| 1873 | Jack 'Papa' Laine, Traditional jazz drummer and alto horn player from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the earliest dixieland bandleader and pioneer. He had seven groups performing under the 'Reliance' name simultaneously throughout the city. His brass bands were well-known over the Gulf Coast area. He stopped playing before the success of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in the early twenties and never recorded for a label. However, under the direction of Johnny Wiggs, he did record at Tulane University a few years before his death. Laine died in New Orleans on June 1, 1966.
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| 1912 | Theron Eugene (Ted) Daffan, He was a native of Merryville, Louisiana in Beauregard Parish. he was a country musician, most well-known as the composer of "Truck Driver's Blues" and the much covered Country anthem "Born to Lose". He formed his own band, The Texans, and recorded a string of hits, including "Worried Mind", "Born to Lose", "Those Blue Eyes Are Not Shining Anymore", "She Goes The Other Way" and "No Letter Today". He died in 1996 in Houston, Texas.
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| 1914 | Slam Stewart, Swing-oriented bassist whose ability to bow the bass and hum an octave apart made him famous in the jazz world. He had thought of the idea while studying at Boston Conservatory when he heard Ray Perry singing along with his violin.
He played with Art Tatum's trio, was featured on records with the Benny Goodman Sextet, Red Norvo (a famous session with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie), and Lester Young (a classic rendition of "Sometimes I'm Happy"), and led his own group which for a period featured the up-and-coming pianist Erroll Garner.
He died on December 10, 1987 in Binghamton, NY at 73 years of age.
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| 1914 | Walter Lewis Jr, A native of Prairieville, Louisiana and a blues pianist. He is known for his work with Champion Jack Dupree & Kid Dimes in additions to recording with B.B.King. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 87. (112) |
| 1921 | Chico Hamilton, Drummer who became closely associated with "West Coast jazz." Hamilton began his drum journey as a teenager in Los Angeles, where he played in a band with schoolmates Charles Mingus, Illinois Jacquet, Ernie Royal, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Collette and Jack Kelso. Following short stints with Ellington and Lionel Hampton, he hooked up with Slim Gaillard.
Hamilton went on to become the house drummer at Billy Berg's, the popular Los Angeles nightspot where every major jazz artist from New York eventually came through, including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday (with whom he later would record).
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| 1934 | Leonard Cohen, Canadian poet, novelist, and singer-songwriter. Following his breakthrough in the music industry in the late 1960s, he became one of the most distinguished and influential songwriters of the late twentieth century.
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| 1937 | Sunny Murray, Self-taught drummer from age nine, he went to NYC in 1956, played with Red Allen, Willie 'The Lion' Smith, then Jackie McLean, and Ted Curson. He met Cecil Taylor in 1959 and became a leading light of the avant garde. He went to Europe with Taylor and Jimmy Lyons around 1963 and joined a trio with Albert Ayler and bassist Gary Peacock. Additionally, he played with Don Cherry, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman.
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| 1941 | Dickey Lee, Singer - "Patches".
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| 1947 | Donald Felder, Guitarist and singer for the popular group 'The Eagles' - "One Of These Nights".
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| 1949 | Henry Butler, Pianist and New Orleans, Louisiana native, Henry has been blind since birth. He's known for his ability to play in many styles of music. He has recorded for several record labels, including Impulse, Windham Hill, and Basin Street Records. He now resides in New York.
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| 1953 | Kenny Starr, Guitarist, singer and songwriter - "Blind Man In The Bleachers".
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| 1967 | Faith Hill, Multi-Platinum country singer married to fellow country singer Tim McGraw.
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| 1967 | Tyler Stewart, Drummer for the Canadien rock group 'Barenaked Ladies'.
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| 1968 | Trugoy the Dove, Rapper who was part of the group 'De La Soul'.
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