Music History

Fourteen-year-old Benny Goodman landed his first professional engagement as a clarinetist aboard a cruise ship sailing on Lake Michigan near Chicago.

Blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas.

American country and pop singer and songwriter Jim Reeves was born in Galloway, Texas. He was among the first country artists to achieve significant success in pop as well. He became known for the 1957 hit “Four Walls”; in 1960 he had the U.S. No. 2 hit “He'll Have To Go”, and in 1966 the UK No. 1 hit “Distant Drums”. He died on July 31, 1964, in a single-engine aircraft crash in dense fog.

Roland Janes, an American rockabilly guitarist and music producer, was born. From 1956 to 1963 he worked with Sun Records and became a regular session guitarist on recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Sonny Burgess and others. He died on October 18, 2013, aged 80.

In Kalamazoo, Michigan, an ordinance was passed prohibiting dancers from looking their partners in the eye.

Hugh Gordon Stoker, singer with The Jordanaires, who among others backed Elvis Presley, was born in Gleason, Tennessee.

Jazz singer Joya Sherrill was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. She became known, among other things, for the song “I'm Beginning to See the Light” with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Louis Teicher of the piano duo Ferrante & Teicher was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

American singer and pianist Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones, was born in Chicago. In 1959, she had the US single "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes" at No. 8, and in 1960 she recorded two successful duets with Brook Benton, "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)". She died on December 14, 1963, at the age of 39.

The operetta Rose Marie by Rudolf Friml premiered at the Imperial Theatre in New York.

Skladatelka Felice Bryant, vlastním jménem Matilda Genevieve Scaduto, se narodila v Milwaukee ve Wisconsinu. Se svým manželem Boudleauxem Bryantem napsala několik hitů pro The Everly Brothers, včetně „All I Have to Do Is Dream“, „Wake Up Little Susie“ a „Bye Bye Love“, dále skladbu „Love Hurts“ a píseň „Raining in My Heart“ pro Buddyho Hollyho.

Singer and talk-show host Mike Douglas was born in Chicago.

Jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson was born in Montreal, Canada. He later became a seven-time Grammy Award winner.

American country singer, songwriter, and guitarist Billy Grammer was born in Benton, Illinois. He became particularly known for his million-selling 1959 hit “Gotta Travel On”.

Singer, dancer, and actor Donald O'Connor was born in Chicago, Illinois. He became famous for his role in the film “Singin' in the Rain” alongside Gene Kelly.

American bandleader and film music composer Hugo Montenegro was born. In 1968, he had a UK number-one and US number-two hit with a cover of Ennio Morricone’s main theme from the film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He also composed the music for the 1969 western Charro! starring Elvis Presley.

English pop pianist and composer Russ Conway was born in Bristol as Trevor Hebert Stanford. He became best known for the singles “Side Saddle” and “Roulette”, which reached number one on the charts.

Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, was born in Astoria, Queens, New York City.

American jazz singer and pianist Jeri Southern, born Genevieve Lillian Hering, was born in Royal, Nebraska.

Hlasový herec a nahrávací umělec Stan Freberg se narodil v Pasadeně v Kalifornii.

Jazz trombonist Urbie Green was born in Mobile, Alabama.

R&B singer and songwriter Joe Jones was born, best known for the hit “You Talk Too Much.”

Jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino was born in Detroit, Michigan.

Jimmie Rodgers made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company: “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” and “The Soldier’s Sweetheart.”

Country singer and television host Porter Wagoner was born; he later introduced Dolly Parton on his television show.

Country singer Jimmy C. Newman was born near Big Mamou, Louisiana. He became known for the 1957 hit "A Fallen Star".

Tommy Evans, a singer with the American doo-wop and R&B group The Drifters, was born. He was a member of the lineup that released the 1957 hit “Fools Fall in Love.”

Sophie Tucker recorded her song “Some of These Days”. This version was not released for approximately another 30 years; in the first part of the verse, Tucker tells and explains how the song described the story of her life.

American artist, film director and producer Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He worked as a producer and manager for The Velvet Underground and designed the cover of “The Velvet Underground & Nico” and the cover of “Sticky Fingers” by The Rolling Stones.

Herbert „Herb“ Reed, baskytarový zpěvák a zakládající člen vokální skupiny The Platters, se narodil v Kansas City v Missouri.

American singer and entertainer Eddie Fisher was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Country singer and musician Jimmy Dean was born in Plainview, Texas.

American singer Earlington Carl Tilghman, known as Sonny Til, was born. He became famous as the lead singer of the vocal group The Orioles.

Singer of The Flamingos and later a member of The Dells was born.

German avant-garde composer Karlheinz Stockhausen was born.

American singer, songwriter and conductor Johnny Mann was born.

The opera "Die Dreigroschenoper" ("The Threepenny Opera") premiered in Berlin. The music was composed by Kurt Weill.

Fats Waller recorded "Ain't Misbehavin'" in New York City on July 9, 1929.

Arthur Wood, keyboardist for The Climax Blues Band, was born in Staffordshire, England.

Emile Berliner, inventor of the lateral-cut gramophone record, died in Washington, D.C., at the age of 78 from a heart attack.

Saxophonist Mike Elliott of The Foundations was born in Jamaica. He became known as a founding member of the soul group The Foundations, which had the 1967 UK No. 1 hit “Baby Now That I've Found You.”

Country singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. was born, later becoming known as Buck Owens and as a pioneer of the Bakersfield sound.

Jazz pianist Bill Evans, a major figure in post-bop jazz, was born.