Cornet and clarinet player Joseph "Wooden Joe" Nicholas was born in New Orleans in September 23, 1883. Nicholas played clarinet with King Oliver before taking up the cornet. He led several groups, including the Camelia Brass Band. Wooden Joe, the uncle of clarinetist Albert Nicholas, passed away in New Orleans on November 17, 1957. See Wooden Joe Nicholas discography. Listen to Wooden Joe Nicholas recordings on YouTube.
1906
Musician, vocalist, bandleader, promoter, and master of ceremonies Bardu Ali (Bahadour Ali) was born in New Orleans on September 23, 1906. Ali had long associations with Chick Webb and Johnny Otis. He is also noted for discovering a young Ella Fitzgerald at an Amateur Night Contest in Harlem in 1934. He passed away on October 29, 1981. Read more here. See Bardu Ali discography.
1927
Chicago blues guitarist and vocalist Mighty Joe Young (Joseph Young) was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on September 23, 1927. After moving to Chicago, he worked with Howlin' Wolf, Billy Boy Arnold, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Rush, Jimmy Dawkins, and others. An operation for a pinched nerve in his neck in 1986 robbed Young of the feeling in his hand and made it impossible to play guitar. The blues legend died on March 24, 1999, at age 71 from complications after spinal surgery, which he hoped would restore feeling to his fingers. Read more here and here. The Mighty Joe Young Band appeared in the 1981 James Caan film "Thief". See Mighty Joe Young discography. Listen to Mighty Joe Young music on YouTube.
1941
Multi-genre saxophone great, session player, and music educator Earl Turbinton (aka The African Cowboy) was born in New Orleans on September 23, 1941. Turbinton was the brother of keyboard player and producer Wilson "Willie Tee" Turbinton. He passed away on August 3, 2007 at age 65. Read more here and here. See Earl Turbinton recording credits. Watch Earl Turbinton videos on YouTube. Watch Earl Turbinton talk about creating improvisational music on the PBS series "Reading Rainbow".
1949
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival co-founder (with George Wein and Quint Davis) and former Professor Longhair manager Allison Miner was born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 23, 1949. Miner was a pivotal figure in the preservation and worldwide recognition of New Orleans brass band and Mardi Gras Indian cultures. She passed away in New Orleans of multiple myeloma on December 23, 1995 at age 46. Read more here.
1955
Fats Domino recorded "Poor Me" and "What's Wrong" at J&M Studio in New Orleans on September 23, 1955. "Poor Me" went on to reach #1 on the R&B Chart in December of 1955. "What's Wrong" wasn't released until 1963, as a track on Domino's "Walking To New Orleans" album. Backing up Fats on the sessions were Ernest McLean, Frank Fields, Herb Hardesty, Clarence Ford and Cornelius "Tenoo" Coleman.
1965
Rocker Jerry Lee Lewis appeared on the ABC music series Shindig! on September 23, 1965. He performed medleys in the opening and closing credits and also played "High Heel Sneakers".
1971
Gospel music legend Mahalia Jackson was a guest on NBC's "Flip Wilson Show" on September 23, 1971. She performed "Down By The Riverside". Watch the video here.
1976
Beloved multi-instrumentalist (trombone, tuba, organ, sax, drums, and more) and vocalist Ronell Johnson was born in Marrero, Louisiana on September 23, 1976. Johnson co-founded Coolbone Brass Band (with several family members), and also worked with Palm Court Jazz Band, Olympia Brass Band, Lionel Ferbos, Wendell Brunius, New Wave Brass Band, and many others. He was a member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band since 2012. Johnson passed away on June 14, 2026 at age 49. He had suffered a serious heart attack in early April, and never fully recovered. Read more here and here. See Ronell Johnson discography. Watch Ronell Johnson videos on YouTube.
1997
Vocalist and tenor sax player Huey "Cookie" Thierry (Huey Peter Thierry) passed away in Lake Charles on September 23, 1997 at age 61. Thierry was leader of the 60's swamp pop group Cookie & The Cupcakes (famous for their 1959 hit "Mathilda"). See Huey Thierry discography. Listen to Huey Thierry music on YouTube.
1998
The 32nd Country Music Association (CMA) Awards were held in Nashville on September 23, 1998. Award winners included Tim McGraw (Album of the Year for "Everywhere") and Brooks & Dunn (who won the Vocal Duo Award for the 7th year in a row).
1999
Pop star Britney Spears won the People's Choice Award for Favorite International Artist at the MuchMusic Video Awards held in Toronto on September 23, 1999. Britney also performed at the event. Watch videos from the show here.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue performed "Do To Me" on the UK televison show "Later... with Jools Holland" on September 23, 2011. Watch Trombone Shorty and Jools Holland jamming together here.
2011
The 2011 NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert took place at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland on September 23, 2011. Performers at the event included Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. & The Wild Magnolias. Bo Dollis Jr. was filling in for his father, 2011 Fellowship honoree Big Chief Bo Dollis Sr., who was too ill to attend the 2011 Fellowship events. Watch the video here.
