August 13th

 

Musical birthdays today include R&B keyboardist Dave 'Baby' Cortez (83), operatic soprano Sheila Armstrong (79), Sha Na Na vocalist Scott Powell (73), former Undertones lead singer Feargal Sharkey (63), his bandmate, bassist Michael Bradley (62), Danny Bonaduce [of the Partridge Family] (62), Tal Bachman (53), The Bravery guitarist Sam Endicott (47), and singer-songwriter James Morrison (37). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for composer John Ireland, born on this date in 1879... for Anna Mae Winburn, leader of the Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first known racially integrated all-female orchestra in jazz history, and who was born today in 1914... for British jazz pioneer George Shearing, born in 1919... for Don Ho, born in 1930... for Dan Fogelberg, who would have been 70... for French composer Jules Massenet, who died on this date in 1912... for saxophonist Curtis Ousley AKA King Curtis [who played on the Coasters' 'Yakety Yak' as well as sessions for John Lennon], fatally stabbed by a vagrant on the steps of his Harlem brownstone today in 1971... and for singer and electric guitar pioneer Les Paul, who left us today in 2009.

Also on August 13: Handel departs Dublin for England to organize the London premiere of The Messiah (1742)... The original version of 'Hound Dog' is recorded by Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton (1952)... Gerry Mulligan plays his first session with Thelonious Monk (1957)... Manfred Mann hits № 1 in the UK with 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy'. The song was originally recorded in 1963 by the American girl group The Exciters... The Supremes release 'Baby Love'. The song will go on to be the group's first UK № 1, and the second of five straight chart-toppers stateside [where it would be the № 1 song the day I was born - editor's note] (1964)... Jefferson Airplane make their live debut at San Francisco's Matrix Club. The cover shot of the group's biggest selling album, Surrealistic Pillow, was taken at the Matrix after a 1967 show there... The Beatles arrive at JFK airport for their second extended US visit. John Lennon, who has already grown disenchanted with the touring process, will take to screaming off-mike obscenities at the audiences (1965)... Starting a 3-week run at the top of the US charts today: 'Summer in the City' by the Lovin' Spoonful (1966)... Fleetwood Mac make their live debut at the British National Jazz and Blues Festival at Windsor. Also on the bill are Jeff Beck, Cream, Donovan and Pink Floyd (1967)... Buffalo Springfield release their final album, Last Time around (1968)... John Lennon flies from Heathrow to JFK ~ the former Beatle will never set foot on British soil again (1971)... Pink Floyd play their first ever Australian date when they appear at Melbourne's Festival Hall. The group, who just completed an Asian tour, conclude their only visit Down Under with a show in Sydney two days later (1971)... Two years after his death, Duke Ellington's bllet Three Black Kings has its premiere at Lincoln Center, with the Duke's son Mercer conducting the orchestra (1976)... Yes score their second UK № 1 album with Going for the One, which also marks the return of keyboard virtuoso Rick Wakeman, who had quit the band in 1974 because of creative differences.. Bachman Turner Overdrive announce that they are disbanding (1977)... On the 25th anniversary of the original festival, Woodstock '94 is held in Saugerties, New York. Headliners include Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, Aerosmith and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (1994)... Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall's marriage is annulled by the High Court in London, forestalling what had been expected to be a lengthy court battle (1999)... Adam Ant pleads guilty to endangering patrons at the Prince of Wales pub in London earlier this year. The former '80s pop star returned to the establishment with a starter's pistol and discharged it after being refused entry. He also threw the alternator from his car engine through a window, showering several customers with broken glass (2002).