1890 | Paul Whiteman, He was a popular American orchestral leader. He was born in Denver, Colorado. After a start as a classical violinist and violist, he then led a jazz-influenced dance band which became locally popular in San Francisco, California in 1918. In 1920 he moved his band to New York City where they started making recordings for Victor Records which propelled he and his band to national prominence. He became the most popular band leader of the decade. In the late 1920s he recorded for Columbia Records. Paul died in 1967.
(134) |
1903 | Rudolf Serkin, Bohemian born pianist. He was hailed as a child prodigy, and he made his public debut with the Vienna Philharmonic at 12. From 1918 to 1920 he studied with Arnold Schoenberg and participated actively in Schoenberg's Society for the Private Perfomance of Music. He began a regular concert career in 1920, living in Berlin with violinist Adolf Busch and his family, which included the then three-year-old daughter Irene, whom Serkin would marry 15 years later. Throughout the 1920s and early 1930s, Serkin performed throughout Europe both as soloist and with Busch and the Busch Quartet. He died in 1991.
(121) |
1907 | Herb Hall, A clarinetist and a native of Reserve, Louisiana. He was born into a musical family. His Uncle Lawrence Duhe played the clarinet and uncle Edmond the guitar. His brothers Robert and Edmond would become clarinetists. In late 1929, Herb joined Don Albert's band and stayed with him off and on until 1940. During the 50's and 60's Herb worked with Doc Cheatham, toured Europe with Sam Price, and appeared regularly at Ryan's and Condon's in New York. Herb died on March 6, 1996 at the age of 88.
(117) |
1915 | Jay Livingston, Post-war songwriter who earned three Academy Awards for Best Song during the 1940s and '50s in tandem with Ray Evans. - "To Each His Own". He died in 2001.
(109) |
1923 | Thad Jones, Trumpeter and cornet player with Count Basie. He died in 1986.
(101) |
1930 | Bill Anthony, Tenor saxophonist playing mostly in rhythm sections.
(94) |
1932 | Germaine Bazzle, A vocalist and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. She's known as a legend of jazz in New Orleans and on par with the likes of irma Thomas. She has been known as a teacher and influenced by Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. She sang regularly on Sundays with the Saint Louis Catholic Choir, and is a graduate of Xavier University. In 2007 she was part of the faculty at the Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp.
(92) |
1933 | Tete Montoliu, A blind veteran pianist from Spain. He recorded with Lionel Hampton in 1956, had his first session as a leader in 1958, and played with the touring Roland Kirk in 1963. He died in 1997 in Barcelona.
(91) |
1947 | Barry Miles, A child prodigy on drums and piano. He played drums professionally from the age of ten, including sitting in with the Woody Herman Orchestra. At age 12, he recorded his first album as a leader on drums, leading a sextet that included pianist Duke Jordan.
(77) |
1948 | Milan Williams, He was an American keyboardist and a founding member of the Commodores band. He passed away in 2006.
(76) |
1955 | Reba McEntire, Country Singer and one of the most successful new country vocalists to emerge in the early '80s. She's sold over 20 million albums and won four Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the Country Music Association.
(69) |
1969 | Cheryl "Salt" James, While hip-hop was on its way to becoming a male-dominated art form, the emergence of Salt-n-Pepa was significant. As the first all-female rap crew (even their DJs were women) of importance, the group broke down a number of doors for women in hip-hop.
(55) |
1971 | Mr. Cheeks, Hip hop artist. Before establishing himself as a solo artist in the early 2000s, he made a name for himself as a member of the "Lost Boyz" in the mid- to late '90s.
(53) |