Mohair Slim / Blue Juice Calendar / 20 May
Blue Juice Calendar · On this day
20 May
Musicians born and died on 20 May: 10 births, 16 deaths and 3 recording milestones from blues, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, reggae and ska.
Born10
- 1896Jaybird ColemanBiographyharmonica · Gainesville, ALDied 28 January 1950 · Blues
- 1901Jimmy BlytheBiographypiano · South Keene, KYDied 14 June 1931 · Blues
- 1911Milt GablerBiographyarranger · New York, NYDied 20 July 2001 · Jazz · Commodore Rec’s, Decca
- 1922Wally HeiderBiographyengineer · Sheridan, ORDied 22 March 1989 · Jazz · Rock & Roll
- 1931Bud SpiresBiographyharmonica · Anding, MSDied 20 March 2014 · Blues · Jack Owens
- 1933Charles DavisBiographysaxophone · Goodman, MSDied 15 July 2016 · Jazz
- 1936Sterling MageeBiographycomposer, guitar, percussion, vocal · Mount Olive, MSDied 6 September 2020 · Blues · Satan & Adam
- 1940Frederick Earl "Shorty" LongBiographyvocal · Birmingham, ALDied 29 June 1969 · Soul
- 1948Watty Burnett (Derrick Burnett)Biographybass, drums, guitar, percussion, vocal · Port Antonio, JamaicaReggae · Soul Twins, Jimmy & Derrick, Black Ark
- 1956Tyrone Ralph DownieBiographyarranger, guitar, keyboards, organ, piano · Kingston, JamaicaDied 5 November 2022 · Reggae · Bob Marley & Wailers, Impact All Stars
Died16
- 1964Rudolph "Rudy" Lewis (Charles Rudolph Harrell Lewis)Biographyvocal · New York, NYBorn 23 August 1936 · aged 27 · Heart attack/drug overdose · R&B · Soul · Drifters
- 1975Bon Bon TunnellBiographyvocal · Philadelphia, PABorn 29 June 1912 · aged 62 · Jazz · Jan Savitt, Three Keys
- 1977Lafayette "Thing" ThomasBiographyguitar · Brisbane, CABorn 13 June 1928 · aged 48 · Heart attack · Blues
- 1978Ivan H. Browningvocal · Altadena, CABorn 20 February 1891 · aged 87 · R&B · Four Harmony Kings
- 1982Monk MontgomeryBiographybass · Las Vegas, NVBorn 10 October 1921 · aged 60 · Jazz · El. B
- 1982Pinell Currydrums · Chicago, ILBorn 9 August 1934 · aged 47
- 1985Johnny FullerBiographyguitar · Oakland, CABorn 20 April 1929 · aged 56 · Blues
- 1986Clyde E.B. BernhardtBiographytrombone, vocal · Newark, NJBorn 11 July 1905 · aged 80 · Jazz
- 1988Dick JacobsBiographyarranger, producer · New York, NYBorn 29 March 1918 · aged 70 · Soul · Jackie Wilson
- 1993Clarence "Swamp Blues" EdwardsBiographyguitar · Baton Rouge, LABorn 25 March 1933 · aged 60 · Blues
- 1998Ronald Shaabarranger, composer, owner · Baton Rouge, LABorn 7 September 1941 · aged 56 · R&B · Soul · Ron Records (baton Rouge)
- 2001Willie FosterBiographyharmonica, vocal · Jackson, TNBorn 19 September 1921 · aged 79 · Blues · Muddy Waters
- 2002Clarence SamuelsBiographyvocalBorn 30 October 1923 · aged 78 · Blues · R&B
- 2003Joe "Guitar" HughesBiographyguitar · Houston, TXBorn 29 September 1937 · aged 65 · Blues
- 2012Carrie SmithBiographyvocal · Englewood, NJBorn 25 August 1925 · aged 86 · Cancer · Blues · Jazz
- 2026Jimmy HughesBiographyvocalBorn 3 February 1938 · aged 88 · Cancer · Gospel · Soul · Singing Clouds
Events3
- 1960Alan Freed (now DJ on KDAY L.A.) indicted for accepting $30,650 from record companies pleaded guilty - $400 fine and suspended sentence).
- 1965Wes Montgomery records the title track to his 'Bumpin' album (Verve V6-8625).
- 1967Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' (Atlantic) reaches R&B #1.