BIRTHDAYS
1939    Liz Anderson, (C&W) singer-songwriter. b. Roseau, Minnesota. USA. née: Elizabeth Jane Haaby Anderson. She is the mother of singer Lynn Anderson.
1938     Sebothane Julian Bahula, Percussion, b. Johannesburg, South Africa
1962     Terence Blanchard, Trumpet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
1940     Charles Brackeen, tenor & soprano saxes
1906     John B. Brown, Bass, b. Dayton, OH, USA. d. August 12, 1987. né: John Benjamin Peabody Brown
1919     Dave Cavanaugh, tenor sax/producer, b. St. Paul, MN, USA, d. Dec. 31, 1981
1960     Adam Clayton, guitar/bass/singer, b. Oxfordshire, England. Member group: U2: heard on songs "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "With You or Without You"
1973     David Draiman, vocals, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Member group: 'Disturbed', a band formed in Chicago, 1997, when long-time friends Dan Donegan (guitar, b.Oak Lawn, IL, USA), Mike Wengren (drums, b. Chicago, IL, USA), and Marty "Fuzz" O'Brien (bass, b. Covington, KY, USA) who had been playing together in Chicago for some time, finally found a compatible singer in David Draiman.
1914     Robert Sherwood "Bob" Haggart, bass/composer/arranger, b. New York, NY, USA, d. Dec 2, 1998, Venice, FL, USA. (Cardiac Arrest.) Bob is probably best remembered for the wonderful drums (Ray Beauduc b. June 18, 1909 New Orleans, LA, USA, d. Jan 8, 1988 Houston, TX, USA) and Bass (Haggart) duet of a song that he wrote entitled "Big Noise From Winnetka". Just these two rhythm instruments played the rhythm and melody, helped only by a little bit of whistling by Haggart (rec'd: 1940). Haggart originally had formal instruction on the Guitar, but switched over (while still in High School) after dabbling with the trumpet and piano to the Bass (on which he is self taught). In his younger years he did somewhat abuse alcohol, but was successful in getting over the addiction early on. He joined the Crosby band in 1935, a co-operative band composed of the former members of the Ben Pollack orchestra. The band was briefly led by Gil Rodin, but it was soon decided that Bing Crosby's brother Bob would be a better "front man", although Rodin still continued to call the shots from his sax chair. Under the nominal leadership of Bob Crosby, the orchestra became one of the great successes of the swing era, combining popular dance band music with an exciting two-beat Dixieland style As a long time member of the Bob Crosby Orch. it was some of Haggart's arrangements that helped greatly to make the Bob Crosby orchestra a Big Band Era standout. In addition to arranging, he also composed some hit songs including "South Rampart Street Parade," "What's New," "My Inspiration," and the above mentioned "Big Noise From Winnetka." In 1942, Crosby disbanded, and Haggart freelanced as a studio musician, mainly for the Decca label. During this time, he also arranged for many artists, including Louis Armstrong. Still, he retained his playing connections with former Crosby-band colleague Yank Lawson. In the early 1950s, Haggart teamed with Lawson, for recordings as 'The Lawson-Haggart Band', and he also part of the 'Peanuts Hucko's Pied Piper Quintet'. In 1968, Lawson and Haggart co-led 'The World's Greatest Jazz Band'. And, during the summer of 1968, Haggart was a part of a group called the Ten Greats of Jazz, then playing at Elitch Gardens in Denver, CO, USA. In the group were "Yank" Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Cutty Cutshall, Lou McGarity, Peanuts Hucko, Bud Freeman, Ralph Sutton, Clancy Hayes, Haggart, and Morey Feld. Over the years, Bob Haggart was often found at the many "Bobcat" band reunions with Bob Crosby. He also a great favorite at the many Jazz festivals that he attended.
1956     Gary Guzzardo, drums. Member Group: 'Marshall Tucker Band'
1926     Roy Haynes, drums/bandleader. b: Rosbury, MA, USA. In 1944, he started his professional career freelancing in Boston, MA, and with 'Sabby Lewis Big Band', Frankie Newton, Luis Russell (1945-1947), and Lester Young (1947-1949) subsequently worked with such musicians as Bud Powell, Lester Young, Miles Davis, enjoyed a few engagements with Kai Winding, and then became a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet (1949-1952), Sarah Vaughn (1953-1958), Thelonious Monk, and Eric Dolphy (1960). In 1961- 1965, he worked with John Coltrane, both performing and recording, as a substitute for Elvin Jones. He has also recorded with Bud Powell, Wardell Gray, Stan Getz, Gary Burton, and is heard on Chick Corea's Now He Sings, Now He Sobs. album. He has also worked with group: 'Hip Ensemble'
1932     Jan Howard, (C&W) Vocals. Best recalled songs: "The One You Slip Around With", "Evil on Your Mind", "My Son"; Toured with 'Carter Sisters'
1916     Ina Ray Hutton, singer/leader/tap dancer, b. Chicago, IL, USA, d. Feb 19, 1984. Ventura, CA, USA (Diabetes). né: Odessa Cowan. From the age of 8, Ina, who was the daughter of pianist Marvel Ray, sang and danced in stage revues, including the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934. She was a Half-sister of 'June Hutton', vocalist with Charlie Spivak's band. In mid-1934, she organized an "all-girl" band, the Melodears. While the band played some hot swing, Ina, wearing a sexy gown, would do some hot dancing while "leading" the band. Ina's band was the only really prominent "all-girl", - woman-led Big Band during the Big Band era. (Phil Spitalny and His All-Girl Orchestra was the main competition, - but then Phil didn't wear a sexy gown, -nor did he dance very well.)
One of her memorable quotes:
"You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a good female trumpet player."
1924     Richard Aaron "Dick" Katz, pianist/composer, b. Baltimore, MD, USA. d. June 2, 1987, New York, NY. USA. Studied at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard, in addition to taking piano lessons from Teddy Wilson. Worked with: Tony Scott Quartet, Ben Webster, Kenny Dorham, the Oscar Pettiford Big band, and later with Carmen McRae. J.J. Johnson, and the Kai Winding group
1913     Sammy Kaye, Leader, b. Lakewood, OH, USA. d. June 2, 1987, CA, USA. In 1940, married Ruth Knox Elden, divorced 1956
1909     Saunders Samuel King, vocals, b. Staple, Louisiana, USA, d. August 31, 2000, Oakland, California, USA. Age: 91 (complications from a Stroke) A preacher's son, he early on sang gospel in his father's church in Oakland, CA, where he also learned to play the piano, banjo and ukulele. In 1938, he began playing guitar, and was soon singing on NBC radio in San Francisco, with the 'Southern Harmony Four'. Developing a passion for blues, King had his first hit in 1942 with "S.K. Blues.", -- which was also one of the earliest examples of the electric blues guitar style for which T-Bone Walker would soon become famous. In the 1940s, King was unfortunately burdened with numerous personal problems including the suicide of his wife in 1942, a serious wound from a .45-caliber pistol fired by his landlord in 1946, and his serving time at San Quentin prison for heroin possession. In 1961, King retired from music, and dedicated all his time to the church, -although he played on his son-in-law Carlos Santana's 1979 "Oneness" album. In 1999, a stroke partially paralyzed him. During his career, he had recorded for the Aladdin, Modern, and Rhythm labels.
1913     "Lightnin' Slim" né: Otis V. Hicks, guitar, b. St. Louis, MO, USA.
1930     'Blue' Mitchell, Trumpet, b. Miami, FL, USA. d. May 21, 1979, USA. né: Richard Allen Mitchell. Member 'The Horace Silver Quintet'
1901     Andrew Morgan, Clarinet/tenor sax, b. Pensacola, FL, USA. d. 1972.
1945     Michael Martin Murphy, (C&W) Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Banjo/Actor, b. Dallas, TX, USA.
1903     Bill Nettles, (C&W) songwriter/recording artist, b. Natchitoches, LA, USA.
1918     Tessie O'Shea vocalist/actress. d. 1995
1944     Bobby Patterson, vocals, b. Dallas, TX, USA.
1961     Toni Price, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1959     Ronnie Rogers, vocals, b. Nashville, TN, USA. Member Group: 'T'Pau'
1942     Nisse Sandstrom, Tenor Sax, b. Katrineholm, Sweden
1969     Stephen Scott, piano,
1939     Neil Sedaka, vocals/composer, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Perhaps his greatest recording: "Breaking Up is Hard to Do", "Oh! Carol", "The Diary", "Stairway to Heaven", "Calendar Girl", "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen", "Bad Blood", and "Laughter in The Rain".
1945     Candi Staton, vocals, b. Hanceville, AL, USA.
1933     Mike Stoller, (ref: Jerry Leiber). composer/record producer. b. Belle Harbor, NY, USA. Best recalled as member of songwriting team of Leiber and Stoller. Among their hit songs are "Love Potion No. 9" (The Clovers), "Stand By Me" (Ben E. King), "On Broadway" (The Drifters), "Smokey Joe's Cafe", "Up on the Roof", "Kansas City" (Wilbert Harrison), "Ruby Baby" (Dion), and "Hound Dog" (original 1953 release by "Big Mama" Thornton and covered in 1958 by Elvis Presley). For Broadway, they scored 'Jailhouse Rock'
1959     Melvin Taylor, guitar, b. Jackson, MS, USA.
1906     Frank Teschemacher, Clarinet/alto sax/violin, b. Kansas City, MO, USA. d. March 1, 1932 (auto accident). Member of one of the early Chicago Jazz groups, the Austin High Gang, In 1927, Frankie recorded in Chicago, IL, with a variety of overlapping 'pickup' groups. 1928 found him in New York city, where he played with the Ben Pollack, Sam Lanin, and Red Nichols orchestra before returning to Chicago. A car accident put an early end to his promising career.
1908     Johnny Williams, Jazz Bassist, b. Memphis, TN, USA. d. Oct. 23, 1998
1922     Willie "Rough Dried" Williams, drums, b. Lake Village, AR, USA.
1925     "Poor" Bob Woodfork, guitar, b. Lake Village, AR, USA.
1963     Billy Yates, (C&W) singer-songwriter, b. Doniphan, MO, USA.
1949     Donald York, vocals, b. Boise, Idaho, USA.
Notable Events occuring this date include:
1982.    Dave "Fat Man" Williams, piano, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age: 61
1985.    Bob Shad, arranger/producer, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 65
1991.    Bill Gazzarri, tagged: "The Godfather of Rock & Roll"West Hollywood, CA, USA. Age: 67
1994.    Danny Barker, guitar, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age: 85
1994.    Jimmy Ford, alto sax, died in Houston, TX, USA. Age: 66
2001.    Benny Martin, (C&W) fiddle, died in Nashville, TN, USA.
Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1942 "Zoot Suit, A", Kyser, Kay
     1942 "Miss You", Dinah Shore voc.
     1942 "Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie", Bing Crosby and Mary Martin duet recorded for Decca
     1961 "On The Rebound", Floyd Cramer
     1965 "Nowhere To Run", Martha & The Vandellas
     1971 "One Toke Over The Line", Brewer & Shipley
     1971 "Another Day", Paul McCartney
     1976 "Show Me The Way", Peter Frampton
     1976 "Right Back Where We Started From", Maxine Nightingale
     1976 "Boogie Fever", Sylvers
     1982 "Don't Talk To Strangers", Rick Springfield
     1982 "867-5309/Jenny", Tommy Tutone