Cajun Music Hall of Fame fiddler (and grocery store owner) Ellis Vanicor was born in Church Point, Louisiana on August 14th, 1929. Vanicor started playing the fiddle as a teen, and formed the band the Lacassine Playboys with brothers Milton and Ivy, and his nephew Orsy, in the mid-1940's. The group became a household name in 1949 after backing accordionist Iry LeJeune on the tracks Lacassine Special, Te Mone, Calcasieu Waltz and Teche Special. In 2010, the band released a 17-song CD, "Don’t Bury Me" (which won multiple Le Cajun Music Awards). Vanicor celebrated his retirement from music, and his 90th birthday in 2019. He passed away on August 31, 2025 at age 96. Read more. Watch Ellis Vanicor videos on YouTube.
1938
Gospel singer Howard Bowie was born in New Orleans on August 14, 1938. Bowie performed with The Zion Harmonizers for 43 years. He passed away from congestive heart failure on July 22, 2002 at age 63.
1990
Jazz bassist Chester Zardis passed away in New Orleans on August 14, 1990 at age 90. As a youngster, Zardis played with Louis Armstrong in the Colored Waif's Home band. His early work included stints with Kid Rena, Buddy Petit, Chris Kelly, Jack Carey, Fats Pichon, Bunk Johnson, and others. He was later a fixture at Preservation Hall for over a quarter of a century. Zardis was featured in the 1989 documentary "Chester Zardis: The Spirit of New Orleans", which was filmed shortly before his death. Read more here. See Chester Zardis discography. Watch Chester Zardis videos on YouTube.
1991
Tony Award winning singer and actress Linda Hopkins (1924-2017) was the musical guest on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" on August 14, 1991.
1994
The Neville Brothers performed on the third and final day (August 14, 1994) of Woodstock '94, held in Saugerties, New York. 350,000 attended the event, which featured mud fights and memorable performances by Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others. Watch the Neville Brothers performance here.
2000
8-year-old singer Juan Carlos Hernandez (from Harvey, LA) performed the National Anthem at the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles on August 14, 2000 (photo, photo).
