1900 | Charles Joseph Cordilla, Traditional jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Early he was with the Brunies bands, Leon Roppolo, Emmett Hardy and Papa Laine. He also worked at the Halfway House, with Stalebread Lcoume and Harry and Larry Shields. Later in his career he performed with Louis Prima, Sharkey Bonano and Manuel Perez (Chicago). In the early 1920's he recorded with A.J. Piron.
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1907 | George 'Creole George' Guesnon, Traditional banjo player and guitarist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a great musician who worked the cabaret's prior to the Depression. Went on the road with Sam Morgan in the thirties and later recorded for Decca in New York. He returned to his hometown in 1946 and played with George Lewis in the fifties. In addition to being a great musician, he was also a musicologist and student of jazz history. Creole George died in May 1968.
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1912 | James Crutchfield, A barrelhouse blues singer, pianist, and songwriter and a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He learned from Little Brother Montgomery. During his long career, he worked with Elmore James and Boyd Gilmore. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 89. (113) |
1916 | Ginny Simms, Singer appeared with Kay Kyser in his films for RKO, starting with That's Right, You're Wrong (1939). Simms was getting her own featured spots on radio even then, and her records were released under the name Ginny Simms & Her Orchestra, using the Kyser outfit.
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1917 | Jimmy Hamilton, A longtime clarinetist of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, his cool vibrato-less tone and advanced style (which was ultimately influenced by bop) initially bothered some listeners more accustomed to Barney Bigard's warmer New Orleans sound, but Hamilton eventually won them over with his brilliant playing. He died in 1994.
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1921 | Hal David, Songwriter - "The Four Winds and The Seven Seas". As one half of the greatest American songwriting duo of the postwar era, lyricist Hal David teamed with composer Burt Bacharach to elevate the common pop song to fine art; the perfect complement to Bacharach's elegant melodies.
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1926 | Miles Davis, Trumpeter who created what was known as 'Cool Jazz'. Throughout a professional career lasting 50 years, Miles Davis played the trumpet in a lyrical, introspective, and melodic style, often employing a stemless Harmon mute to make his sound more personal and intimate. He died in 1991.
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1926 | Kitty Kallen, She was a band singer, and later a soloist, who performed the bandstands with a handful of top leaders during the '40s. - Little Things Mean A Lot".
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1929 | Beverly Sills, Soprano - Chairperson of Lincoln Center. During her career she has performed in more than 90 opera roles. She ended her singing career in 1980 claiming that she wanted to "put my voice to bed so it will go quietly, with pride." (96) |
1936 | Tom T. Hall, Heis known as a storyteller, a songwriter with a keen eye for detail. - "P.S. I Love You".
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1936 | Donnie Elbert, Soul singer and multi-instrumentalist born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He recorded and charted from 1957 through 1977, and reached #6 on the US charts with "Where Did Our Love Go". By the mid 1980s he retired from performing, and became director of A&R for Polygram's Canadian division. He suffered a massive stroke and died on January 26, 1989, at the age of 52.
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1943 | Leslie Uggams, A singer and actress perhaps best known for her work in the landmark television miniseries Roots. - "Sing Along With Mitch".
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1947 | Jessi Colter, Singer - "I'm Not Lisa".
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1975 | Juvenile (Terius Gray), A rapper and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He began by recording locally, and his fame did not come until he signed with Cash Money Records in the late 1990's. He's recorded 9 solo albums and been in the hot 100 charts numerous times. He's also appreared in 8 films.
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