| 1889 | The Columbia Phonograph Company came into existence on this day.
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| 1926 | Plaquemine, Louisiana native, Clarence Williams' and his band Blue Five recorded for OKeh Records in New York City on this day. The songs were "I've Found A New Baby" and "Pile Of Logs And Stone". |
| 1949 | 'Rainy Weather Blues' earned New Orleans singer and pianist, Roy Brown, a spot on the R&B charts on this day. The song eventually rose to #5 on the charts.
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| 1952 | With strings backing him and a Latin repertoire, Charlie Parker records sessions for Mercury (Verve).
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| 1952 | New Orleans, Louisiana native, Dave Bartholomew recorded for King Records on this day in New Orleans. The song was My Ding-A-Ling, which was later a smash hit for Chuck Berry.
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| 1965 | John 'Papa John' Joseph, traditional jazz bassist, clarinetist, guitarist and saxophonist from St. James Parish, Louisiana passed away on this day. He was born in 1877, and was the brother of clarinetist, Willie Joseph. He came to New Orleans in the early 1900's to lead his own band in Storyville until it closed in 1917. He played in the Claiborne Williams brass band, and also worked with the 'Original Tuxedo Orchestra'. He was a barber by trade and retired to it in the twenties. His music career was revived in the sixties with the coming of Preservation Hall, and He toured internationally with George Lewis in the 1960's. 'Papa John' died in New Orleans.
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| 1966 | Slim Harpo, harmonica player and singer from Lobdell, Louisiana, hit the R&B charts on this day with 'Baby Scratch My Back'. The smash hit eventually moved to the #1 position on the R&B charts.
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| 1977 | Stevie Wonder charted another #1 on this day with 'I Wish'.
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| 1980 | Ed 'Montudie' Garland, traditional jazz string bassist, tuba and bass drum player from New Orleans, Louisiana passed away on this day. Early in his career he worked with Frank Duson's Eagle Band, Excelsior Brass Band, Perez' Imperial Orchestra and Joseph Petit's Security Brass Band. He left town around 1913 and worked with Lawrence Duhe', Freddie Keppard and Manuel Perez. He joined King Oliver in 1916 and played with him for 5 years, when he wound up in California. He led his own band during the Depression called the 'One-Eleven Jazz Band. In the early forties he hooked up with Edward 'Kid' Ory during the dixieland revival. Ed died in Los Angeles, California.
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| 1994 | Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting went to the top of the pop charts with their collaboration 'All For Love'.
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| 1999 | Al King (Alvin K. Smith), a Blues singer and native of Monroe, Louisiana passed away on this day at the age of 75. He made his recording debut, ‘Homesick Blues’, in 1951. Two years later he led the Savoys, who recorded ‘Chop Chop Boom’ with saxophonist Jack McVea for Combo. In 1964, now calling himself Al King, he made ‘Reconsider Baby’, the record most closely associated with his name. He returned three decades later with two new albums, Blues Master and It’s Rough Out. |
