| 1896 | Frank William Ferrer, Traditional jazz pianist, guitarist and violinist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a member of a New Orleans musical family that included his brother, 'Mose'. He was one of the 'Invincibles' and the sparingly recorded 'New Orleans Owls'. He was active in music until the mid-twenties. He became a successful Lake Charles banker.
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| 1911 | Lionel Ferbos, Traditional jazz trumpeter from New Orleans, Louisiana. Until he reached retirement age, Ferbos kept his day job, so his musical work was mostly in and around the New Orleans area. During his long musical path, he played with the 'New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra' and 'One Mo' Time Orchestra'. Lionel passed away 2 days after his 103rd birthday in 2014.
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| 1916 | Eleanor Steber, The eminent American soprano was one of the Metropolitan Opera's leading artists during the 1940s and 50s, was the first American to appear at the Bayreuth Festival after the Second World War, and was an exclusive Columbia artist. She died in 1990.
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| 1921 | George Barnes, A guitarist who has always been underrated, he was one of the first to record on electric guitar and was a top studio guitarist during much of his career. His style was based in the 1930s, and his single-note lines predated Charlie Christian, although he had much less of an impact. He died in 1977.
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| 1928 | Joe Morello, A drummer who played early on with Phil Woods and Sal Salvador. He had short stints during 1952-1953 with Johnny Smith, Stan Kenton's Orchestra, and Gil Melle, but really gained a strong reputation for his work with the Marian McPartland trio (1953-1956).
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| 1933 | Mimi Hines, Singer known for her Broadway performances.
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| 1936 | Nick Brignola, A baritone saxophonist in the tradition of Pepper Adams, he was long overshadowed by Adams and Gerry Mulligan, but actually ranked near the top. He died in 2002.
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| 1939 | Spencer Davis, Musician with the 'Spencer Davis Group' - "Keep On Runnin'". The Wales-born guitarist, harmonica player and vocalist became one of the elder statesmen of mid-1960s British rock.
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| 1939 | Ironing Board Sam (Sammie Moore), A keyboardist from South Carolina who moved to Memphis in 1959 where he got his nickname for using an ironing board as a keyboard stand. He went from Memphis to Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Memphis before in New Orleans, Louisiana. He got a regular gig at Mason's V.I.P. Lounge on South Claiborne Avenue, where teamed up with drummer Kerry Brown, and they put on unforgettable shows. He auditioned in 1991 for Orleans Records, arranged by Kerry Brown. The session was cut in less than 90 minutes, with Sam's vocals supported only by a vintage Wurlitzer piano. It was issued as The Human Touch. (87) |
| 1940 | Margie Evans (Marjorie Ann Johnson), A Shreveport, Louisiana native singer and producer mostly in the blues genre. She's worked with a virtual who's who that included Bobby "Blue Bland. BB King and Joe Turner. She charted in 1973 and 1977 with solo work and became the Executive Director and Founder of Los Angeles Music Week, Inc.
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| 1949 | Chico Freeman, An excellent tenor saxophonist and the son of Von Freeman, he has had a busy and diverse career, with many recordings ranging from advanced hard bop to nearly free avant-garde jazz.
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| 1949 | Terence 'Geezer' Butler, Bassist for the heavy metal band 'Black Sabbath' - "Paranoid".
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| 1952 | Phoebe Snow, Singer - "Poetry Man" is renowned for her jazz-scat vocal gymnastics.
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| 1956 | Lucien Barbarin, A trombonist and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He made his debut at age six, playing drums in the Onward Brass Band, with his great-uncle Paul Barbarin. He tours internationally with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and with Harry Connick, Jr. During his career he's performed with Dr. Michael White, Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Doc Cheatham, Lionel Hampton. (70) |
