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Todays Date
Todays Date 08-15-2026
Birthday Wishes
| Year | birthday |
|---|---|
| 1903 | Arthur 'Monk' Hazel, Traditional jazz drummer, cornetist and mellophonist from Harvey, Louisiana. He is known as a kingpin of diexieland drummers. He began his career with Emmett Hardy and throughout the 1920's played with Happy Schilling, Bill Cregar, Jules Bauduc and Abbie Brunies at the Halfway House. Hazel was recorded often with the likes of 'Johnny Hyman's Bayou Stompers', the 'New Orleans Rhythm Kings', 'Tony Parenti's Orchestra' and 'Jack Petit's Pets'. In the thirties, he was on network radio backing up Gene Austin and in the fisties and sixties, he was associated with 'Sharkey's King's of Dixieland', Santo Pecora and George Girard. 'Monk' died in New Orleans on March 5, 1968. (123) |
| 1909 | Hugo Winterhalter, Orchestra leader and arranger - "Canadien Sunset". He taught school for several years before turning professional during the mid-1930s, serving as a sideman and arranger for Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Raymond Scott, Claude Thornhill and others. He died in 1973. (117) |
| 1916 | (Louis) Marion Marcotte, Cajun comedian, songwriter, vocalist and guitar player and a native of Moreauville, Louisiana. He wrote his first song at 14 and bought his first guitar with money he earned picking cotton. He went on to write more than 300 songs and record more than 40 records. He also wrote campaign songs for political candidates and a jingle for "Whataburger." Cajun musician Allen Fontenot said Mr. Marcotte had a following across south Louisiana and was known for his homespun comic style. He passed away in 1998 (110) |
| 1925 | Oscar Peterson, Jazz pianist who played with all the jazz greats - "The Will To Swing". He is considered one of the greatest piano players of all time. A pianist with phenomenal technique on the level of his idol, Art Tatum, Peterson's speed, dexterity and ability to swing at any tempo were his trademarks. (101) |
| 1925 | Bill Pinckney, Singer with popular 50's singing group 'The Drifters'. (101) |
| 1931 | Little Sonny Jones (Johnny Jones), A singer and songwriter and native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He befriended Fats Domino, and his connection with Domino endured and, up to 1961, Jones remained as Domino's opening act. He worked with David and Melvin Lastie, until the late 1960s, and issued his album, New Orleans R&B Gems in 1975. He passed away in 1989 at the age of 58. (95) |
| 1931 | Nolan Washington, A vocalist and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a manager with his brother Sherman, for many years, of one of the best known Gospel groups in New Orleans, the Zion Harmonizers. Nolan passed away in 1997 at the age of 65. (95) |
| 1933 | Bobby Helms, Singer who had a hit in "My Special Angel". However, he will always be remembered most for the classic Christmas song "Jungle Bell Rock". He died in 1997. (93) |
| 1934 | Bobby Byrd, Singer-producer. As a long-running right-hand man, he performed an invaluable function in the James Brown Show, warming up the crowds as a solo singer, then retreating to the sidelines as a member of the Famous Flames, Brown's backup vocal group. (92) |
| 1941 | Don Rich, Musician and songwriter - "Waiting In Your Welfare Line". He was also a member of Buckk Owens and his Buckaroos. He died in 1974. (85) |
| 1942 | Peter York, Drummer in the 'Spencer Davis Group' - "Gimme Some Lovin'". (84) |
| 1961 | Matt Johnson, 'The The'. The dark visions of Matt Johnson stirred the imaginations of such diverse artists as Nine Inch Nails, Better Than Ezra, and Sinead O'Connor. (65) |
| 1972 | Michael Graham, Singer for 'Boyzone'. (54) |
Todays_Events
| Year | Musical_Fact |
|---|---|
| 1939 | Alberta Hunter recorded "Fine and Mellow" for Decca on this day. |
| 1941 | Ben Bernie and his Orchestra recorded "Au Revoir, Pleasant Dreams" on this day. |
| 1950 | Jimmy Rogers recorded "That's All Right" for Chess in Chicago on this day. |
| 1960 | Elvis Presley reached the top of the pop charts on this day with 'It's Now Or Never'. |
| 1964 | Dean Martin crooned his way to the top of the popular music charts on this day with the unforgettable 'Everybody Loves Somebody'. |
| 1968 | Lawrence Walker, An accordion player, sonwriter and a native of Duson, Louisiana passed away on this day at the age of 60. During the 1950s, he was considered one of the all-time great Cajun performers. Lawrence and brother Elton, a fiddler, formed their first band called The Walker Brothers. They made their recording debut for Bluebird in 1929 with "La Breakdown la Louisiane" and "La Vie Malheureuse." He recorded in the '50s and had success with "Reno Waltz" and "Evangeline Waltz" for George Khoury's label. |
| 1969 | 'Three Dog Night' were awarded a gold record on this day for their album, "Three Dog Night". |
| 1969 | The kick off of one of histories largest concert. Three days of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, The Grateful Dead, Quill, and the infamous Jimi Hendrix. Sponsored by John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfeld and Michael Lang the Woodstock Music and Art fair drew over 450,000 people of different races, ages, genders, political views, cultural backgrounds showing future generations that with a little love we can all enjoy the music. |
| 1976 | Albert Burbank, traditional jazz clarinetist from New Orleans, Louisiana died on this day. Studied under Lorenzo Tio, Jr. and played in the city and lakefront throughout the twenties. Later, worked with Kid Milton, Herb Morand, Octave Crosby and Paul Barbarin. He was also a brass band veteran, playing with the Eureka and Young Tuxedo brass bands. He played at Preservation Hall during his last days and until he died in in New Orleans. |
| 1981 | Diana Ross and Lionel Richie hit number one in the pop charts on this day with their duet, "Endless Love". |
| 1982 | Robert Coquille, traditional jazz string bassist from New Orleans, Louisiana died on this day. He was a regular performer with George Girard's New Orleans Five and played in groups led by Sharkey Bonano, Al Hirt and Pete Fountain. Robert died in New Orleans in August, 1982. |
| 1985 | Leon Prima, a traditional jazz trumpeter from New Orleans, Louisiana passed away on this day at the age of 78. He led his own band for many years, and even co-led a band with Sharkey Bonano in the 1930's. For three decades following, he operated his own nightclub, where he primarily played. He was the brother of the New Orleans favorite son, Louis Prima. |
| 1992 | 'End Of The Road' by Boyz II Men reached the top of the Billboard charts on this day. |
| 1995 | Jesse (Babyface) Thomas, a blues guitarist and singer and a native of Logansport, Louisiana passed away on this day at the age of 84. He is best known for the song "Blue Goose Blues", which he recorded for Victor in 1929. He had a long musical career spanning over 60 years, continuing to perform until his death. The Texas bluesman, Ramblin' Thomas, was his brother, and fellow Louisiana blues guitar player, Lafayette Thomas, was his nephew. |
| 1998 | New Orleans native rapper, and founder of No Limit Records, Master P. (Percy Miller), hit the Billboard R&B charts on this day with the number 'Goodbye To My Homies'. |
