BIRTHDAYS
1913     Tom Adair, lyricist, b. Newton, KS, USA, d. 1988,. While working for the power company and writing poems for the 'Saturday Evening Post' magazine, Adair met singer Matt Dennis and showed him some of the lyrics he'd written. Dennis and Adair then teamed and co-wrote some of the era's biggest hits. Dennis' connections with famed bandleader Tommy Dorsey resulted in many of their songs being recorded by the Dorsey orchestra with Frank Sinatra doing the singing. "Everything Happens to Me", "The Night We Called It a Day", "Let's Get Away From It All", "Will You Still Be Mine?", "There's No You," and "Violets for Your Furs", all recorded either by Dorsey with Frank Sinatra on vocals or by Sinatra solo.
1894     Robert Russell Bennett, d. August 17, 1981
1966     Michael Britt, C&W guitar/vocals, b. Ft. Worth, TX, USA. "Lonestar"
1914     Rudy Bruder, Piano, b. Brussels, Belgium
1938     Aron Burton, bass, b. Senatobia, MS, USA
1922     Jaki Byard, Piano, b. Worcester, MA, USA, d. Feb. 11, 1998, New York, NY, USA. (Shot to death). Pianist, saxophonist and teacher who recorded with some of jazz's most important figures, was shot dead Feb. 11, 1999 in his New York home. He was 76. (Unknown assailant and reason.) Very early on, Byard was integral part of the little-known jazz scene in Boston, MA. In late 1940s, he worked with the Sam Rivers (tenor sax) band, and worked society jobs, often with violinist and trumpeter Ray Nance. In 1949, with Earl Bostic (alto sax), and as a solo pianist when he returned to Boston. Later joined Herb Pomeroy's big band. In 1959-61, with Maynard Ferguson's orch. Met and recorded ("Outward Bound") with Eric Dolphy (sax). In 1961, Dolphy helped Byard's to record for Prestige records ("Here's Jaki," also featured Boston-based drummer Roy Haynes). He worked with Don Ellis (trumpet), and all through the 60s was pianist of choice for many jazz groups.
Early 1960s, started recording with Mingus, (1962 album "The Complete Town Hall Concert"), and two classic albums Mingus recorded for Impulse, "Mingus Mingus..." and "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady." In 1963, recorded and worked with Booker Irvin (tenor sax), and with Charlie Mariano. In 1965, recording with Rahaasan Roland Kirk (sax). During '60s, began teaching at the New England Conservatory of Music. He filled the piano chair in Duke Ellington Orch., when Duke became ill at the end of his life, Late 1970s, led Apollo Stompers big band in Boston and New York, and continued teaching at the New England Conservatory; at Manhattan School of Music, and occasionally at Bennington College, the Hartford School of Music, the Brooklyn Conservatory, the University of Massachusetts and others. He was survived by daughters Ms. Byard-Mitchell, another daughter, Diane, and a son, Gerald, all of New York City, as well as four grandsons and six great-grandsons.
1912     Alix Combelle, Clarinet, tenor sax, b. Mantes, France. d. Feb. 27 or March 2, 1978.
1985    Nadine Coyle, vocalist, b. Derry, Ireland. Member: 'Girls Aloud' (an Irish girl group)
1966     Idalis DeLeon, actress, singer. b. Puerto Rico. Member: Seduction.
1961     Kai Eckhardt, bassist and composer, b. Germany (Worked with: Garaj Mahal,)
1933     Sergio Endrigo, singer-songwriter, b. Pola (Istria), Italy, d. September 7, 2005, In 1968, he won the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Canzone per te," sung with Roberto Carlos. The same year he represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 with the song "Marianne"
1900     Horace Eubanks, sax, b. St. Louis, MO, USA
1921     Erroll Garner, piano, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. d. Jan. 2, 1977, Los Angeles, CA, USA. né: Erroll Louis Garner. In 1944, he relocated to New York where his melodic, swinging style was quickly noticed by the local afficionados, and shortly after by both National and International audiences.
1917     Michalis Genitsaris, (rebetiko) singer-songwriter, b. Piraeus, Greece, d. May 11, 2005
1954     Terri Gibbs, keyboardist, b. Miami, FL, USA.
1964     Gavin Greenaway, composer, conductor, b. England, UK. Among other works, he also conducted in Paul McCartney's oratorio Ecce Cor Meum.
1943     Johnny Halliday, vocals, b. France. né: Jean Phillippe Smet
1961     John Hart, guitar, b, Fort Belvoir, VA, USA.
1961     Phil Haynes, Drums, b. Hillsboro, OR, USA
1944     Eddie Hinton, guitar/piano/songwriter, b. Jacksonville, FL, USA
1949     Russell Charles Hitchcock, vocalist, b. Australia Member: Air Supply.
1950     "Noddy" Holder, vocals, rhythm guitarist, b. Great Britian Member: Slade
1912     Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins, Blues guitar. d. Jan. 30, 1982. It is said that he influenced Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.
1911     Marvin Hughes, C&W pianist, b. Nashville, TN, USA.
1972     Hans Erik Husby, vocalist, b. Norway. Member death-punk band : Turbonegro fame. aka: Hertis or Hank Von Helvete (Hank From Hell),
1961     Yoshimi Iwasaki, actress, singer, b. Japan
1935     Francois Jeanneau, Tenor Sax, b. Paris, France
1937     Waylon Arnold Jennings, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Littlefield, TX, USA., d. February 13, 2002, USA.
1889     Clarence M. Jones, piano, d. June 1, 1949, USA. Member: 'The Southernaires'
1901     Jack Kapp, producer (co-founder Decca records), d. March 25, 1949
1927     George Kawaguchi, Drums, b. Kyoto, Japan
1940     Nancy King, vocal
1900     Paul Mares, Trumpet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. August 18, 1949, USA. One of original Chicago Dixielanders. Also composed song "Farewell Blues"
1981     William Dean Martin, guitarist, keyboardist, B. Maryland, USA. Member: Good Charlotte
1923     Melvin Moore, Trumpet/vocals, b. Chicago, IL, USA. Worked with both Lucky MIllinder, and Ernie Fields
1971     Bif Naked, (punk rock) singer, b. New Delhi, India. né: Beth Torbert. She has appeared on bills with Snoop Dogg, Billy Idol, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde, the Foo Fighters among others. In 2005, she released a new album "Superbeautifulmonster". She has toured Europe, the United States, and Canada as a headline act, and has appeared with punk bands Gorilla Gorilla and Chrome Dog.
1941     Harry Nilsson (Johnny Niles), composer/singer, b. , New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA, d. January 15, 1994. Composed under his own name, recorded as a singer under name of Johnny Niles, né: Harry Edward Nilsson III
1946     Leo Nocentelli, guitar, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. Member: "The Meters"
1892     Tex Owens, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Killeen, TX, USA. wrote "Cattle Call"
1938     Tony Oxley, Drums, b. Sheffield, England
1917     Leon Payne, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Alba, TX, USA.
1880     "Blind" Alfred Reed, violin/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, b. Floyd City, VA, USA
1904     Talcott Reeves, Banjo/Guitar, b. Little Rock, AR, USA
1915     Allan Reuss, Guitar, b. New York, NY, USA
1910   David Rose, Leader, composer, arranger, piano, b. London, England, d. August 23, 1990, and is also listed on our Tunesmiths Database, David Rose - Composer
1946     Demis Roussos, bassist , vocalist, b. Greece
1948     Gary Smiley, trumpet
1960     Terry Smith, C&W sessions bassist, b. Reidsville, NC, USA.
1891     Johnny Stein, Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. Sept. 30 1962. (maybe b. June 15, 1895)
1958     Gail Thompson, baritone sax, composer, leader, writer, educator, b. Great Britain. This British "hard bop" saxist has performed with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the Charlie Watts Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestra, and founded the Jazz Warriors big band. She also founded a center for musicians called Musicworks and gives musical workshops all over the world. At one time, Gail served as music director for Mick Jagger's music company.
1933     Salvador Torres-Garcia, (Tejano) accordion, b. Sequin, TX
1919     Raleigh Turnage, Member: 'The CBS Trumpeteers', b, SC, USA
1925     Tommy Vaden, C&W fiddler, b. Nashville, TN, USA.
1918     Turk Van Lake, Guitar, b. Boston, MA, USA, d. Sept. 1, 2002
1951     Steve Walsh, vocals, b. USA. Member groups: 'Kansas' and 'Streets'
1933     "Little" Robert Weaver, guitar, b. Starkville, MS, USA
1955     Lane Wilkins, guitar, b. Memphis, TN, USA
1901     John Wesley Work, songwriter, b. Tullahoma, TN, USA Worked with the 'Fisk Jubilee Singers'
1943     "Muff" Winwood, bass guitar, songwriter, record producer, b. Erdington, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. UK né: Mervyn Winwood. Member: Spencer Davis Group. He is the brother of Steve Winwood (who also played with the Spencer Davis Group)
1910     Stan Wrightsman, Piano, b. Gotebo, OK, USA. d. Dec. 17, 1975.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1941.    "Moonglow" recorded by the Artie Shaw orchestra (Victor). Sidemen included Billy Butterfield, Ray Conniff (on trombone), Johnny Guarnieri, and Jack Jenney.
1968.    Wes Montgomery, guitar, died in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Age: 45
1982.    Art Pepper, alto sax, clarinet died (some sources say d. June 1)
1984.    Meredith Willson, songwriter died in Santa Monica, California, USA. ( né: Robert Meredith Reiniger )
1986.    C. F. Martin, Lutherer, died this date. Age: 91
1986.    Ruby Falls, C&W singer-songwriter died Nashville, TN, USA. Age 40. née: Bertha B. Dorsey
1995.    Robert Anderson, (gospel) vocals, died in Hazel Crest, IL, USA. Age: 77
1996.    Ella Fitzgerald, vocals, died in Beverly Hills, CA, USA. Age: 79
1996.    Lucky Moeller, C&W songwriter, died. Age 84
2003.    Volker Kriegel guitar died (at his daughter’s house) in Spain. Age 59 (cancer -- b. Dec. 24, 1943, Darmstadt, Germany. )
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1909   "Black and White Rag", - Victor Dance Orch.
1920   "So Long Oo Long", - Fred Van Epps Trio.
1923   "I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland", - The Benson Orch. of Chicago
1925   "Am I Blue", - Tom Gerun and his Orch.
1932   "Got The South In My Soul", - Leo Reisman Orch., with Lee Wiley voc.
1933   "Moonstruck", Don Bestor Orch., with Florence Case voc.
1935   "I'm In The Mood For Love", - Leo Reisman Orch.
1935   "Speaking Confidentially", - Leo Reisman Orch.
1936   "These Foolish Things", - Benny Goodman Orch.
1937   "A Sailboat In The Moonlight", - Billie Holiday and Her Orch.
1937   "Without Your Love", - Billie Holiday and Her Orch.
1939   "Stairway To The Stars", - Jimmy Dorsey Orch.
1939   "Oh Baby Blues", - The Light Crust Doughboys
1939   "Moon Love", - Horace Heidt's Musical Knights
1939   "Alabama Bound", - Huddie Ledbetter voc. with Golden Gate Quartet.
1940   "Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue", - Tiny Hill and his Orch.
1951   "Because Of You", -Tony Bennett
1959   "Boy Without A Girl, A", - Frankie Avalon
1963   "Pride & Joy", - Marvin Gaye
1968   "Here Comes The Judge", - Shorty Long
1968   "Jumpin' Jack Flash", - The Rolling Stones
1974   "Annie's Song", - John Denver
1974   "Rock The Boat", - Hues Corporation
1974   "Rock Your Baby", - George McCrae
1974   "Rock & Roll Heaven", - The Righteous Brothers
1985   "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free", - Sting
1991   "P.A.S.S.I.O.N.", - The Rhythm Syndicate