February 8 - John Williams (The Musical Birthday Series)

John Williams (b. 8 February 1932) is an American composer, conductor, and pianist who is one of the most successful film composers of all time.

Scoring Points

When you hear a Williams score

You think you’ve heard the thing before,

Not from soft and subtle hints,

But from the blatant fingerprints. 

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February 7 - Eubie Blake (The Musical Birthday Series)

Eubie Blake (7 February 1887 – 12 February 1983) was an important pianist and composer of popular songs and shows.

Passing It On

When all of his friends

  Were retired or dead.

    Eubie Blake rebounded.

He bucked the new trends

  And showed us instead,

    How the ‘20s sounded.

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February 6 - Natalie Cole; Arthur Gold (The Musical Birthday Series)

Natalie Cole (6 February 1950 – 31 December 2015) was an popular American singer

Duo 1

To sing duets with your dead dad,

  -- A most unlikely twosome.

Perhaps the thing is kind of sad,

  -- Or is it kind of gruesome?

Natalie Cole decided to try it.

  -- Recording with the dead.

And boy oh boy, did people buy it!

 -- That much must be said.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪    

Arthur Gold (6 February 1917 – 3 January 1990) was half of the distinguish piano duo Gold and Fizdale.

Duo 2

If you’re half of a musical act,

And share your partner’s bed,

It’s simply a practical fact:

Be careful where you tread.

Yet, once in awhile you find

(Or so the tale is told),

A successful ménage of the kind:

To wit, Fizdale and Gold.

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February 5 - Ole Bull (The Musical Birthday Series)

Ole Bull (5 February 1810 – 17 August 1880) was a internationally renowned Norwegian violinist. The statue referred to is my city of Minneapolis.

Olé, Bull?

Once the music world was full

With the name of Ole Bull.

Tributes and awards were legion

For this talented Norwegian.

He was seen in statuary

Even on the Midwest prairie;

Case in point the noble bronze

Standing near the Loring ponds.

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