Happy Birthday this week to:
October 26
1911 ● Mahalia Jackson → The “Queen of Gospel,” vastly influential gospel superstar singer, “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” (#69, 1958), three-time Grammy winner, civil rights activist and philanthropist, died from heart failure on 1/27/1972, age 60
1913 ● Charlie Barnet → Jazz saxophonist, composer and leader of an early racially-integrated band, noted for penning more than twenty-five Billboard chart hits in the Swing era between 1939 and 1946, including “Cherokee,” “Redskin Rhumba” and “Skyliner,” married 11 times, the final one lasting 33 years, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and pneumonia on 9/4/1991, age 77
1929 ● Neal Matthews → Vocals in country-gospel-pop backing quartet The Jordanaires, recorded with Elvis Presley (1957-1972), Patsy Cline, Tom Jones, Merle Haggard and others, died of a heart attack on 4/21/2000, age 70.
1930 ● Mickey Kapp / (Michael Ivan Kapp) → Hollywood music executive with his father’s Kapp Records and, among other song credits, producer of Louis Armstrong‘s version of “Hello, Dolly!” from the musical of the same name, the song knocked The Beatles‘ “Can’t Buy Me Love” off the No. 1 spot on the U.S. pop charts in 1964, best known for producing the one hit wonder novelty hit “The Astronaut” (#19, 1961) recorded by comedian Bill Dana as the dim-witted, space-suited character José Jiménez, which eventually led to a side career providing SONY TC-50 cassette player mixtapes to multiple NASA space missions, including the 1969 Apollo moon shot when his music playlist was often heard in the background of radio transmissions, consulted for NASA into the 70s, during his career worked in various capacities at Elektra Records, Capitol Records and later Warner Music, died from congestive heart failure on 6/11/2019, age 88.
1934 ● Jacques Loussier → French pianist, composer and frontman for the Jacques Loussier Trio from 1959 to the late 70s, specialized in jazzed-up versions of classical masterpieces, a good many by Johann Sebastian Bach, sold over 7 million copies of nearly 40 albums, performed in over 3,000 concerts worldwide and, following the Trio‘s disbandment, composed film scores, concertos and ballet pieces, performed with Pink Floyd and Elton John, among other rock acts, and recorded portions of Pink Floyd‘s The Wall (1979) in his private studio, reformed the Trio on the tricentenary of Bach‘s birth in 1985, toured and recorded until releasing his last album on his 80th birthday in 2014, suffered an on-stage stroke in 2011, retired from touring and died from an undisclosed degenerative disease on 3/5/2019, age 84.
1936 ● Al Casey / (Alvin Wayne Casey) → Piano and guitar with early rocker Duane Eddy‘s Rebels, wrote Eddy‘s early hit “Ramrod” (#27, R&B #17, 1958) and co-wrote “Forty Miles Of Bad Road” (#9, 1959), issued several mostly instrumental solo albums in the 60s and scored three minor chart singles, including ” Surfin’ Hootenanny” (#48, 1963), turned to session work as a member of the acclaimed Wrecking Crew group of L.A. studio musicians and recorded with numerous top artists, owned a Los Angeles music store for 20 years, retired in 1993 and died on 9/17/2006, age 69
1938 ● Jabo Starks / (John Henry Starks) → Blues, funk and soul drummer who grew up playing with blues artists in clubs on the Deep South “chitlin’ curcuit” then joined Bobby Bland‘s band in 1959 and played on numerous soul/gospel hits, including “Turn On Your Lovelight” (#28, R&B #2, 1961, left in 1965 to join James Brown‘s band (“Sex Machine,” #2, R&B #15, 1970) for whom he toured and recorded as the lone drummer or in tandem with Clyde Stubblefield for a decade, later joined B. B. King‘s touring band and reunited with Stubblefield as The Funkmasters in the 90s and played with him on two albums and multiple James Brown tribute shows, died from complications of leukemia and other blood disorders on 5/1/2018, age 79
1940 ● Stephen Swid / (Stephen Claar Swid) → Wall Street analyst, financial advisor and private equity partner, purchased CBS Songs, the music publishing division of CBS Inc., for $125 million in 1986 and sold it less than 3 years later to Thorn-EMI for $335 million, later paid $25 million to acquire SESAC (the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers), a small player in the music copyright and royalty collection business, and grew the company to rival industry giants ASCAP and BMI, also co-owner of The “21” Club in New York City and CEO of Spin magazine, retired in 2013 after selling SESAC to an investment firm for $1.2 billion and died from complications of frontotemporal degeneration on 10/06/2019, age 78.
1944 ● Alan Henderson → Bassist for Irish garage-rock, proto-punk Them, “Gloria” (#71, 1966)
1944 ● Michael Piano → Singer in light folk sunshine-pop, two hit wonder vocal trio The Sandpipers, “Guantanamera” (#9, 1966) and “Come Saturday Morning” (#17, 1970)
1946 ● Keith Hopwood → Guitarist in British Invasion pop-rock Herman’s Hermits, “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” (#1. 1965)
1951 ● Bootsy Collins / (William Earl Collins) → R&B/funk bassist, singer and songwriter, with James Brown band in the 60s and Parliament-Funkadelic in the 70s, frontman for Bootsy’s Rubber Band, “Bootzilla” (R&B #1, 1978)
1951 ● Maggie Roche / (Margaret A. Roche) → Eldest of the three singer/songwriter sisters who performed and recorded in pairs or as a trio in critically-acclaimed but commercially-marginal folk-pop close-harmony The Roches, the group issued 17 albums over 30 years, along the way backing Paul Simon on There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (#2, 1973), playing various venues on the Greenwich Village folk scene, appearing on several TV variety shows, touring occasionally and collaborating with others, died from breast cancer on 1/21/2017, age 65.
1952 ● David Was / (David Weiss) → Lyricist, keyboardist and co-frontman for eclectic R&B and rock fusion Was (Not Was), “Walk The Dinosaur” (#7, 1989), producer, music journalist and theme song composer.
1953 ● Keith Strickland → Guitars, keyboards and occasional drums for New Wave alt-dance-rock The B-52’s, “Love Shack” (#3, 1989)
1962 ● Steve Wren → Drummer for New Wave synth-pop-soul Then Jerico, “The Motive” (UK #18, 1987)
1963 ● Natalie Merchant → Lead vocals and songwriting for folk-pop 10,000 Maniacs, “These Are Days” (Alt-Rock #1, 1992), left in 1993 for solo career, “Carnival” (#10, 1995)
1965 ● Judge Jules / (Julius O’Riordan) → UK dance music remixer, producer and radio DJ, first with pirate radio Kiss FM and since 1987 with BBC Radio 1 in various time slots
1967 ● Keith Urban → New Zealand-born Nashville contemporary country-pop crossover guitarist, songwriter and three-time Grammy winner, “Sweet Thing” (#30, Country #1, 2008)
1978 ● Mark Barry → Vocals for short-lived teen pop-rock trio BBMak, “Back Here” (#13, 2000), now a personal fitness trainer
1981 ● Guy Sebastian → Australian adult contemporary/soul-pop singer/songwriter, winner of the first Australian Idol series, “Angels Brought Me Here” (Australian #1, 2003)
1986 ● Schoolboy Q / (Quincy Matthew Hanley) → Hip hop singer and recording artist, originally with self-anointed supergroup Black Hippy, since 2009 solo singer with the debut hit album Oxymoron (#1, Rap #1, R&B #1, CAN #1, 2014) and the single “Studio” (#38, Rap #5, R&B #10, 2014)
October 27
1924 ● Gary Chester / (Cesario Gurciullo) → Top-rated session drummer from doo wop to rock and pop, co-author of two instruction books on drumming, worked with the Coasters, The Monkees, Dionne Warwick, Country Joe McDonald, Van Morrison and many others on hundreds of albums and thousands of songs, died 8/17/1987, age 62
1924 ● Bonnie Lou / (Mary Joan Okum) → Pioneering country-pop, rockabilly and early rock ‘n’ roll singer and later TV show host with several crossover hits and the early rocker “Daddy O” (#14, 1955), dubbed “Queen” of the country music Midwestern Hayride program on NBC-TV through the early 70s, died in her sleep on 12/8/2015, age 91
1933 ● Floyd Cramer → Country-pop/easy listening “Nashville sound” pianist with the unique “slip-note” style, issued several hit singles (including “Last Date,” #2, Country #11, 1960) and albums of instrumental covers, worked as a session musician with Elvis Presley, Brenda Lee, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers and others, most widely known as the composer to theme song for 1980s mega-hit TV soap Dallas, died of lung cancer on 12/31/1997, age 64.
1939 ● Dallas Frazier / (Dallas June Frazier) → Country-pop musician and prolific songwriter, penned and recorded his first single, “Space Command” (no charts, 1954) at age 14 and followed with 10 charting singles between 1966 and 1973, best known for writing country-pop “Elvira” for himself (no charts, 1966) and the Oak Ridge Boys (#5, Country #1, 1981), novelty-pop “Alley Oop” (#1, R&B #3, 1960) for the Hollywood Argyles, “There Goes My Everything” (#65, Country #1, 1966) for Jack Greene, and “Beneath Still Waters” (Country #1, 1980) for Emmylou Harris, left the music industry for the ministry in the Nashville area in 1988, suffered two strokes in mid-2021 and died on 1/14,2022, age 82.
1942 ● Melvin Lee Greenwood → Country-pop singer and songwriter, “God Bless The USA” (Country #7, 1984) re-released in October 2001 (#16, Country #16, 2001) and 18 other Country Top 10 singles plus a Grammy Award
1945 ● Mark Ryan → Bass guitarist for early 70s lineup of psych-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service (“Fresh Air,” #49, 1970), later in funk-rock Bodacious D.F. with ex-Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin.
1945 ● Dick Dodd / (Joseph Richard Dodd, Jr.) → Original cast member of The Mickey Mouse Club beginning in 1955, formed instrumental surf rock The Bel-Airs and played drums on the regional hit “Mr. Moto” (1961), joined garage/proto-punk The Standells in 1964 as drummer and sang lead vocals on “Dirty Water” (#11, 1966), toured with the group occasionally until dying of cancer on 11/29/2013, age 68
1948 ● Byron Allred → Keyboards in blues-rock then psych-rock then pop-rock Steve Miller Band, “The Joker” (#1, 1973)
1949 ● Gary Tallent → Bassist in Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band, producer, sessions, record company executive
1949 ● Clifford Antone → Club owner, record label executive and one of the architects of the Austin, TX blues music scene, founded Antone’s blues club in 1975 and featured blues artists such as B. B. King, Fats Domino, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others, chief executive of independent label Antone’s Records and university lecturer, died from unspecified causes on 5/23/2006, age 56
1951 ● K.K. Downing / (Kenneth Downing, Jr.) → Lead guitarist for popular and influential “New Wave” heavy metal band Judas Priest, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” (#67, Mainstream Rock #4, 1982) plus the 2009 Grammy-winning album Dissident Aggressor
1953 ● Peter Dodd → Guitarist with New Wave synth-pop Thompson Twins, “Hold Me Now” (#3, 1983)
1956 ● Hazell Dean / (Hazell Dean Poole) → Brit dance-pop singer and H-NRG artist, “Searchin’ (I Gotta Find A Man)” (Dance/Club #8, 1983) and two other Dance/Club Top 20 hits
1958 ● Simon LeBon → Lead singer and lyricist for New Wave pop-rock Duran Duran, “Hungry Like The Wolf” (#3, 1982), still recording in 2011
1967 ● Scott Weiland Kline / (Scott Richard Kline) → Founding member and lead vocals for alt hard rock Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song” (#18, 1994), died in his sleep after years of drug abuse on 12/3/2015, age 48
1984 ● Kelly Osbourne → Reality TV actress, socialite and teen-pop-rock singer, “Papa Don’t Preach” (Mainstream Rock #25, UK #3, 2002), daughter of metal superstar Ozzy and manager-wife Sharon Osbourne, fashion designer, TV judge and host
October 28
1927 ● Cleo Laine / (Clementine Dinah Campbell) → Highly-regarded, Grammy-winning Brit jazz-pop and scat vocalist, first as a singer in future husband Johnny Dankworth‘s big bands in the 50s and, after singing lead on several 60s hits, including “You’ll Answer To Me” (UK #5, 1961), as a solo act with Dankworth’s band behind her, issued over 50 albums in every decade from 1957 to 2003 and performed worldwide from the 70s through the 00s, acted in musicals on stages from London to New York to Sydney in a parallel career performing the lead in numerous top-level shows from (1959) to A Little Night Music (1983) and at her own The Stables theater in London, continued to perform until the late 10s and died from unspecified causes on 7/24/2025, age 97.
1933 ● Gershon Kingsley / (Götz Gustav Ksinski) → German-American composer and pioneer of popular electronic music and the Moog synthesizer, on which he recorded film scores, Broadway musicals, TV commercials, a rock versions of Jewish services, and three dozen albums as a solo artist or in collaboration with others, his signature song “Pop Corn” has been recorded by hundreds of artists, including synth-pop Hot Butter (#9, 1973), Latin jazz Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, dance-pop Crazy Frog and techno/ambient Aphex Twin, later switched to digital electronics and new age music, and composed theatrical concerts and operas into the 00s, died from undisclosed causes on 12/10/2019, age 97.
1936 ● Charlie Daniels / (Charles Edward Daniels) → Country and Southern rock legend known for his high-speed fiddling and a long list of accomplishments over 60 years, first as a Nashville session musician on albums by Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr and others, later as leader of the four-decade Charlie Daniels Band (“The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” #3, 1979 and four other Top 40 crossover hits), as founder and organizer of the Volunteer Jam concerts (1974-1996) and tours (1999-2015) showcasing fellow Southern rockers, as a mostly cameo actor in two dozen movies and TV shows, as an inductee to the Grand Ole Opry (2008) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (2016), and for his unapologetic right-wing stance on social and political issues, died from a hemorrhagic stroke on 7/6/2020, age 83.
1937 ● Graham Bond → Early and important but underappreciated Brit R&B/blues-rock musician, first with Blues Incorporated, fronted the Graham Bond Organization with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a London tube train on 5/8/1974, age 36
1939 ● Jim Post / (Jimmie David Post) → Singer and songwriter with then-wife Cathy Conn Post in one hit wonder folk-pop duo Friend & Lover and their inspirational pop hit “Reach Out Of The Darkness” (#10, 1968), disbanded and divorced after failing to find a follow-up hit, continued to write and perform folk music as a solo act in the Chicago area into the 10s, wrote children’s books with another of his wives from five marriages, died in hospice care from congestive heart failure on 9/14/2022, age 82.
1940 ● Jay Proctor → Founder and frontman for integrated Philly soul-pop Jay & The Techniques, “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” (#6, R&B #8, 1967), plus two other Top 40 hits in the 60s and two disco singles in the 70s
1941 ● Curtis Lee → Early pop-rock ‘n’ roll one hit wonder singer, “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” (#7, 1961)
1941 ● Hank Marvin / (Brian Robson Rankin) → Guitarist with instrumental pop-rock The Shadows, “Apache” (Worldwide #1, 1960)
1942 ● Raymond Steinberg → Baritone for blue-eyed soul/doo wop The Reflections (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #6, 1964)
1945 ● Wayne Fontana / (Glyn Geoffrey Ellis) → Frontman for British Invasion pop-rock band The Mindbenders (“Game Of Love,” #1, 1965), then solo (“Pamela Pamela,” UK #11, 1967), took his stage name from D. J. Fontana, Elvis Presley‘s longtime drummer, dropped out of the music scene in the 80s, suffered from alcoholism and financial troubles in the 90s and 00s but returned to perform on the oldies circuit until just prior to his death from cancer on 8/6/2020, age 74.
1947 ● George Glover → Keyboards and backing vocals for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, “Couldn’t Get It Right” (#3, 1977)
1948 ● Telma Louise Hopkins → TV sitcom actress and former light-pop backing vocalist in Tony Orlando & Dawn, “Knock Three Times” (#1, 1971) and nine other Top 20 hits
1951 ● John Regan / (John Michael Regan) → Bass guitarist and session musician, joined Peter Frampton’s backing band in 1979 and toured and recorded with him for over 30 years, worked in Frehley’s Comet with ex-Kiss member Ace Frehley from 1984 to 1990, recorded albums with a number of artists over the decades, including David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Billy Idol, and David Lee Roth and dozens of others, died from undisclosed causes on 4/07/2023, age 71.
1953 ● Desmond Child / (John Charles Barrett) → Grammy-winning songwriter and producer with 70 Top 40 singles, frontman for Desmond Child & Rouge, “Our Love Is Insane” (#50, 1979), then wrote and produced for Kiss, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Cher, Michael Bolton, Hilary Duff, Kelly Clarkson and others
1957 ● Stephen Morris → Drummer for post-punk Joy Division, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (Dance/Club #42, UK #13, 1980), then New Wave electro-dance-pop New Order, “Blue Monday” (Dance/Club #5, 1983) and The Other Two, “Selfish” (Dance/Club #6, 1993)
1958 ● William Reid → Guitarist, composer and lead singer for Scottish alt-pop-rock Jesus And Mary Chain, “Sometimes Always” (Modern Rock #4, 1994)
1959 ● Neville Henry → Saxophone in New Wave pop-rock Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene” (#14, 1986)
1963 ● Eros Ramazzotti / (Eros Luciano Walter Ramazzotti ) → Hugely-successful Italian pop singer and songwriter with over 70 million albums sold worldwide in a 30-year career but few in the US, recorded duets with Cher, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Ricky Martin and others
1965 ● Shawn Smith → Seattle-area grunge and indie rock singer, songwriter and musician, member of alternative rock bands Brad (with Stone Gossard), Pigeonhed, Satchel and The Twilight Singers, and served as frontman for a reunion of Mother Love Bone, released ten albums as a solo artist before dying from a torn aorta caused by high blood pressure on 4/3/2016, age 53. (His body was discovered in his home on 4/5/2019, the same date on which fellow Seattle musicians Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) died in 1994 and 2002, respectively.)
1969 ● Ben Harper / (Benjamin Chase Harper) → Multi-instrumentalist singer and songwriter with an unusual and effective mix of blues, folk-rock, funky soul and pop that garnered three Grammys, including Best Traditional Soul Gospel album in 2005, and several charting singles (“Steal My Kisses,” #15, 2000)
1972 ● Brad Paisley → Country and Southern rock crossover singer, songwriter and guitarist, charted 18 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and 25 on the Hot Country Songs list, 16 of which reached Country #1 with a record 10 consecutive singles in the top spot, including “Remind Me” (#17, Country #1, 2011)
October 29
1922 ● Neal Hefti → Jazz composer/arranger who wrote charts for Earl Hines, Count Basie and others and played trumpet with Woody Herman‘s First Herd, but best known for penning TV’s “Batman Theme” (#35, 1966) and the title song and soundtrack to The Odd Couple (1968), died of throat cancer on 10/11/2008, age 85
1937 ● Sonny Osborne → With his older brother, Bobby, one half of the influential bluegrass act The Osborne Brothers, “Rocky Top” (Country #33, 1967), the song was voted the official state song of Tennessee and one of two the brothers recorded, the other being “My Old Kentucky Home” (Country #69, 1970).
1944 ● Denny Laine / (Brian Frederick Arthur Hines) → Co-founding member and original lead guitarist in pop-rock The Moody Blues, sang lead on “Go Now” (#10, UK #1, 1965) and co-wrote several other early songs, left in late 1966 to work solo and in several short gigs, including jazz-rock Ginger Baker’s Air Force, joined Paul McCartney‘s new band, Wings, in 1971 as an equal member with McCartney and his wife, Linda, appeared on all seven Wings albums, co-wrote “Mull Of Kintyre” (UK #1, 1977) and claimed to have co-written “Band On The Run” (#1, 1974), issued three solo albums during his Wings tenure and nine more after resuming a solo career in 1981, toured and performed until shortly before his death from lung disease on 12/5/2023, age 79.
1944 ● Robbie Van Leeuwen → Guitar and backing vocals in Dutch one hit wonder pop-rock Shocking Blue, “Venus” (#1, 1970)
1945 ● Melba Moore / (Beatrice Melba Smith) → R&B/soul-disco singer, “Love’s Comin’ At Ya” (Dance/Club #2, 1982), Tony Award-winning Broadway stage actress
1945 ● Mick Gallagher → Brit organist, bandmember and session musician, with blues-rock The Animals and psych-pop Skip Bifferty in the 60s, proto-punk Ian Dury And The Blockheads and punk-rock The Clashh in the 70s and 80s, worked with Paul McCartney, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox, currently tours with The Blockheads and John Steele‘s The Animals And Friends
1946 ● Peter Green / (Peter Allen Greenbaum) → Respected British blues-rock guitarist and songwriter, replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers in 1966, co-founded Fleetwood Mac in 1967 as a blues-rock band, wrote “Albatrosss” (UK #1, 1969) and other early hits, left the band in 1970 and suffered psychiatric problems for decades while participating in various, limited collaborations and sessions through the 90s, ranked #38 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, died in his sleep from undisclosed causes on 7/25/2020, age 73.
1948 ● Ricochet Reynolds / (Rickie Lee Reynolds) → Original guitarist for Southern raunch-rock Black Oak Arkansas with a lone Top 40 hit, “Jim Dandy To The Rescue” (#25, CAN #12, 1973), but three gold-certified albums in 1971-1973, left in 1977 but returned in 1984 to record and perform with the band into the 10s, hospitalized with COVID-19 and died from heart and kidney failure on 9/5/2021, age 72.
1949 ● David Paton → Scottish bassist, singer and songwriter with soft pop-rock Pilot, wrote “Magic” (#1, 1974), solo and session work
1954 ● Stephen Luscombe → Multi-instrumentalist member of several 70s progressive and experimental rock bands before co-founding New Wave synth-pop duo Blancmange and scoring four UK Top 20 hits, including “Blind Vision” (Dance #3, UK #10, 1983), went on hiatus for 25 years but released a collaboration with Boy George as The West India Company in 1989, restarted Blancmange in 2011 to issue a fourth studio album, retired when diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and enjoyed a less-stressful retirement until dying from heart trouble on 9/13/2025, age 70.
1955 ● Roger O’Donnell → Session keyboardist with New Wave synth-pop Thompson Twin, Berlin and The Psychedelic Furs, in 1987 joined post-punk art-glam-goth rock The Cure, “Love Song” (#2, 1989) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles, solo
1955 ● Kevin Dubrow → Co-founder and lead singer in heavy metal/pop-metal Quiet Riot (“Bang Your Head (Metal Health),” #31, 1984), died from a cocaine overdose on 11/25/2007, age 52
1961 ● Steven Randall “Little Randy” Jackson / (Douglas Martinez) → Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and youngest member of R&B/pop-soul brother act The Jackson 5, co-wrote “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” (#6, 1979)
1962 ● Einar Orn Benediktsson → Vocals for Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991)
1965 ● Peter Timmins → Drummer in Canadian alt-art-country-blues-rock Cowboy Junkies, “Sweet Jane” (Modern Rock #5, 1989)
1969 ● Doug “S.A.” Martinez / (Douglas Vincent Martinez) → Lead vocals and turntables for hip hop/reggae/punk rock fusion band 311, “Love Song” (#59, Modern Rock #1, 200$)
1969 ● Roni Size / (Ryan Owen Granville Williams) → Brit record producer and DJ, founder and frontman for hip hop drum and bass act Reprazent, Mercury Music Prize-winning album New Forms (1997)
1970 ● Toby Smith → Keyboards in Grammy-winning Brit acid jazz-funk-pop Jamiroquai, “Canned Heat” (Dance #1, 1999), currently manager and producer for indie pop The Hoosiers, “Worried About Ray” (UK #5, 2007)
1984 ● Chris Baio → Bassist for indie Afro-pop/rock Vampire Weekend, “Cousins” (Alt Rock #18, 2009)
October 30
1908 ● Patsy Montana / (Ruby Rose Blevins) → Country singer, songwriter and occasional actress, the first female country music artist to have a million-selling record (“I Want To Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” 1935), died of cancer on 5/3/1996, age 87
1925 ● Teo Macero / (Attilio Joseph Macero) → Jazz musician, composer and record producer who produced three of the best-selling and groundbreaking jazz albums of all time, Dave Brubeck‘s Time Out (1959) and Miles Davis‘ Kind Of Blue (1959) and Bitches Brew (1970), also issued several solo albums, played in various jazz ensembles and projects, and produced TV and film soundtracks, including Martin Scorsese‘s The Blues, died in his sleep on 2/19/2008, age 82
1931 ● Dick Gautier / (Richard Gautier) → Stand-up comedian, nightclub singer, small-role film and TV sitcom actor, game show panelist and Tony Award nominated actor, portrayed the vain rock ‘n’ roll star in the original Broadway version of Bye, Bye Birdie (1960) (1960) and the robot character Hymie in the Get Smart TV program (1965-1970), appeared in multiple other programs and did voice-over work into the 90s, died from pneumonia on 1/13/2016, age 85.
1934 ● Ray Smith → One hit wonder rockabilly and teen-pop singer, “Rockin’ Little Angel” (#22, 1960, the biggest hit for little Judd Records, owned by Sun Records‘ owner Sam Phillips‘ brother, Jud), continued to record and perform in the U.S. and Canada without success, committed suicide on 11/29/1979, age 45.
1939 ● Eddie Holland / (Edward Holland, Jr.) → With brother Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, one third of the Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, co-wrote dozens of hits for The Supremes, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Freda Payne, Chairmen Of The Board and others, producer and solo artist, “Jamie” (#30, R&B #6, 1962).
1939 ● Grace Slick / (Grace Barnett Wing) → Singer, songwriter and lead vocals for 60s psych-rock The Great Society, then Jefferson Airplane, “Somebody To Love” (#5, 1967) and 70s/80s arena rock Jefferson Starship, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us” (#1, 1987)
1939 ● Norman West / (Norman Richard West, Jr.) → 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
1941 ● Otis “Big Daddy” Williams / (Otis Miles, Jr.) → Co-founder and baritone for The Elgins, which became R&B giants The Temptations, “My Girl” (#1, 1965) and Grammy-winning “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” (#1, 1972), still performs with the group as the only original member
1945 ● Henry Winkler / (Henry Franklin Winkler) → Emmy-winning stage and TV actor, film director and producer, played the character Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli on retro-50s sitcom Happy Days in the 70s
1946 ● Chris Slade / (Christopher Rees) → Welsh drummer for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, “Blinded By The Light” (#1, 1977), also played or toured with Gary Moore, The Firm, AC/DC, Uriah Heep and others
1947 ● Timothy B. Schmit → Folk then country-rock bassist, first with Poco, left in 1977 to join Eagles, “New Kid In Town” (#1, 1977), sessions and solo, “Boys Night Out” (#25, 1987)
1949 ● David Green → Bassist in Aussie light pop-rock Air Supply, “The One That You Love” (#1, 1981)
1960 ● Byron Burke → Vocals in R&B/house urban-dance Ten City, “Right Back To You” (Dance #1, 1989)
1960 ● Joey Belladonna / (Joseph Belladini) → Lead singer for speed/thrash metal Anthrax, “Only” (Mainstream #26, 1993), solo
1962 ● Geoff Beauchamp → Guitarist in Brit pop-rock Eighth Wonder, “Cross My Heart” (Dance/Club #10, 1988)
1963 ● Jerry DeBorg → Guitarist in techno-electronic pop-dance Jesus Jones, “Right Here, Right Now” (#2, 1991)
1965 ● Gavin Rossdale → Lead singer and rhythm guitar for alt-rock Bush, “Glycerine” (Mainstream #4, 1995) and Institute, “Bullet-Proof Skin” (Mainstream Rock #26, 2005), solo, married to Gwen Stefani
1969 ● Snow / (Darrin O’Brien) → Juno Award-winning Canadian reggae-rapper, “The Informer” (#1, 1993)
1970 ● Tommy Walter → Co-founder, bassist and songwriter for indie rock Eels, “Novocaine For The Soul” (Modern Rock #1, 1997), then founded alt-rock Abandoned Pools, “The Remedy” (Modern Rock #27, 2002)
1973 ● Maurizio Lobina → Keyboards for Italian dance-pop trio Eiffel 65, “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” (#6, 1999)
1976 ● Kassidy Lorraine Osborn → Vocals in country-pop sister trio SHeDAISY, “I Will…But” (#43, Country #2, 1999)
1989 ● Vanessa White → Vocals in electro-pop girl-group The Saturdays, “Missing You” (UK #3, 2010)
October 31
1912 ● Dale Evans / (Lucille Wood Smith) → “Queen of the Cowgirls” and beloved country-and-western entertainer with her third husband, singing cowboy Roy Rogers, wrote the signature song “Happy Trails To You” and co-starred in 28 films with her husband and on the popular 50s TV series The Roy Rogers Show, died from congestive heart failure on 2/7/2001, age 88
1926 ● Sir Jimmy Savile → Radio DJ, dance hall manager, music impresario, actor, TV host, first (1964) and last (2006) host of BBC’s Top of the Pops program, died from pneumonia on 10/29/2011, age 84
1937 ● Tom Paxton → Greenwich Village folk singer and songwriter, “The Last Thing On My Mind” (1964) and the children’s song “Goin’ To The Zoo” (1964), still touring and recording in the 10s
1939 ● Farka Touré / (Ali Ibrahim Touré) → The “African John Lee Hooker,” talented and renowned Malian singer, multi-instrumentalist and world music recording artist with dozens of albums in several languages, blended African rhythmic and musical traditions that evoke the origins North American blues, ranked #76 on Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” died from bone cancer of 3/7/2006, age 66
1940 ● Eric Griffiths → Guitarist in the original lineup of skiffle/rock ‘n’ roll band The Quarrymen, precursor to The Beatles, left in 1958 to join the Merchant Navy, died from pancreatic cancer on 1/29/2005, age 64
1945 ● Rik Kenton → Bassist in Brian Ferry-led art/glam/prog rock Roxy Music (“Virginia Plan,” UK #4, 1972) in the early 70s, left for a brief solo career then founded 80s mixed race, reggae-pop-rock Savage Progress (“My Soul Unwraps Tonight,” 1984)
1945 ● Russ Ballard → Guitarist and songwriter in hard/art rock Argent, wrote “God Gave Rock And Roll To You” (1973), solo career and songwriter for other artists, including Three Dog Night‘s “Liar” (#7, 1971) and Hot Chocolate‘s “So You Win Again” (#31, 1977)
1952 ● Tony Bowers → Bassist for Brit blues-rock Blind Eye, punk rock Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias, and soul-pop Simply Red, “Holding Back The Years” (#1, 1986)
1952 ● Bernard Edwards → Bassist, co-founder, co-writer and producer for top R&B/disco band Chic, “Le Freak” (#1, 1978), produced albums for ABC, Power Station, Robert Palmer, Rod Stewart and others, died from pneumonia after an all-star “tribute” show in Japan on 4/18/1996, age 43
1961 ● Larry Mullen. Jr. → Drummer and songwriter for Irish mega-star rockers U2, “With Or Without You” (#1, 1987) “With Or Without You” (#1, 1987), co-wrote and arranged the official Irish national football team song “Put ‘Em Under Pressure” for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, frequent collaborator with bandmate Adam Clayton, including work on the soundtrack to the 1996 film Mission: Impossible and the remake of “Theme from Mission: Impossible” (#8, 1996).
1963 ● Johnny Marr / (John Martin Maher) → Guitarist and songwriter for definitive Brit indie rock The Smiths, “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” (UK #10, 1984), post-punk supergroup Electronic, “Getting Away With It” (Dance/Club #7, 1990), The The, Modest Mouse and The Cribs
1963 ● Mikkey Dee / (Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou) → Drummer and songwriter in theatrical rock King Diamond, left in 1992 to join punk-metal Motörhead, “Born To Raise Hell” (UK #47, 1994)
1964 ● Colm O’Ciosoig → Drummer for art-prog-rock, “shoe-gazing” pioneers My Bloody Valentine, “Only Shallow” (Modern Rock #27, 1992)
1965 ● Annabella Lwin / (Myint Myint Aye) → Vocals in New Wave Afro-Euro-synth-pop Bow Wow Wow, “I Want Candy” (#22, 1982)
1966 ● Ad-Rock / (Adam Horovitz) → Guitarist and rapper in hardcore punk then blue-eyed hip hop the Beastie Boys, “Fight For Your Right” (#7, 1987)
1967 ● Adam Schlesinger / (Adam Lyons Schlesinger) → Chief songwriter, guitarist and vocalist in power pop Fountains Of Wayne (“Stacy’s Mom,” #21, 2003), indie pop Ivy and supergroup Tinted Windows, enjoyed a second career writing songs for TV, theater and film soundtracks, including Academy Award-nominated “That Thing You Do” (#41, 1996) from the movie of the same name, and producing for The Monkees, Robert Plant, They Might Be Giants and others, died from complications of the COVID-19 virus at the peak of his career on 4/1/2020, age 52.
1968 ● Al Mackenzie → Multi-instrumentalist in techno-dance-pop D:Ream, “U R The Best Thing” (Dance #1, 1993)
1968 ● Alistair McErlaine → Guitarist in Scottish blues-rock Texas, “In My Heart” (Alt Rock #14, 1991)
1968 ● Vanilla Ice / (Robert Matthew Van Winkle) → Blue-eyed rapper, “Ice Ice Baby” (first hip hop single to hit #1, 1990)
1970 ● Linn Berggren / (Malin Berggren) → Vocals in Swedish pop-rockers Ace Of Base, “All That She Wants” (#2, 1993)
1980 ● Charles Moniz → Canadian drummer for hardcore punk rock Grade, later bassist for Avril Lavigne band
1981 ● Frank Iero / (Frank Anthony Iero, Jr.) → Rhythm guitarist and vocalist in 00s alt rock/emo band My Chemical Romance, “Welcome To The Black Parade” (#9, 2006), vocals for Leathermouth
1982 ● Gabriela Irimia → Romanian singer with her twin sister Monica in one hit wonder dance-pop duo The Cheeky Girls, “Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)” (UK #2, 2002)
1982 ● Monica Irimia → Romanian singer with her twin sister Gabriella in one hit wonder dance-pop duo The Cheeky Girls, “Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)” (UK #2, 2002)
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 ● Kinky Freidman / (Richard S. Freidman) → The “Jewish Cowboy,” irreverent country-rock satirist, singer, songwriter and bandleader, The Texas Jewboys, novelist, journalist and would-be politician
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 other, 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
