BIRTHDAYS
1902     Louis Alter, Composer, b. Haverhill, Massachusetts d. 1980, New York, N. Y. USA.
1956     Tom Bailey, lead vocals/bass, b. Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. Member: 'The Thompson Twins', -with Pete Dodd (guitar and vocals); John Roog (guitar), and "Pod" (drums). Bailey has worked with Keith Fernley, Alex Sadkin, Joe Leeway, Alannah Currie, Debbie Harry (b. July 1, 1945, Miami, Florida, USA. née: Deborah Harry
1906     Ray Bauduc, Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Jan 8, 1988, Houston, TX, USA. (some sources say b. 1909). Bauduc began his career playing in the movie houses accompanying Silent Films. While still in school, he worked with cornetist Emmett Hardy and 'The Six Nola Jazzers'. In 1924, he toured with the Johnny Bayersdorffer orch., following which he found work with 'The Scranton Sirens', which included Billy Lustig in 1925, and Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang in 1926. He next spent a couple of years, both playing drums and tap dancing, as a member of the Fred Rich band then touring the Vaudeville circuits. In 1927, he was part of a group led by Miff Mole. During 1928- 1934, Bauduc worked with Ben Pollack's orchestra, while also finding time for sessions with Red Nichols, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Wingy Manone, Louis Prima and Glenn Miller. In 1935 (after Pollack had disbanded), Bauduc joined the Bob Crosby orchestra (then jokingly called 'The Pollack Alumni Band') remaining until 1942. His composition "South Rmpart Street Parade" was an orchestra staple, as was "The Big Noise from Winnetka" (1940), both of which were co-written with fellow bandmember bassist Bob Haggart. During WWII, he served in the U. S. Armed Forces, and later briefly co-led a band with Gil Rodin, following which he led his own groups. In the '40s, he again recorded with "Wingy" Manone, and Crosby. From 1948 - 1950, he worked with Jimmy Dorsey, and from 1951 - 1955 with Teagarden. From 1956 - 1959, Bauduc and Nappy Lamare headed 'The Rampart Band'. During the 1960s, he freelanced on the West Coast, finally relocating to Bellaire, TX.
1913     Sammy Cahn, Composer, b. New York, NY, USA, d. Jan. 15, 1993, USA. Age: 79. né: Samuel Cohen
1918     Bob Carroll, Singer/actor
1924     Jimmy Cheatham, trombone/arranger/teacher, b. Birmingham, AL, USA. d. Jan. 12, 2007, San Diego, CA, USA. As a young man, Cheatham studied at the New York Institute of Modern Music and later became a protégé of jazz drum great "Papa" Jo Jones. Early on, he had worked with the bands of Jazz icons such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Ornette Coleman. Later, in addition to collaborating with jazz luminaries such as Thad Jones and Chico Hamilton, Cheatham also worked extensively as a studio session musician and as a teacher who strongly stressed life's lessons as a sound artistic foundation. The Cheathams were internationally celebrated for their ebullient brand of Kansas City Blues and Jazz with the 'Sweet Baby Blues Band', which recorded eight albums for Concord Records. The first, 1984's "Sweet Baby Blues," was awarded France's prestigious Grand Prix du Disque. He was a pillar of the San Diego music scene from the late 1970s on. Cheatham's passion never dimmed for the music he had taught for nearly three decades at the University of California, San Diego, or for the 'Sweet Baby Blues Band', the award-winning group he led with his wife, singer-pianist Jeannie Cheatham, of 49 years. Cheatham had undergone heart surgery Dec. 28, 2006, just a few weeks before his demise.
1981     Ella Chen, Taiwanese 'mandopop' singer, actress, piano, saxophone, b. Pingtung County, Taiwan. aka: Chen Ai La. Member group: 'S.H.E'. (Note: 'mandopop' is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music", -the first form of Chinese song to resemble 'Western Pop' music (true resemblence only came later). Another expression is "Tai-Pop", - slang for 'mandopop' music in Taiwan.
1891     Con Conrad, Composer, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Sept. 28, 1938, Van Nuys, CA, USA.
1898     Dewey Corley, harmonica, b. Halley, AR, USA. Played with the 'Memphis Jug Band'
1901     Jimmy Dale, composer/arranger/piano/violin, b. New York (Bronx), NY, USA. Educated at New York's Columbia University, Dale first found work as a pianist in the early Vaudeville circuits. Dale later arranged for the Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Frankie Carle orchestras. He also orchestrated for composers George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Oscar Hammerstein II, as well as for singer Al Jolson. Still later, he arranged for network television, including the Jackie Gleason, Arthur Godfrey, and Arlene Francis shows. He also taught at Essex College in Newark, New Jersey. Among the songs for which he is credited are (both words and music unless otherwise noted):
   "Suzanne" (Music and Words by: Leo (Lee) Pearl, Art Harry Berman, and Jimmy Dale)
   "Tango of Roses" (with Aldo Bottero, Carol Raven, Filippo Schreier, and Jimmy Dale)
   "American Patrol"
   "At a Georgia Camp Meeting"
   "Who Do You Think You're Fooling" (Murray Semos, and Jimmy Dale)
   "Blue Silhouette" (Murray Semos, Jack Val and Jimmy Dale)
   "I've Got a Cookie in Kansas" (with Leo J. Pearl, Eugene West, and Jimmy Dale)
   "Whistling Walker" (with Jack Val and Jimmy Dale)
   "Smuggler's Nightmare"
   "Hackensack Jump" (with Jack Val and Jimmy Dale)
   "Navy Bounce"
   "The Russian Dressin'"
   "Clarinet Polka"
   "Dark Eyes"
   "Sentimental Afternoon" (Roy Alfred, Jack Val and Jimmy Dale)
   "Tarantella Jump" (with Jack Val and Jimmy Dale)
   "You're The Flower of My Heart"
   "Just Say I Love Her" (Rodolfo Falvo, Enzo Fusco, Martin Kalmanoff, Jack Val, Sam Ward, Jimmy Dale) A huge hit recorded by about everyone.
CAUTION: Do NOT confuse with either C&W guitarist/singer-songwriter Jimmie Dale, or with Composer/arranger/leader Jimmy Dale (b. Oct 23, 1935) See our October 23 calendar page.
1946     Dennis Dotson, Trumpet, b. Jacksonville, FL, USA
1910     Dick Foran, singer/actor, b. Flemington, New Jersey, USA, d. August 10, 1979, Panorama City, California, USA. Tag: "The Singing Cowboy"
1958     Marty Haggard, (Country) singer/guitarist, b. Bakersfield, CA, USA. He is the son of Merle Haggard
1938     Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Violin, Piano, organ, bass, singer-songwriter, b. Pasadena, CA, USA. d. Dec 1, 1999, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Began his career as the guitar half of the 1950s rock duo 'Don & Dewey'. (Curiously, while that group had no success, their songs would become hits for the 'Righteous Brothers', the 'Premiers', and others). A classically trained violinist, "Sugarcane's" improvisatory skills earned him positions first with 'Rock' stars John Lee Hooker, Johnny Otis and Frank Zappa. and then, in 1970, Harris joined British Bluesman John Mayall, when Mayall formed his first all-American band. Harris was 61 when he died after a lengthy battle with pulmonary disease.
1928     Ferdinand Havlik, Clarinet, alto sax, leader, b. Brno, Czechoslovakia
1967     Tim Hunt, "Country" vocals. Member: 'Yankee Grey'
1897     Kay Kyser, Leader, d. July 23, 1985. né: James King Kern Kyser. Kollege of Musical Knowledge.
1901     Jeanette MacDonald, Vocals/actress, d. Jan. 14, 1965, USA. né: Jeanette Anna MacDonald. Best recalled for her work as part of the vocal team of Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald.
1935     Ronnie Martin, trumpet, leader, b. Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA (raised in Fort Worth, TX). In 1958, he earned his Bachelor of Music Education, from Texas Christian University, and in 1961, his Master of Education Administration, from Texas Christian University, While still a freshman at TCU, he began playing in the Fort Worth Opera Orchestra. Shortly thereafter, he became principal trumpet in the newly formed Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and continued to play principal and section trumpet in the Fort Worth Symphony and the Fort Worth Opera Orchestra for ten years. Between his sophomore and junior years, he toured with the Ted Weems Orchestra as lead trumpet for the summer (John Giordano was lead alto sax at the time.), and he toured with the Tex Beneke Orchestra during the Christmas break. During his senior year at TCU, he played a short tour as lead trumpet with the Ralph Marterie Orchestra. Later, he toured with the Les Elgart Orchestra. After graduation, he became the Band and Orchestra Director at Eastern Hills High School in Fort Worth, TX. (After eight years as Band and Orchestra Director at Eastern Hills High School, he became Director of 'Project Muse'; a music education project (that lasted for 3 years). and employed 28 full time symphony musicians providing music programs in 70 North Texas School Districts plus a symphony concert series with the full Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium.) He has played lead trumpet in most local Fort Worth/Dallas area bands and orchestras. He also played lead trumpet in the Miss Texas Pageant Orchestra, Shrine Circus Band, Southwestern Exposition Stockshow Rodeo Band, and back-up orchestras for Steve Lawrence and Eddye Gorme, Pat Boone, Carmen Cavallero, Bob Crosby, Charlie Applewhite, The DeCastro Sisters, Bob Newhart, Herb Shriner, Sally Rand, Betty Buckley, and Ray Price. In 1970’s, he formed the Ronnie Martin Orchestra and has since played in all of the Fort Worth area venues. He provided the orchestra for Liberace for the Fort Worth arena show in Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. He also provided the orchestra for Joy Garret and for the Moslah Shrine Circus. Currently (2007), the Ronnie Martin Orchestra is one of the busiest ballroom orchestra in the Fort Worth/Dallas area.
1884     Sara Martin, Vocals, b. Louisville, KY, USA d. May 24, 1955, USA.
1924     Mat Mathews, accordion, b. The Hague, The Netherlands. né: Matthieu Schwartz During the WWII Nazi occupation of Holland, Mat learned to play music, and after the war ended, he was inspired to play jazz when he heard a radio broadcast featuring American accordionist Joe Mooney. From 1947-'50, he worked in Holland. In 1952, after moving to New York, he led his own quartet that -at times - included young Herbie Mann on flute and tenor, Art Farmer, Julius Watkins, Joe Puma, Oscar Pettiford, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke. From 1954-55, in addition to recording as a leader, Mathews also recorded with singer Carmen McRae. He finished the '50s working mostly as a sessions musician, returning to the Netherlands in 1964, where he has continued to work as a sessions player, arranger and producer. Listening to his wonderful accordion work, one is saddened that not more accordionists are involved with Jazz.
1930     Jerry "Boogie" McCain, Vocals/Drums/Trumpet/Harmonica/Guitar, b. Gadsden, Alabama, USA.
1942     Paul McCartney, vocals, né: James Paul McCartney. Original member of The Beatles.
1910     Ray McKinley, Drums/Leader/singer, b. Fort Worth, TX. d. May 7, 1995. né: Raymond Frederick McKinley
1961     Nathan Morris, R&B vocals. Member group 'Boyz II Men'
1940     Bill Morrison, (Country) singer-songwriter/Guitar, b. Mattoon, IL, USA. Bill Morrison was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame on July 1, 2003.
1961     Alison Moyet, Rock vocals. b. Basildon, Essex, England. Early on in her career, she was involved with various Punk and Blues bands. First major success came with her debut album "Alf" (also her nickname). Motown composer Lamont Dozier wrote her 1984 hit "Invisible". In 1985, she won a Brit award for Best British Female Solo Artist, and also sang, with Paul Young, at the 1985 Live Aid concert. Perhaps her biggest hit was a version of the Billie Holiday classic "That Ol' Devil Called Love" In 2001, Moyet played the role of 'Mama Morton' in the West End production of the famed American musical 'Chicago'.
1940     Mickey Newbury, (Country/Other Genres) singer-songwriter/Guitar, b. Houston, Texas, USA, d: Sept 29, 2002, Vida, Oregon, USA. né: Milton Sim Newbury, Jr.
1910     Slim Newman, (Country) vocals, b. Cochran, GA, USA. Member: 'The Georgia Crackers', "the group that put Hawkinsville, Georgia on the map". Members included: Hank Newman (vocals/guitar, b. April 3, 1905), Slim Newman, Bob Newman ( bass fiddle. b. Oct. 16, 1915), Winnie Waters (fiddle, b. 1919, Kentucky.), and Harold "Hal" Snyder (b. Columbus, Ohio. USA).
1922     Buck Page, guitar/leader, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA, d. Aug. 21, 2006, Burbank, CA, USA. At just age 11, Page started playing string bass and rhythm guitar on the radio with a western band called the 'The Valley Ranch Boys'. He is often credited with founding the original 'Riders of the Purple Sage' in 1936, but in fact, Jack Dalton formed a group with the same name two years earlier. Never-the-less, Page did form a group in 1936 that he called 'Riders of the Purple Sage" (a name he borrowed from the title of a Zane Grey novel). The original members included Bob Parker on guitar, Ken Cooper on accordion, Hal McCoy on string bass and Page on guitar, banjo and fiddle. For the next three years, the "Riders" did five hour-long shows a week that were broadcast coast-to-coast. Subsequently, Page and the 'Riders' moved to New York City, where they continued their coast-to-coast broadcasts, but now over WOR radio. The group also became regular performers at the 'Village Barn', a New York nightclub. During World War II, Page served aboard a U. S. Navy submarine chaser, and his fellow band members also served in the U. S. Armed Forces. During this time, singer Foy Willing started a Western band (on the West Coast), also called the 'Riders of the Purple Sage'. This group was active until 1952, and was the Western band that had a string of hit recordings and made numerous appearances in films. It is not known when Page became aware of Willing's 'Riders of the Purple Sage', but apparently the two men later became friends. In the early 1950s, Page moved to the West Coast, where he played in various bands, worked as a studio musician (he played on shows such as "Wagon Train" and "Laramie" and played guitar on the original recording of the theme song for "Bonanza"), and also played bit parts in movies. Over the years, Page owned and trained thoroughbreds and quarter horses. In the 1960s, he worked for the Baldwin Piano Co., where, among other things, he worked with engineers on the development of Supersound amplifiers. Page re-formed his Riders of the Purple Sage in the early 1960s. With various members over the years, they recorded three CDs and performed at major venues and western festivals until a couple of years ago. When Page died, Dave Moordigian, a musician friend, told a 'Los Angeles Times' reporter that Page " ....was the last of the great singing cowboys and an amazing guitar player. He played country, western, jazz and swing." In an interview with The Times in 2000, Page made one thing clear. "You're either Country, or you're Western. We sing about the Grand Canyon, cows and girl friends back home. We don't sing about the girl at the corner bar. We don't cry in our beer,....." Theirs was the kind of music, he said, that cowboys played on the range at night to calm their cattle. "You want them to stay in one place," said Page, who owned a number of ranches over the years. The music soothes them."
1907     Benny Payne, Piano, celeste, vibes, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. Jan. 2, 1986, Los Angeles, California, USA. During his career, Payne played with the Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Chu Berry, and Fats Waller orchestras. His best recalled, and longest, collaboration was with "lounge" singer Billy Daniels. During the 1950s, they were among the first African-American entertainers to appear on national television. In 1964, Payne appeared on Broadway in a revival of "Golden Boy" with Daniels and Sammy Davis, Jr.
1947     Sandy Posey, vocals. b. Jasper, AL, USA.
1940     Sue Raney, vocals
1947     Buddy Reed, (Blues) vocals.
1911     Irving "Babe" Russin, Tenor Sax, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. d. 1984, USA.
1924     Rudy Rutherford, clarinet, bass-clarinet, baritone- alto-tenor sax, flute, b. Arizona, USA, d. March 31, 1995. né: Elman Rutherford. Worked with Lionel Hampton (1943-'44) and Count Basie ('44-'47) before joining up with Ted Buckner in Detroit (1947). Again with Count Basie (early-1950s). Rutherford performed and recorded with trombonist Wilber De Paris ('59). During the ´60s, he led his own combos at Count Basie´s and other New York City area clubs. For the remainder of his career Rutherford worked with more great bandleaders, including Earl Hines (mid-1970s), and Illinois Jacquet ('80s-'90s).
1953     Jerome Smith, guitar. b. UK. ( guitarist with 'KC & The Sunshine Band')
1919     Thore Swanerud, Piano/Vibes, b. Stockholm, Sweden
1901     Lutz Templin, Tenor Sax/Leader, b. Dusseldorf, Germany. d. 1973.
1923     Zeke Turner, guitar, b. Lynchburg, VA, USA, d: April 14, 2003. Member: "Zeb and Zeke Turner", also worked with Red Foley.
19xx     Herman "Ace" Wallace, Blues vocals/Guitar, d. Feb. 28, 1995, USA
1924     Lester Wilburn, C&W vocals, b. Hardy, Arkansas, USA. 'The Wilburns' were comprised of brothers Virgil Doyle Wilburn (b. 7 July 1930, Hardy, Arkansas, USA, d. 16 October 1982) and Thurman Theodore 'Teddy' Wilburn (b. 30 November 1931, Hardy, Arkansas, USA). They started their careers as children singing with their siblings as 'The Wilburn Family'. This featured two elder brothers, Lester (b. 19 May 1924), Leslie (b. 13 October 1925) and sister Vinita Geraldine (b. 5 June 1927), all born in Hardy, Arkansas.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1948.    Columbia Records introduced their new Long-Playing (33-1/3 rpm) record format.
1965.    George Melachrino, Composer/leader, died. Age: 56
1974.    Henry Maddox, member "Maddox Brothers & Rose" died Age: 46.
1980.    Olivia Shipp, bass, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 100
1984.    Paul Howard, C&W guitar, died in Little Rock, AR, USA. Member Grand Ole Opry. Age: 75 (b. July 10, 1908)
CAUTION: Do not confuse with:
** Bandleader 'Paul Howard and his Quality Serenaders', an exciting late 1920's band, among whose sidemen were Lionel Hampton (on drums) and trombonist Lawrence Brown.
** Chicago (Blues) trumpeter Paul Howard
** American Jazz tenor saxophonist Paul Howard
** British rock saxophonist Paul Howard, who played on the sole album by a band entitled "Mummy Calls"
** Songwriter Paul Mason Howard. His 1951 song "Shrimp Boats" was a huge hiy for singer Jo Stafford, among many others. Howard's co-composer on this number was Paul Weston. Another of his regular co-writers was Billy Mills, with whom he became a permanent resident of Walt Disney's "magic kingdom", after the team supplied Mickey Mouse with "A Cowboy Needs a Horse"
1988.    Sallie Martin, (gospel) singer-songwriter, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 92
1989.    Cecil Campbell C&W steel guitar/banjo died.
1990.    Sonny Dunham, trumpet died (or July 9, 1990)
1992.    Evelyn "Skippy" Mitchell, vocals, died in Utica, NY, USA. Age: 80
1997.    Thurman Green, trombone died in Los Angeles, California, USA. (b. August 12, 1940, Texas, USA )
1998.    Edward Eliscu lyricist died in Newtown, Connecticut USA.
2005.    Chris Griffin, trumpet died. Age: 89. (heart attack) (b. Oct. 31, 1915, Binghamton, NY, USA. )
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1918   "There's A Lump of Sugar Down In Dixieland", - Marion Harris
1918   "There's A Chocolate Soldier Boy", - Marion Harris
1918   "When Alexander Takes his Ragtime Band to Dixieland", - Marion Harris
1922   "Oogie Oogie Wa Wa", - The Benson Orch. of Chicago
1922   "Deedle Deedle Dum", - The Benson Orch. of Chicago
1924   "Muscle Shoal Blues", - Edith Wilson voc.
1926   "How Many Times", - Nick Lucas voc.
1926   "How Many Times", - The Radiolites(Ben Selvin Orch.)
1927   "Alligator Crawl", - Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orch.
1928   "Because My Baby Don't Mean Maybe Now", - Paul Whiteman Orch, Rhythm Boys vocal.
1928   "Poor Butterfly", - George McMurphy and his Orch.
1929   "In The Hush Of The Night", - Hal Kemp Orch.
1932   "Is I In Love", - Bennie Krueger Orch., Fran Frey voc.
1941   "It Makes No Difference Now", - Gene Autry voc.
1942   "He Wears A Pair of Silver Wings", - Kate Smith voc.
1942   "I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo", - Kate Smith voc
1942   "A Boy In Khaki A Girl In Lace", Kate Smith voc
1942   "Be Careful It's My Heart", - Kate Smith voc
1945   "It's Only A Paper Moon", - Benny Goodman Orch.
1954   "The High and The Mighty", - Harry James Orch.