BIRTHDAYS
1951     Ray Benson, vocals/guitar, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. né: Ray Benson Siefert. Member group: 'Asleep At The Wheel', a 'Western Swing' revivalist group. Ray is also a solo artist.
1909     Son "Brownsville" Bonds, guitar, b. Brownsville, TN
1927     Ruby Braff, Trumpet/Cornet, b. Roxbury, Boston, MA, U.S.A., d: Feb 9, 2003, North Chatham, MA, U.S.A. (Complications of emphysema and asthma). né: Reuben Braff. Musically self-taught. In the early 1940s, he worked at local clubs and parties. In late '40s to early '50s, worked in the bands of clarinetists Pee Wee Russell, and Edmund Hall. In 1953, he relocated to New York city finding work with such men as Vic Dickenson, Buck Clayton, Urbie Green, Ellis Larkins, George Barnes, and Benny Goodman. Braff's personality was rather contrary, he had a short fuse, and was demanding and difficult to please. Throughout his life, he often fell out with friends and associates - his fellow musicians called him "Mr Hyde and Mr Hyde". In the '60s. Braff was working with pianist George Wein's Newport All Stars, and very fruitfully with pianists Ralph Sutton and Ellis Larkins, and also began touring more widely, During his stays in Great Britain, he often was a part of Scottish trumpeter Alex Welsh's group. From 1973 on, he often worked with guitarist George Barnes, rhythm guitarist Wayne Wright and bassist Michael Moore, producing some of the most exquisitely crafted and inspired, small-band performances in the history of Jazz. The group also made excellent recordings for the Concord label, and worked with singer Tony Bennett. (Although Braff's "short fuse" personality was responible for bringing the Barnes group to an end.) In 1974, He also performed with pianists Dave McKenna and Dick Hyman, working in Hyman's New York Jazz Repertory Company, - notably on a tribute to Louis Armstrong. He was a principal figure in the Concord label's stable of artists, and played a major role in consolidating the genre of 'mainstream jazz' (a term first coined by critic Stanley Dance.). In 1982, he began playing with tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, -a player who also preferred the music of an earlier Jazz world. In the 1990s, Braff began working for the Arbors label. In the early 1990s, serious illnesses seemed likely to end his career, but in 1994, he was able to return to the road. Perhaps, due to his early work with Hall, Russell and Goodman, Braff never did take to the later BeBop style. He loved the music of men like Louis Armstrong and Bobby Hackett, -men who had made their reputations 20 years before him. He once told an interviewer that "......what his music represented was simply adoration of the melody". He never married.
1943     David Briggs, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Florence, AL, USA.
1948     Michael Bruce, guitar/keyboard, (raised in) AZ, USA. Member group: 'Alice Cooper Band'. Michael was the main musical force behind the group, co-writing the majority of their tracks.
1894     James "Butch" Cage, fiddle, b. Hamburg, MS, USA.
1924     Beryl Davis, vocalist, b. Plymouth, England, UK, In 1922, Oscar Rabin formed his first band, The Romany Five, in partnership with his good friend Harry Davis, for an engagement, at the Palais de Dance in Derby, England. Rabin originally played violin but would, in time, adopt the Bass Saxophone. Harry Davis, - tall, dark and handsome, was chosen to be the guitar playing "frontman" or leader, while Oscar Rabin, small, balding, and stocky, became the business manager. Harry had two daughters, Lisa and Beryl. By the time Beryl was eight years of age (1932), she was already singing and dancing with the band at weddings and bar mitzvahs, and such. Primarily, Beryl was Tap Dancing, with some singing thrown in to round out the act. In 1939, now a young lady, Beryl was singing with the Hachett's Swingtette (at Hatchett's Restaurant - the band's violinist was Stephan Grappelli). During WWII years, Beryl sang with such bands as Geraldo's, and with Regimental Sergeant Major George Melachino's British Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces All during the 1940s, she appeared with many bands including Glenn Miller's AAF Orchestra, The Sky Rockets, Sam Donahue Orchestra, Robert Farnan's Concert Band and The Squadronaires to name a few. In 1947 Beryl emigrated to the United States of America (Where she lives today -2001- and is honorary mayor of a small western town.) In 1951, her father Harry, dissolved the Rabin / Davis band and followed his daughter to America. (Harry Davis - b. Liverpool, England, 1901, d. Los Angeles, CA, 1997 age 96 ) Beryl recently appeared at a Syd Lawrence Band re-union in England.
1972     Andrew Dunlop, guitar, b. Lenzie, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Travis'
1952     Edward Earley, trombone/arranger, b. St. Louis, MO, USA
1959     "Flavor Flav" (né: William Jonathan Drayton, Jr.) Rapper/pianist/drums, Roosevelt, LI, NY, USA. Member: 'Public Enemy'. Drayton, a classically trained pianist, attended New York's Adelphi University (in Long Island) where, while rapping under the name "MC DJ Flavor", he met then graphic design student Carlton Ridenhour (who was using the name of "Chuck D"). "Chuck D" combined students 'DJ Terminator X', 'Professor Griff' and 'Flavor Flav' to form "Public Enemy", and in 1987, released their debut album "Yo! Bum Rush the Show". "Flavor Flav" was 'Public Enemy's' drummer, and second 'rapper' (or vocalist, -the vocals were mostly done by 'Chuck D'). He provided a comic foil to 'Chuck D's' political message. 'Flav' has been credited with the development of the role of the rap sidekick (often referred to as a "Hype Man"). All during his time with the group, 'Flavor Flav' had numerous brushes with the law. A heavy drug abuser (mostly 'crack'), Flav had his driver's license suspended at least 48 times. (He now claims to no longer use drugs.) His stuttering vocal style influenced such well known rappers as "Busta Rhymes" and the late "Ol' Dirty Bastard".
1930     Tommy Lee Flanagan, Piano, b. Detroit, MI, USA. d. Nov. 16, 2001
1915     Sammy Gallop, lyricist/composer, b. Duluth, MN, USA, d. 1971, Hollywood, California, USA. This lyricist was educated at Duluth Junior College. He later wrote revues for New York's Latin Quarter nightclub, and also songs for the Broadway musicals "Star and Garter", "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" and "All For Love". Among his musical collaborators were Steve Allen, Jerry Livingston, Elmer Albrecht, Milton Delugg, Peter DeRose, Rube Bloom, David Rose, Guy Wood, David Saxon,Howard Steiner,Chester Conn, and James Van Heusen. Among his better known compositions are "Shoofly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy", "Wake the Town and Tell the People", "Elmer's Tune", "Meet Me Where They Play the Blues", "Maybe You'll Be There", "Half as Lovely", "Autumn Serenade","There Must Be a Way", "Outside of Heaven", "Somewhere Along the Way", "My Lady Loves to Dance", "Make Her Mine", "Forgive My Heart", "No Good Man", "Caribbean Clipper",, "Vagabond Shoes", "Night Lights", "The Right Thing to Say" and "Bluebird Singing in My Heart".
1883     Ernie Hare, singer (vaudeville), b. Norfolk, VA, USA. d., March 9, 1939. One half of 'The Happiness Boys', with Billy Jones. né: Thomas Ernest Hare (a bass/baritone). He began his recording career in 1918. During 1919 and 1920 he was Al Jolson's understudy during a run of "Sinbad." As Hare recorded with partners such as Al Bernard and Billy Jones, he continued to work as a solo artist using names such as Bob Thomas, Wallace Daniels, Arthur Grant, Henry Jones, Robert Judson, Walter Lang, Walter Leslie, Roy Roberts, Bob Thompson, "Hobo" Jack Turner and Frank Mann. He recorded with the Cleartone Four (Harmonizers Quartet), Crescent Trio, Harmonizers Quartet and the Premier Quartet (replacing Billy Murray in late Premier groups for Edison recordings). Hare probably had his greatest success working with Billy Jones. They met in 1919 and formed a team at the suggestion of Brunswick recording executive, Gus Haenschen. They recorded for Brunswick and many other companies as "Jones and Hare- The Happiness Boys" , and sometimes as just "The Happiness Boys". Jones was the tenor and Hare, the bass/baritone. When they performed on a network radio show for Interwoven Socks, they called themselves The Interwoven Pair. They also made theater and club appearances. They reached the height of their popularity in 1929-30. They also recorded using such names as 'Billy West & Bob Thomas', 'Thomas & West', Henry 'Jones & Billy West', 'Harry Blake & Robert Judson', 'Blake & Judson', 'Lester George & Walter Lange', and 'Scott & Lewis'.
1897     Al Hahn, leader. d. Oct. 1980
1906     Shelton Hemphill, trumpet, d. 1959
1906     Leslie "Jiver" Hutchinson, leader/trumpet, b. Kingston-Jamaica, BWI, d. Nov. 1959, Norfolk County, UK.
1932     Betty Johnson, vocals, b. Possum Walk, NC, USA
1963     Stuart Kerr, drums, b. Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Love & Money', 'Texas'
1933     Ernest Lane, vocals, b. Clarksdale, MS, USA.
1965Michael Halpin "Tramp" Lawing, fiddle/mandolin/guitar, b. Marion, NC, USA. Member: "Cactus Brothers". In 1986, vocalist/guitarist Paul Kirby and bass player John Golemon (who had been touring with the group "Walk the West") joined with multi-instrumentalist "Tramp" to play at a friend's funeral. Shortly afterwards, the trio was augmented with John Goleman's brother, Will Golemon (banjo/guitar), and the group, now calling themselves "The Cactus Brothers" started gigging around Nashville and the Southeast, playing traditional Country (acoustic) sets. Interestingly, Kirby is the son of songwriter Dave Kirby ("Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone"), while the Golemons are the sons of songwriter Guy Golemon. However, the Cactus Brothers really hit the road when their manager John Lomax III brought in dulcimer master David Schnaufer, drummer David Kennedy and steel guitar player Sam Poland,
1910     Bob Lessey, Guitar, b. British West Indies, d.
1959     John Lindberg, Bass, b. Detroit, MI, USA.
1967     Ronnie McCoury, Mandolin, b ?. Member: "Del McCoury Band," a group formed by (Bluegrass) Guitar/Banjo/Bass/vocalist Del McCoury (né: Delano Floyd McCoury, b. Feb. 1, 1939, Bakersville, North Carolina, USA.) and his sons Ronnie (mandolin) and Robbie (banjo) In 1997, the Leeds College of Music awarded him a Postgraduate Diploma in Jazz and Contemporary Music
1940     Vagif Mustafa-Zade, Piano, b. Baku, Azerbaijan, d. 1979.
1960     Steve Noble, drummer, percussion, bugle, prepared piano, marimba, saw, b. Streatley, Berkshire, England, UK. At just age 16, he was the drummer backing the visiting performers at Ronnie Scott's club. In the 1980s, he was a founder of the group "Loose Tubes", and worked with Django Bates in the early "Human Chain".
1954     Tim O'Brien, C&W vocals/multi-instrumentalist session player, b. Wheeling, WV, USA.
1892     James C. Petrillo, Head of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), b. Chicago, IL, USA, d.
1910     Yank Rachell, mandolin/guitar, b. Brownsville, TN, USA
1917     Junior Raglin, Bass, b. Omaha, NE, USA. d. 1955.
1909     Don Raye, vocals/songwriter, d. 1985
1902     Leon Joseph Roppolo/Rappolo, Clarinet, b. Lutcher, LA, USA. d. Oct. 5, 1943, New Orleans, LA, USA. In 1912, his family moved to New Orleans, where Roppolo was soon a part of the local musical scene playing clarinet with such future stars as the Brunies boys, Paul and Joe Mares, Louis and Leon Prima, Emmett Hardy, and the Loyacanos. In December 1920, Roppolo together with Emmett Hardy, Santo Pecora, and Johnny Frisco, joined Bee Palmer's vaudeville act "Oh Bee!" with whom they toured to Chicago. Three months later, in March 1921, the act broke up. Roppolo and Hardy then joined Carlisle Evans' band in Davenport, Iowa for the summer season, after which Roppolo joined trombonist George Brunies and cornetist Paul Mares in Chicago and formed the "New Orleans Rhythm Kings" (NORK). For the next 18 months, the NORK played dance music at a basement cabaret called Friars Inn (Wabash and Van Buren Streets), and during 1922 and 1923, they recorded three sessions for the Gennett label. It should be noted that Chicagoans went wild over the music. The NORK were to Chicago what the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) were to New York. It was a very exciting time for 'Dixieland' and 'Jazz'. It was also a time when these early Jazzmen were into drugs, - mainly marijuana During the NORK's stay at Friar's Inn, many observers noted that at the end of a set, Roppolo was often so high on marijuana that he couldn't get up out of his chair. He was also known to occasionally throw his clarinet against the wall when the drug affected his playing. With NORK's disbanding, Roppolo and Mares very briefly joined Al Siegel's band playing in New York's Greenwich Village section, and just a few weeks later, returned to Chicago and recorded with a slightly different lineup of the NORK. For a time, Roppolo played with Peck's Bad Boys in Texas, then rejoined Carlisle Evans for a job at the Marigold Ballroom in Minneapolis. In 1925, he returned to New Orleans and the Halfway House Orchestra He recorded - for the Okeh label, with the Halfway House Orchestra and on the very next day, with a new version of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings that included Mares, trombonist Santo Pecora, and several members of the Halfway House Orchestra. Two months later, at a Victor recording session, Roppolo stormed out of the session after an argument with Santos Pecora, and was replaced by Charlie Cordilla of the Halfway House Orchestra. (Some writers have noted that Leon's brother, Nick Roppolo, went into the recording studio and threatened Charlie Cordilla with bodily harm if he copied his brother's solo on "She's Crying For Me"). Not long after this, Roppolo's family had him committed to the Louisiana State Asylum for the Insane because they no longer handle his heavy marijuana use or his violent temper, Even at the Asylum, he played saxophone in the hospital band, and, when given a weekend pass, would sometimes play in New Orleans clubs. On October 14, 1943, at just age 41, Leon died..
1901     Alec Seward, guitar, b. Newport News, VA, USA
1906     "Buddy" Starcher, C&W singer-songwriter, b. (on a farm near) Ripley, WV, USA. né: Oby Edgar Starcher,
1956     Rich Szabo, trumpet, b. Newark, NJ, USA. Upon completing his musical studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University, (New Jersey, USA), Rich joined the Maynard Ferguson orchestra, and subsequently formed his own 16 piece Big Band in New York, NY. Besides playing with Maynard Ferguson, Rich has played in the bands of Billy May, Buddy Rich, Xavier Cugat, Ray Anthony, Tito Puente, Larry Elgart, Sammy Kaye, Sonny Costanzo, Buddy Childers, Charli Persip, Charlie Ventura, the New Jersey Pops Orchestra, and has been on TV playing lead trumpet with 'Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians'.
1959     Stan Thorn, C&W keyboards, b. Kenosha, WI, USA. Member group: "Shenandoah", formed 1985 with Stan Thorn (he left 1995), Marty Raybon (Vocals, b. Dec. 8, 1959, Greenville, Alabama, USA. -he left 1997), Jimmy Seales (Guitar/Vocals, b. March 20, 1954, Hamilton, Alabama, USA.), Ralph Ezell (Bass Guitar/Vocals, b. June 26, 1953, Union, Mississippi, USA), Mike McGuire (Drums/Vocals, b. Dec. 28, 1958, Haleyville, Alabama, USA.), and Brent Lamb (Vocals).
1954     Brian Torff, Bass, b. Hinsdale, IL, USA.
1942     Jerry Jeff Walker, ("Outlaw") C&W vocals, b. Oneonta, NY, USA. AKA: Ronald Clyde Crosby
1947     Robin Williams, (C&W) vocals/guitar, b. Charlotte, NC, USA. Member group: 'Robin & Linda Williams'. Linda was b. Anniston, AL, USA. They have appeared on such programs as "The Grand Old Opry," "Austin City Limits," "Music City Tonight," "Mountain Stage" and they frequently appear on "A Prairie Home Companion."
1954     Nancy Wilson, vocals/guitar, b. USA.
1922     John Young, piano, b. Little Rock, AR, USA.
Notable Events occuring this date include:
1940.    Sherman Dudley, owner (T.O.B.A. circuit), died in Baltimore, MD, USA. Age: 76
1943.    Shug Fisher, Stand-up Bass/Vocals/Comedy with the "Sons of the Pioneers," died.
1963.    'Peter, Paul and Mary' released their single, "Puff The Magic Dragon".
1970.    Tammi Terrell, vocals, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 24
1974.    Herman Lubinsky, label owner (Savoy), died in Montclair, NJ, USA. Age: 77
1975.    "T-bone" Walker, guitar/piano/songwriter, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 64
1976.    Arthur Gunter, guitar, died in Port Huron, MI, USA. Age: 49
1979.    Roy Montrell, guitar, died in Amsterdam, Holland, Age: 51
1983.    Ernie Royal, trumpet, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 62
1986.    Harry Carlson, label owner (Fraternity), died in Pompano Beach, FL, USA. Age: 81
1987.    William Houze, vocals, died in Sacramento, CA, USA. Age: 72. Member: 'The Deep River Boys'
1988.    Dannie Richmond, drums, died in New York (Harlem), NY, USA. Age: 52
1989.    John Simmons, vocals, died in Orange, NY, USA. Age: 41. Member: 'The Reflections'
1991.    Ivan Symonds, guitar, died in Montreal, PQ, Canada. Age: 57
1991.    Seven members of C&W vocalist Reba McEntire's band, including her tour manager, died in a plane crash near San Diego, California. (Paula Kaye Evans, Terry Jackson, Chris Austin, Kirk Capello, Joey Cigainero, Michael Thomas and Tony Saputo.) Federal Aviation inspectors later attributed the crash to Pilot error.
1993.    John "Mr. Bones" Burrill, bones, died in Boston, MA, USA. Age: 72
1996.    Joseph Pope, vocals (with the TAMS), died in Decatur, GA, USA. Age: 63
1996.    James T. Jones IV, critic (newspaper: USA Today), died in Jersey City, NJ, USA. Age: 35
Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1924 "Franky and Johnny", Fate Marable & his Syncopators
      1957 "Little Darlin'", Diamonds
      1959 "Come Softly To Me", Fleetwoods
      1959 "It's Late", Ricky Nelson
      1968 "Cry Like A Baby", Box Tops
      1968 "Young Girl", Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
      1974 "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song", Jim Croce
      1974 "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)", MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother)
      1974 "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", Main Ingredient
      1985 "All She Wants To Do Is Dance", Don Henley
      1985 "Crazy For You", Madonna
      1991 "I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)", Hi-Five
      1991 "Joyride", Roxette