BIRTHDAYS
1945     Arild Andersen, Bass, b. Lillestrom, Norway
1949     Clifford Antone, founder: Antone's Club, and Antone's Records, b. Port Arthur, TX, USA.
1964     Scotty Barnhart, Trumpet, b. Atlanta, GA, USA.
1956     Ben Besiakov, Piano, b. Copenhagen, Denmark
1951     Scott Billington, producer (for Rounder Records), b. Melrose, MA, USA.
1954     Wendell Brunious, Trumpet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
1961     Igor Butman, Saxophone, b. Leningrad, Russia, d. 1941
1903     Leslie Carr, alto sax, b. Louisville, KY, USA.
1942     Philip Catherine, Guitar, b. London, England
1933     Floyd Cramer, C&W piano, d. Dec. 31, 1997, Samti, LA, USA.
1931     Frank 'Sonny' Dallas, (Jazz) bassist, vocalist, educator, b. Rankin, PA, USA, d. July 22, 2007, Patchogue, NY, USA. (Coronary Arrest). Age: 75. né Frances Dominic Joseph Dallas. Sonny started singing professionally at age eight, and went on to study the bass with Herman Clements, principal bassist of the Pittsburgh Symphony, who also taught jazz bassists Ray Brown and Paul Chambers. Early in his career, Mr. Dallas performed in orchestras led by Charlie Spivak, Ray Eberle and Claude Thornhill. In the early 1950s, after moving to New York in March 1955, Dallas worked with such Jazz stars as Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Mary Lou Williams, Bill Evans, George Wallington, Phil Woods, Elvin Jones, Marky Markowitz, Lennie Tristano, Ernie Royal, Phil Sankel (tpts); Eddie Bert, Billy Byers (tbs); Bob Brookmeyer (vtb) Lee Konitz (as), Bill Evans (p), Roy Haynes(Ds), Jimmy Giuffre(Arr), and Jim Hall(G), - among others. Dallas was also recorded on Lee Konitz's classic albums "Motion" and "You and Lee." In 1968, after moving to Shirley, Long Island, New York, he went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in music education at CW Post University and began a long teaching career at both Suffolk County Community College and Dowling College.
1949     Jack Daniels, C&W vocals/elec. guitar, b. Choctaw, OK, USA. Member: "Highway 101", comprised of Paulette Carlson (lead vocals and guitar), Cactus Moser (drums and vocals), Curtis Stone (bass and vocals) and Jack Daniels (electric guitar and vocals).
1958     Hazell Dean, r&r vocals.
1918     Gordon Delamont, Composer/leader/trumpet/teacher, b. Moosejaw, Sask., Canada, d. Jan. 16, 1981, Toronto, ONT, Canada. Originally studied trumpet with his father, Arthur Delamont. Gordon later moved to Toronto, where he played with local dance bands and CBC studio orchestras. During 1945-9, he led a dance band that was resident at the Club Top Hat, Toronto, and other southern Ontario halls. During the summer of 1949, he studied arranging, composition, and pedagogy in New York with Maury Deutsch, after which he opened his own studio in Toronto. For more than 30 years, he taught harmony, counterpoint, composition, and theory to such men as Peter Appleyard, Saul Chapman, Gustav Ciamaga, Ron Collier, Jimmy Dale, John Dobson, David Elliott, Jack Feyer, Doug Foskett, Bill Goddard, Hagood Hardy, Herbie Helbig, Paul Hoffert, Lawrence House, Don Johnson, Eddie Karam, Moe Koffman, Rob McConnell, Ben McPeek, Marek Norman, Lloyd Orchard, Bernie Piltch, Mort Ross, Fred Stone, John Swan, Norman Symonds, and Rick Wilkins. Delamont's theoretical texts have been used in schools and by musicians throughout North America. As a composer, Delamont applied classical forms to his Jazz studies.
1953     Peter Dodd, vocals/guitar, b. Halifax, England. Member group: The Thompson Twins, 1984 UK No.2 single You Take Me Up. The Thompson Twins was formed 1977 in Sheffield, England by three friends - Tom Bailey (bass, b. June 18, 1957 Halifax, England), Pete Dodd (vocals and guitar) and John Roog (guitar). In 1979 they moved to London where drummer Andrew Edge. (b. 8.12.1956 ) joined the band (and was replaced by Chris Bell in 1981). Early in 1980, Tom Bailey took over lead vocals from Pete Dodd. Around this same time Bailey met Alannah Currie (b. Sept. 20, 1959 Aukland, New Zealand) who was playing what only could be called a "manic" saxophone the all girl 'dread punk' group called "The Unfuckables". She soon became a full member of the Thompson Twins. In the summer of 1980, a Thompson Twins roadie named Joe Leeway (b. Nov. 15, 1957, London, England) began playing the bongos on stage and became a full member of the band. In early 1981, Alannah gave up the sax, switching to percussion, while Joe switched to playing congas.
CAUTION: The Pete Dodd of the Thompson Twins should not be confused with another Peter Dodd, who is an English composer and arranger of such music as "The Lark in the Clear Air". His other compositions include "Two Rhythmic Interludes" for bassoon and piano, published in 1971.
1951     Kenneth Downing, (heavy metal) guitar, b. West Bromwich, England. Member group: Judas Priest, 1980 single "Living After Midnight" charted UK No.12. (His stage name is K. K. Downing, but the middle "K" doesn't mean anything.)
1910     Folke Eriksburg, b. Stockholm, Sweden, d. June 11, 1976
1908     George Feyer, Pianist, b. Budapest, Hungary.
1952     Ken Filiano, Bass, b. Patchogue, NY, USA.
1939     Dallas Frazier, C&W singer/songwriter, b. Spiro, OK, USA.
1919     "Babs" Gonzales, (bebop) Vocals, b. Newark, NJ, USA. d. Jan. 23, 1980, New York, NY, USA. né: Lee Brown. Babs was part of the vocal group "Three Bips and a Bop", and also led bands and/or recordings that featured Tadd Dameron, Johnny Griffin and others. He wrote the self-published "I, Paid My Dues," a colorful (and often-inaccurate) memoir. Gonzales often discribed himself as a "bebop daddy".
1940     Lee Greenwood, C&W vocals/keyboards/sax/banjo/bass/guitar. CMA Male Vocalist of the Year [1983, 1984].
1955     Reggie Griffin, vocals/arranger, b. Indianapolis, IN, USA. With group: 'Manchild'
1958     David Hazeltine, Jazz pianist, b. Milwaukee, WI, USA
1963     Louise Hoffner, vocalist, b. Germany. 'Lou', as she is known, toured with her band for over 15 years, in Germany as well as abroad. She took third place in the 2001 Eurovision national finals, and she placed 12th in the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest, where she sang “Let’s Get Happy”, composed by (m) Ralph Siegel and (l) Bernd Meinunger.
1908     DeWitt "Snuffy" Jenkins, (Bluegrass) banjo, b. Harris, NC, USA.
1940     Anthea Joseph, music producer, b., d. Dec. 24, 1997
1934     Ivan Jullien, Trumpet, b., France
1933     Floyd Cramer, Pianist. Best recalled hit releases: "San Antonio Rose", "Last Date", and "On the Rebound".
1958     Simon Le Bon, vocals. b. Bushey, Hertfordshire. Englans. Member: 'Duran Duran'
1904     Nisse "Bagarn" Lind, Accordion/piano, b. Stockholm, Sweden, d. Oct. 25, 1941
1924     Bonnie Lou, Country/Rockabilly/vocals/guitarist, b. Towanda, IL, USA. née: Mary Jo Kath.
1913     Sam McCrary, lead vocals, b. Christiana, TN, USA. Member: 'Fairfield Four'
1944     Maurice McKinnies, guitar/drums, b. Pensacola, FL, USA.
1922     Loumell Morgan, piano, b. Raleigh, NC, USA. After Grad. College, joined Tiny Bradshaw orch. Later with 'Slim and Slam', - a novelty duo that was formed in 1936, consisting of guitarist/singer Slim Gaillard and bassist Slam Stewart. Then formed own combo that was in two 1943 Hollywood films, -All By Myself, and Melody Parade.
1956     Joe Mullins, C&W Banjo, b. Middletown, OH, USA. Member: "Traditional Grass"
1934     Barre Phillips, Bass, b. San Francisco, CA, USA.
1913     Boyd Albert Raeburn, Tenor-soprano-baritone and bass sax, arranger, Leader, b. (on ranch near) Faith, SD, USA, d. August 2, 1966, Lafayette, LA, USA.
1948     Sherman Robertson, guitar, b. Breaux Bridge, LA, USA.
1897     Ernest Rogers, drums, d. 1967
1911     Curley Rhodes, C&W guitar/vocals, b. Tomahawk, WI, USA. né: Oral V. Rhodes.
1945     Marc Ryan, author (Book: Trumpet Records), b. Jacksonville, FL, USA (Marc also owns Accoustic Archives, and he is the older brother of Ryan Cabrera, guitar, b. July 18, 1982, Dallas, Texas, USA.)
1901     David Stone, announcer for the "Grand Ole Opry" show, and head of the 'Opry Artist's Bureau', b. Savannah,GA, USA.
1950     Randy Sutherland, guitar, b. Simcoe, ON, Canada. Member: Tamarack
1949     Garry Tallent, R&R musician. Worked with: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
1949     Jay Thomas, trumpet/flugelhorn/soprano-alto-tenor sax, b. Seattle, WA, USA.
1912     Gösta Törner, Leader/Trumpet, b. Stockholm, Sweden, d. Nov. 11, 1982, Stockholm, Sweden. In the late 1920s, he began his professional career and subsequently became one of Sweden's best Swing musicians. During 1933-'35, he worked with Sune Lundwall; 1936-'38, with the Sonora Swing Singers; 1937-'40 with Arne Hulphers; '40-42 with Sven Fors; and during '41-'50 with Thor Ehrling, In 1949, he was seen with the Swedish All-Stars performing at the Paris Jazz Festival. Beginning in 1943, he began leading, and recording, with his own groups. Throughout his career, he remained loyal to Swing and to Dixieland music.
1909     Henry J. Townsend, piano/guitar/vocal. In 1929, he cut his first record for the Columbia label. That same year saw the start of the great World economic depression, Louis Armstrong recorded "Fats" Waller's song "Ain't Misbehavin'", Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill's "Three Penny Opera" (Drei Pfennig Oper) debuted, and the first "talkie" motion picture was released. Townsend may be the oldest living "Delta Blues" recording artist (2003) and is certainly one of the oldest living recording artists in music history.
1924     George Wallington, Piano, b. Palermo, Italy, d .Feb. 15, 1993. né: Giorgio Figlia
1917     William Carl "Bama" Warwick, Trumpet, b. Birmingham, AL, USA.
1967     Scott Weiland, vocals, b. Santa Cruz, CA, USA. Member group: 'Stone Temple Pilots'
1929     Elmon Wright, Trumpet, b. Kansas City, MO, USA. d. 1984, - son of Lammar Wright (trumpet)
1939     Ruby Wright, C&W/Pop vocals, b. Nashville, TN, USA. CAUTION: Do not confuse with another singer named Ruby Wright, b. Jan. 8, 1914, d. March 9, 2004. For 20 years, Wright sang Cincinnati's radio station WVXU-FM '50-50 Club' show. Wright is perhaps best recalled for her singing of the Ruth Lyons composition "Let's Light the Christmas Tree", a holiday ballad that sold 250,000 copies in 1958.
1967     Joh Yamada, alto sax
         Notable Events on this date include:
1916.    First published reference to "Jazz" appeared in the entertainment newspaper 'Variety'.
1920.    On August 20, 1920, the Westinghouse corporation was granted a U.S. government commercial broadcast license to operate radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA, thus making KDKA the very first Commercial Radio Station in the USA. The term "Commercial radio station" is widely misunderstood. KDKA actually received the very first American official government license, but their early 'commercials' were offered gratis by the station. Westinghouse basically used the station to sell their own brand of radio receivers. In 1923, AT&T's radio station WEAF, in New York, accepted the first legally allowed paid for "radio ad". Because this station was owned by AT&T, it was the only station then officially allowed to engage in "toll broadcasting" under the RCA agreements. (However, other stations were already selling advertising time "sub rosa" -- because no one could stop them.) Ergo, in the history or "radiodom", WEAF goes down as the first "commercial" station, -that is, the first station to (legally) accept a 'paid-for Ad' (in the U. S. A.).
1966.    Wellman Braud, bassist, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 75( b. (Jan. 25, 1891, St James Parrish, LA, USA.
1975.    Oliver Nelson soprano, alto & tenor saxes, composer arranger died Oct 27 (heart attack) in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1977.    Eddie Summers, trombone, died in New Orleans, LA, USA.
1977.    "Peg Leg Sam" (né: Arthur Jackson), harmonica, died in Jonesville, SC, USA. Age: 65
1981.    Louis Metcalf, trumpet, died in New York (Jamaica), L.I., NY, USA. Age: 76 (Worked with early Blues singer Bessie Smith
1983.    "Professor" Nat D. Williams, DJ/WDIA, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 76
1988.    'Girlie' magazine publisher Larry Flynt paid a "hitman" 1 Million US$ to kill Hefner, Guccione & Frank Sinatra.
1990.    Bandlander Xavier Cugart died in Barcelona, Spain. Age: 90. (Coronary)
1993.    Jimmie Gordon, vocals, died in Carson City, NV, USA. Member: 'The Four Tunes'
1994.    Robert White, guitar, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 57
1986.    Alan Banscombe, piano, died in London, England. UK
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1947   "Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong", Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys (recording date)
1950   "Bushel And A Peck, A ", - Perry Como
1958   "Queen Of The Hop ", - Bobby Darin
1962   "Big Girls Don't Cry ", - Four Seasons
1962   "Return To Sender ", - Elvis Presley
1962   "Cha-Cha-Cha, The ", - Bobby Rydell
1973   "Most Beautiful Girl, The ", - Charlie Rich
1979   "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) ", - Barbra Streisand
1984   "Sea Of love ", - Honeydrippers
1984   "Cool It Now ", - New Edition
1990   "I'm Your Baby Tonight ", - Whitney Houston
1990   "Impulsive ", - Wilson Phillips
1990   "Way You Do The Things You Do, The ", - UB40
1990   "Because I Love You (The Postman Song) ", - Stevie B