Died On This Date (December 28, 1952) Fletcher Henderson / Jazz Great
themusicsover Fletcher Henderson
December 18, 1897 – December 28, 1952
Fletcher Henderson was a respected big band and swing jazz pianist, composer and band leader. During a career that began in the early ’20s, Henderson lead bands that included the likes of Coleman Hawkins, Louis Armstrong, Sun Ra and Benny Carter. As a composer, his most famous song was “Gin House Blues,” which found itself recorded by Bessie Smith and Nina Simone among others. As an arranger, he was responsible for key recordings by Benny Goodman and others. In 1950, Fletcher Henderson suffered a stroke that left him unable to play the piano. He passed away two years later.
Hoagy Carmichael was a highly influential composer and musician who, over the course of a career that spanned from 1918 to 1981 wrote three of the most recorded songs in history. They are “Stardust,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Heart and Soul.” Over the years, he collaborated with the likes of 
Dean Martin was a pop music, television and film star who was one of the biggest names in entertainment during the ’60s and ’70s. He and his pals, 
Eartha Kitt was a star of stage and screen but also scored a few pop hits over the course of her lengthy career. Her exotic presence on film made her a pop culture icon who is beloved to this day. She is perhaps best remembered for her campy role as Catwoman on the ’60s television series, Batman. She also appeared in such films as St. Louis Blues and The Mark of the Hawk. Kitt made several recordings throughout her career, but it is her 1953 version of “Santa Baby” that is her most famous. She also had hits with “Where Is My Man” and “Under The Bridges of Paris.” Kitt continued to work on stage and film up until the final years of her life. On December 25, 2008, Eartha Kitt died of colon cancer at the age of 81.
