Music History Events: Births
July 8, 1908 Bandleader Louis Jordan, whose jazz and blues music leads to rock and roll, is born in Brinkley, Arkansas.
April 20, 1908 Jazz musician Lionel Hampton is born in Louisville, Kentucky.
April 7, 1908 Composer and arranger Percy Faith is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
March 31, 1908 Jazz vibraphonist Red Norvo is born Kenneth Norville in Beardstown, Illinois.
January 26, 1908 Violinist Stephane Grappelli, who forms the jazz group Quintette du Hot Club de France along with guitarist Django Reinhardt, is born in Paris, France.
January 19, 1908 Comedian and cornet player Ish Kabibble is born Merwyn Bogue in North East, Pennsylvania. He borrows his stage name from the novelty song "Isch ga-bibble," a play on a Yiddish expression meaning "I should worry?"
January 16, 1908 Broadway entertainer Ethel Merman is born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann in Astoria, Queens.
January 14, 1908 Russ Columbo is born Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolfo Colombo in Camden, New Jersey.
December 25, 1907 Jazz singer Cab Calloway is born Cabell Calloway III in Rochester, New York. He would grow up in Baltimore, Maryland.
December 3, 1907 Connee Boswell (of the '30s jazz trio The Boswell Sisters) is born in Kansas City, Missouri.
November 21, 1907 Songwriter, arranger Buck Ram is born Samuel Ram in Chicago, Illinois. Known for his work with The Platters, among other greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller. (You can also spot him under the pseudonyms Ande Rand, Lynn Paul and Jean Miles.)
November 10, 1907 Actress/singer Jane Froman is born in University City, Missouri. She would inspire the 1952 film With a Song in My Heart: The Jane Froman Story, starring Susan Hayward.
October 14, 1907 Singer/actor Allan Jones, the father of pop singer Jack Jones, is born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania.
October 5, 1907 Pop cover singer Mrs. Miller is born Elva Ruby Connes in Joplin, Missouri. Known for her version of Petula Clark's "Downtown," one of many off-key song renditions Miller was both celebrated and criticized for.
August 8, 1907 Jazz musician Benny Carter is born in Harlem, New York.
May 1, 1907 Kate Smith, known for her rendition of "God Bless America," is born Kathryn Elizabeth Smith in Greenville, Virginia.
December 27, 1906 Hollywood composer and pianist Oscar Levant is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
December 10, 1906 Lyricist Harold Adamson is born in Greenville, New Jersey. He would write the lyrics for the iconic theme to I Love Lucy. Though it was kept as an instrumental, Desi Arnaz sings the lyrics in the episode "Lucy's Last Birthday."
December 9, 1906 Tenor saxophonist Freddy Martin is born in Cleveland, Ohio.
October 15, 1906 Blues singer/songwriter Victoria Spivey is born in Houston, Texas. Composed "Black Snake Blues," "Dope Head Blues" and "Organ Grinder Blues," among others.
June 3, 1906 Josephine Baker is born in in St. Louis, Missouri, but makes her mark in France, where she becomes a renowned singer, dancer and actress.
April 13, 1906 Jazz saxophonist Bud Freeman, who collaborates with Benny Goodman, is born in Chicago, Illinois.
March 20, 1906 Ozzie Nelson is born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He starts his career as a bandleader before starring with his family, including son Rick Nelson, in the long-running radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
January 12, 1906 Country blues performer Mississippi Fred McDowell is born in Rossville, Tennessee. The Rolling Stones cover his "You Gotta Move" on their 1971 album, Sticky Fingers.
November 19, 1905 Bandleader Tommy Dorsey is born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania.
November 16, 1905 Jazz banjoist/guitarist Albert "Eddie" Condon is born in Goodland, Indiana.
November 15, 1905 Conductor Mantovani is born Annunzio Paolo Mantovani in Venice, Italy.
August 24, 1905 Blues musician Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup is born in Forest, Mississippi.
July 15, 1905 Dorothy Fields, co-writer of "The Way You Look Tonight," is born in Allenhurst, New Jersey.
June 14, 1905 Jazz banjoist Nappy Lamare is born Joseph Hilton Lamare in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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