BIRTHDAYS
1947     Pat Alger, C&W composer, b. LaGrange, GA, USA.(In 1992, he was ASCAP Songwriter of the year.)
1910     Bardu Ali, guitar/leader/vocal, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, d. Oct.29, 1981, Inglewood, CA, USA. (some sources say b. 1906, but most say 1910.). Bardu was the REAL discoverer of Ella Fitzgerald, - and he had to convince his leader Chick Webb to take her on as the band's vocalist. (Later, Chick and his wife adopted Ella.) Bardu fronted the Webb band 1935-'39, and in later years became comedian Redd Foxx's manager.
1907     Albert Ammons, piano, b. Chicago, IL, USA. d. Dec. .5, 1949.Chicago, IL, USA. (some sources say d. Dec. 2, 1949). Best recalled as a Boogie Woogie Pianist.His best remembered recording is a Three Piano Boogie Woogie performance that featured himself, Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis.
1915     Julius Baker, flute/reeds, b. Cleveland, OH, USA. d. Aug.6, 2003, Danbury, CT, USA.Age: 87.
1943     John Banks, vocals, b. Liverpool, Englan d. Member vocal group: The Merseybeats, 1964 single "I Think Of You" charted UK No.5.
1943     Toni Basil,vocals/actress/dancer, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. 1982 single "Mickey" charted US No.1 and UK No.2.
1946     Duster Bennett, Blues vocals/harmonica.b.England, UK, d. 1978, England, UK. On his 1968 debut album (Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon label), "Smiling Like I'm Happy", he was backed by members of 'Fleetwood Mac'.He became a session harmonica player and a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.Sadly, in 1976, he was killed in an automobile accident.
1889     Don Bestor, bandleader, d. 1970.Don was the "Play Don" on the Jack Benny radio Show.(Also see entry for The Benson Orch.)
1934     "Little Joe" Blue, (né: Joseph Valery, Jr.), Blues vocals, b. Vicksburg, MS, USA, (raised in Tallulah, LA), d. 22 April 1990, USA.(cancer).In 1951, he moved to Detroit, MI, obtaining work in the Auto factories there.In 1954, he was drafted into the U.S.Army, and served two and a half years in Korea. After his service discharge, he began his career in the music business. Basically, his only real success was "Dirty Work Going On", released on the Chess label in 1966.He toured constantly, until his death.
1943     Steve Boone, bassist/vocals, b. New York, NY, USA. Member group: The Lovin' Spoonful The original duo of John Sebastian (b.New York, NY, March 17, 1944, vocals, guitar and harmonica) and Zal Yanoysky (b. Dec.19, 1944 Toronto, Canada, d. Dec.13, 2002, Kingston, Ontario, guitar and vocals) were joined by Steve Boone (b.Sept.23, 1943, Camp Lejeune, NC, USA, bass and vocals) and Joe Butler (b.Sept.16, 1941, Glen Cove, NY, USA, drums and vocals). Later, Jerry Yester (b.Jan.9, 1943, Birmingham, AL, USA.) joined the group replacing Yanoysky. John Sebastian, the son of a classical harmonica player, was the leader, main singer and songwriter.Growing up, he played in the Greenwich Village coffeehouses and was a popular sideman to various folk artists prior to forming the folk-rock ban d. Sebastian left the group in October 1968, and they soon disbande d. Sabastian went on to enjoy a reasonably successful solo career
1905     Myron "Tiny" Bradshaw, Leader, drums, vocal, b. Youngstown, OH, USA. d. Nov.26, 1958, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
1939     Roy Buchanan, guitar, b. Ozark, AR, USA. Roy was offered the job as Brian Jones' replacement with 'The Rolling Stones'. On 14 August 1988, after being arrested for drunkenness, be committed suicide by hanging himself in a police cell.
1945     Ronald Bushy, Drums.Member group: Iron Butterfly
1930     Ray Charles, Vocal, Piano,alto sax, b. Albany, GA, USA. d. June 10, 2004, Beverly Hills, CA, USA.(Liver failure.) né: Ray Charles Robinson.Ray has been Physically Blind since age six but possesses an incredible musical vision that spans R and B, Jazz, soul, pop, and country music.Ray's original style heavily influencded by Nat "King" Cole, but, in the 1950s, Charles broke new ground by combining energetic gospel with secular, sexual blues lyrics with his songs "Hallelujah, I Love Her" (1956) and "What'd I Say" (1959).In the 1960's, his style changed again this time combining soul, pop, and country, with songs like the number one hit "Georgia on My Mind" (1960).
1926     John William Coltrane, Tenor-Soprano sax/leader, b. Hamlet, SC, USA, d. July 17, 1967, Long Island, NY, USA.As a sideman with the Miles Davis group, and later as a leader of his own group, Coltrane was one of the principal Jazz figures of his era.
1970     Ani DiFranco, folk-punk singer/songwriter/guitar, b. Buffalo, NY, USA.
1929     Dottie Dodgion, Drums, b. Brea, CA, USA.
1938     Gerd Dudek, soprano-Tenor Sax, b. Gross Dobern, Germany
1947     Christian Escoude, guitar, b. Angouleme, France.
1959     Lita Ford, Guitar. Member group: 'The Runaways'
1928     Frank Foster, alto-soprano-Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Arranger, composer, b. Cincinnati, OH, USA. . né: Frank Benjamin Foster, III. Did much arranging for The Count Basie band. (NOTE: Definitely NOT b. July 23 as erroneously reported elsewhere.)
1950     George Garzone, tenor-soprano-alto sax, clarinet, flute, vocal, b. Boston, MA, USA.
1928     Michel Gaudry, double bass, b. Eu, France
1947     Don Grolnick, piano/composer/producer, d. June 1, 1996 (cancer). Age: 49
1962     Donnie Herron, C&W Guitar/Steel guitar, b. Steubenville, OH, USA. né: Donald John Herron, Jr.His band waas called 'BR549'
1943     Julio Iglesias, Vocals/guitar.né: Julio Iglesias de la Cueva.Besides being a Spanish professional soccer goalie, Julio is also in the Guinness Book of Records, -for sales of more than 100 million copies of 60 LPs in five languages.
1923     Hopeton Johnson, piano, b. Roxbury, MA, USA
1938     Ben E.King, singer/songwriter, b. Henderson, NC, USA.né: Benjamin Earl Nelson. Member: 'The Drifters'
1875     John Lomax Sr, Author/Folklorist, b. Goodman, MS, USA. d. Jan.26, 1948, Greenville, MS, USA.
1921     Joe Hill Louis, guitar/harmonica/drums, b. Froggy Bottom, TN, USA.
1912     George Matthews, Trombone, b. Dominica, British West Indies, d. June 28, 1982.Worked with both the Lucky Millinder and Tiny Bradshaw orchestras.
1935     Les McCann, Piano/Vocal, b. Lexington, KY, USA.
1906     Willard F.McMurry, furniture store owner/musician, b. Alamucha, MS, USA. d. June 28, 1996. Willard is best known because of his wife, Lillian Shedd McMurry, b. Purvis, MS, USA, who died March 18 1999, in Jackson, MS, USA.(heart attack) While cleaning out one of her husband's stores, she found a stack of Blues records, and was so taken by them that she eventually signed some bluesmen (including Sonny Boy Williamson) and formed her own recording company, Trumpet Records.
1883     "Wooden" Joe Nicholas, Cornet/clarinet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1957
1985     Diana Oritz, vocals. Member group: Dream, 2001 single "He Loves You Not" charted US No.3 and UK No.17.
1947     Mary Kay Place, C&W vocals/actress, b. Tulsa, OK, USA,
1930     Irene Reid, vocals, b. Savannah, Georgia, USA
1935     Fenton Robinson, guitar, b. Minter City, MS, USA.
1920     Mickey Rooney, Actor/vocals.Mickey is listed here for all the wonderful Rodgers and Hart (and others) tunes he sang in his films.
1943     Walter and Wallace Scott, vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Whispers', This group was formed in Los Angeles (1964) by twins Walter and Wallace Scott, and also originally included Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson, and Gordy Harmon (who left in 1973).That same year, they began recording for the Dore label, and were subsequently heard on the Soul Clock, Janus, Soul Train, and Solar labels.In 1993, both the twin lead vocalists, Walter and Wallace Scott, each went out for solo careers.However, both men still maintain 'The Whispers' as an active group.
1947     Neal Smith, drums, b. Phoenix, AZ, USA. Member group: 'Alice Cooper', comprised of Neal, and Alice Cooper né: Vincent Damien Furnier (b.Feb.4, 1948, Detroit, MI, USA), Glen Buxton b.Nov.10, 1947, Akron, OH, USA, d. Oct.19, 1997, Mason City, IA, USA), Michael Bruce (guitar, b. March 16, 1948), and Dennis Dunaway (guitar, b. Dec.9, 1948). Neal currently has a thriving real estate company in Westport, CT.
1949     Bruce Springsteen, singer/songwriter, b. Freehold, NJ, USA.
1942     Jeremy Steig, Flute, b. New York, NY, USA. ( NOT b. 1943. -Son of famous cartoonist, William Steig)
1955     Leon Taylor, vocals.né: Melvin Leon Taylor.member vocal group: The Ventures
1941     Earl Turbinton, alto & soprano saxes, b. New Orleans, LA, USA, .d. Aug. 3, 2007, Baton Rouge, LA, USA. . Age: 65 (lung cancer ) (aka: "The African Cowboy, for his propensity of wearing cowboy type boots"). His brother was Wilson "Willie Tee" Turbinton ( b. Feb 6, 1944, New Orleans, LA, USA , d. Sept. 11, 2007, New Orleans, LA, USA, Age: 63. (colon cancer).)
1938     John Warren, baritone sax/composer, b. Montreal, Que, Canada.In the late 1950s, prior to his entering McGill University Conservatory, Warren was self-taught. From 1967-'76, now resident in England, Warren played, and recorded, with Westbrook's Concert Ban d. Starting in 1968, he led his own ban d. which at various times included saxophonists John Douglas Surman (b.Aug. 30, 1944, Tavistock, England), Ray Warleigh (b.Australia), Alan Richard James Skidmore (b.April 21, 1942, London, England), pianist John Taylor, and flugelhornist Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler (b.Jan.14, 1930, Toronto, Ont, Canada), -among others.In 1972, he also toured with the 'London Jazz Composers Orchestra', and in the 1980s, conducted and composed for Surman's 'Brass Project'.
1929     Herbert "King" Whitaker, tenor sax, b, SC, USA. /FRANK MOTLEY
1941     Norma Winstone, Vocal, b. London, England
1928     James Bryant "Jimmy" Woode, bass/piano/composer, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA, d. April 23, 2005 in Lindenwold, NJ, USA.In 1946, Woode began his professional career with his own ban d. Among his early musical associates were Nat Pierce, 'Flip' Phillips and 'Zoot' Sims.He also accompanied singers Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.In the early 1550s, Woode, was a member of the house band at George Wein's 'Storyville Club' in Boston, MA. There he had the opportunity to play with many visiting Jazzmen, and by 1955 his reputation as a solid section player was such that he was invited to join Duke Ellington, a job he held for five years.Upon leaving Ellington, he settled in Europe (first in Sweden).He later joined the Clarke-Boland Big Band, remaining with them throughout most of its existence (1961-70).
1927     "Mighty" Joe Young, guitar, b. Shreveport, LA, USA.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1969.    The London Daily Mirror printed a story saying that Beatle Paul McCartney was dead. It was the first time that particular rumor would make the rounds.
1972.    Calvin Frazier, guitar, died in Detroit, MI, USA.Age: 57. Played with T.J.Fowler
1974.    Robbie Mcintosh, drums, died in North Hollywood, CA, USA.Age: 24. Played with the 'Average White Band'
1980.    Houston Stackhouse, guitar, died in Helena, AR, USA.Age: 69
1982.    Jimmy Wakely died Mission Hills, CA, USA.
1986.    Jack Shook, age 76, singer/session guitarist, die d.
1987.    O.B.McClinton, songwriter, died in Nashville, TN, USA.Age: 47.
1989.    Bradley Kincaid, songwriter, died in Springfield, OH, USA.Age: 94.
1991.    Earle Spencer, leader, trombone, died in California, USA.
1994.    Dalton Reed, vocals, died in Minneapolis, MN, USA.Age: 42
1995.    Booker T.Laury, piano, died in Memphis, TN, USA.Age: 81. (Lawrence Laury)
2003.    Roy Horton, Country Music Promoter, (b.Broad Top, PA, USA) die d. Age: 88
2004.    Roy Drusky, C&W singer/songwriter (and member 'Grand Ole Opry'), died in Nashville, TN, USA.Age: 74
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1908    Marsovia Waltz, -Arthur Pryor's Ban d. tune: Lampe
1912    At The Ragtime Ball, -Peerless Quartet.tune: Lewis-Monaco
1914    When You Wore a Tulip, -American Quartet.tune: Percy Wenrich
1926    Oh! How I Love Bulgarians (vik), -Clevelanders.
1926    Yiddishe Charleston (vik), -Clevelanders.
1929    The Chant, -Dixie Rhythm Kings.
1929    Easy Rider, -Dixie Rhythm Kings.
1929    Old Folks Started It, -Minnie Wallace with Memphis Jug Ban d.
1930    My Baby Just Cares for Me, -Ted Wallace and his Campus Boys.
1931    You Call it Madness, -Ben Bernie and his orch.
1931    You Rascal, You, -Cab Calloway and his orch.tune: Sam Theard
1931    Wake 'Em Up, -Chicago Hot Five.tune: Sam Fried
1931    Just One More Chance, -Chicago Hot Five.tune: Sam Coslow-Jimmy Johnson
1931    Blues in My Heart, - Washboard Rhythm Kings.tune: Benny Carter
1931    Georgia On My Mind, -Washboard Rhythm Kings.tune: Hoagy Carmichael
1935    Mexicali Rose, -Bob wills and his Texas Playboys.
1943    Close To You, - Sinatra, Frank
1947    Say It Simple, - Pearl Bailey
1957    Happy, Happy Birthday Baby, - Tune Weavers
1967    To Sir With Love, - Lulu
1967    Expressway To Your Heart, - Soul Survivors
1967    How Can I Be Sure, - Rascals
1972    Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues, - O'Keefe, Danny
1972    Freddie's Dead, - Mayfield, Curtis
1978    Beast Of Burden, - Rolling Stones
1989    Dr.Feelgood, - Motley Crue
1989    Cover Girl, - New Kids On The Block