Happy Birthday this week to:
November 20
1924 ● Irwin Stambler → Music-loving aeronautics engineer who published “The Encyclopedia of Rock, Pop and Soul” in 1974, one of the earliest compilations of facts and biographies covering a broad swath of contemporary music and a resource for countless researchers, authors and bloggers up to the present, died from sepsis on 2/10/2017, age 92
1930 ● Curly Putman / (Claude Putman, Jr.) → Nashville-based country-pop songwriter who wrote “Green, Green Grass Of Home,” covered by Porter Wagoner (Country #4, 1965), Tom Jones (#11, Easy #12, UK #1, 1966), Elvis Presley, Grateful Dead and many others, Paul McCartney‘s “Junior’s Farm” (#3, UK #16, 1974) was inspired by a visit to Putman’s Tennessee farm, died from congestive heart and kidney failures on 10/30/2016, age 85
1940 ● Tony Butala / (Anthony Francis Butala) → Lead vocals and only constant member of close-harmony folk-pop trio The Lettermen, “When I Fall In Love” (#1, 1961), still performing in the 10s
1941 ● Dr. John / (Malcolm John “Mac” Rebennack, Jr.) → Six-time Grammy-winning New Orleans boogie-blues-folk-rock pianist, guitarist and singer of “voodoo” music, swamp rock and Mardi Gras-tinted jazz and blues, best-known for the piano funk single “Right Place, Wrong Time” (#9, 1973) and the Grammy duet with Rickie Lee Jones, “Makin’ Whoopee” (1989), but issued 32 albums and appeared with numerous other artists on hundreds of recordings, died from a heart attack on 6/6/2019, age 77.
1942 ● Norman Greenbaum → One hit wonder Jewish (not Christian) pop/rocker, “Spirit In The Sky” (#3, 1970), retired from music in late 70s and took up dairy farming
1943 ● Suze Rotolo / (Susan Rotolo) → Greenwich Village artist and Bob Dylan girlfriend who appeared with him on the iconic cover of album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963), died of lung cancer on 2/25/2011, age 67
1944 ● Mike Vernon / (Michael William Hugh Vernon) → Founder and CEO of Blue Horizon record label, blues-rock album producer with credits on dozens of albums for David Bowie, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After and others
1944 ● Paul Griggs → Pop-rock musician, songwriter, bandmember and producer, formed mid-60s Brit pop-psych Octopus with his brother, Nigel (later of Split Enz), joined pre-fab pop band Guys ‘N’ Dolls, “There’s A Whole Lot Of Loving” (UK #2, 1975), since the mid-80s has written and produced various award-winning songs and several albums of his work
1945 ● “Dirty Dan” McBride / (Daniel Hatton) → Vocals for rock ‘n roll revival “greaser” parody group Sha Na Na (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #55, 1975), died in his sleep on 7/23/2009, age 63
1946 ● Ray Stiles → Bassist in for Brit “good time” glam-rock ‘n’ roll Mud, “Tiger Feet” (UK #1, 1974), joined pop-rock The Hollies in 1989 and continues with the band
1946 ● Duane Allman / (Howard Duane Allman) → Slide guitar virtuoso and co-founder of Southern rock The Allman Brothers Band, did session work with Wilson Pickett, Derek And The Dominos (guitar solo on “Layla,” #10, 1972) and others, died in a motorcycle accident on 10/29/1971, age 24
1946 ● J. Blackfoot / (John Colbert) → Original member in R&B/soul vocal quartet The Soul Children (“I’ll Be The Other Woman, #36, R&B #3, 1973), the group did not meet the expectations of Isaac Hayes and other Stax Records executives who created the group to offset the loss of departed duo Sam & Dave, died from pancreatic cancer on 11/30/2011, age 65
1947 ● Joe Walsh → Songwriter and guitarist for underrated hard rock The James Gang, “Walk Away” (#51, 1971), left for an off-and-on solo career, “Life’s Been Good” (#12, 1978), joined the Eagles in 1975 and co-wrote “Life In The Fast Lane” (#11, 1976)
1950 ● Gary Green → Guitarist for innovative prog rock Gentle Giant from 1970 to 1980
1954 ● Frank Marino → Founder, frontman and lead guitarist for 70s Canadian power rock trio Mahogany Rush and various incarnations through the 00s
1956 ● Robert Poss → Guitar and vocals for guitar-centric, “noise” rock quartet Band Of Susans, “Where Have All The Flowers Gone” (1988)
1957 ● Jim Brown → Drummer in multiracial reggae-pop UB40, “Red Red Wine” (#1, 1988) and over 30 other Top 40 hits
1961 ● Jim Brickman → Former advertising jingle writer and classical-trained pianist turned adult pop and light new age singer and songwriter, “Simple Things” (Adult Contemporary #1, 2001) plus six gold and platinum, longtime host for his own radio music variety show and PBS TV music specials
1961 ● Paul King → Irish-born New Wave pop-soul singer and frontman for King, “Love & Pride” (US #55, UK #2, 1985), solo album, since 1989 a VJ and producer on MTV and VH1
1962 ● Gail Ann Dorsey → Top alt rock session bassist and backing vocalist, worked with Tears For Fears, Bryan Ferry, The The, Gwen Stefani and others, member of David Bowie‘s band since 1995
1962 ● Steve Alexander → Vocals for Brit soul/pop boy band Brother Beyond, “The Harder I Try” (UK #2, 1988)
1962 ● Todd Nance → Original drummer for Southern rock jam band Widespread Panic, sat in with other musicians at a charity event in Athens, Georgia in 1986 and, at the end of the show, the group formed Widespread Panic, stayed through twelve studio and eight live albums until 2016 when a chronic medical condition forced his early retirement, died from the same undisclosed illness on 8/19/2020, age 57.
1965 ● Mike D / (Michael Louis Diamond) → Drummer, singer and rapper for hardcore punk then hip hop masters the Beastie Boys, “Fight For Your Right” (#7, 1987)
1965 ● Sen Dog / (Senen Reyes) → Vocals and rapper in Latino R&B/hip hop Cypress Hill, “Insane In The Brain” (#19, Rap #1, 1994) and The Reyes Brothers
1966 ● Eg White / (Francis Anthony White) → Vocals in Brit soul/pop boy band Brother Beyond, “The Harder I Try” (UK #2, 1988), now a successful songwriter with hits by Will Young, Natalie Imbruglia, Joss Stone, Kylie Minogue and others
1966 ● Kevin Gilbert → Multi-instrumental composer and producer, member of prog rock Giraffe and Toy Matinee, co-wrote “All I Wanna Do” (#2, 1995) with then-girlfriend Sheryl Crow,, died from apparent autoerotic asphyxiation on 5/17/1996, age 29
1970 ● Phife Dawg / (Malik Isaac Taylor) → Trinidadian-American rapper and member of acclaimed artistic hip hop jazz-rap fusion trio A Tribe Called Quest, “Check The Rhime” (Rap #1, 1991), then solo, “Flawless” (Rap #4, 2000), died from complications of diabetes on 3/22/2016, age 45
1973 ● Jacqueline Abbott → Lead vocals for alt pop-rock The Beautiful South, “A Little Time” (UK #1, 1990)
1975 ● Davey Havok / (David Paden Passaro) → Lead vocals for alt-punk-rock AFI (A Fire Inside), “Miss Murder” (#24, Modern Rock #1, 2006) and electronica Blaqk Audio “Stiff Kittens” (Dance/Club #38, 2007)
1975 ● Dierks Bentley → Country-rock crossover singer, songwriter and guitarist with 14 Country Top 10 hits, ten of which went #1, including “What Was I Thinkin’ (#22, Country #1, 2003)
1975 ● Jeffrey Lewis → Anti-folk singer, songwriter and guitarist with over 20 solo and collaborative albums, underground comic book artist and frequent collaborator with the Moldy Peaches and other anti-folk acts
1975 ● Tamika Scott → Vocals for female R&B/dance-pop quartet Xscape, “Understanding” (#8, 1993)
1981 ● Kimberly Walsh → Singer in pre-fab all-girl Euro-pop vocal group Girls Aloud, “Sound Of The Underground” (UK #1, 2002)
1986 ● Michael Jared Followill → Bassist in Southern blues-indie rock Kings Of Leon, “Sex On Fire” (Modern Rock #1, 2008)
November 21
1907 ● Buck Ram / (Samuel Ram) → R&B/soul composer, arranger and producer from the 1930s on, managed hugely successful R&B/doo wop The Platters, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (#1, 1958) and 13 other Top 20 hits between 1955 and 1967, wrote and produced for The Coasters, The Drifters, Ike & Tina Turner and others, died on 1/1/1991, age 83
1933 ● Jean Shepard / (Ollie Imogene Shepard) → Pioneering female honky tonk and country music singer with 24 studio albums and 21 Country Top 20 hits, including the crossover singles “Slippin’ Away” (#81, Country #4, 1973) and, in collaboration with Ferlin Husky, “A Dear John Letter” (#4, Country #1, 1953), continued to perform into her 80s and became the first female to be a Grand Old Opry member for over 60 years, died from complications of Parkinson’s and heart disease on 9/25/2016, age 82
1941 ● David Porter → Songwriting partner with Isaac Hayes at Stax Records, co-wrote “Soul Man” (#2, 1967) for Sam & Dave and other hits, released two solo R&B/piano albums and several singles
1941 ● Andrew Love → Saxophonist for legendary Stax Records‘ house band The Memphis Horns, played sessions for Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Sam And Dave, Elvis Presley, The Doobie Brothers, The Rascals and countless other top rock and soul acts, continued to do session work until retiring in 2002 due to Alzheimer’s disease, died on 4/12/2012, age 70
1942 ● Thunderclap Newman / (Andy Newman) → Keyboards for one hit wonder Brit psych-pop, Pete Townshend-produced Thunderclap Newman, “Something In The Air” (#37, UK #1, 1969)
1948 ● Lonnie Jordan / (LeRoy Jordan) → Singer and keyboardist for laid-back R&B/soul-funk War, “Spill The Wine” (#3, 1970), solo.
1948 ● Rabbit Bundrick / (John Bundrick) → Touring keyboardist for The Who since the late 70s, session musician for Bob Marley, Roger Waters, Eric Burdon and others, briefly a member of Free, principal musician for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, solo
1948 ● Mark Tulin → Bassist for psych/garage rock icons The Electric Prunes (“I Had To Much To Dream (Last Night),” #11, 1967), joined psych/goth/prog rock Smashing Pumpkins in 2008, returned to recording with new versions of The Electric Prunes and other psych/garage rock oldies groups, collapsed after a SCUBA dive at a volunteer underwater cleanup event and died on 2/26/2011, age 62
1948 ● Tom Finn / (Thomas Joseph Finn) → Founding member, bass guitarist and vocals for baroque-pop The Left Banke and two hit singles, “Walk Away Renee” (#5, 1966) and “Pretty Ballerina “ (#15, 1967), after then group disbanded became an engineer at Bell Sound Studios and then stage manager at Buddy Rich’s New York jazz nightclub, in the 80s worked as a DJ in various New York clubs before founding his own company and developing an upscale clientele, including Bill Clinton’s 1999 White House Millennium Gala, died following a period of ill health on 6/27/2020, age 71.
1948 ● Michael David “Mick” Rock / (Michael Edward Charles Smith) → Acclaimed British photographer often called “The Man Who Shot the Seventies” for his prolific and iconic images of top-level 70s rock stars including Queen, Lou Reed, The Ramones and dozens of others, official photographer to David Bowie in his Ziggy Stardust days, continued to shoot into the 10s, including promo images for Snoop Dogg, Lady Gaga and Rufus Wainwright, published the photo album Debbie Harry and Blondie: Picture This (2019), died from undisclosed causes on 11/18/2021, age 72.
1949 ● Randy Zehringer → With his brother Rick Derringer, drummer in garage-rock legends The McCoys and their classic “Hang On Sloopy” (#1, 1965) plus two other clunky 60s rock hits, played with various versions of Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter‘s blues-rock groups in the 70s and retired from music due to health reasons in the mid-70s
1950 ● Gary Pihl → Guitarist for hard rock Sammy Hagar‘s band, left in 1986 to join arena rock Boston, “Amanda” (#1, 1986)
1950 ● Livingston Taylor → Light folk-pop singer and songwriter, “I Will Be In Love With You” (#13, 1978), brother of James Taylor
1952 ● Lorna Luft → TV and film actress with multiple small part credits, stage perfumer and unremarkable pop singer, daughter of Judy Garland and half-sister of Liza Minelli, issued several non-charting singles in the 70s and 80s, sang backing vocals on Blondie‘s album Eat To The Beat (1979)
1953 ● Asa Brebner → Bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and local club legend in a number Boston-area bands, including proto-punk/cult bands Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers (“Roadrunner,” 1977) and Robin Lane & The Chartbusters, whose video for “When Things Go Wrong” was a mainstay on early MTV, from 1988 on soldiered through a up-and-down solo career, did session and production work, drew cartoons for High Times and other magazines, attended Chartbusters reunions, died from a heart attack on 3/9/2019, age 65.
1955 ● Peter Koppes → Guitarist and backing vocals for Aussie New Wave psych-pop then prog rock The Church, “Under The Milky Way” (#30, 1989)
1962 ● Steven Curtis Chapman → Hugely successful contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter and guitarist fusing light 70s rock and pop sounds with religious themes, five-time Grammy winner and holder of 56 Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association and seven Artist of the Year awards from the GMA, “Cinderella” (Adult Contemporary #23, Christian #4, 2003), his songs have been recorded by Glen Campbell, Roger Whittaker and others
1965 ● Björk Gundmundsdottir → Vocals for Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991), solo and actress
1967 ● Margret Ornolfsdottir → Keyboards and vocals for Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991)
1968 ● Alex James → Bassist for alt rock then Britpop quartet Blur, “Girls & Boys” (Alt Rock #4, 1994), journalist, TV actor and host, radio personality and cheese maker
1970 ● Francis McDonald → Drummer in Scot pre-grunge, then power pop Teenage Fanclub, “Star Sign” (Mainstream Rock #4, 1991)
1974 ● Kelsi Marie Osborn → Vocals and guitar in country-pop sister trio SHeDAISY, “I Will…But” (#43, Country #2, 1999)
November 22
1899 ● Hoagy Carmichael / (Howard Hoagland Carmichael) → Composer, actor, singer, pianist and bandleader, wrote or co-wrote several classic American pop tunes including “Stardust” (1927), “Georgia On My Mind” (1930) and “Heart And Soul” (1938), died of heart failure on 12/27/1981, age 82
1941 ● Jesse Colin Young / (Perry Miller) → Mid-60s Greenwich Village folk singer and songwriter, co-founded folk-rock The Youngbloods (“Get Together, #5, 1969), left in 1972 for a 40-year solo career, including LPs Song For Juli (#51, 1973) and Songbird (#26, 1975) plus several charting singles
1941 ● Terry Stafford → One hit wonder country and pop-rock singer and songwriter with the Elvis sound-alike “Suspicion” (#4, 1961), died from liver ailments on 3/17/1996, age 54
1942 ● Floyd Sneed → Drummer for pop-rock Three Dog Night, “Joy To The World” (#1, 1971) and nine other Top 10 hits between 1969 and 1973
1942 ● Stephen Caldwell → Vocals in mixed gender R&B doo-wop quartet The Orlons, “The Wah-Watusi” (#2, R&B #5, 1962), left the group in 1964 for a career in trade union management and 29 years on the Philadelphia Board of Education, reformed the group in 1988 for the oldies circuit
1946 ● Family Man Barrett / (Aston Francis Barrett) → Rastafarian and bassist for reggae bands The Upsetters and Bob Marley & The Wailers, “I Shot The Sheriff” (#1, 1974)
1947 ● Sonny Geraci → Lead singer for Cleveland garage rock quintet The Outsiders (“Time Won’t Let Me,” #5, 1966) and L.A. light AM pop Climax (“Precious And Few,” #3, 1972), one of only a very few artists who have scored Top 10 its fronting two different acts, continued to perform on the oldies circuit into the 10s
1947 ● Rod Price → Slide guitar for Brit boogie/blues-rock Foghat, “Slow Ride” (#20, 1975), solo, died following a heart attack on 3/22/2005, age 57
1948 ● Dennis Larden → With brother Larry, guitar and vocals for one hit wonder pop-folk Every Mother’s Son, “Come On Down To My Boat” (#6, 1967)
1950 ● “Miami” Steve (aka “Little Steve”) Van Zandt / (Steven Van Zandt) → Guitarist and songwriter, founding member of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, joined Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band in 1975, solo and frontman for Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, social activist and founder of Artists United Against Apartheid, record producer and TV actor (“Silvio Dante” on The Sopranos).
1950 ● Tina Weymouth → Bassist for New Wave art-pop-rock Talking Heads, “Take Me To The River” (#26, 1978) and co-founder of synth-pop Tom Tom Club, “Genius Of Love” (#31, R&B #2, 1982)
1954 ● Craig Huxley / (Craig Hundley) → Child actor turned Emmy-winning film producer and Grammy-nominated musician and soundtrack producer over a wide range of projects, including concert collaborations with Deep Purple, session work with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and others, soundtrack composer for the Star Trek movie series, music director for actor/singer William Shatner, founder of The Enterprise Interactive recording studios and producer of hits by Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Paul McCartney and dozens more, music arranger for Broadway shows, IMAX films and extreme expedition Blue-ray videos
1957 ● Sharon Bailey → Percussion for Brit reggae-pop-ska band Amazulu, “Too Good To Be Forgotten” (UK #5, 1986)
1958 ● Jason Ringenberg → Founder, frontman for alt country-rock “cowpunk” Jason & The Scorchers, “Golden Ball And Chain” (Mainstream Rock #16, 1986), now records and performs children’s music as Farmer Jason
1960 ● Jim Bob / (James Morrison) → One half of the alt dance-pop sampling duo Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, “The Only Living Boy In New Cross” (Modern Rock #26, UK #7, 1992)
1962 ● Daniel Schmid → Co-founder and bassist for jazz-rock-ska-swing revival Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “Zoot Suit Riot” (Modern Rock #15, 1998)
1962 ● Neil Fraser → Guitar for Brit folk-pop-soul Tindersticks, “Bathtime” (UK #38, 1997)
1968 ● Rasa Don / (Donald Norris) → Rapper in Grammy-winning, progressive rap, funk-soul-blues-hip-hop Arrested Development, “Mr. Wendal” (#6, 1992)
1970 ● Chris Fryar → Drummer for Grammy-winning alt-country-rock Zac Brown Band (“Knee Deep,” #18, Country #1,, 2012)
1976 ● Alex Grossi → Journeyman rock guitarist best known for his work with heavy metal/pop-metal Quiet Riot (“Bang Your Head (Metal Health),” #31, 1984)
1978 ● Karen O / (Karen Lee Orzolek) → Vocals and keyboards for New York alt/art-rock trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Gold Lion” (Alt Rock #14, 2006)
1979 ● Scott Robinson → Vocals for Brit dance-pop boy band 5ive (aka Five), “When The Lights Go Out” (#10, 1998)
1981 ● Ben Adams → Vocals for Brit-Norwegian pop-rock boy band A1, “Same Old Brand New You” (UK #1, 2000)
November 23
1925 ● Johnny Mandel / (John Alfred Mandel) → Journeyman jazz and Big Band musician in the 50s who became a Grammy-winning jazz and pop music composer, arranger and conductor for movie soundtracks after 1958, including “The Shadow Of Your Smile” from The Sandpiper (1964) and “Close Enough For Love” from Agatha (1969), best known for penning the melody and music to “Suicide Is Painless” (1970), the theme song from the movie and TV show MAS*H (and a surprise #1 hit in the UK) and the updated arrangement to “Unforgettable” (#14, AC #3, 1991) for Natalie Cole and her late, dubbed-in father, Nat King Cole, died from a heart ailment on 6/29/2020, age 94.
1939 ● Betty Everett → R&B/soul-pop vocalist and pianist, “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)” (#6, R&B #1, 1964), died at home on 8/19/2001, age 61
1940 ● Freddie Marsden / (Frederick John Marsden) → With brother Gerry Marsden, co-founder and drummer in 50s Brit skiffle band Mars Bars, which shortly became Merseybeat pop-rock Gerry & The Pacemakers(“How Do You Do It?, #9, AUS #3, UK #1, 1964), the second most popular Liverpool, England band of all time, left the music industry in the late 60s to open a driving school, died from cancer on 12/9/2006, age 66
1945 ● Bobby Bloom / (Robert Bloom) → One hit wonder calypso-pop singer and songwriter, “Montego Bay” (#1, 1974), died in an accidental gun shooting on 2/28/74, age 28
1949 ● Alan Paul → Singer in Grammy-winning jazz-pop fusion vocal group Manhattan Transfer, “Boy From New York City” (#7, 1981)
1949 ● Marcia Griffiths / (Marcia Llyneth Griffiths) → Jamaican pop singer and the “Queen of Reggae,” solo artist in the 60s and later in the I Threes as backing vocalist for Bob Marley & The Wailers, went solo and scored the minor hit “Electric Boogie” (#51, 1982) which became the basis for Ric Silver‘s dance-craze, copyright-infested “Electric Slide” (1976)
1949 ● Sandra Stevens → Vocals in Brit sunny folk-pop Brotherhood of Man “United We Stand” (#13, UK #10, 1970)
1954 ● Bruce Hornsby → Grammy-winning rock-pop-jazz-classical-bluegrass keyboardist, singer and songwriter, bandleader for The Range “The Way It Is” (#1, 1986), solo, producer for Leon Russell and others, filled in on keyboards for the Grateful Dead, now fronts separate bluegrass and jazz bands
1962 ● Calvin Hayes → Keyboards and drums for underappreciated, one hit wonder (in the U.S.) New Wave sophisti-pop Johnny Hates Jazz, “Shattered Dreams” (#2, 1988)
1962 ● Chris Bostock → Bassist in dance-pop-rock Jo Boxers, “Boxer Beat” (UK #3, 1983)
1964 ● Conny Bloom / (Conquistador Blomqvist) → Guitarist and songwriter for Finnish glam-punk-metal Hanoi Rocks, covered Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Up Around The Bend” (UK #61, 1984)
1966 ● Charlie Grover → Drummer in post-grunge alt rock Sponge, “Molly (16 Candles Down The Drain” (Modern Rock #3, 1995)
1966 ● Ken Block → Lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer for Southern folk-rock Sister Hazel, “All For You” (#11, 1997), solo
1978 ● Alison Mosshart → Singer, songwriter and occasional model, lead singer for indie rock The Kills (“The Good Ones,” UK #23, 2005) and blues-rock supergroup The Dead Weather (“Die By The Drop,” Alt Rock #20, 2010)
1978 ● Tommy Marth / (Thomas Christian Marth, Jr.) → Freelance journalist, Las Vegas nightclub manager,Hard Rock Café marketing director and session saxophonist in alt hard rock The Killers (“Mr. Brightside,” #10, Alt. Rock #3, 2003), committed suicide by gunshot on 4/23/2012, age 33
1984 ● Lucas Stephen Grabeel → Pop singer and actor, played “Ryan Evans” in High School Musical movies (most watched cable TV movies ever)
1992 ● Miley Cyrus / (Destiney Hope Cyrus) → Teen idol actress and star of the Disney Hannah Montana series, then pop vocalist, “Party In The U.S.A.” (#2, 2009), daughter of country-pop singer Billy Ray Cyrus
November 24
1868 ● Scott Joplin → The “King of Ragtime,” pianist and prolific jazz and ragtime composer best known for his signature piece, “Maple Leaf Rag” (copyright 1899), died from dementia caused by syphilis on 4/1/1917, age 49
1924 ● Eileen Barton → Child vaudeville performer, teenage radio program vocalist, 20-something pop singer with ten Top 40 hits in the 50s, including the perky “If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked You A Cake” (#1, 1950), continued as a night club and stage entertainer in her 30s and 40s, died from ovarian cancer on 6/27/2006, age 81
1931 ● Tommy Allsup / (Tommy Douglas Allsup) → Rockabilly and swing guitarist with Buddy Holly & The Crickets, lost a coin toss with Ritchie Valens for the last seat on the fateful flight on February 3, 1959 that killed Holly, Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, later worked as a session musician for Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson and others, died from complications of a hernia surgery on 1/11/2017, age 85
1936 ● Ken Kragen / (Kenneth Allan Kragen) → Music manager, TV producer and fundraising professional credited with a key role in organizing the USA for Africa charitable collaboration and the star-studded single “We Are The World” (Worldwide #1, 1985), convinced Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones and other clients to join the effort and recruit other top artists, the project raised over $64 million for African famine relief, followed in 1986 with the semi-successful Hands Across America anti-poverty fundraiser and subsequent events, earlier produced the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-69) and managed The Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John and others, continued to consult for businesses and not-for-profits, and teach at UCLA and other schools before dying from natural causes on 12/14/2021, age 85.
1938 ● Charles Laquidara → Radio DJ on early “free format” WBCN/Boston, his morning drive time show The Big Mattress ran for nearly 30 years and set the bar for FM radio morning shows
1939 ● Jim Yester → Guitar and vocals for light pop-rock vocal group The Association, “Along Comes Mary” (#7, 1966)
1939 ● Carl Bunch → Rock ‘n’ roll drummer recruited for Buddy Holly‘s band in the “Winter Dance Party” tour of 1959, suffered frostbite due to a malfunctioning tour bus heater and was hospitalized while the rest of the band took the ill-fated plane flight that killed Holly and others, did session work in Nashville following a stint in the Army, died from diabetes on 3/26/2011, age 71
1940 ● Johnny Carver → Country-pop crossover singer with fifteen Country Top 40 hits in the late 60s through the late 70s, including counterfeits of Tony Orlando & Dawn‘s “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Old Oak Tree” (Country #5, 1973) and Starland Vocal Band‘s “Afternoon Delight” (Country #9, 1976), performed in Branson, MO venues into the 90s
1941 ● Pete Best / (Randolph Peter Best) → The “5th The Beatle“, drummer for The Beatles from August 1960 until fired and replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962, went into civil service and continued to perform as frontman to his own bands
1941 ● Duck Dunn / (Donald Dunn) → Bassist, songwriter, highly regarded session player, member of Stax Records house band Booker T. & The MG’s, “Green Onions” (#3, 1962) and The Blues Brothers, “Soul Man” (#14, 1979), died in his sleep while on tour in Tokyo on 5/13/2012, age 70
1941 ● Wayne Jackson / (Wayne Lamar Jackson) → Trumpet player for various studio session bands at Stax Records, first as The Mar-Keys (“Last Night,” #3, 1961) and later as Booker T. & The M.G.’s, joined with tenor saxophonist Andrew Love to form The Memphis Horns in 1969 and played on scores of albums by Elvis Presley, Rod Stewart, U2, among others, died from congestive heart failure on 6/21/2016, age 74
1942 ● Billy Connolly → Scottish comedian, film and TV actor and singer, member of folk trio The Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty in 70s, then briefly a folk-novelty-pop solo artist, covered “D.I.V.O.R.C.E.” (UK #1, 1975)
1943 ● Robin Williamson → Guitarist and principal in Scottish psych-folk and early world music duo The Incredible String Band, 1968 album The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter reached #161 in the US
1943 ● Richard Tee / (Richard Ten Ryk) → R&B and funk keyboardist, session musician, arranger and singer who played on hundreds of studio albums by top-tier artists in rock, pop and soul as well as in band’s led by George Benson, Grover Washington, Jr., Steve Gadd and others, issued seven solo albums, two of which reached into the Jazz Top 25, died in his prime from prostate cancer on 7/21/1993, age 49
1945 ● Lee Michaels / (Michael Olsen) → One hit wonder psych-rock/blue eyed soul singer, songwriter and keyboardist, “Do You Know What I Mean” (#6, 1971)
1948 ● Tony Bourge → Guitarist for early and influential heavy metal Budgie, “Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman” (1971)
1949 ● Anita Louis → Original member in R&B/soul vocal quartet The Soul Children, “I’ll Be The Other Woman” (#36, R&B #3, 1973), the group did not meet the expectations of Isaac Hayes and other Stax Records executives who created the group to offset the loss of departed duo Sam & Dave
1950 ● Robert Burns, Jr. → Original drummer and founding member of raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” (#8, 1974), left in 1974 after the band’s first two albums due to road fatigue, died in a single-car accident on 4/3/2015, age 64
1955 ● Clement Burke / (Clement Bozewski) → Original drummer for New Wave pop-rock Blondie, “Heart Of Glass” (#1, 1979), later with The Romantics, occasional tours with The Ramones (as “Elvis Ramone”), session work for Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, The Gog-Go’s, The Sex Pistols and others
1957 ● Chris Hayes → Guitar and backing vocals for pop-rock bar band Huey Lewis & The News, “The Power Of Love” (#1, 1985)
1958 ● Carmel McCourt → Brit jazz-pop-rock vocalist and bandleader for Carmel, “Bad Day” (UK #15, 1983)
1962 ● Gary Stonadge → Bassist for funk-punk Big Audio Dynamite, “V. Thirteen” (Dance/Club #15, 1987) and The Rotten Hill Gang
1962 ● John Squire → Guitarist for Brit guitar pop-rock The Stone Roses, “She Bangs The Drums” (Alt Rock #9, 1989) and indie rock The Seahorses, “Love Is The Law” (UK #3, 1997), painter
1964 ● Tony Rombola → Guitarist for hard rock Godsmack, “Straight Out Of Line” (Mainstream #1, 2003)
1970 ● Chad Taylor → Guitarist for alt rock Live, “Lightning Crashes” (Modern Rock #5, 1995) and The Gracious Few, “Appetite” (Mainstream Rock #29, 2010)
November 25
1931 ● Nat Adderley / (Nathaniel Adderley) → Hard bebop and soul jazz cornet and trumpeteer player, wrote and recorded the now-standard “Work Song” in 1960, played with his brother Julian “Cannonball” Adderley in various jazz-pop bands, died from complications of diabetes on 1/2/2012, age 68
1935 ● Mack Starr / (Julius McMichael) → R&B vocalist, songwriter and frontman for Brooklyn street-corner harmony quintet The Paragons (“Florence,” 1957), unraveled the group in 1961 for a solo career, joined doo wop The Olympics in 1968 but left in the early 70s, died in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles on 6/1/1981, age 45
1941 ● Percy Sledge → Pleading R&B/Southern soul balladeer, “When A Man Loves A Woman” (#1, 1965) and three other Top 40 hits, died from liver cancer on 4/14/2015, age 73
1942 ● Bob Lind → One hit wonder folk-pop singer and songwriter, his “Elusive Butterfly” (#5, 1966) is sometimes credited with being in the vanguard of folk-rock music and his songs have been recorded by scores of other artists, continues to perform into the 10s
1944 ● Bev Bevan / (Beverly Bevan) → Drummer and founding member of Brit psych-rock The Move, “Blackberry Way” (UK #1, 1968), pop-rock Electric Light Orchestra, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (#4, 1979) and 26 other Top 40 hits and Black Sabbath, now a UK radio host on Saga FM
1947 ● Val Fuentes → Drummer for San Francisco psych-folk-rock It’s A Beautiful Day, “White Bird” (1969)
1950 ● Jocelyn Brown → R&B/dance-pop session vocalist and solo artist, “Somebody Else’s Guy” (R&B #2, 1984), worked with John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and others
1959 ● Steve Rothery → Original member and lead guitar for Brit prog-rock revival group Marillion, “Kayleigh” (Mainstream Rock #14, 1985)
1960 ● Amy Grant → Grammy-winning Contemporary Christian music (CCM) then pop-rock singer and songwriter, “Every Heartbeat” (#1, 1991) and six other Top 40 hits
1964 ● Mark Lanegan / (Mark William Lanegan) → Gritty yet soulful vocalist, songwriter and integral part of the Seattle-based grunge rock scene in the 80s and 90s, first as lead singer from 1984 for early grunge band Screaming Trees (“All I Know,” Mainstream #9, 1996) and later as a member of stoner metal Queens Of The Stone Age (“No One Knows,” #51, Mainstream #5, 2002) and alt. rock The Gutter Twins, released 12 solo studio albums through 2020, survived a bout with the COVID-19 virus in 2021 but died from undisclosed causes on 2/22/2022, age 57.
1966 ● Stacey Lattishaw → R&B/dance-pop vocalist, “Let Me Be Your Angel” (#21, R&B #8, 1980), retired from music in 1990 to raise her family
1966 ● Tim Armstrong → Grammy-winning guitarist, songwriter poet, producer and independent record label owner, frontman for 90s punk revival Rancid, “Time Bomb” (Modern Rock #8, 1995)
1967 ● Rodney Sheppard → Guitarist for funk-pop-rock Sugar Ray, “Fly” (#1, 1997)
1968 ● Tunde / (Babatunde Emanuel Baiyewu) → Nigerian-descent singer in Brit R&B/Northern soul duo Lighthouse Family, “Lifted” (UK #4, 1996) and 9 other UK Top 40 hits, solo
1972 ● Mark Duane Morton → Lead guitar for groove metal Lamb God, album Wrath reached #2 in 2009
November 26
1917 ● Nesuhi Ertegun → Record producer and music company executive, joined his younger brother, Ahmet at Atlantic Records in 1956 and focused on the label’s jazz catalog and artists, worked with John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and others, later branched into R&B and rock with Ray Charles, The Drifters and Roberta Flack, founded WEA International and served as its CEO until just before his death from cancer on 7/15/1989, age 71
1924 ● Michael Holliday / (Norman Milne) → Late 50s, pre-Beatles adult contemporary/pop crooner, “The Story of My Life” (UK #1, 1957), died from an apparent suicidal drug overdose on 10/29/1963, age 38
1933 ● Roberrt Goulet → Grammy-, Emmy- and Tony-winning, French-Canadian-American stage and screen entertainer and resonant baritone singer with several charting hits, including “My Love, Forgive Me (Amore, Scusami)” (#16, AC #3, 1964) and dozens of jazz-pop/easy listening albums, plus 30-years worth of Broadway, TV, film and Las Vegas show performances until his death from pulmonary fibrosis on 10/30/2007. age 73
1939 ● Tina Turner / (Anna Mae Bullock) → R&B/soul-pop diva, first as a member of The Ikettes, husband Ike Turner‘s backing vocal group, then soul-pop duo Ike & Tina Turner, “Proud Mary” (#4, 1971) and Grammy-winning solo career, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” (#1, 1984) and 12 other Top 40 singles
1939 ● Dave White / (David Ernest White) → Rock ‘n’ roll/pop singer-songwriter, founding member of doo-wop quartet Danny & The Juniors, co-wrote their hit “At the Hop” (#1, 1957) and composed the follow-on single “Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay” (#19, 1958), left in 1960 to team with John Madara to write and produce “The Fly” (#7, 1961) for Chubby Checker, “You Don’t Own Me“ (#2, 1963) for Lesley Gore and “1-2-3” ( 1965) for Len Barry, among many other songs, later founded short-lived pop trio The Spokesmen (“The Dawn Of Correction,” #36, 1966), lived off royalties from his hits and performed occasionally with a reformed Danny & The Juniors until dying from lung and throat cancer on 3/16/2019, age 79.
1940 ● Davey Graham / (David Michael Gordon Graham) → Folk guitarist, songwriter and highly influential figure in the Brit folk revival of the early 60s known for blending folk, blues, jazz and Middle Eastern sounds and inspiring Joni Mitchell, Bert Jansch, Jimmy Page and others, his oft-covered acoustic instrumental “Anji” (1962) is a standard among acoustic guitarists, died from lung cancer on 12/15/2008, age 68
1944 ● Jean Terrell → R&B/soul singer, replaced Diana Ross in The Supremes in 1969, “Up The Ladder To The Roof” (#10, 1970), left in 1973 for a solo career and backing vocalist for various jazz acts
1945 ● John McVie → Founding member, part namesake and bassist for Brit blues-rock then huge pop-rock group Fleetwood Mac, “Go Your Own Way” (#10, 1977)
1946 ● Bert Ruiter / (Albertus Clemens Ruiter) → Bass guitarist and backing vocals for Dutch progressive rock band Focus from 1971 to 1978, played on six albums and the band’s international hit “Hocus Pocus” (#9, 1973), joined symphonic- then pop-rock Earth & Fire (“Weekend,” Dutch #1 and others in Europe, 1979) through the 80s, worked with E&F bandmate and frontwoman Jerney Kaagman on her two solo albums in 1984 and 1987 (in addition to a long romantic relationship), rejoined Focus for a brief stint in the 90, remained active in the Dutch music industry as an arranger and producer until his death from undisclosed causes on 3/24/2022, age 75.
1946 ● Graham Foote → Guitarist in British Invasion pop-rock The Mindbenders, “The Game Of Love” (#1, 1965)
1948 ● John Rossall → Saxophone, trombone and music director for Gary Glitter‘s backing group The Glitter Band, “Angel Face” (UK #4, 1974) and later incarnations of the group
1949 ● Gayle McCormick → Little-known pop-rock singer with several minor albums and singles as a solo artist, plus lead vocals for pop-rock cover vocal group Smith and their grittier version of The Shirelles‘ “Baby It’s You” (#5, 1969), which charted higher than the original version from 1962, and on the group’s cover of “The Weight” from the soundtrack to the film Easy Rider (1969).
1949 ● Martin Lee → Vocals in Brit sunny folk-pop Brotherhood of Man, “United We Stand” (#13, UK #10, 1970)
1963 ● Adam Gaynor → Rhythm guitarist for post-grunge alt rock Matchbox Twenty, “Bent” (#1, 2000), solo
1967 ● John Stirratt → Bassist and songwriter for alt country-rock Wilco, “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” (Mainstream Rock #22, 1997)
1970 ● Ron Jones → Guitarist for neo-psych alt rock The Flaming Lips, “She Don’t Use Jelly” (#55, 1995)
1981 ● Natasha Bedingfield → New Zealand-born dance-pop singer and songwriter, “Unwritten” (#5, 2006) plus three other Top 40 hits
1984 ● Ben Wysocki → Drummer for mainstream/piano rock The Fray, “How To Save A Life” (#3, 2006)
1985 ● Lil Fizz / (Dreux Frederic) → Vocals for R&B/hip hop urban boy band B2K, “Bump, Bump, Bump” (#1, 2002)
1990 ● Rita Ora → Kosovo-born UK dance/pop singer and dancer with three consecutive UK #1 singles, including “How We Do (Party)” (#62, Dance/Pop #1, UK #1, 2012)
