Happy Birthday this week to:
January 31
1906 ● The Honeydripper / (Roosevelt Sykes) → Boogie-blues piano player, known for pounding 8-bar rhythms and risqué lyrics, wrote several blues standards, including “Night Time Is The Right Time” (1937), died from a heart attack on 7/17/1983, age 77
1921 ● Mario Lanza / (Alfredo Arnold Cocozza) → Critically-acclaimed 1940s opera tenor, post-WW II film actor and 50s pop singer with “Drinking Song” (#1, 1955), the million-selling hit from his movie The Student Prince (1954), moved to Italy in 1956 and died of a pulmonary embolism on 10/7/1959, age 38
1928 ● Chuck Willis / (Harold Willis) → The “King of the Stroll”, R&B/blues-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his cover of “C.C. Rider” (#12, R&B #1, 1957), also wrote and recorded his own compositions, died from peritonitis on 4/10/1958, age 30
1932 ● Rick Hall / (Roe Erister Hall) → Alabama sharecropper’s son, founder and principal of FAME Studios and creator of the Southern soul blend of blues, country, R&B and gospel known as the Muscle Shoals sound, produced, co-produced or engineered multiple pop, soul and country hits for Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, the Osmonds, Paul Anka and many others, awarded a Grammy Trustees lifetime achievement award in 2014, died from prostate cancer on 1/2/2018, age 85
1936 ● Marvin Junior → Lead baritone and lead vocals for 60-year R&B/doo wop, soul-funk and disco The Dells, “Oh What A Nite” (R&B #4, 1956) and the re-recording “Oh What A Night” (#10, R&B #1, 1969), continued to record and perform with the group through the early 10s, died in his sleep on 1/23/1998, age 77
1944 ● Charlie Musselwhite → Electric blues harmonica player and bandleader who came to prominence among other non-black blues artists in the Chicago blues movement of the 60s, over the decades released more than 20 albums and achieved recognition as “one of the top blues harp players of all time,” won the Grammy Award for Best Blues Album in 2014 for his collaboration LP with Ben Harper, Get Up! (2013)
1946 ● Terry Kath → Founder and guitarist for pop-rock/horn band Chicago, “Saturday In The Park” (#3, 1972), accidentally shot himself dead in game of Russian Roulette on 1/23/1978, age 31
1948 ● Paul Jabara → Lebanese-American stage and film actor, pop music singer and songwriter, wrote the Academy Award-winning “Last Dance” for Donna Summer (#3, 1978) and co-wrote “It’s Raining Men” for The Weather Girls (#46, Disco #1, 1982) among other hits, died from complications of AIDS on 9/29/1992, age 44
1951 ● K.C. Casey / (Harry Wayne Casey) → Founder and frontman for R&B/soul-disco-funk kings KC & The Sunshine Band, “That’s The Way (I Like It)” (#1, 1975) and five other #1 hits
1951 ● Phil Manzanera / (Philip Targett-Adams) → Lead guitarist from 1972-83 for prog rock Roxy Music, “Love Is The Drug” (#30, 1976), then solo and collaborative work with Steve Winwood, David Gilmour and others, wrote 14-part radio program The A-Z Of Great Guitarists
1952 ● Curly Smith / (William Smith) → Drummer for hard rock Jo Jo Gunne, “Run Run Run” (#27, 1972), then sessions, played with reunited psych-rock Spirit and arena rock Boston between 1994 and 2000
1954 ● Adrian Vandenburg / (Adje Van Den Berg) → Dutch guitarist and co-writer for hard rock Whitesnake, “Here I Go Again” (#1, 1987), painter
1956 ● Johnny Rotten / (John Joseph Lydon) → Lead singer for premier punk rockers the Sex Pistols, “God Save The Queen” (UK #2, 1977), then founded post-punk Public Image Ltd., “This Is Not A Love Song” (UK #5, 1983)
1961 ● Lloyd Cole → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and frontman for Brit pop-rock Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, “Lost Weekend” (UK #17, 1985), solo
1964 ● Jeff Hanneman → Co-founder, lead guitar and songwriter for “Big Four” thrash metal Slayer, “Hate Worldwide” (#2, 2009), died from alcohol-induced liver failure on 5/2/2013, age 49
1966 ● Al Doughty / (Alan Jaworski) → Bassist for techno-electronic pop-dance Jesus Jones, “Right Here, Right Now” (#2, 1991)
1967 ● Chad Channing → First drummer for grunge rock Nirvana, played on debut indie label album Bleach, left the band in 1990, worked with The Methodists, East Of The Equator and Redband, now with Before Cars.
1967 ● Fat Mike Burkett / (Michael John Burkett) → Founder and bassist for punk-pop NOFX and punk cover band Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, founded independent record label Fat Wreck Chords and the 2004 anti-George W. Bush crusade Rock Against Bush
1967 ● Jason Cooper → Joined post-punk art-glam-goth rock The Cure, “The 13th” (Hot Dance #11, 1996) in 1995
1970 ● Minnie Driver / (Amelia Fiona Driver) → Grammy- and Emmy-nominated film and TV actress, singer and songwriter, light pop 2004 album Everything I’ve Got In My Pocket
1981 ● Justin Timberlake → Vocals for teen dance-pop harmony boy band *NSYNC, “It’s Gonna Be Me” (#1, 2000), multi-platinum solo vocalist, “Cry Me A River” (#3, 2003), TV actor, tabloid star
1987 ● Marcus Mumford → Lead singer and multi-instrumentalist for Grammy-winning Brit folk-rock Mumford & Sons, “I Will Wait” (#12, Alt Rock #1, 2012)
February 01
1934 ● Bob Shane / (Robert Castle Schoen) → Founding member, baritone vocals and guitar for legendary folk-pop The Kingston Trio, the close harmony vocal group at the vanguard of the folk music revival of the 50s and 60s and a seminal force in bringing acoustic music to a dominant place in American pop music, the success of their first single, a version of “Tom Dooley” (#1, 1958) led to five straight #1 albums (of 14 total), including a five-week stretch in late 1959 with four albums in the Top 10, and was voted a “Song of the Century” by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), after the band dissolved in 1967 continued to tour as The New Kingston Trio with various sidemen and as the real thing after buying the rights to the name in 1976, forced into retirement by a 2004 heart attack, died in an Arizona hospice on 1/26/2020, age 85.
1937 ● Don Everly → Singer with younger brother Phil in folk-rock The Everly Brothers, “All I Have To Do Is Dream” (#1, 1958) plus more than 25 other Top 40 hits
1937 ● Ray “Dr. Hook” Sawyer / (Ray Sawyer) → Eye-patched, flambouyant frontman and lead singer for AM pop-rock Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, sang lead on “The Cover of Rolling Stone” (#6, 1972) and backing vocals on nine other Top 40 hits, left the band for a solo career in 1983, toured as Dr. Hook Featuring Ray Sawyer from 1988 to 2015, died after a short illness on 12/31/2018, age 81.
1938 ● Jimmy Carl Black / (James Inkanish, Jr.) → Drummer and vocals for Frank Zappa-led satirical rock group The Mothers Of Invention, “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It” (1967), toured with Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, died from lung cancer on 11/1/2008, age 70
1939 ● Del McCroury / (Delano Floyd McCroury) → Influential, Grammy-winning bluegrass musician and bandleader, winner of a National Heritage Fellowship award from the National Endowment for the Arts and over 30 awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, worked with such varied acts as Phish, The String Cheese Incident, Steve Earle and others
1939 ● Joe Sample / (Joseph Leslie Sample) → Jazz-fusion keyboardist and composer, founding member of 60s bluesy “hard bop” The Jazz Crusaders, which morphed into electric jazz-funk-pop The Crusaders in 1971, greatly increasing their reach and leading to several charting albums and a Top 40 hit, “Street Life” (#36, 1979), also recorded solo albums and did session work on numerous well-known albums, including Joni Mitchell‘s Court And Spark (#2, CAN #1, UK #20, 1974), Steely Dan‘s Aja (#3, UK #5, 1977) and Tina Turner‘s Private Dancer (#3, CAN #1, UK #2), died from mesothelioma on 9/12/2014, age 75
1942 ● Terry Jones / (Terence Graham Parry Jones) → Welsh comedian, screenwriter, cultural historian and late-in-life social commentator, best known as a co-founding member of the absurdly satiric, extremely entertaining British comedy troupe Monty Python’s Flying Circus (“Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life,” UK #3, 1991), their highly successful 60s-80s UK TV sketch program became a phenomenon in the US when introduced in 1974, continued to write and produce as a Python member, comedian, playwright, screen writer and political activist for 40 years until contracting and dying from degenerative dementia on 1/21/2020, age 77.
1947 ● Normie Rowe / (Norman John Rowe) → Top Australian pop singer of the early 60s, “Que Sera Sera” (AUS #1, 1965), drafted into military service and failed to regain his popularity following discharge
1948 ● Rick James / (James Ambrose Johnson, Jr.) → R&B/disco vocalist, dancer and bandleader, “Super Freak” (#16, 1981), plus 3 other R&B #1 hits in the 70s and 80s, found dead at home of cardiac failure on 8/6/2004, age 56
1950 ● Mike Campbell → Guitarist and long-time key collaborator with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, “Free Fallin'” (#7, 1989), co-songwriter with Don Henley and others, producer, member of Mudcrutch
1951 ● Fran Christina → Drummer for blues-boogie-rock Fabulous Thunderbirds, “Tuff Enuff” (#10, 1986)
1951 ● Rich Williams → One-eyed lead guitarist and occasional co-writer for prog/heartland rock Kansas, “Carry On Wayward Son” (#11, 1976)
1957 ● Dennis Brown → The “Crown Prince of Reggae”, prolific reggae/lovers rock singer, “Money In My Pocket” (UK #14, 1977), died from complications of a heart attack and cocaine abuse on 7/1/1999, age 42
1964 ● Jani Lane / (John Kennedy Oswald) → Lead singer for glam-rock/pop-metal Warrant, “Heaven” (#2, 1989), solo
1964 ● Dwyane Goettel → Classically-trained keyboardist for Canadian avant-industrial rock Skinny Puppy (“Testure,” Dance/Club #19, 1989) and multiple spin-off/side projects, died from a heroin overdose on 8/23/1995, age 31
1968 ● Lisa Marie Presley → The “Princess of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” only child of Elvis, occasional TV actor and pop singer, “Lights Out” (Adult Top 40 #18, 2003), married Michael Jackson in 1994, divorced on 12/10/1995
1969 ● Patrick Wilson → Drummer for post-grunge alt pop-rock Weezer, “Beverly Hills” (#10, 2005), now fronts The Special Goodness and has toured with Elton John since 1994
1971 ● Ron Welty → Drummer for 90s punk revival The Offspring, “Gone Away” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1997), left to form alt rock Steady Ground in 2003
1975 ● Big Boi / (Antwan Andre Patton) → Rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor, half of hip hop duo OutKast, “Ms. Jackson” (#1, 2001) and “Hey Ya” (#1, 2004)
1978 ● Jeff Conrad → Drummer for pop-rock Big City Rock then power pop/indie rock Phantom Planet, “California” (Modern Rock #35, 2002)
1990 ● Laura Marling → Brit neo-folk singer and songwriter, solo and collaboration with indie folk Noah And The Whale, “5 Years Time” (UK #7, 2007)
1994 ● Harry Styles → Vocals in Brit-Irish boy band quintet One Direction, “What Makes You Beautiful” (#4, UK #1, 2011)
February 02
1927 ● Stan Getz / (Stanley Getz) → Renowned jazz tenor saxophonist known as “The Sound” for his light and lyrical melodies and improvisations, won eleven Grammy Awards, including one for the worldwide bossa nova hit “The Girl From Ipanema” (#5, 1964), died from liver cancer on 6/6/1991, age 64
1932 ● Arthur Lyman → The “King of Lounge Music,” jazz-pop and easy listening vibraphonist considered instrumental in crafting the sound of exotica, popularizing the relaxing faux-Polynesian music during the 50s and 60s with tunes like “Taboo” (#6, 1959) and “Yellow Bird” (#10, 1961), continued to perform until his death from throat cancer on 2/24/2002, age 70
1940 ● Alan Caddy → Guitarist for Brit instrumental rock ‘n’ roll The Tornados, “Telstar” (#1, 1962), the first major US hit by a British group, then solo and sessions for Kiki Dee, The Pretty Things, Spencer Davis Group, Dusty Springfield and others, died from the effects of long-term alcoholism on 8/16/2000, age 60
1940 ● Odell Brown → Soul, jazz and funk keyboardist, bandleader and session musician at Chess Records and other labels, played with Minnie Riperton, Curtis Mayfield and others, co-wrote and won two Grammy Awards with Marvin Gayee for “Sexual Healing” (#3, R&B #1, 1982), died on 5/3/2011, age 71
1941 ● Corey Wells / (Emil Lewandowski) → Co-founder and one of three lead vocalists for top-tier pop-rock Three Dog Night, “Joy To The World” (#1, 1971) and ten other Top 10 hits between 1969 and 1974, performed with various incarnations of the band until just before his death on 10/20/2015, age 74
1942 ● Graham Nash → Guitarist, singer and songwriter with pop-rock The Hollies, “Bus Stop” (#5, 1966), left in 1968 to found Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, “Just A Song Before I Go” (#7, 1977), duets with David Crosby, solo
1943 ● Peter Macbeth / (Peter McGrath) → Bass guitar for Brit blue-eyed R&B/soul-pop The Foundations, “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” (#11, 1967)
1945 ● Ronald Goodson → Trumpets for blue-eyed soul one hit wonder John Fred & His Playboy Band, “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” (#1, 1968), died 11/4/1980
1946 ● Homer Howard Bellamy → Guitar, mandolin and vocals for country-pop sibling duo The Bellamy Brothers, “Let Your Love Flow” (#1, 1976)
1947 ● Peter Lucia / (Peter P. Lucia, Jr.) → Drummer for bubblegum-pop Tommy James & The Shondells, “Hanky Panky” (#1, 1966), later co-wrote psych-pop “Crimson And Clover” (#1, 1968)
1948 ● Alan McKay → Guitarist for R&B/soul-dance-pop Earth, Wind & Fire, “Shining Star” (#1, 1975)
1948 ● Edna Wright → Mid-60s back-up singer for Ray Charles, the Righteous Brothers and Cher, in 1968 formed a trio with friends to sing in a one-off performance in an Andy Williams TV special, signed to Holland-Dozier-Holland‘s Hot Wax Records and became R&B girl group Honey Cone with four Top 40 hits in the early 70s, including “Want Ads” (#1, R&B #1, 1971), recorded a solo album in 1977 and returned to back-up singing for U2, Kim Carnes, Aaron Neville and her sister Darlene Love, suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and died following a heart attack on 9/12/2020, age 72.
1949 ● Ross Valory → Bassist in blues-rock then psych-rock then pop-rock Steve Miller Band, “The Joker” (#1, 1974), then Journey, “Who’s Crying Now” (#4, 1981)
1963 ● Eva Cassidy → Mixed-genre vocal interpreter of American classics and pop tunes including “Over The Rainbow” (1992), had three UK #1 albums posthumously, died from cancer on 11/2/1996
1964 ● Charlie Heather → Drummer for alt folk-Celtic rock The Levellers, “Just The One” (UK #12, 1995)
1966 ● Robert DeLeo → Bassist for alt hard rock Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song” (#18, 1994)
1966 ● Steve Firth → Bassist for post-Brit-pop Embrace, “Natures Law” (Download #2, 2006)
1968 ● Bradley Nowell → Lead singer and guitarist for California ska-punk revivalist trio Sublime, “What I Got” (#29, 1997), died from a heroin overdose on 5/25/1996, age 28
1969 ● John Spence → Original vocalist for “Third Wave” ska-rock No Doubt, “Don’t Speak” (Adult Top 40 #1, 1997), committed suicide on 12/21/1987 before the band’s first audition with a record company
1971 ● Ben Mize → Drummer for alt-rock Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1975 ● Billy Mohler → Bassist for post-grunge alt rock The Calling, “Wherever You Will Go” (#5, 2001)
1977 ● Shakira / (Shakira Isabell Mebarak Ripoll) → Colombian-born R&B/contemporary pop singer, “Hips Don’t Lie” (worldwide #1, 2006)
February 03
1920 ● Russell Lee Arms → One hit wonder pop singer (“Cinco Robles (Five Oaks),” #22, 1957) and sometime 60s TV actor best known as a house vocalist on Your Hit Parade, the 50s weekly NBC radio and TV musical variety show where a cast of regulars performed the popular hits of the day, died from natural causes on 2/13/2012, age 92
1928 ● Val Doonican / (Michael Valentine Doonican) → Irish folk-pop/easy listening singer and TV host, “Walk Tall” (UK #3, 1964)
1928 ● Frankie Vaughan / (Frank Abelson) → Brit film actor and popular singer known as “Mr. Moonlight”, recorded over 80 singles, including “Green Door” (UK #2, 1956), died 9/17/1999 of heart failure
1935 ● Johnny “Guitar” Watson / (Johnny Watson, Jr.) → Electric blues guitarist and songwriter, “Space Guitar” (1954) turned R&B/funk-rocker, “A Real Mother For Ya” (#41, R&B #5, 1977), collapsed and died on stage in Japan on 5/17/1996
1936 ● James J. Marshall → Grammy-winning rock music photographer famous for shooting Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire and iconic scenes at Woodstock among hundreds of photos on album covers and in music magazines, received a posthumous Grammy Award in 2014, the only photographer ever so honored, died in his sleep on 3/24/2010, age 74
1939 ● Johnny Bristol / (John William Bristol) → R&B/soul singer (“Hang On In There Baby,” #8, R&B #2, 1974), songwriter and producer for Motown Records, co-produced “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (#19, R&B #3, 1967) for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell plus tracks for Edwin Starr, The Velvelettes, Jermaine Jackson and others, moved to Columbia Records in 1973 and helped Boz Scaggs hone his blue-eyed soul album Slow Dancer (1974),continued to record into the 90s, died from natural causes on 3/21//2004, age 65
1940 ● Angelo d’Aleo → Vocals for R&B doo wop Dion & The Belmonts, “Runaround Sue” (#1, 1961)
1943 ● Eric Haydock / (Eric John Haydock) → Original bassist for British Invasion pop-rock The Hollies (“Bus Stop, #5, 1966) and one of the first English bassists to play the six-string Fender Bass IV, fired in 1966 after questioning the integrity of the bands managers, attempted an unsuccessful solo career and eventually became a music shop proprietor, died from undisclosed causes on 1/5/2019, age 76.
1943 ● Shawn Phillips → 60s folk-rock pioneer singer/songwriter, collaborated with Donovan, sang on The Beatles‘ “Lovely Rita (Meter Maid)”, issued light space rock albums and singles in the 70s, including “Lost Horizon” (#63, 1973)
1943 ● Neil Bogart / (Neil Scott Bogatz) → Record company executive with Cameo-Parkway and Buddha Records, key player in the rise of 60s/70s bubblegum pop, co-founded Casablanca Records in 1973, signed Kiss, T. Rex and others, but the label became associated with the disco craze with acts like Donna Summer and The Village People, died of lymphoma on 5/8/1982, age 39
1943 ● Dennis Edwards → Three-stint member (1968-77, 1979-83, 1992-present) and frequent lead vocalist of R&B giants The Temptations, “My Girl” (#1, 1965) and Grammy-winning “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” (#1, 1972)
1945 ● Johnny Cymbal / (John Hendry Blair) → Scottish-born pop singer, songwriter and producer, sang “Mr. Bass Man” (#16, 1963) as himself and “Cinnamon” (#11, 1968) using his brother’s name, Derek, later a country songwriter based in Nashville, died of a heart attack on 3/16/1993
1946 ● Stan Webb → Guitar, vocals and frontman for Brit blues-rock Chicken Shack (featured keyboard player and future Fleetwood Mac member Christine Perfect), “I’d Rather Go Blind” (UK #14, 1969)
1947 ● Dave Davies → Founder (with brother Ray), lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional songwriter for The Kinks, “Lola” (#9, 1970), #88 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 greatest guitarists list
1947 ● Melanie Safka → 60s folk-pop “flower power” singer, songwriter and Woodstock veteran, “Brand New Key” (#1, 1971) and five other early 70s Top 40 hits
1949 ● Killer Kane / (Arthur Harold Kane, Jr.) → Bass guitar for proto-glam-rock New York Dolls, “Personality Crisis” (1973), died 7/13/2004 from complications from leukemia
1951 ● Jeanette Hutchinson → Vocals for R&B/soul-gospel sister trio The Emotions, “Best Of My Love” (#1, 1977)
1956 ● Lee Ranaldo → Co-founder and guitarist for alt rock/avant-garde Sonic Youth, “100%” (Modern Rock #4, 1992)
1959 ● Lol Tolhurst / (Laurence Tolhurst) → Founding member and former drummer for post-punk art-glam-goth rock The Cure, “Friday I’m In Love” (Modern Rock #1, 1992), left in 1989, currently with wife Cindy Levinson in alt rock Levinhurst
1960 ● Tim Chandler → Bassist in alternative Christian rock bands Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies and The Choir
1965 ● Nick Hawkins → Guitarist for Big Audio Dynamite II, “Rush” (Modern Rock #1, 1991), left in 1997 for solo writing and production career, died of heart attack on 10/10/2005
1970 ● Richie Kotzen → Guitarist for glam-metal Poison, “Stand” (Mainstream Rock #15, 1993), then joined pop-metal “shredder” band Mr. Big and jazz-rock fusion Vert with former Return To Forever rhythm section Stanley Clarke and Lenny White
1982 ● Jessica Harp → With Michelle Branch, one half of the country-pop duo The Wreckers, “Leave The Pieces” (#34, Country #1, 2006), briefly solo then retired in 2010 to concentrate on songwriting for other artists
1990 ● Sean Kingston / (Kisean Jamal Anderson) → Jamaican-born dancehall/reggae-pop rapper, “Beautiful Girls” (#1, 2007)
February 04
1929 ● Paul Burlison → Pioneer rockabilly guitarist and founding member of The Rock And Roll Trio with Johnny and Dorsey Burnette, left the music business to become an electrical contractor when their several singles met with little success, stayed out of the business until the rockabilly revival of the 90s, continued with parallel careers until his death from colon caner on 9/27/2003, age 74
1941 ● John Steel → Original drummer for British Invasion hard/blues-rock The Animals, “House Of The Rising Sun” (#1, 1964), left in 1966
1943 ● Jimmy Johnson / (Jimmy Ray Johnson) → Guitarist, session musician, recording engineer and founding member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as The Swampers), the renowned studio ensemble that recorded hundreds of songs and albums, first at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in the 60s and, starting in 1969, at their own Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in nearby Sheffield, contributed to dozens of hits by Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Paul Simon, Lynyrd Skynyrd and countless others, also engineered three tracks on The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers album, among many others, died from kidney failure on 9/5/2019, age 76.
1943 ● Barry Beckett / (Barry Edward Beckett) → Keyboardist, session musician, record producer and founding member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as The Swampers), the renowned studio musician ensemble that recorded hundreds of songs and albums at Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama, including hits by Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Paul Simon, Lynyrd Skynyrd and countless others, also toured with Traffic and produced albums by ‘Bob Dylan and others, died from natural causes on 6/10/2009
1944 ● Florence LaRue → Vocals for mainstream R&B/soul-pop The 5th Dimension, “Aquarius” (#1, 1967)
1947 ● Mary Ann Ganser → With twin sister Margie, vocals for quintessential girl group quartet The Shangri-Las, “Leader Of The Pack” (#1, 1964), died of a drug overdose on 3/14/1970
1947 ● Margie Ganser / (Marguerite Ganser) → With twin sister Mary Ann, vocals for quintessential girl group quartet The Shangri-Las, “Leader Of The Pack” (#1, 1964), died of breast cancer on 7/28/1996
1948 ● Alice Cooper / (Vincent Damon Furnier) → Singer and frontman for campy glam-rock the Earwigs and Alice Cooper Band, “School’s Out” (#7, 1972)
1950 ● James Dunn → Vocals for R&B/Philly soul The Stylistics, “You Make Me Feel Brand New” (#2, 1974) plus 15 R&B Top 40 singles
1951 ● Phil Ehart → Co-founder, continuous member and drummer for prog/heartland rock Kansas, “Carry On Wayward Son” (#11, 1977), now manages the group’s affairs
1952 ● Jerry Shirley → Drummer for Brit blues-rock Humble Pie, “30 Days In The Hole” (1972), sessions and collaborations, re-formed Humble Pie in 80s
1960 ● Matthieu Hartley → Original keyboardist for post-punk art-glam-goth rock The Cure, “Friday I’m In Love” (Modern Rock #1, 1992)
1960 ● Tim Booth → Founding member and lead singer for Brit alt pop-rock James, “Sit Down” (UK #2, 1991) and “Laid” (Modern Rock #3, 1994), left in 2001 solo career, rejoined in 2007
1962 ● Clint Black → Trad-country-pop crossover guitarist and singer/songwriter, “When I Said I Do” (#31, Country #1, 1999)
1963 ● Noodles Wasserman / (Kevin Samuel Wasserman) → Lead guitar and backing vocals for punk/metal The Offspring, “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” (Mainstream Rock #5, 1998)
1968 ● Steve Queralt → Bassist for Brit neo-psych shoegazing band Ride, “Twisterella” (Modern Rock #12, 1992)
1975 ● Natalie Imbruglia → Aussie-born actress, model and alt pop-rock singer, “Torn” (#1, 1997)
1975 ● Rick Burch → Bassist for alt rock/neo-punk Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle” (#5, Adult Top 40 #2, 2002)
1976 ● Cam’ron (aka “Killa Cam”) / (Cameron Giles)) → Grammy-nominated rapper and actor, founded The Diplomats and The U.N., solo, “Oh Boy” (#4, 2002)
1977 ● Gavin DeGraw → Blue-eyed soul and pop-rock singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist, “I Don’t Want To Be” (#10, 2004)
1982 ● Kimberly Wyatt → Singer, songwriter, dancer, model, actress and choreographer best known as a former member of the Pussycat Dolls, left in 2010 and continues to perform fronting Her Majesty & The Wolves
February 05
1919 ● Red Buttons / (Aaron Chwatt) → Broadway and Catskill “Borscht Belt” stage actor, comedian, TV host, Academy Award-winning screen actor, singer, “Strange Things Are Happening” (1953), died 7/13/2006 at home near L.A.
1923 ● Claude King → Traditional country singer and songwriter with fifteen Country Top 20 hits and six charting crossover singles, including “Wolverton Mountain” (#6, Country #1, 1962), died in his sleep at home on 3/7/2019, age 90.
1929 ● Hal Blaine / (Harold Simon Belsky) → Renowned session drummer and founding member of the acclaimed Wrecking Crew group of L.A. studio musicians, played on hundreds of albums, thousands of songs and over 150 Top 10 singles (including 40 #1 hits) behind The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Simon & Garfunkel, John Denver, Natalie Cole and many others, his trademark is the opening drum beat on the Ronette‘s “Be My Baby” (#2, 1963), credited with drumming on six consecutive Grammy Album of the Year winners between 1966 and 1971, gradually faded from session work starting in the 80s as studio recording practices changed to favor of youth and electronic drum machines, died from natural causes on 3/11/2019, age 90.
1930 ● Don Goldie → Versatile and visible postwar jazz trumpet player and bandleader in the 60s, played with numerous jazz luminaries and fronted several jazz ensembles, incusing The Dangerous Jazz Band, committed suicide while suffering from declining health due to diabetes on 11/25/1995, age 65.
1935 ● Alex Harvey / (Alexander James Harvey) → Scottish rock ‘n roll guitarist and bandleader, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, “Delilah” (UK #7, 1975), died 2/4/1982.
1941 ● Barrett Strong → Motown R&B/soul singer and songwriter, “Money (That’s What I Want)” (#23, R&B #2, 1962), co-wrote multiple hits with Norman Whitfield, including “War” for Edwin Starr (#1, 1970) and “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” for The Temptations (#1, 1972)
1941 ● Henson Cargill → One hit wonder country-pop singer with a single crossover hit, “Skip A Rope” (#25, Country #1, 1958), but with nine other Country Top 40 hits, played the Vegas/Reno circuit until his death following a surgical procedure on 3/24/2007, age 66.
1943 ● Chuck Winfield / (Charles Winfield) → Trumpet for jazz-rock-pop fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969)
1943 ● Larry Tamblyn → Co-founding member, lead vocals and keyboards for garage/proto-punk The Standells, “Dirty Water” (#11, 1966), appeared in several 60s feature films, continues to tour and perform with the band into the 10s
1944 ● Al Kooper → Influential but underrated rock contributor, from 60s blues-rock guitarist and bandleader for The Royal Teens, “Short Shorts” (#3, 1958), then jazz/-blues-rock fusion The Blues Project, “The Flute Thing” (1968), then founded Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969), sessions with Bob Dylan, producer for The Zombies, Lynyrd Skynyrd and others
1944 ● J.R. Cobb / (James B. Cobb, Jr.) → Guitars for soft rock Classics IV, “Spooky” (#3, 1968), morphed into Southern rock Atlanta Rhythm Section, “So Into You” (#7, 1977)
1948 ● Christopher Guest → Screenwriter and composer, wrote screenplay and portrayed the fictional lead guitarist Nigel Tufnell in the mock-rock band Spinal Tap (1984 film This Is Spinal Tap), also played Alan Barrows of the fictional folk trio The Folksmen on Saturday Night Live and the film A Mighty Wind (2003).
1948 ● David Denny → Founding member and guitarist for psych-rock Frumious Bandersnatch, played with Steve Miller Band on several albums and hits, including “Swingtown” (#17, 1977)
1960 ● Paul Jones → Bassist for Welsh post-Brit-pop jangle rock Catatonia, “Mulder And Scully” (UK #3, 1998)
1964 ● Duff McKagan / (Michael McKagan) → Bassist for hard rock Guns N’ Roses, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (#1, 1987), then for supergroup Velvet Revolver and Duff McKagan’s Loaded, now a newspaper columnist
1964 ● Sally Still → Bassist for Brit New Wave synth-pop Furniture, “Brilliant Mind” (UK #21, 1986)
1968 ● Chris Barron → Vocals for alt blues-rock jam band Spin Doctors, “Two Princes” (#7, 1993)
1969 ● Bobby Brown → Vocals for R&B/teen pop then hip hop/new jack swing vocal quartet New Edition, “If It Isn’t Love” (#7, 1988), solo, “My Prerogative” (#1, 1988)
1971 ● Sara Evans → Award-winning neo-traditionalist country-pop singer and songwriter with nine Country Top 10 and seven Top 40 pop hits, including “Born To Fly” (#34, Country #1, 2000)
1975 ● Adam Carson → Drummer for alt-punk-rock AFI (A Fire Inside), “Miss Murder” (#24, Modern Rock #1, 2006) and electronica Blaqk Audio, “Stiff Kittens” (Dance/Club #38, 2007)
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1926 ● Nancy Swain Overton / (Anne Swain) → Popular music singer in Tommy Tucker‘s Two Timers band and Mel Tormé‘s The Meltones, joined pop girl group The Chordettes (“Mr. Sandman,” #1, 1954) in 1958 and sang on the hits “Zorro” (#17, 1958) and “Never On Sunday” (#13, AC#4, 1961), married to jazz pianist/composer/arranger Hall Overton until his death in 1972, died from esophageal cancer on 4/5/2009, age 83
1936 ● Donnie Brooks / (John Dee Abohosh) → Pop and rockabilly one hit wonder singer (“Mission Bell,” #7, 1960), toured on the oldies circuit until a 2003 car accident ended his career, died from heart failure on 2/23/2007, age 71
1941 ● Dave Berry / (David Holgate Grundy) → 60s era Brit pop-rock and R&B/teen idol singer, “The Crying Game” (UK #5, 1964), became a superstar on the Continent but not in the UK or US
1942 ● John London / (John Carl Kuehne) → Songwriter and session bass player with The Monkees, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, formed innovative but commercially overlooked country-rock First National Band with friend Mike Nesmith, later enjoyed a second career as a key grip for TV and mainstream movies, died on 2/12/2000, age 58
1943 ● Fabian / (Fabiano Forte Bonaparte) → Teen idol pop/light rock singer, “Tiger” (#3, 1964) and seven other Top 40 hits between 1959 and 1960, actor in more than two dozen films, including The Longest Day (1962) and Ten Little Indians (1965)
1943 ● Georgeanna Tillman / (Georgeanna Marie Tillman Gordon) → Vocals for Motown pop-soul girl group The Marvelettes, “Please Mr. Postman” (#1, 1961) and nine other Top 40 singles, died from complications of blood disorders on 1/6/1980, age 36
1944 ● Willie Tee / (Wilson Turbinton) → New Orleans blues and jazz pianist with one national hit, “I’m Teasin’ You” (#97, R&B #12, 1960) but plenty of recognition in his native city where he is credited with helping shape the “New Orleans Sound” fusing blues, jazz and rock elements, died from complications of colon cancer on 9/11/2007, age 63
1945 ● Bob Marley / (Robert Nesta Marley) → Reggae music and cultural giant, bandleader (The Wailers), singer, songwriter and guitarist, “I Shot The Sheriff” (#1, 1974), inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, his birthday is commemorated in Jamaica by a national holiday, died of cancer on 5/11/1981, age 36
1946 ● Kate McGarrigle → Canadian singer/songwriter with sister Anna in critically-acclaimed 70s-90s light folk duo Kate & Anna McGarrigle, former wife of folk singer Loudon Wainwright lll, mother of singers Rufus and Martha Wainwright, died of cancer on 1/18/2010, age 63
1946 ● Richie Hayward → Founding member and drummer for Southern-fried blues-boogie rock Little Feat, “Dixie Chicken” (1973) and “Hate To Lose Your Lovin'” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1988), session work with Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Robert Palmer, Bob Seger, Warren Zevon and others, died from complications of liver cancer on 8/12/2010, age 64
1947 ● Alan Jones → Saxophonist for Welsh early prog rock septet Amen Corner, “(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice” (UK #1, 1969)
1950 ● Mike Batt → Brit composer, producer, singer and songwriter for film, TV theater and pop music, solo hit with “Summertime City” (UK #4, 1975), wrote “Bright Eyes” (UK #1, 1979) for the film Watership Down and Art Garfunkel, created the novelty pop group The Wombles and four UK Top 10 hits
1950 ● Natalie Cole / (Stephanie Natalie Maria Cole) → R&B/urban contemporary jazz-based pop singer, “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” (#6, R&B #1, 1975), reemerged from a career lull caused by drug addictions with Unforgettable (#1, 1991), the hit album of pop standard covers originally recorded by her father, jazz and pop legend Nat King Cole, died from congestive heart failure after years of drug and alcohol abuse on 12/31/15, age 65
1953 ● Steve Kirby → Lead guitar for Brit pub rock/blue-eyed soul Ace, “How Long” (#3, 1975)
1956 ● Jon Walmsley → Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, actor and producer, worked with many notable pop and rock artists, including The Doobie Brothers, Gregg Allman, Merle Haggard, Roger Daltrey, the Strawberry Alarm Clock and others, played Jason Walton for nine seasons on TV’s The Waltons and created the voice of Christopher Robin in Disney’s Winnie The Pooh cartoons
1962 ● Axl Rose (William Bruce Rose Bailey) → Lead vocals, multi-instrumentalist, frontman and only constant member of hard rock Guns N’ Roses, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (#1, 1988)
1962 ● Richie McDonald / (Richard Vance McDonald) → Lead vocals and rhythm guitar for cross-over country-rockers Lonestar, “Amazed” (#1, 1999)
1964 ● Gord Downie / (Gordon Edgar Downie) → Frontman, lyricist, lead singer and guitarist for “Canada’s band,” alt/blues/roots rock The Tragically Hip, “Ahead By A Century” (Can #1, 1996), died from brain cancer on 10/17/2017, age 53
1966 ● Rick Astley → Award-winning Brit musician, radio host and dance-pop singer and songwriter, “Never Gonna Give You Up” (US and worldwide #1, 1987)
1980 ● Yasutaka Nakata → Japanese multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, music producer, DJ and bandleader, co-founded EDM/electronica group Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and has written scores of songs and produced dozens of albums for various artists, often with himself as a musician, including seven Japanese (Oricon) #1 albums
