BIRTHDAYS
1853     Monroe A. Althouse, Composer (Marches), b. Centreport, PA, USA. d. Oct. 12, 1924, Centre Township, PA, USA. A prolific composer and arranger who composed mainly Marches. He played violin, cornet and trombone with numerous local orchestras and bands. However, he is most recalled today as the leader of 'The Ringgold Band' of Reading, PA. USA. Althouse was director of the Ringgold Band from 1901 to 1923 and composed approximately 150 marches, waltzes, and polkas during his lifetime. The band was quite popular in it's day, and performed for a great many Public events, including for one President. Althouse was also the uncle to (NY) Metropolitan Opera tenor Paul Althouse (of Reading, PA). Sometime between 1886 and 1906, during his years as music director of Reading's Academy of Music (now the Rajah), his meeting with another famous Brass Band leader, John Philip Sousa developed into a lifetime friendship. (In 1932, Sousa died in Reading where he had come to direct the Ringgold Band.)
1943     Cilla Black, vocals/actress. b. Liverpool, England. née: Priscilla Maria Veronica White. Her single "Anyone Who Had A Heart" was a UK top hit in 1964, -18 more Top 40 UK Hits followed. Cilla, -Brian Epstein's discovery and protégé, was the first and only important female performer to emerge from Liverpool in the heyday of the Beatles and the "British Invasion". A one-time coat-check girl (in Liverpool's 'Cavern Club'), she was still learning to sing with confidence around the time that the Beatles were cutting their first EMI record.
1950     'Dee Dee' Bridgewater, Vocal, b. Memphis, TN, USA. (Denise Garrett)
1927     Ralph R. Carmichael, arranger, b. Quincy, FL, USA. Worked with Nat "King" Cole
1910     Earl "Jock" Carruthers, Alto-Baritone-Bass-tenor sax/clarinet/vocals, b. West Point, MO, USA. d. April 5, 1971, Kansas City, KS, USA. Carruthers attended High School in KC, and later attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1928, he was already working in Benny Moten's band. Circa 1930 or '31, he was in St. Louis working with such early Jazzmen as pianist Fate Marable and trumpeter Dewey Jackson. Then in 1932, Earl joined the sax section of Jimmy Lunceford's band, and remained with that great band until Lunceford died in 1947. (Listen to his great solos on Lunceford's recordings of "Organ Grinder Swing", and "Harlem Shout". ) He then worked with a group headed by Ed Wilcox and Joe Thomas before finally returning to Kansas City, - remaining their for the remainder of his career.
1935     Len Chandler, (folk) guitar, b. Akron, OH, USA.
1974     Alan Clark, C&W vocals. Member: 'Clark Family Experience'.
1945     Bruce Cockburn, folk guitarist, b. Ottawa, Ont., Canada
1948     Marc Copland, alto sax/piano/keyboards, b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Marc's career began as a saxophonist playing in the Philadelphia clubs and studios. After relocating to New York (where he met guitarist John Abercrombie) he experimented with the electric alto saxophone. For whatever the reason, he became dissatisfied with the sax, and began to study the piano. For the next 10 years, he dropped out of sight and wasn't heard of again until the 1980s, when he returned to the Jazz world. His piano playing was a revelation. Subsequently, he played with such artists as James Moody, Joe Lovano, Jane Ira Bloom, Wallace Roney, Tim Hagans and many others. Marc has recorded with John Abercrombie, and also formed some long-lasting musical relationships with bass player Gary Peacock, drummer Billy Hart and guitarist Vic Juris.
1930     Kenny Dennis, Drums, b. Philadelpia, PA, USA.
1931     Dis Disley, Guitar, b. Manitoba, Canada
1958     Neil Finn, singer-songwriter, b. Te Awamutu, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's foremost musicians, who after graduating from school was invited to London, England to join his brother Tim Finn's band "Split Endz", and promptly proceeded to write their first international hit, "I Got You". After Tim left in 1983, Neil briefly assumed leadership of the band. In 2004, Neil and Tim released an album "Everyone Is Here".
1957     Eddie Harsch, vocals, b. Atlanta, GA, USA. Member group: 'The Black Crowes', a group formed in 1985 in Atlanta, Georgia (USA).
1941     Teppo Hauta-aho, bass/composer,
1819     Julia Ward Howe, lyricist/poet. In 1862, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was first published in the magazine "Atlantic Monthly", with the lyric by Julia Ward Howe. The song is still heard today with the title "John Brown's Body".
1946     Zbigniew Jaremko, Tenor Sax, b. Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland
1936     Rufus "Speedy" Jones, Drums, b. Charleston, SC, USA. d. 1990
1966     Sean Kinney, Drums Member group: 'Alice In Chains'
1947     Peter Knight, Folk violin and mandolin, b. London, England, UK. Member group: 'Steeleye Span'
1947     Marty Kristian, vocals, b. Leipzig, Germany. né: Martin Vanags. Member group: 'The New Seekers'. Marty was raised in Australia, where he attended Melbourne University originally intending to be an architect. In 1969 he became a member of the original line up of the New Seekers, along with Chris Barrington, Eve Graham, Sally Graham and Laurie Heath. Marty wrote or co-wrote many of the New Seekers' songs. He left the group in April 2002.
1935     Ramsey Lewis, Piano/leader, b. Chicago, IL, USA. né: Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr.
1935     Ruby Lewis, vocals, d. May 20/21, 1964 (at night, under mysterious circumstances). Member group: 'The Drifters', a long-lived American band, originally formed by Clyde McPhatter (of Billy Ward & the Dominoes) in 1953.
1971     Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. 2002, La Cieba, Honduras (Car Crash). Member group: 'TLC', -this Atlanta, GA, based group was named for its members' initials: The "T" for Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, the "L" for Lopes, and the "C" for Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas. The title of their "CrazySexyCool" release reportedly referred their personalities, - Lopes ("Crazy"), Thomas ("Sexy") and Watkins ("Cool"). Lisa's nickname came from her habit of wearing a condom off the left side of her eyeglasses.
1962     Carlo Morena, piano/composer, b. Pescara, Italy
1900     Albert Nicholas, Clarinet/sax, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1973
1946     Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen, Bass, b. Osted, Denmark, d. April 19, 2005.
1932     Junior (Herman) Parker, Blues vocals, b. Clarksdale, MS, USA, d. 1971 (brain tumor).
1931     Kenny Price, C&W singer/songwriter, b. (rural) Florence, KY, USA. d. August 4, 1987 (Coronary). Perhaps, this 6 foot tall, 300-pound ("The Round Mound of Sound") actor/musician Price is best remembered for his work on the long-running television show 'Hee Haw'
1908     Harold Rome, composer/lyricist, b. Hartford, CT, USA, d. Oct. 26, 1993, New York, NY, USA. (stroke)
1963     Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Piano, b. Havana, Cuba. A prolific virtuoso player and composer, he fuses Cuban and American influences into a powerful and innovative hybrid. A fine Jazz pianist, the broader range of his recent work has shown a more mature Rubalcaba.
1948     Peter Sears, piano/vocals, b. South London, England, UK. Member group: 'Jefferson Starship' For many years Pete travelled back and forth between England and the USA, touring and recording with artists as diverse as Rod Stewart, Jerry Garcia, Roy Harper, Nick Gravenites, Taj Mahal and Harvey Mandel.
1924     "Brother" John Sellers, guitar, b. Clarksdale, MS, USA.
1926     Bud Shank, tenor-baritone-Alto Sax/flute, b. Dayton, OH, USA. né: Clifford Everett Shank, Jr.
1957     Siouxsie Sioux [Susan Ballion], volcals, b. Kent, England, UK. Member group: 'Siouxsie & The Banshees'
1921     Redd Stewart, guitar/piano, b. Ashland City, TN, USA. Was also heard on the 'Pee Wee' King Radio Show
1925     Patsy Stoneman, C&W autoharp, b. Galax, VA, USA. Member group: "Stoneman Family" Patsy was one of the 23 children born to Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman, and his wife Hattie Frost. (See May 25 calendar.)
1928     Arthur Watts, Bass, b. England, d. 1993
1939     Don Williams, C&W vocals, b. Floydada, TX, USA. "The Gentle Giant" had, starting in the 1970s, a string of countrypolitan hits that ran into the early 1990s. Over his career (so far), Don has had 17 number one hits.
1900     Chester "Little Bear" Zardis, Bass, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Aug 14, 1990.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1942.    George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs appear before Los Angeles county and California state Notary Public Leta Niccum to acknowledge that they have executed articles of incorporation for Liberty Records, Inc. which will be filed with the state of California on April 9, 1942. The three will apply for a Certificate of Amendment on May 27, 1942, before Ms. Niccum again, to change the name of the corporation to Capitol Records, Inc. which will be filed with the state of California on June 1, 1942. (thanks to Mr. Mark Heimback-Nielsen for this information)
1950.    Frank Sinatra made his TV debut appearing with famed comedian Bob Hope, on NBC's 'Star-Spangled Review'.
1962.    Jesse Crawford, organ, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 66
1971.    Bob Dunn, (Western Swing) Guitar, died. Age: 63
1985.    Clifton "Skeeter" Best, guitar, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 70
1987.    U2's sound system sets off earthquake alarms in two exclusive Rome, Italy, neighborhoods. (Don't you simply hate PA systems that you can hardly hear? )
1992.    Franz Rupp, piano, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 91
1994.    Red Rodney, trumpet, died in Boynton Beach, FL, USA. Age: 66
1996.    "Pud" Brown, sax/clarinet, died in Algiers, LA, USA. Age: 79
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1926 "Mountain Greenery", Roger Wolfe Kahn Orch.
      1949 "The Hucklebuck", - Tommy Dorsey
      1957 "Freight Train", - Rusty Draper
      1957 "Valley Of Tears", - Fats Domino
      1957 "Bye Bye Love", - The Everly Brothers
      1957 "Over The Mountain, Across The Sea", - Johnnie & Joe
      1957 "Teenager's Romance, A", - Ricky Nelson
      1967 "Come On Down To My Boat", - Every Mothers' Son
      1967 "Little Bit O'Soul", - Music Explosion
      1967 "She'd Rather Be With Me", - The Turtles
      1972 "Troglodyte (Cave Man)", - Jimmy Castor
      1972 "I Need You", - America
      1972 "Rocket Man", - Elton John
      1972 "Lean On Me", - Bill Withers
      1989 "If You Don't Know Me By Now", - Simply Red