Happy Birthday this week to:
August 23
1900 ● Malvina Reynolds → Folk-pop singer, songwriter and political activist, wrote “Little Boxes” for Pete Seeger (#70, 1964), “What Have They Done To The Rain?” for The Searchers (#29, 1965), songs covered by Joan Baez, Judy Collins and others, and children’s songs and material for the TV show Sesame Street, died on 3/17/1978, age 77.
1912 ● Gene Kelly → Broadway and film actor, dancer and adult pop singer, a dominant force in Hollywood musical films of the 40s and 50s, best known for his lead role in the highly-regarded Singin’ In The Rain (1952), died in his sleep on 2/2/1996, age 83.
1913 ● Bob Crosby → Swing-era vocalist and Dixieland bandleader, younger brother of crooner Bing Crosby, fronted authentic New Orleans swing band The Bob-Cats in the 30s, turned to radio in the 40s and became a popular variety program host, scored a hit duet single with Patty Andrews and “The Pussycat Song (Nyot! Nyow! Nyot!)” (#12, 1953), reunited The Bob-Cats for occasional performances until his death from cancer on 3/9/1993, age 79.
1917 ● Tex Williams / (Sollie Paul Williams) → “Talking blues” style Western swing singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader with ten Country Top 10 hits over a 35 year career, including “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” (Country #1, 1947), died from pancreatic cancer on 10/11/1985, age 68.
1936 ● Rudy Lewis / (Charles Rudolph Harrell) → Lead vocals from 1960-1964 for R&B/soul-doo wop The Drifters, “Up On The Roof” (#5, 1963), died in his sleep on 5/20/1964, the night before the group recorded “Under The Boardwalk” (#4, 1964) without him, age 27.
1941 ● Pete Shannon / (Peter Shannon Harris) → Bassist for British Invasion pop-rock The Nashville Teens, “Tobacco Road” (#16, 1964).
1942 ● Roger Greenaway → British pop music songwriter and performer, as David was one half the pop vocal duo David & Jonathan, “Michelle” (#18, Adult Contemporary #3, 1966), collaborated with Roger Cook (aka Jonathan) to pen dozens of pop-rock hit singles, including “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” (The Hollies, #2, 1972) and “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” (The New Seekers, #7, 1971).
1942 ● Spaghetti Micale / (Anthony Micale) → Lead vocal for blue-eyed soul/doo wop The Reflections (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #6, 1964), continues to perform with the group into the 10s.
1943 ● Mick Burt / (Michael Arthur Burt) → Drummer backing Brit novelty pop-“rockney” duo Chas & Dave, “Gertcha” (UK #20, 1979).
1945 ● Pete Fornatale → Award-winning early progressive FM radio DJ, first at WFUV-FM (Fordham University, New York) and, beginning in 1969, on trendsetting WNEW-FM, returned to WFUV in 2001, hosted Sirius XM satellite program, authored several books on rock culture, died from a stroke on 4/26/2012, age 66.
1946 ● Jim Sohns → Founding member and vocals for Chicago blues-pop-rock Shadows of Knight, “Gloria” (#10, 1965), continues to front incarnations of the band on the oldies circuit.
1946 ● Keith Moon → Legendary, exuberant and innovative drummer for hard rock The Who, “I Can See For Miles” (#9, 1967), recorded one solo album which was issued posthumously, voted #2 in a 2001 readers’ poll by Rolling Stone magazine for the Best Drummers of All Time, died after ingesting an overdose of alcohol withdrawal pills on 9/7/1978, age 32.
1947 ● Linda Pettifer Thompson → Folk-rock singer/songwriter and recognized figure in the British folk-rock scene in the 70s and 80s, recorded with Paul McNeill and later with Sandy Denny and others as The Bunch, teamed with ex-Fairport Convention (“Si Tu Dos Partir,” UK #21, 1969) guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson and released six critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful albums in 10 years as a husband-and-wife duo, after breaking up continued to record and write music sporadically, issued her second solo LP, Won’t Be Long Now in 2013.
1947 ● George McCorkle → Founding member and guitarist for Southern rock The Marshall Tucker Band, wrote “Fire On The Mountain” (#38, 1975), left the band in 1984 for a songwriting career, issued a solo album in 1999, died of cancer on 6/29/2007, age 59.
1949 ● Rick Springfield / (Richard Springthorpe) → Australian-born singer/songwriter, “Jessie’s Girl” (#1, 1981) plus 14 other Top 40 hits, TV soap opera actor (Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital), author.
1951 ● Jimi Jamison / (Jimmy Wayne Jamison) → Vocalist for pop-rock Target, joined hard AOR/arena rock Survivor in 1984, “Burning Heart” (#2, 1985), co-wrote and sang “I’m Always Here”, the theme from the TV show Baywatch, solo, charity organizer and fundraiser.
1951 ● Mark Hudson / (Mark Jeffrey Hudson) → Member of sibling musical trio The Hudson Brothers, “So You Are A Star” (#21, 1974), producer/writer for Aerosmith, Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne, others.
1953 ● Bobby G. / (Robert Alan Gubby) → Vocals for Brit mixed-gender euro-pop/disco Bucks Fizz, “Making Your Mind Up” (UK #1, 1981).
1954 ● Mark Avsec → Keyboardist, songwriter and producer, toured with funk-rock Wild Cherry, “Play That Funky Music” (#1, 1976), co-founded, managed, produced and wrote or co-wrote all the music for pop-rock Donnie Iris & The Cruisers, “Ah! Leah!” (#29, 1980), played with the James Gang, became an intellectual property attorney specializing in music copyrights.
1959 ● Edwyn Collins → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, frontman for Scottish neo-pop revival Orange Juice, “Rip It Up” (UK #8, 1984), then power pop solo career, “A Girl Like You” (#32, UK #4, 1994), TV actor and producer.
1961 ● Dean DeLeo → Guitarist for alt hard rock Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song” (#18, 1994), during STP breaks co-founded spin-off bands Talk Show and Army Of Anyone.
1962 ● Shaun Ryder → Vocals for Manchester electro-dance club Happy Mondays, “Stinkin Thinkin” (Dance/Club #1, 1992), co-founded alt Brit-pop Black Grape, “England’s Irie” (UK #6, 1996), TV actor.
1964 ● Pebbles / (Perri Alette McKissack Nixon) → Backing vocals for R&B/soul-funk Con Funk Shun, “Ffun” (#23, R&B #1, 1978), then dance-pop solo, “Mercedes Boy” (#2, 1988), discovered and managed R&B/urban soul-dance-pop girl trio TLC, “Creep” (#1, 1994), one of the most successful female groups of all time.
1967 ● Cedella Marley → With her two brothers and sister, vocals for five time Grammy-winning reggae-pop Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, “Tomorrow People” (Mainstream Rock #16, 1988), executive with Tuff Gong International records, fashion designer.
1970 ● River Jude Phoenix → Teen icon, film and TV actor, starred in Stand By Me (1986) and 14 other films plus numerous TV movies and programs, singer, songwriter, guitarist and frontman for alt folk-rock Aleka’s Attic, “Too Many Colors” (1990), died of a drug overdose on 10/31/1993, age 23.
1974 ● Shifty Shellshock / (Seth Brooks Binzer) → Frontman for rap rock Crazy Town, “Butterfly” (#1, 2001)
1978 ● Julian Casablancas → Guitar and vocals for early 00s garage rock revival The Strokes, “Juicebox” (Modern Rock #9, 2005).
1979 ● Richard Neville Dobson → Vocals for Brit dance-pop boy band 5ive (aka Five), “When The Lights Go Out” (#10, 1998).
1981 ● Natalie Horler → Vocals in German Euro-dance trio Cascada, “Everytime We Touch” (#10, 2005) and “Evacuate the Dancefloor” (#25, UK #1, 2009).
1986 ● Skyblu / (Skyler Austen Gordy) → With his uncle, Redfoo (Stefan Kendal Gordy), one half the electropop, hip house duo LMFAO, “Party Rock Anthem” (worldwide #1, 2011), grandson of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr.
August 24
1897 ● Fred Rose / (Knowles Fred Rose) → Country music songwriter and co-founder of Acuff-Rose Publishing, the first Nashville music publishing company and a giant in the industry, wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs for others, including Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Sophie Tucker, died from a heart attack on 12/1/1954, age 57.
1905 ● Big Boy Crudup / (Arthur Crudup) → Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist, wrote numerous blues songs covered by others, including “That’s Alright (Mama)”, Elvis Presley‘s first Sun Records single in 1954, died nearly penniless from a heart attack on 3/28/1974, age 68.
1915 ● Wynonie Harris / (Raoul J. Cita) → Blues shouter and humorous, ribald R&B singer in the 40s and 50s, covered “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (1948) and is considered a forerunner of rock ‘n’ roll, died from throat cancer on 6/14/1969, age 53.
1924 ● Louis Teicher → Julliard-trained pianist and, with Arthur Ferrante, one half of the easy listening piano duo Ferrante & Teicher, known for their instrumental renditions of classical pieces, movie themes and show tunes, including “Tonight” (#10, AC #2, 1961) and “Midnight Cowboy” (#8, AC #2, 1969), died from a heart attack on 8/3/2008, age 83.
1929 ● William Winfield → Lead singer for critically recognized but commercially little known R&B/doo wop The Harptones, “Life Is But A Dream” (1955), continues to sing with the group on the oldies circuit.
1933 ● “Rupie The Groupie” Loewenstein / (Rupert Louis Ferdinand Frederick Constantine Lofredo Leopold Herbert Maximilian Hubert John Henry zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, Count of Loewenstein-Scharffeneck) → Bavarian aristocrat and investment advisor turned financial and tax manager to The Rolling Stones from 1968-2007, credited with a behind-the-scenes transformation of the band from cash-poor wannabes into a globally-recognized brand and music powerhouse while managing their financial excesses and expanding egos, died of complications from Parkinson’s disease on 5/20/2014, age 87.
1938 ● David Freiberg → Vocals and guitar for psychedelic folk-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service, “Fresh Air” (#49, 1970), sessions for David Crosby, Mickey Hart and others, toured with and joined Jefferson Airplane and stayed with the group went it morphed into Jefferson Starship, “Miracles” (#3, 1975), left in 1984.
1938 ● Mason Williams → Singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist, won a Grammy Award for his instrumental classical/folk-rock “Classical Gas” (#2, 1968), comedy writer for Saturday Night Live and other TV programs, poet and author of several books.
1939 ● Ernest Wright, Jr. → Early member and backing vocals for R&B/doo wop Little Anthony And The ImperialsThe Platters, returned in 1992 and still tours with two other remaining members of the group into the 10s.
1940 ● Tony Secunda / (Anthony Michael Secunda) → Businessman, promoter and manager for The Moody Blues (“Go Now!”, #1, 1965), The Move, Procol Harum (“A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” #5, 1967) and T. Rex (“Bang A Gong (Get It On),” #10, 1971), also discovered Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders, died of a heart attack on 2/12/1995, age 54.
1942 ● Marshall Thompson → Founding member of Chicago R&B/smooth soul vocal quartet the Chi-Lites (“Oh Girl,” #1, R&B #1, 1972), continued to record and perform with the group through the 90s, jailed for selling stolen police badges in 2001, returned to the group with his wife, Tara and continues into the 10s.
1942 ● Jimmy Soul / (James McCleese) → Teenaged gospel singer turned two hit wonder R&B/soul vocalist with a calypso-tinged, “Twistin’ Mathilda” (#2, 1962) and the rollicking “If You Wanna Be Happy” (#1, 1963), died from a heart attack on 6/25/1988, age 45.
1943 ● John Cipollina → Founder and trendsetting lead guitarist for psychedelic folk-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service, “Fresh Air” (#49, 1970), formed hard rock Copperhead and played with numerous other rock bands, #32 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, died from emphysema on 5/29/1989, age 45.
1944 ● James Brady → Singer in light folk sunshine-pop, two hit wonder vocal trio The Sandpipers, “Guantanamera” (#9, 1966) and “Come Saturday Morning” (#17, 1970).
1944 ● Jim Capaldi / (Nicola James Capaldi) → Drummer, songwriter and founding member of folk-psych-rock Traffic, “Paper Sun” (#94, UK #5, 1967), began solo career in 1972 and released “Love Hurts” (UK #4, 1975) and “That’s Love” (#28, 1982), session work and songwriting collaborations, died from stomach cancer on 1/28/2005, age 60.
1945 ● Ken Hensley → Keyboards and guitar for hard/prog rock Spice, renamed Uriah Heep, wrote or co-wrote many of their songs, including “Easy Livin'” (#39, 1972), fronted or played with numerous hard rock bands over the past 30 years, composed the rock opera Blood On The Highway (2006) and wrote two books, one about Uriah Heep and the other an autobiography.
1945 ● Molly Duncan / (Malcolm Duncan) → Tenor saxophonist and founding member of Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band (“Pick Up The Pieces,” #1, 1974), left the band in the 80s for session work and tours with Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Tom Petty and others, reunited and toured with AWB bandmates in 2015 as The 360 Band, diagnosed with terminal cancer and died on 10/8/2019, age 74.
1945 ● Randy Silverman → Vocals for New York R&B/doo wop one hit wonder Vito & The Salutations, “Unchained Melody” (1963).
1947 ● Jim Fox → Co-founder, drummer and only constant member of underrated hard rock The James Gang, “Funk #49” (#59, 1970) and “Walk Away” (#51, 1971), also played with oldies revival lineups of 60s garage/horn rock The Outsiders, “Time Won’t Let Me” (#5, 1966).
1948 ● Jean-Michel Jarre → Pioneering French electronic synth-pop and ambient music composer, “Oxygene Part IV” (UK #4, 1979) and album Chronologie (#10, UK #9, 1993).
1951 ● Michael DeRosier → Session drummer and later full-time member of hard rock Heart, “Magic Man” (#9, 1976), left in 1982 to join Boston-offshoot AOR/arena rock Orion The Hunter, “So You Ran” (#58, 1984), joined former Heart bandmates in 1988 to co-found AOR/hard rock Alias, “More Than Words Can Say” (#2, 1990).
1951 ● Danny Joe Brown → Lead vocals for Southern rock power-guitar band Molly Hatchet, “Flirtin’ With Disaster” (#42, 1979), died from effects of diabetes and a stroke on 3/10/2005, age 53.
1955 ● Jeffrey Daniel → Dancer on Soul Train music TV show, tapped to replace session singers and dancers in pre-fab disco/pop Shalamar, “The Second Time Around” (#8, Dance/Club #1, 1980), now a British TV host.
1961 ● Colin Angus → Founding member, bassist and vocals for Scottish electronic psych/dance rock crossover band The Shamen, “Ebeneezer Goode” (UK #1, 1992).
1961 ● Mark Bedford → Bassist for punk/ska revival Madness, “Our House” (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles.
1963 ● John Bush → Lead vocals for L.A. heavy metal Armored Saint, left in 1990 for speed/thrash metal Anthrax, “Only” (Mainstream #26, 1993).
1964 ● Oteil Burbridge → Classical-trained, Grammy-winning jazz and rock bassist for The Allman Brothers Band, his own Oteil & The Pacemakers, Dead & Company, Phish and various permutations of Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers spin-offs.
1968 ● Andreas Kisser → Guitarist for Brazilian heavy metal/thrash metal Sepultura, “Roots Bloody Roots” (UK #19, 1996), sessions and film soundtracks.
1970 ● Krystyn Robyn Osborn → Vocalist and chief songwriter for country-pop sister trio SHeDAISY, “I Will…But” (#43, Country #2, 1999).
August 25
1918 ● Leonard Bernstein → Talented composer, conductor, pianist, director of the New York Philharmonic, wrote the music to many Broadway shows, including West Side Story (1957), died from pneumonia on 10/14/1990, age 72.
1933 ● Wayne Shorter → Leading jazz and fusion saxophonist and composer, played with the Art Blakey‘s Jazz Messengers, joined the Miles Davis Quintet in 1964, co-founded jazz/rock fusion Weather Report, “Birdland” (1976), solo.
1941 ● Christopher Augustine → Drummer for one hit wonder pop-folk Every Mother’s Son, “Come On Down To My Boat” (#6, 1967)’
1942 ● Walter Williams → Vocals for R&B/Philly soul giants The O’Jays, “Love Train” (#1, 1973).
1944 ● Alan Parker → Lead guitar and vocals for Brit Invasion pop-rock Dave Clark Five, “Catch Us If You Can” (#4, 1965) and 11 other Top 25 hits in the US.
1947 ● Pete Arnesen → Piano for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (, US #37, 1974).
1947 ● Keith Tippett / (Keith Graham Tippett) → British modern jazz, jazz-rock and progressive rock pianist on over 50 albums as a solo artist or bandleader and on dozens of albums as a session musician for free improv group Company, prog rock King Crimson and many others, in duets with Stan Tracey and with his wife, Julie Driscoll, and as the keyboardist in progressive jazz quartet Mujician in the 90s and 00s, continued to record and release his own material, including a final album just months before his death from undisclosed causes on 6/14/2020, age 72.
1949 ● Gene “The Demon” Simmons / (Chaim Witz) → Bass, vocals and frontman for campy hard/glam-rock Kiss, “Detroit Rock City” (#7, 1976), released two solo albums, producer, talent scout, entrepreneur, author and film and TV actor.
1949 ● Henry Paul → Founding member, lead singer and guitarist for Southern hard rock Outlaws (“Hurry Sundown,” #34, 1975), left in 1977 to form and front country-rock Henry Paul Band, in 1991 founded Nashville-based Blackhawk (“I’m Not Strong Enough To Say No,” #2, 1995), reformed Outlaws in 2005 and continues to record and tour.
1950 ● Willy De Ville / (William Boray) → Guitar, vocals and frontman for blue-eyed soul/roots rock/punk rock Mink De Ville, “Storybook Love” (1987), solo and collaborations with notable blues and R&B stars, died of pancreatic cancer on 8/7/2009, age 58.
1951 ● James Warren → Co-founder, bassist and vocalist for New Wave pop-rock The Korgis, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” (#18, 1980).
1951 ● Rob Halford → Vocals for influential “New Wave” heavy metal band Judas Priest, “Breaking The Law” (1980).
1952 ● Geoff Downes → Founding member and keyboards for New Wave synth-pop The Buggles, “Video Killed The Radio Star” (#40, 1979), joined prog rock Yes for one album (Drama, 1980), left to form prog/pop-rock Asia, “Heat Of The Moment” (#4, 1982), solo.
1954 ● Elvis Costello / (Declan Patrick McManus) → Innovative, eclectic, multi-genre songwriter, singer and pub rock/punk/New Wave guitarist, frontman for The Attractions, “Veronica” (#19, 1989), 17 US Top 40 albums, has recorded classical-, jazz- and adult pop-based albums.
1956 ● Matt Aitken → Member of the multi-hit UK songwriting/production trio Stock-Aitken-Waterman (SAW), “Respectable” (#1 for Rick Astley, 1987).
1961 ● Billy Ray Cyrus → Once touted as the “Next Elvis,” country-pop one hit wonder crossover singer, debut single “Achy Breaky Heart” (#4, 1992) spawned the worldwide “line dance” craze, debut album Some Gave All spent 17 weeks on the US album chart, father of actress Miley Cyrus.
1962 ● Vivian Patrick Campbell → Guitarist with hard rock/metal Def Leppard, “Love Bites” (#1, 1988), Dio and Whitesnake.
1963 ● Candida Doyle → Keyboard and backing vocals for alt rock/Britpop Pulp, “Common People” (UK #2, 1995).
1965 ● Erik Dahlgren → Drummer for Swedish alt rock The Wannadies, “You And Me Song” (UK #18, 1996).
1966 ● Terminator X / (Norman Rogers) → Rapper and DJ for influential early hip hop group Public Enemy, “Fight The Power” (Rap #1, 1989), solo, producer, retired to his South Carolina ostrich stud farm in 2003.
1967 ● Jeff Tweedy → Co-founder, singer, songwriter and guitars for seminal roots rock trio Uncle Tupelo, after its breakup founded alt country-rock Wilco, “Outasite (Outta Mind)” (Mainstream Rock #22, 1997).
1969 ● Luke Scott → Guitarist in Brit lounge/melodramatic pop group Babybird, “You’re Gorgeous” (UK #3, 1996).
1970 ● Jo Dee Messina → Country-pop crossover singer with 12 Country Top 10 hits, six of them #1’s, including “That’s The Way” (#25, Country #1, 2000).
1985 ● Wynter Gordon / (Diana Gordon) → Dance-pop singer and songwriter, “Dirty Talk” (Dance #1, 2010), co-wrote “Sugar” for Flo Rida (#5, 2009).
1987 ● Amy MacDonald → Scottish soft folk-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Don’t Tell Me That It’s Over” (UK #48, 2010).
1988 ● Alexandra Burke → Brit R&B/neo-soul and electro-pop singer, won the 2008 UK talent show The X Factor, debut single “Hallelujah” (UK #1, 2008) plus four other UK Top 10 hits in two years.
1988 ● Ray Quinn → English TV soap opera actor, dancer and singer, runner-up in the 2006 UK talent show The X Factor, “Doing It My Way” (UK #1, 2007).
August 26
1903 ● Mr. Five by Five / (Jimmy Rushing) → Short and stout blues/jazz “shouter” and singer, lead vocals for the Count Basie band, died of leukemia on 6/8/1972, age 68.
1936 ● René Ornelas → Mexican-American singer and, with René Herrera, one half of the Tejano-pop duo René y René with two minor 60s hits, “Angelito” (“Little Angel”) (#43, 1964) and “Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero (The More I Love You)” (AC #14, 1969), one of the first Chicano acts on American Bandstand in 1964, continues to perform into the 10s as René René.
1938 ● Jet Black / (Brian Duffy) → Drummer in punk-rock The Stranglers, “Strange Little Girl” (UK #7, 1982), plus over 20 other UK Top 40 hits.
1939 ● Fred Milano → Founding member and tenor vocals for R&B doo wop Dion & The Belmonts, “A Teenager In Love” (#5, 1959), continued after frontman Dion DiMucci left in 1960 as The Belmonts, “Tell Me Why” (#18, 1961), performed with the group until just before his death from lung cancer on 1/1/2012, age 72.
1940 ● Nik Turner → Founding member, saxophonist, flautist and composer for space rock pioneers Hawkwind, “Silver Machine” (UK #3, 1972), Sphynx and Space Ritual.
1941 ● Chris Curtis → Drummer and vocals for Merseybeat band The Searchers, “Needles And Pins” (#13, 1963), died following a long illness on 2/28/2005, age 63.
1942 ● Vic Dana → Tap dancer turned vocalist in pop/blue-eyed soul/doo wop trio The Fleetwoods, “Come To Me Softly” (#1, 1959), then solo, “Red Roses for a Blue Lady” (#10, 1965).
1944 ● Moe Tucker / (Maureen Ann Tucker) → Drummer for proto-punk The Velvet Underground, “White Light, White Heat” (1968).
1948 ● Valerie Simpson → With husband Nickolas Ashford, songwriting and R&B/pop duo Ashford & Simpson, “Solid” (#12, 1984), penned hits for Ray Charles, “Let’s Go Get Stoned” (R&B #1, 1966), Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “You’re All I Need To Get By” (#7, 1968), Diana Ross, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (#1, 1970) and others.
1949 ● Bob Cowsill / (Robert Cowsill) → Vocals for family pop band The Cowsills, “The Rain, The Park And Other Things” (#2, 1967) and theme song from Broadway musical Hair, (#2, 1969), inspiration for the TV show The Partridge Family, his twin brother Richard “Dick” Cowsill was the road manager for the group.
1949 ● Dick Cowsill / (Richard Cowsill) → Road manager for family pop band The Cowsills, “The Rain, The Park And Other Things” (#2, 1967) and theme song from Broadway musical Hair, (#2, 1969), inspiration for the TV show The Partridge Family, twin brother of bandmember Bob Cowsill.
1949 ● Leon Redbone / (Dickran Gobalian) → Cyprus-born, baritone jazz/blues/ragtime singer and interpreter of early 20th century popular songs and Tin Pan Alley songwriters, “discovered” by Bob Dylan in a Toronto-area folk festival in 1972, his wry, savvy and skillful updates of ragtime to blues to jazz standards garnered critical acclaim and a cult following over a four-decade career, released thirteen studio albums, including Double Time (#38, 1977) plus “Seduced” (#72, 1981) and multiple other singles, sang the theme song to the TV sitcom Mr. Belvedere (1985-1990), retired from performing due to ill health and died from complications of dementia on 5/30/2019, age 69.
1952 ● Billy Rush → Songwriter and producer for New Jersey rock ‘n roll bar band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, “Talk To Me” (1978).
1954 ● Michael Chetwood → Keyboards for New Wave pop-rock T’Pau, “Heart And Soul” (#4, 1987).
1954 ● Steve Wright → BBC Radio 2 disc jockey in the weekday afternoon time slot since 1999.
1957 ● John O’Neill → Guitarist for Irish punk/New Wave pop-rock The Undertones, “My Perfect Cousin” (UK #9, 1980), co-founded hard/alt rock That Petrol Emotion, “Groove Check” (Dance/Club #12, 1989).
1960 ● Branford Marsalis → Jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader and oldest of the four musical Marsalis brothers, played with Art Blakely, Herbie Hancock, his brother Wynton, and Sting, led Jay Leno’s Tonight Show band, formed his own record label in 2002 for his own albums and those of others.
1965 ● Annie Holland → Bassist for mixed-gender, post-punk alt rock Elastica, “Connection” (Modern Rock #2, 1994).
1966 ● Dan Vickrey → Guitarist for alt-rock Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones” (Modern Rock #2, 1994).
1969 ● Adrian Young → Drummer for “Third Wave” ska-rock No Doubt, “Don’t Speak” (Adult Top 40 #1, 1997).
August 27
1927 ● Moishe (or Mo) Levy / (Morris Levy) → Jazz club owner, music publisher and record label owner/executive best known as the founder and CEO of jazz, rock and pop label Roulette Records, the Birdland jazz night club in New York City and the Northeast US retail music chain Strawberries, his career included multiple allegations of embezzlement and shady business deals, convicted of Federal extortion charges in 1988, contracted cancer, lost an appeal in January 1990 to have his sentence forgiven for health reasons, died four weeks before reporting for a 10-year prison sentence on 5/21/1990, age 62.
1932 ● Hal Lucas / (Harold Lucas) → Founding member and baritone vocals in pioneering, genre-defining R&B/doo wop The Clovers, “Ting-A-Ling” (R&B #1, 1952) and 18 other R&B Top 10 hits in the early 50s plus the crossover “Love Potion No. 9” (#23, R&B #23, 1959), stayed with the group and various splinters until his death from lung cancer on 1/6/1994, age 61.
1937 ● Phil Shulman → Multi-instrumentalist (sax, flute, clarinet, piano and percussion) for pop/rock Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, “Kites” (UK #9, 1967), then founding member of innovative prog rock Gentle Giant.
1937 ● Tommy Sands / (Thomas Adrian Sands) → Late 50s teen idol singer with one big hit among a half dozen charting singles, “Teen Age Crush” (#2, 1956), appeared on multiple TV shows and in several top films before his career waned in the late-60s, performed on the oldies circuit into the 90s.
1942 ● Daryl “Captain” Dragon / (Daryl Frank Dragon) → Touring and recording keyboardist, and occasional song co-writer, with The Beach Boys in the early 70s, later joined with future wife Toni Tennille in MOR/light pop-rock duo Captain & Tennille (“Love Will Keep Us Together,” #1, 1975 and six other Top 10 hits), their popularity leading to a TV variety program in 1976-77, continued to tour and record until developing a neurological condition in 2009, died from kidney failure on 1/2/2019, age 76.
1944 ● Tim Bogert / (John Voorhis Bogert III) → Bassist and vocals for hard psych rock/proto-metal Vanilla Fudge, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (#6, 1968), formed boogie-rock Cactus in 1972 and “super” trio Beck, Bogert & Appice, “Superstition” (1973), sessions and tours, solo albums, teaching, Vanilla Fudge reunions.
1945 ● Malcolm Allured → Drummer for Brit rock ‘n’ roll revival Showaddywaddy, “Under The Moon Of Love” (UK #1, 1976) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles.
1949 ● Jeff Cook → Co-founder, vocals, lead guitar, keyboards and fiddle for country-rock Alabama, “Love In The First Degree” (#15, Country #1, 1981) and 31 other Country #1 hits.
1950 ● John Turnbull → Brit pop-rock guitarist and singer, started with the psych-pop band Skip Bifferty in the mid-60s, since played with Nick Lowe, Dave Stewart, Eurythmics, Ian Dury And The Blockheads and others, also contributed to film soundtracks including Get Carter (1971).
1951 ● Kevin Kavanaugh → Keyboards for New Jersey rock ‘n roll bar band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, “Talk To Me” (1978).
1953 ● Alex Lifeson / (Alexander Zivojinovich) → Guitarist, backing vocals and founding member of Canadian arena rock/power trio Rush, “New World Man” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1982) and 24 other Mainstream Rock Top 20 singles.
1956 ● Glen Matlock → Bassist and songwriter for the original lineup of punk rock Sex Pistols, “Anarchy In The U.K.” (1976), left in 1977 and replaced by Sid Vicious, formed New Wave power pop The Rich Kids and other bands with limited success, joined the reformed Sex Pistols in 1996.
1961 ● Yolanda Adams → Four-time Grammy-winning R&B/gospel singer, “Open My Heart” (#57, Gospel #1, 1999), Billboard magazine’s #1 gospel artist of the 00s, radio host.
1970 ● Tony Kanal → Bassist for “Third Wave” ska-rock No Doubt, “Don’t Speak” (Adult Top 40 #1, 1997).
1972 ● Jimmy Pop / (James Moyer Franks) → Lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and chief songwriter for alt rock/comedy/satire Bloodhound Gang, “The Bad Touch” (Modern Rock #6, 1999).
1975 ● Mase / (Mason Durell Betha) → Hip hop entertainer, songwriter and rapper, duet with Kelly Price, “Feel So Good” (#5, Rap #1, 1997), also worked with Puff Daddy, Blackstreet and others, leads an international ministry.
1979 ● Jonathan Siebels → Co-founder and guitarist for teen punk-pop trio Eve 6, “Inside Out” (#28, Mainstream Rock #5, 1998).
1979 ● Sarah Neufeld → Violinist for Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007), side project is six-piece instrumental rock group Bell Orchestre.
1986 ● Mario / (Dewar Bennett) → R&B/pop singer and songwriter, “Let Me Love You” (#1, 2004), film actor, fashion model and philanthropist.
August 28
1904 ● Ernie Fields / (Ernest Lawrencce Fields) → Jazz and Swing-era musician, arranger and bandleader, first with the Royal Entertainers, then scored a lone hit with his Ernie Fields Orchestra, a cover of Glenn Miller‘s “In The Mood” (#4, UK #13, 1959), as a session musician at Rendezvous Records in the 50 and 60s played on numerous singles, including surf-rock “Out Of Limits” (The Marketts, #3, 1964), died from natural causes on 5/11/1997, age 92.
1925 ● Billy Grammer → Country guitarist with multiple, minor hits on the country charts and one crossover hit, “Gotta Travel On” (#4, Country #5, 1959), retired from recording in the late 60s but performed at the Grand Ole Opry for years thereafter, died after a long illness on 8/10/2011, age 85.
1931 ● John Perkins → Lead singer for Canadian pop cover vocal quartet The Crew Cuts, “Sh-Boom” (#1, 1954).
1937 ● Clem Cattini / (Clemente Cattini) → Drummer for Brit rock ‘n’ roll Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, “Shakin’ All Over” (UK #1, 1960) and The Tornados, “Telstar” (#1, 1962), then top session drummer who’s played on over 40 UK #1 hits by artists such as Bay City Rollers, Hot Chocolate, Tom Jones, The Seekers and T. Rex, reformed The Tornados in the 90s.
1937 ● Joe Osborn → Bass guitarist best known as a member of Ricky Nelson‘s early band (“Travelin’ Man,” #1, 1961) and of the acclaimed Wrecking Crew group of L.A. studio musicians, with whom he backed dozens of top artists on multiple hit songs and numerous film scores and TV commercials, moved to Nashville in 1974 and as an in-demand session musician played bass on over 50 Country #1 hit songs.
1940 ● Walter Ward → Founding member and lead singer for 50s/60s doo wop The Olympics (“Western Movies,” #8, R&B #7, 1958), continued to perform on the oldies circuit up to his death on 12/11/2006, age 66.
1940 ● Joseph Shabalala / (Bhekizizwe Joseph Siphatimandla Mxoveni Mshengu Bigboy Shabalala) → South African musician, composer and founder/frontman of Ladysmith Black Mambo, a popular local a capella vocal group that Paul Simon tapped to back the Grammy-winning Graceland (#3, 1986) album, thereby introducing Zulu choral music (isicathimiya music) to an international audience, co-wrote “Homeless” and “Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes” with Simon, won a Grammy for his group’s follow-on album Shaka Zulu, continued to record and perform with the group on the world stage into the 2000s, turned leadership of the project over to his son, Thamsanqa in 2008, retired in 2014 and died from an undisclosed medical condition on 2/11/2020, age 78.
1942 ● Ken Andrew → Drummer for Scot bubblegum pop-rock Middle Of The Road, “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” (UK #1, 1971).
1943 ● David Soul / (David Richard Solberg) → Folk singer turned 70s TV actor (cop show Starsky & Hutch) turned pop singer, “Don’t Give Up On Us” (#1, UK #1, 1977), plus four other UK Top 20 hits and two Top 10 albums, moved to the UK, became a citizen continued his stage and TV acting career into the 10s.
1943 ● Honey Lantree / (Anne Margot Lantree) → London hair salon assistant turned rock ‘n’ roll drummer for one hit wonder English beat/pop-rock The Honeycombs (“Have I The Right?”, #5, UK #1, 1964), one of the very few women to play drums on a major hit in the 60s or any other era, recorded and toured with the band until their break-up in 1967, left the business to raise a family but returned for Honeycombs reunions in the 90s, died from breast cancer on 12/23/2018, age 75.
1948 ● Daniel Seraphine → Founding member and drummer for pop-rock/horn band Chicago, “Saturday In The Park” (#3, 1972), left in 1990 and became a theatrical producer, formed Chicago Transit Authority in 2010.
1948 ● Fred Cole / (Frederick Lee Cole) → Unheralded guitarist, singer and songwriter with a 50-year career as frontman for various garage, punk and proto-grunge rock bands that built a deep cult following in the Pacific Northwest and Europe, he and his wife, Kathleen were two-thirds of the 20-year garage-punk trio Dead Moon, continued to record and perform in the Portland, OR music scene until his death from liver cancer on 11/9/2017, age 69.
1949 ● Hugh Cornwell → Guitar and vocals punk-rock The Stranglers, “Strange Little Girl” (UK #7, 1982) plus over 20 other UK Top 40 hits, some time TV actor, author, solo career with seven albums, session work.
1949 ● Martin Lamble → Founding member and original drummer for renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (UK #21, 1969), died when the band’s equipment truck crashed after a show in Birmingham, England on 5/14/1969, age 19.
1951 ● Wayne Osmond → Vocals for family-oriented light pop-rock The Osmonds, ten US Top 40 singles including “One Bad Apple” (#1, 1971).
1952 ● Dave Hlubek → Co-founder and lead guitar for Southern rock power-guitar band Molly Hatchet, “Flirtin’ With Disaster” (#42, 1980), died from a heart attack on 9/2/2017, age 65.
1961 ● Kim Appleby → Singer and actress, with younger sister Melanie in R&B/dance-pop duo Mel & Kim, “Respectable” (Dance/Club #1, 1986).
1965 ● Shania Twain / (Eileen Regina Edwards) → Five-time Grammy-winning, Canadian-born country-pop megastar singer/songwriter, “You’re Still The One” (#2, 1998) from the album Come On Over, the best-selling album of all time by a female artist in any genre.
1969 ● Jack Black / (Thomas Jacob Black) → Film actor (School Of Rock, 2003), comedian and musician, one half of the comedy/rock cult duo Tenacious D with Kyle Gass, “POD (The Pick Of Destiny)” (#57, UK #20, 2006).
1969 ● Mary Anna McCartney → Professional photographer and television documentary producer, daughter of Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman McCartney.
1974 ● Peter Turner → Bassist in prog/alt rock Elbow, “Grounds For Divorce” (UK #19, 2008) from the Mercury Music Prize-winning album The Seldom Seen Kid.
1978 ● Max Collins → Co-founder and bassist for teen punk-pop trio Eve 6, “Inside Out” (#28, Mainstream Rock #5, 1998).
1982 ● Margaret LeAnn Rimes → Teenage country-pop crossover star, “Blue” (#26, Country #10, 1996), has since won multiple Grammy Awards and issued 14 albums and six Top 40 singles.
1986 ● Florence Welch → Pop, soul and baroque genre-bending singer/songwriter and frontwoman for Florence + The Machine, “Dog Days Are Over” (#21, 2010).
August 29
1920 ● Charlie “Bird” Parker / (Charles Parker, Jr.) → Virtuoso, pioneering and influential jazz/bebop saxophonist and composer with a brief but prolific career and several entries in the Grammy Hall of Fame, tributes include Weather Report‘s “Birdland” (1977), Steely Dan‘s “Parker’s Band” (1974), the chirping bird guitar sound created by Duane Allmann at the end of Derek & The Dominoes‘ “Layla” (1974) and Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts‘ children’s book Ode To A High Flying Bird (1964), died of a heart attack brought on by cirrhosis and pneumonia on 3/12/1955, age 34.
1924 ● Dinah Washington / (Ruth Lee Jones) → Often called the “Queen of the Blues,” widely popular 40s-50s blues, jazz, and R&B singer, “What A Difference A Day Made” (#8, 1959), died from a barbiturate overdose on 12/14/1963, age 39.
1927 ● Jimmy C. Newman → Country and Cajun music singer, songwriter and bandleader with 30 hits in the Country Top 40 in the 50s and 60s and a lone crossover hit, “A Fallen Star” (#23, Country #2, 1957), died from cancer on 6/21/2014, age 86.
1937 ● Marshall Sewell → Bass vocals for doo-wop The Edsels, “Rama Lama Ding Dong” (#21, 1961), later joined the Cleveland, OH police force and retired as a sergeant in 2001, died from esophageal cancer on 6/5/2013, age 75.
1940 ● Johnny Paris / (Johnny Pocisk) → Frontman and saxophonist for instrumental rock ‘n’ roll Johnny & The Hurricanes, “Red River Rock” (#5, UK #3, 1959) and three other charting hits in 1959 and 1960, formed a new Hurricanes following disbandment of the first in 1965 and toured until 2005, just before his death from post-surgery infections on 5/1/2006, age 65.
1942 ● Holmes Sterling Morrison, Jr. → Founding member and guitarist for proto-punk The Velvet Underground, “White Light/White Heat” (1968), died of cancer on 8/30/1995, age 53.
1943 ● Dick Halligan → Keyboards, flute and vocals for jazz-rock/pop-rock fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969).
1945 ● Chris Copping → Bassist and organist for English beat The Paramounts, “Poison Ivy” (#35, 1964), joined prog/psych rock Procol Harum in 1969, “Conquistador” (#16, 1972), later with Astrid Monday and art-rock Gnidrolog.
1953 ● Rick Downey → Tour drummer for hard rock/pop metal Blue Öyster Cult, played on the tour that resulted in the Extraterrestrial Live album (#29, 1982) and the subsequent The Revölution By Night (#93, 1983).
1958 ● Elizabeth Fraser → Vocals for Scottish alt rock/dream-pop Cocteau Twins, “Heaven Or Las Vegas” (Modern Rock #9, 1990).
1958 ● Michael Jackson / (Michael Joseph Jackson) → The “King of Pop,” singer, songwriter, cultural icon and pre-teen front for R&B/pop-soul sibling band The Jackson Five, “I Want You Back” (#1, 1970), went solo in 1971 and recorded “Billie Jean” (#1, 1983) and 11 other US #1 hits and 9 US Top 10 albums, the most successful pop entertainer of all time, died from heart failure induced by a doctor-administered mix of anxiety-relieving drugs and sedatives on 6/25/2009, age 50.
1959 ● Eddi Reader / (Sadenia Reader) → Singer and songwriter for Brit neo-skiffle pop Fairground Attraction, “Perfect” (#80, UK #1, 1988), solo.
1963 ● Jerry Fehily → Drummer for Irish rockers Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go” (Modern Rock #7, 1988).
1967 ● Anton Newcombe → Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, founder and frontman for eclectic indie rock/neo-psychedelic The Brian Jonestown Massacre, with over a dozen albums to date, including Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request (1996), an homage to The Rolling Stones psych-rock album (1967).
1969 ● Me’Shell NdegeOcello / (Mary Johnson) → Singer/songwriter, rapper, bassist and R&B/neo-soul and jazz-pop vocalist, duet with John (Cougar) Mellencamp, “Wild Night” (#3, 1994) plus solo, “Who Is He And What Is He To You? (Dance/Club #1, 1996).
1970 ● Groove Martin / (Carl Martin) → Vocals for R&B/urban contemporary soul quartet Shai, “If I Ever Fall In Love” (#2, 1992).
1971 ● Alex Griffin → Bassist for indie punk-rock Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, “Not Sleeping Around” (Modern Rock #1, 1992).
1975 ● Kyle Cook → Guitarist for post-grunge alt rock Matchbox Twenty, “Bent” (#1, 2000).
1980 ● David Desrosiers → Bassist and backing vocals for French-Canadian pop-punk Simple Plan, “Perfect” (#24, Canada #5, 2003).
1993 ● Liam Payne → Vocals in Brit-Irish boy band quintet One Direction, “What Makes You Beautiful” (#4, UK #1, 2011).
