Happy Birthday this week to:
June 09
1891 ● Cole Porter → Grammy-winning singer and composer, one of America’s greatest songwriters, wrote countless classic songs, including “Night And Day” (1932), “I Get A Kick Out Of You” (1934) and “Begin The Beguine” (1935), died of kidney failure on 10/15/1964, age 73.
1915 ● Les Paul / (Lester William Polsfuss) → Immensely influential jazz and country-pop guitarist, singer and songwriter, recorded solo and with wife Mary Ford, “Hummingbird” (#7, 1955), inventor of the Gibson Les Paul solid-body electric guitar and developer of various playing and recording techniques, including “close miking,” overdubbing, echo delay and multitrack recording, died from severe pneumonia on 8/12/2009, age 94
1921 ● Dick Rowe / (Richard Paul Rowe) → Brit music producer and talent scout for Decca Records in the 50s and 60s, signed The Rolling Stones, The Moody Bluess, The Zombies, Tom Jones and many other top artists but famously declined to sign The Beatles following an audition in January 1962, produced multiple hits in the 60s before bowing out at the peak of his career, died from diabetes on 6/6/1986, age 65.
1926 ● CeDell Davis / (Ellis CeDell Davis) → Delta blues guitarist who overcame childhood polio and constricted hands to play slide guitar with a butter knife, spent decades on the juke joint circuit in the South before being “discovered” by music writer Robert Palmer in the 80s, toured nationally and recorded several albums with his unique style and gritty singing, including a final album, Even The Devil Gets The Blues (2016) featuring Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, suffered a heart attack and died three days later on 9/27/2017, age 91
1926 ● Bill Pursell / (William Whitney Pursell) → Classically-trained pianist, composer and one hit wonder pop musician, served in the U.S. Air Force Band during World War II then performed with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, taught at Tennessee State and Vanderbilt universities and worked as a session pianist in Nashville studios in the 50s, released the surprise instrumental piano hit “Our Winter Love” (#9, Easy #4, R&B #20, 1962) but subsequent singles met with little success, continued in the 60s and 70s as a “countrypolitan” session musician and arranger for Patsy Cline, Johnny Paycheck and Willie Nelson, among others until returning to academia in 1980 and teaching at Belmont University in Nashville to 2017, contracted the COVID-19 virus and died from resulting pneumonia on 9/3/2020, age 94.
1929 ● Johnny Ace / (John Marshall Alexander, Jr.) → Young, gifted and promising R&B/blues balladeer with a posthumous hit (“Pledging My Love,” #17, R&B #1, 1955) and epitaph (Billboard magazine’s “most played artist of 1955”) after he shot himself to death playing Russian roulette backstage after a show in Houston on Christmas night, 12/25/1954, age 25.
1934 ● Jackie Wilson / (Jack Leroy Wilson) → Prolific and important R&B-to-soul singer with 13 R&B Top 10 singles from 1957-75, including “Lonely Teardrops” (#7, 1959), suffered a massive heart attack on 9/29/1975 during a Dick Clark nightclub show, fell from the stage and lived 8 years in a coma until he died on 1/21/1984, age 49
1941 ● Billy Hatton → Drummer and singer for Merseybeat pop-rock The Fourmost, “A Little Loving” (UK #6, 1964)
1941 ● Jon Lord → Classically-trained keyboardist and session player, co-founded hard rock/prog rock Deep Purple, “Smoke On The Water” (#4, 1973), solo and Whitesnake, “Here I Go Again” (#1, 1987), age 71
1946 ● Stuart Edwards → Lead guitar for studio-only pop-rock Edison Lighthouse, “(Love Grows) Where My Rosemary Goes” (#5, 1970)
1947 ● Mick Box → Guitarist for hard rock Uriah Heep, “Easy Livin'” (#39, 1972), the only original member still active with the band
1949 ● Billy C. Farlow → Rockabilly, Western swing and country rock guitarist, singer, harmonica player and songwriter, formed Billy C. & The Sunshine in the 60s, joined country-rock/boogie/swing bar band Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen, “Hot Rod Lincoln” (#9, 1972), left in 1976 to front his own bands and collaborate with others through to the 00s, including The Butterfield Blues Band drummer Sam Lay, continues to tour and record regularly
1949 ● Francis Monkman / (Anthony Francis Keigwin Monkman) → Multi-instrumental rock and classical musician, composer, film score writer and co-founder of early Brit prog/avant-garde rock Curved Air (“Back Street Luv,” UK #4, 1974), left in 1972 and played with prog-rock Renaissance, pop-rock Al Stewart and art-rock Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno’s band 801 in the mid-70s, joined cross-genre instrumental Sky in 1978 as keyboardist and principal composer while working on a solo album and composing the soundtrack to the successful Brit gangster film The Long Good Friday (1980), used that experience as a springboard to a career writing film scores and playing keyboards on numerous soundtracks, including The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981), two James Bond films and others, returned to the music scene after a 20-year hiatus with a three solo albums in the 00s, spent his later years travelling Europe and playing harpsichord at various concerts, died after a late-stage cancer diagnosis on 5/12/2023, age 73.
1949 ● George Bunnell → Bassist for 60s psych-pop-rock Strawberry Alarm Clock, “Incense And Peppermints” (#1, 1967)
1950 ● Trevor Bolder → Bassist for David Bowie‘s early 70s glam-rock backing band, which became hard rock The Spiders From Mars, replaced John Wetton in Uriah Heep (1976-81), then replaced Wetton in Wishbone Ash, returned to Uriah Heep in 1983
1951 ● Peter Gill → Drummer for Brit heavy metal Son Of A Bitch which became Saxon, “Power And The Glory” (#32, 1983) and punk-metal Motörhead, “Ace Of Spades” (UK #15, 1980)
1951 ● Terry Uttley → Co-founder and, except for a brief hiatus in the 60s, 56-year bassist and backing vocalist for Brit pop-rock Smokie, the band enjoyed twelve UK Top 20 singles and one US Top 40 hit, “Living Next Door To Alice” (#25, UK #3, 1977), collaborated with others on side projects during the 90s and 00s, was the last active, remaining original member of the band when he died following a short illness on 12/16/2021, age 70.
1953 ● Errol Kennedy → Vocals for R&B/electro-dance-soul Imagination, “Just An Illusion” (Dance/Club #15, 1982)
1954 ● Peter Byrne → Songwriter and co-founder of New Wave synth-pop Naked Eyes, “(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me” (#10, 1983), then formed Britpop duo Climie Fisher, “Love Changes (Everything)” (#23, 1988)
1954 ● Paul “Tonka” Chapman / (Paul William Chapman) → Welsh rock guitarist best known for his stints with hard rock band UFO in the 70s and 80s (“Young Blood,” UK #36, 1980), in the interim forming hard rock Lone Star, after leaving UFO for a second time in 1983 co-founded hard rock Waysted with ex-UFO Pete Way and recorded two albums, from the early 90s toured or recorded with numerous bands, released several solo albums and taught music in his relocated home in Florida, died from unspecified causes on his birthday, 06/09/2020, age 66.
1962 ● Eddie Lundon → Guitar and vocals for New Romantic/dance-pop China Crisis, “Wishful Thinking” (UK #9, 1984) and “Working With Fire And Steel” (Dance/Club #27, 1984)
1967 ● Dean Dinning → Bassist for alt pop-rock Toad The Wet Sprocket, “All I Want” (#15, 1992), nephew of 50s pop-rocker Mark Dinning, “Teen Angel” (#1, 1960)
1967 ● Dean Felber → Bass and vocals for 90s pop-rock quartet Hootie & The Blowfish, “Only Wanna Be With You” (#6, 1995), solo
1970 ● Ed Simons → DJ and keyboards for dance-rock-rap fusion duo The Chemical Brothers, “It Began In Afrika” (Dance/Club #1, 2001)
1972 ● Wesley Reid Scantlin → Co-founder, singer, songwriter and guitarist for post-grunge Puddle Of Mudd, “Blurry” (#5, 2001)
1978 ● Matthew Bellamy → Guitar, vocals and keyboards for prog-glam-electronic rock Muse, “Uprising” (#37, 2009)
1980 ● James Walsh → Singer, guitarist, pianist and frontman for post-Britpop Starsailor, “Silence Is Easy” (UK #9, 2003)
1983 ● Frankee / (Nicole Francine Aiello) → Hip hop/R&B urban contemporary singer, “F.U.R.B. (Fuck You Right Back)” (#63, Top 40 #29, 2004), a response to ex-boyfriend Eamon‘s single “Fuck It (I Don’t Want You Back)” (#16, 2004)
June 10
1910 ● Howlin’ Wolf / (Chester Arthur Burnett) → Highly influential blues guitarist, harpist and songwriter, “Smokestack Lightning” (R&B #8, 1956), died from cancer on 1/10/1976, age 65
1922 ● Judy Garland / (Frances Ethel Gumm) → Grammy-winning singer and film actress, “(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow” (1939), played Dorothy in the Wizard Of Oz (1939), released the comeback album Judy At Carnegie Hall (Billboard #1, 1961), died 7/22/1969 from a barbiturate overdose, age 47
1931 ● João Gilberto / (João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira) → The “Father of Bossa Nova,” Brazilian bandleader, songwriter, guitarist and pioneer of the “new thing” music blending Brazilian samba with American jazz and pop in the late 50s, his 78 rpm album Chega de Saudade (1959) is considered the first bossa nova record and its follow-on siblings in 1960-1961 launched the early 60s bossa nova dance craze in North America, in all his oeuvre is over 30 albums, including the widely-acclaimed, two-time Grammy-winning Getz/Gilberto (1964) with jazz saxophonist Stan Getz and featuring then-wife Astrud Gilberto on vocals and the hit “The Girl From Ipanema” (#5, AC #1, 1964), continued to record and perform for decades until declining mental and physical health forced his retirement, died from undisclosed causes on 7/6/2019, age 88.
1941 ● Shirley Alston Reeves / (Shirley Owens) → Vocals for first rock-era girl group The Shirelles, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (#1, 1960), solo
1941 ● Mickey Jones → Session and tour drummer for Kenny Rogers, Johnny Rivers, Trini Lopez and Bob Dylan‘s first electric band on the 1966 world tour, left music in the mid-70s and became a successful film and TV character actor, best known for his roles on ABC’s Home Improvement (1991-99) and FX’s Justified (2011-14), died following a long, unspecified illness on 2/7/2018, age 76
1942 ● Janet Vogel → Vocals in R&B/doo wop quintet The Skyliners, “Since I Don’t Have You” (#12, 1959), committed suicide on 2/21/1980, age 37
1944 ● Rick Price / (Richard Gordon Price) → Bassist in various Birmingham (England) rock bands including psych-rock The Move (“Blackberry Way,” UK #1, 1968), briefly with pop-rock Electric Light Orchestra, then in ELO bandmate ‘s eccentric jazz-pop Wizzard with two UK top hits (“See My Baby Jive,” UK #1, 1973, and “Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)”), UK #1, 1973) plus the Christmas classic “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” (UK #4, 1973), toured extensively with wife Dianne Lee and participated in multiple collaborations over 40 years, died unexpectedly from undisclosed causes on 5/17/2022, age 77.
1961 ● Kelley Deal → Lead guitar and backing vocals for alt rock The Breeders, “Cannonball” (#44, Modern Rock #2, 1993), solo, identical twin of bandmate Kim Deal
1961 ● Kimberly Anne Deal → Bass guitar and backing vocals for influential alt rock Pixies, “Velouria” (Modern Rock #4, 1990), then co-founder, rhythm guitar and vocals for alt rock The Breeders, “Cannonball” (#44, Modern Rock #2, 1993), identical twin of bandmate Kelley Deal
1961 ● Mark Shaw / (Mark Robert Tiplady) → Vocals for New Wave synth-pop-soul Then Jerico, “The Motive” (UK #18, 1987)
1961 ● Maxi Priest / (Max Alfred Elliott) → The “King of Lovers Rock”, Jamaican-born Brit contemporary R&B and reggae star, “Close To You” (#1, 1990)
1964 ● Emma Anderson → Guitarist for alt pop/shoegazing band Lush, “Sweetness & Light” (Modern Rock #4, 1990)
1964 ● Jimmy Chamberlain → Drummer for alt/prog rock/metal band Smashing Pumpkins, “1979” (#12, 1996)
1965 ● Joey Santiago → Filipino-American lead guitarist and songwriter for influential alt rock Pixies, “Velouria” (Modern Rock #4, 1990), following the band’s breakup formed alt rock The Martinis with his wife, Linda Mallari and composed film scores until the Pixies reformed in 2004
1967 ● Human Beat Box / (Darren Robinson) → Oversized vocalist in hip hop/beatbox pioneers The Fat Boys “Wipe Out” (#12, 1987), died of an obesity-induced heart attack on 12/10/1995, age 28
1968 ● The D.O.C. / (Tracy Lynn Curry) → Gangsta rapper with hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew, co-wrote songs for gangsta rap group N.W.A., then solo, “It’s Funky Enough” (Rap #1, 1988) from the #20 album No One Can Do It Better
1969 ● Dan Lavery → Bass and background vocals for Grammy-nominated alt/roots rock Tonic, “If You Could Only See” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1997)
1971 ● JoJo Hailey / (Joel Hailey) → With brother Cedric, vocals in R&B/electro-dance “bad boy” quartet Jodeci, “Lately” (#4, 1993), left with Cedric to form romantic soul duo K-Ci & JoJo, “All My Life” (#1, 1998).
1973 ● Faith Renée Evans → R&B/contemporary soul-pop singer with 11 singles in the R&B Top 10, including “Love Like This” (#7, 1998), widow of rapper Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, her tribute to him, “I’ll Be Missing You” (#1, 1997) with Puff Daddy and 112 won a 1997 Grammy Award
1973 ● LeMisha Grinsted → Vocals with sister Irish in hip hop R&B/dance-pop trio 702, “Where My Girls At?” (#4, 1999), American Music Awards “Best New Soul/R&B Artist” for 2000
1987 ● Tinchy Stryder / (Kwasi Danquah) → Garage/grime rap singer, “Number 1” (UK #3, 2009)
June 11
1934 ● “Pookie” Hudson / (James Hudson) → Frontman and lead vocals for pioneer R&B/doo wop The Spaniels, “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight” (R&B #5, 1954), died of cancer on 1/16/2007, age 72
1936 ● Jud Strunk / (Justin Strunk, Jr.) → One hit wonder country-pop singer, comedian and humorous songwriter with the novelty hit “Daisy A Day” (#14, AC #4, 1973), semi-regular on TV comedy show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In in the 70s, died when he suffered a heart attack while piloting a small plane which crashed on takeoff on 10/15/1981, age 45
1940 ● Joey Dee / (Joseph DiNicola) → Frontman and lead vocals for early rock ‘n’ roll Joey Dee & The Starlighters, the house band at New York’s Peppermint Lounge, “The Peppermint Twist” (#1, 1962) and “Shout” (#6, 1962)
1947 ● Glenn Leonard → Vocals for R&B giants The Temptations, “My Girl” (#1, 1965) and Grammy-winning “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” (#1, 1972), solo
1947 ● Richard Palmer-James → Lyricist for prog/space-rock King Crimson, “The Court Of The Crimson King” (#80, 1970), lyricist and guitar for prog-art-pop-rock Supertramp, “The Logical Song” (#6, 1979)
1948 ● Skip Alan / (Alan Ernest Skipper) → Drummer for raunchy R&B/blues-rock British Invasion band The Pretty Things, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (UK #10, 1964)
1949 ● Frank Beard → Drummer for venerable Texas blues/boogie rock trio ZZ Top, “Legs” (#8, 1984)
1950 ● Pedro Bell → Graphic artist and musician known for his several dozen album cover illustrations for George Clinton‘s Funkadelic and its offshoot band, Parliament, the core bands in the musicians’ collective known as “P-Funk” that pioneered the unique blend of heavy funk and psychedelic rock also called P-Funk, wrote the liner notes to several P-Funk albums under the pseudonym “Sir Lleb” (Bell spelled backwards), participated in several production studio, comic book, e-magazine and start-up band projects before going legally blind in 1996, died following years of declining health on 8/27/2019, age 69.
1951 ● Lynsey De Paul / (Lyndsey Monkton Rubin) → Brit R&B/disco singer and songwriter, “Sugar Me” (UK #5, 1972), first woman to win an Ivor Novello award for songwriting, “Won’t Somebody Dance With Me?” (Best Ballad, 1974)
1952 ● Donnie Van Zant / (Donald Newton Van Zant) → Lead vocals and frontman for Southern arena rockers .38 Special, “Hold On Loosely” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1981), then Van Zant, brother of deceased Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant
1960 ● David Baerwald → One-half of New Wave synth-pop duo David & David, “Welcome To The Boomtown”(Top Rock #8, 1986).
1960 ● Nick “The Head” Hallam / (Nick Hallam) → Producer, co-founder of Gee Street Records and co-leader of Brit hip hop/electro-dance Stereo MCs, “Step It Up” (#58, Dance/Club #25, 1992)
1961 ● Rob B. / (Robert Charles Birch) → Co-founder of Gee Street Records and co-leader/vocals for Brit hip hop/electro-dance Stereo MCs, “Step It Up” (#58, Dance/Club #25, 1992)
1976 ● Tai Anderson → Bassist in Grammy-winning Christian rock quartet Third Day, “Born Again” (Hot Christian Songs #3, 2009)
June 12
1909 ● Archie Bleyer / (Archibald Martin Bleyer) → Songwriter, bandleader, musical director for Arthur Godfrey‘s radio and TV programs from 1946 to 1953, pop recording artist (“The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane”, #26, 1954), producer (The Everly Brothers), Cadence Records owner (Andy Williams, The Chordettes, Johnny Tillotson, Lenny Welch and others), husband of Chordette Janet Ertel and father-in-law of Phil Everly, died from the effects of Parkinson’s disease on 3/20/1989, age 79
1914 ● Bill Kenny / (William Francis Kenny, Jr.) → The “Godfather of Doo-Wop,” guitarist and tenor vocals for pioneering early 30s 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 and followed with a successful solo career and host of his own musical variety show, died from respiratory illness on 3/23/1978, age 63
1928 ● Vic Damone / (Vito Rocco Farinola) → Prototypical Italian/American pop and Big Ban crooner with a smooth, resonant baritone and several Top 10 hits, including “You’re Breaking My Heart” (#1, 1949) and “On The Street Where You Live” (#4, 1958), made a highly successful transition to TV variety shows, movies and Las Vegas nightclubs when rock ‘n’ roll eclipsed pop balladeers, continued to perform until 2001, died from respiratory failure on 2/11/2018, age 89
1930 ● Jim Nabors / (James Thurston Nabors) → Opera, gospel and pop singer with a booming baritone voice and dozens of albums, including six gold or platinum awards and a lone minor hit, “Love Me With All Your Heart” (CB #111, 1966), better known as the lovable, bumbling bumpkin Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show (1962-1964) and Gomer Pyle M.C. (1964-1969), and for singing the unofficial state anthem “Back Home In Indiana” before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race in nearly every year from 1972 to 2014, died from auto-immune system complications on 11/30/2017, age 87
1932 ● Charlie Feathers / (Charles Arthur Feathers) → Influential but unheralded blues, country and rockabilly singer and songwriter, early fixture at Sun Records where he recorded several singles and co-wrote Elvis Presley‘s “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” (Country #1, 1955), left for rivals Meteor and King Records in the late 50s and cut several now-classic rockabilly singles, died following a stroke on 8/29/1998, age 66
1937 ● Chips Moman / (Lincoln Wayne Moman) → Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and music executive, left Stax Records in 1964 to found American Sound Studios, produced over 100 hits in the 60s and 70s, including “Keep On Dancing” by The Gentrys (#4, 1965), “The Letter” by The Box Tops (#1, 1967) and “In The Ghetto” by Elvis Presley (#3, 1969), co-wrote the Grammy-winning “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” for B.J. Thomas (#1, 1975), moved to Nashville and country music and recorded hits for many top artists, including “You Were Always On My Mind” for Willie Nelson (#5, Country #1, 1982), died from emphysema on 6/13/2016, age 79
1939 ● Marybeth Peters → Entry-level file clerk in the United States Library of Congress in the 60s, graduated from law school in 1971 and went on to a 40-year career in the U.S. Copyright Office as attorney-advisor, chief information officer, general counsel, and, from 1994 to 2010 as Register of Copyrights, the senior intellectual and creative rights advocate during the rise of the internet, digital file sharing, and streaming services, continued to advise the music industry from private practice during retirement in the 10s, died in her sleep on 9/29/2022, age 83.
1940 ● Bertha Barbee-McNeal / (Bertha Louise Barbee) → Family singing veteran and co-founder of college girl group The Velvettes, signed to Motown Records in 1962 and released four minor charting singles in the mid-60s, including their biggest hit “Needle In A Haystack” (#45, R&B #31, 1964), left the group in 1967 to raise a family and earn a graduate degree in music education, taught music in Michigan public schools for decades while participating in several Velvettes reunions and Motown special projects through the 00s, died from colon cancer on 12/15/2022, age 82.
1941 ● Chick Corea / (Armando Anthony Corea) → 23-time Grammy-winning jazz and electric jazz fusion pianist, composer and bandleader, recorded over 90 albums with dozens of groups and collaborations, including as frontman for Return to Forever, pioneers in jazz-fusion in the 70s, and with Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Bobby McFerrin, John McLaughlin and others, later explored classical music and performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded and performed into his late 70s until forced to stop by a rare form of cancer, from which he died on 2/9/2021, age 79.
1941 ● Roy Harper → Brit songwriter and folk-psych-rock singer, lead vocals on Pink Floyd‘s “Have A Cigar” (1975), Led Zeppelin‘s “Hat’s Of To Roy Harper” is a tribute to him
1942 ● Len Barry / (Leonard Warren Borisoff) → Vocals for doo wop harmony turned garage-rock/dance band The Dovells, sang lead on their early 60s dance-craze hit “Bristol Stomp” (#2, 1961) and backing tenor on others songs, left the band in a dispute over future direction and enjoyed a semi-successful solo career as a blue-eyed Philly soul singer with three Top 40 hits, including “1-2-3” (#2, R&B #11, 1965), toured and performed solo and occasionally with The Dovells during the 80s and 90s while writing songs for other Philadelphia soul artists such as Fat Larry’s Band, Brandi Wells and Sylvester, co-wrote with his son the book Black-Like-Me about two white boys growing up in a African-American neighborhood, died from bone marrow cancer (myelodysplasia) on 11/5/2020, age 78.
1943 ● Reg Presley / (Reginald Maurice Ball) → Lead singer for 60s garage/proto-punk/”caveman rock” The Troggs, “Wild Thing” (#1, 1966), used royalties from his composition “Love Is All Around” (Wet Wet Wet, Adult Contemporary #8, 1994) to fund research into crop circles and other paranormalities and publish a book, Wild Things They Don’t Tell Us, in 2002, died from lung cancer on 2/4/2013, a age 69
1944 ● Howard Cowart → Blue-eyed soul one hit wonder John Fred & His Playboy Band, “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” (#1, 1968)
1948 ● Barry Bailey → Session guitarist for various Georgia (USA) recording studios, then co-founder and lead guitarist for acclaimed Southern rock Atlanta Rhythm Section and a string of 70s hits, including “Imaginary Lover” (#7, 1978), toured and recorded with the band until leaving in 2006 to care for his cancer-sick wife (who died later that year}, performed sporadically with the band until dying from complications of multiple sclerosis on 3/12/2022, age 73.
1949 ● John Wetton / (John Kenneth Wetton) → Bassist, songwriter and vocals for blues/art rock Family, “In My Own Time” (UK #4, 1971), “In My Own Time” (UK #4, 1971), then joined a revamped prog rock King Crimson in 1972 and appeared on three albums, played with Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, U.K. and Wishbone Ash before co-founding mainstream pop-rock Asia (“Heat Of The Moment,” #4, UK #46, 1982), collaborated with others and issued 20-odd solo albums in the 90s and 00s, died from colon cancer on 1/31/2017, age 67
1951 ● Bun E. Carlos / (Brad Carlson) → Drummer for power pop Cheap Trick, “I Want You To Want Me” (#7, 1979) and “The Flame” (#1, 1988)
1951 ● Brad Delp → Lead vocals for 70s-80s arena rock Boston, “More Than A Feeling” (#5, 1976), committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in at his home in New Hampshire on 3/9/2007, age 55
1952 ● Junior Brown / (Jamieson Brown) → Country-rock bandleader and guitarist known for playing a “gut-steel” hybrid of electric and lap steel guitars, played with Asleep At The Wheel, solo albums since 1990
1952 ● Peter Farndon → Bassist for post-punk New Wave hard pop-rock The Pretenders, “Back On The Chain Gang” (#5, 1982), fired from the band in late 1982, died from a drug overdose on 4/14/1983, age 30
1953 ● Rocky Burnette / (Jonathan Burnette) → Rowdy, high energy rockabilly revival singer and songwriter, “Tired Of Toein’ The Line” (#8, 1980), son of legendary Johnny
1959 ● John Linnell / (John Sidney Linnell) → Keyboards, accordion and saxophone for alt pop-rock They Might Be Giants, “Birdhouse In Your Soul” (#3, Modern Rock, 1990)
1960 ● Meredith Ann Brooks → Pop-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Bitch” (#2, 1997)
1960 ● Michael Hausman → Drummer for New Wave synth-pop-rock ‘Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry” (#8, 1985), artist manager
1962 ● Grandmaster Dee / (Drew Carter) → Vocals for rap/R&B “new jack swing” Whodini, “Five Minutes Of Funk” (1984) from the acclaimed album Escape
1965 ● Robin Wilson → Vocals and guitar for power-pop Gin Blossoms, “Found Out About You” (Modern Rock #1, 1994), solo
1968 ● Bobby Sheehan / (Robert Vaughan Sheehan) → Bassist for blues-rock jam band Blues Traveler, “Run-Around” (#8, 1995), died of a drug overdose on 8/20/1999, age 31
1969 ● Bardi Martin → Bassist for grunge-rock Candlebox, “Far Behind” (#18, 1994)
1972 ● Bounty Killer / (Rodney Basil Price) → Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, “Deadly Zone” (#79, Rap #8, 1998)
1977 ● Kenny Wayne Shepherd / (Kenny Wayne Brobst) → Self-taught blues-rock guitarist and singer/songwriter, “Blue On Black” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1997)
1979 ● Robyn / (Robin Miriam Carlsson) → Swedish dance/pop singer, “Do You Know (What It Takes)” (#7, 1997)
June 13
1913 ● Ben Raleigh → Prolific pop lyricist, wrote “Tell Laura I Love Her” for Ray Peterson (#7, 1960) and the theme song “Scooby Doo, Where Are You?” to the Hanna-Barbera cartoon show, died in a home fire on 2/26/1997, age 83
1934 ● Uriel Jones → Drummer in Motown house band The Funk Brothers, which provided nearly all instrumentation behind every Motown hit, died from a heart attack on 3/24/2009, age 74.
1940 ● Bobby Freeman / (Robert Thomas Freeman) → Dance craze R&B/soul-pop singer and songwriter who wrote and recorded the enduring hit, “Do You Want To Dance” (#5, 1958) while still a teenager, the song has been covered in multiple variations by The Beach Boys, John Lennon, The Ramones, Bette Midler and others, died following a heart attack on 1/23/2017, age 76
1941 ● Marv Tarplin / (Marvin Tarplin) → Session guitarist and songwriter for Motown Records, collaborated with Smokey Robinson, co-wrote and played on many R&B hits, including “Tracks Of My Tears” (#16, R&B #2, 1965) for The Miracles, left Motown in 1973 to work with Robinson in his solo career for the next 35 years, died from unspecified causes on 9/30/2011 , age 70.
1942 ● James Carr → Underappreciated R&B/Southern soul singer, “Dark End Of The Street” (#77, R&B #10, 1967), died of lung cancer on 1/17/2001, age 58
1943 ● Esther Ofarim → One half of Israeli folk-pop-rock vocal duo Esther & Abi, “Cinderella Rockafeller” (UK #1, 1968)
1943 ● Dyke Christian / (Arlester Christian) → Bassist, singer and frontman for 60s R&B/funk Dyke And The Blazers, the early backing band for The O’Jays, wrote “Funky Broadway” for Wilson Pickett (#8, Soul #1, 1967), had several minor hits with his band until he was shot to death on a Phoenix, AZ street on 3/13/1971, age 27
1946 ● Paul Buckmaster / (Paul John Buckmaster) → Composer, conductor and arranger best known for a nearly 50 year career creating the orchestral arrangements to well-known pop, rock, jazz and country hits by multiple artists, including David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity” (#124, UK #5, 1969), Elton John‘s “Your Song” (#8, UK #7, 1970), Carly Simon‘s “You’re So Vain” (#1, UK #1, 1972) ), plus albums by Grateful Dead (Terrapin Station, 1977), Counting Crows (Recovering The Satellites, 1996), Guns ‘N Roses (Chinese Democracy, 2008), Heart (Beautiful Broken, 2016) and many others, died from undisclosed causes on 11/7/2017, age 71
1947 ● John Kahn → Bass guitarist and session musician in the 60s and 70s for Mike Bloomfield, Brewer & Shipley, Maria Muldaur and others, best known for his 25 year collaboration with the Grateful Dead‘s Jerry Garcia in multiple projects, including The Jerry Garcia Band, bluegrass Old & In The Way, acoustic duo Garcia & Kahn plus other efforts with Merle Saunders and Howard Wales, died in his sleep on 5/30/1996, age 48
1949 ● Dennis Locorriere → Guitarist for AM pop-rock Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, “Sylvia’s Mother” (#5, 1972) plus nine other Top 40 hits
1951 ● Howard Leese → Guitar and keyboards for hard rock Heart, “These Dreams” (#1, 1986)
1951 ● Jorge Santana / (Guillermo Jorge Santana) → Guitarist, bandleader and younger brother of Latin rock superstar Carlos Santana, joined R&B/horn-rock Malibus in the late 60s and helped transform the band into influential, smooth Chicano rock Malo (“Suavecito,” #18, AC #8, 1972), went solo in 1976 and issued five albums in his name over 35 years, plus one with Latin rock supergroup Fania All-Stars, one as a sideman to his brother, and one in full collaboration (Santana Brothers, 1994), continued to tour with Malo on the oldies circuit until dying from natural causes on 5/14/2020, age 68.
1954 ● Bo Donaldson / (Robert Donaldson) → Pop-rock singer, keyboardist, trumpeter and frontman for The Heywoods, “Billy Don’t Be a Hero” (#1, 1974)
1957 ● Rolf Brendel → Drummer for German pop-rock band Nena, “99 Luftballons” (#2, 1984)
1963 ● Paul DeLisle → Bassist for neo-garage/quirky Smash Mouth, “Walkin’ On The Sun” (Adult Top 40 #1, 1997)
1963 ● Robbie Merrill → Bassist for hard rock Godsmack, “Straight Out Of Line” (Mainstream #1, 2003)
1968 ● David Gray → Brit singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Babylon” (Adult Top 40 #8, 2000)
1968 ● Deneice Pearson → Vocals for Brit family R&B/dance-pop quintet 5 Star, “Can’t Wait Another Minute” (#41, Dance/Club #7, 1986) and fifteen Top 40 singles in native England
1969 ● Søren Rasted → Co-founder, keyboards and drum machine for Danish dance-pop Aqua, “Barbie Girl” (#7, 1997), which drew a lawsuit from Mattel for its sexual content, solo, producer, actor
1970 ● Rivers Cuomo → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and leader for post-grunge alt rock Weezer, “Beverly Hills” (#10, 2005)
1978 ● J Brown / (Jason Paul Brown) → Vocals for pre-fabricated hip hop dance-pop boy band quintet Five, “When The Lights Go Out” (#10, UK #4, 1998)
1981 ● Kymberley Marsh → Singer for pre-fab mockstar dance-pop Hear’Say, “Pure And Simple” (UK #1, 2001), quit the group in 2002 to pursue an acting career
1985 ● Raz-B / (De’Mario Monte Thornton) → Vocals for R&B/hip hop urban boy band B2K, “Bump, Bump, Bump” (#1, 2002)
June 14
1909 ● Burl Ives → Grammy-winning, grandfatherly folk singer, “A Little Bitty Tear” (#9, 1962), stage and screen actor, writer, radio personality, died from mouth cancer on 4/14/1995, age 85
1929 ● Cy Coleman / (Seymour Kaufman) → Child-prodigy classical pianist turned jazz-pop artist and Tony Award-winning composer for Broadway and films, wrote music for multiple stage hits, including “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and “Big Spender” for Sweet Charity (1966), and the latter for Shirley Bassey (UK #21, 1967), scored music for the films Father Goose (1964), Power (1986) and others, periodically recorded solo albums and charted a lone hit, “Chloe” (Disco #8, 1975), died from a heart attack on 11/18/2004, age 75
1931 ● Junior Walker / (Autry DeWalt Mixon, Jr.) → Saxophonist and founder/frontman for R&/pop-soul Jr. Walker & The All Stars, “Shotgun” (#4, 1965), solo and sessions, died of cancer on 11/23/1995, age 64.
1936 ● Obie Benson / (Renaldo Benson) → Original member and vocals for 50s high school R&B/soul vocal quartet that became hugely successful The Four Tops, “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (#1, 1966), co-wrote the anti-war Marvin Gaye hit “What’s Goin’ On” (#2, 1971), died of lung cancer on 7/1/2005, age 69.
1937 ● Chuck Berghofer / (Charles Curtis Berghofer) → Jazz and pop bassist, as a member of several 60s jazz ensembles played with Jack Shelton, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and other luminaries, member of the acclaimed Wrecking Crew group of L.A. studio musicians, played the bass solo on Nancy Sinatra‘s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” (#1, 1966), appeared on numerous film soundtracks, recently worked with Christine Aguilera, Michael Feinstein and others
1938 ● Julie Felix / (Julie Ann Felix) → American-born folk singer who relocated to London and became, for a time, “Britain’s first lady of folk,” a successful performer, TV personality, fixture on the London hippie/folk scene and the first solo folk artist signed to a major British record label (Decca, 1964), issued 22 solo albums and several charting singles (“If I Could (El Cóndor Pasa),” UK #19, 1970), appeared regularly on BBC television with the satirist David Frost before hosting her own show, Once More with Felix, on BBC Two from 1967 to 1970, performed at the first Isle Of Wight Festival (1969), released her final album in 2018 and performed at festivals until just prior to her death following a brief illness on 3/22/2020, age 81.
1940 ● Bob Feldman / (Robert C. Feldman) → Record producer and songwriter with a slew of 60s pop hits in his canon, mostly co-written with fellow Brill Building writers Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer as FGG Productions, including “My Boyfriend’s Back” for the Angels (#1, 1963), the trio also recorded as the fictional Australian band The Strangeloves (“I Want Candy,” #11, CAN #7, 1964) and produced The McCoys‘ “Hang On Sloopy” (#1, 1964) – now the official rock song of the State of Ohio – relocated to Los Angeles in 1966 with Goldstein, recorded as the duet Rome & Paris and produced records for the Belmonts and Link Wray, moved to Nashville in the 90s, continued to write music and publish a memoir, died from undisclosed causes on 8/23/2023, age 68.
1943 ● Spooner Oldham / (Dewey Lindon Oldham) → Keyboardist, songwriter and session musician, worked at FAME and Muscle Shoals Studios in Alabama and appears on hundreds of songs and albums, including hits by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge and countless others, co-wrote “Cry Like A Baby” for The Box Tops (#2, 1968), moved to Los Angeles in the 80s and continues to record and tour with artists including Neil Young and Drive-By Truckers
1945 ● Rod Argent → Founding member, songwriter and keyboardist for underappreciated art-pop rock The Zombies, “Time Of The Season” (#3, 1969), frontman for hard/art rock Argent, “Hold Your Head Up” (#5, 1972), now a TV and film composer
1945 ● Stu James / (Stuart Leslie Slater) → Founding member, lead singer and pianist in 60s Merseybeat band The Mojos, co-penned their big hit “Everything’s Alright” (UK #9,l 1964) and fronted the band through various personnel changes in the late 60s, returned to his birth name and managed a London record store in the 70s, became a record label promotions and A&R manager in the 80s, eventually as a top executive at Chrysalis Records and signed Spandau Ballet, The Proclaimers and Wet Wet Wet, shifted to Dutch dance-pop label Mega Records in 1994 and later headed Virgin Books, transforming the business into to a major publisher of non-fiction books, died from unspecified causes on 5/10/2023, age 77.
1947 ● The Fish / (Barry Melton) → Co-founder and original guitarist for psych-country-protest-rock Country Joe & The Fish, “I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag” (1967), later co-founded San Francisco neo-psych-rock supergroup The Dinosaurs, retired public defender in California
1949 ● Alan White → Drummer for the Plastic Ono Band (“Instant Karma!,” #3, 1970) and John Lennon (“Imagine,” #3, Easy #7, 1971), played with George Harrison and later joined Ginger Baker’s Air Force, replaced Bill Bruford in 1972 in archetypal, pioneer progressive rock band Yes (“Owner Of A Lonely Heart,” #1, 1983), becoming the longest serving member of the band and playing on every Yes album (17 studio albums, 43 in total) from 1972 through 2016, when he backed away from playing and touring due to health issues, died after a brief but undisclosed illness on 5/26/2022, age 72.
1949 ● Jim Lea → Bass, piano, violin, vocals and songwriting for Brit glam-metal Slade, “Run Runaway” (#20, 1984)
1949 ● Bobbi Ercoline / (Barbara du-Wan Kelly) → Unintended poster girl for the Woodstock generation when photographed at dawn during the 1969 festival hugging her then-boyfriend in an early morning embrace caught on camera and subsequently used as the iconic cover photo for the Woodstock soundtrack album (#1, CAN #1, 1970), married her hug-mate in 1971 and became an elementary school nurse, died from leukemia on 3/18/2023, age 73.
1958 ● Nick Van Ede → Vocals for New Wave pop-rock Cutting Crew, wrote “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight” (#1, 1987)
1961 ● Boy George / (George O’Dowd) → Androgynous frontman and lead singer for New Wave pop-rock Culture Club, “Karma Chameleon” (#1, 1984), solo, “The Crying Game” (#15, 1993)
1963 ● Chris DeGarmo → Guitarist for progressive pop-metal Queensrÿche, “Silent Lucidity” (#9, 1991)
1966 ● Matt Freeman → Bassist in punk rock revival Rancid, “Time Bomb” (Modern Rock #8, 1995)
1969 ● MC Ren / (Lorenzo Patterson) → Member of controversial/influential gangsta rap quintet N.W.A., “Express Yourself” (Hot Dance #38, 1989), solo, “Same Old Shit” (Rap #11, 1993)
1970 ● Chris Chaney → Bassist for alt rock/post-punk Jane’s Addiction, “Been Caught Stealing” (Mainstream Rock #29, 1990)
1971 ● Billie Myers → Pop, jazz and world music singer/songwriter, “Kiss The Rain” (#15, 1998)
1983 ● Siobhan Donaghy → Vocals in Brit multi-racial pop girl group Sugababes, “Hole In The Head” (Dance/Club #1, 2004)
June 15
1910 ● David Rose → Emmy-winning composer, pianist and orchestra leader whose best known compositions include the jazzy instrumental “The Stripper” (#1, 1962), wrote film scores for Hollywood and many TV shows, including Bonanza and Little House On The Prairie, led the house band for The Red Skelton Show for 21 years, died of natural causes on 8/23/1990, age 80
1921 ● Errol Garner → Virtuoso jazz and swing pianist, wrote the jazz standard, oft-covered and Grammy Hall of Fame song “Misty” (1954) and issued multiple jazz and jazz-pop albums, died of lung cancer on 1/2/1977, age 55.
1929 ● Nigel Pickering → Founding member, songwriter, rhythm guitarist and vocals for sunny folk-pop Spanky & Our Gang, “Sunday Will Never Be The Same” (#9, 1967), died from liver cancer on 5/5/2011, age 81
1931 ● Russ Gibb / (Russell James Gibb) → Disc jockey, music venue owner and local rock ‘n’ roll impresario at the center of the 60s Detroit music scene, early supporter of local bands MC5, Ted Nugent and Iggy Pop, best known for starting and perpetuating the 1969 “Paul is dead” hoax about Beatle Paul McCartney‘s supposed death and subsequent cover-up, later invested in music magazine Creem and regional cable TV franchises, died from undisclosed causes on 4/30/2019, age 87.
1937 ● Waylon Jennings → Grammy-winning “outlaw” country guitarist, singer and songwriter, started in the Buddy Holly Band, solo, “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” (#42, Country #1, 1978), formed mythic country supergroup The Highwaymen, “Highwayman” (Country #1, 1985), died from complications of diabetes on 2/13/2002, age 64
1940 ● Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham → Then-girlfriend (and future wife) of drummer Jerry Allison of 50s pop-rock Buddy Holly & The Crickets who lent her name to the band’s hit song “Peggy Sue” (#3, 1957) and recounted her story in the autobiography, “Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue?” (2008), died from undisclosed causes on 10/1/2018, age 78.
1941 ● Harry Nilsson / (Harry E. Nilsson, III) → Grammy-winning folk-pop singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Everybody’s Talkin” (#6, 1969) from the movie Midnight Cowboy, and “Without You” (#1, 1972), died of heart failure on 1/15/1994, age 52
1943 ● Muff Winwood / (Mervyn Winwood) → Bassist for Brit pop-rock Spencer Davis Group, “Gimme Some Lovin”” (#7, 1967), producer, record executive, older brother of Steve Winwood
1943 ● Johnny Hallyday / (Jean-Phillipe Smet) → The “Elvis Presley of France” and one of the most successful pop music artists of all time, sold over 110 million albums over 50+ years in the French speaking world but with little attention everywhere else, recorded more than three dozen French Top 10 hits, including “Viens Danser Le Twist” (FR #1, 1961), a cover of Chubby Checker‘s “Let’s Twist Again” (#8, UK #7, 1961) and “Mon Plus Beau Noel” (FR #1, 2005), at varying times Jimmy Page, Peter Frampton and Foreigner‘s Mick Jones played on his records, died from lung cancer on 12/6/2017, age 74
1944 ● Eddie Hinton → Songwriter, session guitarist and 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, wrote the Dusty Springfield hit “Breakfast in Bed” (#91, 1969) and other songs, died from a heart attack on 7/28/1995, age 51
1946 ● Demis Roussos / (Artemios Roussos) → Operatic-voiced Greek singer and bassist with prog-rock Aphrodite’s Child, solo, “L.O.V.E. Got A Hold On Me” (Dance/Club #26, 1978)
1946 ● Janet Lennon → With her sisters, vocals in semi-religious pop vocal quartet The Lennon Sisters (“Tonight You Belong To Me,” #15, 1956), performed regularly on TV variety shows, including The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1968, continues to record and perform as a trio in the 10s
1946 ● Leo Nocentelli → Guitarist in New Orleans soul-funk The Meters, “Chicken Strut” (1970), backing guitarist for Robert Palmer, Dr. John and others, continues to perform with the band and as solo artist through the 10s
1946 ● Noddy Holder / (Neville Holder) → Guitar and vocals for Brit glam-metal Slade, “Run Runaway” (#20, 1984), TV actor, radio and TV presenter
1949 ● Michael Lutz → Guitarist for Detroit rock ‘n’ roll band Brownsville Station, “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” (#3, 1973)
1949 ● Russell Hitchcock → Vocals for Aussie light pop-rock Air Supply, “The One That You Love” (#1, 1981)
1949 ● Meri Wilson (Edgmon) / (Meri Wilson Edgmon) → Model, sometime actress and one hit wonder singer/songwriter known for her double entendre smash “Telephone Man” (#18, UK #6, 1977), recorded one album of additional novelty-pop songs with mixed reviews and returned to singing jingles and modeling, died in a one car accident on an icy Georgia road on 12/28/2002, age 53
1951 ● Steve Walsh → Co-lead singer and keyboardist for prog/heartland rock Kansas, “Carry On Wayward Son” (#11, 1977), then Streets
1954 ● Terri Gibbs / (Teresa Fay Gibbs) → Blind-from-birth child prodigy keyboardist and country-pop-gospel singer, “Somebody’s Knockin'” (#13, Country #8, 1980)
1956 ● Bernie Shaw → Canadian vocalist for Brit hard/prog rock Spice, renamed Uriah Heep, “Easy Livin'” (#39, 1972).
1956 ● David Hinds → Rhythm guitar and lead vocals for roots reggae Steel Pulse, “Prodigal Son” (UK #35, 1978)
1957 ● Brad Gillis → Guitarist in one hit wonder pop-rock Rubicon, “I’m Gonna Take Care Of Everything” (#28, 1978), then Night Ranger, “Sister Christian” (#5, 1984) and Ozzy Osbourne‘s band
1958 ● Neil Arthur → Singer for New Wave synth-pop duo Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me” (UK #8, 1984)
1963 ● Scott Rockenfield → Drummer for progressive pop-metal Queensrÿche, “Silent Lucidity” (#9, 1991)
1966 ● Michael Britt → Lead guitar and backing vocals for cross-over country-rockers Lonestar, “Amazed” (#1, 1999)
1966 ● Rob Mitchell → Principal songwriter and lead guitarist for Christian pop-rock Sixpence None The Richer, “Kiss Me” (#2, 1998)
1969 ● Ice Cube / (O’Shea Jackson) → Founding member of controversial/influential gangsta rap quintet N.W.A., “Express Yourself” (Hot Dance #38, 1989), solo rapper, “Check Yo Self” (#20, Rap #1, 1993)
1970 ● Chi Cheng → Chinese-American bassist for Grammy-winning alt heavy metal Deftones, “Change (In The House Of Flies)” (Mainstream Rock #9, 2000)
1976 ● Dryden Vera Mitchell → Vocals for alt rock Alien Ant Farm, “Smooth Criminal” (#23, 2001)
1976 ● Gary Lightbody → Guitar and vocals for Irish alt rock Snow Patrol, “Chasing Cars” (#5, 2006)
1981 ● Billy Martin → Guitar and keyboards for post-grunge punk-pop Good Charlotte, “The Anthem” (Alt Rock #10, 2003)
1985 ● Nadine Coyle → Singer in pre-fab all-girl Euro-pop vocal group Girls Aloud, “Sound Of The Underground” (UK #1, 2002)
