BIRTHDAYS
1952     Paul Adkins, member: 'The Borderline Band'
1936     Walter Zuber Armstrong, alto sax, clarinets, flute, piccolo, piano, percussion, b. Tupelo, MS, USA.
1952     Tom Baker, trumpet, trombone, alto, tenor baritone sax, clarinet, b. CA, USA, d. 2001, Breda, Netherlands
1930     Walter Benton, tenor sax, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA, d. August 14, 2000
1951     Victor Bisetti, vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member: 'Los Lobos'
1975     Michael Buble, vocals, b. Burnaby, B.C. Canada
1926     Jacob "Jake" Carey, vocals, b. Pulaski, VA, USA. Member: 'The Flamingos'
1901     Joe Dobbins, piano, b. Brinkley, AR, USA
1938     Joe Clay, (Rockabilly) singer/guitar, b. Harvey, LA, USA. né: Claiborne Joseph Cheramie.
1887     Honore Dutrey, trombone, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. July 21, 1935 (or possibly 1937), Chicago, IL, USA, age 41. (Reference books all disagree on Dutrey's birth and death dates - possibly b. 1890 or '94.) This fine trombonist was one of the early New Orleans Jazzmen. Honore began his career in 1910 as trombonist with Jimmy Noone's, and other local New Orleans bands. In 1917, while serving in the U.S. Navy during WW1, an accident permanently injured his lungs, resulting in an Asthma condition that eventually took his life. Residing in Chicago, IL, USA, between 1920 and '24, his trombone was heard in such bands as Louis Armstrong's Stompers, Carroll Dickerson, Johnny Dodds, and Joe "King" Oliver's Creole Jazz Band.
1927     Johnny Fields, vocals, b. Lowndesboro, AL, USA. Member: 'Blind Boys Of Alabama'
1942     Inez Foxx, R&B/Soul vocals, b. Greensboro, NC, USA. (Teamed with brother; Charlie Foxx in group: 'Mockingbird')
1894     qhref="http://nfo.net/cal/tf4.html#ArtFreed">Arthur Freed, composer, b. Charleston, SC, USA. d. April 12, 1973, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1898     Martin Gabriel, cornet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. 1932, né: Martin Manuel Gabriel Sr. (some claim b. 1876) Beginning in 1913, Martin Sr formed and nominally co-led the 'National Orchestra' in New Orleans, as well as a "Gabriel Family" band. The Gabriels were a 'typical' New Orleans musical dynasty family. Uncle Albert "Dude" Gabriel was a clarinetist ( Martin Gabriel Sr.'s older brother by one year, and "Dude" lived to be 95-years-old ), Martin Gabriel, Jr. was a clarinetist, Manny Gabriel -drummer and clarinetist, Alberta Gabriel, was a pianist;, Clarence Gabriel, performed on both banjo and piano, and Percy Gabriel, -prinmarily Bass, but also tenor sax. Percy was perhaps the most widely traveled, playing at times in the East Coast (New York City), the West Coast, Texas and Chicago. He and brother Martin Gabriel Jr at one time co-led a band ("Gabriel's New Orleans Jazz Band") in Detroit, MI. Before joining the National Orchestra in 1913, "Uncle Dude" had played with Tom Albert in 1910, and then with the "Pacific Brass Band" up until 1912. With her father's demise in 1932, and the disbanding of the National Orchestra, Alberta apparently retired from actively playing piano. In those days, the public was not yet ready to fully accept female musicians.
1970     Macy Gray, R&B/soul vocals, b. Canton, OH, USA. née: Natalie McIntyre, 1999 album "How Life Is" charted US No. 4.
1894     Lou Handman, composer, d. Dec. 9, 1956
1902     Earl Humphrey, trombone, d. June 26,1971
1946     Doug Ingle, organ/piano/vocals, b. Omaha, NE, USA, Member group: Iron Butterfly, 1968 single "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" charted US No.14.
1927     Elvin Ray Jones, Drums, b. Pontiac, MI. USA. d. May 18, 2004. Member: 'John Coltrane Quartet'. Youngest member of a family of Jazz musicians from Pontiac Michigan, along with older brothers Hank (pianist) and Thad (trumpet). During 1946-'59, he served in the U. S. Armed Forces. After his discharge, he freelanced in his home area of Donald Byrd, Stan Getz, and also, in 1957, with the Sonny Rollins Trio recorded live at the Village Vanguard. In the fall of 1960, he joined Coltrane's Quartet, then playing in Denver, Colorado, where he replaced drummer Billy Higgins . remaining with Coltrane through January 1966 (with a brief absence in 1963). In late 1965, Coltrane added a second drummer, precipitating Jones's departure. Subsequently, he was a part of the Duke Ellington orchestra's European tour. Upon his return, he led a variety of groups (usually without a piano), and frequently with former Coltrane bassist Jimmy Garrison. He is still active today. (2002). In retrospect, it was Elvin's heavy Swing rhythm, combined with some complex polyrhythms, that was such an essential element in the sound of the Coltrane's classic quartet.
1967     Tutu Jones, vocals/guitar, b. Dallas, TX, USA.
1966     Greg Kane,keyboards, b. Coatbridge, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Hue & Cry', 1987 single "Labour Of Love" charted UK No.6. The group 'Hue and Cry", in addition to brothers Pat and Greg Kane, included Scottish born saxophonist Tommy Smith, American vibist Joe Locke, percussionist Trilok Gurtu and bassist Arild Andersen, among many others.
1949     Randy Klein, vocal/piano/lyricist
1913     William Lewis, piano/organ, b. Gates, PA, USA.
1914     "Hot Shot" Love, harmonica, b. Clarkendale, AR, USA.
1914     Marion Mann vocals. d.1966. Sang with Bob Crosby
1917     George Maycock, Piano, b. Panama, d. August 20, 1979
1953     John McFee, guitar, violin, pedal steel guitar, vocals, b. Santa Cruz, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Doobie Brothers'. John has recorded with Van Morrison, The Grateful Dead, Carlene Carter, Steve Miller, Emmylou Harris, Boz Scaggs, Elvis Costello, The Kendalls, Eikichi Yazawa, Link Wray, Crystal Gayle, Rick James, John Michael Montgomery, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, Ricky Scaggs, Nick Lowe, Pam Tillis, The Beach Boys, and many others. He was also a long time member of the group 'Clover', which was to evolve into 'Huey Lewis and the News', and has played on two of 'Huey's' albums.
1944     George Mraz, Bass, b. Pisek, Czechoslovakia
1939     Zbigniew Namyslowski, Alto Sax, b. Warsaw, Poland
1940     Joe Negroni, baritone vocals, b. New York (Harlem area), NY, USA. d. Sept. 5, 1978, USA. (cerebral hemorrhage-brain tumor). Member group: 'Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers'. (group also included Herman Santiago, Jimmy Merchant -tenor vocalist, and Sherman Garnes -bass vocalist, d. 1978 =age 38 -heart attack, and leader Frankie Lymon who died at age 35 due to overdosing Heroin.)
1935     Edward Nicholson, piano/trumpet, b. East St. Louis, IL, USA.
1964     Caecilie Norby, vocal, piano, lyricist, b. Frederiksberg, Denmark
1946     Trevor Leslie Oaks, Guitar, b. Leicester, England. Member group: Showaddywaddy, 1976 single "Under The Moon Of Love" charted UK No.1, (over 20 other UK top 40 singles). Showaddywaddy's original line-up had: Dave Bartram (Vocals), Buddy Gask (Vocals), Russ Field (Guitar), Trevor Oakes (Guitar), Al James ( Bass), Rod Deas (Bass), Malcolm Allured (Drums), and Romeo Challenger (Drums)
1912     Jean Omer, Clarinet/alto sax, b. Nivelles, Belgium
1946     Bruce Palmer, Bass guitar, b. Toronto, ONT, Canada. Member group: 'Buffalo Springfield', 1967 single "For What It's Worth" charted US No.17.
1946     Billy Preston, singer/songwriter/keyboards/organ/piano, b. Houston TX, USA, d. June 6, 2006. Age: 59 (Hypertension). Preston was a prodigy on organ and piano, In 1956, at age ten, he was playing keyboards with gospel diva Mahalia Jackson. In 1958, at age 12, he had a cameo role in a In 1956, at age ten, he was playing keyboards with gospel diva Mahalia Jackson. In 1958, he was featured in Hollywood' 'biopic' about W.C. Handy, 'St. Louis Blues', In 1962, at age 15, while he was on tour with 'Little Richard', he first met 'The Beatles' in Hamburg, Germany, where Billy and George Harrison became close friends. Billy went on to play keyboards for Sam Cooke, and was also in the band on the TV show 'Shindig'. Touring Britain, with Ray Charles, he again met George Harrison, and this time, the Beatles bought his recording contract from the 'Vee Jay' label, and signed him to their own new 'Apple' label. In the early 1970s, Billy had many (A&M releases) gold singles, including "Outa-Space", and "Will It Go Round in Circles". In 1975 he wrote Joe Cocker's big hit release "You Are So Beautiful", and he also toured with 'The Rolling Stones'. In 1978, Billy Preston appeared with the 'Bee Gees' in the title role of Robert Stigwood's movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Among those with whom he worked were such stars as Bobby Keys, Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner, David T. Walker, Splinter, Nicky Hopkins, Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Mahalia Jackson
1941     Otis Redding, R&B singer/songwriter. b. Dawson, GA, USA. d. Dec. 10, 1967, near Madison, WI, USA. (Plane Crash)
1945     "Dee Dee" Sharp, R&B vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. née: Dione LaRue. Perhaps best recalled for her singing with "Chubby" Checker.
1942     Luther Simmons Jr., vocals, b. New York (Harlem), NY, USA. Member group: The Main Ingredient. Originally called 'The Poets', -the group included Cuba Gooding (Lead Tenor vocals) b. April 27, 1944, New York, NY, USA; Luther Simmons Jr., Donald McPherson (both born in New York (Harlem.area), NY, USA, and Tony Sylvester b. Panama. The group is perhaps best recalled for their 1972 release "Everybody Plays the Fool."
1954     Bradley Parker-Sparrow, piano/composer/recording engineer/producer/author, b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1949     Larry Stabbins, saxophone
1952     David Stewart, Guitar/keyboard. Member group: 'The Eurythmics'
1935     Fred Stone, Trumpet, b. Toronto, Canada, d. Dec. 10. 1986, Toronto, ON, Canada
1907     Truman "Pinky" Tomlin, vocalist/Lyricist/Orch. Leader. b. Eureka Springs, OK, USA. d. Dec. 1987. His best recalled lyric: "The Object of My Affection"
1966     Jim Tomlinson, tenor and baritone sax, clarinet.
1935     Topol, Actor. nee: Chaim Topol. Included here basically for his singing in the Film version of the acclaimed Broadway show 'Fiddler On The Roof' (Zero Mostel was the star of the original New York stage presentation).
1947     Freddy Weller, guitar/singer-songwriter. Atlanta, GA, USA. né: Wilton Frederick Weller. Member 1969: 'Paul Revere and The Raiders' - a Pop/Rock group. Subsequently, Weller found solo success as a "Country" singer.
1951     Tom Wopat, (Rockabilly) vocals/actor/dancer, b. (on a small dairy farm, near) Lodi, WI, USA.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1950. ;   Clément Doucet, piano, died in Brussels, Belgium. (b. April 9, 1894/5, Brussels, Belgium) ( Perhaps best recalled as duo-pianist team "Wiéner and Doucet")
1956. ;   21-year-old singer Elvis "The Pelvis" Presley (appearing in a New York theatre) was seen this Sunday night, by 54,000,000 viewers (82.6 percent of the U.S. television audience) when he appeared on the CBS Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan fearing that Presley's wild Pelvic gyrations would lead the nation's females into a frenzy of untold proportions, demanded that the TV cameras not venture lower than Elvis' waist! Elvis sang "Hound Dog" and "Love Me Tender".
1962. ;   Tex Owens, C&W singer/songwriter, died. Age: 70,
1974. ;   Irvine C. Turner, ukelele, died in Newark, NJ, USA. Age: 59
1979. ;   Wilbur Ware, bass, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 56
1981. ;   Harry Nicolaussen, Orkester Journalen, died in Germany, Age: 72
1981. ;   Helen Humes, vocalist (June 23, 1913, Louisville, KY, USA), died in Santa Monica, CA, USA. Age: 68.
1981. ;   Francois Coppieters, piano, organ, leader, died in Germany ( b. Sept. 7, 1930, Brussels, Belgium )
1983. ;   Sandra Tilley-Miese, vocals, died in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Age: 38. Member: 'The Velvelettes'
1986. ;   Robert "Dean" Nolan, (gospel) piano, died in Detroit, MI, USA. Age: 74.
1993. ;   Singer Helen O'Connell died.
1996. ;   Bill Monroe died as a result of a stroke. Age: 84. Called: "The Father of Bluegrass"
2004. ;   Ernie Ball, guitar and guitar strings maker, died in California. Age: 74
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1903    La Paloma, -Senor Francisco. tune: Yradier
1913    Santley Tango, -Victor Military Band. tune: Hein
1916    Pua Mohala, -Horace Wright-Rene Dietrich. tune: nape
1916    Isles of Aloha, - Horace Wright-Rene Dietrich. tune: Dietrich
1925    The Death of Floyd Collins, - Vernon Dalhart.
1925    Wreck of the Shenandoah, -Vernon Dalhart.
1925    By Mothers Grave, -Vernon Dalhart.
1926    Twelfth Street Rag, -Abe Lyman's Californians. tune: bowman
1926    Beside A Garden Wall, -Abe Lyman's California Orch.
1926    Tell Me Tonight, -Charlie Straight and his Orch.
1926    Pal of My Lonesome Hours, -Abe Lyman and his Californians.
1926    It Made You Happy When You Made Me Cry, - Charlie Straight and his Orch.
1927    Charmaine, - Franklyn Baur voc.
1927    My Blue Heaven, - Don Voorhees and his Orch.
1927    Broken Hearted, - Seger Ellis.
1927    Kiss and Make up, - Seger Ellis.
1927    Ideal Serenaders (D. Voorhees band) A Shady Tree (voc. L.J.), - tune: W. Donaldson
1925    Hugo, I Go Where You Go, - Ross Gorman's Earl Carroll's Club Orch.
1928    Feather Bed, -Cannon Jug Stompers.
1928    Heart Breaking Blues, -Cannon's jug stompers.
1929    Nobody Knows (and nobody seems to care) (voc. s.l.), - Red Nichols and his Orch. tune: Irving Berlin
1929    Smiles (voc. A.L.), -Red Nichols and his Orch. tune: callahan-roberts
1929    Woman Down In Memphis, -Bud Billings and Carson Robison. (tune: Luther and Robison)
1929    Railroad Boomer, -Bud Billings and Carson Robison.
1929    Beneath Montana Skies, -Bud Billings and Carson Robison. (tune: Luther and Robison)
1929    You Made Me Want To Forget, -Bud Billings and Carson Robison.
1932    Say It Isn't So, -Rudy Vallee and his Orch.
1932    Me Minus You, -Rudy Vallee and his Orch.
1934    Lost In a Fog , - Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees.
1934    Out In the Cold Again, -Rudy Vallee and his Ct.yankees.
1936    Floatin' Down To Cotton Town, - Fats Waller and his Rhythm. Tune: Frost-Klickman
1936    S'posin', - Fats Waller and his rhythm. tune: Razaf-Denniker
1936    La de de La de da, - Fats Waller and his rhythm. tune: lewis-derose
1940    When You Awake, -Tommy Dorsey and his Orch.
1940    Anything, -Tommy Dorsey and his Orch.
1941    Body and Soul, -Dinah Shore with Orch. under dir. Henry Levine
1931    Sweet and Lovely, - Russ Columbo.
1943    Sunday, Monday Or Always, - Frank Sinatra
1946    Here's To The Ladies -Gene Autry
1946    Dixie Cannonball -Gene Autry
1949    Les Brown's Band of Reknown Tico Tico (45 rpm)
1949    Les Brown's Band of Reknown 'S Wonderful (45 rpm)
1949    Slippin' Around, - Margaret Whiting
1955    "Squeeze Box Boogie", - recorded by Clifton Chenier (for Specialty Records).
1957    Hula Love, - Buddy Knox
1957    Fascination, - Jane Morgan
1967    Never My Love, - Association
1967    Gimme Little Sign, - Brenton Wood
1972    My Ding-A-Ling, - Chuck Berry
1972    Ben, - Michael Jackson
1972    Burning Love, -v Presley
1972    Use Me, - Bill Withers
1978    You Never Done It Like That, - Captain and Tennille
1978    I Love The Nightlife (Disco 'Round), - Alicia Bridges
1989    It's No Crime, - Babyface
1989    Miss You Much, - Janet Jackson
1989    Mixed Emotions, - Rolling Stones
1989    Listen To Your Heart, - Roxette
1989    Sowing The Seeds Of Love, - Tears For Fears