DECEMBER 1

RAY HENDERSON

MARY MARTIN

BETTE MIDLER

1896 Ray Henderson, Composer b. Buffalo, NY, USA. d. Dec. 31, 1970, Greenwich, CT, USA. Born Raymond Brost in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley. He was one third of a successful songwriting and music publishing team with Lew Brown and Buddy De Sylva from 1925 through 1930, responsible for several editions of the revue called George White's Scandals and such book musicals as Good News, Hold Everything!, and Follow Thru. After De Sylva's departure, Henderson continued to write with Brown through 1933, then worked with other partners. In 1934 he composed the musical Say When with lyricist Ted Koehler. Henderson's biggest hit songs included "That Old Gang of Mine", "Annabelle" (both 1923), "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue", "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" (all 1925), "The Varsity Drag" (1927), "You're The Cream In My Coffee" (1928), "Button Up Your Overcoat", "You Are My Lucky Star" "I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All", "Keep Your Sunny Side Up" (1929), "The Thrill Is Gone", and "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" (1931). Wikipedia Bio | Search Amazon.com for Ray Henderson



 1913 Mary Martin, Broadway Singer Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989.

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Ford Star Jubilee. - Together With Music. (OCTOBER 22, 1955-USA)


 1945 Bette Midler, Pop Singer Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress and comedian, also known (by her informal stage name) as The Divine Miss M. She has starred in live-action films such as Ruthless People, Beaches and Hocus Pocus, as well as featuring in animated films such as Oliver & Company and Fantasia 2000. During her more than forty-year career, Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards; and won four Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. She has also sold over 30 Million records as an artist.

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DECEMBER 31

CYRIL STAPLETON + GORAN SOLLCHER + JULE STYNE + JONAH JONES + JOHN KIRBY + JOHN DENVER

 1914 Cyril Stapleton (Death: 25 February 1974) was an English violinist and jazz bandleader. Born in Mapperley, Nottingham, Stapleton began playing violin at age 7, and played on local radio at the age of 12. He performed on the BBC Radio often in his teenage years, and played in film orchestras accompanying silent films. He attended Trinity College of Music in London, and played in a dance band there led by Henry Hall. This ensemble also played on the BBC and made several recordings for EMI. After losing his position in the band, he went back to Nottingham and formed his own. In 1957, the BBC disbanded the Show Band, and Stapleton immediately reassembled his own group. He even managed two chart hits in the United States with the instrumental "The Italian Theme" (#25, 1956) and "The Children's Marching Song (Nick Nack Paddy Whack)" (#13, 1959). Stapleton continued to tour and record into the 1970s; in 1965 he also became head of A&R for Pye Records. Stapleton died in 1974, at the age of 59. Complete Wikipedia Bio | Search Amazon.com for Cyril Stapleton

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1955 Göran Söllscher is a Swedish award-winning virtuoso classical guitarist known for his broad range of musical interpretations, ranging from Bach to the Beatles. Söllscher's international career began during his years of education at the Royal Conservatory of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark when at the age of 23, he won the Concours International de Guitare in Paris, 1978. He was signed by German record label Deutsche Grammophon, the largest label featuring classical guitarists. As of 2005, Söllscher has released 19 records which altogether have sold over a million copies. Wikipedia Bio | Search Amazon.com for Göran Söllscher

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1905 Jule Styne (Death: September 20, 1994) was a British-born American songwriter especially famous for a series of Broadway musicals, which included several very well known and frequently revived shows.

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1908 John Kirby (Death: June 14, 1952), was a jazz double-bassist who also played trombone and tuba.

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1909 Jonah Jones, born Robert Elliott Jones (Death: April 29, 2000), was a jazz trumpeter who is perhaps best known for creating concise versions of jazz and swing standards that appealed to a mass audience. In jazz he might be best appreciated for his work with Stuff Smith. He was sometimes referred to as "King Louis II." Started playing alto sax at the age of 12 in the Booker T Washington Community Center band in Louisville before quickly transitioning to trumpet where he excelled immediately.

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1943 John Denver (Death: October 12, 1997), born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., was an American singer-songwriter, actor, activist, and poet. One of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s, Denver recorded and released around 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed. He was named Poet Laureate of Colorado in 1977. Songs such as "Leaving on a Jet Plane", "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High", "Sunshine on My Shoulders", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", "Annie's Song" and "Calypso" attained worldwide popularity.

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