April 1, 1999 Jesse Stone, rhythm and blues musician and songwriter, died.

Stone was born November 16, 1901 in Atchison, Kansas. By 1926, Stone had formed a group, the Blue Serenaders, and cut his first record, “Starvation Blues.” Beginning in 1936, he worked as the bandleader at the Apollo Theater for a few years and for two years beginning in 1941 he was the musical director for the all-female band The International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

In 1947, Stone joined Atlantic Records as a producer, songwriter, and arranger. There he wrote “Losing Hand” (1953) for Ray Charles and “Money Honey” (1953) for The Drifters. Using the pseudonym Charles Calhoun, he also wrote “Shake, Rattle and Roll” in 1954. Stone was honored by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1992 with a Pioneer Award.