Drummer and bandleader Paul Barbarin was born (Adolphe Paul Barbarin) in New Orleans on May 5, 1899. Barbarin's musical family included father Isadore (leader of the Onward Brass Band), brother Louis (also a drummer), and nephew Danny Barker. Barbarin played with Freddie Keppard, Jimmie Noone, Luis Russell, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Red Allen, Sidney Bechet and others. He composed the trad jazz classics "Bourbon Street Parade" and "The Second Line". Barbarin died of a heart attack on February 17, 1969, doing what he loved most ... playing snare drum with the Onward Brass Band in a street parade. Read more here and here. Listen to Paul Barbarin music on YouTube.
1922
Record producer, musician and songwriter J. D. Miller was born (Joseph Denton Miller) in Iota, LA on May 5, 1922. Miller produced and recorded many Cajun and swamp blues legends at Cosimo Matassa's studio in New Orleans, and later at his own studio in Crowley, Louisiana. His writing credits include the country classic "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", a #1 hit for country singer Kitty Wells in 1952. Miller passed away in Lafayette, LA on March 23, 1996 at age 73, Read more about J. D. Miller here and here, Watch "How J.D. Miller Took Cajun and Blues to the World" on YouTube.
1935
Avant-garde jazz saxophonist and music educator Edward "Kidd" Jordan was born in Crowley, Louisiana on May 5, 1935. His musical family includes sons Kent Jordan and Marlon Jordan, and daughters Stephanie Jordan and Rachel Jordan. Jordan's students over the years include Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Carl Leblanc, Darrell Lavigne, Tony Dagradi, Jonathan Batiste, and Courtney Bryan. Jordan passed away on April 7, 2023 at the age of 87. Read more here and here. Watch Kidd Jordan videos on YouTube.
1968
Banjo and guitar player "Creole" George Guesnon passed away in New Orleans on May 5, 1968 at the age of 60. Guesnon worked with Kid Clayton's Happy Pals, Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra, Sam Morgan, Little Brother Montgomery, George Lewis, Percy Humphrey, and others. In his latter years, Guesnon was a regular at Preservation Hall. Read more here and here. See George Guesnon recording credits. Check out this great performance video from Art Ford's Jazz Party (1958) featuring George Guesnon with George Lewis, Punch Miller, Alphonse Picou, Sweet Emma Barrett, Peter Bocage, Charlie Love, Louis Nelson, Slow Drag Pavageau, and Paul Barbarin.
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1997
Actress and singer Gracie Katherine McGraw was born to country couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw in Nashville, Tennessee on May 5, 1997.
1999
Delhi, LA native Tim McGraw picked up two awards at the 34th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards held in Los Angeles on May 5, 1999. McGraw was named Top Male Vocalist of the Year, and shared the award for Top Vocal Event with his wife, Faith Hill (for "Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me"). Performers included Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn and Trace Adkins. Watch videos from the 34th ACM Awards.
2001
Zydeco music pioneer Boozoo Chavis passed away on May 5, 2001 at age 70 after suffering a stroke and heart attack while on the road in Austin, Texas. Boozoo recorded the first Zydeco hit, "Paper in My Shoe," in 1954. He received a National Heritage Fellowship (posthumously) from the NEA in 2001. Read more here. Watch Boozoo Chavis videos on YouTube.
2010
Dubuisson, Louisiana native Lonnie Brooks was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in ceremonies held in Memphis, TN on May 5, 2010. Watch Lonnie Brooks being inducted here.
2026
Guitarist and vocalist Evelyn Cox (Evelyn Cox Hobbs) passed away at her home in Vivian, Louisiana on May 5, 2026 at age 66. She was a founding member of the Grammy winning (in 1995 & 2002) bluegrass group The Cox Family, with her dad Willard (1937-2019) and siblings Lynn, Sidney and Suzanne. Watch Cox Family videos on YouTube.
