Happy Birthday this week to:
Nov 30
1915 ● Walter “Brownie” McGhee → Influential Piedmont-style electric blues guitarist, long-time collaborator with blind harpist Sonny Terry, “Robbie Doby Boogie” (1948), Broadway, film and TV actor, died of stomach cancer on 2/23/1996
1924 ● Allan Sherman (Copelon) → Comedian, musical satirist, singer and songwriter, “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” (#2, 1963), died from emphysema on 11/20/1973
1929 ● Dick Clark → Formerly “America’s oldest living teenager,” clean-cut and venerable radio DJ/commentator, longtime TV host for American Bandstand, astute music impresario and executive producer for TV entertainment programs, died on 4/18/2012 following a heart attack
1937 ● Frank Ifield → London-born, Australian-raised country-pop one hit wonder singer, “I Remember You” (#5, 1962)
1937 ● Paul Stookey → Vocals and guitar for seminal folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary, “Puff (The Magic Dragon)” (#2, 1963), then solo, “Wedding Song (There Is Love)” (#24, 1971)
1943 ● David William “Leo” Lyons → Bassist in British blues-rock Ten Years After, “I’d Love To Change The World” (Top 40, 1971)
1944 ● Luther Ingram → R&B/soul singer and songwriter, “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right” (#3, 1972), co-wrote The Staple Singers‘ “Respect Yourself” (#12, 1971), died on 3/19/2007 from heart failure
1944 ● Rob Grill → Bassist, lead singer and songwriter for AM Top 40 pop-rockers The Grass Roots, “Midnight Confessions” (#5, 1968), fronted and toured with the band until his death following a stroke on 7/11/2011
1945 ● Roger Glover → Bassist in hard rock/prog rock Deep Purple, “Smoke On The Water” (#4, 1973), left in 1973 for solo career, sessions, tours with Nazareth, Ian Gillian and others, joined Rainbow in 1979 and rejoined Deep Purple in 1984
1953 ● David Sancious → Jazz-rock fusion keyboardist, early work with Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band, solo, sessions and collaborator with Stanley Clark, Peter Gabriel, Sting and others
1953 ● Johnny “Shuggie” Otis, Jr. → R&B/soul singer and songwriter, “Inspiration Information” (R&B #56, 1975), The Brothers Johnson covered his “Strawberry Letter 23″ (#5, 1977)
1953 ● June Pointer Whitmore → Youngest of the R&B/soul-pop-disco-dance sister act The Pointer Sisters, “Slow Hand” (#2, 1981), died on 4/11/2006 following a stroke
1954 ● George McArdle → Bassist for Aussie pop/rockers Little River Band, “Lonesome Loser” (#6, 1979), left in 1978 to pursue a career in ministry
1955 ● Billy Idol (William Michael Albert Broad) → Co-founder and lead singer for punk rock Generation X, then post-punk pop-rock MTV superstar, “White Wedding” (#4, 1982)
1957 ● John Ashton → Guitar for Brit New Wave post-punk The Psychedelic Furs, “Pretty In Pink” (#41, 1981)
1957 ● Richard Barbieri → Keyboards for Brit New Wave art-rock Japan, “Ghosts” (UK #5, 1982), Porcupine Tree
1958 ● Stacey Q (Stacey Lynn Swain) → Madonna-wanna-be dance/pop diva, “Two Of Hearts” (#3, 1986)
1963 ● Jalil Hutchins → Vocalist and lyricist for R&B/new jack swing trio Whodini, “Funky Beat” (R&B #19, 1986)
1965 ● Paul Wheeler → Drums and percussion for Aussie New Wave synth-pop/pub rock Icehouse, “Electric Blue” (#7, 1987)
1968 ● Des’ree (Desiree Annette Weeks) → Brit R&B/soul-pop singer, “You Gotta Be” (#5, 1995)
1973 ● John Moyer → Bassist for Chicago-based heavy metal band Disturbed, “Another Way To Die” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2010)
1975 ● Melinda Gayle “Mindy” McCready → Country-pop singer, “Guys Do It All The Time” (#72, Country #1, 1996) and five other Country Top 40 hits
1978 ● Clay Aiken (Clayton Grissom) → Singer, actor, producer and author, 2003 American Idol runner-up, “This Is The Night” (#1, 2003)
1987 ● Dougie Lee Poynter → Bass and vocals for Brit pop-rock boy band McFly, “All About You” (UK #1, 2005), Broadway actor in Monty Python’s Spamalot (2008)
1989 ● Daisy Rebecca Evans → Vocals for dance-pop pre-fab band S Club 8 (previously S Club Juniors), “Fool No More” (UK #4, 2003)
Dec 01
1896 ● Ray Henderson (Brost) → Popular music songwriter in the Tin Pan Alley group of American songwriters and publishers, composed the music for multiple pop standards, including “Bye Bye Blackbird” (1925), “I’m Sitting On Top Of The World” (1925) and “The Birth Of The Blues” (1926), died from a heart attack on 12/31/1970
1930 ● Matt Munro (Terrence Parons) → Multi-hit international cabaret/swing vocalist, theme song “From Russia With Love” (#23, UK #4, 1963), died 2/7/1985 from liver cancer
1933 ● Lou Rawls → Smooth jazz-blues-soul and easy listening singer, “You’ll Never Find A Love Like Mine” (#2, 1976), died of lung cancer on 1/6/2006
1934 ● Billy Paul (Paul Williams) → Grammy-winning R&B/soul-pop singer, “Me & Mrs. Jones” (#1, 1972)
1938 ● Sander L. “Sandy” Nelson → Rock ‘n roll session drummer for The Teddy Bears, The Hollywood Argyles and others, then solo, “Teen Beat” (#4, 1959) and two other instrumental hits, lost his right foot in a 1963 motorcycle accident but continues to drum with modified equipment
1944 ● Charlie Grima → Drummer for eccentric jazz-pop Wizzard, “See My Baby Jive” (UK #1, 1973)
1944 ● Eric Bloom → Guitar and vocals for hard rock/pop metal Blue Öyster Cult, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” (#12, 1976)
1944 ● John Densmore → Drummer for influential and controversial hard rock band The Doors, “Hello, I Love You” (#1, 1968), author, producer and jazz combo leader
1945 ● Bette Midler → The “Divine Miss M”, actress, comedienne, Grammy-winning singer, “Wind Beneath My Wings” (#1, 1989) and seven other Top 40 hits, starred in the Janis Joplin bio movie The Rose (1979)
1946 ● Raymond “Gilbert” O’Sullivan → Irish singer, songwriter and keyboardist, “Alone Again Naturally” (#1, 1972) and three other Top 20 hits in 1972-73
1951 ● John Fancis “Jaco” Pastorius → Fretless bass player for jazz-rock fusion group Weather Report, “Birdland” (1976), solo and sessions for Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny Group, Blood, Sweat & Tears and others, died on 9/21/1987 after being beaten into a coma during an altercation outside a Florida nightclub
1956 ● Julee Cruise → Grammy-winning pop/rock singer, theme song to Twin Peaks TV show, “Falling” (Modern Rock #11, 1989)
1959 ● Steve Jansen (Stephen Batt) → Drummer, songwriter and singer for Brit New Wave art-rock Japan, “Ghosts” (UK #5, 1982)
1963 ● Sam Reid → Keyboards for Canadian pop-rock Glass Tiger, “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” (#2, 1986)
1971 ● Greg Upchurch → Current drummer for post-grunge alt rock 3 Doors Down, “Kryptonite” (#3, 2000)
1977 ● Brad Delson → Founding member and lead guitarist for alt rock/rap-rock/space-rock Linkin Park, “In The End” (Alt Rock #1, 2001)
1981 ● Mika Fineo → Current drummer for alt rock/industrial group Filter, “Take A Picture” (Alt Rock #3, 1999)
Dec 02
1906 ● Dr. Peter Carl Goldmark → Hungarian-born engineer who developed the long-play (LP) microgroove 33-1/3 rpm vinyl phonograph disc, died in a car crash on 12/7/1977
1941 ● Tom McGuinness → Guitar and vocals for Manfred Mann, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (#1, 1964), Earth Band, “Blinded By The Light” (#1, 1977), solo, duo McGuiness Flint and The Blues Band, author and TV producer
1942 ● Ted Bluechell, Jr. → Drums and vocals for light pop-rock harmony group The Association, “Along Comes Mary” (#7, 1966)
1960 ● Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley → Drummer for Finnish glam-punk-metal Hanoi Rocks, covered Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Up Around The Bend” (UK #61, 1984), died when a car driven by Mötley Crüe‘s Vince Neil crashed in L.A. on 12/8/1984
1960 ● Rick Savage → Bassist for hard rock/metal Def Leppard, “Love Bites” (#1, 1988)
1960 ● Sydney Youngblood (Ford) → R&B/soul-dance-funk singer, “I’d Rather Go Blind” (#46, 1990)
1968 ● Jimi Haha → Founder, vocals and guitar for alt rock funk-metal Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, “Do Right” (Modern Rock #12, 1999)
1968 ● Nate Mendel → Bassist for post-grunge alt rock Foo Fighters, “Learn To Fly” (Modern Rock #1, 1999)
1970 ● Treach (Anthony Criss) → Vocals in Grammy-winning hip hop trio Naughty By Nature, “Hip Hop Hooray” (#8, 1993)
1971 ● Donna Matthews → Guitarist for mixed-gender, post-punk alt rock Elastica, “Connection” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1978 ● Brian Chase → Drummer for New York alt/art-rock trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Gold Lion” (Alt Rock #14, 2006)
1978 ● Nelly Furtado → Portuguese-Canadian dance-pop actress, singer and songwriter, “Say It Right” (#1, 2006)
1978 ● Chris Wolstenholme → Bassist for prog-glam-electronic rock Muse, “Uprising” (#37, 2009)
1981 ● Britney Spears → Teen-pop phenomenon, media icon and tabloid headlining singer and actress, “Baby One More Time” (#1, 2000) and 18 other Top 40 hits
Dec 03
1928 ● Howard Andrew “Andy” Williams → Easy Listening/jazz-pop vocalist, “Butterfly” (#1, 1962) plus over 25 other US Top 40 singles, TV actor and variety show host
1936 ● Nick Venet (Nikolas Kostantinos Venetoulis) → Record producer and A&R executive, first with World Jazz and later with Capitol Records, where he signed The Beach Boys and produced hits for them and dozens of other artists, including The Lettermen, Jim Croce, The Kingston Trio, Linda Ronstadt and Frank Zappa, died on 1/2/1998 from Burkitt’s lymphoma
1940 ● Jim Freeman → Vocals in R&B/doo wop harmony group The Five Satins, “In The Still Of The Night” (R&B #3, 1956)
1942 ● Ken Lewis (Kenneth James Hawker) → Brit songwriter and producer, collaborator with John Carter in The Ivy League, wrote “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” for Herman’s Hermits (#1, 1965)
1944 ● Ralph McTell (May) → Brit folk-pop singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Streets Of London” (UK #2, 1974), children’s TV host
1946 ● Vic Malcolm → Lead guitar and vocals for Brit hard rock/glam-rock Geordie, “All Because Of You” (UK #6, 1973)
1948 ● John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne → Hard rock icon, founder and frontman for gloom metal Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (#61, 1970), solo goth-rock artist, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (#28, Mainstream Rock #2, 1992), producer, TV actor and host
1948 ● Paul “Buffalo” Bruce Barlow → Bass guitar for country-rock/boogie/swing bar band Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen, “Hot Rod Lincoln” (#9, 1972)
1949 ● Mickey Thomas → Lead vocals for Elvin Bishop Group, “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” (#3, 1975), then Jefferson Starship, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us” (#1, 1987)
1951 ● Kimberley Rew → Brit pop-rock and 80s New Wave singer, songwriter, and guitarist starting with Robyn Hitchcock‘s punk/power pop Soft Boys in 1978, co-founded mainstream pop Katrina And The Waves in 1981, wrote “Walking On Sunshine” (#9, 1985) and “Love Shine A Light” (UK #3, 1997), the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1997
1951 ● Mike Stock → Member of the multi-hit UK songwriting/production trio Stock-Aitken-Waterman (SAW), co-wrote “Respectable” (#1 for Rick Astley, 1987)
1951 ● Nicky Stevens → Vocals in Brit sunny folk-pop Brotherhood of Man, “United We Stand” (#13, UK #10, 1970)
1952 ● Don Barnes → Lead vocals and rhythm guitar for Southern arena rockers .38 Special, “Hold On Loosely” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1981)
1952 ● Duane Roland → Co-founder and lead guitar for Southern rock power-guitar band Molly Hatchet, “Flirtin’ With Disaster” (#42, 1979), died on 6/19/2006 of “natural causes”
1968 ● Montell Jordan → Contemporary R&B/soul-new jack swing singer and songwriter, “This Is How We Do It” (#1, 1995)
1979 ● Daniel Bedingfield → New Zealand-born Brit pop/rock vocalist, “Gotta Get Thru This” (#10, 2001)
Dec 04
1915 ● Edward “Eddie” Heywood, Jr. → Popular 40s and 50s jazz and swing pianist, composer and bandleader, “Canadian Sunset” (#2, 1956), died on 1/2/1989 after suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
1940 ● Freddy “Boom-Boom” Cannon (Frederico Picariello) → Early and persistent pre-The Beatles rock ‘n roller, “Palisades Park” (#3, 1962) and seven other Top 40 hits between 1959 and 1965
1942 ● James Robert “Bob” Mosley → Bass, vocals and songwriting for 60s San Francisco folk-roots-psych rock Moby Grape, “Omaha” (#88, 1967), continues to write and record music, occasionally with the band, despite being a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic
1944 ● Anna McGarrigle → Canadian singer/songwriter with sister Kate in 70s-90s light folk duo The McGarrigle Sisters, wrote “Heart Like A Wheel” for Linda Ronstadt (1975)
1944 ● Chris Hillman → Bassist, singer, songwriter and founding member of seminal folk-country-rock The Byrds, “Mr. Tambourine Man” (#1, 1965), country-rock The Flying Burrito Brothers, light country-rock Souther Hillman Furay Band and country-pop Desert Rose Band, “I Still Believe In You” (Country #1, 1988) and nine other Country Top 15 singles
1944 ● Dennis Wilson → Drummer, vocalist and songwriter for surf-pop-rock The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations” (#1, 1966), solo, drowned in a swimming accident on 12/28/1983
1945 ● Gary P. Nunn → Texas Hill Country folk, blues and progressive country singer, songwriter and guitarist, wrote “London Homesick Blues” (the theme song to the music TV show Austin City Limits) and numerous other songs covered by multiple artists, played with Jerry Jeff Walker and Michael Martin Murphey as a member of the Lost Gonzo Band, plus Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash and many others, issued nearly 20 solo albums and received numerous music achievement awards
1947 ● Terry Woods → Mandolin and cittern for Irish folk-punk-rock The Pogues, “Tuesday Morning” (Rock #11, 1993), also played with Steeleye Span, Sweeney’s Men, The Bucks and, briefly, Dr. Strangely Strange
1948 ● Southside Johnny (John Lyon) → Lead vocals and frontman for New Jersey rock ‘n roll bar band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, “Talk To Me” (1978)
1951 ● Gary Rossington → Guitarist and founding member of raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” (#8, 1974), survived the October 1977 plane crash that killed several bandmembers, then founded Rossington-Collins Band with other Skynyrd alumni, “Welcome Me Home” (Mainstream Rock #9, 1988)
1959 ● Bob Griffin → Bassist for roots rock The BoDeans, “Closer To Free” (#16, 1993)
1962 ● Vinnie Dombroski → Lead vocals and songwriter for post-grunge alt rock Sponge, “Molly (16 Candles Down The Drain)” (Modern Rock #3, 1995) and other Detroit rock bands
1967 ● Adamski (Adam Tinley) → Brit dance-pop producer, songwriter and singer, “Killer” (with Seal, UK #1, US Dance #23, 1990)
1969 ● Jay-Z (Shawn Corey Carter) → Producer, Def Jam Records executive, New Jersey Nets part-owner, hugely successful hip hop artist and Grammy-winning rapper, “Empire State Of Mind” (#1, 2009)
1972 ● Justin Welch → Drummer for mixed-gender, post-punk alt rock Elastica, “Connection” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1973 ● Kate Rusby → The “First Lady of Young Folkies,” Brit contemporary acoustic folk singer and songwriter, “All Over Again” (UK #6, 2006)
Dec 05
1899 ● Sonny Boy Williamson (Aleck “Rice” Miller) → Celebrated Chicago-style blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, played with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and others, The Animals, Van Morrison, The Who, Yardbirds and many others covered his songs, died on 5/25/1965 from a heart attack
1932 ● Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) → Pianist, songwriter, legendary musical wildman and key figure in the transformation of R&B to rock ‘n roll, “Long Tall Sally” (#6, 1956) plus ten other Top 40 hits
1932 ● Reverend James Cleveland → The “King of Gospel music”, Grammy-winning singer, arranger and modern soul/Gospel sound innovator who fused church Gospel with jazz and pop influences, died of heart failure on 2/9/1991
1938 ● John Weldon “J.J.” Cale → Roots-blues-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, one of the originators of the laid-back “Tulsa Sound” mixing rock, blues, rockabilly and jazz, “After Midnight” (#42, 1972), wrote “Cocaine” (Eric Clapton, #30, 1980) and “Call Me The Breeze” (Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1974), won a Grammy Award for his album The Road To Escondido (2007), died on 7/26/2013 following a heart attack
1945 ● Eduardo Delgado Serrato → Original drummer for garage rock legends ? And The Mysterians, “96 Tears” (#1, 1966)
1947 ● Jim Messina → Country-rock guitarist, singer and songwriter with Buffalo Springfield (“For What It’s Worth”, #17, 1967), Poco (“You Better Think Twice”, #72, 1970) and Loggins & Messina, “Your Mama Don’t Dance” (#4, 1972)
1952 ● Andy Kim (Andrew Youakim) → Canadian bubblegum pop-rock one hit wonder singer and songwriter, “Rock Me Gently” (#1, 1974)
1960 ● Les Nemes → Bassist for New Wave funk-pop Haircut 100, “Love Plus One” (#37, 1982)
1960 ● Jack Russell → Lead vocals for hard rock/metal Great White, “One Bitten, Twice Shy” (#5, 1989), survived Rhode Island night club fire in 2003 in which nearly 100 fans died
1965 ● John Rzeznick → Lead singer and guitarist for alt-rock Goo Goo Dolls, “Iris” (#1, 1998)
1968 ● Glen Graham → Drums and percussion for roots-psych-alt rock Blind Melon, “No Rain” (Modern Rock #1, 1993)
1971 ● Craig Gill → Drummer for Brit psych-alt rock Inspiral Carpets, “Two Worlds Collide” (Modern Rock #8, 1992)
1980 ● Christian Smith Pancorvo → Drummer in Brit indie rock Razorlight, “Golden Touch” (UK #9, 2004) and currently Serafin, “Day By Day” (UK #49, 2003)
1980 ● Zainam Higgins → Singer and songwriter for Brit R&B/dance-pop teen sibling girl group Cleopatra, “Cleopatra’s Theme” (#26, 1998)
1982 ● Keri Lynn Hilson → R&B singer and songwriter, wrote hits as part of The Clutch five-person songwriting team, solo, “Knock You Down” (#3, 2009)
Dec 06
1916 ● Hugo Peretti → Songwriter, producer, record label executive, teamed with Luigi Creatore to produce dozens of hit songs for multiple artists, including Sam Cooke‘s “Twistin’ The Night Away” (#9, 1962) and The Isley Brothers‘ “Shout” (#49, 1959), died on 5/1/1986
1920 ● Dave Brubeck → Renowned jazz-pop pianist, bandleader and composer, “Take Five” (Adult Contemporary #5, 1961)
1942 ● Robert W. “Robb” Royer → Guitar, keyboards, bass and songwriting 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, songwriting credits include songs written for The Remingtons, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Randy Travis and others
1943 ● Keith West (Hopkins) → Singer, songwriter and frontman for Brit early psych-rock group Tomorrow, then pop-psych solo career, “Excerpt From A Teenage Opera” (UK #2, 1967), now a producer of music
1943 ● Michael George “Mike” Smith → Keyboards and vocals for British Invasion pop-rock Dave Clark Five, “Catch Us If You Can” (#4, 1965) and 11 other Top 25 hits in the US, died 2/28/2008 from pneumonia
1944 ● Kenneth George “Jonathan” King → Brit singer and songwriter, “Everyone’s Gone To The Moon” (#17, 1965) plus 12 other UK Top 40 singles under various names, record producer, early manager for prog rock Genesis, convicted and jailed (2001) sex offender
1947 ● David Roderick “Fritz” Fryer → Lead guitarist 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, died of pancreatic cancer on 9/2/2007
1947 ● Kim Simmonds → Founder and guitarist for Brit blues-rock Savoy Brown, “Tell Mama” (#83, 1971)
1947 ● Miroslav Vitous → Czech-born bassist for jazz-rock fusion Weather Report, “Birdland” (1977), solo
1952 ● Randy Rhoads → Up and coming heavy metal/pop-metal guitarist, founder of hard rock Quiet Riot, joined Ozzy Osbourne‘s backing band for landmark albums Blizzard Of Ozz (1980) and Diary Of A Madman (1981), died in a plane crash while on tour in Florida on 3/19/1982
1955 ● Edward Tudor-Pole → Leader of Brit punk-rock band Tenpole Tudor, “Swords Of A Thousand Men”, (UK #6, 1981), solo, “Who Killed Bambi?” (1978), TV actor and host
1955 ● Rick Buckler → Drummer for Brit punk-rock/mod revival The Jam, “Town Called Malice” (Mainstream Rock #31, 1982)
1956 ● Peter Buck → Guitarist and songwriter for influential post-punk R.E.M., “The One I Love” (#9, 1987)
1961 ● David Lovering → Drummer for melodic post-punk alternative rock The Pixies, “Here Comes Your Man” (Modern Rock #3, 1989)
1962 ● Ben Watt → Guitar, keyboards and vocals in Brit pop-dance-club duo Everything But The Girl, “Missing” (#2, 1995), solo
1964 ● Jeff “Blando” Bland → Guitarist in pop-glam metal Slaughter, “Fly To The Angels” (#19, 1990), died in a car crash on 2/5/1998
1969 ● Mark Gardener → Singer and guitarist for Brit neo-psych shoegazing band Ride, “Twisterella” (Modern Rock #12, 1992)
1969 ● Steven Drozd → Drummer and vocalist for neo-psych alt rock The Flaming Lips, “She Don’t Use Jelly” (#55, 1995)
1970 ● Ulf Ekberg → Keyboards and vocals for Swedish pop-rockers Ace Of Base, “All That She Wants” (#2, 1993)
