BIRTHDAYS
1913     "Blue Lu" Barker, Vocal, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. May 7, 1998, New Orleans, LA, USA. (cancer) né: Louisa Dupont. Her husband was guitarist Danny Barker.
1938     Warren Bernhardt, Pianist/composer/producer, b. Wassau, WI, USA
1953     "Big DooWopper" (né: Cornell Williams), vocals/piano/organ, b. Grenada, MO, USA.
1951     John Brim, Jr., guitar, b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1921     Eddie Calhoun, Bass, b. Clarksdale, MS, USA. d. Jan. 27, 1994
1912     Ted 'Muttonleg' Donnelly, Trombone, b. Oklahoma City, OK, USA, d. May 8, 1958. Worked with many, but perhaps best recalled for his work with the Count Basie orch.
1939     Nat Dove, (Blues/Barrelhouse) piano, b. Mumford, TX, USA. (raised in Bryan, TX) Nat's mother, a church pianist, taught all her five children to play the piano. He later learned to play the trumpet, bass and drums, eventually learning to write songs, arrange and compose music. One of the last Blues pianists, Nat has been making music for over 4 decades. He can be heard on recordings by "Big Mama" Thornton, George “Harmonica"Smith, Robert Cray, "T-Bone" Walker, Freddie King, Pee Wee Crayton, Louis Meyers and "Big Joe" Turner, among many others. He has toured the world many times playing all the major capitals of Europe, Asia and the United States. Dove has also authored instructional books on Gospel Piano, and has co-authored books with "Memphis Slim" and Mickey Baker.
1917     Patrick Doyle, Irish jazz writer, b. Ireland, d. Nov. 29, 1997, Dublin, Ireland. age 80.
1928     Ernest "Ernie" Farrow, Bass/drums/piano, b. Huntington, WV, USA. d. July 14, 1969. Father taught him music.
1931     Sonny Fisher, (Rockabilly) vocals, b. Tyler, TX, USA.
1932     Dick Flood, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1953     Chris Flory, (Swing) guitar, b. New York, NY, USA. In 1974, he began working professionally in Providence, RI. In 1976, he first played with Scott Hamilton (tenor sax), who would become his long time associate. During 1979-1985, he worked with Benny Goodman, and he has also worked with such stars as Roy "Little Jazz" Eldridge, Illinois Jacquet, Bob Wilber, Buddy Tate, and Ruby Braff, among others. In 1992, he toured China with Judy Carmichael. He was often recorded by the Concord label (playing regularly with Hamilton), and led two of his own sessions.
1943     Byron Foulger, writer (Blues & Rhythm Mag), b. Sunderland, UK.
1943     Shelton Gary, drums, b. Fairfield, AL, USA. CAUTION: Do not confuse with rock vocalist Gary Shelton, now better known as Troy Shondell, b. May 14, 1940, Fort Wayne, IN, USA.
1915     Jack Guthrie, singer/songwriter, b. Olive, OK, USA. Woody Guthrie's cousin.
1942     John Hammond Jr., writer/producer. né: John Paul Hammond (also played guitar/harmonica)
1928     Hampton Hawes, Piano, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. d. May 22, 1977
1927     Delores Hawkins, vocalist, sang with Gene Krupa. d. 1987
1946     Ray Wylie Hubbard, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Soper, OK, USA.
1932     Buddy Killen, producer/music publisher (Tree Music), label owner (Dial), b. Florence, AL, USA. d. Oct. 25, 2006, Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 73. (complications from liver and pancreatic cancer). Killen, was one of Nashville's most prominent song publishers and producers, but was perhaps best known for was his publishing achievements (the giant 'Tree Music' firm). Still, his production and songwriting work was pretty interesting -- and not restricted to country by any means. During the 1960s he produced all the big hits of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee Joe Tex ("Hold On to What You've Got", "I Gotcha", "Skinny Legs and All", "Show Me", "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)" and many more. Among those with whom he worked as producer or writer include Elvis Presley, Carol Channing, Clyde McPhatter, Fats Domino, Paul Kelly (not the Australian singer/songwriter but the 1960s/'70s soul singer), Roger Miller, Dolly Parton (very early in her career), Jerry Lee Lewis, Doug Kershaw, Bill Anderson, King Floyd, Dottie West, Dallas star Audrey Landers, Clarence Reid (pre-Blowfly), Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Exile, George Jones, Esquerita (the obscure 1950s rocker who may have been wilder than Little Richard), Dale Hawkins, Bobby Marchan (New Orleans' foremost transvestite soul singer), Ray Stevens and Johnny Cash, and still others.
1919     John LaTouche, lyricist/writer, b. Richmond, VA, USA. d. Aug. 7, 1956, Calais, VT, USA. (Heart Attack). (some sources say d. 1957) né: John Treville LaTouche. Was the lyricist who worked on the show 1943 "Cabin In The Sky" and the 1946 film "Dreams that Money Can Buy". One of his best remembered songs is "Taking A Chance On Love".
1940     Janet Lawson, Vocal, b. Baltimore, MD, USA.
1945     Bobby Manuel, vocals, b. Memphis, TN, USA. Member: 'Booker T. & The MGs'
1894     Howard McFarlane, Trumpet, b. London, England, d. March 6, 1983 London, England, U.K. In 1919, he was working in 'Pit' bands of London's film theaters. He next joined Alex Hyde's band, which toured Germany in 1924. While in Germany, Hyde also recorded (for example: Vox 01622 "Mama Loves Papa, Papa Loves Mama"). While still on the Continent, Hyde disbanded, and Howard remained in Germany, where he found work playing and recording during 1924-'26 with the Bernard Etté Orchestra. During 1926-'27, he made some hot jazz recordings leading his own small groups. During the 1925-'32 period, he also played with violinist Dajos Béla's orchestra, and others. In 1933-4, he returned to England where he worked with trumpeter Jack Jackson band, then rejoined Bela for a 1935-'37 tour to Argentina. During 1937-'40, he wasagain touring Europe and from 1940 to 1957 (his retirement), he worked as one of the sidemen in the BBC Dance Orchestra.
1894     Benjamin "Benny" Moten, Piano/Leader, b. Kansas City, MO, USA. d. April 2, 1935. This fine pianist was already leading his own orchestra by 1920, a band that would serve as a 'launching' platform for many future stars such as Eddie Durham, "Count" Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Ben Webster, Walter Page, Lester Young, and Oran "Hot lips" Page, and others. Moten's tragic death occurred during a tonsilectomy when the surgeon's knife slipped and severed his jugular vein. After his death, "Count" Basie became Leader.
1939     Idris Muhammad, Drums, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. né: Leo Morris.
1932     Meg Myles, vocals, b. Seattle, WA. USA. née: Billie Jean Jones. In the 1950s, Meg was a popular men's magazine model and pinup girl. As an actress, she was seen in a TV soap opera, but is perhaps best known today for her starring role in the cult B-movie, 'Satan in High Heels' Her singing career consists of a couple of LPs, 'At the Living Room', and one with Jimmie Rowles, 'Meg and Me'.
1912     Singleton Palmer, Bass/Tuba, b. St.Louis, MO, USA. d. March 8, 1993.
1954     Ernst Reijseger, cello
1914     Ernest James "Jim" Riley, piano/vibes/banjo/arranger, b: Fremantle, WA, USA. Played With: Frank Coughlan; Ron Moyle 1937-38; Ken Murdoch; Merv Rowston; Swing Five; Except nine months in England with Nat Gonella and Charlie Lees
1931     Ricard Roda, Alto Sax, b. Barcelona, Spain
1942     John Rossi, vocals, b. Providence, RI, USA. Member: 'Roomful Of Blues'
1938     Tracy Schwartz, (Bluegrass) Fiddler (and multi-instrumentalist), b. New York, NY, USA. Member: "The New Lost City Ramblers"
1927     Richard Anthony "Dick" Sherman, Trumpet/composer, b. New York City, - Studied at Juilliard Sch. of Mus. (NYC). On tour with B. Goodman; C. Barnet; Johnny Richards orchs.
1915     Clement Tervalon, bass/tuba, b: New Orleans, LA, USA. d: Dec. 2, 1989, New Orleans, LA. Played with Bessie Smith on the vaudeville circuit.
1944     Timmy Thomas, vocals, b. Evansville, IN, USA.
1953     Cornell Williams, (aka: "Big DooWopper") See Big DooWopper above.
1952     Tony Z, (né: Tony Zamagni) organ, b. Boston, MA, USA.
          Notable Events on this date include:
1937.   NBC introduced the first full-sized symphony orchestra formed exclusively for radio broadcast.
1966.   "Washboard Sam", washboard, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 56. aka "Ham Gravy", he was the illegitimate son of Frank Broonzy, the same man who fathered bluesman Big Bill Broonzy, who frequently worked with his half (?)-brother.
1973.   Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died.
1987.   Harold Vick, tenor sax, died in New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Age: 51
1990.   Lester Williams, guitar, died in Houston, TX, USA. Age: 60
1992.   Bobby McClure,vocals, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 50
1996.   Bill Doggett, C&W star, died. Age: 80
1999.   John Benson Brooks, piano, composer, died
1999.   Donald Mills, vocal, died
2000.   Cecil Blackwood, baritone vocalist with the " Blackwood Brothers," died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 66. (b. Oct. 28, 1934, Ackerman, MS, USA)
2001.   Panama Francis, drums, leader, died in Orlando, Florida, USA
2002.   Bill Berry trumpet, died
2002.   (Sir) Roland Hanna, piano, died in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA.
2003.   Ray Harris, (Rockabilly) vocalist, died. (b. Sept. 7, 1927)
2005.   Harry Gold, tenor and bassax, leader died Age: 98
          Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1961    "Tonight", Ferrante & Teicher
     1965    "Make The World Go Away", Arnold, Eddy
     1965    "I Will", Martin, Dean
     1971    "Cherish", Cassidy, David
     1971    "Scorpio", Coffey, Dennis
     1971    "All I Ever Need Is You", Sonny and Cher
     1971    "Family Affair", Sly & The Family Stone
     1976    "Hot Line", Sylvers
     1982    "Rock The Casbah", Clash
     1982    "Dirty Laundry", Henley, Don
     1982    "Girl Is Mine, The", McCartney, Paul
     1982    "You And I", Rabbitt, Eddie