Happy Birthday this week to:
November 01
1903 ● Don Robey → Record label owner, producer and songwriter whose influence over the development of R&B/pop was immeasurable, launched or managed the careers of Bobby “Blue” Bland, Big Mama Thornton, the Dixie Hummingbirds, Memphis Slim, Little Junior Parker and many others through his Peacock and Duke labels (the first African-American to own a successful record label), sold to ABC/Dunhill in 1973 and died of a heart attack on 6/16/1975, age 71
1936 ● Andre Williams / (Zephire Andre Williams) → Detroit-area R&B/blues musician whose talking-style vocals were an early precursor of hip hop/rap music, recorded with The Don Juans and solo (“Bacon Fat,” R&B # 9, 1957), co-wrote “Shake A Tail Feather” covered by The Five Du-Tones, James & Bobby Purify (#25, 1967) and Ike & Tina Turner, spent the 60s writing for Motown acts and occasionally recording (“Cadillac Jack,” R&B #46, 1968), descended into drug addiction and homelessness in the 80s but returned in the 90s when his gravelly-baritone delivery and smutty, off-color songs were “discovered” by a new generation – including neo-punk rockers – and his popularity resurged, recorded a variety of albums in disparate genes, including country, smooth soul, funk and rap until his death from cancer on 3/17/2019, age 82.
1937 ● “Whisperin'” Bill Anderson / (James William Anderson III) → Prolific and respected country music singer/songwriter, TV personality and Sirius XM radio host with 29 Country Top 10 hits from 1960 to 1979 and seven crossover country-pop singles, including “Still” (#8, Country #1, 1963), over 400 of his songs have been recorded and released by other artists
1940 ● Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler → Vietnam veteran and one hit wonder pop star, “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” (#1, 1966), fell into a coma after being shot in an attempted robbery and died a year later on 11/5/1989, age 49.
1944 ● Mike Burney → Saxophonist for eccentric jazz-pop Wizzard, “See My Baby Jive” (UK #1, 1973)
1944 ● Kinky Friedman / (Richard Samet Friedman) → Musician, songwriter, journalist, novelist, and humorist, self-proclaimed “Jewish cowboy” and frontman for satirical country-rock The Texas Jewboys starting in 1973, released a single (“Sold American,” Country #69, 1973) and six solo albums through 1983, thereafter alternated between solo (7) and Jewboys (5) albums through 2018, authored 20 mystery novels and another seven books of humor over 20 years through 2008, wrote a commentary column for Texas Monthly magazine from 2001 to 2005, ran (and lost) for governor of Texas in 2006, ran (and lost) for Texas agriculture commissioner in 2010, supported a wide range of disparate cultural and political causes his entire adult life, his public statements most always colored with witty quotes, died from Parkinson’s disease on 6/27/2024, age 79.
1946 ● Ric Grech / (Richard Roman Grechko) → Bassist for blues/art rock Family, “In My Own Time” (UK #4, 1971), supertrio Blind Faith (US #1 album Blind Faith, 1969), Traffic, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, died from alcohol-related kidney failure on 3/17/1990, age 43
1947 ● Jim Steinman / (James Richard Steinman) → Multi-genre piainist, singer, composer and record producer best known for writing all of the songs on Meat Loaf‘s hugely successful, operatic Bat Out Of Hell LP (#14, 1977), among other music and theatrical achievements wrote and produced hit singles “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” (Bonnie Tyler, #1, 1983), “Read ‘Em And Weep” (Barry Manilow, #14, AC #1, 1983) and “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” (Air Supply, #2, 1983), continued to write and produce through the 90s, 00s and 10s, (including an aborted, heavy metal version of Tchaikovsky‘s The Nutcracker in 2012), suffered a second stroke in 2017 and died after four years of declining health on 4/19/2021, age 73.
1949 ● David Foster → Canadian producer, composer, musician, arranger for dozens of top MOR/easy listening artists and recordings, including The Bee Gees, Michael Bublé, Clay Aiken, Céline Dion, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill and many others.
1950 ● Dan Peek → Multi-instrumental singer and songwriter for folk-pop America, wrote “Lonely People” (#5, 1974), later moved to Contemporary Christian pop music, died in his sleep on 7/24/2011, age 60
1951 ● Ronald “Khalis” Bell / (Ronald Nathan Bell) → With his brother Robert “Kool” Bell and five others, co-founding member, saxophonist, co-songwriter and singer for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Jungle Boogie” (#4, R&B #2, 1973) plus nearly 30 other R&B Top 10 singles in the 1970s and 80s, including the enduring, wedding party standard “Celebration” (#1, R&B #1, 1980), continued to perform and record with his band until a sudden death from undisclosed causes on 9/9/2020, age 68.
1951 ● Andy Paley / (Andrew Douglas Paley) → Multi-instrumentalist member of Boston power pop The Sidewinders with future star Billy Squier in the late 60s, then co-founder, with his brother Jonathan, of 70s teen pop The Paley Brothers, turned to songwriting and production in the 80s and worked on albums by Debbie Harry, NRBQ, Little Richard and others through the 90s, most famously comeback albums for Brian Wilson (Brian Wilson, #54, 1988) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Young Blood, #38, 1995), composed soundtracks for movies and TV in the 2000s, and wrote songs for various releases, including It’s A SpongeBob Christmas! Album (2012), all the while gigging with others and fronting his own orchestra, diagnosed with throat cancer in July 2024 and died from the disease on 11/20/2024, age 73.
1953 ● “Chicago Mike” Sumler / (Michael Sumler) → Flashy-dressing vocalist in Chicago R&B group Power Pac, joined soul/funk Kool & The Gang (“Celebration,” #1, R&B #1, 1980) in 1985 as wardrobe coordinator and valet, eventually adding the role of crowd energizer with pre-show dancing and prancing before the band took the stage, toured extensively with The Gang and occasionally sang backing vocals until 2015, was in the process of opening an Atlanta concert venue when killed in a car accident on 5/25/2025, age 71.
1954 ● Chris Morris → Guitarist for pop-rock one hit wonder Paper Lace, “The Night Chicago Died” (#1, UK #3, 1974), a second single “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero” (#96, UK #1, 1974) qualifies them as a two hit wonder in the UK
1957 ● Lyle Lovett → Witty country-pop singer/songwriter, “Give Me Back My Heart” (Country #13, 1987), three-time Grammy Award winner, former husband of actress Julia Roberts
1959 ● Eddie Macdonald → Bassist for post-punk anthem rockers The Alarm, “Sold Me Down The River” (Mainstream #2, 1989)
1962 ● Anthony Kiedis → Vocals for funk-rock Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Californication” (Modern Rock #1, 2000)
1962 ● Mags Furuholmen → Guitar and keyboards for Norwegian synth-pop A-ha, “Take On Me” (#1, 1985)
1963 ● Rick Allen → Drummer for hard rock/metal Def Leppard, “Love Bites” (#1, 1988), lost his left arm in an auto accident in England in 1984 but continued with custom-constructed acoustic and electronic drumkits
1966 ● Willie D / (William Dennis) → Vocals in controversial gangsta/horror-rap Geto Boys, “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” (#23, 1991), solo, “Dear God” (Rap #4, 2002)
1967 ● Sophie B. Hawkins → Eclectic rock, pop, jazz, R&B and African music singer and songwriter, “As I Lay Me Down” (#6, 1995)
1969 ● Darren Partington → Keyboards and percussion for electronic/acid-house band 808 State, “Pacific State” (UK #10, 1989)
1975 ● Bo Bice / (Harold Elwin “Bo” Bice, Jr.) → Husky-voiced American Idol runner-up, pop/rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Inside Your Heaven” (#2, 2005)
1981 ● LaTavia Roberson → Backing vocals in Grammy-winning R&B/dance-pop Destiny’s Child, “Say My Name” (#1, 2000), stage actress
November 02
1929 ● Amar G. Bose, Ph.D. / (Amar Gopal Bose) → MIT graduate student, audio engineer and classical music lover, visionary engineer, inventor and billionaire entrepreneur whose namesake company, the Bose Corporation, is synonymous with top-quality audio systems and residential and automotive speakers, his company introduced the revolutionary 901 Series of home speaker systems, the Bose Wave radio, “sound docks” and noise-cancelling headphones, died from undisclosed causes on 7/12/2013, age 83
1931 ● Phil Woods → Four-time Grammy-winning alto saxophonist, in touring bands for Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman in the 50s, fronted his own bands in the 60s, then session work for Billy Joel (alto sax solo on “Just The Way You Are”), Steely Dan (“Doctor Wu”), Paul Simon (“Have A Good Time”) and others, continued to record and perform until just before his death from emphysema on 9/29/2015, age 83
1936 ● Max Crook / (Maxfield Doyle Crook) → Keyboard musician and basement electronics engineer who developed the Musitron, a hybrid monophonic synthesizer featured on Del Shannon‘s “Runaway” (Worldwide #1, 1961), the song he co-wrote with Shannon and that introduced electronics to pop music, later recorded electronic, instrumental versions of contemporary pop hits and an album of gospel and spiritual music under the pseudonym Maximilian, died from natural causes on 7/1/2020, age 83.
1937 ● Speedo Carroll / (Earl Carroll) → Singer and frontman for R&B/doo wop The Cadillacs, “Speedo” (#17, R&B #3, 1955), left in 1963 to join The Coasters and performed with the group through the 80s, now on the oldies circuit
1938 ● Jay Black / (David Blatt) → Lead vocals and de facto frontman for clean-cut, pop-rock vocal group Jay & The Americans, joined the group in 1963 (replacing departed lead singer Jay Traynor) and sang lead on nine Top 25 hits in the rest of the decade, including “This Maguc Moment” (#6, AC #5, 1968) and his signature song “Cara Mia” (#4, 1965), following breakup of the group in 1973, contiunued to tour as Jay Black & The Americans with a variety of backing musicians until losing the rights to the name in 2006 in a personal bankruptcy proceding to satisfy unpaid taxes incurred to cover gambling debts, toured as a solo act through 2014 and died of a heart attack while suffering from dementia and pneumonia on 10/22/2021, age 82.
1941 ● Bruce Welch → Guitarist with instrumental pop-rock The Shadows, “Apache” (Worldwide #1, 1960)
1942 ● Kenny Jeremiah / (Kenneth Scott Jeremiah) → Original member and lead vocals for one hit wonder Philly blue-eyed soul vocal group The Soul Survivors (“Expressway To Your Heart,” #4, R&B #3, 1967), after break-up in 1970 continued to perform on the oldies circuit and recorded “Shame Shame Shame” (#12, R&B #1, 1975) with disco group Shirley & Company, appeared in occasional Soul Survivors reunions in the 00s and 10s, died from complications of the COVID-19 virus on 12/4/2020, age 78.
1943 ● Dave Munden → Original member, drummer and frequent lead singer in British Invasion pop-rock The Tremeloes, “Silence Is Golden” (US #11, UK #1, 1967), recorded and toured with the band as the only constant member from 1958 through 2018 when he retired due to health concerns, died from undisclosed causes on 10/15/2020, age 77.
1944 ● Keith Emerson / (Keith Noel Emerson) → Influential and accomplished progressive rock keyboardist, first with 60s Brit prog rock The Nice (“America,” 1968) then as founding member of prog rock supergroup Emerson Lake & Palmer (“Lucky Man,” #48, 1971), and later as a moderately successful solo artist and in Emerson, Lake & Powell and short-lived 3, issued a final studio album, The Three Fates Project in 2012 and was about to launch a tour of Japan when he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on 3/10/2016, age 71
1945 ● J.D. Souther / (John David Souther) → Country-rock singer-songwriter and key figure in the Southern California rock scene of the 70s, wrote several songs for Linda Ronstadt and co-produced her album Don’t Cry Now, co-wrote hits for the Eagles, including “New Kid In Town” (#1, 1977), member of supergroup Souther-Hillman-Furay Band (“Fallin’ In Love,” #27, 1974), scored the solo hit single “You’re Only Lonely” (#7, AC #1, 1979) and a duet with James Taylor, “Her Town Too” (#11, AC #5, 1981), issued four solo albums between 1972 and 1984 before dropping out of the music industry for nearly 25 years, acted in several movies and TV series, including a recurring role on “Nashville” in 2012 and 2017, returned to recording and performing in 2008 with five solo albums of jazz-pop, was scheduled to perform with Karla Bonoff in October 2024 and as a solo act in 2025 but died from undisclosed causes on 9/17/2024, age 78.
1945 ● Chip Hawkes / (Leonard Donald Stanley Hawkes) → Bassist for 60s Britbeat Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, co-wrote “(Call Me) Number One” (#27, UK #2, 1969), moved to Nashville in the 70s to write and record with Waylon Jennings and others, reformed The Tremeloes in 1979, managed his son, pop star Chesney Hawkes and formed his own band in the 90s, continues to tour and perform into the 10s on the European oldies circuit with various retro bands.
1947 ● Dave Pegg → Electric folk bassist for renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (UK #21, 1969), long-lived Brit folk-rock Jethro Tull, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), solo, producer
1948 ● Ed Ward / (Edmund Osbourne Ward) → Highly respected rock music historian, critic and NPR radio host, started in the 70s as a staff writer for Crawdaddy!, then record review editor for Rolling Stone and later Creem magazines known as one of the first to write seriously about rock ‘n’ roll, relocated and wrote wrote for newspapers in Austin, TX (where he was 1987 co-founder of Austin’s South by Southwest music festival), joined NPR for the national roll-out of the program Fresh Air on which he was music historian and commentator for 30 years through 2017, wrote several books on rock ‘n’ roll music and “Let It Roll,” a 24-episode podcast between 2018 and 2020, found dead at home from undisclosed causes on 5/3/2021, age 72.
1952 ● Maxine Nightingale → Brit R&B/soul singer, “Right Back Where We Started From” (#2, 1976)
1954 ● Melvin Edmonds → With his younger brother, Kevon, and high school chum Keith Mitchell, vocals in contemporary R&B/soul trio After 7, signed to Virgin Records and scored three Top 20 singles in 1989-1990: “Heat Of The Moment,” (#19, R&B #5, 1989), “Can’t Stop,” (#6, R&B #1, 1990) and “Ready or Not” (#7, R&B #1, 1990), all three co-written and co-produced by another younger brother, R&B superstar Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, left the band and was replaced by his son, Jason, but returned for the group’s 2016 comeback album Timeless, died following a brief but unspecified illness on 5/18/2019, age 64.
1956 ● Fred Fairbrass → Guitarist for dance-pop Right Said Fred, “I’m Too Sexy” (#1, 1991)
1957 ● Carter Beauford → Drummer for pop-funk-rock jam band Dave Matthews Band, “Don’t Drink The Water” (#4, 1998)
1961 ● k. d. lang / (Kathryn Dawn Lang) → Canadian singer and songwriter, started as country-pop and shifted to adult contemporary and dance-pop, “Constant Craving” (#38, Adult Contemporary #2, 1992)
1962 ● Ron McGovney → Original bassist for heavy metal Metallica, “Enter Sandman” (#10, 1991), left in 1982 after several demo recordings but before the band’s first true album
1963 ● Bobby Dall → Bassist in hair metal/power ballad Poison, “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” (#1, 1988)
1965 ● Andy Barker → Drummer in electronic/acid-house 808 State, “Pacific State” (, 1989)
1967 ● Alvin Chea → Vocals in a cappella gospel Take 6, “I L-O-V-E U” (R&B #19, 1990)
1969 ● Fieldy Arvizu / (Reginald Arvizu) → Bassist for nu metal Korn, “Here To Stay” (Mainstream #4, 2002)
1971 ● John Hampson → Guitarist and songwriter for indie power pop Nine Days, “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)” (#6, 2000)
1974 ● Nelly / (Cornell Haynes, Jr.) → Grammy-winning hip hop vocalist, “Country Grammar (Hot Shit)” (#7, 2000), record producer, music entrepreneur and record label CEO
1975 ● Chris Walla → Guitarist for indie pop-rock Death Cab For Cutie, “Soul Meets Body” (Modern Rock #5, 2005)
November 03
1926 ● Ray Edenton / (Ray Quarles Edenton) → Acoustic and rhythm guitarist fluent in country, pop and rock, longtime member of the heralded Nashville A-Team collective of top-tier session musicians, played on many thousands of recordings by a wide variety of artists including the The Everly Brothers (“Wake Up Little Susie,” #1, Country #1, 1957)”, Roger Miller (“King of the Road,” #4, Country #1, 1965) and Neil Young (album Comes A Time, #7, 1978), plus Elvis Presley, the The Beach Boys, Reba McEntire and many others, co-wrote the hit “You’re Running Wild,” (Country #7, 1956) for the Louvin Brothers, retired in 1991, inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and died on 9/22/2022, age 95.
1930 ● Mable John → Underrated R&B, blues and gospel singer, older sister of R&B legend Little Willie John, became the first female vocalist signed by Berry Gordy to his Tamla label (which preceded Motown Records by two years), left after several unsuccessful singles, recorded for Stax Records (“Your Good Thing Is About To End,” #95, R&B #6, 1966) and sang in Ray Charles‘ backing group, The Raelettes, appeared as blues singer Bertha Mae in Honeydripper (2007) and the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom (2013) about R&B backing singers, founded an L.A. charity in 1986 that helped feed and clothe the homeless and later received a Doctor of Divinity degree, died from undisclosed causes on 8/25/2022, age 91.
1933 ● John Barry / (Jonathan Barry Prendergrast) → Grammy- and Academy Award-winning film score composer for 11 James Bond films and others, including the theme song to Born Free (1966) and the soundtrack to Dances With Wolves (1989), died from a heart attack on 1/30/2011, age 77
1934 ● Bill Arhos → Creator and long-time executive producer of Austin City Limits, the PBS musical variety show that introduced much of America to the sound of redneck rock and progressive country music, and became the longest-running live concert program on television and the only TV show to receive the National Medal of Arts, died from heart disease on 4/11/2015, age 80, age 80
1941 ● Brian Poole → Lead singer and frontman for British Invasion pop-rock The Tremeloes, “Silence Is Golden” (US #11, UK #1, 1967), solo, daughters Karen and Shellie formed Alisha’s Attic in the 90s.
1941 ● Billy Bumble / (R. C. Gamble) → Frontman for the touring version of novelty pop/rock B. Bumble & The Stingers, the collection of Rendezvous Records session musicians whose light rock instrumental covers of classical pieces included “Bumble Boogie” (#21, 1961) and “Nut Rocker” (#23, UK #1, 1962), left the music industry in 1965 and eventually became a college professor of economics, died on 8/2/2008, age 66
1943 ● Bert Jansch → Scottish acoustic blues and folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, 60s duo with John Renbourn then co-founded folk-rock group Pentangle (“Light Flight,” UK #43, 1970), continued to record and perform as a solo artist, in collaborative projects and with various lineups of Pentangle until his death from lung cancer on 10/5/2011, age 67
1944 ● Bob Nave / (Robert Gordon Nave) → Multi-talented musician, original guitarist with one hit wonder The Lemon Pipers and the first bubblegum pop hit, “Green Tambourine” (#1, 1968), after the band broke up in 1970 spent five decades as a jazz radio DJ, record store manager, financial services advisor, keyboardist for Cincinnati-area rock band Blues Merchants, and early supporter of not-for-profit Play It Forward benefitting financially struggling Ohio musicians, died from unspecified causes on 1/28/2020, age 75.
1945 ● Bobby LaKind / (Robert Jay LaKind) → Lighting stagehand turned percussionist and backing vocals for blue-eyed soul/pop-rock The Doobie Brothers, “What A Fool Believes” (#1, 1979), gained songwriting co-credits on the band’s reunion album, Cycles (#17, 1989) but left shortly thereafter due to terminal colon cancer, which claimed his life on 12/24/1992, age 47
1946 ● Nick Simper → Bassist for early Brit rock ‘n’ roll Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, survived the 1966 car crash that killed Johnny Kidd, quit The Pirates in 1968 to co-found hard rock Deep Purple, fired in 1969 and pursued a solo career and founded/fronted hard rock Warhorse, Flying Fox and Fandango
1946 ● Tommy Dee / (Thomas De Generes) → Guitarist in blue-eyed soul one hit wonder John Fred & His Playboy Band, “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” (#1, 1968)
1948 ● Lulu / (Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) → Scottish pop singer and songwriter with a 6-decade career, beginning in the 60s with a hit debut single, “Shout” (UK #7, 1964) and an appearance in To Sir With Love and singing the film’s theme song (#1, 1967), released 35 other charting songs through 2002’s “We’ve Got Tonite” (UK #4) and fifteen studio albums through 2021, starred in her own BBC-TV music programs in the late 60s and through the 70s and ten other films through 2024, earned various honors over the years, culminating with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award in 2021, celebrated the 60th anniversary of the “Shout” single with a performance in London in April 2024.
1953 ● Van Stephenson / (Van Wesley Stephenson) → Pop-rock singer and songwriter with three charting hits in the 80s, including “Modern Day Delilah” (#22, 1984), co-founded country-rock Blackhawk (“There You Have It,” #41, Country #4, 1998) in 1992 on guitar and backing vocals, left the band to fight skin cancer but died from the disease on 4/9/2001, age 47
1954 ● Adam Ant / (Stuart Leslie Goddard) → Singer and frontman for post-punk New Wave glam-pop Adam & The Ants, “Goody Two Shoes” (#12, 1983), film and TV actor
1960 ● James Prime / (James Miller Prime) → Session musician for Altered States and John Martyn in the 80s, then keyboards for revered Scottish indie pop-rock Deacon Blue, played with the band for forty years and on all 17 of their UK Top 40 ingles, including “Real Gone Kid” (UK #8, 1988) died following a short bout with cancer on 6/19/2025, age 64.
1960 ● Maff Ashman / (Matthew James Ashman) → Underrated post-punk and New Wave guitarist with an early lineup of Adam And The Ants (“Goody Two-Shoes,” #12, 1982), left in 1980 to form Afro-Euro-synth-pop Bow Wow Wow (“I Want Candy,” #22, 1982), later co-founded post-punk Chiefs Of Relief and punk-revival Agent Provocateur, died from complications of diabetes on 11/21/1995, age 35.
1962 ● Ian McNabb → Guitar and vocals for Brit neo-psychedelic rock Icicle Works, “Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)” (#37, 1984)
1962 ● Marilyn / (Peter Anthony Robinson) → Brit New Romantic dance-pop singer, “Calling Your Name” (UK #4, 1983)
1969 ● Mark Roberts → Guitarist in Welsh indie-alt-rock Catatonia, “Mulder And Scully” (, 1998)
1969 ● Robert Miles / (Roberto Concina) → Italian dream-house DJ, composer, producer and electronica musician, “Children” (Dance/Club #1, 1996)
1973 ● Mick Thomson → Lead guitarist for Grammy-winning alt metal/rap-metal Slipknot, “Duality” (Mainstream Rock #5, 2004)
1976 ● Ras / (Rahsaan J. Bromfield) → Vocals in Brit R&B/dance-pop boy band Damage, “Wonderful Tonight” (UK #3, 1997)
1980 ● Dan Marsala → Guitar and vocals for alt rock/post-hardcore Story Of The Year, “Anthem Of Our Dying Day” (Modern Rock #10, 2004)
November 04
1929 ● Paul Vance / (Joseph Paul Florio) → Pop music songwriter best known for co-writing (with Lee Pockriss) the hit songs “Catch A Falling Star” (#3, 1957) for crooner Perry Como and “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (#1, 1960) for teen pooper Brian Hyland, also known as the target for an imposter who claimed to have written “Itsy Bitsy” but sold his rights as a young man, erroneous obituaries about the faker (Paul Van Valkenburgh) circulated in 2006 and reached the real Paul Vance through numerous media sources and his family, forcing him to deny his death and submit royalty payment receipts to prove himself the true co-writer, continued to write and produce for others into the 80s, owned over 150 harness-racing horses in his later years, died from natural causes on 5/30/2022, age 92.
1938 ● Harry Elston / (Harry James Elston) → Vocalist in Ray Charles‘ early 60s backing group The Hi-Fi’s, then in 1968 co-founded sunny pop-soul vocal quartet The Friends Of Distinction, sang lead on their big hit “Grazing In The Grass” (#3, R&B #5, 1969) and harmony vocals on five other charting hits by 1971, after dissolution in 1976 left the industry but returned in 1990 to revive TFOD with groupmate Floyd Butler, the project was shelved when Butler died of a heart attack in April 1990, went forward with a new TFOD quartet and toured in changing lineups until a few years before his death from undisclosed causes on 3/4/1025, age 86.
1940 ● Delbert McClinton → Texas blues and country-rock guitarist, harmonica player, singer and songwriter, “Giving It Up For Your Love” (#8, 1980), played on Bruce Channel‘s one hit wonder “Hey Baby” (#1, 1962), wrote “Two More Bottles Of Wine” for Emmylou Harris (Country #1, 1978)
1943 ● J. B. Moore / (James Biggs Moore III) → Billboard magazine ad salesman turned music producer and composer, and key figure in the mainstreaming of hip hop music in the late 70s and early 80s, co-wrote and produced several songs for rap pioneer Kurtis Blow, including “The Breaks” (#87, R&B #4, 1980) and “Basketball” (#71, R&B #29, 1985), and the comedy/parody song “Rappin’ Rodney” by Rodney Dangerfield (#83, 1984), died from pancreatic cancer on 3/13/2025, age 81.
1944 ● Scherrie Payne / (Scherrie Ann Payne) → Younger sister of R&B/soul singer Freda Payne and the “Little Lady with the Big Voice;” lead singer for late-60s, short-lived R&B/soul The Glass House and a lone charting single, “Crumbs Off The Table” (#59, R&B #7, 1969) until disbandment in 1972; replaced Diana Ross in The Supremes in 1973 and fronted the trio during the waning years of the brand’s popularity, but managed three Top 10 Dance hits in Disco Era, including “I’m Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking” (#40, R&B #25, Dance #3, 1976) before Motown retired the brand in 1977; issued several singles and albums as a lead or featured artist, and performed and recorded with a fluid line-up of former Supremes in The Former Ladies of The Supremes (FLOS) through 2024.
1947 ● Mike Smith / (Michael Joseph Smith) → Saxophone for Welsh early prog rock septet Amen Corner, “(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice” (UK #1, 1969)
1954 ● Chris Difford → Guitarist, vocalist and lyricist for New Wave pop-rock Squeeze, “Tempted” (#49, Mainstream Rock #8, 1981)
1956 ● James Honeyman-Scott → Guitarist, songwriter and founding member of post-punk New Wave hard pop-rock The Pretenders, “Back On The Chain Gang” (#5, 1982), died from cocaine abuse on 6/16/1982, age 25
1963 ● Lena Hilda Zavaroni → Teen pop shooting star singer, discovered on UK TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, at 10 years old became the youngest British singer to earn a silver disc, “Ma! (He’s Making Eyes At Me)” (UK #10, 1974), died after years of battling anorexia nervosa on 10/1/1999, age 35
1965 ● Jeff Scott Soto → Puerto Rican-American heavy metal and arena rock vocalist for Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen Band, Journey and solo
1965 ● Wayne Static / (Wayne Richard Wells) → Lead vocals, guitar, keyboards and programming for industrial metal band Static-X, “Push It” (Mainstream Rock #20, 1999), solo
1966 ● Kool Rock-ski / (Damon Wimbley) → Member of novelty rap trio The Fat Boys, “Wipe Out” (#12, 1987), film actor and solo hip hop artist
1969 ● Puff Daddy aka P. Diddy / (Sean John Combs) → Producer, Bad Boy Records founder, stage and screen actor, fashion designer, entrepreneur and Grammy-winning rapper, “I’ll Be Missing You” (#1, 1997)
1971 ● Shawn Rivera → Co-founder and vocals for contemporary R&B vocal group Az Yet, “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” (#8, 1997), producer, percussionist, session musician
1974 ● Louise / (Louise Elizabeth Nurding Redknapp) → Brit R&B/dance-pop singer for girl-group Eternal, “Stay” (#19, UK #3, 1993), then solo, “Naked” (UK #5, 1996)
1977 ● Kavana / (Anthony Kavanaugh) → Brit actor, pop singer and songwriter, “I Can Make You Feel Good” (UK #8, 1997)
November 05
1911 ● Roy Rogers / (Leonard Franklin Slye) → “King of the Cowboys,” hugely popular actor in Western films and on his own 50s TV program, business entrepreneur and twangy country-and-western singer with dozens of albums and a dozen charting singles, including “My Chickashay Gal” (Country #4, 1947), best known to current generations as the frontman for Roy Rogers Family Restaurants, died of congestive heart failure on 7/8/1998, age 86
1931 ● Harold McNair → Jamaican-born calypso and jazz saxophonist and flautist, worked as a sideman for Kenny Clarke, Quincy Jones and others, did session work for Donovan, John Martyn and others, fronted his own ensembles and co-founded jazz-blues-rock fusion Ginger Baker’s Air Force, died from lung cancer on 3/7/1971, age 39
1931 ● Ike Turner / (Izear Luster Turner, Jr.) → Legendary R&B and rock ‘n’ roll bandleader, “Rocket 88” (R&B #1, 1951) and as a duo with then-wife Tina Turner, “Proud Mary” (#4, 1971), died from emphysema on 12/7/2007, age 76
1936 ● Billy Sherrill / (Billy Norris Sherrill) → Songwriter, record producer and Nashville music executive credited with mixing 60s pop maximalism with country music to create the “countrypolitan” sound and invigorate the careers of Tammy Wynette and George Jones, among others, co-wrote “Stand By Your Man” (#19, Country #1, 1968) with Wynette and “The Most Beautiful Girl ” (#1, Country #1, 1973) for Charlie Rich, produced albums for dozens of top artists, including Barbara Mandrell, Ray Charles, Johnny Paycheck and Elvis Costello, died after a brief illness on 8/4/2015, age 78
1941 ● Art Garfunkel → Grammy-winning folk-pop singer and guitarist in 60s partnership with Paul Simon, then adult contemporary pop solo career, “All I Know” (#9, 1973), film actor in Carnal Knowledge (1971)
1943 ● Mike Clifford → Pop singer and songwriter known best for his hit “Close To Cathy” (#12, 1962), also recorded numerous movie soundtrack songs in the late 60s and early 70s, continues to tour and record into the 10s
1943 ● Pablo Samellhi Gomez → Drummer for Spanish rock ‘n roll band Los Bravos, “Black Is Black” (US #4, 1966), the first US Top 10 hit by a Spanish band
1946 ● Gram Parsons / (Cecil Ingram Connor III) → Legendary and pioneering country-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, played in The International Submarine Band, joined The Byrds in 1968 for the seminal Sweetheart Of The Rodeo album, co-founded The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1969, issued two solo albums before dying from a heroin overdose on 9/19/1973, age 26.
1946 ● Loleatta Holloway → Stage actress and backing vocalist, then R&B/disco singer, “Love Sensation” (Dance #1, 1980), continued to record dance/pop singles into the 00s, died from heart failure on 3/31/2011, age 64
1947 ● Peter Noone → Vocals and frontman for British Invasion pop-rock Herman’s Hermits, “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” (#1. 1965)
1948 ● Donnie McDougall → Guitarist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), still performs with the group
1948 ● Peter Hammill → Guitarist, pianist, singer and songwriter for progressive/art rock Van Der Graf Generator, left the band in 1971 for solo career, releases solo (as Rikki Nadir) and VDGG reunion albums sporadically through 2008
1948 ● Charles Bradley / (Charles Edward Bradley) → Journeyman R&B/soul singer whose physical and vocal resemblance to soul great James Brown eventually led him from homelessness to a late-in-life career as the funk and soul performer “Black Velvet” and a debut album, No Time For Changes (2011) age 62, toured extensively with various bands and recorded several other albums until his death from liver cancer on 9/23/2017, age 68
1956 ● Helen O’Hara / (Helen Bevington O’Hara) → Violinist in New Wave pop-rock Dexys Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen” (#1, 1983), solo
1957 ● David Moyse → Guitarist for Aussie light pop-rock Air Supply, “The One That You Love” (#1, 1981)
1957 ● Mike Score → Keyboards, guitar and lead singer for bizarrely-teased hair New Wave pop-rock A Flock of Seagulls, “I Ran (So Far Away)” (#9, 1982)
1959 ● Bryan Adams / (Bryan Guy Adams) → Grammy-winning Canadian pop-rock/power ballad singer, songwriter, guitarist, photographer and philanthropist with the global hit “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” (#1, CAN #1, UK #1, 1991) plus 18 other US Top 40 hits and ten Top 10 studio albums in Canada, supports education efforts on struggling countries through his private foundation and has won awards for his photographic images, including a portrait of British royalty that is in the National Portrait Gallery in London
1959 ● Ken Coomer → Drummer for alt-metal Clockhammer, joined seminal roots rock trio Uncle Tupelo in 1992, left in 1994 to co-found alt country-rock Wilco, “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” (#22, 1997)
1959 ● Rob Fisher → Keyboards, vocals and songwriting for New Wave synth-pop Naked Eyes, “(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me” (#10, 1983) and pop-soul Climie Fisher, “Love Changes Everything” (#23, 1988), died following surgery for intestinal cancer on 8/25/1999. age 39
1961 ● David Bryson → Guitarist for alt-rock Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1965 ● Paris Grey / (Shanna Jackson) → Vocals and one half of the house and electro-techno/dance-pop duo Inner City, “Big Fun” (Dance-Club #1, 1984)
1968 ● Mark Hunter → Keyboards for Brit alt pop-rock James, “Sit Down” (UK #2, 1991) and “Laid” (#61, Modern Rock #3, 1994)
1971 ● Jon Greenwood → Guitar and keyboards for alt/indie rock Radiohead, “There There” (Modern Rock #14, 2003)
1974 ● David Ryan Adams → Alt country-rock singer and songwriter, “New York, New York” (Adult Top 40 #18, 2002) and with country-rock The Cardinals
1975 ● Lisa Scott-Lee → Vocals and dance routines for pre-fab Brit dance-pop group The Steps, “5, 6, 7, 8” (UK #14, 1997)
1985 ● Kate Jenna DeAraugo → Australian singer, winner of the third season of Australian Idol in 2005, solo, “Maybe Tonight” (Australia #1, 2005) then joined pre-fab dance-pop girl group Young Divas
1987 ● Kevin Jonas → Singer in teen-pop ballad trio the Jonas Brothers, “Burnin’ Up” (#5, 2008), TV actor
November 06
1814 ● Adolphe Sax / (Antoine-Joseph Sax) → Belgian musician and instrument designer, invented the saxophone in 1846, died in poverty from natural causes on 2/4/1894, age 79.
1916 ● Ray Conniff → Grammy-winning composer and instrumental pop-easy listening bandleader, “Somewhere My Love (Lara’s Theme)” (#9, 1966), died in a slip-and-fall bathtub accident on 10/12/2002, age 85
1932 ● Stonewall Jackson → Honky-tonk “hard” country singer with a 60-year membership in the cast of musicians at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, charted 22 Country Top 20 hits from 1958 to 1971 and four crossover country-pop singles, including “Waterloo” (#4, Country #1, 1959), successfully sued The Opry in 2006 for age discrimination and performed there through the 00s, struggled with vascular dimentia after retiring in 2012 and died from the disease on 12/4/2021, age 89.
1932 ● Paul English → Longtime drummer for Willie Nelson‘s backing bands, started with him in 1955 and played intermittently until 1966 when he joined full-time, in between toured and did session work for Delbert McClinton and others, subject of Nelson‘s album Me And Paul (1985) and the title track thereto, joined the Board of Directors of start-up charity Farm Aid in 1985 and served as its treasurer for many years, continued to appear as a key member of Nelson‘s Family band until his death from pneumonia on 2/12/2020, age 87.
1933 ● Joseph Pope → With brother Charles and others, vocals for R&B/soul The Tams, “What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” (#9, 1963) and “There Ain’t Nothing Like Shaggin'” (UK #21, 1987), died on 3/16/1996, age 62
1936 ● Jim Pike / (James R. Pike) → Founding member and vocalist in close-harmony folk-pop trio The Lettermen, the group had 31 charting singles, including the Grammy-nominated medley “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” (#7, AC #2, 1967) before selling his shares and leaving in 1974 when his voice failed due to constant touring, reunited with former Lettermen colleague Bob Engemann in the 80s as Christian music Reunion, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease on 6/9/2019, age 82.
1937 ● Eugene Pitt / (Eugene Sampson Pitt) → Founding member and lead singer of durable R&B/doo wop vocal quintet The Jive Five, one of a very few doo wop groups to survive the 60s British Invasion and remain viable during the classic years of soul, funk and disco music in the 70s, the group later spent a decade recording a cappella jingles for the children’s TV program Nickleodeon, continued performing as the only constant member of the group into the 10s, issued a solo album (2009) and contributed to a doo wop retrospective album in 2013, died from complications of diabetes on 6/29/2018, age 80
1938 ● P.J. Proby / (James Marcus Smith) → Texas-born rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter with a more success in England than at home, “Hold Me” (#70, UK #3, 1964), cabaret actor
1941 ● Doug Sahm → Tex-Mex rock ‘n roll and country-rock bandleader for The Sir Douglas Quintet, “She’s About A Mover” (#13, 1965), also played with The Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven, died from a heart attack on 11/18/1999, age 58
1941 ● Guy Clark / (Guy Charles Clark) → Grammy-winning Texas “outlaw” country and folk-rock guitarist and songwriter, wrote the venerable “L.A. Freeway” (Jerry Jeff Walker, #98, 1973) and “Desperados Waiting For A Train” (The Highwaymen, Country #15, 1985) plus dozens of songs for other artists, including Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson and Emmylou Harris, issued over 30 charting albums and won a 2014 Grammy Award for My Favorite Picture Of You (2013), died after a long illness concurrent with lymphoma on 5/17/2016, age 74.
1942 ● Nora Forster / (Nora Maier Forster) → German publishing heiress and music promoter in the 70s for Jimi Hendrix, Yes and others, moved to London about 1970 and fell into the bohemian scene, supported the nascent punk rock movement in the mid-70s with financial backing and den-mother encouragement for up-and-coming bands like Sex Pistols and The Clash, as well as her daughter Ari Up (Ariane Forster) and her all-female punk band The Slits, married bad-boy Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) of the Sex Pistols in 1979 and stayed married, and mostly out of the limelight since the 80s, until her death from Alzheimer’s disease on 4/6/2023, age 80.
1945 ● Jack Douglas / (John Anthony Douglas) → Janitor at New York’s Record Plant recording studios before rising to engineer and producer during the 70s and 80s; worked on The Who’s abortive concept album Lifehouse, John Lennon’s Imagine (#1, UK #1, 1971); and, as so-called “sixth member” of Aerosmith, their multi-platinum breakthrough streak of LPs from Get Your Wings (#74, 1974) to Toys in the Attic (#11, 1975) and Rocks (#3, 1976); later co-produced Lennon and Yoko Ono‘s Grammy-winning comeback album Double Fantasy (#1, UK #1, 1980), working with Lennon in the studio just hours before his murder on 12/8/1980;; also produced landmark albums by Patti Smith (Radio Ethiopia), Cheap Trick (Cheap Trick, Lap of Luxury), The New York Dolls, and Alice Cooper; continued to produce records well into the 20s and died from complications of lymphoma on 5/11/2026, age 80.
1947 ● George Young → Scottish rhythm guitarist in Aussie-based 60s pop-rock The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (#16, 1967), producer for AC/DC and older brother of Angus and Malcolm Young
1948 ● Rushton Moreve / (John Rushton Morey) → Early bassist for Canadian-American hard rock, proto-metal Steppenwolf, co-wrote “Magic Carpet Ride” (#3, 1968), left the band in 1968, died in a car accident on 7/1/1981, age 32
1948 ● Glenn Frey / (Glenn Lewis Frey) → Grammy-winning guitarist, singer and songwriter, member of Linda Ronstadt‘s backing band, which became country rock/L.A. rock Eagles, “One Of These Nights” (#1, 1975), solo, “You Belong To The City” (#2, 1985), TV and film actor, died from complications of rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and pneumonia following intestinal surgery on 1/18/2016, age 67
1950 ● Chris Glen → Scottish bassist in The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, “Delilah” (UK #7, 1975) and The Michael Schenker Group, solo
1961 ● Craig Goldie → Heavy metal guitarist in Rough Cutt, Giuffria (“Call To The Heart, ##15, 1984) and Dio (“Rainbow In The Dark,” (Mainstream Rock #14, 1983)
1963 ● Paul Brindley → Bassist for Brit alt-indie-rock The Sundays, “Here’s Where The Story Ends” (Modern Rock #1, 1990)
1964 ● Corey Glover → Lead singer for prog-funk-metal Living Colour, “Cult Of Personality” (#13, 1988), solo, actor
1964 ● Greg Graffin, Ph.D. → Co-founder, lead singer, songwriter and only constant member of L.A. punk rock Bad Religion, “Infected” (Mainstream Rock #33, 1995), received his doctorate from Cornell University and has lectured in life sciences and paleontology
1966 ● Paul Gilbert → Guitarist for pop-metal “shredder” band Mr. Big, “To Be With You” (#1, 1992)
November 07
1922 ● Al Hirt / (Alois Maxwell Hirt) → Nicknamed “Jumbo” and “The Round Mound of Sound,” portly New Orleans-based Dixieland jazz and pop virtuoso trumpeter and bandleader with the Grammy-winning “Java” (#4, 1964), wrote the theme song to the TV crime show The Green Hornet, died of liver failure on 4/27/1999, age 76
1938 ● Dee Clark / (Delectus Clark) → Falsetto R&B/soul vocalist, “Raindrops” (#2, 1961) and five other Top 40 hits, died of a heart attack on 12/7/1990, age 52
1942 ● Johnny Rivers / (John Henry Ramistella) → Early rock ‘n’ roll singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Secret Agent Man” (#3, 1966) and 15 other Top 40 hits, founded Soul City Records and produced The 5th Dimension (“Wedding Bell Blues,” #1, 1969), continues to perform in the 00s
1943 ● Joni Mitchell / (Roberta Joan Anderson) → Canadian pop-rock-jazz-fusion singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Help Me” (#7, 1974), wrote “Both Sides Now” for Judy Collins (#8, 1968) and “Woodstock” for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (#11, 1970)
1943 ● Dino Valenti / (Chester W. Powers, Jr.) → Vocals and songwriter for psychedelic folk-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service, “Fresh Air” (#49, 1970), solo, wrote “Get Together” for The Youngbloods (#5, 1969), died on 11/16/1994, age 51
1946 ● Mike Gregory / (Michael Gregory) → Bass guitarist and vocalist in two Merseybeat bands, The Escorts (“The One To Cry,” UK #49, 1964) from 1962-67-and the Swinging Blue Jeans (“Hippy Hippy Shake,” #24, UK #2, 1963)) from 1967-72, co-founded Big John’s Rock & Roll Circus in 1973 (later to become The Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus after the death of frontman Johnny Goodison) and performed with the band through 2005, spent the next 18 years as a solo retro-60s vocalist, died from unspecified causes on 4/27/2023, age 76.
1951 ● Kevin Scott MacMichael → Canadian guitarist and songwriter for New Wave pop-rock Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight” (#1, 1987), died of lung cancer on 12/31/2002, age 51
1954 ● Robin Beck → Pop-rock vocalist, sang the Coca-Cola jingle “The First Time” (UK #1, 1988), back-up singer for Melissa Manchester, Leo Sayer and others
1955 ● Shirley Eikhard / (Shirley Rose Eikhard) → Canadian singer and songwriter with a modestly successful recording career in Canada, her eponymous debut album (CAN #58, 1972) was the only one of fifteen releases to chart, far better known internationally as a country-folk-pop songwriter with over 500 compositions, a slew of which were recorded by Emmylou Harris, Rita Coolidge, Cher, Anne Murray and, most famously, Bonnie Raitt, whose interpretation of “Something To Talk About” (#5, CAN #3, 1991) earned a Grammy Award, toured and performed sporadically after the 80s due to health issues, but released nine albums in the 2000s, the last, On My Way To You (2021), came just before her death from cancer on 12/15/2022, age 67.
1957 ● Jellybean / (John Benitez) → Puerto Rican drummer, guitarist, producer (Madonna, Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters and others), club DJ and remixer, solo artist, “Who Found Who?” (#16, Dance/Club #3, 1987)
1960 ● Tommy Thayer → Guitarist, songwriter and producer, worked with Kiss as a session player and back-up on tours and is now the lead guitarist and “Spaceman” character for the group
1963 ● Clint Mansell → Guitarist for dance-rock Pop Will Eat Itself, “X, Y & Zee” (Modern Rock #11, 1991)
1964 ● Liam O Maonlai → Co-founder, vocals and keyboards for Irish rockers Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go” (Modern Rock #7, 1988)
1967 ● Sharleen Spiteri → Vocals for Scottish blues-rock Texas, “In My Heart” (Alt Rock #14, 1991)
1970 ● Neil Hannon → Founder, singer and frontman for Irish orchestral-pop group The Divine Comedy, “National Express” (UK #8, 1999)
1971 ● Robin Finck → Lead guitarist for industrial rock Nine Inch Nails, “The Day The World Went Away” (#17, 1999), joined reincarnated hard rock Guns N’ Roses in 1998 as a side project
1978 ● Mark Daniel Read → Vocals for Brit-Norwegian pop-rock boy band A1, “Same Old Brand New You” (, 2000)
1983 ● Forrest Kline → Lead singer, chief songwriter and guitarist in emo-rock/power pop Hellogoodbye, “Here (In Your Arms)” (#14, 2006)
1984 ● Omarion / (Omari Ishmael Grandberry) → Vocals for R&B/hip hop urban boy band B2K, “Bump, Bump, Bump” (#1, 2002)
1988 ● Tinie Tempah / (Patrick Chukwuemake Okogwu) → Brit rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer with multiple UK Top 10 hits as a lead solo or guest artist, including “Written In The Stars” (#12, UK #1, 2010)
1996 ● Lorde / (Ella Yelich-O’Connor) → New Zealand pop singer with the debut, world-wide hit single “Royals” (#1, AUS #2, UK #1, 2013), the first New Zealander with a #1 hit in the US
