Mohair Slim / Blue Juice Calendar / 20 January
Blue Juice Calendar · On this day

20 January

Musicians born and died on 20 January: 14 births, 17 deaths and 6 recording milestones from blues, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, reggae and ska.

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Born14

  • 1889Leadbelly (Huddie William Leadbetter)guitar, vocal · Mooringsport, LADied 6 December 1949 · Blues
  • 1895Eva Jessyevocal · Coffeyville, KSDied 21 February 1992 · Gospel · Eva Jesse Gospel Choir
  • 1920Gene Dennisharmonica · Mt. Pleasant, TNDied 8 May 1962
  • 1922Ray Anthony (Raymond Antonini Anthony)band-leader, trumpet · Bentleyville, PAR&B · Capitol Rec’s
  • 1927Big Boy Groves (Perry Ervin Minor Groves, Jr.)arranger, band-leader, piano, songwriter, vocal · Muskogee, OKDied 21 July 1982 · Blues · R&B · Big Boy Groves and Band, Spark, Money, GME
  • 1929Jimmy Cobbdrums · Washington, DCDied 24 May 2020 · Jazz · R&B · Dinah Washington
  • 1931Earl Grantorgan, piano, vocal · Idabel, OKDied 10 June 1970 · Jazz · Decca Rec’s
  • 1932King Coleman (Carlton Coleman)dj, drums, emcee, songwriter, vocal · Tampa, FLDied 11 September 2010 · Gospel · R&B · Soul · Nat Kendrick and the Swans, Dade Records, Brunswick Records, Norton Records
  • 1933Ron Townsonvocal · St. Louis, MODied 2 August 2001 · Soul · Fifth Dimension
  • 1936Erwin Helferpiano · Chicago, ILBlues · Jazz
  • 1936Luther Tuckerguitar · Memphis, TNDied 18 June 1993 · Blues
  • 1939Jimmy Thomaslabel-owner, producer, songwriter, vocal · Osceola, ARDied 25 April 2022 · R&B · Soul · Kings of Rhythm, Ike & Tina Turner Revue, Jimmy & Jean, Osceola Records
  • 1942William Powellvocal · Canton, OHDied 26 May 1977 · Soul · O'Jays
  • 1944Farhad (Farhad Mehrad)guitar, piano, songwriter, vocal · Tehran, IranDied 31 August 2002 · Rock · Four Imps, Black Cats

Died17

  • 1930Will D. Cobbcomposer · New York, NYBorn 6 July 1876 · aged 53 · Jazz · R&B · Louis Jordan
  • 1957Dean Benedettiband-leader, saxophone · ItalyBorn 28 June 1922 · aged 34 · Jazz · Charlie Parker
  • 1965Alan FreedDJ · Palm Springs, CABorn 15 December 1921 · aged 43 · Blues · R&B
  • 1974Charles "Packy" Axtonband-leader, saxophone, songwriter · Memphis, TNBorn 17 February 1941 · aged 32 · Cirrhosis of the liver · R&B · Soul · Mar-Keys, Royal Spades, Packers, Stax Records
  • 1989"Whistling" Alex Moorepiano · Dallas, TXBorn 22 November 1899 · aged 89 · Blues
  • 1989Steve Brownvocal · New York, NYR&B · Charts
  • 1991Stan Szelestpiano · Woodstock, NYBorn 11 February 1942 · aged 48 · Blues · Lonnie Mack, Roy Buchanan
  • 1996Buster Bentonguitar, vocal · Chicago, ILBorn 19 July 1932 · aged 63 · Blues
  • 2000Don Abneypiano · Los Angeles, CABorn 10 March 1923 · aged 76 · Heart attack · Jazz · Billy Williams
  • 2002John Jacksonguitar, vocal · Fairfax, VABorn 25 February 1924 · aged 77 · Kidney failure · Blues
  • 2009David "Fathead" Newmansaxophone · Kingston, NYBorn 24 February 1933 · aged 75 · Pancreatic cancer · Jazz · R&B
  • 2010Lynn Taitt (Nerlynn Taitt)arranger, band-leader, guitar · Montreal, CanadaBorn 22 June 1934 · aged 75 · Cancer · Reggae · Ska · Jets, Skatalites, Supersonics, Sheiks
  • 2012Etta James (Jamesetta Hawkins James)vocal · Riverside, CABorn 25 January 1938 · aged 73 · Complications from leukemia · R&B · Soul · Etta & Harvey
  • 2017Ronald "Bingo" Mundyvocal · Pittsburgh, PABorn 20 April 1940 · aged 76 · Pneumonia · R&B · Rock · Marcels, Memories
  • 2018Terry Evanscomposer, guitar · Los Angeles, CABorn 14 August 1937 · aged 80 · Blues
  • 2021Ronnie Nasrallacomposer, label-owner, producer, promoter · Atlanta, GAReggae · Ska · Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, Blues Busters, Maytals, BMN
  • 2025Bob Kubandrums, vocalBorn 19 August 1940 · aged 84 · Stroke complications · Soul · In-Men

Events6

  • 1953Johnny Watson's first recording, (Chuck Higgins on Federal) - 'I Got Eyes'.
  • 1956Bob Landers w/ Willie Joe & His Unitar record 'Cherokee Dance' (Specialty 576) - legend has it Lander died two weeks later of throat cancer.
  • 1962'I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)' by Barbara George (AFO) reaches No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart (4 weeks at the top).
  • 1967Bumps Blackwell and arranged by the great Rene Hall.
  • 1968'Chain of Fools' by Aretha Franklin (Atlantic) reaches No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart (4 weeks at the top).
  • 1972Ronnie Foster records the first session for 'Two Headed Freap' (Blue Note) at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs.