BIRTHDAYS
1922     Merv Acheson, Saxophone/Clarinet/Leader, b. Sydney, Australia, d. 1987.
1944     Rod Allen, vocal/bass guitar, b. Leicester, Leicestershire, England. né: Rodney Bainbridge. Member group: 'The Fortunes', formed in Birmingham, England, and comprised of Rod Allen, Glen Dale (né: Richard Garforth) -vocals/guitar (left 1966), Barry Pritchard -vocal/guitar/keyboard, Andy Brown -drums, David Carr -piano (left 1968), and Shel MacRae -guitar/vocals (joined 1966).
1935     Herb Alpert, leader/trumpet/label co-owner (A&M), b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. ("The Tijuana Brass")
1913     Etta Baker, guitar, b. Caldwell, NC, USA.
1923     Don Barksdale, label owner (Rhythm records), Berkeley, CA, USA.
1905     "Big Maceo", -- Please see: Major Merriweather, below.
1953     James Bradley, (gospel) vocals, b. Bay City, MI, USA.
1954     Tony Brock, drums. Member group: 'The Babys'
1933     Anita Carter, (C&W) vocals, b. Maces Springs, VA, USA. d. July 1999, Tennessee, USA.
1937     Elli Fordyce, (Jazz) vocalist/actress, b. New York, NY, USA. né: Elsa Frankl
1922     Howdy Forrester, fiddler, b. Vernon, TN, USA. Member groups: 'The Blue Grass Boys', and 'The Smokey Mountain Boys'
1928     "Lefty" Frizelle, (C&W) guitar/Vocals, b. Corsicana, TX, USA. d. July 19, 1975, Nashville, TN, USA. (Stroke victum), né: William Orville Frizzell
1921     Lowell Fulson, guitar/vocals, b. Tulsa, OK, USA.
1947     Al Goodman, vocals, b. Jackson, MS, USA. Member group: 'The Moments', and ''Goodman, Ray & Brown'
1911     Freddie Green, Guitar, b. Charleston, SC, USA. d. March 1, 1987, USA. Best remembered as part of "The All-American Rhythmn Section" of the Count Basie Orchestra: along with Jo Jones on Drums and Walter Page on Bass (Basie on Piano). Musically self-taught. Freddie spent his entire career with Count Basie band, during which time, ne never soloed or played an amplified guitar. Was in great demand, and played for recording sessions by such men as Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Billy Holiday, Illinois Jacquet, and Lester Young.
1943     Sharon Hampson, vocals (political activist), b: Toronto, Ont., Canada. member: "Sharon,Lois and Bram" group. (Lois Lilienstein b: July ;10, 1936; Bram Morrison b: Dec. 18, 1940)
1927     Hoyt Hawkins, C&W Baritone Vocals, b. Paducah, Kentucky, USA, d. October 27, 1982 Member: 'The Jordanaires' (1952)
1906     David Henecker, Composer/lyricist
1926     Roy Holliday, drums, b. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK. Roy was already playing professionally at age 16, and is still (happily) active today (2007). Roy is also a member of London's "Coda Club", an organization comprised of most of the surviving musicians from the Ted Heath Band and other players from the great British dance bands of the 1930's, '40's and '50s.
1953     Sean Hopper, organ/keyboard/upright bass/vocals, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. Member group: 'Huey Lewis & the News'
1950     Richard Hughes, drums/percussion. b. UK. Member group: 'Johnny Winter Group'
1926     Tommy Jackson, C&W fiddler, b. Birmingham, AL, USA.
1934     Shirley Jones, Actress/Vocals/tambourine, b. Smithton, PA, USA.
1910     Sammy Kaye, Leader, b. Lakewood, OH, USA. d. June 2, 1987, New York, NY, USA.
1934     John D. Loudermilk, Vocals/Composer, b. Durham, NC, USA. This star also plays Saxophone, Drums, Trumpet, Trombone, and Bass. Probably his best known composition is "Tobacco Road", a hard "Bluesy" song about Southern poverty. In 1964, a version by The Nashville Teens (a British Group) made the Top 20 chart. (Their only USA hit but Loudermilk's "Google Eyes" was a hit for them in the U.K., but a flop in the USA.) Later, Lou Rawls, the Jefferson Airplane, Edgar Winter, among others 'covered' "Tobacco Road". He has written very many songs, but his work has been quite erratic, - sometimes silly and other times gripping. His music covers the range of "Countrypolitan", Pop/Rock, Rockabilly, Country-Pop, Traditional Country, and Rock & Roll. In 1956, he had first songwriting hit with the George Hamilton IV release of "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" which reached the Top Ten. The next year, 1957, recording as Johnny Dee, he cut a few singles for Colonial Records (a small label in North Carolina). One of these was "Sittin' in the Balcony," which made the Top 40. In 1958, he signed with Columbia going from Johnny Dee back to his own name, John Loudermilk, and began to concentrate on songwriting. He then relocated to Nashville, TN, and eventually wound up working for Chet Atkins at RCA. During the late 1950s and early '60s, he composed many tunes that became hits for various stars. Marianne Faithfull had a UK hit with his moody "This Little Bird." Among his songs were "Ebony Eyes" (the Everly Brothers), "Angela Jones" (Johnny Ferguson), "Norman" (Sue Thompson),"Waterloo" (Stonewall Jackson), and "Abilene" (George Hamilton IV). Though still recording occasionally, he basically now composes for others. In 1971, "Indian Reservation" was first a hit for Brit vocalist Don Fardon, and then a chart topper for Paul Revere and The Raiders. It was Loudermilk's last big hit. Withdrawing from songwriting, he has spent the last 20 years studying ethnomusicology. He is still recalled as one of the weirdest figures of the early Rock & Roll.
1953     Greg Martin, guitar, b. Louisville, KY, USA. Member group: 'The Kentucky Headhunters'
1910     Bob McCoy, piano, b. Aliceville, AL, USA.
1958     Pat McGlynn, vocals/guitar, b. Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Bay City Rollers'
1905     Major "Big Maceo" Merriweather, piano/songwriter, b. Newnan, GA, USA, d. 1946 (complications due to a Stroke).
1895     Lizzie Miles, Vocals, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1963.
1946     Allan "Al" Nichol, guitar, b. Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Member group: 'The Turtles'.
1908     "Red" Norvo, Xylophone/Vibraphone, b. Beardstown, IL, USA. d. April 6, 1999, Santa Monica, CA, USA. Age 91. né: Kenneth Norville. Led own band 1935-44, with vocalist/wife Mildred Bailey. They were known as 'Mr and Mrs Swing'; Mildred was part American Indian, and sister of Al Rinker, one of the Rhythm Boys (Al Rinker, Harry Barris and Bing Crosby) with the Whiteman band. She was not easy to get along with and eventually caused the band's breakup. Red was with Benny Goodman in 1945; Woody Herman in 1946; Esquire Gold Award Vibraharp award in 1944-46.
1902     Santo "Mr.Tailgate" Pecora, Trombone, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1984, USA.
1960     Karin Plato, Vocals/Piano, b. Alsask, Saskatchewan, Canada
1949     Polly Podewell, vocals, b. Evanston, Illinois, USA
1929     Gene Puerling, vocal, arranger, b. Milwaukee, WI, USA.
1944     Mick Ralphs, guitar, b. Hereford, Hereford & Worcester, England. Member group: 'Mott The Hoople', ' Bad Company', and solo artist.
1944     Malcolm Roberts, Singer/songwriter, b. Manchester, England, d. Feb. 7, 2003, Addlestone, Surrey, UK. (Heart attack). worked with Lynsey de Paul, Sammy Cahn and Les Reed. His best known works are "May I Have The Next Dream With You" and "Time Alone Will Tell".
1928    Archie Semple, Clarinet, b. Edinburgh, , Scotland, UK, d. Jan. 26, 1974. "Archie Semple's Capital Jazz Band", and played with many others.
1964     Erik Turner, Guitar/Vocals, b. Omaha, NB, USA. Member group: 'Warrant'
1948     Thijs van Leer, flute, b. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Member group: 'Focus'. First studied art history at Amsterdam University, after which he attended the Amsterdam Conservatorium where he studied flute and composition. Guided by his father, a classical flutist, he earned a degree in flute from the Geneva Conservatoire. He also took piano lessons, and was also coached in orchestral arranging by Dutch arranger/composer/conductor Rogier van Otterloo. While still in school, he led his own Jazz group, playing the piano. His professional career began with the Ramses Shaffy cabaret group, where he did close-harmony singing and flute playing. He subsequently formed a trio tht freelanced backing other artists. He and his trio also played their own compositions, as well as works by 'Traffic' and the Canadian group 'The Collectors'. As if all this were not enough, van Leer took organ lessons from Dutch organist/conductor Anthon van der Horst.
1937     Jimmy Vass, alto-soprano sax, flute, b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
1959     Angus Young, guitar, b. Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Member group: AC/DC
   Notable Events occuring this date include:
1937.    Phil Harris vocal and Orch) recorded "Thats What I Like About the South".
1950.    Ada Scott Brown, vocals, died in Kansas City, MO, USA. Age: 59. Perhaps best recalled for her work with Benny Moten.
1968.    Enos William "Skeets" McDonald, (honky tonk) Singer-Songwriter/Guitar, died in California. Age: 52,
1977.    Lloyd Wilson Perryman, (b.January 29, 1917, Ruth, Arkansas, USA), Tenor Vocals/Guitar with the "Sons of the Pioneers (1936)," died. Age: 60,
1986.    O'Kelly Isley Jr, vocals, died in Englewood, NJ, USA. Age: 48. Member; 'The Isley Bros'
1991.    John Carter, clarinet, died in Inglewood, CA, USA. Age: 61
1993.    Mitchell Parish, composer, died in New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Age: 92
1995.    'Tejano' singer Selena was shot to death, age 23, at a motel in Corpus Christi, Texas by Yolanda Saldivar, manager of Selena's boutique, after Selena accused her of embezzling $30,000. Saldivar was convicted and sentenced to Life in Prison.
1995.    Carl Story, (Bluegrass) fiddler died. Age: 78
   Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1956 "Rock Island Line", Lonnie Donegan
     1956 "Magic Touch, (You've Got) The", Platters
     1958 "Oh Lonesome Me", Don Gibson
     1958 "Billy", Kathy Linden
     1958 "Don't You Just Know It", Huey "Piano" Smith
     1962 "Shout - Part 1", Joey Dee & The Starliters
     1962 "Soldier Boy", Shirelles
     1973 "Drift Away", Dobie Gray
     1973 "Wildflower", Skylark
     1973 "Stuck In The Middle With You", Wheel Stealers
     1973 "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", Stevie Wonder
     1979 "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)", Jacksons
     1979 "Goodnight Tonight", Paul McCartney
     1979 "Reunited", Peaches & Herb
     1979 "In The Navy", Village People
     1984 "To All The Girls I've Loved Before", Julio Iglesias
     1990 "What It Takes", Aerosmith
     1990 "Sending All My Love", Linear