-=Who's Got A Birthday Today? (MAY 19)=-

[Roger Ford]

These are today's Birthday people....born May 19 in the years
mentioned :

GEORGIE AULD (1919 Toronto Canada)
Sax playing pop bandleader recorded for Coral,Top Rank in 50's

MAVIS RIVERS (1929 Upolu, Western Samoa)
Jazzy MOR singer first rcd 1960 for Capitol later rcd for Reprise

ALMA COGAN (1932 London UK)
Popular British songstress many hits #1 Dreamboat 1955

.......and here are some folk who said their last goodbyes to us this
day

COLEMAN HAWKINS (1969 New York City NY)
Jazz saxophonist did the definitive version of Body And Soul

MIKE SAMMES (2001 Reigate Surrey UK)
Of Mike Sammes Singers sang backing on scores of UK 50's & 60's hits

KATHY KIRBY (2011 London UK)
Blonde British songstress biggest hit Secret Love in 1963


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EVENTS OF THE DAY

MAY 19 1945

On the Billboard best selling pop chart a new entry is "Bell Bottom
Trousers" Tony Pastor. On the Folk (C&W) chart Gene Autry takes the
#1 spot with "At Mail Call Today". New on the Race (R&B) chart is
"Caldonia" Erskine Hawkins

MAY 19 1951

On the Billboard best selling pop chart new entries are "I Like The
Wide Open Spaces" Arthur Godfrey & Laurie Anders,"Mister And
Mississippi" Patti Page and "Pretty Eyed Baby" Jo Stafford & Frankie
Laine. On the C&W chart Eddy Arnold goes to #1 with "Kentucky
Waltz".New entries are "Beautiful Brown Eyes" Jimmy Wakely and
"Down The Trail Of Achin' Hearts" Hank Snow.

MAY 19 1953

Jean Shepard (with the help of Ferlin Husky) records her famous #1
C&W single "A Dear John Letter"

MAY 19 1955

At IBC Studios in London Lonnie Donegan (future King of Skiffle)
records "Midnight Special", "When The Sun Goes Down", "New
Buryin' Ground" and "Worried Man Blues" for the EP "Backstairs
Session"released on a sublabel of Polygon-Nixa (UK Jazz Today JTE 107,
October).A fifth track, "Harmonica Blues", will stay on the shelf
until the release of the German CD-boxset "Pye In The Sky" (Bear
Family 15700, 1993).Personnel : Lonnie Donegan (vocals / guitar) ; Jim
Bray (bass) ; Chris Barber (harmonica on "Harmonica Blues") ; Dick
Bishop (guitar, vocals on "Worried Man Blues") ; Bob Watson (vocals) ;
Pete Korrison (mandolin).Produced by Denis Preston

At Jim Beck's Studio in Dallas,Sonny James has his 8th session for
Capitol. The four tracks will be used for two subsequent singles :
"Let's Go Bunny-Huggin'"/"Too Much" (Capitol 3198, July) and
"Pigtails And Ribbons" /"Careless With My Heart" (Capitol 3281,
November).Personnel : Sonny James (vocal/ guitar) ; Neal Jones
(rhythm guitar) ;Paul Buskirk (electric mandolin) ; Harland Powell
(steel guitar) ; Bill Noble (bass) ; Eugene Brady (fiddle) ; Bill
Simmons (piano). Producer :Ken Nelson.

MAY 19 1956

New on the Billboard Top 100 are "The Girl In My Dreams" Cliques,
"Standing On The Corner" Dean Martin,"Portugese Washerwoman"
Joe "Fingers" Carr,"Tango Of The Drums" Les Baxter,"Theme From
Picnic" Ralph Marterie,"Walk Hand In Hand" Denny Vaughn,"The
Roving Gambler" Tennessee Ernie Ford,"(How Little It Matters) How
Little We Know" Frank Sinatra,"The Mocking Bird" Four Lads,"Is
There Somebody Else?" Dream Weavers and "I Could Have Danced
All Night" Rosemary Clooney.New on the country chart is "Honky
Tonk Man" Johnny Horton. On the R&B chart "Little Girl Of Mine"
Cleftones and "Fever" Little Willie John are new entries

MAY 19 1957

Tommy Sands sings "Teenage Crush" and "Goin' Steady" on "The Ed
Sullivan Show". Also featured are The Glenn Miller Band (led by Ray
McKinley)

On "The Steve Allen Show" Brenda Lee sings "Dynamite" and
"Love You Till I Die" and duets with Allen on " Love You". The show
also stars Ann Sothern and Bert Lahr.For the finale, Steve Allen, Ann
Sothern, Brenda Lee and Bert Lahr (dressed as clowns) sing "Be A
Clown."

Another session for Guy Mitchell this month. At Columbia Recording
Studio in New York City, "Call Rosie On The Phone" and "Cure
For The Blues" are recorded for a future single (Columbia 40987,
August),while "If Ya Don't Like It, Don't Knock It" goes unissued in
the US, but will be released in the UK (Philips PB 798) in March 1958.
Again Guy Mitchell is backed by Jimmy Carroll and his Orchestra,
Produced by Mitch Miller.

The Cadillacs do a three-track session in New York City. "My
Girlfriend"/"Broken Heart" is selected for the new single (Josie 820,
June). "Don't Be Mad With My Heart" ends up on the LP "The Crazy
Cadillacs" (Jubilee LP 1089) in 1959. The Cadillacs at this time are :
James Bailey, Bill Lindsay, Champ Rollow and Bobby Spencer.
.
MAY 19 1958

The Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream" is the new #1 on
the Billboard Top 100 taking over from "Witch Doctor" David
Seville.New entries are "I Wonder Why" Dion & Belmonts,"Make Me
A Miracle" Jimmie Rodgers,"(It's Been A Long Time) Pretty Baby" Gino &
Gina,"Zorro" Chordettes,"Teenage Doll" Tommy Sands,"Endless Sleep"
Jody Reynolds,"Jennie Lee" Jan & Arnie and "Cherie I Love You" Pat
Boone,Newies on the C&W lchart include "Crying Over You" Webb
Pierce.On the R&B chart new entries include "Do You Want To Dance"
Bobby Freeman and "Sick And Tired" Fats Domino.The soundtrack to the
movie "South Pacific" is #1 on the LP chart.

Bobby Darin�s "Splish Splash" is released on Atco---it is the first
instance of an 8-track master recording pressed to plastic 45 RPM
disc.

Peggy Lee records her million selling version of Little Willie John's
"Fever" (Capitol 3998, June), accompanied by only bass (Joe
Mondragon) and drums (Shelly Manne) and unknown finger snappers.
Arranged and conducted by Jack Marshall. Location : Capitol Tower,
Hollywood.

Frank Verna & Tony Perkins guest on "American Bandstand"

MAY 19 1959

Bobby Darin records eight tracks (plus three unissued numbers) for his
third LP, "This Is Darin", aimed at an adult audience. Release in
January 1960 on Atco 33-115. Production by Ahmet Ertegun and Nesuhi
Ertegun ; arrangements by Richard Wess and Buddy Bregman.

Sax player King Curtis does another session in New York City."Heavenly
Blues" and "Restless Guitar" are released on Atco 6152 in October.
"Chains" and "The Honeydripper" (not the same version as Atco 6143)
are first released in 2000 on the CD "Hot Sax, Cool Licks" (Ace CDCHD
757). Personnel : King Curtis (tenor sax) ; Al Caiola, George Barnes
(guitars) Abie Baker (bass); Ruth Berman (harp) ; Mike Stoller (piano)
Ernie Hayes (organ) ; Panama Francis (drums) ; Bobby Rosengarden
(percussion).Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

At the Bradley Studio in Nashville,Webb Pierce records "Shanghaied"
which is chosen to be the flip of his new single "I Ain't Never"
(recorded May 15) ((Decca 30923, June).Produced by Owen Bradley

The Intruders guest on "American Bandstand"

MAY 19 1960

After being arrested on charges of commercial bribery,deejay Alan
Freed arrives in New York City for his court arraignment.Seven other
people (including deejay Tommy "Dr Jive" Smalls) have also been
arrested following the extensive payola investigations..

The last Drifters session with Ben E. King as their lead singer. "Save
The Last Dance For Me"/"Nobody But Me" is released in August on
Atlantic 2071, "I Count the Tears" in December on Atlantic 2087, and
"Sometimes I Wonder" on Atlantic 2151 in July 1962. Personnel: Ben
E. King (lead baritone), Charles Thomas (tenor), Doc Greene (baritone)
and Ellsbury Hobbs (bass), vocals ; Billy Davis, guitar ;unknown bass
and drums ; strings and choir arranged and directed by Stan
Applebaum. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in New York
City.

At United Recording Corporation in Hollywood,Robin Luke records his
next single (Dot 16096) , the Dave Burgess composition "Everlovin'"
(later recorded by Ricky Nelson) and "Well Oh Well Oh" (previously
recorded and written by George Weston for the Challenge subsidiary
Jackpot).

Annette appears at Radio City Music Hall in New York City

MAY 19 1961

The Everly Brothers launch their very own record label Calliope

Jerry Lee Lewis opens at the Regal Theater in Chicago

Over a three day session Brenda Lee records 14 tracks (four of them
unissued until the release of the Bear Family box-set in 1995), nine
of which will come out on the LP "All The Way" (Decca DL 4176) in
August. Of these, three will also be issued as singles : "Dum Dum"/
"Eventually" (Decca 31272, release date June 26) and "Speak To Me
Pretty" (Brunswick 0.5867, UK, March 1962). Personnel: Hank Garland,
Grady Martin, guitars ; Harold Bradley, electric bass ; Joe Zinkan,
bass ;Doug Kirkham, drums (on May 19), Buddy Harman, drums (May
20-21);Floyd Cramer, piano, organ (on "Dum Dum") ; Boots Randolph,
sax The Anita Kerr Singers, vocal chorus. Plus 4 violins and a cello.
Produced by Owen Bradley at Bradley Studio in Nashville.

MAY 19 1962

Marilyn Monroe sings a sultry version of 'Happy Birthday' to President
John F. Kennedy at his Madison Square Garden 'Birthday Salute'

In New York City,The Fiestas record three tracks for the Old Town
label. "Broken Heart"/"The Railroad Song" is issued on Old Town 1122
in July and becomes their second hit (# 18 R&B, # 81 pop) after "So
Fine". "I Feel Good All Over" comes out on Old Town 1127 in November.
The Fiestas are Tommy Bullock (lead), Eddie Morris (tenor), Sam
Ingalis (baritone) and Preston Lane (bass).

New on the Billboard Hot Hundred are "Where Are You" Dinah
Washington,"Sharing You" Bobby Vee,"Snap Your Fingers" Joe
Henderson,"Theme From Ben Casey" Valjean,"When I Get Thru With
You" Patsy Cline,"Woman Is A Man's Best Friend" Teddy & Twilights,
"Jane,Jane,Jane" Kingston Trio,"Quando Quando Quando" Pat Boone
"Bristol Twistin' Annie" Dovells,"That Happy Feeling" Bert Kaempfert,
"John Birch Society" Chad Mitchell Trio and "Al Di La" Emilio Pericoli
New on the R&B chart are "I Can't Stop Loving You" Ray Charles,"Snap
Your Fingers" Joe Henderson and "I'll Try Something New" Miracles.
George Jones scores the #1 C&W hit with "She Thinks I Still Care". New
entries include "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" Don Gibson

On the British charts Elvis scores yet another #1 this day and
emulates the peak chart position he achieved in the USA with "Good
Luck Charm" knocking fellow countrymen B. Bumble & The Stingers
("Nut Rocker") from top spot

MAY 19 1963

Steve Lawrence,Ann-Margret and Kate Smith guest on "The Ed
Sullivan Show"

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Acknowledgement for recording session info used in this series goes to
Dik de Heer's "In The Can" website. For more info see

http://members.home.nl/henk.gorter/Itcindex.html

ROGER FORD
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