Trombone player Henderson Chambers was born in Alexandria, LA on May 1, 1908. Chambers worked with Louis Armstrong (1941-43), Edmond Hall, Duke Ellington, Doc Cheatham, Count Basie, Ray Charles, and many others. Chambers died on October 19, 1967 at the age of 59. Listen to Henderson Chambers music on YouTube.
1930
Blues harmonica legend Little Walter was born (Marion Walter Jacobs) in Marksville, LA on May 1, 1930. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (watch his induction) in 2008. His 1952 hit song "Juke" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008, and it is the only harmonica instrumental ever to be a number one hit on the Billboard R&B chart. Little Walter passed away in Chicago on February 15, 1968 at age 37. The circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery.
1961
"I'm a Fool to Care" by swamp pop singer Joe Barry entered the Billboard R&B Chart on May 1, 1961. It went on to reach the No. 15 position, and peaked at No. 24 on the Pop Chart. The oft covered tune was written by Beauregard Parish, Louisiana native Ted Daffan. It was first recorded by Ted Daffan's Texans in 1940.
1967
Country music giant Tim McGraw (Samuel Timothy McGraw) was born in Delhi, LA on May 1, 1967. McGraw has racked up eleven platinum or multi-platinum albums, over sixty Top Ten country hits, twenty-nine #1 country singles, and 20 Grammy nominations (with 3 wins). He has recorded award-winning duets with wife Faith Hill, including the #1 hit "It's Your Love". As an actor, McGraw starred in the TV series '1883' and in such Hollywood films as 'Friday Night Lights' and 'The Blind Side'. He was named as a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee in 2026. Watch Tim McGraw videos on YouTube.
1997
Irma Thomas (Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year) and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Blues Instrumentalist, Other) were among the winners at the 18th Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards held at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on May 1st, 1997. Songs inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame included Slim Harpo's 1966 #1 hit "Baby Scratch My Back".
The 12th Annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards show was held in Los Angeles on May 1, 1999. Performers include Britney Spears, who performed "...Baby One More Time". TV Guide wrote about the performance: "Did you catch Britney Spears' uplifting performance on Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards? It must have been pretty cold there - in Orlando, Florida. Under the hot lights. Somebody get this 17-year-old pop star a bra! Folks were talking about the segment for days after, fueled by earlier hullabaloo over whether she has had breast implants. Something is sure different." Nickelodeon exec's explained that Britney was covered up during rehearsal, and there wasn't much they could do since the show was live. "It was inappropriate" folks at Nick said.
2026
Country music superstar and Baskin, Louisiana native Lainey Wilson gave a spirited performance in a torrential downpour on a rain-shortened Friday at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1, 2026. Watch video clips here.
