| 1872 | William Manuel 'Bill' Johnson, Traditional jazz bassist, guitarist, tuba and banjo player from New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his career playing in the bagnios of the Stroyville district. Until 1910, he played at Tom Anderson's Basin Street Café, while working in the day with the brass bands of the city. He organized the 'Original Creole Orchestra', and toured the US. He originally got the gig at the Royal Garden, and invited King Oliver to front the band. This made King Oliver world-famous. He stayed active for over 20 years later. It is said that he died in Mexico in 1975, which would have made him 103 years old. (154) |
| 1888 | Booker T. Glass, Traditional jazz drummer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Booker is considered to be one of the great brass band drummers. He was the student of Ed Gaspard and began his career with 'Holcamps Greater Shows'. During his long career he did stints with 'Camelia Brass Band', Wooden Joe Nicholas, Johnny Predonces dance orchestra and 'Eureka Brass Band. Booker died in New Orleans in July, 1981.
(138) |
| 1892 | Henry Waelde, Traditional jazz guitarist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the leader of the 'Melon Pickers', and played with Alfred Laine and Leon Prima. Henry died in New Orleans on June 14, 1975.
(134) |
| 1905 | Nat Towles, A bassist, big band leader and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the son of string bassist Phil "Charlie" Towles, and started his musical career as a guitarist and violinist at age eleven. In 1923 he formed The Nat Towles' Creole Harmony Kings. and in 1925 he played bass for Fate Marable, and reformed his own band the next year. In the 1930s his group became The Nat Towles Dance Orchestra. they signed with the National Orchestra Service, and focused on swing music through the 1930s and '40s. In 1959 he retired in California , and passed away in January 1963. (121) |
| 1909 | Claude Thornhill, Bandleader whose main importance to jazz was the influence that his arrangements and orchestra's sound had on cool jazz of the late '40s. He died in 1965.
(117) |
| 1918 | Arnett Cobb, Tenor saxophonist in the tradition of Illinois Jacquet. His playing was between swing and early rhythm & blues. After playing in Texas with Chester Boone (1934-1936) and Milt Larkin (1936-1942), he emerged by succeeding Illinois Jacquet with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra (1942-1947). He died in 1989.
(108) |
| 1927 | Jimmy Martin, Bluegrass singer and guitarist who was lead vocalist for Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys for much of 1949-1951 and again in 1952-1953. He died in 2005.
(99) |
| 1928 | Jimmy Dean, Grammy Award winning singer and was a successful television personality. - "Big Bad John".
(98) |
| 1928 | Eddie Fisher, Singer - "Oh! My Papa". One of the most popular male vocalists of the early '50s. His wives included Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor and Connie Stevens.
(98) |
| 1936 | Chuck Israels, Bassist best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio (1961-1966), but he has been an important educator since the 1970s.
(90) |
| 1940 | Bobby Hatfield, Singer with 'The Righteous Brothers' - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". He died in 2003.
(86) |
| 1940 | Jerry Kennedy, A guitarist and record producer and a native of Shreveport, Louisiana. He signed a recording contract with RCA Records at age 11. He moved to Nashville and became a session musician and played on many of country music's most famous recordings, the eventually became an award winning producer. (86) |
| 1943 | Michael Mantler, Trumpeter who was most important as an organizer of projects and for his work behind the scenes, most notably for the WATT label.
(83) |
| 1943 | Veronica 'Ronnie' Spector, Singer with 'The Ronettes' - "Be My Baby". Her powerful and unique voice was a main strength of the band, as was their exotic and glamorous look.
(83) |
| 1947 | Ian Anderson, The leader of Jethro Tull occasionally records a solo album that departs significantly from the output of his group (although it can be argued that every Tull album since the mid-'70s has, in effect, been an Anderson solo project supported by whatever musicians he chooses to call "Jethro Tull"). - "Thick As A Brick".
(79) |
| 1980 | Nikki Bratcher, 'Divine' - R&B singer.
(46) |
