BIRTHDAYS
1923     Don Abney, Piano, b. Baltimore, MD, USA, d. Jan. 20, 2000, Age: 77
1938     Dave Alexander, Piano (self-taught)/drummer/vocals, b. Shreveport, LA, USA. aka: Omar Hakim Khayyam
CAUTION. Do not confuse with:
Dave Alexander, vocals, b. Wales, d. Feb 1995 in Tenerife, Spain
Dave Alexander, (Rock) bass. Member: 'The Stooges'
Dave Alexander, Blues vocalist
David Alexander, Gospel vocals.
1928     Johnnie Allan, (Cajun/Rock) steel guitar, b. Rayne, LA, USA. Tag: "The Ambassador of Swamp Pop"
1963     Jeff Ament, guitar, b. Havre, MT, USA. Member group: 'Pearl Jam'
1893     Abel Baer, composer, b. Baltimore, MD, d. Oct. 5, 1976, New York, NY His 1942 song "There Are Such Things" is probably His best known work.
1935     Judy Bailey, Piano, b. Auckland, NZ
1903     Leon Bix Beiderbecke, Cornet, b. Davenport, IA, USA. d. Aug. 6, 1931, New York, NY, USA.
      "Every note he blew was so beautiful, --I like that "Singin' the Blues."
      Nobody else gonna blow that like he did. I never did play that tune
      because of Bix. I didn't want nobody to mess with it. Tell the whole
      world there'll never be another Bix Beiderbecke."
                        (1971 -- Louis Armstrong on the 40th anniversary observance of Bix's death.)
      It is said that Satchmo would not let anyone blow his trumpet, except Bix, who could blow it any time he wished.
Among the groups that Bix played with are:
    The Wolverine Orchestra: " Fidgety Feet", "Jazz Me Blues"
    Bix Beiderbecke and His Rhythm Jugglers: "Davenport Blues"
    Charlie Straight Orchestra; "Breeze Blowers"
    Jean Goldkette Orchestra
    Frankie Trumbauer and his Orchestra: "Singin' the Blues", "Clarinet Marmalade", "Clementine"
    Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang: "At the Jazz Band Ball", "Royal Garden Blues"
    Adrian Rollini and the New Yorkers
    Paul Whiteman Orchestra: "From Monday On", "China Boy", "Oh, Miss Hannah"
    As a Jazz pianist, he recorded: "In A Mist", "Candlelights", "Flashes", and "In the Dark"
1946     Gaylord Birch, drums, b. San Francisco, CA
1938     Norman Blake, acoustic guitar/multi-instrumentalist, b. Chattanooga, TN, USA. Member team of "Nancy and Norman". (Nancy Blake: b. June 11, 1952, Independence, MO, USA. Multi-instrumentalist.)
1966     Edie Brickell, Rock vocals, b. Oak Cliff, TX, USA.
1958     Jeanie Bryson, Vocals, b. USA. Her father was Dizzy Gillespie, and her mother was songwriter Connie Bryson.
1923     Kenneth "Jethro" Burns, (Bluegrass) Vocals/mandolin/banjo. b.Conasauga, TN, USA. d: Feb 4, 1989. Member: Homer & Jethro duo. Best remembered tunes: "The Battle of Kookamonga", "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyeballs"
1912     Johnny Castaign, Drums, b . New Orleans, LA, USA.
1955     Tina Charles (Hoskins), vocals, b. Great Britain. Best known release: "I Love To Love".
1964     Neneh Cherry, vocals, b. Stockholm, Sweden. Stepdaughter of Jazz trumpeter Don Cherry. née: Neneh Mariann Karlssson. The daughter of West African percussionist Amadu Jah and artist Moki Cherry. Raised by her trumpeter stepfather and her mother in both Stockholm and New York City.
1965     Tina Charles, vocals.
1957     Mino Cinelu, Percussion, b. St. Cloud, France
1962     Gary Clark, singer/songwriter, b. Scotland, UK.
1911     Pete Clarke, Alto-baritone sax/clarinet, b. Birmingham, AL, USA. d. March 27, 1975.
1955     Bunny DeBarge, vocals, b. Grand Rapids, MI
1941     Jon Derek, Singer-Songwriter/Guitar, b. Harlech, North Wales, UK, Member: "Country Fever", formed in 1968 with original members Jon Derek, Albert Lee, Pete Oakman, Jed Kelly and Gerry Hogan
1900     Peter De Rose, composer, New York, NY, USA , d. April 23, 1953, New York, NY, USA
1953     Ronnie Earl, guitar, b. New York, NY. né: Ronald Earl Horvath
1928     Don Ferrara, trumpet
1909     Sam Fowler, harmonica, b. Tullulah, LA
1944     David Freidman, Vibes/marimba/percussion, b. New York, NY, USA.
1958     Martin David Fry, Singer-Songwriter, b. England. Member group: 'ABC'
1942     "Gorgeous George", vocals, b. Tamo, AR né: Theophilus O. George
1915     "Guitar Slim" (né: James Stephens), guitar, b. Union City, SC
1960     Gail Greenwood, bassist, b. Mar. 10, 1960, Providence, RI, USA. Member groups: Belly, and L7. The L7 group, a grunge -punk-metal band was formed in 1985 in Los Angeles, CA. The name L7 comes from a Beat Culture slang term meaning "square" --not hip, man. The group consisted of guitarist/vocalist Donita Sparks (b. April 8, 1963, Chicago, IL); ex-'Debbies' guitarist/vocalist Suzi Gardner (b. August 1, 1960, Altus, OK - raised in Sacramento, CA); bassist Jennifer Finch (b. August 5, 1966 Los Angeles, CA), who had previously been in the band 'Sugar Babylon' (AKA 'Sugar Baby Doll'), and drummer Roy Koutsky (yes, a male). When bassist Jennifer Finch left L7 in 1996 to finish college (she earned a degree in American Studies), they were joined by former Belly bassist Gail Greenwood (b. Mar. 10, 1960, Providence, RI, USA.)
1947     Alex Harvey, (C&W) Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Harmonica/Piano/Actor, b. Dyersburg, TN . né: Thomas Alexander Harvey.
1937     Tommy Hunter vocals (C&W), b: London, Ont. Canada. called "Canada's Country Gentleman".
1919     Marion Hutton, Vocal, b. Battle Creek, MI, d. Jan. 9, 1987. né: Marion Thornburg. Married: Jack Philbin. Marion was one of the pre-eminent vocalists of the Big Bands era. She was the older sister of singer/actress Betty Hutton. Marion is now best recalled for her vocals with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, -both as a member of the Modernaires (whose principal femme vocalist was Paula Kelly) and as a soloist. Her father, a railroad worker, abandoned the family when Marion was only four-years-old. Whereupon her mother opened a small speakeasy in their home, to support her two daughters, - who would often perform for the patrons. Problems with the Police caused the family to move on and they settled in Detroit, MI. Marion and Betty's first professional job was with the Vincent Lopez Orch. (1938 -with Betty overshadowing Marion), but when Glenn Miller heard the two girls singing (in Boston, MA), he hired Marion - because he thought she would be easier "to handle". Marion's experience in the Miller band was a happy one but, in early 1941, she was "forced" to resign due to the embarassment of some gossip columnist reporting her pregnancy. Miller replaced her with Dorothy Claire (who thus appeared in the 1942 hit film "Orchestra Wives" with the Miller band). In August 1942, Marion returned to Miller, remaining until the orchestra's final night, September 27, 1942. Marion's feelings were so deep, that she cried throughout that performance. She did continue to sing (and starred in several movies), but never again found the sort of fame that she had with the Miller band. Marion died Jan 9, 1987.
1938     Adam Jackson, vocals, b. New York, NY Member: 'The Jesters'
1964     Patrick Kane, violin/vocals. Member group: 'Hue & Cry'
1948     Jan Kopinsky, Tenor Sax, b. Lincoln, England
1920     Bonnie Lake, big-band singer/composer/lyricist/commercial spokeswoman, b. Waterloo, Iawa, USA, ( NOTE: born 1916, not 1920, as often stated), d. Sept. 3, 1992, New York, NY, USA. Sister of movie star Ann Sothern. There is an interesting sidelight to Bonnie's first meeting with famed composer Jerome Kern. After listening to some of her compositions, he said that she had only three competitors: Noel Coward, Cole Porter and George Gershwin, -- and Bonnie soon became his protégé.
1900     Son "Fewclothes" Lewis, Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA
1987     "Lil' Bow Wow", Hip-Hop vocals, b. Columbus, OH, USA. né: Shad Gregory Moss. aka: Bow Wow.
1950     David Maxwell, Pianist, b. Waltham, MA
1950     Ted McKenna, drums. Member group: 'Sensational Alex Harvey Band'
1929     Huey P. Meaux, producer/songwriter, b. Kaplan, LA
1940     Lewis Moholo, Drums, b. Capetown, South Africa
1945     Pete Nelson, Guitar/Harmonica/Pedal Steel guitar/Vocals/Producer. Member group: 'The Flower Pot Men'
1930     Raymond Rasberry, piano, b. Akron, OH With the 'Rasberry Singers'
1955     Marianne Rosenberg, vocals, b. Germany. Best known release: "Jeder Weg Hat Mal Ein Ende".
1947     Tom Scholz, guitar/keyboards/singer, b. Toledo, OH, USA. Member of group: 'Boston' --Heard on "More than a Feeling", "Long Time", "Peace of Mind", "Don't Look Back", "Man I'll Never Be", "Amanda"
1938     Omar Sharriff (né: Dave Alexander Elam), piano, b. Shreveport, LA
1955     Ricky Simpkins, (Bluegrass) fiddler/mandolin. b Montgomery County, VA, USA. Has worked with group "Upland Express", consisting of Gary Collins (Guitar, Bass, Vocals), Barry Collins (Banjo, Guitar, Vocals), and Barry James (Guitars, Vocals).
1971     Daryl Singletary, (C&W) vocals, b. Cairo, GA, USA.
1968     Robert Sledge, bass/vocals. Member group: 'Ben Folds Five'
1967     'Susie Q', vocals. Member group: 'Cookie Crew', a duo of Debbie "MC Remedee" Pryce, Susie "Susie Q" Banfiel.
1954     Charmain Elaine Sylvers, R&B vocals.
1940     Dean Torrence, Vocals. b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: Jan & Dean: Heard on "The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)", "Dead Man's Curve", "Surf City", "Honolulu Lulu"
1927     Donn Trenner, Piano, b. New Haven, CT, USA.
1920     Boris Vian, Trumpet/leader/singer-songwriter/Playwright-author, b. Ville-d'Avray (nr. Paris), France, d. June 23, 1959.
1924     Bunny Williams, tenor sax, b. Magnolia, MS

  Notable Events occuring this date include:
1922.    "Variety" magazine's headline: Radio Sweeping Country - 1,000,000 Sets in Use. Today
1937.    21,000 jitterbuggers jammed New York's Paramount Theatre to see a young clarinetist -Benny Goodman's Orchestra -whom they would soon crown as, 'King of Swing'.
1968.    "Blind" Joe Reynolds, guitar, died in Monroe, LA, USA. Age: 68
1973.    Kitty Cora Cline, "hammered dulcimer", died, USA. Age: 96. Kitty was the Grand Ole Opry's first female soloist (1928-1934)
1985.    "Little" Eddie Lang, guitar, died in Slidell, LA, USA. Age: 49 né: Eddie Langlois
1989.    Dock Green, vocals, died in New York (Queens), NY, USA. Age: 54 Worked with both the 'Five Crowns', and the 'Drifters'
1989.    Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, vocals, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 67
1996.    Emory Williams, guitar, died in Chicago, IL, USA.

  Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1935   "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" rec'd by Nelson Eddy (Victor). Later, Eddy rec'd the tune w/ Jeanette MacDonald.
     1941   Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven "Everything's Been Done Before"
     1941   Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven "I Cover the Waterfront"
     1950   "Third Man Theme, The", Guy Lombardo Orch
     1956   "Juke Box Baby", Perry Como
     1956   "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)", Perry Como
     1956   "Blue Suede Shoes", Carl Perkins
     1956   "Heartbreak Hotel", Elvis Presley
     1958   "Lollipop", Chordettes
     1958   "Breathless", Jerry Lee Lewis
     1958   "Dinner With Drac - Part 1", John Zacherle "The Cool Ghoul"
     1962   "Slow Twistin'", Chubby Checker
     1962   "Love Letters", Ketty Lester
     1973   "Sing", Carpenters
     1973   "Masterpiece", Temptations
     1979   "I Want Your Love", Chic
     1979   "He's The Greatest Dancer", Sister Sledge
     1984   "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)", Phil Collins
     1984   "Hello", Lionel Richie
     1990   "I Wanna Be Rich", Calloway