BIRTHDAYS
1950     Mervyn Afrika, vocals, b. Capetown, South Africa
1931     Chris Albertson, writer/producer, b. Reykjavik, Iceland.
1907     Jamie Alston, fiddle, b. NC, USA. d. ?? CAUTION. Do Not Confuse with contemporary Guitarist Jamie Alston, member of group 'Shimmer' (Alston, plus vocalist Jade Hodgkiss; Guitarist Chris Waters; drummer Alex "B-Boy" Best; and bassist Sarah Spenser) , and founder of group Bon Leppard.
1944     "Joshie" Jo Armstead, vocals, b. Yazoo City, MS, USA. Member vocal group: 'The Ikettes'. She also sang on the 1962 US Top 20 hit 'I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)'.
1926     'Chuck' Berry, R&R singer/songwriter, b. St Louis, MO, USA. Perhaps biggest hit: "Roll over Beethoven". né: Charles Edward Anderson
1925     "Boogie Woogie Red" (né: Vernon Harrison), piano, b. Rayville, LA, USA.
1938     Ronnie Bright, Bassist, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Originally, 'The Coasters'. were a Los Angeles, CA, "doo wop" group called the 'Robins' who metamorphosed into 'The Coasters" (named for their U. S. West Coast base). The Starting in 1949 , The Robins had been recording and working with the composing team of Leiber & Stoller. When the Robins disbanded, lead tenor Carl Gardner (a recent addition) and bass Bobby Nunn formed a new group. They had been recording for the small 'Spark' label, but when their "Smokey Joe's Cafe" became to big a hit for Spark to handle, they were transferred to Atlantic Records,... keeping the team of Lieber and Stoller working for them. The initial Coasters lineup was enlarged by adding baritone Billy Guy (comic vocalist) and second tenor Leon Hughes, and with guitarist Adolph Jacobs. Ronnie Bright wasn't added until ca. 1971.
1904     "Stump" Evans, soprano and c-melody and baritone and Alto Saxes/clarinet, b. Lawrence, KS, USA. d. August 29, 1928, USA. Age: 24
1924     Allyn M. Ferguson, piano/arranger/composer, b. San Jose, CA, USA. Father was t'bone/pianist w/ West Coast bands. Allyn has BA and MA in music. Also studied trumpet with Loring Nichols (Red's Father). Allyn also led the studio orchestra for famed singer Andy Williams' TV Show.
1935     Gary Geld, composer, b: Paterson, NJ, USA. This composer worked with Lyricist Peter Udell, writing songs for such Broadway musicals as Angel (1978 - Book by Ketti Frings; based on book"Look Homeward Angel" by Thomas Wolfe), Purlie (1970 - Book by Ossie Davis), Shenandoah (1975 and revival 1989), Comin' Uptown (1979), and Amen Corner (1983)
1943     Russ Giguere, Guitar, b. Portsmouth, NH, USA. Member: The Association aka: Russ Gigure. 1967 single "Windy" charted US No.1.
1938     Jack Peter "Jumping Jack" Gilbert, clarinet, b: Greenwich-London,U.K. Played with: Eric Silk.
1946     Michel Graillier, piano, b.Lens/Belgium, d. Feb. 18, 2003, Paris/France. Age: 56. Among the men with whom Michel worked are Michel Petrucciani, Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Barney Wilen, Chet Baker, Riccardo Del Fra, François Jeanneau, Alain Jean-Marie, among many others. Michel admired the work of Bill Evans.
1910     Annette Hanshaw, vocals, b. New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. d. March 13, 1985
1922     Roland "Boy Blue" Hayes, harmonica, b. Laurel, MS, USA.
1933     Jessie Mae Hemphill, guitar, b. Como, MS, USA.
1896     Frederick Hollander, Composer, b: London, UK
1935     Bent Jaedig, Tenor Sax, b. Copenhagen, Denmark, d. June 9, 2004
1885     Chris Kelly, Cornet, b. Plaquemines, LA, USA. d. Aug 19, 1929, New Orleans, LA, USA. (Alcohol related). (some sources say b. 1890). In 1915, Kelly relocated to New Orleans and joined clarinetist Johnny Brown's band (eventually becoming the leader). He was an immensely popular player all during the 1920's ( "Careless Love" was perhaps his biggest hit). Originally, Kelly had studied music with Jim Humphrey (grandfather of Willie and Percy Humphrey). Today, Kelly is considered to be one of the three great unrecorded cornet legends of New Orleans jazz, - the other two being Buddy Bolden and Buddy Petit.
1952     Keith Knudsen, Drums/vocals, b. Ames, IA, USA. Member group: 'The Doobie Brothers'
1908     Conrad Lanoue, Piano/arranger, b. Cohoes, NY, USA. d. Oct. 15, 1972
1900     Lotte Lenya, Actress/singer. b: Penzing, Austria-Hungary. (now in Austria), d. Nov. 27, 1981,New York, NY, USA (cancer). née: Karoline Blamauer. Wife of composer Kurt Weill (March 2, 1900, Dessau, Germany, d. April 3, 1950, New York, NY, USA. (heart attack).
1961     Wynton Marsalis, Trumpet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
1959     Michael McCowin, vocals. Member: 'The Mighty Clouds Of Joy'
1936     J. C. Moses, Drums, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. d. 1977
1948     Laura Nyro, Singer/composer, b. New York (Bronx) NY, USA. d. April, 8, 1997, Danbury, CT, USA. nee: Laura Nigro
1919     Anita Belle O'Day, Vocalist, b. Chicago, IL, USA, d. Nov. 23, 2006, West Los Angeles, CA, USA. née: Anita Belle Colton. Raised largely by her mother, While still a teenager, she was on the road participating in dancing contests and later moving from dancing to singing at the contests. In 1941, after brief tenures with Benny Goodman (she toured Europe Oct '59 with Benny Goodman) and Raymond Scott, she landed a place in Gene Krupa's band. (best record: 1941s "Let Me Off Uptown" -with Roy Eldridge on trumpet and vocal) Left Krupa to briefly play with Woody Herman's band and then returned to Krupa who disbanded in 1943. Then joined Stan Kenton ('44-5) (best record with Kenton "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine"). During the 1950s and '60s, she recorded over a dozen LPs for the Verve label. During her most productive period, O'Day was hampered by heavy drinking and, later, drug addiction, but happily overcame it and has continued singing into the 1990s. O'Day has appeared in two films, the 'biopic' 'Gene Krupa Story' and 'Jazz On A Summer's Day'. The impact of her vocal style can be heard in the work of such other vocalists as Chris Connor and "The Misty Miss" June Christy.
1923     Dave "David Down or Dagwood" Rutledge, reeds/flute, b: Sydney-NSW, Australia. Has played with Aus. All Stars; Shirley Bassey; Sammy Davis Jr.; Bondi Esplanade 1945; Stan Kenton; Ron Gowans 1955; Gene Krupa; Julian Lee 1956-57; Reg Lewis; Henry Mancini; Wally Norman 1944; Buddy Rich; Frank Sinatra 1955; Mel Torme; Ron Webber; Leo White 1949; Terry Wilkinson.
1908     Marshall Stearns, Writer/historian, b: Cambridge, MA, USA. d. Dec. 18, 1966
1925     Rebecca Walker Steele, (gospel) vocals, b. Lakeland, FL, USA.
1966     Bill Stewart, drums, b. Des Moines, IA, USA.
1906     Johnnie "Geechie" Temple, vocal/bass, b. Canton, MS, USA, d. 1968
1903     Ambrose Thibodeaux, (cajun) accordion, b. Eunice, LA, USA. d. Nov. 1996. Age: 76. aka: "Ambrose Sam" During the 1950s and '60s, he was a well known accordionist playing "La La" or "Creole music" in and around St. Landry Parish, LA. His was a truly musical family. Brother Herbert Sam Thibodeaux also played in Ambroses band, and Ambrose Sam's nephews were all a part of 'The Sam Brothers Five. (Bassist Kenneth David often played with Thibodeaux's groups.)
1933     Bross Townsend, piano, d. 2003
1918     William Robert "Bobby" Troup, Composer/Vocals/piano, b. Harrisburg, PA, USA, d. Feb. 7, 1999, Sherman Oaks, California, USA. (heart attack). Age: 80.
1956     "Tenpole Tudor", vocals, b. Malta. né: Edward Tudorpole, "Tenpole", a former actor barely able to carry a tune, formed the band in 1974 with guitarist Bob Kingston, bassist Dick Crippen, and drummer Gary Long. The group, -who played a mixture of punk, pop, rock, and British dancehall music, developed an entertaining and ridiculous style. They were recorded by 'Stiff Records', a label well known for its stable of oddball artists.
1894     Esther Walker, vocals, b. Louisville, Kentucky, USA, d. July 26, 1943, Dallas, Texas, USA (cancer) Age: 48. née: Esther Thomas. Walker' only recorded during 1919-1920 and 1925-1927, during which time she produced some 32 sides for the Victor and Brunswick.labels. Perhaps her biggest success came in 1926 when she recorded the Brunswick sides "Ya Gotta Know How To Love" and "As Long As I Have You And You Have Me" , (452 kb): . In 1919, Walker first appeared on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre in the production of "Monte Cristo, Jr.". Later, that same year, she appeared at the 44th Street Theatre in the short-lived production of "Hello, Alexander", with songs by composer Jean Schwartz. She later married Karl Hoblitzelle (b. Missouri), a well known Texas movie theater owner, who was also the event manager at the St. Louis World's Fair. He later moved to Dallas and started a successful chain of vaudeville houses and movie theaters. It was a happy marriage for both of them.
1973     Myron Walden, Alto saxophonist/composer, Miami, FL, USA. (relocated to New York (Harlem), NY, at age 12).
1907     George Washington, Trombone, b. Brunswick, GA, USA. George, a very early New Orleans Jazz musician, played in the Buddy Pettit's 'Black and Tan Orch.' The orchestra's 1920 lineup consisted of:
      Buddy Petit (trumpet, leader)
      George Washington (trombone)
      Edmond Hall (clarinet)
      Pill Coycault (clarinet)
      Sadie Goodson (piano)
      Buddy Manaday (banjo)
      Chester Zardis (bass)
      Eddie "Face-O" Woods (drum)
      "Chinee" Foster (drum)
         Notable Events on this date include:
1899.    Gussie Lord Davis, Afro-American Songwriter, died in New York (Whitestone), NY, USA. Age: 35
1922.    British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) established
1925.    The 'Grand Ole Opry' American Country and Western music show opens in Mashville, TN.
1931.    Thomas Alva Edison, phonograph inventor, died in West Orange, NJ, USA. Age: 84
1944.    Hoppy Jones, bass vocals, died in New York (East Elmhurst), NY, USA. Age: 39 Member: The Ink Spots
1947.    Julius Daniels, guitar, died in Charlotte, NC, USA. Age: 44
1960.    L. C. Williams, vocals, died in Houston, TX, USA. Age: 36
1963.    Harty Taylor, C&W singer-songwriter, died. Age: 58
1975.    K. C. Douglas, guitar, died in Berkeley, CA, USA. Age: 61
1994.    Lee Allen, tenor sax, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 68
2002.    Donn Hecht, co-writer of "Walkin' After Midnight" died in Florida, USA. Age: 72.
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1935   "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", recorded this date by Tommy Dorsey Orch. (His theme song.)
1939   "All The Things You Are", Eddie Duchin and his Orch. (recording date)
1945   "Chickery Chick ", - Sammy Kaye Orch
1946   "Rumors Are Flying ", - Andrews Sisters
1946   "Coffee Song, The ", - Frank Sinatra
1969   "Something ", - Beatles
1969   "Come Together ", - Beatles
1969   "Smile A Little Smile For Me ", - Flying Machine
1975   "Nights On Broadway ", - Bee Gees
1975   "Island Girl ", - Elton John
1980   "Hit Me With Your Best Shot ", - Pat Benatar
1980   "More Than I Can Say ", - Leo Sayer
1986   "Way It Is, The ", - Bruce Hornsby
1986   "Love Will Conquer All ", - Lionel Richie