Happy Birthday this week to:
September 06
1889 ● Louis Silvers → Film score composer with over 250 credits and an Academy Award for Best Original Score for One Night Of Love (1935), also wrote the pop standard “April Showers” (1921), died of a heart ailment on 3/26/1954, age 64
1925 ● Jimmy Reed / (Mathis James Reed) → Electric blues pioneering guitarist and songwriter, “Big Boss Man” (#78, R&B #13, 1961), influenced Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones and many others, died following an epileptic seizure on 8/29/1976, age 50
1938 ● Henry Diltz → Folk musician and photographer, played with the Modern Folk Quartet in the early 60s, did session work with The Monkees and took numerous publicity shots for them and other bands, became the official photographer at Woodstock and has provided the cover shots to over 75 rock albums, co-founded the Morrison Hotel Galleries of rock art and photography in New York and L.A.
1939 ● David Allan Coe → Teenage reform school student, two-time 20-something prison inmate, and street busker before becoming a key figure in the “outlaw country” movement in Nashville in the 70s and 80s; never achieved the huge success of peers Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and others, but personified the genre through his rebellious attitude, wild image, and unconventional lifestyle; released over 50 singles, among them seven Top 30 country hits, including “Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile” (Country #2, 1984), and over 40 albums in a recording career from 1970 to 2002; also wrote songs recorded by others, including and “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)” (Country #1, 1974) for Tanya Tucker and “Take This Job And Shove It” (Country #1, 1977) for Johnny Paycheck; from the 90s on continued to tour, write songs for others, collaborate with Kid Rock and heavy metal group Pantera, publish books, and have run-ins with the IRS over unpaid taxes; suffered from declining health in later years and died in a hospital intensive care unit on 4/29/2026, age 86.
1940 ● Jackie Trent / (Yvonne Burgess) → English singer, songwriter and actress, “Where Are You Now (My Love)” (UK #1, 1965), with husband Tony Hatch co-wrote songs for Petula Clark (“Don’t Sleep In The Subway,” #5, 1967), Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Dean Martin and others, died after a long illness on 3/21/2015, age 74
1942 ● Dave Bargeron → Trombone and tuba for jazz-rock/pop-rock fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969), has played with the Gil Evans Orchestra since 1972
1943 ● Roger Waters → Founding member, bass, vocals and principal songwriter of space rock Pink Floyd, “Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)” (#1, 1979), left in 1985 for solo career, “What God Wants, Pt. 1” (Mainstream Rock #4, 1992), rejoined the band in 2005 for a one-off concert in London
1947 ● Sylvester James → R&B/soul-disco singer and drag queen performer, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” (#36, UK #8, 1978), died from complications of AIDS on 12/16/1988, age 41
1948 ● Claydes Charles Smith → Co-founder and lead guitarist of jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Jungle Boogie” (#4, 1973), died after a long illness on 6/20/2006, age 57
1951 ● Wayne Perkins / (David Wayne Perkins) → Guitarist, singer, songwriter and highly regarded session musician at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio (Alabama) and in Nashville recording studios; contributed to recordings by Joni Mitchell (Court and Spark, #2, 1974), Billy Joel, The Everly Brothers, The Wailers’ “Concrete Jungle” (1973) and the slide guitar on Leon Russell’s “Tight Rope” (#11, 1972); auditioned in 1975 to join The Rolling Stones following the departure of Mick Taylor, and for Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1977; turned both down but contributed the distinctive lead guitar to the Stones’ “Hand of Fate” and “Fool to Cry” (#10, 1976) on the Black and Blue (1976) album; released his own acclaimed solo debut Misfits in 1995; inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2013; died from complications of a stroke and brain tumors on 3/29/2026, age 75.
1954 ● Stella Barker → Rhythm guitar for Brit all female ska/pop-rock The Belle Stars, “Sign Of The Times” (UK #3, 1983) and “Iko Iko” (#14, 1989)
1958 ● Buster Bloodvessel / (Douglas Trendle) → Silly stage antic performing, bald and outsized frontman and lead vocalist for ska revival Bad Manners, “Can Can” (UK #3, 1981)
1961 ● Colin Ferguson → Bassist for Scottish synth-pop New Romantic quartet H2O, “Dream To Sleep” (UK #17, 1983)
1961 ● Paul Waaktaar-Savoy / (Pål Waaktaar Gamst) → Guitarist and songwriter for Norwegian synth-pop A-Ha, “Take On Me” (#1, 1985), the first band from Norway to score a #1 hit in the UK and US
1961 ● Scott Travis → Drummer with speed metal Racer X, joined influential “New Wave” heavy metal band Judas Priest, “A Touch Of Evil” (Mainstream Rock #29, 1990) in 1989
1965 ● Trevor Bickers → Lead guitarist for Brit indie psych-rock The House Of Love, “Shine On” (, 1990)
1967 ● Macy Gray / (Natalie Renee McIntyre) → Grammy-winning R&B/neo-soul vocalist, “I Try” (#5, 2000)
1967 ● William DuVal → Singer, guitarist and songwriter for hard rock Madfly, which morphed into Comes With The Fall, joined alterna-metal/hard rock Alice In Chains in 2006, “Check My Brain” (Rock #1, 2009)
1969 ● Ce Ce Peniston / (Cecelia Peniston) → Dance-pop/disco diva, “Finally” (#5, 1991)
1969 ● Paddy Bloom / (Patrick Seacor) → Drummer for dance-glam-rock Scissor Sisters, “Filthy Gorgeous” (Dance/Club #1, 2005).
1970 ● Cheyne Coates / (April Coates) → Australian singer in dance-pop duo Madison Avenue, “Don’t Call Me Baby” (Dance/Club #1, 2000)
1970 ● Dean Fertita → Multi-instrumentalist lead singer for indie rock The Waxwings from 1997 to 2005, then power pop The Raconteurs (“Steady, As She Goes,” #54, Alt Rock #1, 2006), stoner metal Queens Of The Stone Age, “No One Knows” (#51, Mainstream Rock #5, 2002) and supergroup The Dead Weather, issued a debut solo album in 2009
1971 ● Dolores O’Riordan / (Dolores Mary Eileen O’Riordan) → Founding member and lead vocals for Irish jangle/dream pop-rock The Cranberries, “Linger” (#8, 1993), led the band from 1990 to 2003 and again following reunion 2009, issued two solo albums in the interval, died suddenly from undisclosed causes on 1/15/2018, age 46
1973 ● Anika Noni Rose → Tony Award-winning American singer and actress in the motion picture roman à clef musical Dreamgirls (2006)
1974 ● Nina Persson → Vocals for Swedish pop-rock The Cardigans, “Lovefool” (#1, 1996)
1978 ● Foxy Brown / (Inga Marchand) → Member of overhyped hip hop music group The Firm, then solo rapper, “Hot Spot” (Rap #23, 1999)
1980 ● Kerry Katona → Vocals for Brit dance-pop vocal trio Atomic Kitten, “Whole Again” (UK #1, 2000), left the group in 2001 for a career as a TV host
September 07
1920 ● Al Caiola / (Alexander Emil Caiola) → Session guitarist for Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra and dozens of others, jazz and pop bandleader and solo artist with over 50 easy listening instrumental albums in the 60s, 70s and 80s, best known for his hit versions of TV theme song “Bonanza” (#19, 1961) and movie theme song “The Magnificent Seven” (#35, 1961), died from natural causes on 11/9/2016, age 96
1921 ● Arthur Ferrante → Julliard-trained pianist and, with Louis Teicher, one half of the easy listening piano duo Ferrante & Teicher, known for their instrumental renditions of classical pieces, movie themes and show tunes, including “Tonight” (#10, AC #2, 1961) and “Midnight Cowboy” (#8, AC #2, 1969), died from natural causes on 9/19/2009, age 87
1926 ● Ronnie Gilbert → Singer, social activist and founding member and contralto vocals for left-leaning, influential, successful folk-pop The Weavers, collaborated on multiple albums and projects with Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and other folk luminaries as well as mentoring younger folk musicians, participated in music festivals up to her death from natural causes on 6/6/2015, age 88
1930 ● Sonny Rollins / (Walter Theodore Rollins Jr.) → Virtuoso tenor saxophonist and composer widely revered as the “Saxophone Colossus” for his physical and musical stature, and renowned for his unparalleled command of thematic improvisation; one of the most influential, inventive, and prolific musicians in the history of jazz; emerged in the late 140s and pioneered the hard bop movement in collaborations with Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and others; wrote undisputed jazz standards including “St. Thomas,” “Oleo,” and “Doxy” and released nearly 50 studio albums from 1953 to 2006; famously took several self-imposed sabbaticals at the peak of his fame to perfect his craft—most notably practicing solo for hours at night from 1959 to 1961 on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City; honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, the National Medal of Arts in 2010, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2011; died from pulmonary fibrosis on 5/26/2026, age 95.
1934 ● Dan Ingram / (Daniel Trombley Ingram) → Witty, satirical, irreverent and legendary New York radio disc jockey, first in the 60s with WABC-AM, the country’s premiere Top 40 station and the most successful ever in that format, left to join WCBS Radio after WABC switched to talk radio in 1982, continued with CBS stations and other radio projects through the 00s, died from choking on a piece of steak on 7/24/2018, age 83.
1934 ● Little Milton / (James Milton Campbell, Jr.) → Electric blues and R&B/soul guitarist and singer, “We’re Gonna Make It” (#25, R&B #1, 1965), died following a stroke on 8/4/2005, age 70
1935 ● Ronnie Dove → Early pop-rock and adult contemporary singer, frontman for The Belltones, solo, “A Little Bit Of Heaven” (#16, 1965), revived his career with several Country Top 100 hits in the 70s and 80s
1936 ● Buddy Holly / (Charles Hardin Holley) → Rock ‘n’ roll immortal, singer/songwriter, guitarist and bandleader with The Crickets, “That’ll Be The Day” (#1, 1957), died along with Ritchie Valens and J. R. “The Big Bopper” Richardson in an Iowa plane crash on the night of 2/3/1959, age 22
1936 ● Joe Simon → Gospel-trained, R&B and country-pop crossover singer who rose from a poverty-stricken childhood and adult homelessness to record 10 R&B Top 10 singles, including the Grammy-winning “The Chokin’ Kind” (#13, R&B #1, 1969) and “Get Down, Get Down (Get On the Floor)” (#8, R&B #1, 1975), along the way writing the theme song to the film Cleopatra Jones (1973), abruptly left the secular music industry in 1983 and became an ordained minister and social activist, died from unspecified causes on 12/13/2021, age 85.
1941 ● Michael Smith / (Michael Peter Smith) → Chicago-based Americana/folk singer and songwriter with over 500 compositions, many of which were recorded by others, including Jimmy Buffett, David Soul and Jerry Jeff Walker, best known for penning the folk classic “The Dutchman,” covered by Steve Goodman (1972) and on nearly two dozen other recordings over the years, died from colon cancer on 8/3/2020, age 78.
1945 ● Barry Poss / (Barry Lyle Poss) → Canadian-born musician, record producer, music entrepreneur and co-founder of roots music Sugar Hill Records in 1978, the label ultimately issued eight Grammy-winning albums by scores of varied bluegrass and Americana folk acts from Dolly Parton to Jewel Kilcher and Doc Watson, sold the business to Welk Music Group in 1998, ran that company and its Sugar Hill subsidiary until 2015, battled cancer late in life and succumbed to the disease on 5/13/2025, age 79.
1946 ● Alfa Anderson / (Alfa Karlys Anderson) → College lecturer moonlighting as a session vocalist in the 70s, sang on the debut album by disco icons Chic (“Dance, Dance, Dance,” #6, Dance #1, 1977) and became co-lead vocalist with Luci Martin through 1983, sang on all of the band’s biggest hits during the disco craze, including “Le Freak” (#1, R&B #1, 1978) and “Good Times” (#1, R&B #1, 1979), following Chic’s dissolution in 1983 toured with Luther Vandross as a duet and backed Bryan Adams, Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry and multiple other artists, returned to education, received a master’s degree and became a high school principal in New York City, all the while continuing to tour with her former Chic-mates through the 10s, released a solo album in 2017, died from undisclosed causes on 12/16, 2024, age 78.
1946 ● Barry “Byrd” Burton / (Barry Burton) → Lead guitarist for Grammy-winning Southern rock Amazing Rhythm Aces (“Third Rate Romance,” #14, Country #11, CAN #1), after breakup in 1980 became a solo artist, producer, session musician and touring guitarist for Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn and Dan Fogelberg, died from a rare form of leukemia on 3/10/2008, age 61
1948 ● Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson / (Dennis Andrew Tomich) → Teenaged co-founding member and hard-hitting drummer in influential Detroit proto-punk/garage rockers MC5 (“Kick Out The Jams,” #82, 1969), their radical, left-wing politics and obscenity-laced recordings spawned widespread controversy with record labels and radio stations, after breakup in the early 70s gigged with several lesser-known rock bands, then left the industry for a career as a metal-working machinist, joined various MC5 bandmates for occasional reunions over the decades, suffered a heart attack in April 2024 and died in a rehabilitation clinic on 5/8/2024, age 75.
1949 ● Gloria Gaynor / (Gloria Fowles) → Top-tier, Grammy-winning R&B/disco diva, “I Will Survive” (#1, 1979), later small part TV and Broadway actress
1950 ● Moogy Klingman / (Mark Klingman) → Songwriter, producer, musician, bandleader and co-writer of Bette Midler‘s signature song “(You Got To Have) Friends” (#40, 1973), producer of her third album Songs For The New Depression (#27, 1976) and two rare “supergroup” albums, Summit Meeting (1969) and Music From Free Creek (1970) featuring Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Linda Ronstadt and others, co-founder of prog/pop-rock Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (“Set Me Free,” #27, 1980), and frequent sideman with Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Gov’t Mule and others, died from bladder cancer on 11/15/2011, age 61.
1951 ● Chrissie Hynde → Vocals, guitar and frontwoman for post-punk New Wave hard pop-rock The Pretenders, “Back On The Chain Gang” (#5, 1982)
1953 ● Benmont Tench → Keyboards for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, “Free Fallin'” (#7, 1989), session work with Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, U2 and others
1956 ● Diane Warren → Prolific rock/pop songwriter with three Grammys, five ASCAP Songwriter of the Year awards, two BMI Songwriter of the Year awards and over 80 Top 40 hits by artists such as Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, Jefferson Starship and Tina Turner, among the over 800 songs she has published are “Solitaire” by Laura Branigan (#7, 1983), “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher (#3, AC #1, 1989), “Because You Loved Me” by Céline Dion (#1, 1996) and “There You’ll Be” by Faith Hill (#10, Country #11, 2001)
1957 ● Margot Chapman → Singer in AM Pop one hit wonder Starland Vocal Band, “Afternoon Delight” (#1, UK #18, 1976).
1957 ● Jermaine Stewart → R&B/soul-pop backing vocalist for Shalamar, Tavares and others, then solo, “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off” (#5, 1986), died of cancer on 3/17/1997, age 39
1958 ● Hamilton Lee → Drummer in Brit New Wave synth-pop Furniture, “Brilliant Mind” (UK #21, 1986)
1960 ● Brad Houser / (John Bradley Houser) → Co-founder of the predecessor group to folk-pop Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians (“What I Am,” #7, CAN #1, 1989) and played bass with the band until the early 90s, then co-founded jazz-rock instrumental group Critters Buggin and played in various Austin, Texas bands in the 00s, co-designed a series of instruments for Reverend Guitars and taught music in local schools until suffering a stroke and dying a week later on 7/24/2023, age 62.
1961 ● LeRoi Moore / (Gary Lee Moore) → Saxophonist and founding member of pop-funk-rock jam band Dave Matthews Band, “Don’t Drink The Water” (#4, 1998), died following an accident on his Virginia farm on 9/19/2008, age 47
1963 ● Eazy-E / (Eric Wright) → Provocative rapper in seminal hip hop/gangsta rap group N.W.A., “Express Yourself” (#37, Rap #2, 1989), solo, “Real Muthaphuckkin G’s” (#42, Rap #7, 1994), died from complications of AIDS on 3/26/1995, age 31
1966 ● Chris Acland → Drummer for alt pop/shoegazing band Lush, “Sweetness & Light” (Modern Rock #4, 1990), committed suicide by hanging on 9/7/1996, his 30th birthday
1967 ● David Guetta → French house and electronic music DJ, “When Love Takes Over” (Dance/Club #1, 2009), producer, including The Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” (#1, 2009)
1969 ● Skin Tyson / (Liam Sean Tyson) → Lead guitar for 90s alt rock Brit-pop Cast, “Flying” (UK #4, 1996), collaboration with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin
1970 ● Chad Sexton → Drummer in alt-rock reggae-rap-metal 311, “All Mixed Up” (Modern Rock #4, 1996)
1986 ● Spectacular Blue Smith → Singer with Miami-based R&B/hip-hop sibling quartet Pretty Ricky, “Grind With Me” (#7, 2005)
September 08
1897 ● Jimmie Rodgers / (James Charles Rodgers) → Often called the “man who started it all”, very early country star and yodeler, original inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, influenced Merle Haggard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Van Morrison and others, died from tuberculosis on 5/26/1933, age 45
1925 ● Peter Sellers → Comedy actor in many films, notably The Pink Panther series (first 1963) and Dr. Strangelove (1964), novelty/comedy spoken word singer, “A Hard Day’s Night” (UK #14, 1965), died of a heart attack on 7/24/1980, age 54
1926 ● Jake Carey / (Jacob Carey) → Founding member and bass vocals for sophisticated group harmony R&B/doo wop The Flamingos, “I Only Have Eyes For You”, (#11, R&B #3, 1959)
1932 ● Patsy Cline / (Virginia Patterson Hensley) → Country super-diva and first country singer to crossover to pop, “I Fall To Pieces” (1961), died in a place crash on 3/5/1963, age 30
1934 ● Bill Parsons → Country-pop singer and songwriter known (or not known) for not singing the hit single “The All American Boy” (#2, 1959) which was mistakenly credited to him and not to co-writer, musical collaborator and actual singer Bobby Bare under the pseudonym Orville Lunsford, cut two more singles without success and retired from the music industry
1934 ● Guitar Shorty / (David William Kearney) → Electric blues guitarist with a slashing style and wild stage antics, including somersaults, flips and playing while standing on his head, toured with R&B and blues greats Ray Charles, B. B. King and others in his 20s, mentored Jimi Hendrix and introduced him to the wah-wah pedal in the early 60s, cut several unsuccessful singles and performed with Little Milton and T-Bone Walker among others, before leaving music for a time in the early 80s, returned in the 90s for a tour of Great Britain and future performances, issued 10 albums over the ensuing 30 years, including a final LP, Trying To Find My Way Back in 2019, died of natural causes on 4/20/2022, age 87.
1941 ● Dante Drowty / (Donald Drowty) → Singer and de facto frontman for one hit wonder pop group Dante & The Evergreens, “Alley Oop” (#15, 1960), later wrote and produced songs for Herb Alpert, The Isley Brothers and others
1942 ● Sal Valentino / (Salvatore Spampinato) → Co-founder, frontman and lead singer in influential but underrated 60s folk-, psych- and country-rock The Beau Brummels, “Laugh, Laugh” (#15, 1964)
1942 ● Brian Cole → Bassist for light pop-rock vocal group The Association, “Along Comes Mary” (#7, 1966), died of heroin overdose on 8/2/1972, age 29
1945 ● Cathy Jean Giordano → Lead singer for early 60s one hit wonder blue-eyed soul/doo wop studio-only group Cathy Jean & The Roomates, “Please Love Me Forever” (#12, 1961), left the industry to raise a family and resurfaced in the 80s as a Long Island, NY radio disc jockey and singer
1945 ● Pigpen / (Ronald Charles McKernan) → Founding member, keyboards and occasional vocals for rock’s longest, strangest trip Grateful Dead, “Turn On Your Love Light” (1969), died from liver failure due to alcohol abuse on 3/8/1973, age 27
1945 ● Kelly Groucutt / (Michael William Groucutt) → Bass and vocals for pop-rock Electric Light Orchestra, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (#4, 1979) and 26 other Top 40 hits, died from a heart attack on 2/19/2009, age 63
1946 ● Dean Daughtry / (William Dean Daughtry) → Keyboards, songwriting and vocals for 60s soft rock quartet Classics IV (“Spooky, #3, 1968), which morphed into 70s Southern rock Atlanta Rhythm Section, co-wrote the band’s two big hits, “So Into You” (#7, 1977) and “Imaginary Lover” (#7, 1978), played on every recording and at every live performance by the band for 49 years before retiring in 2020 due to health issues, died from natural causes on 1/26/2023, age 76.
1946 ● George Tickner / (George Tyndall Tickner) → Member of San Francisco psych-rock Frumious Bandersnatch in the 60s, performed with Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders in the early 70s, then in 1973 co-founded hard rock/arena rock Journey, played rhythm guitar and co-wrote several songs on their first three albums, left in 1975 to attend Stanford Medical School on a full scholarship, practiced medicine in the Bay Area but remained active in various Journey side projects and spin-off groups into the 00s, died from undisclosed causes on 7/5/2023, age 76.
1947 ● Benjamin Orr / (Benjamin Orzechowski) → Co-founder, occasional lead vocals and bassist for hugely successful synth-pop-rock The Cars, “Shake It Up” (#4, 1982), died from pancreatic cancer on 10/3/2000, age 53
1958 ● David Lewis → Vocals for 80s urban contemporary soul Atlantic Starr, “Always” (#1, 1987), now a Christian minister
1960 ● Aimee Mann → Bassist, guitarist, singer and songwriter, first with one hit wonder post-New Wave pop-rock ‘Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry” (#8, 1985), then largely unsuccessful solo career except for “Save Me” from the film Magnolia (1999)
1960 ● Shuffle Steele / (David Steele) → Bassist for multi-racial ska revivalist The English Beat, “Hand’s Off…She’s Mine” (#22, UK #9, 1983), later co-founded synth-pop Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy” (#1, 1989)
1969 ● Andie Rathbone → Former car salesman and third and last drummer for post-Brit-pop hard rock Mansun, “Wide Open Space” (Modern Rock #25, 1997) and Blondie tribute band Into The Bleach, now a drum teacher
1970 ● Neko Case → American singer-songwriter, vocalist, solo artist with nine albums (including two US Indie Rock #1’s) and founding member of Canadian indie rock/power pop The New Pornographers (2000 LP Miss Romantic is ranked 24th best indie album of all time by Blender magazine)
1975 ● Richard Hughes → Drummer in piano-driven pop/rock Keane, “Somewhere Only We Know” (Adult Top 40 #11, 2004).
1977 ● Stuart Price → British electronic musician, songwriter, producer and remixer, bassist for electro-dance-pop trio Zoot Woman, producer for Madonna, Missy Elliott, The Killers, Gwen Stefani, Seal and others
1979 ● Pink / (Alecia Beth Moore) → Teen dance-pop singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Get The Party Started” (#4, 2001)
1980 ● Slim Thug / (Stayve Jerome Thomas) → Rapper, “I Run” (Rhythmic Top 40 #30, 2009), contributed to tracks by Beyoncé (“Check On It”, #1, 2006), Gwen Stefani, LeToya Luckett and others, solo
1987 ● Wiz Khalifa / (Cameron Jibril Thomaz) → Rapper, songwriter and actor, Billboard magazine Top New Artist of 2012 and Grammy-nominee for “Black And Yellow” (#1, R&B #6, Rap #1, 2010),
September 09
1930 ● Mitzi McCall / (Mitzi Joan Steiner) → Film and TV actress in the 50s, then middle-of-the-road comedy duo in the 60s with husband Charlie Brill, the couple blew a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for stardom by flopping their performance on the Ed Sullivan Show on 2/9/1964 – the same episode as the TV debut of The Beatles in North America – 73 million TV viewers witnessed the disastrous act, following six months in hiding, recovered and returned to nightclubs and TV, including Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In in the 70s and Seinfeld in the 90s, plus voice-overs for children’s TV cartoons, died in a hospital from undisclosed causes on 8/8/2024, age 93.
1937 ● Inez Foxx / (Inez Rebecca Fox) → With elder brother Charlie, one half of the one hit wonder R&B/soul duo Inez & Charlie Foxx and their lone big hit “Mockingbird” (#7, 1963), the pair co-wrote the song and many others in their repertoire before separating in 1969, enjoyed a mildly-successful solo career in the early 70s, particularly in the UK with its northern soul movement, dropped from sight and lived out of the limelight until her death from unspecified causes on 8/25/2022, age 84.
1940 ● Joe Negroni → Founding member and baritone vocals for R&B/doo wop Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” (#6, 1956), died from a cerebral hemorrhage on 9/5/1978, age 37.
1941 ● Otis Redding → The “King of Soul,” highly-influential and talented Southern soul vocalist, Stax Records artist and rising crossover star, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” (#1, 1968), died in a plane crash on 12/10/1967, age 26
1941 ● Duffy Power / (Raymond Leslie Howard) → 60s Britpop singer and guitarist in the style of Billy Fury and Georgie Fame but with far less appeal, turned to a career as a talented but commercially unsuccessful blues rock musician, recorded and toured intermittently up to his death on 2/19/2014, age 72
1942 ● Luther Simmons, Jr. → Founding member and vocals for R&B/romantic soul The Main Ingredient, “Everybody Plays The Fool” (#3, 1972)
1942 ● Danny Kalb / (Daniel Ira Kalb) → Wisconsin coffee house singer who met and followed Bob Dylan to New York and the Greenwich Village folk revival scene of the early 60s, played with Dave Van Ronk, Judy Collins, Phil Ochs and others, in 1965 co-founded influential jazz/blues-rock fusion The Blues Project (“Flute Thing,” 1966), left for a while in the late 60s to sort through substance abuse, returned in the 70s for a long career alternately playing in Blues Project reunions, issuing solo albums, fronting his own bands and collaborating in numerous side projects, died from cancer on 11/19/2022, age 80.
1945 ● Dee Dee Sharp / (Dione LaRue) → Early black female teen idol R&B/soul singer, “Mashed Potato Time” (#2, 1962)
1945 ● Doug Ingle / (Douglas Lloyd Ingle) → Founding member, keyboards, vocals and primary songwriter for 60s psychedelic-rock Iron Butterfly, crafted the 17-minute, iconic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” (#30, 1970), left the group in 1971 and managed an RV park and painted houses for 25 years, joined occasional Iron Butterfly reunions after 1996 and was the last surviving original member of the group upon his death from unspecified causes on 5/24/2024, age 78.
1945 ● Andrea Simpson → With partner Lois Wilkinson, one half of the British Invasion pop-rock girl duo The Caravelles, “You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry” (#3, 1963)
1946 ● Trevor Oakes → Guitarist for Brit rock ‘n’ roll revival Showaddywaddy, “Under The Moon Of Love” (UK #1, 1976) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1946 ● Bruce Palmer → Canadian musician and original bassist in L.A. folk-rock Buffalo Springfield (“For What It’s Worth,” #7, 1967), deported back to Canada following numerous arrests for marijuana possession but later rejoined the band until it broke up in 1968, did session work and appeared on albums by ex-bandmate Neil Young and others, as well as a lone solo effort, died after suffering a heart attack on 10/1/2004, age 58
1947 ● Freddy Weller / (Wilton Frederick Weller) → Session guitarist, then lead guitar for hard-edged rock ‘n’ roll Paul Revere & The Raiders, “Just Like Me” (#11, 1965), songwriter who worked with and co-wrote hits for and with Reba McEntire, Joe South, Tommy James and others
1948 ● Pamela Des Barres / (Pamela Anne Miller) → Rock groupie, singer, author and magazine writer known for her numerous sexual partners including Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page and Grams Parsons and her memoir I’m With The Band (1987), performed with Frank Zappa-sponsored musical group The GTOs and had small parts in several films, TV shows and commercials, once married to Michael Des Barres, lead singer in hard rock Detective
1950 ● John McFee → Guitarist for California soul-pop-rock The Doobie Brothers, “Listen To The Music” (#11, 1972), then co-founded country-rock Southern Pacific, “New Shade Of Blue” (Country #2, 1988)
1952 ● David Allan Stewart → Guitarist, songwriter and producer, one half of groundbreaking synth-pop duo Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams” (Are Made Of This)” (#1, 1983), then solo and multiple collaborations, co-writing and side projects
1967 ● Chris Caffery → Guitarist, singer and songwriter for heavy metal Savatage (“Edge Of Thorns”, Mainstream Rock #26, 1993) and prog metal Trans Siberian Orchestra, plus several solo albums
1970 ● Krazy Drazyz / (Andre Weston) → One half of hip hop streaming nonsense lyrics duo Das EFX, “Straight From The Sewer” (Rap #3, 1993)
1975 ● Michael Bublé → Canadian jazz-pop, swing , big band and adult contemporary crooner, “Haven’t Met You Yet” (#23, 2009)
September 10
1898 ● Waldo Lonsbury Semon → Chemist and inventor of the synthetic polymer compound polyvinyl chloride (PVC), commonly known as vinyl, the substance used in hundreds of millions of music records since the 1940s, died from natural causes on 5/26/1999, age 100
1925 ● Roy Brown → Pioneering R&B/gospel and rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter, wrote and recorded the oft-covered “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (R&B #13, 1947) and other rock standards, died of a heart attack on 5/25/1981, age 55
1939 ● Cynthia Lennon / (Cynthia Powell) → First wife of John Lennon, mother of his son, Julian Lennon, and author of two memoirs on their troubled union, married on 8/23/1962 and divorced on 11/8/1968 after John took up with Yoko Ono, died from cancer on 4/1/2015, age 75
1940 ● Roy Ayers → Jazz-funk-soul (and proto-rap) master vibraphonist, composer and bandleader, leading figure in the electrification of jazz and creation of jazz-rock fusion and “The Godfather of Neo-Soul” through his band, Roy Ayers Ubiquity (“Running Away,” Dance #14, R&B #19, 1977) and as a sideman for dozens of jazz and funk luminaries since the 60s, his 1976 song “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” has been sampled over 200 times by numerous top hip hop artists, continued to perform live until 2023, died in a hospital after a long illness on 3/4/2025, age 84.
1942 ● Danny Hutton → Co-founder and one of three lead vocalists for top-tier pop-rock Three Dog Night, “Joy To The World” (#1, 1971) and ten other Top 10 hits between 1969 and 1974
1945 ● José Feliciano → Latino folk-pop singer, songwriter and guitarist, covered The Doors‘ “Light My Fire” (#3, 1968), won seven Grammys over a 40 year recording career
1946 ● Don Powell → Drummer for Brit glam-metal Slade, “Run Runaway” (#20, 1984)
1949 ● Barriemore Barlow → Drums and percussion for long-lived Brit folk-rock Jethro Tull, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), session work and producer
1950 ● Joe Perry / (Joseph Anthony Pereira) → Guitarist for Grammy-winning, venerable hard rockers Aerosmith, “Dream On” (#6, 1976), “Angel” (#3, 1988), “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (#1, 1998), “Baby, Please Don’t Go” (Mainstream Rock #7, 2004), solo and bandleader
1951 ● Peter Tolson → Guitarist for raunchy R&B/blues-rock British Invasion band The Pretty Things, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (UK #10, 1964)
1955 ● Pat Mastelotto / (Lee Patrick Mastelotto) → Drums and percussion for 80s atmospheric pop-rock quartet Mr. Mister, “Kyrie” (#1, 1985)
1956 ● Johnnie Fingers / (John Peter Moylett) → Founding member and pianist for Irish pop-punk Boomtown Rats, “I Don’t Like Mondays” (#73, 1979) and “Rat Trap” (UK #1, 1979), the first rock song by an Irish band to reach #1 in the UK
1957 ● Carol Decker → Vocals for New Wave pop-rock T’Pau, “Heart And Soul” (#4, 1987)
1957 ● Siobhan Fahey → Vocals for hugely successful Brit synth-dance-pop girl group Bananarama, covered “Venus” (#1, 1986), then for R&B/synth-pop duo Shakespear’s Sister, “Stay” (#4, 1992)
1960 ● David Lowery → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and frontman for eclectic alt rock pop-ska-punk-folk fusion Camper Van Beethoven, “Take The Skinheads Bowling” (1985), later founded and fronted roots rock Cracker, “I Hate My Generation” (Mainstream Rock #24, 1996)
1964 ● Lee Rauch / (William Lee Rauch) → Then-19-year-old drummer hired by ex-Metallica lead guitarist Dave Mustaine to fill a vacancy in his new thrash metal band, Megadeth, played with the band on stage and on demo tapes until the end of 1984, then joined another California thrash metal band, Dark Angel, through 1986, then replaced Wargod drummer Gene Hoglan (who went to Dark Angel) for under a year when frontwoman Michelle Meldrum dissolved Wargod to form a new, all-female thrash metal band, Phantom Blue, in 1987, joined short-lived Grimace in the late 80s, continued to perform in local northwest Ohio bands and was the drummer for his church’s band when he died unexpectedly from undisclosed causes on 6/23/2023, age 58.
1966 ● Miles Zuniga → Guitars, vocals and songwriting for alt rock/power pop Fastball, “Out Of My Head” (#20, Adult Top 40 #3, 1999)
1966 ● Robin Goodridge → Drummer for alt-rock Bush, “Glycerine” (Mainstream #4, 1995)
1968 ● Big Daddy Kane / (Antonio Hardy) → Early and influential sophisticated rapper, first with East Coast rap consortium Juice Crew, then solo, “Smooth Operator” (Rap #1, 1989)
1980 ● Mikey Way / (Michael James Way) → Bass guitar in 00s alt rock/emo band My Chemical Romance, “Welcome To The Black Parade” (#9, 2006)
1984 ● Cameron Matthew Followill → Lead guitar for Southern blues-indie rock Kings Of Leon, “Sex On Fire” (Modern Rock #1, 2008)
1985 ● Matthew Johnson → Vocals in teen pop boy band One True Voice, “Sacred Trust / After You’re Gone” (UK #2, 2002)
September 11
1918 ● Estelle Axton → With her younger brother, Jim Stewart, co-founder of legendary Memphis-based soul label and Motown rival Stax Records, the widely-renowned home to Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and others, died from natural causes on 2/24/2004, age 85
1924 ● Jackie Steiner / (Jacqueline Steiner) → Folk singer, songwriter, social activist and lyricist of the banjo-and-guitar folk standard “M.T.A.” (popularly known as “Charlie On The MTA”), the absurd 1949 political campaign song about a man trapped in the Boston subway system later made a hit in a slightly altered version by The Kingston Trio (#15, 1959), performed in concert in the Soviet Union and released two albums, No More War (1966) , a collection of self-penned anti-Vietnam War songs, and Far Afield: Songs of Three Continents (1991) with songs in multiple languages, served as secretary of a local Connecticut chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for many years, sang in churches and synagogues until dying from pneumonia on 1/25/2019, age 94.
1925 ● Alan Bergman → Along with his wife and writing partner, Marilyn, acclaimed lyricist with hundreds of credits across stage, film and TV, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, winner of four Emmys. three Oscars, and two Grammys – including Song of the Year for Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were” (#1, AC #1, 1973 ) from the 1974 movie of the same name – the duo’s lyrics were often set to music by Lew Spence, Marvin Hamlisch and Michel Legrand, among their works are the Oscar-winning “The Windmills of Your Mind” (from The Thomas Crown Affair, 1968), the movie score to Yentl (1983) and the words to theme songs to hit TV sitcoms Maude (1972), Good Times (1974) and Alice (1976), compilations of their songs include Streisand‘s What Matters Most (2011) and Sinatra Sings Alan & Marilyn Bergman (2019), served on the boards of the Artists’ Rights Foundation and the Music Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, died at home from natural causes on 7/17/2022, age 99.
1938 ● Charles Patrick → Lead vocals for one hit wonder R&B/doo wop sextet The Monotones, “(Who Wrote) The Book Of Love” (#5, 1958)
1940 ● Bernie Dwyer → Drummer for British Invasion novelty/comedy pop-rock ‘n’ roll Freddie & The Dreamers, “I’m Telling You Now” (#1, 1965), died of lung cancer on 12/4/2002, age 62.
1943 ● Mickey Hart → Drums and percussion for Grateful Dead, “Touch Of Grey” (# 9, 1987), bandleader for Rolling Thunder Review, solo career with two Grammy-winning world music albums, author and film score composer
1943 ● Jack Ely → Guitarist, vocalist, co-founder of garage rock one hit wonder The Kingsmen and singer of their version of “Louie Louie” (#2, 1963), left for an unsuccessful solo career, recovered from alcoholism and recorded an album of Christian music in 2011, died from skin cancer on 4/29/2015, age 71.
1945 ● Leo Kottke → Virtuoso acoustic folk guitar singer and songwriter with 21 albums and numerous collaborations with John Fahey, Lyle Lovett, Mike Gordon, Rickie Lee Jones and others
1946 ● Dennis Tufano → Original lead singer for Chicago-based pop-horn-rock The Buckinghams, “Kind Of A Drag” (#1, 1967), continues with the band on the oldies circuit
1947 ● Richard Jaeger → Session and backing band percussionist for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Paul McCartney, The Pointer Sisters, Ringo Starr and others, died on 8/27/2000, age 52
1947 ● Gerry Conway / (Gerald Conway) → British rock drummer with a long career providing the underlying rhythm for numerous top folk-rock acts, starting as a 70s session musician for Steeleye Span, John Cale and others, and in Cat Stevens’ backing band, performed with Richard Thompson, Jethro Tull, the McGarrigle sisters and Pentangle (with his wife Jacqui McShee) in the 80s, joined Fairport Convention in 1998, 25 years after appearing on their album Rosie, played with the group until becoming ill in 2022, died from a motor neuron disease on 3/29/2024, age 76.
1948 ● John Martyn / (Iain David McGeachy) → Largely overlooked, innovative folk-blues-jazz rock fusion singer, songwriter and guitarist, Brit folk genre-defining album Solid Air (1970) and 19 other studio discs, died from pneumonia on 1/29/2009, age 60
1953 ● Tommy Shaw → Guitar for prototypical arena rockers Styx, “Too Much Time On My Hands” (#9, 1981), then in pop metal/arena rock supergroup Damn Yankees, “High Enough” (#3, 1990)
1957 ● Jon Langford → Co-founder, guitar, vocals and one of two constant members of long-running punk rock The Mekons, “Never Been In A Riot” (1978), solo plus visual and comic artist
1957 ● Jon Moss → Drummer for new romantic synth-pop Culture Club, “Karma Chameleon” (#12, 1984) and first-wave punk rockers The Damned, “Eloise” (UK #3, 1986)
1958 ● Mick Talbot → Keyboards for New Wave pop-rock Dexys Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen” (#1, 1983), then sophisti-pop-soul The Style Council, “My Ever Changing Moods” (#29, UK #5, 1984) and The Bureau
1959 ● Rory Lyons → Drummer for rockabilly revival (“psychobilly”) King Kurt, “Destination Zululand” (UK #38, 1983).
1964 ● Victor Wooten → Composer, author, producer and Grammy-winning bassist with progressive folk-bluegrass Béla Fleck And The Flecktones, “The Sinister Minister” (Best Pop Instrumental, 1997), collaborations with Stanley Clarke and others, three-time winner of Bass Player magazine’s “Bassist of the Year” award
1965 ● Moby / (Richard Melville Hall) → Multi-instrumentalist one man band techno-dance-pop artist, “South Side” (#14, 2000), producer, descendent of Moby Dick author Herman Melville
1966 ● Greg Kane → Scottish pianist and co-member with brother Pat in contemporary dance-pop/electronica Hue And Cry, “Labour Of Love” (UK #6, 1987)
1967 ● Harry Connick, Jr. → Three-time Grammy-winning big band and jazz-pop singer, “Hear Me In The Harmony” (Adult Contemporary #18, 1996)
1971 ● Richard Ashcroft → Guitar and vocals for neo-psych-pop The Verve, “Bittersweet Symphony” (#12, 1998), solo
1975 ● Brad Fischetti → Vocals for pop/rap trio LFO (Lyte Funkie Ones or Low Frequency Oscillator), “Summer Girls” (#3, 1999)
1977 ● Jon Buckland → Lead guitarist for Brit-pop/anthem rock Coldplay, “Speed Of Sound” (#8, 2005)
1977 ● Ludacris / (Christopher Brian Bridges) → Grammy-winning “Dirty South” movement rapper, “Stand Up” (#1, 2004), co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace label, actor and philanthropist
1981 ● Charles Kelley → Founding member, vocals and songwriting for country-rock harmony group Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” (#2, Country #1, 2009) plus solo albums and collaborative songwriting
September 12
1924 ● Ella Mae Morse → Country, pop, jazz and R&B singer who flirted at the edges of what would become rock ‘n’ roll, first as a teenage vocalist with 40s big bands (“Cow Cow Boogie,” #1, 1942, Capitol Records‘ first million-selling record) and later as a 50s solo artist (“The Blacksmith Blues,” #1, 1952), retired by 1960 and died from respiratory failure on 10/16/1999, age 75
1931 ● George Jones → Hard-partying and hardcore honky tonk and later smooth ballad country star with 70 Country Top 10 hits, including “She Thinks I Still Care” (#1, 1962), married four times including six years to country queen Tammy Wynette, died from hypoxic respiratory failure on 4/26/2013, age 81.
1941 ● Denis O’Brien / (Danis James O’Brien) → Financial consultant hired in 1973 by ex-Beatle George Harrison to manage his personal and business affairs, the two created a partnership, Handmade Films, in 1978 to finance and produce the Monty Python film Life Of Brian (1979) and subsequent comedy films including Time Bandits (1981), the relationship soured following several box office bombs in the 80s and a 90s lawsuit by Harrison for mismanagement (dismissed in 2001 when Harrison, sickened with cancer, failed to show for a court hearing just months before his death), retired from financial consulting in the early 00s and died from intra-abdominal sepsis on 12/3/2021, age 80.
1943 ● Maria Muldaur / (Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D’Amato) → Greenwich Village folk scene bandmember, then solo folk-pop singer/songwriter, “Midnight at the Oasis” (#6, 1970), backing vocals for Grateful Dead in late-70s
1944 ● Colin Young → Lead singer for Brit R&B/soul-pop The Foundations, “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” (#11, 1967)
1944 ● Barry White / (Barry Eugene Carter) → Deep baritone R&B/soul singer, songwriter, producer/bandleader for the Love Unlimited Orchestra, his soaring instrumental “Love’s Theme” (#1, 1973) is widely considered the first “disco” hit and was followed by a string of solo R&B and Pop hits in the early 70s, including “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe” (#1, R&B #1, 1974), enjoyed a Grammy-winning career resurgence in the late 80s and died from kidney failure caused by hypertension on 7/4/2003, age 58
1946 ● Dickie Peterson / (Richard Allan Peterson) → Lead vocals and bass guitar for early metal/psych-blues-rock power trio Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (#14, 1968), plus two solo albums, continued to perform in various lineups of the band until his death from liver cancer on 10/12/2009, age 63
1946 ● T-Bone Bellamy / (Robert Anthony Bellamy) → Lead guitar, piano and vocals for Native American rockers Redbone, “Come And Get Your Love” (#5, 1974), died from liver failure on 12/25/2009, age 63
1952 ● Gerry Beckley → Founding member, guitar, piano, vocals and songwriter for folk-pop America, “A Horse With No Name” (#1, 1972)
1952 ● Neal Peart / (Neal Ellwood Peart) → One of the most accomplished rock music drummers of all time, incomparably proficient, virtuoso percussionist and principal lyricist with Canadian progressive rock/power trio Rush, his complex, sophisticated lyrics and the band’s richly layered music created eleven Mainstream Rock Top 10 singles, including “New World Man” (#21, Main #1, 1982) and 19 well-regarded studios albums between 1974 and 2012, retired from music in 2015 and died from glioblastoma (brain cancer) on 1/7/2020, at age 67.
1953 ● Toney Lee / (James Anthony Lee) → R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer with two dance-club hits in New York’s post-disco, garage house, and club scenes in the early 80s, “Reach Up” (Dance #8, UK #64, 1982) and “Love So Deep” (Dance #22, 1982) and a lone solo studio album Teaser (1986); continued to record and perform in various underground house and electronic dance collaborations into the 00s, then founded and managed a mentoring program for disadvantaged, at-risk young men in his hometown Brooklyn, New York, until dying from undisclosed causes on 6/17/2026, age 72.
1956 ● Barry Andrews → Vocals and keyboards for quirky New Wave synth-pop XTC, “Making Plans For Nigel” (UK #17, 1979), left in 1979 for solo career and session work
1956 ● Brian Robertson → Guitar for underrated Irish hard rock Thin Lizzy, “The Boys Are Back In Town” (#12, 1976).
1957 ● Hans Zimmer / (Hans Florian Zimmer) → Four-time Grammy-winning film score composer and record producer with over 150 movie credits, including blockbusters The Lion King (1994), the various Batman flicks and Interstellar (2014), worked for DreamWorks as head of film music and for his own production company
1965 ● John Norwood Fisher → Bass and vocals for alt rock ska-punk-funk fusion Fishbone, “Sunless Saturday” (Modern Rock #7, 1991)
1966 ● Ben Folds → Singer, songwriter, keyboards and frontman for piano-based indie pop-rock Ben Folds Five, “Brick” (1998)
1967 ● Jon Stewart → Guitar for Britpop Sleeper, “Sale Of The Century” (UK #10, 1996)
1968 ● Kenny Thomas → R&B/soul-pop singer, “Thinking About Your Love” (UK #4, 1991), certified acupuncturist
1968 ● Larry LaLonde / (Reid Lawrence LaLonde) → Guitarist in early 80s death metal group Possessed, joined thrash metal Blind Illusion in 1987, now with funk-metal Primus, “N.I.B.” (Mainstream Rock #2, 2000)
1971 ● Jesse Powell → One hit wonder R&B/soul and blues singer with the Top 10 hit “You” (#10, R&B #2, 1999) and six other charting singles, younger brother of singer-songwriters Trina and Tamara Powell, died from cardiac arrest on 9/13, 2022, age 51.
1974 ● Jennifer Nettles → Two-time Grammy-winning country music star, lead vocals for duo Sugarland, “All I Want To Do” (#18, Country #1, 2008), duet with Jon Bon Jovi, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” (Country #1, 2005)
1978 ● Ruben Studdard → R&B/soul-pop and gospel crooner, “Flying Without Wings” (#2, 2003), winner of the second series of American Idol
1981 ● Jennifer Hudson → Third season American Idol finalist, Academy Award-winning actress in Dreamgirls (2006), Grammy-winning R&B/soul-pop singer, “Spotlight” (#24, Dance/Club #8, 2008)
