BIRTHDAYS
1962   Steve Alexander, drums, b. Wales, England. Member group: 'Brother Beyond'. Initially studied Psychology at University College in London. After graduating, found work as a sessions drummer, played with a variety of bands, and eventually regular working London's recording studios on film, TV, as well as playing with the BBC Radio Orchestra. He first came to wide attention as the drummer for late 1980's pop band 'Brother Beyond'. In 1995, Steve started working with 'Duran Duran', and for the next 5 years recorded and toured internationally with the group. In 1998, he began working with Jeff Beck. Working as a clinician for Zildjian (cymbals), he has toured extensively in the Far East, S. America and Europe. Steve has also worked as a composer, writing for TV and Films.
1946   Duane Allman, vocals, d. Oct. 28, 1971. né: Howard Duane Allman, part of 'The Allman Brothers' vocal group.
1926   Kaye Ballard, vocals/actress, b. Cleveland, OH, USA. née: Catherine Gloria Balotta. She has a distinguished career in the theatre; television. and film
1975   Dierks Bentley, C&W singer/songwriter, b. Phoenix, AZ , USA. After having moved from Arizona to Nashville, Dierks finally landed a major label deal and released his album, "Dierks Bentley". During the daytime, he was working jobs at the Country Music Association, the Country Music Hall of Fame. At night, he played in the small local venues.
1914   Clifton "Skeeter" Best, Guitar, b. Kinston, NC, USA. d. May 27, 1985, New York, NY, USA.
1946   J. Blackfoot, vocals, b. Greenville, MS, USA. Member group: 'Soul Children'
1963   Don Braden, tenor sax
1957   Jim Brown, vocals/drums. Member group: UB40, a popular Reggae and Pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. Interestingly, the band purchased its first instruments with compensation money Ali Campbell received after a bar fight. Among their hits, - to the band's amusement - was "Red Red Wine". Besides Brown, other members included Ali Campbell (guitar, lead vocals), Robin Campbell (lead guitar, vocals), Earl Falconer (Bass guitar, vocals), Norman Hassan (percussion), Brian Travers (saxophone), Mickey Virtue (keyboards), Terence Wilson (percussion, trumpet), Astro (toasting vocals), and Pablo Falconer (producer).
1940   Tony Butola (Butalo), vocals. part of 'The Lettermen' vocal group.
1916   Judy Canova, C&W vocals/comedienne, b. Jacksonville, FL, USA. d. August 5, 1983
1920   Pernell Charity, guitar, b. Waverly, VA, USA. d. April 12, 1979, Waverly, VA, USA.
1925   June Christy, Vocal, b. Springfield, IL, USA, d. June 21, 1990, Los Angeles, CA, USA. née: Shirley (or Sharon??) Luster, later aka Sharon Leslie. Tag: "The Misty Miss Christy". Became a star when rec. "Tampico" with S. Kenton Orch.
1965   Mike Diamond (Mike D), Rap/hiphop vocals, b. New York, NY, USA. Member group: The Beastie Boys. né: Michael Louis Diamond. Besides "Mike D", the group included "MCA" (born Adam Yauch, August 5, 1965), and "Ad-Rock" (born Adam Horovitz, Oct. 31, 1967). The three lads, who had come from wealthy middle-class Jewish families in New York city, first became involved in the city's punk underground while they were still teenagers.In the early 1980s. Diamond and Yauch formed the Beastie Boys, with drummer Kate Schellenbach and guitarist John Berry joining in 1981. The bands first jobs were playing underground clubs in and around New York city.
1891   Julian Fuhs, Piano/Leader, b. Berlin, Germany, d. Feb. 4, 1975, Miami Beach, FL, USA
1947   George Grantham, rock drums, b. Cordell, OK, USA. Member group: 'Poco'
1942   Norman Greenbaum, folk singer/songwriter/guitar, b. Malden, MA, USA. Some songs on his album "Pentaluma" were about his farm in Pentaluma, California ("Chicken capital of the world"). The tunes encompassed "hippie" ideas of going back to nature, and it was all done with Ry Cooder and other great musicians.
1953   Milton Holmes, Vocals, b. Richmond, VA, USA. Member: 'The Holmes Brothers'
1961   Paul King, guitar/vocals, b. Coventry, England. Member group: King. In 1996, King retired (once more), however, the 'King Earl Boogie Band' continued to perform.
1895   Sallie Martin, (gospel) singer-songwriter, b. Pittfield, GA, USA.
1945   Danny McBride, guitar, b. Somerville, Massachusetts (a suburb of Boston), USA. Member group: 'Sha Na Na'. At just age 14, Danny was the lead guitarist for the group 'Sha Na Na' during their TV series (which was seen in 32 countries). He went on to play "Johnny Casino", the bandleader at "The Prom" in the movie Grease. Working as both a sessions guitarist and backup singer, Danny has played with such stars as Willie Nelson, 'Bo Diddley' (né: Elias Bates), Mary Wells, Freddy Fender, Conway Twitty, Chuck Berry, Bobby Day, James Cotton, Delaney & Bonnie, and maybe 60-65 others. The original 'Sha Na Na' group, formed in 1968 at Columbia University in New York city, were undergraduate members of 'The Kingsmen', a glee club ensemble. Their pivotal performance was their appearance (second-to-last and one act before Jimi Hendrix) on the final day of a "small" regional festival that became known as 'Woodstock'. They consisted of "Dirty Dan" Mc Bride (now a Hollywood actor, voice-over artist, singer and guitarist, and solo act. Dan originally played in the group as a 'sub' between Vinnie Taylor's death and Elliot Randall (Enrico Ronzoni)'s tenure. Dan became 'full time' in May 1975), Lennie Baker (retired in "2000" and resides in his home state of Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard island), Scott ("Santini") Powell (became an orthopedic surgeon working in L.A.), Denny Greene (after leaving the group, studied law and became a college professor), Johnny Contardo (later found work as a journalist in L.A.), and Rob Leonard (became a Professor of Linguistics and Swahili at Hofstra University on Long Island, New York (doubtless, the only Swahili professor to have played at Woodstock!). Original bass singer Alan Cooper (has gone on to be a Professor of Theology at the Jewish Theological Seminary), Jon ("Bowzer") Bauman lives with his family in the L.A. area and still tours as a solo vocal act, and hosting shows. Original lead guitarist, Chris Donald died in 1974, and bassist David "Chico" Ryan passed away in 1998). NOTE: Beware of 'Danny of Sha Na Na' imposters. This *Danny McBride* was the ONLY Danny ever to be part of Sha Na Na.
1942   Meredith Monk, piano/vocal/composer, b. Lima, Peru
1962   Todd Nance, drums, b. Athens, GA, USA. Member group: Widespread Panic.
1947   Wayne Naus, trumpet, flugelhorn, educator, b. Boston, MA, USA. Wayne is not only a graduate of the Berklee College of Music (B.M.), but is currently (2007) an active member of the faculty. He has toured with the Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, and Lionel Hampton bands, and leads his own "Heart &amop; Fire" Latin jazz octet (with whom he recorded "Chase the Fire", and he also has recordings with Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson (RCA). Among the stars with whom he has performed are Arturo Sandoval, Gary Burton, Mike Gibbs, Mel Torme, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Tony Bennett, among others. He has appeared on numerous international television and concert performances, and is a published author ('Beyond Functional Harmony', published by Advance Music)
1956   Robert Poss, guitar/vocals, b. New York, NY, USA. Member group: 'Band Of Susans'
1921   Ray Price, Banjo/Guitar/Leader, b. Sydney, Australia
1930   Curly Putman, C&W songwriter, b. Princeton, AL, USA.
1965   Senen Reyes (Sen Dog), (hip-hop) vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: 'Cypress Hill', a group notable for being the first Latino hip-hop superstars, but who became notorious for their endorsement of marijuana. In 1986, the group DVX was formed when Cuban-born brothers Sen Dog (born Senen Reyes) and 'Mellow Man Ace' joined fellow Los Angeles residents 'Muggs' (né: Lawrence Muggerud, Jan. 28, 1968) and 'B Real' (born Louis Freese, June 2, 1970). In 1988, 'Mellow Man Ace' left the group, and they renamed themselves 'Cypress Hill' (after a local street). In 1991, they were signed by Ruffhouse/Columbia.
1949   Bill Reichenbach, trombone, (possibly b. 30th)
1897   Eck Robertson, C&W fiddler, b. Madison County, AR, USA.
1934   Colin Ranger Smith, Trumpet, b. London, England
1939   Dick Smothers, vocals/guitar. One of 'The Smothers Brothers' vocal group.
1946   Ray Stiles, bass guitar/vocals, b. Guilford, Surrey, England. Member groups: 'Mud', 'The Hollies'
1923   Tut Taylor, multi-instrumentalist C&W sessions musician, b. Milledgeville, GA, USA.
1947   Joe Walsh, guitar/vocals, b. Wichita, KS, USA. né: Joseph Fidler Walsh. Part of 'The Eagles',and ''The James Gang' groups.
1939   Kim Weston, vocals, b. Detroit, MI, USA. In 1961, after signing with Motown Records she married Motown producer and songwriter William "Mickey" Stevenson. While Kim is best known for her hit duet, "It Takes Two," with Marvin Gaye, she also recorded many solo songs.
          Notable Events on this date include:
1929.    Just three weeks after the stock market crash that plunged America and the rest of the world into the 'Great Depression', Leo Reisman and his orchestra recorded "Happy Days are Here Again" (RCA Victor).
1952.    Mal Hallett, leader, died in Boston, MA, USA.
1956.    Achille (Joseph) Baquet, clarinet, saxophone, died in New Orleans, LA, USA.
1962.    Bert Lown, leader, violin, died in , Portland, OR, USA. (heart attack)
1966.    Francis Craig, WSM music star, died Sewanee, TN, USA
1970.    Don Stovall, alto sax, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 56. Worked with Sammy Price
1977.    Lester Koenig, label founder (Contemporary Records), died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 58
1982.    Bobby Plater, alto sax, died in Lake Tahoe, NV, USA. Age: 68. Worked with Count Basie, and Tiny Bradshaw Orchs.
1990.    Earl Phillips, drums, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 70. Worked with Howlin' Wolf
1997.    Robert Palmer, writer, critic - (N,.Y. Times), reeds, died in New York, NY, USA (liver ailment complications)
CAUTION: Do not confuse with the British soul singer Robert Palmer, b. Jan. 19, 1949 in Batley, England, UK, d. Sept. 26, 2003 in Paris, France.
2004.    Bob Maize, bass, died in Burbank, CA, USA.
2004.    Charlie Cline, age 73, co-founder of the 'Lonesome Pine Fiddlers', died in Jasper, AL, USA.
          Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1919 "Dardanella", - Ben Selvin Orch. (sold 5 million copies)
     1954 "Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane, The", Ames Brothers
     1961 "Twist, The", Checker, Chubby
     1961 "Let There Be Drums", Nelson, Sandy
     1961 "Run To Him", Vee, Bobby
     1961 "Walk On By", Van Dyke, Leroy
     1965 "I Got You (I Feel Good)", Brown, James
     1965 "Over & Over", Clark Five, Dave
     1965 "I Can Never Go Home Anymore", Shangri-Las
     1971 "Old Fashioned Love Song, An", Three Dog Night
     1976 "Dazz", Brick
     1976 "After The Lovin'", Humperdinck, Engelbert
     1976 "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word", John, Elton
     1982 "Sexual Healing", Gaye, Marvin
     1982 "Africa", Toto