BIRTHDAYS
1916     Burt Bales, Piano/Leader, b. Stevensville, MT, USA. d. Oct 26, 1989.
1927     Dewey Balfa, (Cajun) fiddler, b. (near) Big Mamou, LA, USA. A seminal figure in the revival of traditional Cajun music, Dewey introduced Cajun music to new fans all across the globe and inspired an entire generation of performers to explore their roots.
1949     Marcia Ball, piano, b. Orange, TX, USA
1976     Chester Bennington, vocals. Member group: 'Linkin Park'
1952     Jeri Brown, vocals, b. St. Louis, Missouri, USA
1938     Jo Ann Campbell, singer/actress, b. Jacksonville, FL, USA.
1914     Nick Caiazza, bass clarinet/Clarinet/Tenor Sax, b. New Castle, PA, USA.
1964     Tracy Chapman, vocals/guitar, b. Cleveland, OH, USA.
1908     Bob Chester, bandleader/tenor sax/clarinet/arranger/vocals, d. 1977, Had two theme songs, "Sunburst" and "Slumber".
1943     Jon Christenson, Drums, b. Oslo, Norway
1921     Jimmy Coe, alto & tenor saxes/clarinet. b. Tompkinsville, KY, USA. d. Feb. 26, 2004, Indianapolis, IN, USA. When he was just age 3, his family moved to Indianapolis, where he later graduted from Crispus Attucks High School. Jimmy, Freddie Hubbard, and Wes Montgomery, were amoung the Jazzmen who came out of the Jazz scene in Indianapolis during the 1940s and ''50s. In 1942, Coe replaced Charlie "Bird" Parker in Jay McShann's Big Band, and later played in Tiny Bradshaw's band. During the 1950s, he often recorded R&B tunes for some small labels.
1927     John Ross Twiston Davies, (reeds,trumpet, cornet, trombone)/ Discographer, vocal, recording engineer, b. Wivelsfield, England, d. May 25, 2004, England. John R.T. Davies, was also humorously known as "Sheik Haroun Wadi El Yadouinir", as a member of the Temperance Seven band. Some of their early 1960s top five hits included "You're Driving Me Crazy" and "Pasadena". Over his career, this excellent multi-instrumentalist (trombone, alto, soprano and baritone saxophones, guitar, banjo, and the trumpet) worked with many of Britain's leading postwar traditional Jazz musicians. However, much more significantly, he was a world authority on the remastering of classic jazz recordings. "RT", as he was known, was the son of a consultant dermatologist. At age four, he began playing the piano, and also took up the drums. Davies was educated at the progressive Dartington Hall school, and, from 1945 to 1948, saw National service in the 'Royal Signals'. This took him to Austria, where he began playing the guitar. He then played banjo in Mick Mulligan's band with George Melly. In 1949, Ken Colyer invited "RT", and his bass-playing younger brother Julian, to join what became the Crane River Jazz Band. "RT" was Colyer's trombonist. The band's success was responsible for launching the postwar British "trad" jazz boom. They revived the 1920s 'Dixieland' style, for the next two years, was so very popular. Subsequently, while working at his Heathrow airport "day" job, he began playing the alto-sax, and worked with such musicians as Monty Sunshine, Sandy Brown and Cy Laurie. By 1957, he was playing with Acker Bilk, and exploring sound engineering. In the mid-1950s, the band that would became 'The Temperance Seven' developed at the Royal College of Art, reinterpreting and improvising 1920s material. "RT" had replaced their original trombonist Paul McDowell (he returned later as vocalist). In the early 1960s, their work was produced by George Martin who (in the pre-Beatles era) worked on many EMI novelty and comedy hits. Throughout the 1960s, their releases were in the top 20 charts, though by 1968, as their chart success ebbed, they had effectively dissolved. Subsequently, "RT", together with American writer and cornetist Richard Sudhalter, and with 'Temperance Seven's' clarinetist and arranger Alan Swainston-Cooper, formed 'The Anglo American Alliance'. However, from 1972 to 1975, "RT's" largest involvement was playing with the 28-piece 'New Paul Whiteman Orchestra', which performed at the Royal Festival Hall, and famed Carnegie Hall in New York city. This project, the brainchild of RT and Sudhalter, was based on the transcripts of Whiteman's 1920s arrangements held in the US Library of Congress. For the remainder of his career, "RT" mostly concentrated on the remastering of old discs, with much of his work commissioned by specialist labels. Still, during the 1990s, he led his own band, 'Gentle Jazz', and appeared with both the Crane River and Ken Colyer memorial bands, and the New Orleans-styled 'One More Time'.
1892    Mort Dixon, composer, b. New York, NY, USA. d. March 23, 1956, Bronxville, NY, USA. (NYC Suburb)
1959     Richard Drummie, guitar/keyboard/singer-songwriter, b. London, England, UK. Member group: 'Go West', a singer-songwriter duo comprised of Richard Drumie, and Peter Cox (b. Nov. 17, 1955, London, England, UK). They were a songwriting team before forming 'Go West' in 1982. The publishers, ATV Music, had them writing for such artists as Peter Frampton and David Grant. They subsequently had a string of hits on their own.
1939     Don Edwards, (C&W) Singer/songwriter, Boonton, NJ, USA. A specialist who has dedicated his career to recapturing and preserving the spirit of the Old West by recording old (and new) Cowboy songs.
1909     Frank Edwards, guitar, b. Washington, GA, USA
1922     Larry Elgart, Alto Sax/Leader, b. New London, CT, USA.
1913     Kenny Gardner, Singer, b. Lakeview, IA, U.S.A. d. July 26, 2002, Manhasset, NY, USA. (Coronary following an appendectomy.) né:Kenneth A. Gardner. Best recalled as the vocalist with Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians, where he sang on "Enjoy Yourself, It's Later Than You Think", and "'Frankie And Johnny". He was married to Guy's sister Elaine Lombardo.
1946     "Ranger" Doug Green, (Bluegrass/C&W) guitar/vocals, b. Great Lakes Naval Base (near Waukegan), IL, USA. Member group: 'Riders In The Sky'
1937     "Tall" Paul Hankins, guitar/piano, b, Mobile, AL, USA.
1937     Tommy Hunter, (C&W) Singer/songwriter, b. London, Ontario, Canada. One of Canada's best-loved Country music performers.
1897     Frank Hutchison, C&W vocals/guitar/harmonica, b. Logan, WV, USA.
1926     Janos Korossy, Piano, b. Clu, Romania
1935     Sam Lay, drums, b. Birmingham, AL, USA
1957     "Spike" Lee, producer, b. Atlanta, GA, USA.
1917     Vera Lynn, vocals. b. England
1936     Harold Mabern, Piano, b. Memphis, TN, USA.
1956     Fonso Martin, percussion/vocals, b. ( Handsworth) Birmingham, England. Member group: 'Steel Pulse', a very popular British, protest-minded Rastafarian, Reggae band.
1946     Marcio Mattos, bass/cello
1918     Marion McPartland, Piano, b. Slough, Berkshire, England. née: Margaret Marian Turner. Marian's husband was famed cornetist Jimmy McPartland. (Apparently she mis-stated her age for years, but recently has admitted to 1918.)
1936     Vaughn Meader, vocals, b. USA. Member group: 'The 1st Family'
1963     Paul Anthony Mirkovich, Rock guitar, b. Studio City, CA, USA.
1906     Ozzie Nelson, Leader, b. Jersey City, NJ, USA, d. June 3, 1975 né: Oswald George Nelson
1950     Carl Palmer, Drums, b. Birmingham, Warks, England. Member group: 'Emerson, Lake, and Palmer'. (some sources say b. 1951)
1954     Roy Patterson, guitar
1951     Guy Perry, guitar, b. California. Member group: 'The Motels'
1961     "Slim Jim Phantom", (C&W) drums. né: James McDonnell. Member groups: 'The Stray Cats', 'Phantom, Rocker & Slick'. In 1984, 'Slim Jim' married Swedish actress Britt Eklund
1972     Shellie Poole, singer-songwriter, b. Essex, England. Member group: 'Alisha's Attic', Karen and Shellie Poole are the two sisters singer-songwriters who comprise 'Alisha's Attic'. They are the daughters of 1960s musician Brian Poole.
1937     Jerry Reed, C&W vocals, b. Atlanta, GA, USA. né: Jerry Reed Hubbard.
1937     Joe Rivers, vocals, b. Charleston, SC, USA. Member: 'Johnnie & Joe'
1959     Ian Rossiter, Drums. Member group: 'Stereo MC's'
1929     Sonny Russo, Trombone, b. New York, NY, USA.
1954     Jim 'Jimmy' Seales, (C&W) Guitar/vocals, b. Hamilton, AL, USA. Member group: 'Shenandoah'
1941     Mike Settle, Vocal/strings. Member 'The New Christy Minstrels'
1937     Eddie Shaw, tenor sax, b. Stringtown, MS, USA. Note: not born on Sept. 17.
1967     David Shuttleworth, drums, b. UK. Member group: 'Terrorvision', a group comprised of Tony Wright (Bass/Vocals), David "Shutty" Shuttleworth (Drums), Leigh Marklew (Guitar), and Mark Yates (Guitar);
1915     "Sister" Rosetta Tharpe, Vocal, b. Cotton Plant, AR, USA. d. Oct. 9, 1973, Philadelphia, PA, USA. née: Marie Knight. Rosetta was the daughter of a traveling missionary, Katie Bell Nubin, a classic gospel shouter known throughout the circuit as "Mother Bell". NOTE: Rosetta's precise date of birth remains unknown. Various sources give her date of birth varying between 1915 to 1921. For reference, The BigBands Database Plus used "Black Women in America - An Historical Encyclopedia" Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Darlene Clark Hine Copyright 1993, Carlson Publishing Inc., New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. ISBN 0-926019-61-9
1951     Jimmie Vaughan, guitar, b. Dallas, TX, USA. Member group: 'The Fabulous Thunderbirds', 'The Vaughan Brothers', and a solo artist.
1939     Sam Wellington, bass singer, b. Steubenville, OH, USA. Member group: 'The Four Guys'
1937     Geoff Wright, trombone
1948     Marva Wright, vocals, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. Tag: "The Blues Queen"
Notable Events occuring this date include:
1935.    "Your Hit Parade" debuted on network radio.
1936.    Benny Goodman orchestra recorded "Christopher Columbus" (Victor).
1976.    Princess White, vocals, died in Manaroneck, NY, USA. Age: 95
1981.    Sonny Red, alto sax, died in Detroit, MI, USA. Age: 48
1987.    Norman Harris, guitar, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 39
1989.    Archie Bleyer, bandleader/label owner (Cadence), died in Sheboygan, WS, USA. Age: 79
1991.    Billy Butler, guitar, died in Teaneck, NJ, USA. Age: 66
Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1942 "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", Benny Goodman Orch
     1961 "But I Do, (I Don't Know Why)", Clarence "Frogman" Henry
     1961 "Blue Moon", Marcels
     1982 "'65 Love Affair", Paul Davis