BIRTHDAYS
1958     Laurie Antonioli, vocals, b. Marin County, California, USA
1957     Martin Archer, soprano sax, violin, recorder, synthesizer, electronics, b. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, UK.
1930     Victor Ash, Clarinet, alto and tenor sax, flute, b. London, England, UK
1920     William "Lefty" Bates, bass, b. Leighton, AL, USA
1944     Trevor Burton, guitar, b. Birmingham (W. Midlands), England. Member group: 'The Move' (co-founder)
1920     Jerry Byrd, steel guitar, b. Lima, OH, USA. d. April 11, 2005, Honolulu, HI, USA. One key fact about Byrd is that while still a child, he had already formed a fascination with Hawaiian music. In time, he would specialize in the Hawaiian genre, but he first traveled the Country and Western road. From 1935 to 1937, he was heard playing C&W guitar on a local radio station, following which he was heard briefly on Cincinnati's radio WLW. In 1941, he joined the 'Renfro Valley Barn Dance', and from 1942 to 1944, worked as staff musician at Detroit's radio WJR. From 1944 to 1946, he worked with 'Ernie Lee's Pleasant Valley Boys' before forming his own group, the 'Jay-Bird Trio'. In 1948, he joined Red Foley's band, and also worked as a session's man for King Records. In 1948, he cut his first singles, and also recorded some Hawaiian songs while still at the King label. Still, Byrd remained an active figure on the country landscape. During 1950 he worked on Red Foley's NBC television program. From 1954 to 1956, he was a featured artist on the Nashville-based series 'Home Folks'. From 1956 to 1964, Byrd was a regular on the radio program 'Country Junction', and, in 1964, he joined Bobby Lord's TV band. The big transition occurred in 1968, when Byrd left mainland USA, moved to Hawaii, and finally focused exclusively on that state's native music. During his long career on mainland USA, Byrd worked with such well known C&W musicians aas Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Chet Atkins. In Hawaii, he worked with many of the island's best musicians including Danny Kaleikini and singer Don Ho. Byrd is credited with defining the 'steel guitar sound' of 'early' Nashville, and for incorporating the instrument into Hawaiian music.
CAUTION:   Apparently, music is for the "Byrds". Do NOT confuse this Jerry Byrd with:
** Charlie Byrd, famed guitarist who played both Classical and Jazz guitar. In his early years, he studied with both Django Reinhardt and Andres Segovia. In the 1960s, he was an exponent of Latin Jazz on his own albums and with Stan Getz on "Jazz Samba".
** Joe "Gene" Byrd, a bassist who, in the early 1960s, began playing in the bands of his brother Charlie Byrd.
** Joe Byrd (& the Field Hippies), this student of "serious" music dropped out of UCLA in the mid-1960s to organize "happenings." Columbia released his 'The American Metaphysical Circus' (1969), an album that fused rock with experimental electronic music. By the mid-'70s, Byrd had degenerated into a proto-New Age synth player, releasing synth versions of Christmas carols and folk songs.
** Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II.    In the 1950s and '60s, Donny was one of the most distinguished hard bop trumpet (and flugelhorn) players. He worked with such Jazzmen as Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, John Coltrane and Dexter Gordon.
** Elmer Byrd. This Hurricane Records recording artist (playing 'old-time' music on the banjo, clawhammer style) was billed as "the Banjoman from Turkey Creek, West Virginia."
** Robert C. Byrd, "The Honorable senior Senator from the state of West Virginia", had an original career as a fiddler. All during his teenage years, Byrd (b. 1917) played in various square dance bands, and became known as "Fiddlin' Bob Byrd". In 1952, "Fiddlin'" Bob was elected to the U.S. Congress House of Representatives. In 1958, he was elected to the Senate, but he never lost interest in making music. (During his term in the U. S. Congress, he became one of the most powerful U.S. Senators influencing U. S. World Policy.
** Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd (aka "Professor Longhair", 1918-1980) is often credited with inventing the "boogie-woogie" piano style that is so closely associated with his hometown of New Orleans, and which was popularized by such recording artists as 'Fats' Domino, Huey "Piano" Smith and Dr. John. While best known by the 'tag' of "Professor Longhair," he released songs under other names such as "Roy Byrd" (for Mercury in 1950) and "Roland Byrd" (for Atlantic in 1951). While he rarely enjoyed any chart successes, some of his songs (ex: "Mardi Gras in New Orleans," "Baldhead," and "Tipitina") became anthems in the local New Orleans area.
** Steve Byrd was a guitarist in a band called 'Zzebra' that backed singer Sonja Kristina. In 1978, Steve joined 'Gillan', a vehicle for ex-'Deep Purple' vocalist / ex-'Jesus Christ Superstar' himself, Ian Gillan.
** Tracy Byrd. This Byrd achieved some popular success in the early 1990s. He was one of the few Country musicians with a real respect for Country roots.
** Billy Byrd (b. 1920) was another Country musician who could play anything with strings. In 1949, he joined 'Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours' remaining with Tubb through the 1950s. He also played with Red Foley, Webb Pierce and Little Jimmy Dickens. Along with Hank Garland, Billy designed Gibson's 'Byrdland' guitar in 1950.
** William Byrd. This famed British composer, who lived from 1543 to 1623, is best remembered for his religious choral music. He also composed secular music for voice and for instruments.
1920     Jerry Byrne, (R&R) vocals. b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
1940    John Cale, multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter/actor, b. Crynant, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK. Cale was a child prodigy. His father was a Welsh coal miner, and his mother was a schoolteacher. Even before he entered his teens, Cale had already performed an original composition on the BBC. He went on to study piano at the Univ. of London. In the early 1960s (with help from Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein), he obtained a scholarship to study music in the United States. In 1963, after moving to New York city, he participated in an 18-hour piano recital with John Cage (pictures of Cale performing at the event made the New York Times). Drifting to the more avant-garde, he first became a member of LaMonte Young's minimalist ensemble, the 'Dream Syndicate'. Then in the mid-1960s, Cale met Lou Reed, a struggling songwriter for the rock & roll label Pickwick Records. Soon, Cale, with Lou Reed and guitarist Sterling Morrison founded their own Rock and Roll band, the "Velvet Underground" (where he played viola, piano, guitar, and vibes, as well as song-writing). Cale would eventually leave the band due to personality differences between himself and Lou Reed, with Cale going on to become a producer and helping such stars as singer 'Nico' (their group was backed by Andy Warhol), and others. Though still best known as a 'rocker' today, he has worked in a number of different styles over the years. He has also acted and contributed music to the Hollywood film studios.
1945     Robert Calvert, vocals, b. Pretoria, South Africa. Member group: 'Hawkwind' (1988)
1957     Thomas Chapin, alto sax/flute, d. 1998
1906     Bernhard Christensen, Composer/arranger, b. Copenhagen, Denmark, d.
1930     Ornette Coleman, Alto-tenor sax/trumpet/violin/composer/leader, b. Ft Worth, TX, USA. Self taught at very young age. Gigged around the country mostly in R&B groups, such as those of 'Pee Wee' Crayton's and Thomas "Red" Connors bands. While working as an elevator operator in Los Angeles, CA, (ca 1950), he studied some theory and harmony textbooks and developed an atonal style - not based on conventional chord based improvisation. In 1959, he signed with Atlantic Records who paid for his attendence at the Lennox, MA., School of Jazz. Some folks thought he played well, but others differed. Julian Adderley (writing in Downbeat) wrote ".....75% of Jazz musicians dismiss Ornette's whole thing.....an innovator of the first order, but he is certainly no messiah." Famed critic/writer John Hammond wrote ".....over-touted....he's going to become more and more of a bore." And John Berton compared Ornette's publicity to the story of "the Emperior's Clothes". Ornette was Downbeat's "Musician of Year 1966".
1943     Mayuto Correa, Percussion, b. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
1946     Jim Cregan, guitar/vocals. Member of group: 'Family' -heard on "It's Only a Movie"; "Stud"; "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel"
1908    Joe Daniels, Drums/Leader, b. Zeerust, South Africa, d. July 2, 1993. Age 84
1909     Herschel Evans, Tenor Sax, b. Denton, TX, USA. d. 1939.
1948     Jimmie Fadden, harmonica/guitar/vocals, b. Long Beach, CA, USA. Member: 'Nitty Gritty Dirt Band'. Heard on "Mr. Bojangles", "An American Dream", "Make a Little Magic", "Modern Day Romance", "Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper's Dream)"
1947     Kali Z Fasteau, Piano/Synthesizer/Soprano-Alto Sax/Nai & Shakuhachi Flutes/Cello/Sanza/Mizmars/Moursin/Voice/Drums
1925     Billy Ford, vocals. member group: Billy & Lillie: Best known releases: "La Dee Dah", and "Lucky Ladybug"
1958     Martin Fry, vocals, b. Manchester, England. Member group: 'ABC': heard on "Tears are Not Enough", "Poison Arrow", "Be Near Me", "When Smokey Sings", "King Without a Crown". He founded magazine: Modern Drugs
1937     Mickey Gilley, C&W vocals, b. Ferriday, LA, USA. Mickey is the owner of Mickey Gilley's Theatre, in Branson MO, USA.; In 1974, he was awarded Academy of Country Music Top New Male Vocalist, his1976 awards include: Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year: Gilley's Smoking; Song of the Year: "Don't the Girls Get Prettier at Closing Time", Single of the Year: "Bring It On Home". He also owned Gilley's Club (a honky-tonk that inspired movie Urban Cowboy). He is Jerry Lee Lewis' cousin.
1948     Steve Hughes, harmonica, b. TX, USA
1951     Zakir Hussain, Tabla, b. Bombay, India
1940     Raul Julia, actor/vocals, b: San Juan Puerto Rico, d: Oct. 24, 1994, New York, NY (Long Island), USA. né:Raul Rafael Carlos Julia y Arcelay . His father (who had an engineering degree from Tri-State University in Angola, India) owned a restaurant called La Cueva del Chicken Inn, Raul , the oldest of four, --two sisters and one brother, attended an elementary school in Puerto Rico that was run by English speaking Roman Catholic nuns. Later, he attended San Ignacio de Loyla High School, after which he entered The University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. His family wanted him to be a lawyer but Raul opted for a stage career. In 1964, at age 24, he moved to New York City. At this time, his 17 year old younger brother, Rafael, was killed in an auto accident. After a small role in a Spanish language play entitled La Vida es un Sueno (Life is a Dream). Raul found work with Joseph Papp's Shakespearian Theater, where he did a little of everything, acting, understudying, and helping with the sets. In 1968, he and Merel Poloway were both touring in the show Lyla, Darling.. In 1976, they married. In 1983, their first son, Raul Sigmund Julia, was born. In 1987, their second son Benjamin Rafael Julia was born. He remained with Papp for some years. In time, he appeared on TV in such shows as The Bob Newheart Show, and McCloud. In 1981, Raul had the lead role in the musical Nine. In 1985, he appeared in perhaps his biggest "Kiss of the Spider Women.. In 1988, he starred in Puerto Rican made movie Tango Bar, which co-starred vocalists Ruben Juarez and Valeria Lynch. On Oct. 24, 1994, Raul suffered a massive Stroke while visiting Long Island (a suburb of New York City). He lapsed into a coma and doctors were unable to save him. He was just age 54.
1948     Fumio Karashima, Piano, b. Oita, Japan
1945     Laura Lee, vocals, b. Chicago, IL, USA
1942     Mark Lindsay, sax/vocals/songwriter, b. Cambridge, ID, USA. Member group: 'Paul Revere & The Raiders' "The Great Airplane Strike", "Good Thing", "Him or Me - What's It Gonna Be", "Indian Reservation"; solo: Arizona, Silver Bird)
1944     Richard Alfred "King Biscuit Boy" Newell), Singer/harmonica (Blues/Rock), b: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, d: Jan. 5, 2003, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Was a member of 'The Barons' who later changed their name to 'Son Richard And The Chessmen', 'The Midknights and Crowbar' - Worked with Ronnie Hawkins. Best recalled for his records "Badly Bent", and "You Done Tore Your Playhouse Down".
1948     Jeffrey Osborne, drums/singer-songwriter, b. Providence, RI, USA. Member of group: 'L.T.D. '
1933     Lloyd Price, composer/singer/pianist/record label owner/producer/booking agent. Some of the tunes sung include "Stagger Lee" (aka: "Stack-O-Lee"), "Personality", "I'm Gonna Get Married"
1940     Joe Rigby, tenor-soprano-alto sax, b. New York, NY, USA. Among those with whom Rigby has worked are Ted Curson, Abdullah Ibrahim, Johnny Copeland, Milford Graves, Ted Daniel, The Master Brotherhood, Andrew Cyrille, and Carlos Garnett.
1951     Frank Rodriguez, Jr., keyboards, b. Saginaw, MI, USA. Member groups: 'The Mysterians', and '97 Tears', consisting of Bobby Balderrama (guitar), Frank Rodriguez (organ), Eddie Serrato (drums), Frank Lugo (bass), Rudy Martinez (vocals), Robert Martinez, and Larry Borjas
1943     Paul Sealey, Guitar/Banjo, b. Watford, England
1925     Ralph Sloan, (C&W) dancer, b. Wilson County, TN, USA, d. March 12, 1980. Founder of the 'Grand Old Opry' dance troupe: 'The Tennessee Travelers'
1932     Keely Smith, Vocal, b. Norfolk, VA, USA. née: Dorothy Jacqueline Keely. Former Mrs. Louis Prima.
1886     J. D. Suggs, guitar, b. Kosciusko, MS, USA
1948     Chris Thompson, vocals, b. New Zealand. Member group: 'Manfred Mann's Earth Band'
1945     Robin Trower, guitar. b. London, England, UK. Member group: 'Procol Harum'. He was heard on "Whiter Shade of Pale"
1903     Georgia White, piano, b. Sandersville, GA, USA
1918     Lee Williams, Bandleader. d. Sept. 4, 1995, Age: 77. né: William Brammer Leacox. Active Midwest region late 1920s - '30s. His wife, Laura Beth Leacox was the band's vocalist.

  Notable Events occuring this date include:
1942.    Tommy Dorsey orchestra recorded "Well, Git It!" (Victor) with Ziggy Elman on trumpet. Sy Oliver arrangement.
1961.    Wilbur C. Sweatman, piano/bandleader, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 79
1966.    Henry Stuckey, guitar, died in Jackson, MS, USA. Age: 69
1971.    Gay S. Crosse, sax, died in Cleveland, OH, USA. Age: 54
1974.    Harry Womack, vocals, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 28
1985.    "Bumps" Blackwell, piano/producer (Specialty Records), died in Hacienda Heights, CA, USA. Age: 66
1986.    Clarence Nelson, guitar, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 52
1988.    Thomas Coleman Sellers, producer (Motown), died in Wayne, PA, USA. Age: 39
1991.    Jimmy Vaughn, pianoSt. Louis, MO, USA. Age: 65

  Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1942 "Well, Git It!", Tommy Dorsey Orch. rec'd Victor Records. Ziggy Elman featured -Sy Oliver arranged.
     1957   "I'm Walkin'", Fats Domino
     1957   "Gone", Ferlin Husky
     1957   "Party Doll", Steve Lawrence
     1959   "Never Be Anyone Else But You", Ricky Nelson
     1959   "Pink Shoe Laces", Dodie Stevens
     1963   "He's So Fine", Chiffons
     1963   "Do The Bird", Dee Dee Sharp
     1968   "Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)", Manfred Mann
     1968   "Valleri", Monkees
     1974   "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", Knight, Gladys & The Pips
     1974   "Lord's Prayer, The", Sister Janet Mead
     1974   "Lookin' For A Love", Bobby Womack
     1985   "Rhythm Of The Night", DeBarge
     1985   "Missing You", Diana Ross
     1991   "Cry For Help", Rick Astley,
     1991   "Baby Baby", Amy Grant