Cyril

Happy Birthday, Jimmy Heath (1926)

Band leader: 'Can you sing from sheet music?' Singer: 'Of course, but not the first time.'

From an interview with Shelly Manne: Interviewer: 'Have you ever gone into the studio and had someone say: "I want you to sound like the guy who did the drums on ...?" Shelly Manne: 'I did a date with Jimmy Bowen, the song was Fever. I had never worked with Jim, but I had made the original record of Fever with Peggy Lee. It actually said on my part 'Play like Shelly Manne'. So I played it just like I played it originally. The producer stormed out of the control room, walked over to me and said: "Can't you read English? It says 'Play like Shelly Manne'." When I told him I was Shelly Manne, he turned around and went back into the booth. I think he's selling cars now.'