BIRTHDAYS
1932     Royal Abbit, piano, b. Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Member: '5 Royales'
1901     Bill Airey-Smith, vocals, bandleader, drums, b. Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, UK. (Father of Trombonist Mike Smith.)
1947     Dave Alexande, bass, d. Feb. 10, 1975. Member groups: 'Iggy Pop and The Stooges'.
1945     Bjorn Alterhaug, bass, percussion, composer.
1906     Josephine Baker, dancer/singer/Parisian night club owner, b. East St. Lous, IL, USA. d. April 12, 1975, Paris, France. (Cerebral hemorrhage). née: Frida Josephine McDonald . Called the 'Black Venus' by an adoring French public, Josephine was the daughter of laundress Carrie McDonald and musician Eddie Carson. As a child, she would dance on the streets of East St. Louis for whatever nickels and dimes the passersby would throw her. In 1921, at just age 15, she was both working as a chorus girl on the East St. Louis stage, and married to a Pullman porter named Baker. In 1923, at age 17, feeling the extreme racial discrimation of East St. Louis, she ran away from both East St. Louis and Baker. She ran fairly far. Her first job in Paris was in La Revue Negre, following which, she was accepted as a chorine at the famed Folies Bergere, as a member of their all-black revue. In 1925, at the Folies Bergere, she first performed her famous banana dance. The Folies Bergere patrons loved it and her fame grew. Later, Janet Flanner, a "New Yorker" magazine correspondent would write: "Her magnificent dark body, a new model to the French, proved for the first time that black was beautiful." And, Pablo Picasso (writing of her work in the Folies-Bergere would write: "Tall, coffee skin, ebony eyes, legs of paradise, a smile to end all smiles." Unbelievably, during U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy's communist "witch hunt" era, she became persona non grata in the United States. Renouncing her American citizenship, in 1937, she became a citizen of France. In 1961, France awarded her their highest civilian award, making her a member of 'The Legion of Honor'. Her life was a full one. She refused to perform in clubs that practiced racial segregation. During her lifetime, she adopted 11 children of different races, religions, and nationalities, all of whom lived in her home (she was very protective of them) and all of whom loved her. She once had a rejected (and dejected) suitor kill himself at her feet. In 1928, her husband/manager 'Count' Pepito di Abatino dueled Andrew Czolovodi, a Hungarian calvary officer, over Josephine in St. Stephen's cemetery in Budapest. The duel lasted only 10 minutes, ending when di Abatino was scratched by Czolovodi's blade. During World War II, she worked as a spy for the French resistance. In the late 1960's, aging, and with a changing world, financial difficulties became troubling. In 1968, she stopped performing. She accepted a home in Monaco from Princess Grace (Kelly) who had learned of her financial distress. All told, Josephine was married five times; First to 'Willie Baker' (1920), 'Count' Pepito di Abatino' (? ca 1926), then to 'Jean Lion' (1937), next to 'Joe Bouillon' (1947) whom she divorced, and finally to 'Robert Brady' (1973) also ending in divorce. In 1974, Josephine performed once more, at Monaco's summer ball, to great acclaim. That same year, she traveled to New York City for a week long stage performances in the show 'An Evening with Josephine Baker.' On April 10, 1975, Josephine was in a Paris revue celebrating her half-century on the stage, when she suffered a severe stroke and went into a coma. She never regained consciousness. Her funeral was held in Paris, and she was buried in Monaco. Her haunting theme song "J'ai deux amours: mon pays et Paris (Mon Pays et Paris) " - "Two Loves Have I (My country and Paris)", remains popular today to music lovers the world around.
1935     Lillian Briggs, vocal/trombone, b. Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA.
1888     Tom Brown, Trombone, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. 1958.
1944     Michael Clarke, d. Dec. 19,1993. member 'The Flying Burrito Bros'; 'The Byrds' and 'Dillard & Clark'
1962     David Cole, vocals. d. Jan. 24, 1995. Member group: C&C Music Factory. In 1991, his single "Gonna Make You Sweat" reached No. 1 USA charts.
1900     "Cowboy Loye", (C&W) singer-songwriter/guitar, b. Nashville, TN, USA. né: 'Loye Donald Pack'
1935     Ted Curson, trumpet, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.. (NOT b. July 3)
1943     Mike Dennis, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. né: Mike Freda. Member group: 'The Dovells', originally formed in 1957 as the Brooktones, from their Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, where each of the original members -- Jerry Gross (aka Jerry Summers), lead and first tenor, Len Borisoff (aka Len Barry), lead and tenor, Mike Freda (aka Mike Dennis), second tenor, Arnie Silver (aka Arnie Satin), baritone, Jim Mealey, bass, and part-timer Mark Gordesky (aka Mark Stevens), tenor -- attended classes. The group was soon singing at local school functions and occasionally at John Madara's record store, located at 60th and Market Streets in Philadelphia. (Madara had co-written "At the Hop" for 'Danny & the Juniors', in addition to other tunes).
1906     Louise Elian, Harpist/Scores, b. St. Joseph, MO. USA, d. July 7, 2002, West Palm Beach, FL, USA. né: Louise Klos Steiner Elian. As a harpist, she was heard in such films as the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, 'Gone With The Wind', 'Casablanca', and even 'King Kong'.
1947     Mickey Finn, vocals. Member group: 'T Rex'.
1921     Aubrey Frank, tenor saxophone, b. East London, England, UK, d. June 3, 1993
1948     Carlos Franzetti, Piano, b. Buenos Aires, Argentina
1965     Derrick Gardner, trumpet, flugelhorn
1953     Terry Garland, guitar, b. Johnson City, TN, USA
1962     David Glasser, soprano/alto/tenor sax, flute
1944     Anita Harris, vocals, b. Great Britain
1923     Al Harewood, Drums, b. New York, NY, USA.
1942     Anita Harris, actress/vocals
1961     Charles Hart, lyricist.
1887     Roland Hayes, vocals, b. Curryville, GA, USA
1971     Gabriel and Ariel Hernandez, singers. Member group: 'No Mercy'
1954     Dan Hill, vocals, b. Canada.
1946     Eddie Holman, (R&B/Gospel) vocals, b. Norfolk, VA, USA
1946     Ian Hunter, R&R singer/songwriter, b. Great Britain. Member group: 'Mott The Hoople'.
1946     John Paul Jones, bass/keyboards/producer. né: John Paul Baldwin. Member group 'Led Zeppelin'
1964     Kerry King, guitar. Member group: 'Slayer'.
1948     Frederick "Too Slim" Labour, C&W vocals/composer/actor, b. Grand Rapids, MI, USA. Member of the country western trio, "Riders in the Sky."
1905     Tommy Leffew, mandolin. Member: "Fruit Jar Drinkers".
1942     Curtis Mayfield, vocals, b. USA.
1897     "Memphis Minnie", (blues) singer, b. Algiers, Louisiana, USA, d. August 6, 1973, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. née: Lizzie Douglas.
1937     Grachan Moncur III , Trombone, b. New York, NY, USA.
1923     Phil Nimmons, Clarinet, Composer, arranger, leader, b. Kamloops, Canada
1955     Tatevik Oganesyan, Vocal, b. Yerevan, Armenia
1904     Jan Peerce, Operatic singer, d. Dec. 15, 1984. né: Jacob Pincus Perelmuth
1916     "Buster" Pickens, piano, b. Hempstead, Texas, U.S.A., d. Nov. 24, 1964.
1950     Florian Pilkington-Miksa, vocals. Member group: Curved Air
1952     Billy Powell, R&R keyboardist. Member group: Lynyrd Skynyrd
1918     Carl Pruitt, Bass, b. Birmingham, AL, USA.
1950     Suzi Quatro (née: Quatrocchio]), vocals/actress. b. Detroit, MI, USA.
1927     "Boots" Randolph, Tenor sax, b. Cadiz, KY, USA. né: Homer Louis Randolph III. His biggest hit was the 1963 instrumental "Yakety Sax"
1924     Jimmy Rogers, Country Western/Blues voc/guitar, d. Dec. 19, 1997, né: James A. Lane
1927     "Boots" Randolph, Sax/vocals. né: Homer Louis Randolf, III
1968     Samantha Spracking, vocals. Member: Republica,
1932     Dakota Staton, Vocals, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. né: Aliyah Rabia
1948     "Too Slim", Rhythm Guitar/Accordion/vocals/String Bass. né: Fred LaBoar Member: 'Riders in the Sky', a group comprised of Louis Brown (Horn), Ranger Doug Green (Rhythm Guitar/vocals), Thomas Goldsmith (Guitar), Kenny Malone (Percussion), Woody Paul (Fiddle/Guitar/Harmonica/Accordion/Vocals/Gut String Guitar), Kayton Roberts (Steel Guitar), and "Too Slim". He also led 'Too Slim & the Taildraggers' with Charlie Musselwhite (Harmonica), Tom Brimm (Bass), Lightnin' Hopkins (Guitar), Jimmy Pugh, and Too Slim. (sometimes with Tim Langford (Guitar/vocals), Mark Hummel (Harmonica), and others)
1961     Piet Verbist, bass, b. Wilrijk, Belgium
1934     Bob Wallis, Trumpet/Vocal, b. Bridlington, England
1944     Jack Wilkins, guitar, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Born into a musical family, his father played the saxophone and his mother the piano, Jack began playing the guitar at the early age of ten. Over the years he has backed many of finest jazz singers from Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Morgana King, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, to the Manhattan Transfer, Nancy Marano, Stanley Turrentine and Jay Clayton. Most recently, Wilkins has shared the stage with jazz greats: Jimmy Heath, The Mingus Epitaph and jazz bassist Eddie Gomez. Besides his extensive recording and performing career, Jack Wilkins has written several books. Currently (2007) Jack Wilkins teaches, in New York city, at 'The New School', and the 'Manhattan School of Music', and frequently conducts seminars and guitar clinics, both in New York and abroad.
1914     "Curly" Williams, (Western Swing) fiddler/songwriter, b. Cairo, GA, USA.
1951     Deniece Williams, vocals, b. USA. In 1978, her duet with Johnny Mathis "Too Much Too Little Too Late" hit No. 1 in the USA and No. 2 in the UK.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1952.    Frank Sinatra recorded "Birth of the Blues", for Columbia Records.
1953.    Mike Mosiello, trumpet, cornet, leader died in Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA. (pancreatic cancer). Age: 56. (b. Dec. 2, 1896, Frasso Telesino, Italy. (His father, Tobia Mosiello, was a clarinetist, and his godfather was a trumpet player and bandleader.)
1954.    Henry Strong, harmonica, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 25
1975.    Bandleader Ozzie Nelson died. Age: 68. He, and his famous singer wife Harriet Hilliard, were the parents of Pop star Ricky Nelson.
1975.    Ralph J. Gleason, actor/producer, died in Berkeley, CA, USA. Age: 58
1978.    Billy Wallace, C&W singer-songwriter, died in Huntsville, AL, USA.
1988.    "Blind Jim" Brewer, guitar, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 68. Perhaps best recalled for his work with "Muddy" Waters.
1995.    Van Stoneman, age 78, "Stoneman Family," died.
2000.    Glenn Horiuchi, piano, died in Oakland, CA, USA. (cancer) Age: 65, (b. Feb 27, 1955, Oakland, CA, USA)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1926    "Only You and Lonely Me", Ben Bernie Orch.
1931    "When Yuba Plays The Rhumba On His Tuba", The Six Jumping Jacks
1931    "Dancing In The Dark/New Sun In The Sky", Jacques Renard Orch.
1943    "You'll Never Know", - Willie Kelly
1943    "Let's Get Lost", - Vaughn Monroe ORch.
1957    "Old Cape Cod", - Patti Page
1957    "I Like Your Kind Of Love", - Andy Williams voc.
1967    "Windy", - Association
1967    "Let's Live For Today", - Grass Roots
1967    "Sunday Will Never Be The Same", - Spanky & Our Gang
1967    "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", - Frankie Valli voc.
1978    "Groove Line, The", - Heatwave
1978    "Use Ta Be My Girl", - O'Jays
1978    "Still The Same", - Bob Seger
1978    "Last Dance", - Donna Summer
1989    "Doctor, The", - Doobie Brothers
1989    "What You Don't Know", - Expose