About maketodayrock.com: We celebrate musicians' birthdays, remember those we've lost, and highlight key moments in music such a release dates, chart peak dates, or anything else tied to a specific date. Pick any day from the menu in the top right. The front page shows recent obituaries.
May 4, 1930 ~ Trumpeter, singer Louis Armstrong records Dinah in New York, New York ~ Written by Harry Akst, Sam M Lewis and Joe Young. Previously recorded by Ethel Waters, the Revelers, Ukulele Ike, and by Fletcher Henderson, all of whom took their respective versions to the charts in 1926. The song would also be recorded by Josephine Baker, the Boswell Sisters, Cab Calloway, Bing Crosby and the Mills Brothers, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Fats Waller, and Django Reinhardt. One of the best known versions however, is Louis Armstrong's. One other singer, Fannye Rose Shore, became so identified with the song that DJ Martin Block called her Dinah Shore, which then stuck as her stage name
May 4, 1928 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, pianist Lars Gullin, full name Lars Gunnar Victor Gullin, born in Sanda, Sweden ~ Father of saxophonist Peter Gullin and conductor Gabriella Gullin. Leader and sideman. Aspired to become a classical pianist but settled on jazz sax after hearing Gerry Mulligan on Miles Davis's Birth Of The Cool album. Has collaborated with Arne Domnérus, James Moody, Zoot Sims, Clifford Brown, Archie Shepp, Stan Getz, and Quincy Jones ~ Gullin passed away in 1976
May 4, 1928 ~ Jazz, jazz rock, jazz fusion trumpeter, bandleader Maynard Ferguson, full name Walter Maynard Ferguson, born in Verdun, Canada ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, Doc Severinsen, Ray Wetzel, Pérez Prado, Dusko Gojkovic, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Harry Belafonte, Buddy Bregman, Russ Garcia, Stan Kenton, Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, Georgie Auld, Louie Bellson, Wayne Bergeron, Clifford Brown, the Fania All-Stars, Red Grammer, Vido Musso, Tito Puente, and Dinah Washington ~ Ferguson passed away in 2006
May 4, 1926 ~ Percival Payne, commonly known as jazz drummer Sonny Payne, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Son of Wild Bill Davis-drummer Chris Columbus. Closely associated with Harry James and Count Basie, remaining with the latter's the Count Basie Orchestra for about a decade starting in 1954. Has also worked with Paul Bascomb, Hot Lips Page, Earl Bostic, Tiny Grimes, Lucille Dixon, Erskine Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Al Grey, and Joe Newman ~ Payne passed away in 1979
May 4, 1923 ~ Drummer Ed Cassidy born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Cassidy toured prolifically with show bands, dixieland, C&W bands in the late 1940s. Worked mainly jazz in the 1950s teaming up with greats such as Art Pepper, Cannonball Adderley, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Lee Konitz, and with Gerry Mulligan. Formed Rising Sons in 1964 with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. Then went on to found the Red Rooster, featuring his stepson Randy California, Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes. With the addition of John Locke they became Spirit in 1967. Cassidy would be the sole constant member throughout all line-ups over the next 30 years untill the band eventually split up following California's death ~ Cassidy passed away in 2012May 4, 1923 ~ Bandleader Isham Jones records Who's Sorry Now at Brunswick Studios, New York, New York ~ Written by Ted Snyder, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby. A major hit for Isham Jones in 1923, with other versions recorded by Irving Kaufman, Marion Harris and Bob Thompson. It would be recorded by numerous others over the years, perhaps best known as Connie Francis' 1958 breakout hit
May 4, 1905 ~ Clarence Albert Poindexter, commonly known as country singer, songwriter Al Dexter, born in Jacksonville, Texas, USA ~ Best known for Pistol Packin' Mama, co-written by Dexter and a hit in 1944. It would later be covered by numerous artists including Bing Crosby, and the Andrews Sisters. Other well known Dexter songs include So Long Pal, I'm Losing My Mind Over You and Too Late To Worry ~ Dexter passed away in 1984May 4, 1886 ~ Pianist, songwriter Shelton Brooks born in Amherstburg, Canada ~ Ragtime, vaudeville composer known for songs such Some Of These Days (Sophie Tucker, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong), Darktown Strutters Ball (the Six Brown Brothers, Ted Lewis, the Pickens Sisters), and Trombone Cholly (Bessie Smith, Ronnie Gilbert) ~ Brooks passed away in 1975