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Todays Date

Todays Date
11-08-2025

Birthday Wishes

Yearbirthday
1927Chris Connor, In 1953, she sang with Stan Kenton, after this period her career was much enhanced. She continued singing for the next 40-plus years, working mostly as a soloist and usually with jazz musicians in her backing group. In the late 80s she was to be heard singing in Europe showing a few signs of deterioration in her voice while, stylistically, she was as good as ever. In 1990 she was a featured artist at London's Soho Jazz Festival, and during the remainder of the decade Connor continued to tour on a regular basis. She passed away in 2009 at 82. (98)
1927Patti Page, In the course of her remarkable recording career, Patti Page has sold approximately 100 million plus records, making her one of the biggest, if not the biggest selling female recording artist in history. She has 15 certified gold records and her recording of “Tennessee Waltz,” at ten million sold, remains, the biggest selling single ever recorded by a female artist. (98)
1944Charles Sullivan, trumpeter who, most significantly, appeared on Carlos Garnett's Black Love, Bennie Maupin's Jewel In The Lotus, and Teruo Nakamura's Unicorn. (81)
1944Bonnie Bramlett, Singer and songwriter for Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. (81)
1948Minnie Riperton, One of soul music's most unique and unforgettable voices. She was blessed with a five-octave vocal range. Her greatest commercial success was the chart-topping pop ballad "Lovin' You." She died in 1979 from breast cancer. (77)
1949Bonnie Raitt, Grammy Award winning singer and guitarist - "Something to Talk About". (76)
1954Ricki Lee Jones, Singer and songwriter who was once touted as the natural successor to Joni Mitchell - "Chuck E's in Love". (71)

Todays_Events

YearMusical_Fact
1937Blues guitarist and native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Lonnie Johnson recorded "Flood Water Blues" for Decca Records on this day.
1939 Frank Sinatra recorded for the last time with the Harry James Band.
1967 John Lennon's movie "How I Won the War" opened on this day. It was the first solo movie by a Beatle.
1968 Sal Franzella, traditional jazz clarinetist from New Orleans, Louisiana died on this day. First worked in the Saenger Theater pit band in 1930. Worked in local dance band circuit and toured with Benny Meroff. Later he worked with Isham Jones and Paul Whiteman, and was also did concert and studio work in Hollywood. Sal died in New Orleans.
1969 "Wedding Bell Blues", by 'The 5th Dimension', peaked at #1 on the Billboard pop charts on this day.
1983 James Booker , pianist, vocalist and composer from New Orleans passed away on this day. Amongst the monikers Booker acquired during his career were 'The Black Chopin', 'Emporer of the Ivories' and 'The Piano Pope of New Orleans'. He toured with Joe Tex and Shirley and Lee. He recorded with such notables as Junior Parker, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Ringo Starr and Aretha Franklin, who recorded his composition 'So Swell When You're Well'. Booker was a very colorful character and took a piece of the New Orleans piano tradition with him to the grave.
1986 'Amanda' put Boston in the #1 position on the Billboard charts on this day.
1997 Dr. Tommy Comeaux, a versatile guitarist who also played bolero, pedal steel, bass and mandolin passed away on this day at the age of 45. In 1995 he was voted "Best Cajun Guitarist" in a local music poll. LMC Commissioner and longtime member of numerous bands including Beausoleil, Coteau, the Bluegrass band the Clickin' Chickens, the Basin Brothers and others. graduated Valedictorian of his senior class and Summa Cum Laude from LSU. He attended LSU Meidcal School and became a pathologist. He died in a traffic accident in Broussard, Louisiana.
2009 Dave Bartholomew was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame on this day.