Trumpeter, singer and bandleader Adolphus “Doc” Cheatham was born on this day (June 13) in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1905. After abandoning a career as a pharmacist — hence the nickname “Doc” — Cheatham dedicated his life to music and in doing so became an instrumental figure in the development of modern jazz, performing in almost every genre and playing with everyone from Cab Calloway to Nicholas Payton. A slight man with a big personality, Cheatham continued to play his horn until the day he died, eleven days before his 92nd birthday. Our Song of the Day is “Blues In My Heart,” from The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions. It features a Harmon-muted Cheatham laying down slick lines atop a rolling blues piano riff. Sweet and soulful, it’s the perfect introduction to an unsung trumpet master.