Happy Birthday this week to:
October 04
1929 ● Leroy Van Dyke → Country-pop singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Walk On By” (#5, Country #1, 1961), named by Billboard magazine in 1994 as the most popular country song of all time.
1932 ● Lawrence Cohn → Leading blues music authority, blues record collector, label executive, author and music critic, started as a federal attorney before heading Playboy Records in the early 60s, then joined Columbia Records in 1968 and later became vice-president of the Epic Records division, in the early 90s created Legacy Recordings under the Sony banner and produced the award-winning Roots ‘n’ Blues series of reissues, authored several music album liner notes and a handful of books on music in general and blues music in particular, including the Grammy-winning Nothing But The Blues: The Music and the Musicians (1993), died from natural causes on 10/31/2023, age 91.
1935 ● Cynthia Strother / (Cynthia Sue Strother) → With younger sister, Edith Kay Strother, singer in early 50s teenaged singing duo The Bell Sisters (from their mother’s maiden surname) and writer of their big hit “Bermuda” (#7, 1952), the two also had hits with a cover of “Wheel Of Fortune” (#10, 1952) and “Rutza Rutza” (#26, 1952), issued nine albums on RCA Records from 1951-55, and appeared in two feature films and on numerous TV and radio programs during their brief fling with stardom, left show business in the late 50s and taught swimming to handicapped children and adults, died of heart failure on 2/16/2024, age 88.
1937 ● Pirkle Lee Moses, Jr. → Lead vocals for Chicago doo wop The El Dorados, “At My Front Door” (#17, R&B #1, 1955), fronted various incarnations of the group until his death on 12/6/2000, age 63.
1944 ● Marlena Davis → Vocals in mixed gender R&B doo-wop quartet The Orlons, “The Wah-Watusi” (#2, R&B #5, 1962), left the group in late 1963 for a career as an executive secretary, died from lung cancer on 2/25/1993, age 48
1944 ● Larry Collins / (Lawrence Collins) → Child prodigy rockabilly guitarist and falsetto singer, with his older sister, Lorrie, one half of the pre-teen rockabilly duo The Collins Kids, their flashy Western wear and gyrating stage antics were well-suited to early TV variety shows in the 50s and earned them a spot on Tex Ritter‘s weekly Town Hall Party, after she eloped in 1961 turned to writing country-pop songs, including “Delta Dawn for Tanya Tucker (#72, Country #6, 1972) and Helen Reddy (#1, AC #1, 1973), The Collins Kids‘ multiple rockabilly and country-pop songs did not chart but are nonetheless appreciated by enthusiasts and still available, reunited in 1992 and performed with Lorrie at rockabilly festivals until her death in 2018, died from natural causes on 1/5/2024, age 79.
1947 ● Jim Fielder → Bassist for jazz-rock/pop-rock fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969), sessions
1952 ● Jody Stevens → Drummer and last surviving original member of power pop cult band Big Star, “September Gurls” (1974, Rolling Stone #178), currently a studio engineer
1957 ● Barbara K. / (Barbara Kooyman MacDonald) → With then-husband Pat MacDonald, one half of one hit wonder alt country-folk-pop duo Timbuk 3, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” (#19, 1986), following divorce in 1995 pursued a solo music career mixed with social activism
1959 ● Chris Lowe → Keyboards for synth-pop dance Pet Shop Boys, “West End Girls” (#1, 1986)
1961 ● Juan Jon Secada / (Juan Secada) → Cuban-American R&B and pop singer and songwriter, “Just Another Day” (#5, 1992), two albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Latin Pop Performance
1961 ● Al Barile / (Alan Scott Barile) → While a college student and part-time General Electric machinist, founded and played lead guitar for straight edge, hardcore SSD, started a record label, X-Claim in 1982 to release the band’s debut LP, The Kids Will Have Their Say, following dissolution of SSD in 1985 formed heavy metal Gage and performed at various times in the Boston area, all the while continuing an engineering career with GE, retired in the late 10s and died from colon cancer on 4/6/2025, age 63.
1965 ● Leo Barnes → Saxophone for Irish rockers Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go” (Modern Rock #7, 1988)
1977 ● Richard Reed Parry → Multi-instrumentalist member of Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007)
1984 ● Lena Katina / (Elena Sergeevna Katina) → Singer in Russian teen pop duo t.A.T.u., “All The Things She Said” (#20, UK #1, 2003), solo
October 05
1907 ● Mrs. Miller / (Elva Ruby Connes) → Undeniably unique, improbably humorous and oddly catchy novelty pop singer with an off-key, warbling, faux-operatic delivery on renditions of light pop, jazz and easy listening hits, including “Yellow Submarine,” “The Girl From Ipanema” and “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” scored two Top 100 hits and a Top 20 album (Mrs. Miller’s Greatest Hits, #15, 1966) before disappearing into obscurity the early 70s, died on 7/5/1997, age 89
1911 ● Maxine King / (Maxine Elliott Driggs Thomas) → Vocalist for complex and sophisticated four-part harmony 30s, 40s and 50s Big Band/pop sibling singing group The King Sisters, “The Hut-Sut Song” (Top 30, 1944), recorded with her sisters on hundreds of albums and numerous radio specials over three decades and in the musical-variety TV program The King Family Show and holiday specials thereafter, died from natural causes at age 92 on 5/13/2009, age 97
1924 ● Bill Dana / (William Szathmary) → TV actor, comedian and screenwriter, created the character José Jiménez and the comedy single “The Astronaut” (Top 20, 1961)
1935 ● Margie Singleton / (Margaret Louis Ebey) → Popular country duet and solo singer, “Keeping Up With The Joneses” (Country #5, 1964) and four other Country Top 20 hits
1936 ● Wydell Jones / (George Jones Jr.) → Lead vocals and songwriter for doo-wop The Edsels, “Rama Lama Ding Dong” (#21, 1961), died from cancer on 9/27/2008, age 71
1937 ● Carlo Mastrangelo → Bass and later lead vocals for R&B doo wop Dion & The Belmonts, “A Teenager In Love” (#5, 1959), continued after frontman Dion DiMucci left in 1960 as The Belmonts, “Tell Me Why” (#18, 1961), performed with the group until just prior to his death from cancer on 4/4/2016, age 78
1939 ● Abi Ofarim / (Abraham Reichstadt) → Israeli guitarist, vocalist and dancer, one half the folk-pop-rock husband/wife duo Esther & Abi, “Cinderella Rockafella” (UK #1, 1968)
1940 ● Bob Heil / (Robert G. Heil) → Teenage pipe organ player and amateur radio operator, two avocations which led to a career in sound engineering, starting with designing and operating sound systems for tours by the Grateful Dead, The Who, Jeff Beck and others in the early 70s and continuing with the expansion of Heil Sound company in the 80s into the home theater market, best known for inventing the Heil Talk Box used initially by Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh, concentrated on the amateur radio market and microphones in the 90s and 00s, performed organ music on a weekly program on international shortwave radio until selling the business and retiring in 2022 left the died from cancer on 2/28/2024, age 83.
1941 ● Arlene Smith → Juilliard School-trained lead singer in choir-sounding R&B/pop vocal quintet The Chantels, the third African-American girl group to enjoy nationwide success; co-founded the group while a young teen and wrote and sang the breakout hit “Maybe” (#15, R&B #2, CAN #1, 1957); left in 1959 for a mildly successful solo career, reformed The Chantels in 1973 and performed from time to time on the oldies circuit while teaching elementary school in The Bronx for several decades; was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 alongside the other original Chantels and died in a New York City hospital from natural causes on 7/29/2026, age 84.
1941 ● Wally Lester → Vocals in R&B doo wop The Skyliners, “Since I Don’t Have You” (#12, 1959)
1942 ● Richard Street → Lead vocals from 1971 to 1993 for Motown R&B/soul legends The Temptations, Grammy-winning “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (#1, 1972), his unfinished autobiography was published after his death from a pulmonary embolism on 2/27/2013, age 70
1943 ● Steve Miller → Guitarist, singer, songwriter and frontman for blues-rock then psych-rock then pop-rock Steve Miller Band, “The Joker” (#1, 1973), now teaches college music courses
1943 ● Roy Book Binder / (Roy Alan Bookbinder) → “Carolina style” fingerpicking acoustic blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, raconteur and five-decade fixture on America’s folk music circuit with a deep repertoire of old-time country and ragtime songs; was in the 60s folk revival scene in New York City and became a young protégé of the legendary Blind Gary Davis; from the 70s on appeared in countless fairs and festivals for 200 one-nighters every year, often playing from his tricked-out, custom camper van, the “Hillbilly Rolls Royce;” issued over a dozen acclaimed solo albums including Travelin’ Man (1971), Goin’ Back to Saluda (1979), and In Concert (2010); authored several instructional books and videos on the Rev. Gary Davis style, ensuring the preservation of the Piedmont blues tradition for future generations; died after a long illness on 3/3/2026, age 82.
1945 ● Brian Connolly → Vocals for glam pop-rock Sweet, “Ballroom Blitz” (#5, 1973), died of kidney and liver failure after years of alcoholism on 2/10/1997, age 51
1947 ● Brian Johnson → Lead vocals for Brit glam-rock Geordie, “All Because Of You” (UK #6, 1972), joined AC/DC replacing deceased lead singer Bon Scott in 1980, “Back In Black” (#37, 1981)
1948 ● Tawl Ross / (Lucius “Tawl” Ross) → Rhythm guitar for R&B/funk giants Funkadelic, “One Nation Under A Groove” (#28, 1978)
1948 ● Carter Cornelius → Singer, musician and member of sibling R&B/soul-pop Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, “Treat Her Like A Lady” (#3, R&B #20, 1971) and “Too Late To Turn Back Now” (#2, R&B #5, 1972) and seven other charting hits in the mid-70s, went into seclusion with a religious sect in the late 70s and died from a heart attack on 11/7/1991 , age 43
1949 ● B.W. Stevenson / (Louis Charles Stevenson III) → One hit wonder country-pop singer, “My Maria” (#9, 1973), died during heart valve surgery on 4/28/1988, age 38
1950 ● Fast Eddie Clarke / (Edward Allan Clarke) → Lightning-fingered guitarist and vocalist in the classic lineup of speed-metal MotörheadFastway, died from pneumonia on 1/10/2018, age 67
1951 ● Bob Geldof → Frontman, guitar, singer and songwriter for Irish New Wave punk-pop Boomtown Rats, “I Don’t Like Mondays” (#73, UK #1, 1980) plus 8 other UK Top 20 hits, Live Aid founder/promoter, author, and political activist
1952 ● Harold Faltermeyer / (Harald Faltermeier) → Grammy-winning German synth-pop keyboardist, producer and composer, co-wrote the themes from the movies Beverly Hills Cop “Axel F” (#3, 1985) and Top Gun, session work with Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand, Billy Idol, Cheap Trick and others
1953 ● Russell Craig Mael → With brother Ron, vocals and frontman for quirky pop-rock Sparks, “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us” (UK #2, 1974) and “Just Got Back From Heaven” (Dance/Club #7, 1989)
1957 ● Lee Thompson → Sax and vocals for punk/ska revival Madness, “Our House” (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1960 ● Paul Heard → Keyboards and programming for Brit dance-pop/house music M People, “Moving On Up” (#34, Dance #1, 1993)
1964 ● Dave Dederer → Co-founder, bass and vocals for post-grunge alt rock The Presidents Of The United States Of America, “Lump” (Mainstream Rock #7, 1995), later with web/mobile media company Melodeo
1964 ● Matthew Sweet → Power pop guitarist and songwriter, “Girlfriend” (Mainstream Rock #10, 1992), collaborated with The Bangles‘ singer Susanna Hoffs on two albums, Under The Covers, (2006) and Vol. 2 (2009), featuring covers of 60s and 70s pop-rock hits
1974 ● Heather Headley → Trinidadian R&B/soul, calypso, reggae and soca singer, “In My Mind” (Dance/Club #1, 2006), Broadway stage actress, The Lion King (1997) and Aida (1998)
1977 ● Kele Le Roc / (Kelly Biggs) → Brit pop, garage and R&B/soul singer, “Little Bit Of Lovin'” (UK #8, 1998), backing vocals for Shy FX and Curtis Lynch, Jr.
1978 ● James Valentine → Guitarist for alt funk-rock Maroon 5, “She Will Be Loved” (#5, 2004)
1980 ● Paul Anthony Thomas → Bass guitar for post-grunge punk-pop Good Charlotte, “The Anthem” (Alt Rock #10, 2003)
1985 ● Nicola Roberts → Singer in pre-fab all-girl Euro-pop vocal group Girls Aloud, “Sound Of The Underground” (UK #1, 2002)
October 06
1917 ● Bob Neal → Memphis country and pop radio DJ, music talent agent, Elvis Presley‘s second manager, resigned in favor of Colonel Tom Parker in early 1955
1940 ● Jerry Heller / (Gerald E. Heller) → Music impresario best known for managing early rap stars N.W.A. and introducing gangsta rap to a mainstream audience, co-founded Ruthless Records with rapper Eazy-E in 1987, N.W.A. and the label eventually fell into acrimony that continued up to his lawsuit against NBC Universal and others for the negative portrayal of his character in the film Straight Outta Compton (2015) about N.W.A. and the rise of rap music, died after a heart attack on 9/2/2016, age 75
1942 ● Neil Korner → Bassist for British Invasion pop-rock The Nashville Teens, “Tobacco Road” (#16, 1964)
1944 ● Mylon LeFevre / (Mylon Rae LeFevre) → Christian rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee, started at age 12 in his parent’s legendary, 50-year Southern gospel vocal group The LeFevres, wrote his first song “Without Him” at age 17, the song has been covered by Elvis Presley and scores of other artists over the years, played in several rock bands in he 60s and 70s, lived the rock star lifestyle and kicked an addiction to heroin by 1973, left the music industry but returned in 1981 as frontman for Contemporary Christian music (CCM) band Broken Heart (“Crack The Heart,” Rock #1, CHR #1, 1987), went solo in 1992 and issued two further albums of lighter CCM, turned to preaching and teaching the gospel until dying from cancer on 9/8/2023, age 78.
1945 ● Robin Shaw / (Robin George Scrimshaw) → Session vocalist recruited to pre-fab British Invasion pop-rock The Flower Pot Men, “Let’s Go To San Francisco” (Top 10, 1967), then moved over to pre-fab pop White Plains, “My Baby Loves Lovin'” (#13, 1970) and later pop-rock The First Class, “Beach Baby” (#4, UK #13, 1974)
1946 ● Millie Small / (Millicent Dolly May Small ) → Jamaican one hit wonder “blue beat” reggae/ska singer with the first international ska hit, “My Boy Lollipop” (#2, UK #2, 1964), followed with several singles and albums but never repeated the success of her one shot of fame, left the industry in the 70s and largely dropped out of sight, died following a stroke on 5/5/2020, age 73.
1948 ● Pye Dubois / (Paul Phillips Woods) → Canadian songwriter/lyricist and “fifth member” of 70s Toronto rock group Max Webster and for frontman Kim Mitchell’s successful 80s-90s solo career, including the lone US hit “Go For Soda” (#86, Mainstream #12, CAN #22, 1985); best known for writing the lyrics to Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” (#44, Mainstream #8, 1981), “Force Ten” (Mainstream #3, 1987) and “Test For Echo” (Mainstream #1, CAN #6, 1996); stopped writing in the late 90s and largely disappeared from the industry until being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021; died at home on 9/15/2026, age 77.
1949 ● Thomas McClary → Guitarist for Grammy-winning Motown R&B/soul-funk Commodores, “Three Times A Lady” (#1, 1978), left for a solo career in gospel music
1949 ● Bobby Farrell / (Roberto Alfonso Farrell) → West Indian vocalist in R&B/disco Euro-dance Boney M, “Rivers Of Babylon” (#30, UK #1, 1978), left for a solo career in 1988 and later fronted his own version of the band, Bobby Farrell’s Boney M, died in his sleep from a heart attack on 12/30/2010, age 61
1951 ● Gavin Sutherland → Bass guitar and vocals for folk-rock sibling duo The Sutherland Brothers, “(I Don’t Want To Love You But) You Got Me Anyway” (#48, 1973), then joined with an obscure rock band to form The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, “The Arms Of Mary” (#81, UK #5, 1975)
1951 ● Kevin Cronin → Lead vocals, rhythm guitar and songwriter for arena rock REO Speedwagon, wrote “Keep On Lovin’ You” (#1, 1980) and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (#1, 1985)
1954 ● David Hidalgo → Singer, songwriter and guitarist for Tex-Mex roots rock Los Lobos, “La Bamba” (#1, 1987), solo, side projects and session work, also member of supergroup Los Super Seven and the Latin Playboys
1954 ● Lee Allen Zeno → Bassist and vocalist in Louisiana’s zydeco, blues, and R&B scenes; served for decades as the rhythm for Buckwheat Zydeco & Ils Sont Partis Band, including Grammy-winning albums Lay Your Burden Down (2009) and New Beginnings (2023); toured the world extensively, performing at the 1996 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremonies and backing major rock and roots icons including Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, and Willie Nelson; as a first-call session musician, contributed to dozens of recordings by regional legends like Irma Thomas, The Neville Brothers, and Bobby Rush; later co-founded the Blue Monday All-Stars to champion and raise healthcare funds for elder Gulf Coast musicians; inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2024; died from leukemia on 5/03/2026, age 71.
1958 ● Tim Mooney → Drummer for critically acclaimed but light selling alt pop-rock American Music Club (1991 album Everclear)
1960 ● Richard Jobson → Lead singer in New Wave art-punk-rock The Skids, “Into The Valley” (UK #10, 1979), later producer, TV host, film director and screenwriter
1961 ● Tim Burgess → Drummer for new wave pop-rock T’Pau, “Heart And Soul” (#4, 1987).
1966 ● Tommy Stinson → Lead guitar for garage punk then alt rock pioneers The Replacements, “I’ll Be You” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1989), solo, sessions, played with Guns N’ Roses, Soul Asylum, The Old 97’s and others
1982 ● William Pierce Butler → Multi-instrumentalist for Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007)
October 07
1927 ● Al Martino / (Jasper Cini) → Italian-American pop crooner, “I Love You Because” (#3, 1963) and ten other Top 40 hits, film actor, played Johnny Fontane in The Godfather series, died on 10/13/2009, age 82
1939 ● Colin Cooper → Founding member, saxophone, guitar and vocals for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, “Couldn’t Get It Right” (#3, 1977), died on 7/3/2008, age 68
1939 ● Tony “Little Sun” Glover / (David Curtis Glover) → Minneapolis native, Bob Dylan contemporary, music critic, guitarist and harmonica player, member of the blues-folk trio Koerner, Ray & Glover with “Spider John” Koerner and Dave “Snaker” Ray, the band at the center of the folk music revival of the 1960s that influenced The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and many others, went on to become an esteemed music writer and radio host, intermittently touring with the Allman Brothers Band, Patti Smith, Beck and others, tutored Mick Jagger on the harmonica, authored the Blues with a Feeling: The Little Walter Story (2002), wrote liner notes multiple albums including The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert (1998), died from natural causes after a brief hospitalization on 5/29/2019, age 79.
1941 ● Martin Murray → Rhythm guitar for one hit wonder English beat/pop-rock The Honeycombs, “Have I The Right?” (#5, 1964).
1941 ● Panama Silvester / (Tony “Panama” Silvester) → Panama-born founding member and vocalist for R&B/soul The Main Ingredient, “Everybody Plays The Fool” (#3, 1972) and 11 R&B Top 40 singles, died from multiple myeloma on 11/27/2006, age 65
1944 ● Judee Sill / (Judith Lynne Sill) → Up and coming singer/songwriter in the early 70s L.A. folk-rock scene and one of a very few women to write and record her own songs, first artist signed to David Geffen‘s Asylum Records, released two acclaimed by commercially unsuccessful albums in the early 70s, earlier wrote “Lady-O” for the Turtles (#78, 1969), opened on tour for Crosby, Stills & Nash and played briefly as keyboardist with Frank Zappa‘s Mothers Of Invention, dropped out of music in the mid-70s and descended into depression, drugs and obscurity, died from a suspected but unconfirmed suicide by drug overdose on 11/23/1979, age 35.
1945 ● Bob Webber → Co-founder, keyboards and vocals for one hit wonder pop-rock Sugarloaf, “Green-Eyed Lady” (#3, 1970)
1945 ● Kevin Godley → Drummer, vocals and songwriter for soft pop-rock 10cc (“I’m Not In Love,” #2, 1975), then co-founded pop duo Godley & Crème, “Cry” (#16, 1985), since the late 80s directed music videos for Fine Young Cannibals, U2, Eric Clapton and many others
1949 ● David Hope → Founding member and bassist for prog/heartland rock Kansas, “Dust In The Wind” (#6, 1978), converted to Christianity and formed religious-tinged hard rock AD with other Kansas bandmates, now an Anglican priest and author
1951 ● John Cougar Mellencamp / (John J. Mellencamp) → Grammy-winning roots rock singer/songwriter, “Jack And Diane” (#1, 1982) and 23 other Top 40 and 16 Mainstream Rock Top 40 hits
1953 ● Tico Torres / (Hector Samuel Torres) → Drummer and percussionist in Bon Jovi, “Living On A Prayer” (#1, 1987)
1955 ● Tabby Diamond / (Donald Orlando Shaw) → Co-founding member and vocals in Rastafarian-following, roots reggae Jamaican harmony trio Mighty Diamonds, the group released over 40 studio and live albums from its formation in 1969 and was a major force in driving roots reggae from the streets of Kingston to the international stage in the 70s with the classic reggae hits “Pass the Kouchie” (1981, banned in the UK) and “I Need a Roof” (1976), received the Jamaican national Order of Distinction award along with his groupmates in 2021, died in a drive-by shooting (later linked to his son’s criminal activity) on 3/29/2022, age 66.
1959 ● David Taylor → Original bass guitarist for studio-only pop-rock one hit wonder Edison Lighthouse, “(Love Grows) Where My Rosemary Goes” (#5, 1970)
1959 ● Simon Cowell → Record A&R executive, TV producer, music entrepreneur and notoriously critical judge on TV shows Popstars, Pop Idol, American Idol and, starting in 2011, the US version of The X Factor
1964 ● Sam Brown / (Samantha “Sam” Brown) → Brit singer, keyboardist and songwriter, “Stop!” (UK #4, 1989), also backing vocals in sessions and tours with Steve Marriott, The Small Faces, Jools Holland Band, Spandau Ballet and Pink Floyd
1967 ● Toni Braxton / (Toni Michelle Braxton) → Grammy-winning R&B/soul-pop singer, “Un Break My Heart” (#1, 1996), Broadway stage and film actress, Las Vegas showroom headliner
1968 ● Thom Yorke / (Thomas Edward Yorke) → Lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter for alt/indie rock Radiohead, “There There” (Modern Rock #14, 2003), solo, “Black Swan” (Mainstream Rock #40, 2006)
1976 ● Taylor Hicks → Blue-eyed soul singer and songwriter, 2006 American Idol winner, “Do I Make You Proud” (#1, 2006)
1978 ● Alesha Dixon → Brit singer, dancer and songwriter in “UK urban” R&B/dance-pop trio Mis-Teeq, “One Night Stand” (Dance/Club #4, 2004), solo, “The Boy Does Nothing” (UK #5, 2008), model
October 08
1932 ● Pete Drake / (Roddis Franklin Drake) → Record producer and 60s in-demand session peddle steel guitarist; played on numerous albums for a variety of artists, including hits by Lynn Anderson (“Rose Garden,” #3, Country #1, 1970), Bob Dylan (“Lay Lady Lay,” #3, 1969), Tammy Wynette (“Stand By Your Man,” #19, Country #1, 1968) and many others, plus a lone charting hit as a solo artist, “Still” (#22, 1964); produced albums for Ringo Starr and Nashville musicians; was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022, the first steel guitar player so honored; died from emphysema on 7/29/1998, age 55.
1934 ● Doc Green → Baritone vocals for the second lineup of R&B/soul doo wop The Drifters, “Save The Last Dance For Me” (#1, 1960), left in 1962 and sang with various R&B groups through the 80s, including Vic & The Salutations, died from cancer on 3/10/1989, age 54
1935 ● George Klein → Memphis disc jockey, early proponent of rock ‘n’ roll and nearly life-long friend of Elvis Presley, the two met in grade school and were close friends until Presley‘s death in 1977, member of Elvis‘s entourage known as the “Memphis Mafia,” best man at The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s wedding (and Presley at his), cameo actor in his friend’s film, “Jailhouse Rock” (1957), pallbearer at his funeral and deliverer of the acceptance speech when Elvis was inducted posthumously into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, later hosted SiriusXM’s channel 19 Elvis Radio and wrote two books, Elvis Presley: A Family Album (2007) and Elvis: My Best Man: Radio Days, Rock ‘n’ Roll Nights (2011), died from complications of dementia and pneumonia on 2/5/2019, age 83.
1936 ● Tony Wilson / (Anthony Wilson) → Trinidadian singer, bass guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of predominately Black British R&B/soul-funk band Hot Chocolate co-wrote and sang alongside fellow co-founder Errol Brown on twelve of the group’s hit singles from 1970 to 1975, including “Emma” (#8, UK #3, 1974) and “You Sexy Thing” (#3, UK #2, 1975); left the group in late 1975 to resume a solo career from pre-Hot Chocolate days but found only moderate success; as a songwriter wrote songs recorded by Herman’s Hermits, Mary Hopkin and others in the 60s, and Bill Haley and others in the 70s; relocated to New York State and gigged in various bands in the 80s; returned to Trinidad in the 00s and died there from undisclosed causes on 4/24/2026, age 89.
1940 ● Fred Cash → Vocals for Chicago soul/doo wop The Impressions, “It’s All Right” (#4, 1963)
1940 ● George Bellamy → Rhythm guitar for Brit instrumental rock ‘n’ roll The Tornados, “Telstar” (#1, 1962), the first major US hit by a British group, solo, father of Muse frontman Matthew Bellamy
1941 ● Dave Arbus → Founding member, violin, flute, saxophone and trumpet in Brit prog-rock/jazz fusion East Of Eden, “Jig A Jig” (UK #7, 1971), later with Fiddler’s Dram, violin solo on The Who‘s “Baba O’Reilly” (1970)
1942 ● Buzz Clifford / (Reese Francis Clifford) → Rock ‘n roll one hit wonder singer, “Babysittin’ Boogie” (#6, 1961), wrote songs recorded by Petula Clark, Lou Rawls, Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson and others
1944 ● Susan Raye → Country music singer with 19 Country Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1974, many as duets with mentor Buck Owens, and a lone crossover hit “L.A. International Airport” (#54, Country #9, 1971), dropped out of the industry in the late 70s, returned for two curtain call albums in 1985 and retired for good in 1986
1945 ● Butch Rillera → Drummer for Native American rockers Redbone, “Come And Get Your Love” (#5, 1974)
1945 ● Ray Royer → Guitarist for prog/psych rock Procol Harum, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” (#5, 1967)
1946 ● Russell Stone / (Russell Oliver Stone) → English pop vocalist with a short stint (1971-1972) in sunshine pop Brotherhood of Man for one charting single, “Reach Out You Hand” (#77, 1971) but left before BOM scored a series of UK Top 40 hits in the late 70s, joined multinational big band The James Last Orchestra as a backing vocalist off-and-on for twenty years, formed the pop vocal duo R&J Stone with his wife, American singer Joanne Stone and co-wrote with her the love anthem ”We Do It” (UK #5, 1976), released two albums with Joanne before she died in 1979, left the music industry in the mid-90s but returned in the 10s with three solo albums, died from undisclosed causes on 8/21/2024, age 77.
1948 ● Johnny Ramone / (John Cummings) → Lead guitar and frontman in seminal punk rock band The Ramones, “Rockaway Beach” (#66, 1978), died of prostate cancer on 9/15/2004, age 55
1949 ● Hamish Stuart → Bass and backing vocals for Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band, “Pick Up The Pieces” (#1, 1974), session work for Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and others, member of Paul McCartney‘s backing band in the 90s
1949 ● Harry Bowens → Vocals for eclectic R&B and rock fusion Was (Not Was), “Walk The Dinosaur” (#7, 1989)
1949 ● Michael Rosen → Trumpeter for Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band, “Pick Up The Pieces” (#1, 1974), sessions
1950 ● Kool Bell / (Robert Earl Bell) → Founder, frontman, lead vocals, bass and songwriter for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Celebration” (#1, 1980)
1952 ● Cliff Adams → Trombonist for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Celebration” (#1, 1980), also played with Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells, The Stylistics and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, died from liver failure on 1/12/2015, age 62
1959 ● James Johnstone → Saxophone and guitar for post-punk jazz-funk-rock Pigbag, “Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag” (Dance/Club #56, UK #3, 1982)
1963 ● MC Large Drink / (Steve Perry) → Co-founder and lead vocals for jazz-rock-ska-swing revival octet Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “Zoot Suit Riot” (Modern Rock #15, 1998)
1964 ● CeCe Winans / (Priscilla Winans) → Grammy-winning R&B/soul and gospel crossover singer in duets with brother BeBe (Benjamin), “Close To You” (R&B/Hip Hop #21, 2009) or solo, “Let Everything That Has Breath” (Dance/Club #8, 2006)
1965 ● C.J. Ramone / (Christopher John Ward) → Last bassist for seminal punk rock band The Ramones, “Rockaway Beach” (#66, 1978), replaced original member Dee Dee Ramone in 1986
1967 ● Teddy Riley / (Edward Theodore Riley) → Singer, producer, New Jack Swing pioneer, founder and frontman for R&B vocal group Blackstreet, “No Diggity” (#1, 1996), Grammy-winning song featuring Dr. Dre, solo, produced for Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown and others
1968 ● Leeroy Thornhill → MC and vocals for “big beat” electronic dance/rap The Prodigy, “Firestarter” (#30, 1996)
1985 ● Bruno Mars / (Peter Gene Hernandez) → Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonator turned contemporary R&B/pop and pop-rap singer, “Just The Way You Are” (#1, 2010).
October 09
1920 ● Yusef Lateef / (William Emanuel Huddleston) → Jazz, swing, bop, New Age and world music multi-instrumentalist (primarily saxophone), composer, educator, music publisher and doctoral PhD whose 60-year career included session work, band membership, solo albums, touring groups and highest-level professorship stints, died after a long battle with prostate cancer on 12/23/2013, age 93
1922 ● Don Williams / (Donald J. Williams) → With older brother Bob and younger brothers Dick and Andy in sibling pop vocal quartet The Williams Brothers, performed on the radio in the 30s, in musical films in the 40s, with Bing Crosby on “Swinging On A Star” (#1, 1944) and in nightclubs and on tour until split-up in 1951, reunited for annual appearances on the music variety TV show The Andy Williams Christmas Special from 1962 to 1990, died of natural causes on 12/30/2022, age 100.
1937 ● Pat Burke → Jamaican-born flautist and saxophonist in Brit R&B/soul-pop The Foundations, “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” (#11, 1967)
1938 ● Lee Underwood / (Edward Lee Underwood) → Guitarist, pianist and journalist best known for playing lead guitar for Tim Buckley from 1965 to 1975 and on seven of Buckley’s nine studio albums; following Buckley’s death in June 1975 became a staff writer and then West Coast editor for DownBeat through 1981; published in Rolling Stone, Billboard, the Los Angeles Times and other print media through the 80s; embarked on a solo recording career with a debut album, California Sigh (1988) of acoustic new age music and co-wrote flutist Paul Horn’s autobiography The Spiritual Odyssey of a Universal Traveler (1990); wrote the liner notes to two mid-90s posthumous albums of Buckley concerts from the late 60s and published the biography Blue Monday: Tim Buckley Remembered in 2002; released two additional albums of solo piano compositions, as well as three books of poetry before dying in New Mexico from undisclosed causes on 7/14/2026, age 87.
1939 ● O.V. Wright / (Overton Vertis “O.V.” Wright) → R&B/gospel then Southern soul balladeer, “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry” (R&B #6, 1965) and five other R&B Top 40 hits, died from a drug abuse-related heart attack on 11/16/1980, age 41
1940 ● John Lennon / (John Winston Lennon) → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of The Beatles, with collaborator Paul McCartney co-wrote 21 US #1 hits, expressive if often neglected solo career, “Imagine” (#3, 1971) and 14 other Top 40 hits, social activist, sometime film actor, murdered outside his New York City apartment by a deranged fan on 12/8/1980, age 40
1944 ● Nona Hendryx → R&B/soul, funk, pop and World music singer, songwriter and producer, founding member of 60s doo wop girl group The Bluebelles, which morphed into disco-funk Labelle, “Lady Marmalade” (#1, 1975), solo, “Why Should I Cry?” (#58, R&B #5, 1987), collaboration with Keith Richards, “Rock This House” (1985) and others, film and radio actress
1944 ● John Entwistle → Influential bass guitarist and founding member of The Who, “I Can See For Miles” (#9, 1967) plus 16 other Top 40 hits, solo, “Talk Dirty” (Mainstream Rock #41, 1982), Rolling Stone magazine reader poll #1 rock bassist of all time, died from a cocaine-induced heart attack on 6/27/2002, age 57
1947 ● France Gall / (Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall) → French teenybopper “ye-ye” music singer and Eurovision singing contest winner with several mid-60s hits, including “Les Sucettes” (“Lollipops,” 1966), the sexually suggestive song written by Serge Gainsbourg, later transitioned to adult pop music with husband and songwriter, Michel Berger, until his death in 1992, faded from music and public appearances in the late 90s and died from cancer on 1/7/2018, age 70
1948 ● Jackson Browne / (Clyde Jackson Browne) → Laid-back California folk-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Running On Empty” (#11, 1977) and nine other Top 40 singles and four Top 20 albums
1949 ● Rod Temperton / (Rodney Lynn Temperton) → Brit keyboardist and songwriter for R&B funk/disco Heatwave, wrote “Boogie Nights” (#2, R&B #5, UK #2, 1977), recruited by Quincy Jones to write for Michael Jackson and penned “Rock With You” ()#1, R&B #1, UK #7, 1979) and “Thriller” (# , 1988), among others, plus hits for George Benson, Donna Summer and others, died from cancer in the week preceding 10/5/2016, age 66
1954 ● James Fearnley → Accordion for Irish folk-punk-rock The Pogues, “Tuesday Morning” (Rock #11, 1993)
1957 ● Ini Kamoze / (Cecil Campbell) → One hit wonder reggae/dance-club singer, “Here Comes The Hotstepper” (#1, 1994).
1959 ● Thomas Wydler → Swiss drummer and core member of Aussie alt rock Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, “Where The Wild Roses Grow” (Australia #2, UK #11, 1995)
1961 ● Kurt Neumann → Founder, guitar and vocals for roots rock The BoDeans, “Closer To Free” (#16, 1993)
1967 ● Mat Osman → Bassist for Britpop indie rock Suede, “Trash” (UK #3, 1996)
1968 ● Vix / (Victoria Perks) → Violin and vocals for all-girl New Wave pop-punk quartet Fuzzbox (originally We’ve Got A Fuzz Box And We’re Gonna Use It), “International Rescue” (UK #11, 1989)
1969 ● P.J. Harvey / (Polly Jean Harvey) → Alt rock singer/songwriter and guitarist, bandleader for her self-named trio and solo artist, “Down By The Water” (Alt Rock #2, 1995)
1973 ● Terry Balsamo → Lead guitarist for alt heavy metal Cold, “Stupid Girl” (Mainstream Rock #4, 2003), left to join Grammy-winning goth-pop-metal Evanescence, “My Immortal” (#7, 2004)
1975 ● Sean Lennon / (Sean Ono Lennon) → avant-garde-pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor, producer, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono and godson of Elton John, shares birthday with his deceased father
1978 ● Nicholas Byrne → Vocals for Irish pop boy band Westlife, “Swear It Again” (#20, 2000) and 17 UK Top 10 hits
1979 ● Alex Greenwald → Actor, model for The Gap clothing store and lead vocals and guitarist for power pop/indie rock Phantom Planet, “California” (Modern Rock #35, 2002)
1980 ● Brian Hurren → Keyboards for Scottish Celtic folk-rock Runrig, “An Ubhal As Airde (The Highest Apple)” (UK #18, 1995)
October 10
1909 ● “Mother” Maybelle Carter / (Maybelle Addington) → Guitar, harmony vocals and 50-year member of traditional folk and country music act The Carter Family, matriarch of next-generation country-pop The Carter Sisters (“Pick The Wildwood Flower,” Country #34, 1973) with daughters Helen, June (later June Carter Cash) and Anita, performed until her death on 10/24/1978, age 69
1914 ● Ivory Joe Hunter → The “Baron of the Boogie”, blues pianist, singer and early rock ‘n’ roller, “Since I Met You, Baby” (#12, R&B #1, 1956), died of lung cancer on 11/8/1974, age 60
1917 ● Thelonius Monk → Jazz giant, pianist and composer, “Round Midnight” (1944) and the retrospective live album At Carnegie Hall (#107, 2005), died after a stroke on 2/17/1982, age 64
1923 ● Louis Gottlieb → Baritone vocals, bass guitar and comic routines for folk-pop trio The Limeliters, “A Dollar Down” (#60, 1961), left the group in 1965 to co-found the hippie commune Morning Star Ranch in Sonoma County, CA, rejoined in 1973 and performed through to his death on 7/11/1996, age 72
1938 ● Larry Finnegan / (John Lawrence Finneran) → One hit wonder rock ‘n’ roll/pop singer, “Dear One” (#11, AUS #1, 1962), left the U.S. for Sweden and then Switzerland in the mid-60s, returned to the U.S. in the early 70s and died of a brain tumor on 7/22/1973, age 34
1943 ● Denis D’Ell / (Denis Dalziel) → Lead singer and harmonica player for one hit wonder English beat/pop-rock The Honeycombs, “Have I The Right?” (#5, 1964), died of cancer on 7/6/2005, age 61
1945 ● Alan Cartwright / (Alan George Cartwright) → Bassist for Brit funk/soul Freddie Mack‘s band in the late 60s, then joined prog/psych rock Procol Harum (“A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” #5, 1967) in 1971 in time to record their hit LP, Procol Harum Live: In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (#5, 1972), left in 1975 and managed beverages and events at a private club in North London in his later years, appearing just once with his bandmates at a Procol Harum live reunion show in 1997, died from stomach cancer on 3/4/2021, age 75.
1945 ● Jerry Lacroix → Journeyman harmonica, saxophone, songwriter and backing vocals for The Boogie Kings, Edgar Winter’s White Trash, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Rare Earth, sessions
1946 ● John Prine → Highly-influential, revered folk and country-rock singer, literary songwriter and guitarist, wrote dozens of acclaimed and oft-covered songs that chronicled Americana, social issues, love and life, including the melancholy “Sam Stone” and the now folk standard “Angel From Montgomery,” both from his debut album, John Prine (1971), won Grammy awards for albums The Missing Years (1992) and Fair & Square (2005), survived two bouts of cancer – squamous cell (1998) and lung (2013) but succumbed to complications of the COVID-19 virus on 4/7/2020, age 73.
1948 ● Cyril Neville → Vocals and percussion in New Orleans soul-funk sibling group The Neville Brothers, “Yellow Moon” (1989)
1951 ● Keith Grimes → Backing band guitarist for Eva Cassidy, mixed-genre vocal interpreter of American classics and pop tunes including “Over The Rainbow” (1992).
1952 ● Sharon Osbourne → Sensible wife of heavy metal king Ozzy Osbourne, TV actress and judge on The X Factor and America’s Got Talent, producer, business manager and promoter
1953 ● Midge Ure / (James Ure) → Scottish guitarist, singer and songwriter, first with bubblegum pop Slik, “Forever And Ever” (UK #1, 1976), left to form pop-rock The Rich Kids, “Rich Kids” (UK #24, 1978), then New Wave electro-synth-pop pioneers Ultravox, “Vienna” (UK #2, 1980) and 15 other UK Top 40 singles, co-organized charity group Band Aid, “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (#13, 1984), solo, “Dear God” (Mainstream Rock #6, 1989)
1954 ● David Lee Roth → Flamboyant frontman, lead singer and songwriter for hard rock Van Halen, “Jump” (#1, 1984), solo, “Just Like Paradise” (#6, 1988), radio “shock jock” DJ with Howard Stern
1958 ● Tanya Tucker → Country singer and songwriter, first hit at age 13 with “Delta Dawn” (#72, Country #6, 1972), scored 10 Country #1 hits including “Lizzie And The Rainman” (#37, Country #1, 1975), 1991 Country Music Association singer of the year, starred in her own fly-on-the-wall TV show, Tuckerville, in 2005
1959 ● Kirsty MacColl → Brit singer and songwriter, “There’s A Guy Works Down In The Chip Shop (Swears He’s Elvis)” (UK #14, 1981) and “Walking Down Madison” (Dance/Club #18, 1991), died in a boating accident in Mexico on 12/18/2000, age 41
1960 ● Eric Martin → Vocals for pop-metal “shredder” band Mr. Big, “To Be With You” (#1, 1992)
1960 ● Gail Greenwood → Bass guitarist in Rhode Island rock bands until recruited to alt rock Belly (“Feed The Tree,” #95, Alt Rock #1, UK #32, 1993; when Belly disbanded in 1996 joined grunge and riot grrrl group L7 (“Pretend We’re Dead,” Alt Rock #8, UK #21, 1992) and in 2001 toured with Canadian pop punk artist Bif Naked; co-founded alt rock Benny Sizzler in 2003 and played with that group until rejoining Belly in 2016; toured with Belly in 2018 despite chemotherapy treatments for endometrial cancer; played with Brit post-punk Gang Of Four on the group’s farewell tour in 2025.
1961 ● Martin Kemp → Bassist for New Romantic pop-rock Spandau Ballet, “True” (#4, 1983)
1963 ● Jim Glennie → Bassist in Brit alt pop-rock James, “Sit Down” (UK #2, 1991) and “Laid” (#61, Modern Rock #3, 1994)
1963 ● Jonny Male → Guitarist for techno-pop Republica, “Drop Dead Gorgeous” (Modern Rock #39, 1997)
1964 ● Graham Crabb → Drummer for dance-rock Pop Will Eat Itself, “X, Y & Zee” (Modern Rock #11, 1991)
1967 ● Mike Malinin → Guitar and vocals for alt-rock Goo Goo Dolls, “Iris” (#1, 1998)
1972 ● Vinnie Tattanelli → Drummer for power-pop Nine Days, “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)” (#6, 2000)
1973 ● Scott Morriss → Bassist for indie rock The Bluetones, “Slight Return” (UK #2, 1996)
1979 ● Mýa Marie Harrison → R&B/smooth urban soul singer, “Case Of The Ex” (#2, 2000) and “Lady Marmalade” (#1, 2001) with Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim and Pink, dancer and actress
1981 ● Una Healy Foden → Vocals in electro-pop girl-group The Saturdays, “Missing You” (UK #3, 2010) and twelve other UK Top 10 hits
