BIRTHDAYS
1946     Candice Bergen, actress.Daughter of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen
1941     Pete Birrell, bass, b.Manchester, England, UK. Member group: 'Freddie and The Dreamers'
1959     Dennis Chambers, drums, b. Baltimore, Maryland, USA
1937     Sonny Curtis, Guitar/songwriter. Member group: 'Buddy Holly & The Crickets'
1944     Don Dannemann, vocals, b.Easton, PA, USA. Two students, Tom Dawes and Don Dannemann, met while attending Lafayette College, and formed the 'The Cyrkle' (later made into a trio). Quite popular in the 1960s, their signature song was "Red Rubber Ball," written by Paul Simon (of 'Simon & Garfunkel') and Bruce Woodley (of 'The Seekers').Both Dawes and Don Dannemann have since found careers as "jingle" writers, with each heading up their own firms in New York city. Dannemann has written for Continental Airlines and Swanson Foods while Dawes has had success with, among other things, the Alka Seltzer "plop plop, fizz fizz" sloganed jingle which became a pop cultural classic.
1958     Claude Deppa, Trumpet/Flugelhorn, b. Capetown, South Africa. (Some sources claim :b. May 10)
1960     Marc Duncan, vocals. Member group: 'The Vibrators'
1953     John Edwards, bass. Member group: 'Status Quo'
1939     Nokie Edwards, guitar. Member group: 'The Ventures'
1914     Milton Estes, C&W vocals, b Arthur, TN, USA. Member: "Grand Ole Opry" Also worked with Bill Monroe.
1929     "H-Bomb" Ferguson, blues pianist, songwriter and lead singer, b. Charleston, South Carolina, USA, d. Nov. 26, 2006, Blue Ash (suburb of Cincinnati), OH, USA. (complications of emphysema and cardiopulmonary disease). né: Robert Percell Ferguson. Member: 'H. Bomb Ferguson and the Medicine Men'. At the time of his demise, Ferguson was the last performing member of the 'U.S. Blues Shouters'. He recorded during the 1950s and had a gold record - "Good Lovin". In the 1970s, he stopped recording but did make a comeback in 1985. Backed by The Medicine Men, he performed at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1992 and recorded an album, "Wiggin' Out," on the Earwig label in 1993. In 2003, he received a lifetime achievement award at the 2003 Cammy (Cincinnati Area Music) Awards. In October 2006, the Mayor of Cincinnati proclaimed Oct. 17 to be 'H-Bomb Ferguson Day' in Cincinnati. That day "Blues Legend: The Live & Times of H-Bomb Ferguson" was shown at the Madison Theater in Covington. Ferguson was age 77 at the time of his demise.
1946     Robert Fripp, Guitar, b. Dorset, England, UK. Member (and co-founder) of group; 'King Crimson', a group that recorded sporadically, through 1995, with Fripp being the only constant in a rotating set of band members.Fripp has also recorded with Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel and 'The League of Crafty Guitarists'.
1958     Martin Fry, vocals.Member group: 'ABC', whose original band members were: Martin Fry - vocals/songwriter, Mark White - guitar, Stephen Singleton - saxophone, Mark Lickley - bass and David Robinson - drums.
1944     Richie Furay, vocals/guitar, b. Yellow Springs, OH, USA. Member groups: 'Buffalo Springfield'; and founder of 'Poco'
1961     Sylvain Gagnon, bass
1962     David Gahan, vocals, b.Epping, Essex, England, UK. Member group: 'Depeche Mode'
1970     "Ghostface Killah", rap singer (singer?).
1935     George Golla, guitar
1911     Cecil Golly, leader, b.May 9, 1911, Spencer, Iowa, USA d.Aug.17, 1987, Minneapolis, MN, USA.(Cancer)
1962     Paul Heaton, guitar/vocals, b. Birkenhead, Merseyside, England, UK.Member groups: 'The Housemartins'; and 'The Beautiful South'
1946     Clint Holmes, vocals.
1949     Billy Joel, vocals, b.New York (Bronx), NY, USA (raised in Hicksville, LI, NY). Among his hit releases are "Pianoman", "Capt Jack", and "Bridge"
1953     Connie Kaldor, singer/songwriter, b.Regina, Sask., Canada
1945     Steve Katz, guitar/harmonica/singer/record producer, b.New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Member group: 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'
1946     Bobby Lewis, vocals, b. Hodgenville, KY, USA.
1949     Bob Margolin, guitar, b. Boston, MA, USA.
1948     Tania Maria, Vocals, piano, b.Sao Luis Mannhae, Brazil
1971     Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan, bass, b. Manchester, England, UK. Member group: 'Oasis'
1909     Don Messer, Fiddle, b.Tweedside, N.B.Canada, d.1973, "Don Messer and His Islanders" was one of Canada's most popular radio and TV programs.
1963     Ron Miles, trumpet/flugelhorn/piccolo/trumpet/percussion,
1942     Mike Millward, guitar/vocals, b.Bromborough, England, d.March 7, 1966, leukemia.Vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Fourmost.
1916     Zeke Morris, (Bluegrass) multi-instrumentalist, b. Old Fort, NC, USA.
1940     Dick Morrissey, Tenor Sax, b.Horley, Surrey, England, UK. d. Nov.8, 2000, Kent, England, UK. Age 60
1950     Tom Petersson, bass/vocals. Member group: 'Cheap Trick'
1899     Ed Pollock, reeds, b. New Orlean, LA, USA, d. June 1995, Chicago, IL, USA. Chicago (some sources say b. 1895 ) Backed" Ma" Rainey, Al Jolson, and led his own band in the 1940s
1937     Dave Prather, Sr., vocals, b.Ocilla, GA, USA, d. April 9, 1988 (auto crash). Member group: 'Sam and Dave'
1933     Lloyd Price, Pop vocals.
1926     A. C. Reed, tenor sax, b. Wardell, MO, USA.
1977     Dan Regan, rock guitar/vocals. Member group: 'Reel Big Fish'
1942     Tommy Roe, singer/songwriter, Sheila, Save Your Kisses; singer: Susie Darlin', Everybody, The Folk Singer, Sweet Pea, Hooray for Hazel, Dizzy, Jam Up Jelly Tight)
1911     Harry Simeone, Choral Director, b.Newark, NJ, USA. d. . Best remembered as the choral director on famed singer Kate Smith's Show (radio).
1912     George T. Simon, Writer/record producer/drummer, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Feb.13, 2001, New York, NY, USA (pneumonia, -he had been suffering from Parkinson's disease).
1914     Hank Snow, C&W Vocals/guitar, b. Liverpool, NS, Canada, d. Dec.20, 1999, Nashville, TN, USA.(Coronary Arrest).
1975     Tamia, R&B vocals, b.Windsor, Ontario, Canada. né:e Tamia Washington.
1969     Peter Wilkinson, Bass/Vocals, b.Liverpool, England, UK. Member group: 'Cast', lineup consisted of John Power (vocals/guitar), Peter Wilkinson (bass), Keith O'Neill (drums), and 'Skin '(né: Liam Tyson) (guitar).
1968     Anthony Wilson, guitar/composer. Member: 'Anthony Wilson Trio', comprised of Wilson on guitar, Joe Bagg on the Hammond B-3 organ and Mark Ferber on drums.Anthony is the son of famed big band leader Gerald Wilson.
CAUTION: There are other Anthony Wilsons. One is:
** Anthony Wilson, fiddle, b. Dec.27, 1974, Decatur, TX, USA (near Fort Worth). A child of a very musical family, Anthone was already playing the guitar at age 9.At age 16, he decided to learn how to play the violin, and was soon competing in Texas Style fiddle contests and playing in jam sessions and various clubs and dance halls in the north Texas area.Besides his contest fiddling, he is very proficient in the 'Texas Swing', 'Country' and 'Bluegrass' genres. He is also gifted with a fine singing voice.Among the acts with whom he has worked are Fiddlin' Frenchie Burke, Johnny Duncan, Leona Williams, Johnny Rodriguez, and Leon Rausch.
** Still another a Wilson is Anthony (Tony) Wilson (b.Feb.20, 1950, Manchester, England) who is a British record label.nightclub manager and journalist for Granada Television who made him 'anchor' of their rock programme "So It Goes". In a Manchester Guardian interview, Wilson has described his June 1976 viewing of 'The Sex Pistols" and 'The Clash' at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall, as an experience "nothing short of an epiphany".Wilson later founded the record label 'Factory Records', as well as opening his own nightclub in Manchester, - the Hacienda.
1965     Gerard Zappa, bass. Member group: 'Valentine', a group first consisting of guitarist Adam Holland and bass player Gerard Zappa. Later additions would be Craig Pullman on keyboards and drummer Neil Christopher and finally lead vocalist 'HUGO'. The group later adopted the name of 'Open Skyz', and toured with "Mr Big", a group comprised of Eric Martin (vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), and Pat Torpey (drums).They have since disbanded, with "Hugo" going on to a solo career.
CAUTION: DO NOT CONFUSE with the more famous Zappa family players.See 'Ahmet Zapper' on our May 15 calendar for example.
          Notable Events occuring this date include:
1919.    James Reese Europe, leader/songwriter, died in Boston, MA, USA. Age: 38
1959.    The Melody Maker (a U.K.journal) introduced the 'Juke Box Top 20' chart compiled from 200 Juke Boxes around the UK.
1962.    The Beatles signed their first recording contract.(EMI Parlophone)
1969.    Harold Logan, label co-owner (Double L), died in New York, NY, USA.Age: 45
1972.    A. C.Forehand, (gospel) guitar, died in Memphis, TN, USA.Age: 81
1974.    Linton Jacquet, drums, died in Oakland, CA, USA.Age: 63
1979.    Eddie Jefferson, (scat) vocals, died in Detroit, MI, USA.Age: 60
1980.    Elester Anderson, guitar, died in Tarboro, NC, USA.Age: 54
1982.    Olive Brown, (née: Olive Jefferson), vocals, died in St.Louis, MO, USA.Age: 68
1983.    Bob Neal, producer, died in Nashville, TN, USA.Age: 66
1984.    Nudie Cohn, clothing designer for many C&W (and other) stars, died in North Hollywood, CA, USA. Age: 81
1991.    Charles Fox, author/critic, died in Weymouth, UK, Age: 70
1994.    Warren Hebrod, tenor sax, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1995.    Marshall Royal, alto sax, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA.Age: 82
2001.    James Myers, songwriter, died in Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 81. (James composed "Rock Around The Clock")
          Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1929 "I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling", - Annette Hanshaw
      1931 "There Ought To Be A Moonlight Savings Time", Annette Hanshaw.
      1931 "Roll On Mississippi Roll On", Ray Carroll and his Sands Point Orch.(aka: Ben Selvin)
      1941 "Green Eyes", - Jimmy Dorsey
      1941 "My Sister And I", - Jimmy Dorsey
      1941 "Band Played On, The", - Guy Lombardo
      1945 "Candy", - Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford vocs.
      1946 "Gypsy, The", - Sammy Kaye
      1947 "Mam'selle", - Frank Sinatra
      1952 "Here In My Heart", - Al Martino
      1960 "Good Timin'", - Jimmy Jones
      1960 "Burning Bridges", - Jack Scott
      1964 "Walk On By", - Dionne Warwick
      1969 "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In", - The 5th Dimension
      1970 "Letter, The", - Joe Cocker <
      1981 "Jessie's Girl", - Rick Springfield
      1985 "We are the World", - USA for Africa
      1987 "Just To See Her", - Smokey Robinson