Tribe.net. Local Connections Confetta http://crooners.tribe.net/thread/435f51ab-cd76-4cbf-b148-5e0a64f9df11#36c5364e-de6d-4900-8654-b2850a7108fc 2006-09-18T21:29:52Z 2006-09-18T21:29:52Z

SPOTLIGHT for SEPTEMBER 18TH BIRTHDAYS 1918 William "Bill" Graham, bari/alto sax, b. Kansas City, MO, USA MP3 Bio: http://www.mp3.com/bill-graham/artists/644954/biography.html -------------------------------------------- 1894 Willard Robison, composer/vocals/leader., b. Shellbina, MO, USA. d. June 24, 1968, New York, NY, USA. Among his songs are "A Cottage For Sale", "Old Folks", "Old Pidgeon Toed Joe", "Peaceful Valley", and "Taint So, Honey, Taint So". Bio: http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/artist/artist.cgi? ARTISTID=650879&TMPL=LONG#bio A songwriter and occasional performer of his own pastoral, semi-rural ballads, Willard Robison offered several standards to the classic American pop repertoire, including "A Cottage for Sale," "Don't Smoke in Bed," "'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So," "Old Folks," and "Peaceful Valley" (the latter Paul Whiteman's theme song). Born in Missouri, Robison played piano and led a few territory bands in the Southwest during the '20s (including work with Jack Teagarden) and recorded several dozen sides in New York later in the decade as the leader of Willard Robison's Levee Loungers and the Deep River Boys. He also made several sides as part of Busse's Buzzards, a studio group led by trumpeter Harry Busse (a star soloist for Whiteman's band). Robison's masterpieces such as "Old Folks" and "Deep Elm" were laconic -- occasionally downright narcoleptic -- portraits of life in small-town America, summoning a similarly earthy philosophy as a pair of other classic singer/ songwriters: Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer. His 1929 composition "A Cottage for Sale" (lyric by Larry Conley) became his best-known, with over 100 performances and popular recordings by Guy Lombardo (in 1930) and Billy Eckstine (in 1945). Robison's last major composition, "Don't Smoke in Bed," was a hit for Peggy Lee in 1948, and he also wrote a book, -Willard Robison's Six Studies in Syncopation, for Piano. In 1962, old friend Teagarden recorded Think Well of Me, a full album of Willard Robison songs (it was his second-to-last session), and six years later, Robison died in New York. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide -------------------------------------------- 1917 Ervin Rouse, C&W singer/songwriter/fiddler, b. Craven County, NC, USA. Member: "Rouse Brothers" Orange Blossom Special was written by two young fiddlers, Ervin Rouse and Chubby Wise in 1939 Hear the song: http://www.homestead.com/deenotes/johncash.html -------------------------------------------- 1923 Frank "Frankie" Socolow, tenor sax/alto sax, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. d. April 30, 1981, USA. Played with Manny Albam, Georgie Auld, Johnny Bothwell, "Big" Sid Catlett, Teddy Charles, Terry Gibbs, Chubby Jackson, Gene Krupa, Joe Morello, Charlie Parker, Cecil Payne, Johnny Richards, Boyd Raeburn, and Sal Salvador MP3 Bio: http://www.mp3.com/frank-socolow/artists/104778/biography.html -------------------------------------------- 1896 Ray Stillwell, trombone/leader/vocals, b. East Liverpool, OH, USA, d. April of 1967, Las Vages, NV, USA. Working variously as a trombonist, vocalist and song writer, Ray was most popular in the 1920's and '30's. At times he had his own orchestra and at other times he was with the likes of Fred Rich, Paul Whiteman, Tommy Dorsey etc. In 1932, he was a member of the Nat Brusiloff CBS orchestra that accompanied famed singer Kate Smith and her 'Swanee River Review' at the Steel Pier, in Atlantic City, NJ. -------------------------------------------- 1902 John L. Thomas, Trombone, b. Louisville, KY, USA. d. 1971 http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:bc59keftsq7z~T1 ~Biography by Eugene Chadbourne Classic jazz trombonist John Thomas was associated with the Chicago jazz scene up until the time of his death in the early '70s, especially a wonderful repertory band led by Franz Jackson with which Thomas performed and recorded through the first half of the '60s. The '50s, on the other hand, may have simply depressed the trombonist with its onslaught of rock & roll, because he simply stopped playing completely -- representing the first major halt in musical action for this performer since his professional activities began in the Roaring Twenties. Thomas was born in Kentucky but relocated to Chicago as a child, receiving his formal education in the Windy City and sliding into on-stage trombone performances with the Clarence Miller Orchestra circa 1923. Between 1927 and 1928 he worked with Erskine Tate, allowing an entry into Louis Armstrong's legendary Hot Seven. The trombonist continued working with a wide range of classic jazz bandleaders, including trumpeter Freddie Keppard. Thomas tended to trickle in and out of groups such as that of the aforementioned Tate and Reuben Reeves, in one lineup and then out of the next. He was briefly with McKinney's Cotton Pickers for jobs in the Northeast in the '30s; in 1937 he was part of a touring revue fronted by pianist and singer Nat King Cole. Thomas was once again with Tate as well as drummer Floyd Campbell's outfit prior to switching his trombone case for the tool kit of a defense plant worker during the second World War. That hiatus from playing took place prior to dropping out completely during the '50s, as he did gig once again in a group led by guitarist Walter Dysett in 1944. He should not be confused with many other performers with this name, including a younger trombonist who recorded with Oliver Nelson. -------------------------------------------- Notable Events on this date include: 1917. The Honolulu Ad Club filed a patent for a musicial instrument they called the 'Ukulele.' ; ) 1927. The Columbia Broadcasting System was born (its rival, NBC, had been on the air for some time). The Tiffany Network, as CBS was originally known, broadcast an opera, "The King's Henchman," as its first program. A 27-year-old William S. Paley had formed the network by purchasing a chain of 16 failing radio stations (for a cost somewhere between $250,000 and $450,000). Just one year later, he had a 2.35 million dollar profit as the network grew to over 70 stations. 1943. In America, most recording companies agreed to pay royalties into a union fund for all records released, thus ending a two-year union-led ban on instrumental recordings. (The Victor and Columbia label held out against the agreement for another year.) The American Federation of Musicians union had protested the lack of a royalty system to compensate musicians for use of their recordings on radio programs and jukeboxes. 1947. C&W Country singers Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff performed at New York City's famed Classical venue Carnegie Hall. 1966. Will Shade, harmonica/guitar, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 72. Best recalled for his work with the 'Memphis Jug Band' : ( 1970. At age 27, Rock music legend, Jimi Hendrix died in London, England, UK of an overdose of sleeping pills. : ( 1983. Roy Milton, drums, died in Canoga Park, CA, USA. Age: 75 1992. John Handcox, vocals/songwriter, died in Washington, DC, USA. Age: 88 1997. Jimmy Witherspoon, Blues/R&B/Jazz vocalist, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 74 (died in his sleep of natural causes) His 1949 R&B hit "Ain't Nobody's Business" hit No.1, and stayed on the Billboard charts 34 weeks that year. It was one of the biggest records of the era. 'Spoon went on to make at least 200 more albums, and was one of the few remaining true giants of the post-war Blues boom. His collaborators ranged from Count Basie to Eric Burdon, Gerry Mulligan to Van Morrison, and T-Bone Walker to Robben Ford. : ( -------------------------------------------- Songs Recorded/Released this date include: 1908 "Yuki Two Step", -Arthur Pryor's band. Song: Kreyer 1908 "Monastery Bells", -Arthur Pryor's band. Song: wely-lefebre-wendling 1923 "Mama Goes Where Papa Goes", -The Cotton Pickers. Song: yellen; ager *LISTEN: http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/cottonpickers/mamagoes.ram 1923 "Walk, Jenny, Walk", -Cotton Pickers. Song: creamer; wooding; schafer *LISTEN: http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/cottonpickers/walkjennywalk.ram 1924 "Rose Marie", -Paul Whiteman and his orch. 1925 "Chicago Wiggle", -Julie Moody and Dixie Wobblers. Song: edgar dowell 1926 "We Don't Need Each Other Any More", -Ethel Waters voc. Song: j.c.johnson 1926 "My Special Friend is Back in Town", - Ethel Waters vocal. Song: razaf;johnson 1928 "Sweet Sue, Just You", -Paul Whiteman orch. 1928 "Blue Shadows", -Vincent Lopez and his orch. Song: louis alter-raymond klages *LISTEN: http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/lopez/blueshadows.ram 1929 "Searching", -Blue Steele and his orch. 1929 "Coronado Brings Memories of You", -Blue Steele and his orch. 1929 "Tennessee Memories", -Blue Steele and his orch. 1932 "My Darling", -Ray Kavanaugh Vanities orch. (voc. Frank Munn) 1932 "Along Came Love", -Ray Kavanaugh Vanities orch. **1934 "Three Little Words", -Red Nichols 5 pennies. 1934 "Dardanella", -Red Nichols and his 5 pennies. 1935 "Red Sails In The Sunset", - Ray Noble and his orch. Song: jimmy kennedy-hugh williams 1935 "Roll Along, Prairie Moon", -Ray Noble and his orch. Song: fiorito-mcpherson-von tilzer 1936 "Indian Love Call", - recorded by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald (RCA Victor Records) 1936 "Sweetheart, Let's Grow Old Together", -Guy Lombardo royal canadians. 1940 "Blue September", -Will Bradley and his orch. 1940 "Scrub Me Mama, with a Boogie Beat", -Will Bradley and his orch. 1941 "A Sinner Kissed an Angel", -Tommy Dorsey and his orch. 1941 "Bells of San Raquel", -Art Jarrett and his orch. 1941 "Ma Ma Maria", -Art Jarrett and his orch. 1941 "That Solid Old Man", -Tommy Dorsey and his orch. 1941 "Fifty Million Sweethearts Can't Be Wrong", -Tommy Dorsey and his orch. 1941 "Rose O'Day", -Art Jarrett and his orch. 1941 "Magic of Magnolias", -Art Jarrett and his orch. 1941 "Who can I turn to?", -Tommy Dorsey and his orch. 1941 "I think of you", -Tommy Dorsey and his orch. 1941 "How do you do without me?", -Tommy Dorsey and his orch. 1945 "Ain't Misbehavin'", -Benny Goodman sextet. Song: a.razaf-t.waller-h.brooks 1945 "I Got Rhythm", - Benny Goodman sextet. Song: gershwin 1946 "If It's Love You Want", -Woody Herman and his Herd. 1946 "Stars Fell on Alabama", -Woody Herman and his Herd. 1942 "Take Me", - Tommy Dorsey Orch. 1942 "Strip Polka", - Alvino Rey Orch. 1961 "Hit The Road Jack", - Ray Charles **Three little words Three little words, oh what I'd give for that wonderful phrase, To hear those three little words that's all I'd live for the rest of my days. And what I feel in my heart, they tell sincerely. No other words can tell it half so clearly. Three little words, eight little letters which simply mean I love you.

Confetta 2006-09-18T21:29:52Z