Happy Birthday this week to:
Aug 10
1909 ● Clarence Leonidas “Leo” Fender → Inventor of the Fender Broadcaster, Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars used by countless rock musicians, died of Parkinson’s disease on 3/21/1991
1928 ● Eddie Fisher → Pop/adult contemporary crooner, “I Need You Now” (#1, 1954), TV actor, ex-husband of Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Connie Stevens and 2 others, father of actresses Carrie Fisher (Star Wars, 1977) and Joely Fisher (TVs Ellen, 1994-98), died following hip surgery on 9/22/2010
1928 ● Jimmy Dean → Country music singer and Grammy-winning crossover country-pop star, “Big Bad John” (#1, 1961), prime time TV variety show personality, breakfast sausage businessman, film actor, died of natural causes on 6/13/2010
1939 ● Sal Cuomo → First tenor vocals for two hit wonder doo wop quartet The Regents, original “Barbara Ann” (#13, 1961) and “Run Around” (#28, 1961)
1940 ● Bobby Hatfield → Blue-eyed soul singer and, with Bill Medley, one half of hugely successful pop-rock duo The Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody” (#4, 1965), died from a cocaine overdose while on tour on 11/5/2003
1940 ● Michael “Tunes” Antunes → Saxophone player for New England one hit wonder rock ‘n’ roll bar band John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, “On The Dark Side” (#7, 1983), acted with bandmates in the rock band-based movie Eddie & The Cruisers (1983)
1943 ● James Griffin → Songwriter, guitar and vocals for soft MOR pop-rock Bread, “Make It With You” (#1, 1970), co-wrote “For All We Know,” the 1971 Academy Award Best Song of the Year by the Carpenters from the movie Lovers And Other Strangers, issued several solo albums and performed in various country-rock combos through the early 00s, died from complications of cancer on 1/11/2005
1943 ● Ronnie Spector (Veronica Bennett) → Lead singer and frontgal (in front of sister Estelle) in quintessential 60s pop “Wall of Sound” girl group The Ronettes, “Be My Baby” (#2, 1963), married the band’s producer Phil Spector in 1968
1945 ● Larry Larden → With brother Dennis, guitar and vocals for one hit wonder pop-folk Every Mother’s Son, “Come On Down To My Boat” (#6, 1967)
1946 ● Mick Clarke → Bass and vocals for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (UK#1, US #37, 1974)
1947 ● Ian Anderson → Frontman, flautist and vocals for long-lived Brit folk-rock http://bit.ly/JET371, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), solo
1949 ● Andy Cresswell-Davis → Co-founder, drummer and vocalist for New Wave pop-rock The Korgis, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” (#18, 1980), previously played on John Lennon‘s Imagine album, solo and sessions since The Korgis broke up for good in the early 90s
1950 ● Patti Austin → R&B/jazz-pop singer, “Baby Come to Me” (#1, 1983), duets with Michael Jackson, James Ingram and George Benson, backing vocals for Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones and others
1959 ● Mark Price → Drummer for goth-rock All About Eve, “Martha’s Harbour” (UK #10, 1988)
1961 ● Jon Farriss → Drummer for Aussie New Wave dance-groove-pop INXS, “Need You Tonight” (#1, 1987)
1962 ● Julia Fordham → Sultry-voiced jazz-pop singer and songwriter, backing singer for Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde, solo, “Happy Ever After” (Adult Contemporary #24, 1989) and “Wake Up With You (The I Wanna Song)” (Dance/Club #10, 2002)
1967 ● Lorraine Pearson → Vocals for Brit family R&B/dance-pop quintet 5 Star, “Can’t Wait Another Minute” (#41, Dance/Club #7, 1986) and fifteen Top 40 singles in native England
1967 ● Todd Nichols → Guitarist for alt pop-rock Toad The Wet Sprocket, “All I Want” (#15, 1992)
1968 ● Leigh Marklew → Bassist for hard rock/heavy metal Terrorvision, “Tequila” (UK #2, 1999)
1968 ● Michael Bivins → Vocals for R&B/teen pop then hip hop/new jack swing vocal quartet New Edition, “If It Isn’t Love” (#7, 1988), then Bell Biv Devoe, “Poison” (#3, 1990)
1972 ● Devon Allman → Guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, founder and bandleader for blues-rock Honeytribe, LP Space Age Blues debuted at #7 on Billboard‘s Blues Albums chart (2010), occasionally appears as a guest musician for his father, Gregg Allman and The Allman Brothers Band, currently in blues-rock supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood with Cyril Neville and others
1977 ● Aaron Kamin → Co-founder and guitarist for post-grunge alt rock The Calling, “Wherever You Will Go” (#5, 2001)
Aug 11
1922 ● Ronald Erle Grainer → Australian-born, UK-based film and TV soundtrack composer, wrote score for To Sir, With Love (1967) and theme to BBC sci-fi TV show Doctor Who (1963-1986, 2005 to present) plus dozens of other films and programs, died from spinal cancer on 2/21/1981
1942 ● Guy Villari → Lead vocals for two hit wonder doo wop quartet The Regents, original “Barbara Ann” (#13, 1961) and “Run Around” (#28, 1961)
1942 ● Mike Hugg → Drums, percussion and second longest surviving member of British Invasion pop-rock Manfred Mann, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (#1, 1964), film and TV theme composer, advertising jingle writer, solo artist
1943 ● Dennis “Denis” Payton → Horns and vocals for British Invasion pop-rock The Dave Clark Five, “Catch Us If You Can” (#4, 1965) and 11 other Top 25 hits in the US, died 12/17/2006
1943 ● Michael James “Jim” Kale → Bassist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), has managed and toured with various reincarnations of the band through the 00s
1948 ● Bill Hurd → Keyboards for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (UK#1, US #37, 1974)
1949 ● Eric Carmen → Founding member, keyboards and vocals for Cleveland garage rock quartet The Choir, “It’s Cold Outside” (#68, 1967), then co-founded power pop The Raspberries, “Go All The Way” (#5, 1972), started soft rock solo career in 1975, “All By Myself” (#2, 1976) and six other Top 40 hits
1950 ● Erik Keith Braunn → Guitarist for psych-rock Iron Butterfly, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” (#30, 1970), died 7/25/2003
1952 ● Bob Mothersbaugh → Founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist for quirky 80s pop-rock Devo, “Whip It” (#14, 1980), also produced soundtracks for film and television, including the Rugrats series during the 90s, rejoined Devo bandmates in music production company Mutato Muzika
1954 ● Bryan Bassett → Guitar and vocals for one hit wonder funk-pop Wild Cherry, “Play That Funky Music” (#1, 1976), started music producer career in the 80s, toured with hard rock Foghat and Southern hard rock Molly Hatchet in the 90s and 00s
1954 ● Joe Jackson (David Ian Jackson) → Punk-challenging British New Wave pop-rock singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, “Steppin’ Out” (#6, 1982), moved into eclectic pop-jazz-classical fusion in the 90s, won Grammy Award – Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2000 for Jackson: Symphony 1
1956 ● Alan Few → Vocals for Canadian pop-rock Glass Tiger, “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” (#2, 1986), solo
1957 ● Richie Ramone (Richard Reinhardt) → Drummer and songwriter, joined punk rock The Ramones in 1983, wrote hit song “Somebody Put Something In My Drink” (1986)
1958 ● Jah Wobble (John Joseph Wardle) → Bassist, vocalist, songwriter and co-founder of punk rock Public Image Ltd., “This Is Not A Love Song” (UK #5, 1983), solo
1960 ● Paul Gendler → Guitarist for Brit dance-pop band Modern Romance, “Can You Move” (Dance/Club #2, 1981) and “Best Years Of Our Lives” (UK #4, 1982)
1962 ● Bragi Ólafsson → Bassist for Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991)
1964 ● Hamish Seelochan → Vocals in Brit R&B/neo-soul-funk The Pasadenas, “Tribute (Right On)” (Dance/Club #27, UK #5, 1988)
1968 ● Charlie Sexton → Blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, bandleader and solo artist, “Beat’s So Lonely” (#17, 1985) from his debut album at age 16, sessions for Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and others
1970 ● Ali Shaheed Muhammad → DJ/producer for artistic hip hop jazz-rap fusion trio A Tribe Called Quest, “Check The Rhime” (Rap #1, 1991), solo, producer
1970 ● Andy Bell → Guitar and vocals for Brit neo-psych “shoegazing” band Ride, “Twisterella” (Modern Rock #12, 1992), later Hurricane No.1, joined Oasis in 1999
1976 ● Ben Gibbard → Vocals for indie pop/rock Death Cab For Cutie, “Soul Meets Body” (Modern Rock #5, 2005)
1976 ● Brendan Bayliss → Founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist for neo-prog rock jam band Umphrey’s McGee, album Mantis (#62, Indie #6, 2009)
1978 ● Chris “Mack Daddy” Kelly → Vocals for teen sensation pop-rap duo Kriss Kross, “Jump” (#1, 1992), died from an apparent drug overdose on 5/1/13
1981 ● Sandi Thom → Scottish neo-folk-rock singer/songwriter, “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)”, the first song to reach UK #1 based solely on the strength of downloads
1985 ● Asher Roth → White suburban rapper, “I Love College” (#12, 2009), built an early following through web sites Facebook and MySpace
1985 ● J-Boog (Jarell Houston) → Vocals for R&B/hip hop urban boy band B2K, “Bump, Bump, Bump” (#1, 2002)
Aug 12
1918 ● Sid Bernstein → Music producer, promoter and concert impresario best known for bringing The Beatles to New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1964 and Shea Stadium in 1965, also booked shows in New York for The Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, The Moody Blues, The Kinks and other British Invasion bands, managed The Rascals and Laura Nyro in the 60s and early 70s, later arranged tours for Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac and others, died at age 95 on 8/21/2013
1920 ● Percy Mayfield → R&B balladeer and songwriter, solo artist, “Please Send Me Someone To Love” (R&B #1, 1950), wrote “Hit The Road Jack” for Ray Charles (#1, 1961), died 8/11/1984 of a heart attack
1926 ● Joe Jones → New Orleans R&B singer, songwriter and arranger, pianist for B. B. King, solo artist, “You Talk To Much” (#3, 1960), record producer and manager for various R&B acts, including girl group The Dixie Cups, died 11/27/2005 following heart bypass surgery
1929 ● Alvis Edgar “Buck” Owens → Country music megastar singer, songwriter and guitarist, pioneer of the “Bakersfield sound” blending country and pop, “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” (#25, Country #1, 1965) and 19 other Country #1 hits, The Beatles covered his “Act Naturally” (#47, 1965), bandleader for The Buckaroos, TV host (Hee Haw), died 3/24/2006 after lengthy illnesses
1948 ● Ron Mael → With brother Russell Mael, keyboardist 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)
1949 ● Mark Knopfler → Frontman, lead guitar, songwriter and vocals for post-punk New Wave rock Dire Straits, “Sultans Of Swing” (#4, 1979), solo, Notting Hillbillies
1950 ● Craig Douglas (Terence Perkins) → Early Brit pop-rock singer, “Only Sixteen” (UK #1, 1959) plus nine other UK Top 40 singles
1950 ● Kid Creole (Thomas August Darnell Browder) → Guitarist, songwriter and frontman for multi-genre, big band-style Latin-tinged pop-rock Kid Creole & The Coconuts, “It’s A Wonderful Thing, Baby” (Dance Club #18, UK #4, 1982)
1953 ● Jerry Speiser → Drummer for Scottish-Australian Men At Work, “Down Under” (#1, UK #1, 1983), their Grammy-winning debut album, Business As Usual, was simultaneously the #1 US and UK album in January 1983, gaining them the distinction of being the only Aussie band to hold all four top spots at once
1954 ● Pat Metheny → Seventeen-time Grammy-winning jazz-rock fusion guitarist, composer and bandleader, sessions and side projects with David Bowie, Gary Burton, Chick Corea and many others
1958 ● Jürgen Dehmel → Bassist for German pop-rock band Nena, “99 Luftballons” (#2, 1984)
1961 ● Roy Hay → Guitar and vocals for New Wave synth-pop Culture Club, “Karma Chameleon” (#1, 1984) plus seven other UK top 10 singles
1963 ● Sir Mix-A-Lot (Anthony Ray) → Hip hop MC, producer and rapper, “Baby Got Back” (#1, 1992) which one a Grammy for Best Rap Performance
1968 ● Paul Tucker → Keyboards for Brit R&B/Northern soul duo Lighthouse Family,”Lifted” (UK #4, 1996) and 9 other UK Top 40 hits
1969 ● Tanita Tikaram → Brit folk-pop singer and songwriter, “Twist In My Sobriety” (Modern Rock #25, UK #22, 1988)
Aug 13
1940 ● Sean James “John” Stokes → Vocals with Irish folk-pop-rock The Bachelors, “Diane” (#10, UK #1, 1964)
1947 ● David Ivor St. Hubbins → Fictional character (lead singer and rhythm guitarist) played by Michael McKean in the “mock-rock” parody band Spinal Tap from the movie This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
1948 ● Tony Santini (Scott Powell) → Vocals with rock ‘n roll revival “greaser” group Sha Na Na, TV actor, physician
1949 ● Cliff Fish → Original bassist 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
1949 ● Jonathan Arendt → Bassist 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
1951 ● Dan Fogelberg → Quintessential 70s-80s country-pop-rock singer/songwriter, “Part Of The Plan” (#31, 1975) and “Leader Of The Band” (#9, Adult Contemporary #1, 1982), political and environmental activist, died 12/16/2007 from prostate cancer
1958 ● Feargal Sharkey → Guitarist for Irish punk/New Wave pop-rock The Undertones, “My Perfect Cousin” (UK #9, 1980), solo, “A Good Heart” (#74, UK #1, 1985)
1959 ● Danny Bonaduce → Vocals and bass guitar in the pre-fab TV show sunshine pop group The Partridge Family, “I Think I Love You” (#1, 1970), producer, reality TV show host and panelist
1959 ● Mark Nevin → Vocals and songwriter for Brit neo-skiffle pop Fairground Attraction, “Perfect” (#80, UK #1, 1988)
1959 ● Michael Bradley → Bassist for Irish punk/New Wave pop-rock The Undertones, “My Perfect Cousin” (UK #9, 1980)
1964 ● Håkan Jan “Ian” Haugland → Drummer for Swedish hard rock/glam-metal Europe, “The Final Countdown” (#8, 1986)
1984 ● Diamond “Baby Blue” Smith → Vocals for Miami-based R&B/hip-hop quartet Pretty Ricky, “Grind With Me” (#7, 2005)
1984 ● James Morrison (Catchpole) → Award-winning Brit soul-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “You Give Me Something” (UK #5, 2006) from his first album Undiscovered, which debuted at #1 on the UK albums chart
Aug 14
1915 ● Alyce King (Alice Golda Driggs Clarke) → 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 (1966-1969) and holiday specials thereafter, died from respiratory problems on 8/23/1996
1926 ● Armando “Buddy” Greco → Jazz-pop pianist and singer, member of Benny Goodman‘s band in the mid-40s, then solo career, covered “Mr. Lonely” (#64, 1962) and issued over 60 albums and 100 singles, still touring in the 00s
1940 ● Darrell “Dash” Crofts → Guitar, mandolin, vocals and songwriting for 70s light pop-rock duo Seals & Crofts, “Summer Breeze” (#6, 1972) and “Diamond Girl” (#6, 1973)
1941 ● David Crosby → Guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of seminal folk-country-rock The Byrds, “Mr. Tambourine Man” (#1, 1965) and folk-pop Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, “Just A Song Before I Go” (#7, 1977), collaborated with Graham Nash, “Immigration Man” (#36, 1972), then solo career with albums including Wind On The Water (#6, 1975) and singles including “Drive My Car” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1989)
1941 ● Lionel Morton → Vocals and rhythm guitar for early 60s Brit pop The Four Pennies, “Juliet” (UK #1, 1964), the most important British Invasion era act with no chart presence in the US
1946 ● Larry Graham → Bassist for R&B/soul-funk Sly & The Family Stone, “Family Affair” (#1, 1971), then founder/frontman funk band Graham Central Station
1947 ● George Newsome → Vocals for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, “Couldn’t Get It Right” (#3, 1977)
1947 ● Maddy Prior → Lead vocals for Brit electric folk-rock revival band Steeleye Span, “All Around My Hat” (UK #5, 1975)
1948 ● Bruce Thomas → Bassist for Elvis Costello‘s backing band The Attractions, “Pump It Up” (UK #24, 1978), session work and author
1951 ● Bob “Slim” Dunlap → Lead guitar for garage punk then alt rock pioneers The Replacements, “I’ll Be You” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1989), solo
1956 ● Sharon Bryant → Lead vocals for R&B/soul urban contemporary Atlantic Starr, “When Love Calls” (R&B #5, 1979), solo, sessions
1960 ● Sarah Brightman → Brit classical-pop-Broadway crossover singer and actress, dancer and vocals for disco Hot Gossip “I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper” (UK #6, 1978), played Jemima in Cats (1981) and Christine Daaé in Phantom Of The Opera (1986), solo, “Harem” (Dance/Club #1, 2003)
1963 ● Jez Willis → Partner/producer in Brit dance-pop duo Utah Saints, “Something Good” (UK #4, 1992)
1965 ● Mark Collins → Guitarist for “Madchester” alt rock The Charlatans UK, “The Only One I Know” (Mainstream Rock #37, 1991) and three UK #1 albums
1970 ● Kevin Cadogan → Lead guitar for post-grunge indie pop Third Eye Blind, “Semi-Charmed Life” (#4, 1997)
1974 ● Ana Matronic (Lynch) → Vocals and frontwoman for dance-glam-rock Scissor Sisters, “Filthy Gorgeous” (Dance/Club #1, 2005)
1974 ● Simon Dawbarn → Vocals and co-founding member of Brit teen-dance-pop boy band 911, covered The Bee Gee’s‘s “More Than A Woman” (UK #2, 1998) and Bobby Gosh‘s “A Little Bit More” (UK #1, 1999), a US #11 hit for Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show in 1976
1977 ● Ed Harcourt → Multi-instrumentalist Brit chamber pop singer/songwriter, “All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed” (UK #35, 2003)
Aug 15
1896 ● Léon Theremin (Lev Sergeyevich Termen) → Russian inventor of the theremin, one of the first electronic musical instruments and which he debuted with the New York Philharmonic in 1928, died 11/3/1993
1911 ● Buster Brown (Wayman Glasco) → One hit wonder R&B/blues singer and harmonica player, “Fanny Mae” (#38, R&B #1, 1960), died 1/31/1976
1925 ● Bill Pinkney → Co-founder and first tenor for R&B/soul-doo wop The Drifters, “Up On The Roof” (#5, 1963), died on 7/4/2007 after a heart attack and was the last surviving member of the group’s original lineup
1933 ● Bobby Helms → Country-pop singer and guitarist with the perennial “Jingle Bell Rock” (#6, 1958), died from emphysema on 6/19/1997
1933 ● Floyd Ashman → Vocals for R&B/soul The Tams, “What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” (#9, 1963)
1938 ● Nesbert “Stix” Hooper → Jazz-fusion drummer with The Jazz Crusaders (The Crusaders after 1971), “Street Life” (#36, 1979), solo, sessions
1938 ● Sheila “Shan” Palmer → Vocals for English pop trio The Kaye Sisters, “Ivory Tower” (UK #20, 1956)
1942 ● Peter York → Drummer for Brit pop-rock Spencer Davis Group, “Gimme Some Lovin”” (#7, 1967), then Eric Clapton‘s short lived Powerhouse, solo, organized the “Superdrumming” series of shows with different bandmembers
1946 ● Jimmy Webb → Grammy-winning professional rock composer and lyricist, wrote “Up Up and Away” for The 5th Dimension (#7, 1967), “MacArthur Park” for Richard Harris (#2, 1968), “Galveston” for Glen Campbell (#4, 1969), producer and film score arranger
1948 ● Kate Taylor → Folk-rockabilly singer/songwriter and guitarist, covered “It’s In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)” (#49, 1977), sister of folk-pop legend James Taylor
1950 ● Joey Spampinato → Founding member, bassist, vocals and songwriting for 40-year cult roots rock bar band NRBQ (New Rhythm And Blues Quintet)
1950 ● Tom Aldrich → Journeyman rock drummer for Southern raunch-rock Black Oak Arkansas, “Jim Dandy To The Rescue” (Top 30, 1973), then bluesy hard rock The Pat Travers Band, “New Age Music” (Mainstream Rock #33, 1981), later with Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake and others
1961 ● Matt Johnson → Founder, frontman, vocals, songwriter and only constant member of eclectic alt pop-dance-rock The The, “Dogs Of Lust” (Modern Rock #2, 1993), solo
1962 ● Marcia Schofield → Keyboards from 1987-90 for 35+ year punk and post-punk The Fall, “There’s A Ghost In My House” (UK #30, 1987), left for a career as a palliative care doctor
1972 ● Michael “Mikey” Graham → Vocals for Irish teen-pop boy band Boyzone, “No Matter What” (Adult Contemporary #12, 1999)
1984 ● David Welsh → Lead guitar for mainstream/piano rock The Fray, “How To Save A Life” (#3, 2006)
1989 ● Joe Jonas → Lead singer with brothers Nick and Kevin in pre-fab Disney Channel teen-pop ballad trio the Jonas Brothers, “Burnin’ Up” (#5, 2008)
Aug 16
1915 ● Al Hibbler → Baritone jazz-pop-R&B singer, first with Duke Ellington‘s orchestra in the 40s, “Do Nothin’ Til You Here From Me” (#6, 1944), then solo, “Unchained Melody” (#3, 1955), died 4/24/2001
1931 ● Eydie Gormé (Edith Gormezano) → Broadway and TV actress, nightclub and Vegas showroom entertainer, Grammy-winning traditional pop singer, “Blame It On The Bossa Nova” (#7, 1963), wife and singing partner of crooner Steve Lawrence
1942 ● Barbara George → One hit wonder New Orleans R&B singer with her self-penned crossover hit, “I Know (You Don’t Love Me Know More)” (#3, 1961), died 8/10/2006
1942 ● Robert “Squirrel” Lester → Tenor vocals for smooth R&B/Chicago soul The Chi-Lites, “Have You Seen Her?” (#3, 1971), died 1/21/2010
1945 ● Gary Loizzo → Guitar/vocals and founder, pop-rock one hit wonder American Breed, “Bend Me Shape Me” (Top 10, 1968)
1945 ● Kevin Ayers → Eccentric singer/songwriter and original bassist for Brit psych-art-jazz-prog rock fusion Soft Machine, switched to guitar and solo in 1969, has issued more than a dozen albums over 40 years
1946 ● Gordon “Snowy” Fleet → Drummer for Aussie-based 60s pop-rock The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (#16, 1967)
1948 ● Barry Hay → Lead vocals and frontman for Dutch hard rock Golden Earring, “Radar Love” (#13, 1974), over 40 hits and 30 gold and platinum albums in the Netherlands
1949 ● Scott “Rock Action” Asheton → Drummer for hard rock/proto-punk The Stooges, “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (1969), sessions, died from a heart attack on 3/15/2014
1949 ● William “Sputnik” Spooner → Guitarist and founder of camp-rock pop-rock satirists The Tubes, “She’s A Beauty” (#10, 1978), solo
1953 ● James “J. T.” Taylor → Lead singer for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Celebration” (#1, 1981), left in 1988 for a largely unsuccessful solo career
1957 ● Tim Farriss → Guitarist for Aussie New Wave dance-groove-pop INXS, “Need You Tonight” (#1, 1987)
1958 ● Madonna (Madonna Louise Victoria Ciccone) → Film actress, record producer, entrepreneur and dance-pop megastar, “Like A Virgin” (#1, 1984), best selling female rock artist of the 20th century and second (behind Barbra Streisand) top selling US female artist of all time
1960 ● Chris Pedersen → Drummer for eclectic alt rock pop-ska-punk-folk fusion Camper Van Beethoven, “Take The Skinheads Bowling” (1985)
1964 ● Matt Lukin → Bassist for grunge rock Mudhoney, “Suck You Dry” (Modern Rock #23, 1992)
1967 ● MC Remedee (Debbie Pryce) → Vocals in female rap/house music duo Cookie Crew, “Rok Da House” (UK #5, 1988)
1972 ● Emily Burns Erwin Robison → Multi-instrumentalist singer, songwriter and founding member of country-rock girl group Dixie Chicks, “Not Ready To Make Nice” (#4, 2006), formed Court Yard Hounds in 2010 with sister and former Dixie Chicks bandmate Martie Erwin Maguire
1980 ● Bob Hardy → Bassist for Scottish art-pop-rock Franz Ferdinand, “Take Me Out” (Alt Rock #3, 2004)
1980 ● Vanessa Lee Carlton → One hit wonder “new era” female pop-rock singer/songwriter, “A Thousand Miles” (#5, 2002)
