1910 | John Smith, Traditional jazz pianist and banjo player from New Orleans, Louisiana. He played with 'Wooden' Joe Nicholas' Camelia Orchestra in the late 1920's, and later at Preservation Hall. He was the nephew of the famed 'Sugar Johnny' Smith.
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1912 | Don Byas, Tenor saxophonist in the early era of swing and be-bop. In the immortal words of Sonny Stitt "Years ago the game was vicious, cutthroat. Can you imagine Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry, Don Byas, and Ben Webster on the same little jam session? And guess who won the fight? That's what it was--a saxophone duel. Don Byas walked off with everything." Don Byas died August 24, 1972.
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1912 | Sir Georg Solti, Orchestra leader for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He died on September 5, 1997.
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1917 | Dizzy Gillespie, He was a trumpeter who played the horn that looked like it was pointed towards the jazz gods. He was one of the principal developers of bop in the early 1940s, and his styles of improvising and trumpet playing were imitated widely in the 1940s and 1950s. Indeed, he is one of the most influential players in the history of jazz. His recordings with the great tenor sax player, Charlie Parker, are timeless.
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1940 | Manfred Mann, Singer and musician in the "Earth Band" of pop and rock fame - "Blinded by the Light". Did you know that the Boss, Bruce Springsteen actually wrote that tune.
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1941 | Steve Cropper, Guitarist for the Blues Brothers and Booker T and the MG's.
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1942 | Elvin Bishop, Blues guitarist and singer - "Fooled Around and Fell in Love".
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1943 | Ron Elliott, Guitarist for the group, Beau Brummels.
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1946 | Lee Loughnane, Brass player for the pop and rock group, Chicago.
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1955 | Eric Faulkner, Guitarist for the pop group "Bay City Rollers" - "Saturday Night".
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1957 | Steve Lukather, Guitar virtuoso for the rock group "Toto" and legendary studio musician.
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