Bass guitar great Erving Charles Jr. was born in New Orleans on August 28, 1941. Charles was a member of Fats Domino's band for 20 years. He also worked with Dave Bartholomew, Snooks Eaglin, Irma Thomas, Marva Wright, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, and many others. Charles died from a heart on February 26, 2003 at age 61. See Erving Charles Jr. discography. Listen to Erving Charles Jr. music on YouTube. Charles was a member of Fats Domino's band for his Austin City Limits performance in 1986. Watch the video here.
1958
Drummer Joe Lastie was born (Joseph Frank Lastie, Jr.) in New Orleans on August 28, 1958. Joe comes from the famed musical Lastie family, which included his mother, both grandfathers, his aunt Betty, and his uncles Melvin, David, and Walter "Popee" Lastie. He has been a regular at Preservation Hall since 1989. He also leads his own band, Joe Lastie's New Orleans Sound. See Joe Lastie discography. Watch Joe Lastie videos on YouTube.
1974
Accordion player, singer and bandleader Dwight Carrier (aka "The Black Cat") was born in Church Point, Louisiana on August 28, 1974. He comes from a musical family that includes his late uncle Roy Carrier and cousins "Dikki Du" and Chubby Carrier. He formed his first band, Dwight Carrier and Zydeco Rockers, in 1988. He spent several years as accordionist with Warren Ceasar & Creole Zydeco Snap Band. He formed hia current band, Dwight "Black Cat" Carrier and The Ro'Doggs, in 2008. Watch Dwight Carrier videos on YouTube.
2002
Dixieland jazz trumpeter and vocalist Tommy Yetta (Thomas Alfred Yetta) passed away in New Orleans on August 28, 2002 at age 72. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA and lived in New Orleans for 70 years. Yetta was a staple of the New Orleans music scene for over 50 years. He performed at Maison Bourbon, Crazy Shirley's, the Famous Door, Court of Two Sisters, and the Old French Opera House, among others. He was a regular at the French Quarter Festival, and appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival over 25 times. Listen to Tommy Yetta music on YouTube.
2003
The 2003 MTV Video Music Awards aired live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on August 28, 2003. The ceremony is best remembered for Madonna kissing Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera during the show's opening performance. Britney was nominated in the Best Video from a Film category for "Boys", from "Austin Powers in Goldmember". She lost out to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from "8 Mile".
