Cornet player Emmett Hardy was born in Gretna, LA on June 12, 1903. Hardy worked in New Orleans with Papa Laine's Band and Norman Brownlee's Orchestra. He also worked briefly with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings in Chicago. Hardy, who never recorded, died in New Orleans from tuberculosis on June 16, 1925 at age 22. Read more here and here.
1939
New Orleans jazz clarinetist and sax player Jacques Gauthé was born in Gascony in the south of France on June 12, 1939. Gauthe moved to New Orleans in 1968 and became a regular on the local jazz scene (with Kid Thomas, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and others). Gauthe died in his sleep in 2007 while on tour in France. Watch Jacques Gauthé videos on YouTube.
1948
The classic "Good Rockin' Tonight" by Roy Brown entered the R&B Chart on June 12, 1948. It peaked at #11 on the chart. The tune, written by Brown, is considered by many as the "first rock 'n' roll record". Note the mention of "Rocking Blues" on the label. The song has been covered by Wynonie Harris (#1 R&B hit), Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Doors, and many others. "Good Rockin' Tonight" was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame's "Classics of Blues Recordings" in 2022.
1977
Award winning blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on June 12, 1977. See official web site at kennywayneshepherd.net. Watch Kenny Wayne Shepherd videos on YouTube.
1998
Arranger, brass player and educator Joe D'Gerolamo, Jr. passed away in Memphis on June 12, 1998 at age 69. D'Gerolamo (or De'Gerolamo), a native of Kenner, worked with the big bands of Tex Beneke, Jimmy Dorsey and Charlie Barnet. He recorded with Frank Sinatra, Nelson Eddy, Elvis Presley (on his classic 1969 Memphis sessions), Isaac Hayes, and others. The Joe D'Gerolamo Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established in his honor at the University of Memphis. Listen to Joe D'Gerolamo music on YouTube.
2011
New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne was featured on the MTV special "MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged", which aired nationally on June 12, 2011. He became the fourth rapper in history to star on the MTV Unplugged concert series (and the first since 2001). The performance was taped at Sony Studios in Culver City, CA on May 12, 2011.
