Born: January 27, 1919

Died: January 16, 1972

Armenian-American actor, pianist, singer and songwriter, "Witch Doctor" (#1, 1958), creator of novelty pop Alvin & The Chipmunks, "The Chipmunk Song" (#1, 1958), died of a heart attack on 1/16/1972, age 52

Born: June 11, 1934

Died: January 16, 2007

Frontman and lead vocals for pioneer R&B/doo wop The Spaniels, "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" (R&B #5, 1954), died of cancer on 1/16/2007, age 72

Born: January 23, 1940

Died: January 16, 2012

Pop and funk saxophonist and singer, briefly replaced Frankie Lymon in The Teenagers, then fronted novelty/disco-funk Jimmy Castor Bunch, "Troglodyte (Caveman)" (#4, 1972), died from heart failure on 1/16/2012, age 72

Born: December 02, 1961

Died: January 16, 2018

Los Angeles night club owner, D.J. and co-founder of the hip hop record label Delicious Vinyl, whose early hits - including "Wild Thing" (#2, R&B #1, 1988) by Tone L?c and "Bust A Move" (#7, Rap #2, 1989) by Young M.C. - helped thrust hip hop music onto mainstream radio and popular music charts, later contributed sampling tracks and co-produced the Beastie Boys landmark hip hop album, Paul's Boutique (#14, 1989), dropped out of sight in the early 90s and lived in seclusion in his L.A. mansion, where he died from salivary gland cancer on 1/16/2018, age 56

Born: January 04, 1958

Died: January 16, 2019

High school chum of Belinda Carlisle (who would go on to lead vocals for the Go-Gos), together answered an ad for musicians to form a new punk rock band and became founding member and bassist in influential L.A. punk rock Germs ("Lexicon Devil," 1979 - the debut single on Stash Records), left the band in 1980 but returned from New York in 2005 for a reunion and tours, died of cancer on 1/6/2019, age 61.