Music of
The Jazz Age!
Tin Pan Alley
The Great White Way!
Russ Columbo, Whispering Jack Smith, Lee Morse, AL Bowlly, Gene Austin, Greta Keller, Sophie Tucker, Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker, Helen Morgan, Rudy Vallee, Mildred Bailey, Bessie Smith, Libby Holman, Tiny Tim, Ethel Waters, Hoagy Carmichael, Bing Crosby, The Boswell Sisters, to name just a few...
1912 Lee Gillette producer/music publisher b. Indianapolis, IN, USA. Worked with Leadbelly. As a Capitol Records producer, it was Lee Gillette who teamed Jimmy Wakely (then called "the Bing Croshy of Country Music) up with Pop songstress Margaret Whiting (composer Richard Whiting's daughter) in what proved to be a very successful partnership.
1897 Augustin Lara, composer b. Mexico City, Mexico, d. Nov. 6, 1970. (Heart Attack). As a child, Lara studied the piano, but when at age 13, his father discovered him playing the piano in a Bordello, he was sent to a military school. By 1927, he was out of the school and playing piano around Mexico City. 1928 saw the first recording of one of his tunes, "Imposible", by Adelaido Castelleda's Orchestra. He excelled in a very large variety of song styles composing rancheras, boleros, tropical songs, even an occasional Tango and brought a cosmopolitan flair to Mexican film music with such songs as "Granada," "Solamente una Vez," "Maria Bonita," "Farolito," and "Palabras de Mujer." The 1930s were his most active years, touring South America, performing on Radio and contributing to the Mexican Film industry. During the 1950s and '60s, he toured Europe, after which his popularity wained somewhat. The many artists who have performed his works include Desi Arnaz, Celia Cruz, Lola Beltran, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Xavier Cugat. Famed singer Placido Domingo recorded a full album of Lara compositions, "Por Amor" during the centenary of Lara's birth.
1925 Errol Parker Jazz piano/drums b. Oran, Algeria, d. June 2, 1998. né: Raphael Schecroun
Notable Events on this date include:
1941. Chu Berry, tenor sax died in Conneaut, OH, USA. Age: 33 Worked with Count Basie, and others
1962. Billy Berg, club owner/producer died in Hollywood, CA, USA. Age: 52. Owner: 'Billy Berg's' club in Los Angeles, CA. USA
1972. Alan Roth died. Age 68. Best recalled as the orchestra leader on the Milton Berle Show.
1976. Rudy Powell, alto sax died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 69.
1986. Lewis Allan, composer died in Longmeadow, MA, USA. Age: 83. Perhaps best recalled for his song "Strange Fruit Growing On Southern Trees",-Billie Holiday's huge hit. Louis Armstrong's release of "Black and Blue," with lyrics written in 1929 by Andy Razaf, was the first Black protest song aimed at a largely White audience. White songwriters rarely ever touched on the subject of race prejudice. Famed songwriter Irving Berlin was one of the bravest writers. His "Supper Time" (a song Ethel Waters made famous), referred to a lynching. Still, before Meeropol and Holiday came along, no one had ever confronted the subject so directly. No one ever tampered with Meeropol's music and words (he wrote both for this song), but composer Arthur Herzog, who wrote another famous song (and another Billie Holiday hit) "God Bless the Child" - claimed that arranger Danny Mendelsohn was really responsible for the final sound. "One of the first numbers we put on was called: "Strange Fruit Grows on Southern Trees," the tragic story of lynching. Imagine putting that on in a night club! " --Barney Josephson, in 1942. "I wrote "Strange Fruit" because I hate lynching, and I hate injustice, and I hate the people who perpetuate it." -Abel Meeropol (a.k.a. Lewis Allan in 1971). Songs Recorded/Released on this date include:
Gee but it's tough to be broke kid It's not a joke kid, It's a curse, My luck is changing it's gotten from simply rotten To something worst Who knows someday i will win too I'll begin to reach my pride Now that i see what our end is All can spend is just my time
I can't give you anything but love, baby. That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby. Dream a while. Scheme a while. We're sure to find, Happiness, and I guess all those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, My little baby Diamond bracelets Woolworth's doesn't sell, baby. till that lucky day you know darn well, baby. I can't give you anything but love.
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