| 1911 | Jo Jones, Drummer for Count Basie, Benny Goodman, and the grandfather of Be-Bop drumming. He died Sept. 3, 1985.
(115) |
| 1911 | Vaughn Monroe, Despite an early talent for the trumpet, he was also a singer and eventually had almost ten number one hits during the 1940s as well as a host of nicknames for his rich baritone, including "the Voice with Hairs on Its Chest" and "Old Leather Tonsils." He died in 1973.
(115) |
| 1927 | Al Martino (Cini), He was one of the great Italian-American pop crooners, boasting a string of hit singles and LPs that stretched from the early '50s all the way into the mid-'70s. However, he is perhaps even better known for his role in The Godfather as singer Johnny Fontane, a character supposedly based on Frank Sinatra but with eerie similarities to Martino's own career
(99) |
| 1930 | George Girard, Jazz trumpeter from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He was a student of bandleader Johnny Wiggs. At the young age of sixteen, he toured with the Jimmy Archer Orchestra. He shared the stage with Pete Fountain in the Basin Street Six and organized his own band for the Famous Door. His New Orleans Five rivaled the Dukes of Dixieland. He also recorded with Phil Zito. George died in New Orleans in January, 1957.
(96) |
| 1934 | Amiri Baraka, Poet, playwright, critic, and novelist he was born Everett LeRoi Jones and is best known to the jazz community for his two books, Blues People: Negro Music in White America, published in 1964, and Black Music in 1967, both as LeRoi Jones.
(92) |
| 1940 | Larry Young, A Hard bop organist. Woody Shaw said "His technique is out of sight; he has very big ears and a beautiful time conception. Larry Young is where jazz is going on the organ!" Young died March 30, 1978.
(86) |
| 1941 | Martin Murray, Singer in the popular group named "The Honeycombs". They are mostly renowned for their 1964 Top Five hit "Have I the Right". He died in 1967.
(85) |
| 1947 | Scott Hill, Traditional jazz trombonist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known as the leader of the 'French Market Jazz Band'.
(79) |
| 1949 | David Hope, Bassist with the rock group "Kansas".
(77) |
| 1951 | John Cougar Mellencamp, Singer "Jack and Diane", "Hurts so Good".
(75) |
| 1956 | Tico Torres, Drummer for the 80's rock group "Bon Jovi".
(70) |
| 1960 | Danny Allen, A vocalist, drummer and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is most well-known for his association with the Zion Harmonizers. (66) |
