Happy Birthday this week to:
July 14
1912 ● Woody Guthrie / (Woodrow Wilson Guthrie) → Legendary and highly influential American music giant, folk singer and songwriter, “This Land Is Your Land” (1940) and hundreds of others, died from complications of Huntington’s disease on 10/3/1967, age 55
1926 ● Lowman Pauling → Guitarist, singer and songwriter for gospel, jump blues and doo wop fusion quintet The “5” Royales, “Tears Of Joy” (R&B #9, 1957), co-wrote “Dedicated To The One I Love” (#81, 1961) which was covered by The Shirelles (#3, 1961) and The Mamas & The Papas (#2, 1967), also wrote or co-wrote hits for James Brown, Ray Charles and others, died while at work as a janitor in a Brooklyn, NY synagogue on 12/26/1973, age 47
1932 ● Del Reeves / (Franklin Delano Reeves) → Country music singer and songwriter with 25 Country Top 40 hits in the 60s and 80s, including “Girl On The Billboard” (Country #1, 1965), moved into music and artist management and discovered Billy Ray Cyrus in the 90s, continued to perform until just prior to his death from emphysema on New Year’s Day 2007, age 74
1938 ● Bob Scholl → Lead vocals for R&B/doo wop one hit wonder quintet The Mello-Kings, “Tonite, Tonite” (#77, 1957), died in a boating accident on 8/27/1975, age 37
1939 ● Vince Taylor / (Brian Maurice Holden) → Early and flamboyant Brit rock ‘n’ roll singer with The Playboys and solo, career cut short by drug and alcohol abuse and erratic behavior, served as the inspiration for David Bowie‘s Ziggy Stardust character and the Golden Earring song “Just Like Vince Taylor,” died from cancer on 8/28/1991, age 52
1941 ● Gil Bridges / (Gilbert Bridges) → Co-founder and saxophone for R&B/blue-eyed rock-and-soul Rare Earth, the first all-white Motown act to have a hit record, “Get Ready” (#4, R&B #20, 1970), followed with eleven other charting singles in the 70s, including “(I Know) I’m Losing You” (#7, R&B #20, 1970) and “I Just Want to Celebrate” (#7, R&B #30, 1971), performed with the band on stage and in the studio for six decades, appearing on every Rare Earth record ever recorded, and was the sole original member still standing at his death from complications of the COVID-19 virus on 12/8/2021, age 80.
1945 ● Jim Gordon / (James Beck Gordon) → Top session drummer in the 60s and 70s, co-wrote “Layla” (#10, UK #7, 1972) with Eric Clapton and was a member of Derek & The Dominos as well as Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen touring band, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, and the elite group of L.A. session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew, which led to work with The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, The Monkees, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa and many others, appeared on hundreds of hit singles and albums over 20 years before developing paranoid schizophrenia and murdering his mother in 1984, sentenced to life in prison where he died from natural causes on 3/13/2023, age 77.
1948 ● Tommy Mottola → CEO of Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records, mentored Hall & Oates, John (Cougar) Mellencamp, Diana Ross, Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez, among others, ex-husband of dance-pop diva Mariah Carey
1952 ● Chris Cross / (Christopher Thomas Allen) → Co-founding member and bass guitarist for Brit New Wave electro-synth-pop pioneers Ultravox, the band scored seven UK Top 10 albums and seventeen UK Top 40 singles in the 80s, co-wrote their biggest hits, including “Vienna” (UK #2, 1981), left the band in 1989 for a career as a psychotherapist, returned to co-write the album Brilliant (2012) and perform in the subsequent tour, died from unspecified causes on 3/25/2024, age 71.
1952 ● Bob Casale, Jr. → Guitarist and keyboardist for quirky 80s pop-rock Devo, “Whip It” (#14, 1980), left in the mid-80s for a career in music and TV sound engineering and production, worked with Police guitarist ‘Andy Summers and others, rejoined Devo bandmates in Mutato Muzika, died of heart failure on 2/17/2014, age 61
1955 ● Matthew Seligman → Bass guitarist with 70s neo-psych-pop The Soft Boys and in short stints with 80s synth-pop Thompson Twins (“Hold Me Now,” #3, UK #4, 1983) and Thomas Dolby (“Hyperactive,” #62, UK #17, 1984), in the later 80s and 90s became a successful session bassist for Sinead O’Connor, David Bowie (Live Air 1985), Tori Amos and others, earned a law degree in the 90s and practiced as a human rights and personal injury lawyer until his death from complications of the COVID-19 virus on 4/17/2020, age 64.
1965 ● Igor Khoroshev → Keyboardist replacing Rick Wakeman in archetypal, pioneer progressive rock band Yes, “Roundabout” (#13, 1971), solo
1966 ● Ellen Reid → Keyboards and backing vocals for Canadian alt pop-rock Crash Test Dummies, “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” (#4, 1993)
1966 ● Tanya Donelly → Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist, co-founder of alt rock Throwing Muses, “Dizzy” (Modern Rock #8, 1989), guitar and vocals for alt rock The Breeders, “Cannonball” (#44, 1993) and alt pop-rock Belly, “Feed The Tree” (#1, Modern Rock, 1993), solo
1971 ● Nick McCabe → Lead guitar for neo-psych-pop The Verve, “Bittersweet Symphony” (#12, 1998), session work, now founder of The Black Ships
1975 ● Taboo / (Jaime Luis Gómez) → Rapper and singer with Black Eyed Peas, “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” (#3, 2005)
1975 ● Tiny Cottle-Harris / (Tameka Cottle-Harris) → Vocals for female R&B/dance-pop quartet Xscape, “Understanding” (#8, 1993)
1987 ● Dan Reynolds → Frontman for Las Vegas-based indie pop-rock Imagine Dragons (“Radioactive,” #3, Rock #1, 2012)
July 15
1904 ● Dorothy Fields → Prolific, Oscar-winning stage and screen librettist/lyricist, wrote the words to over 400 Broadway tunes, her best known compositions were “On the Sunny Side Of The Street” (1930), a hit for The Pied Pipers (#17, 1945), and the jazz-pop standard “Big Spender” (1966) made famous by Shirley Bassey (UK #21, 1967), in 1971 became the first woman elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, her 48-year songwriting career continued up to her death from a heart attack on 3/28/1974, age 68.
1913 ● Cowboy Copas / (Lloyd Estel Copas) → Country music singer in the 40s and 50s with nine Country Top 10 songs and a lone crossover hit, “Alabam” (#63, Country #1, 1960), otherwise known for being killed in the same plane crash that took country star Patsy Cline‘s life on 3/5/1963, age 49
1931 ● Robert Gordy / (Robert Louis Gordy Sr.) → Songwriter, sometime pop singer, younger brother of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr., and chief executive of the company’s publishing division, Jobete Music, credited with growing the business from a mid-60s holding company for Motown‘s copyrights into a major, highly-profitable global publishing enterprise by the 80s, retired in 1985 and led a quiet life outside the music industry, died at home from natural causes on 10/21/2022, age 91.
1932 ● Willie Cobbs / (Willie C. Cobbs) → Blues singer and songwriter best known for penning the now-blues standard “You Don’t Love Me” (1960), the song has been covered by dozens of artist from John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers to Junior Wells to Ike & Tina Turner to, most notably, The Allman Brothers Band on the live album At Fillmore East (1971), continued to record on various labels and perform at blues festivals, as well as a role in the 1991 movie Mississippi Masala, until just before his death from unspecified causes on 10/25/2021, age 89.
1936 ● H.B. Barnum / (Hidle Brown Barnum) → Child actor turned novelty song singer (as “Pee Wee” Barnum or just “Dudley”), pianist and songwriter for doo wop The Robins (“Quarter To Twelve”, 19578) and instrumental pop solo artist (“Lost Love,” #35, 1961), later produced records for Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, The Supremes and others, and scored TV specials and advertising jingles
1937 ● Wes Wilson / (Robert Wesley Wilson) → Graphic artist and a leading designer of 60s psychedelic posters promoting rock concerts in the San Francisco Bay area at venues such as Bill Graham‘s Fillmore West and the nearby Avalon Ballroom, his LSD-inspired artwork introduced fluid typesets, curved block lettering, loud colors and provocative imagery for shows by Jefferson Airplane, The Doors and other top acts, with one Grateful Dead poster appearing on the cover of Life magazine in 1967, left for the Ozarks in the 70s and painted until dying from unspecified causes on 1/24/2020, age 82.
1939 ● Tommy Dee / (Tommy Donaldson) → San Bernardino, CA disc jockey, moved to Nashville to try a career as a country music songwriter and singer, best known for penning and recording, with Carol Kay and The Teen-Aires, “Three Stars” (#11, 1959), the pop-rock tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, who died in an Iowa plane crash in February 1959, continued to write and record for various labels with limited success, dropped into obscurity in the 70s and died on 1/26/2007, age 68
1944 ● Millie Jackson / (Mildred Jackson) → R&B/soul singer “If Loving You Is Wrong I Don’t Want To Be Right” (1975)
1945 ● Peter Lewis → Lead guitar for 60s San Francisco folk-roots-psych rock Moby Grape, “Omaha” (#88, 1967)
1946 ● Linda Ronstadt → Lead vocals for folk-pop Stone Poneys, “Different Drum” (#13, 1967), then prolific and multi-genre, Grammy-winning country-pop-rock solo career, “You’re No Good” (#1, 1975), duet with Aaron Neville, “Don’t Know Much” (#2, 1989) and 17 other Top 40 hits
1947 ● Ian McCredie → Guitarist for Scot bubblegum pop-rock Middle Of The Road, “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” (UK #1, 1971)
1947 ● Roky Erickson / (Roger Kynard Erickson) → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of legendary Austin, Texas acid/garage rock The 13th Floor Elevators (the first band to use the term “psychedelic rock” to describe their music – and their LSD/stoner lifestyle), the band’s 3-year stint led to four albums, seven singles and a lone charting hit (“You’re Gonna Miss Me,” #55, 1966), became an early casualty of LSD and other hallucinogens and entered a state mental institution to avoid imprisonment on drug charges after the band broke up in 1969, fronted his own bands and recorded and performed with others over the ensuing decades, all the while suffering from schizophrenia and paranoia, died from undisclosed causes on 5/31/2019, age 71.
1947 ● Peter Banks / (Peter William Brockbanks) → Original lead guitarist for prog rock pioneers Yes (1968-70), pushed out and co-founded prog-rock Flash, “Small Beginnings” (#29, 1972), went solo and performed with various bands and Yes offshoots and tribute bands until his death from heart failure on 3/7/2013, age 65
1948 ● Artimus Pyle / (Thomas Delmar Pyle) → Drummer for raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” (#8, 1974), solo and sessions
1949 ● Trevor Horn → Bassist, songwriter and co-founder of New Wave synth-pop The Buggles, “Video Killed The Radio Star” (#40, 1979), producer, lead vocals and bassist for Yes, then full producer for such diverse acts as Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and others
1951 ● Cool Ruler Isaacs / (Gregory Anthony Isaacs) → Jamaican superstar reggae singer with a languid, suave and sexy delivery that became known as “lovers rock,” recorded over 70 studio albums of material in his 30-year career, including Night Nurse (Reggae Albums #16, 2002) and many self-penned hit songs, died from lung cancer after years of drug abuse on 10/25/2010, age 59
1952 ● David Pack → Co-founder, guitarist principal songwriter and lead singer for pop-rock Ambrosia (“Biggest Part Of Me,” #3, 1980), also produced albums for multiple rock and pop artists (Phil Collins, Linda Ronstadt, Steve Vai and others) plus various concerts and events, including Bill Clinton‘s presidential inaugurations in 1993 and 1997, continues to tour and perform with Ambrosia and others into the 10s
1952 ● Jeff Carlisli → Founding member and guitarist for Southern arena rockers .38 Special, “Hold On Loosely” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1981)
1952 ● Johnny Thunders / (John Genzale, Jr.) → Hard-living guitarist and vocalist for influential glam-rock/proto-punk New York Dolls (“Personality Crisis,” 1973), also fronted Brit punk The Heartbreakers and released several solo albums, died under suspicious circumstances but of a suspected methadone overdose on 4/23/1991, age 38
1953 ● Alicia Bridges → One hit wonder disco diva, “I Love The Night Life (Disco ‘Round)” (#5, 1978)
1956 ● Marky Ramone / (Marc Bell) → Drummer for seminal punk-rockers The Ramones, “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” (#81, 1977)
1956 ● Satch Satriani / (Joe Satriani) → Guitar virtuoso, instructor and mentor, solo artist, brief bandmember of Mick Jagger‘s band (1988) and Deep Purple (1984), sessions, currently lead guitarist with blues-funk-rock supergroup Chickenfoot
1956 ● Ian Curtis → Singer, lyricist, guitarist and often frontman for post-punk/synth-pop Joy Division, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (Dance/Club #42, 1980), hung himself at home after succumbing to depression and epilepsy on 5/18/1980, age 23
1958 ● Gary Corbett → Session and touring keyboardist with Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson and others before co-writing “She Bop” (#3, 1984) for Cindi Lauper, the song’s success opened doors to Lou Gramm‘s touring band and a 5-year stint with Kiss starting in 1987, then joined glam-metal Cinderella on keyboards and backing vocals until their breakup in 2017, battled lung cancer and died the day before his birthday and on the same day as longtime Cinderella guitarist Jeff LaBar, 7/14/2021, age 62.
1966 ● Jason John Bonham → Rock drummer and son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, performed with Zeppelin members individually and as a band on numerous occasions following his father death in 1980, toured and recorded with Paul Rodgers, UFO, Joe Bonamassa, Foreigner and others
1970 ● Chi Ling Dai Cheng → Bassist for Grammy-winning alt heavy metal Deftones, “Change (In The House Of Flies)” (Mainstream Rock #9, 2000)
1973 ● John Dolmayan → Drummer for Grammy-winning, Armenian-American hard rock/alt metal System Of A Down, “Aerials” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2002)
1977 ● Ray Toro → Lead guitar for 00s alt rock/emo band My Chemical Romance, “Welcome To The Black Parade” (#9, 2006)
1983 ● Buju Banton / ( Mark Anthony Myrie) → Jamaican dancehall reggae singer and Rastafarian, “Champion” (Dance #15, 1995)
July 16
1925 ● Cal Tjader / (Callen Radcliffe Tjader, Jr.) → Highly successful, Grammy-winning non-Latino Latin jazz drummer, vibraphonist and bandleader with eight charting albums in the 60s and 70s, including Soul Sauce (#52, R&B #8, 1965), credited with the early development of Latin rock and acid jazz, died of a heart attack while on tour in the Philippines on 5/5/1982, age 56
1927 ● Mindy Carson → Pre-rock ‘n’ roll traditional pop vocalist, often in duets with Guy Mitchell but with several charting songs of her own, including “Wake The Town And Tell The People” (#13, 1955), stopped recording and moved to Broadway musicals in the 60s
1939 ● Denise LaSalle / (Ora Denise Allen) → Contemporary urban blues singer and songwriter with over a hundred songwriting credits and several self-written hits R&B hits as a singer, including “Now Run And Tell That” (#46, R&B #3, 1972), “Trapped By A Thing Called Love” (#13, R&B #1, 1971) and the zydeco remake “My Tu-Tu” (UK #6, 1985), performed on the gospel and blues festival circuits, inducted to the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2015, reigned as the “Queen of the Blues” at her death from complications of leg amputation surgery on 1/8/2018, age 78
1940 ● Tony Jackson → Bass and vocals for Merseybeat band The Searchers, “Needles And Pins” (#13, 1963), died from a variety of ailments related to long-term alcohol abuse on 8/18/2003, age 63
1942 ● Desmond Dekker / (Desmond Dacres) → Influential and first Jamaican ska/reggae star, singer and frontman for The Aces, “The Israelites” (#8, 1968), died of a heart attack on 5/25/2006, age 63
1944 ● Thomas Boggs → Drummer for short-lived blue-eyed soul The Box Tops (“The Letter,” #1, 1967), left the industry in the early 70s for a long career as a restaurateur, died of cancer on 5/5/2008, age 63
1949 ● Ray Major → Guitarist for early Brit glam-rockers Mott The Hoople, “All The Young Dudes” (#37, 1972), which became Mott in 1974 and British Lions in 1976
1952 ● Stewart Copeland → Drummer for Brit prog/avant-garde rock Curved Air, “Back Street Luv” (UK #4, 1974), then co-founded post-punk New Wave pop-rock The Police, “Every Breath You Take” (#1, 1983), solo under the pseudonym Klark Kent, collaborations and session work, classical music and film score composer
1961 ● Mark McEntee → Founder, co-frontman and guitarist for Aussie power pop Divinyls, “I Touch Myself” (#4, 1991)
1964 ● Polly Hancock → Guitar and vocals for Brit indie-folk-pop Popinjays, “Vote Elvis” (Modern Rock #17, 1988)
1971 ● Edward Joel Kowalczyk → Lead vocals for alt rock Live, “Lightning Crashes” (Modern Rock #5, 1995), solo
1978 ● TJ / (Tito Joseph Jackson) → With brothers Tariano Adaryll “Taj” and Taryll Adren Jackson, vocals in R&B/urban soul trio 3T, “Anything” (#15, 1995), sons of Tito and nephews of Michael Jackson
July 17
1928 ● Vince Guaraldi / (Vincent Dellaglio) → Grammy-winning jazz pianist, bandleader and composer noted for penning the music and arrangements for the nearly all of the animated Peanuts television specials and films, including the signature “Linus & Lucy,” died from an aortic aneurysm on 2/6/1976, age 47
1935 ● Peter Schickele / (Johann Peter Schickele) → Four-time Grammy-winning composer, educator and musical parodist best known for a five-decade run of recordings and performances of his own music but credited to his fictitious alter ego P.D.Q. Bach, the “forgotten son” of the Bach family, in an elaborate web of farce, fiction and musical genres around a core of classical music, invented several unusual instruments including the “tromboon,” the “left handed sewer flute” and the “dill piccolo,” in a parallel career composed over 100 original works of serious classical music for orchestras and other groups, died from complications of infections on 1/16/2024, age 88.
1938 ● Stanley Bronstein → Founding member and saxophonist for jazz-psych-rock Elephant’s Memory, “Mongoose” (Top 100, 1969), which became the backing band for John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the early 70s, worked with John Lennon on his 1972 album ‘Some Time In New York City’
1942 ● Gale Garnett / (Gale Zoë Garnett) → New Zealand-born Canadian pre-The Beatles one hit wonder pop singer with the Grammy-winning “We’ll Sing In The Sunshine” (#4, , 1964), later fronted psych-pop The Gentle Reign and became a journalist and TV actress
1942 ● Spencer Davis / (Spencer David Nelson Davies) → Welsh guitarist and leader of popular 60s British pop-rock The Spencer Davis Group with hits such as “Gimme Some Lovin'” (#7, UK #2, 1966) and “I’m A Man” (#10, UK #9, 1967) sung my bandmate Steve Winwood, struggled to keep the band relevant after Winwood left to form supergroup Traffic, became an A&R executive with Island Records in the 70s and promoted Eddie & The Hit Rods, Robert Palmer and Winwood‘s solo career, reformed SDG on two occasions and fronted several oldies acts through the years, died from pneumonia on 10/19/2020, age 81.
1945 ● Eric McCredie → Bassist for Scot bubblegum pop-rock Middle Of The Road, “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” (UK #1, 1971), died on 10/6/2007, age 62
1947 ● Abraham Laboriel, Sr. → Mexican-American session and tour bassist with over 4,000 recording s to his credit, including work with George Benson, Barbra Streisand, Chris Isaak, Elton John, Madonna and many others in nearly every genre, issued three solo albums
1947 ● Wolfgang Flür → Electronic percussion for German electro-rock pioneers Kraftwerk, “Autobahn” (#25, 1975)
1947 ● Mick Tucker → Drummer and backing vocals for glam pop-rock Sweet, “Ballroom Blitz” (#5, 1973), died of leukemia on 2/14/2002, age 54
1948 ● Ron Asheton → Guitarist for influential proto-punk The Stooges, “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (1969), #29 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, found dead in his home on 1/6/2009 having died of a heart attack a day or two earlier, age 60
1949 ● Geezer Butler / (Terence Michael Joseph Butler) → Longtime bassist and lyricist for hard rock/gloom metal Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (#61, 1970) and “Psycho Man” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1998), founding member of heavy metal supergroup Heaven & Hell in 2006.
1949 ● Mike Vale → Bassist for bubblegum-pop Tommy James & The Shondells, “Hanky Panky” (#1, 1966) and psych-pop, “Crimson And Clover” (#1, 1968)
1950 ● Phoebe Snow (Phoebe Ann Laub) → Poet, songwriter and folk-pop-jazz singer, “Poetry Man” (#5, 1974), backing vocals and collaborations with multiple other artists, died from complications of a brain hemorrhage on 4/26/2011, age 60
1952 ● Chet McCracken → Drummer for California soul-pop-rock The Doobie Brothers, “Listen To The Music” (#11, 1972)
1952 ● Nicolette Larson → Country-rock backing vocalist and country-pop solo artist, “Lotta Love” (#8, 1979), died from cerebral edema and liver failure on 12/16/1997, age 45
1957 ● Bruce Crump → Drummer for Southern rock power-guitar band Molly Hatchet, “Flirtin’ With Disaster” (#42, 1979), then Gator Country
1963 ● Regina Belle → R&B-jazz-gospel singer/songwriter, Grammy-winning duet with Peabo Bryson, “A Whole New World” (#1, 1993)
1963 ● Kim Shattuck / (Kimberly Dianne Shattuck) → Singer, songwriter and former bassist for L.A. all-female garage rock The Pandoras, left in 1990 to found and front pop-punk rock The Muffs (“Sad Tomorrow,” 1995), known for sneering vocals, high-pitched screams, loud guitars and jangle-pop melodies, during breaks from band collaborated with others (including the Pixies) and with Pandoras reunions, died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), just weeks before release of the Muffs‘ seventh studio album, No Holiday, on 10/2/2019, age 56.
1966 ● Lou Barlow → Bassist for influential indie/cult rock Dinosaur Jr., “Start Choppin'” (Modern Rock #3, 1993)
1967 ● Stokely Williams → Lead singer and drummer for new jack swing R&B/soul-pop sextet Mint Condition, “What Kind Of Man Would I Be?” (#17, 1996)
1970 ● Mandy Smith → Dance-pop singer, model, ex-wife of Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman whom she started dating in 1983 at age 13 (he was then 47) and married in 1989, divorced 1992, Wyman‘s son dated Mandy‘s mother.
1971 ● DJ Minute Mix / (Jarrett Cordes) → Innovative brother hip hop, smooth soul, urban R&B and prog rap duo P.M. Dawn, “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss” (#3, Dance/Club #6, 1991), stepson of George Brown, founding member of soul/funk Kool & The Gang
1982 ● Natasha Hamilton → Vocals for Brit dance-pop vocal trio Atomic Kitten, “Whole Again” (UK #1, 2000)
1985 ● Tom Fletcher → Guitar and vocals for Brit pop-rock boy band McFly, “All About You” (UK #1, 2005)
1987 ● Jeremih / (Jeremy Felton) → Contemporary R&B/hip hop singer and songwriter with slow jam “Birthday Sex” (#4, R&B #1, 2009) and three other Top 20 hits
July 18
1909 ● Deek Watson / (Ivory Watson) → Founding member, tenor vocals, trumpet and guitar for pioneering black R&B/doo wop group The Ink Spots, “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” (#2, R&B #1, 1943), continued with various incarnations of the group through the 50s, died on 11/4/1969, age 60
1924 ● Earl Beal → Founding member and baritone vocals for one hit wonder R&B/doo wop vocal quartet The Silhouettes, “Get A Job” (#1, 1958), died on 3/22/2001, age 76
1929 ● Screamin’ Jay Hawkins / (Jelacy Hawkins) → Outrageously flamboyant early rock ‘n’ roll singer, pianist and stage performer, “I Put A Spell On You” (1956), died following surgery for an aneurysm on 2/12/2000, age 70
1931 ● Papa Dee Allen / (Thomas Sylvester Allen) → Percussion and vocals for laid-back R&B/soul-funk War, “Spill The Wine” (#3, 1970), died from a heart attack during a performance on 8/30/1988, age 57
1935 ● Johnny Funches → First tenor and lead vocals for R&B/doo wop, soul-funk and disco The Dells, “Stay In My Corner” (#10, R&B #1, 1968), died 1/23/1998, age 62
1938 ● Ian Stewart → Founding member and first keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, dismissed from the band in 1963 but continued as road manager and session pianist, died of a heart attack in his doctor’s waiting room on 12/12/1985
1939 ● Brian Auger → Underappreciated jazz-rock keyboardist, composer and bandleader The Trinity, Oblivion Express, solo
1939 ● Dion / (Dion DiMucci) → Doo wop, pop and rock ‘n’ roll vocalist, songwriter and bandleader, Dion & The Belmonts, solo, “Runaround Sue” (#1, 1961) and 19 other Top 40 in the 60s
1939 ● Johnny Hutch / (John Howard Hutchinson) → Rock ‘n’ roll drummer in Merseybeat power trio The Big Three (“By The Way,” UK #22, 1963) and rivals to The Beatles for popularity in the early 60s Liverpool music scene, played drums behind Lennon, McCartney and Harrison on separate audition sessions in 1960 and 1962, turned down an offer to join the future Fab Four as Pete Best’s successor before Ringo Starr was given the job, left the music industry in 1965 for the real estate renovation trade and died on 4/12/2019, age 79.
1941 ● Martha Reeves → Vocals and frontwoman for Motown R&B/pop girl group Martha & The Vandellas, “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave” (#4, 1963), solo, Detroit city councilwoman
1941 ● Lonnie Mack / (Lonnie McIntosh) → Pioneering blues-rock guitarist, early user of the tremolo arm (“whammy bar”) on electric guitar and blue-eyed soul balladeer, his “Memphis” (#5, 1963) was only the fourth instrumental rock single to break the Billboard Top 5 and his album The Wham Of That Memphis Man! (1964) was Guitar World magazine’s #1 of 50 landmark albums of all time, died of natural causes on 4/21/2-016, age 74
1941 ● Frank Farian / (Franz Reuther) → German-born singer with an unremarkable solo career before releasing the minor European hit “Do You Wanna Bump” in 1975 under the pseudonym Boney M., later created a singing troupe to record and tour as Boney M., best known for fabricating the hugely popular R&B/dance duo Milli Vanilli (Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus) in the late 80s and orchestrating the duo’s rise to the top of the charts and a Grammy award in 1990, scandal erupted later that year when the duo were outed as imposters who never sang on their recordings and lip-synced live performances, continued to create new singing groups, produce albums and write music for others until his death from unspecified causes on 1/23/2024, age 82.
1943 ● Robin MacDonald → Guitarist for British Invasion pop-rock Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, “Little Children” (#7, 1964)
1945 ● Danny McCulloch / (Daniel Joseph McCulloch) → Guitarist for British Invasion hard/blues-rock The Animals, “House Of The Rising Sun” (#1, 1964)
1946 ● Tim Lynch → Guitar, harmonica and vocals for eclectic rock ‘n’ roll/proto-punk cult band The Flamin’ Groovies, album Shake Some Action reached #142 on the Billboard 200 chart
1948 ● Cesar Zuiderwijk → Drummer for Dutch hard rock Golden Earring, “Radar Love” (#13, 1974), over 40 hits and 30 gold and platinum albums in the Netherlands
1948 ● Phil Harris → Guitar and vocals for Brit pub rock/blue-eyed soul Ace, “How Long” (#3, 1975)
1949 ● Craig Fuller → Singer/songwriter, guitarist and co-founding member of country-rock Pure Prairie League, “Amie” (#27, 1973), left to serve a six month jail sentence for draft evasion, formed California light country-rock American Flyer (Let Me Down Easy,” #80, 1976) in the late 70s with Eric Kaz from Blues Magoos and Steve Katz from Blood, Sweat & Tears, joined Little Feat (“Let It Roll,” Rock #3, 1988) in 1987 and reformed PPL in 1996, continues to perform with variations of both bands
1949 ● Wally Bryson → Guitarist for Cleveland garage rock quartet The Choir“It’s Cold Outside” (#68, 1967), then co-founded power pop The Raspberries, “Go All The Way” (#5, 1972) and power pop Fotomaker, “Miles Away” (#63, 1978)
1950 ● Sir Richard Branson → Business magnate, founder and CEO of Virgin Group, which includes the Virgin Records label, Virgin Megastores and Virgin Atlantic Airways
1950 ● Glenn Hughes → Biker character in campy concept disco group The Village People, “Y.M.C.A.” (#2, 1979), died of lung cancer on 3/4/2001, age 50
1952 ● Ian Gibbons → English keyboardist, most notable for playing with The Kinks (“Come Dancing,” #6, UK #12, 1982) from 1979 to 1989, rejoined the group in 1993 and remained with them until their 1996 breakup, over the years also worked with Suzi Quatro, Ian Hunter, Dr. Feelgood and many others, in 2008 joined The Kast Off Kinks featuring former Kinks members, including Mick Avory, John Gosling, John Dalton and Jim Rodford, died from bladder cancer on 8/1/2019, age 67.
1954 ● Ricky Scaggs / (Richard Lee Scaggs) → Country-bluegrass megastar singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Highway 40 Blues” (Country #1, 1983), eleven time Grammy winner and 1982 Country Music Association singer of the year
1955 ● Terry Chambers → Co-founder and drummer for quirky New Wave synth-pop XTC, “Making Plans For Nigel” (UK #17, 1979) and side project for the band under the pseudonym The Dukes Of Stratosphear
1957 ● Keith Levene / (Julian Keith Levene) → Roadie for prog rock Yes, then co-founder and guitarist for influential and acclaimed punk-ska-dance-rock The Clash (“Complete Control,” UK #28, 1977) left in 1978 to start post-punk Public Image Ltd. with ex-Sex Pistol John Lydon, co-wrote PiL’s debut hit single “Public Image” {UK #9, 1978) and played lead guitar through 1983, when he left over creative differences during development of their fourth album, This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get (UK #56, 1984), released his own version of the album as Commercial Zone, the original working title of the PiL album (US-only release, did not chart, 1984); thereafter dabbled in production work and appeared in various projects, often with former PiL bandmate Jah Wobble, issued five solo albums and five EP sets, including an instrumental version Commercial Zone 2014, died from complications of liver cancer on 11/11/2022, age 65.
1958 ● Nigel Twist → Drummer for post-punk anthem rockers The Alarm, “Sold Me Down The River” (Mainstream #2, 1989)
1962 ● Jack Irons → Journeyman drummer for funk-rock Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Californication” (Modern Rock #1, 2000), hard rock Eleven, “Reach Out” (Mainstream Rock #40, 1994) and post-grunge/alt rock kings Pearl Jam, “Last Kiss” (#2, 1999), sessions and tours for Neil Young, Joe Strummer and others
1975 ● Daron Malakian → Guitarist for Grammy-winning, Armenian-American hard rock/alt metal System Of A Down, “Aerials” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2002)
1978 ● Tony Fagenson → Drummer for teen punk-pop trio Eve 6, “Inside Out” (#28, Mainstream Rock #5, 1998)
1982 ● Ryan Cabrera → Acoustic pop-rock guitarist and songwriter, “On The Way Down” (#15, 2004)
July 19
1925 ● Sue Thompson / (Eva Sue McKee) → Youthful-voiced 50s country-pop singer, issued over a dozen non-charting singles in a decade-long recording career before shifting to novelty pop songs for mostly teen audiences in the early 60s, findng immediate success with “Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)” (#5, AC #1, 1961) and “Norman” (#3, 1961), both written by songwriter John D. Loudermilk, returned to her country roots in the 70s and recorded “Big Mable Murphy” (Country #50, AC #40, 1975) and eight other singles before moving to the Las Vegas nightclub circuit, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease on 9/23/2021, age 96.
1930 ● Preston Epps / (Preston Eugene Epps) → Percussionist and one hit wonder bongo player who taught himself to play the bongos while stationed on Okinawa during the Korean Conflict, credited with introducing bongos and congas to mainstream rock and pop music through his Top 20 hit “Bongo Rock” (#14, 1959), follow-on formulaic singles “Bongo in the Congo,” “Bongo Boogie,” “Flamenco Bongo” and others failed to attract attention, played as a session musician in the 60s and 70s and on the club circuit into the 90s, died of natural causes on 5/9/2019, age 88.
1937 ● Karen J. Dalton / (Karen J. Cariker) → Relatively unknown but influential early 60s Greenwich Village singer/songwriter who interpreted country, pop, Motown, blues and traditional folk songs in a style that was often compared to jazz singer Billie Holiday, contemporary of and occasional collaborator with Fred Neil, Bob Dylan, Tim Hardin and the Holy Modal Rounders, died in obscurity from AIDS on 3/19/1993, age 55.
1937 ● George Hamilton IV → Late 50s teen idol pop singer with 10 chart hits in four years, including “A Rose And A Baby Ruth” (#6, 1956), switched to country-pop and rockabilly in the 60s and charted 40 country hits through the 70s, including “Abilene” (#15, Country #1, 1963), toured and performed into the 00s, died following a heart attack on 9/17/2014, age 77
1941 ● Vikki Carr / (Florencia Cardona) → Pop vocalist, “It Must Be Him” (#3, 1966), then successful Latin-pop singer, including Grammy-winning album Cosas Del Amor (1991)
1944 ● Commander Cody / (George William Frayne IV) → Frontman, lead vocals and occasional songwriter for highly regarded but commercially overlooked country-rock/boogie band Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen, their lone Top 40 hit, a cover of “Hot Rod Lincoln” (#9, 1972) belied their worthy status as a quintessential 70s goodtime rock ‘n’ roll and Texas swing party band, following dissolution in the late 70s continued to perform nationaly and record as Commander Cody, including the 1980 minor hit, “2 Triple Cheese (Side Order of Fries),” the music video for which is now part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art, spent many years painting portaits before dying following a long battle with esophageal cancer on 9/26/2021, age 77.
1946 ● Alan Gorrie / (Alan Edward Gorrie) → Base and vocals for Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band (“Pick Up The Pieces” (#1, 1974).
1947 ● Bernie Leadon → Guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals for country rock Flying Burrito Brothers and Linda Ronstadt‘s backing band, which became country rock/L.A. rock Eagles, “One Of These Nights” (#1, 1975), quit in 1976 to pursue a solo career
1947 ● Brian May → Founding member and guitarist for camp rock/mock-opera/hard pop Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody” (#9, 1976) and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (#1, 1980), solo, “Driven By You” (Mainstream Rock #9, 1993), film score composer and astronomy author, #39 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time
1948 ● Keith Godchaux → Keyboards and backing vocals for rock’s longest, strangest trip Grateful Dead, “Sugar Magnolia” (#91, 1973), duo with wife Donna, died following a car crash on 7/23/1980, age 32
1951 ● Debra Byrd → R&B and pop vocalist best known for singing in Barry Manilow’s backing group, Lady Flash, the trio issued a charting single “Street Singin’” (#27, 1976) and an album, both produced by Manilow, also appeared on tour with Bob Dylan and gave him voice lessons, joined the production of TV music program American Idol in 2002 for 15 seasons as vocal coach, died from undisclosed causes on 3/5/2024, age 72.
1952 ● Allen Collins / (Larkin Allen Collins, Jr.) → Hard luck guitarist and founding member of raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd (“Sweet Home Alabama,” #8, 1974), survived the October 20, 1977 plane crash that killed several bandmembers and crew, then co-founded Rossington-Collins Band (“Welcome Me Home,” Mainstream Rock #9, 1988), lost his first wife during pregnancy in 1980, became paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident in 1986 that killed his then-girlfriend, died from complications of pneumonia on 1/23/1990, age 37
1956 ● Nikki Sudden / (Adrian Godfrey) → Underrated post-punk songwriter and guitarist, journeyman lead singer for his own bands and side projects, including 80s post-punk Swell Maps and the Jacobites, died from a heart attack on 3/26/22006, age 49
1960 ● Kevin Haskins / (Kevin Michael Dompe) → Drummer for seminal goth-rock Bauhaus, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” (1979) and goth-pop Love And Rockets, “So Alive” (#3, 1989)
1968 ● Ged Lynch → Drummer for dance-pop Black Grape, “In The Name Of The Father” (UK #8, 1995)
1971 ● Urs Bühler → Tenor for pre-fab Euro-pop vocal quartet Il Divo, “Unbreak My Heart” (Adult Contemporary #33, 2005)
1976 ● Eric Prydz → Swedish DJ and dance-pop producer using a variety of project names, including Pryda, Sheridan, Dirty Funker and Moo, “Call on Me” (Dance/Club #29, 2004)
1979 ● Michelle Heaton → Singer for teen dance-pop Liberty X, “Just A Little” (UK #1, 2002)
July 20
1933 ● Buddy Wayne Knox → Early rockabilly and “Tex-Mex” sound pioneer, wrote and performed “Party Doll” (#1, 1957), becoming the first artist to pen his own #1 hit in the rock ‘n’ roll era, died of lung cancer on 2/14/11999, age 65
1934 ● Bob Krasnow / (Robert Alan Krasnow) → Music industry executive with a long career at several key labels, started at King Records in the 50s, founded Blue Thumb in the 60s, expanded Warner Brothers into R&B in the 70s, revived Elektra Records in the 80s and 90s at one time or another worked with artists as varied as Captain Beefheart, Chaka Khan, George Benson, Björk and Metallica, died from organ failure on 12/11/2016, age 82
1935 ● Sleepy La Beef / (Thomas Paulsley LaBeff (nee LaBoeuf)) → Early rockabilly guitarist and singer with droopy eyelids whose 60-year career, deep repertoire, 30 solo albums and tireless touring made him a legend despite not having a hit record per se, his highest charting single was “Blackland Farmer” (Country #67, 1971), appeared in the B-movie Swamp Thing (1968) and developed a cult status, including Europe, touring into the mid-10s, died from natural causes on 12/26/2019, age 84.
1943 ● Tony Joe White → Country-pop and swamp rock singer/songwriter known as the “Swamp Fox” for his growling singing and mix of country, blues and rock ‘n’ roll music, recorded a lone Top 10 hit, “Polk Salad Annie” (#8, 1969) but wrote the hits “Rainy Night In Georgia” (#4, 1970) for Brook Benton and “Steamy Windows” (#39, Dance #33, 1989) for Tina Turner plus songs covered by many rock and pop stars, including Elvis Presley and Dusty Springfield, issued a final album, Bad Mouthin’ in September 2018 and died from a heart attack on 10/24/2018, age 74
1943 ● Dennis Yost → Founding member, drummer and lead singer for soft Southern rock The Classics IV (“Spooky,” #3, 1967 and “Stormy,” #5, 1968), kept the band going through the 70s after several band members left to eventually form Atlanta Rhythm Section, continued on the oldies circuit until he suffered a brain injury in a fall and died two years later from respiratory failure on 12/7/2008, age 65
1944 ● T.G. Sheppard / (Billy Neal Browder) → Urban country crossover singer, “I’ve Loved ‘Em Every One” (#37, Country #1, 1981)
1945 ● John Lodge → Bass and vocals for Brit prog rock then pop-rock The Moody Blues, “Nights In White Satin” (#2, 1967) and “Your Wildest Dreams” (#9, 1986)
1945 ● Kim Carnes → Throaty-voiced singer, Grammy-winning “Bette Davis Eyes” (#1, 1981), later country music songwriter
1946 ● Wendy Richard → One hit wonder pop singer, duet with Mike Sarne “Come Outside” (UK #1, 1962), longtime cast member of Brit TV soap opera Eastenders
1947 ● Carlos Santana → Guitarist, vocals, songwriter and frontman for Latin-rock Santana, “Black Magic Woman” (#4, 1970), solo, “Smooth” (#1, 1999), awarded eight Grammys for his Supernatural album (2000)
1947 ● Tony Thorpe → Lead guitar and vocals for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (UK #1, US #37, 1974)
1948 ● James Hooker / (James Hooker Brown, Jr.) → Founding member and pianist for Grammy-winning Southern rock Amazing Rhythm Aces (“Third Rate Romance,” #14, Country #11, CAN #1), after breakup in the early 80s joined Steve Winwood‘s touring band as keyboardist and co-wrote “Freedom Overspill” (#20, Main #4, UK #69, 1986), later led country/folk Nanci Griffith‘s backing band for 20 years and self-released several solo albums
1952 ● Jay Jay French / (John French Segall) → Guitarist for heavy metal Twisted Sister, “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (#21, 1983)
1955 ● Jem Finer / (Jemremy Max Finer) → Banjo for Irish folk-punk-rock The Pogues, “Tuesday Morning” (Rock #11, 1993)
1956 ● Paul Cook → Drummer for premier punk rockers the Sex Pistols, “God Save The Queen” (UK #2, 1977) and punk rock supergroup Greedy Bastards
1957 ● Merlina DeFranco → Vocals for teen bubblegum-pop The DeFranco Family, “Heartbeat-It’s A Lovebeat” (#3, 1973)
1958 ● Michael McNeil → Keyboards for Scottish New Wave pop-rock Simple Minds, “(Don’t You) Forget About Me” ($1, 1985)
1959 ● James Irvin → Vocals for Brit New Wave synth-pop Furniture, “Brilliant Mind” (UK #21, 1986)
1961 ● Martin Gore → Keyboards for electro-dance/synth-pop Depeche Mode, “Enjoy The Silence” (#8, 1990)
1962 ● Dig Wayne / (Timothy Wayne Ball) → Lead vocals for Brit dance-pop-rock Jo Boxers, “Boxer Beat” (UK #3, 1983)
1964 ● Tim Kellett → Keyboards and trumpet for Brit soul-pop Simply Red, “Holding Back The Years” (#1, 1986), then trip-hop/electronica trio Olive, “You’re Not Alone” (Dance/Club #5, 1997)
1964 ● Chris Cornell / (Christopher John Boyle) → Frontman, lead vocals and guitar for seminal grunge-rock group Soundgarden (“Black Hole Sun,” Mainstream Rock #1, 1994), Audioslave (“Be Yourself,” #32, Mainstream Rock #1, 2005) plus five solo albums and numerous soundtrack contributions, hanged himself in a Detroit hotel room following a performance by a reformed Soundgarden on 5/17/2017, age 52
1966 ● Andrew Levy → Founding member, bassist, keyboards and songwriter for acid-jazz/funk The Brand New Heavies, “Sometimes” (UK #11, 1997)
1966 ● Craig Gannon → Rhythm guitarist for 80s Scottish New Wave pop-rock Aztec Camera, jangle-pop-rock The Bluebells, “Young At Heart” (UK #1, 1983) and indie rock The Smiths, “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” (UK #10, 1984), now a television and film composer/producer and session guitarist for multiple artists
1966 ● Stone Gossard → Founding member and rhythm guitarist for post-grunge/alt rock kings Pearl Jam, “Last Kiss” (#2, 1999), previously with grunge rock Green River and Mother Love Bone, solo
1969 ● Vitamin C / (Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick) → Co-founder, frontwoman and vocalist for punk-pop Eve’s Plum, “I Want It All” (Modern Rock #30, 1993), solo, “Smile” (#7, 1999), actress
1970 ● Sam Watters → Vocals for a cappella hip hop harmony group Color Me Badd, “I Wanna Sex You Up” (#2, 1991)
1971 ● Alison Krauss → Folk-bluegrass singer, songwriter and fiddler, “When You Say Nothing At All” (#53, Country #3, 1995), frontwoman for Union Station, winner of 1996 Rolling Stone‘s critic’s choice Best Country Artist, Grammy-winning collaboration album with Led Zeppelin‘s Robert Plant, Raising Sand (#2, 2007)
1971 ● DJ Screw / (Robert Earl Davis, Jr.) → Legendary Houston hip hop DJ who created the now-famous “chopped and screwed” mixing and DJ technique involving slowed down music, died of a prescription codeine overdose on 11/12/2000, age 29
1974 ● Andrew Tierney → With his younger brother, Mike, and two schoolmates, co-founder, vocals and keyboards in Motown-inspired Aussie teen-pop boyband Human Nature (“Everytime You Cry,” AUS #3, 1997), currently in residence on the Las Vegas Strip performing in a Motown-themed show
1978 ● Elliott Yamin → One hit wonder R&B/pop-neo-soul singer, “Wait For You” (#13, 2007), fifth season American Idol finalist
1980 ● Mike Kennerty → Rhythm guitar and backing vocals for alt rock/power pop The All-American Rejects, “Swing, Swing” (Modern Rock #8, 2003)
