Mohair Slim / Blue Juice Calendar / 17 February
Blue Juice Calendar · On this day
17 February
Musicians born and died on 17 February: 14 births, 11 deaths and 3 recording milestones from blues, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, reggae and ska.
Born14
- 1899Harvey Oliver BrooksBiographycomposer · Philadelphia, PADied 17 June 1968 · Jazz
- 1905Orville "Hoppy" JonesBiographyvocal · Chicago, ILDied 18 October 1944 · Jazz · Ink Spots
- 1906Wallace BishopBiographydrums · Chicago, ILDied 2 May 1986 · Jazz · Les Hites
- 1907Harry DialBiographydrums, label-owner, producer · Birmingham, ALDied 25 January 1987 · Soul · Dial Rec’s
- 1911J.T. AdamsBiographyguitar · Morganfield, KYBlues
- 1922Tommy EdwardsBiographycomposer, piano, vocal · Richmond, VADied 23 October 1969 · Jazz · R&B
- 1926Noble "Thin Man" WattsBiographysaxophone · Deland, FLDied 24 August 2004 · R&B
- 1926Will DavisBiographypiano · Chicago, ILDied 24 March 1984 · Jazz · Paul Bascomb
- 1928Betty Jackson KingBiographyvocal · Chicago, ILDied 1 June 1994 · Gospel · Jacksonian Trio
- 1937Mickey McGillBiographyvocal · Chicago, ILR&B · Soul · Dells, El-Rays
- 1942Stanley BeckfordBiographycomposer, guitar, vocal · Portland, JamaicaDied 30 March 2007 · Mento · Reggae · Starlights, Stanley and the Turbines
- 1949Doyle Bramhall Sr.Biographydrums · TexasDied 13 November 2011 · Blues · Antone's Rec’s
- 1952Bruce Ruffin (Bernardo Constantine Balderamus Ruffin)Biographyvocal · St. Catherine, JamaicaReggae · Techniques
- 1954Lou Ann BartonBiographyvocal · Fort Worth, TXBlues · Antone's Rec’s
Died11
- 1969Paul BarbarinBiographydrums · New Orleans, LABorn 5 May 1899 · aged 69 · Jazz
- 1982Thelonious MonkBiographycomposer, piano · Englewood, NJBorn 10 October 1917 · aged 64 · Jazz
- 1984Andrew "Blueblood" McMahonBiographybass · Monroe, LABorn 12 April 1926 · aged 57 · Blues
- 1992Sallie BlaireBiographyvocal · Baltimore, MDBorn 27 April 1934 · aged 57 · Jazz · Cab Calloway
- 1993Al Riversvocal · Portland, ORBorn 25 March 1927 · aged 65 · Jazz · Ink Spots
- 2006Ray BarrettoBiographyband-leader, congas · Hackensack, NJBorn 29 April 1929 · aged 76 · Jazz
- 2015Kenneth "Wally" KelleyBiographyvocalBorn 9 January 1941 · aged 74 · Soul · Manhattans
- 2019Ethel EnnisBiographyvocal · Baltimore, MDBorn 28 November 1932 · aged 86 · Stroke · Jazz
- 2020“Little” Henry GrayBiographypianoBorn 19 January 1925 · aged 95 · Blues · Chess, Parrot
- 2025Milton "Prilly" HamiltonBiographyvocal · FloridaBrief illness · Reggae · Third World
Events3
- 1953The Du Droppers record 'I Wanna Know' (Victor).
- 1954The Dells record their first single (as the El Rays) for Chess, ‘Darling I Know’ (Checker 794).
- 1962King Curtis 'Soul Twist' (Enjoy) goes pop (eventually #17).