitar. b. UK. Member group: Marmalade
1963     Dwayne O'Brien, C&W guitar/vocals.
1923     Roy Porter, Drums/Leader, b. Walsenburg, CO, USA. d. Jan. 25, 1998, USA
1909     Bell Ray, violin/guitar, b. Franklin, TN, USA. Played with 'Blind John Campbell'
1963     Danny Roberts, C&W mandolin, b. Louisville, KY, USA. Member: "New Tradition"
1945     David Sanborn, Alto-tenor-soprano Sax/flute, b. Tampa, FL. USA. né: David William Sanborn. Composer of the TV movie score for 'Finnegan Begin Again'.
1957     Rat Scabies, drums. né: Chris Millar. Member group: The Damned, 1986 single Eloise hit No.3 in the UK.
1949     Andy Scott, guitar, b. UK. Member group: Sweet (Many Top 40 singles)
1927     Frank Smith, Reeds, b. Sydney, Australia, d. 1974.
1953     Hal Smith, Drums, b. Indianapolis, IN. USA
1937     James Spaulding, Alto Sax/Flute, b. Indianapolis, IN, USA Spaulding is a graduate of Livingston College, Rutgers University (New Jersey, USA). He later became an adjunct professor at Rutgers, and taught flute. Spaulding has enjoyed a 40 year career in music, where one of the highlights was acting as a judge at the 2002 Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition. Spaulding also was one of the artists in the "Saxophone Summit" that welcomed former U.S. President Bill Clinton to Clinton's New York city (Harlem) office.
1968     Louise Wener, vocals, b. UK. Member group: 'Sleeper'

         Notable Events on this date include:
1934.   Eric Borchard, alto sax, clarinet, leader, died in Strasbourg, France. (b. August 27, 1886 in Berlin, Germany)
1942.   The show 'Stagedoor Canteen' was first heard on CBS radio live from New York City. All during WWII, servicemen were entertained each week by celebrities who freely donated their time.
1942.   Jimmy Blanton, bass, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 23
1960.   Arv Garrison, guitar, died
1986.   Bill Clark, drums, died. (b. July 31, 1925, Jonesboro, AR, USA ) CAUTION: Do not confuse with Bill Clark that plays tenor saxophone, and still other Bill Clarks.
1993.   Donald Myrick, tenor sax, died in Santa Monica, CA, USA. Age: 53
1996.   Paul Crawford, trombone, died (b Feb. 16, 1925, Atmore, AL, USA.)
2001.   Steve Hugel, bandleader for Ace Cannon, died. Age: 57
2003.   Sam Phillips, founder of SUN Records, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 80,
2003.   Howard Armstrong, violin, mandolin, guitar, vocal, died in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. (b. March 4, 1909, Dayton, Tennessee, USA.) aka: "Louie Bluie"
2005.   "Lucky" Thompson, tenor and soprano sax, died in Seattle, Washington, USA. (b. June 16, 1924, Columbia, South Carolina, USA ) (some sources say b. Detroit, Michigan, USA)

         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1914   "Kaowe Ake Kai", - Toots Paka and his Hawaiian Troupe.
      1924   "Dreamer of Dreams", - The Romancers Orch. (Paul Specht Orch.)
      1928   "Old Man Sunshine (Little Boy Bluebird)", - Bernie Cummins Orch.
      1929   "Do What You Do", - Roger Wolfe Kahn Orch.
      1930   "Go Home and Tell You Mother", - Earl Burtnett and his Orch.
      1930   "'Taint No Sin (to Step Out Of Your Skin and Dance Around in Your Bones)", - Ben Selvin Orch.
      1931   "Parking In The Moonlight", - The New Yorkers.
      1931   "Come To Me", - Ted Wallace and His Campus Boys.
      1937   "Avalon", - Benny Goodman Orch.
      1937   "The Man I Love", - Benny Goodman Orch.
      1942   "Fuddy Duddy Watchmaker", - Kay Kyser Orch.
      1942   "I'm Old Fashioned", - Benny Goodman Orch.
      1942   "Mission To Moscow", - Benny Goodman Orch.
      1942   "Dearly Beloved", - Benny Goodman Orch.
      1942   "Dearly Beloved", - Dinah Shore voc., with Paul Weston Orch.
      1945   "You Go To My Head", - Frank Sinatra vocal.
      1945   "Someone To Watch Over Me", - Frank Sinatra vocal.
      1966   "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", - Petula Clark
      1966   "See You In September", - Happenings
      1966   "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!", - Napolean XIV
      1966   "Blowin' In The Wind", - Stevie Wonder
      1977   "Strawberry Letter 23", - Brothers Johnson
      1977   "Float On", - Floaters
      1977   "Swayin' To The Music (Slow Dancin')", - Johnny Rivers
      1983   "Tell Her About It", - Billy Joel
      1983   "Human Nature", - Michael Jackson
      1983   "Safety Dance, The", - Men Without Hats
      1988   "Nobody's Fool (Theme From Caddyshack 2)", - Kenny Loggins
      1988   "If It Isn't Love", - The New Edition