Happy Birthday this week to:
Sep 27
1922 ● Raymond Edwards → Bass vocals in R&B/doo wop vocal quartet The Silhouettes, “Get A Job” (#1, 1958)
1936 ● Donald Cortez “Don” Cornelius → R&B/soul music promoter and producer, created and hosted the highly influential dance/music TV show Soul Train from 1971 to 1993, the first and most successful TV show featuring African-American musicians, died on 2/1/2012 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
1937 ● Buddy Emmons → Influential, virtuoso peddle steel guitarist, popularized the instrument for jazz, swing, folk and country-rock genres, recorded with a diverse number of top artists, including Linda Ronstadt, The Everly Brothers, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bob Dylan, performed on NPR’s “Prairie Home Companion” broadcasts, fronted the Redneck Jazz Explosion in the 70s and issued several solo albums, died on 7/21/2015
1941 ● Don Nix → Songwriter, musician, arranger and author, saxophonist in Stax Records first house band The Mar-Keys (later Booker T. & The MG’s), wrote blues-rock standard “Going Down”, producer for Leon Russell, George Harrison, John Mayall, Eric Clapton and others
1942 ● Alvin Stardust (Bernard William Jewry) → Assumed the name of deceased frontman Shane Fenton (born John Theakstone) and led early 60s Britpop Shane Fenton And The Fentones, “Cindy’s Birthday” (UK #19, 1962), changed his name and reemerged as glam rock Alvin Stardust in the early 70s, “Jealous Mind” (UK #1, 1974) and 10 other UK Top 40 hits
1943 ● Randy Bachman → Founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist for Canadian hard rock Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), then formed Bachman-Turner Overdrive with his brothers Robbie and Tim, “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” (#1, 1974), then Ironhorse, “Sweet Lui-Louise” (#36, 1979) and Union, solo plus CBC radio host
1947 ● Barbara Dickson → Scottish folk-pop singer, “Answer Me” (UK Top 10, 1976) and a duet with Elaine Paige, “I Know Him So Well” (UK #1, 1985), TV and stage actress
1947 ● Meat Loaf (Marvin Lee “Michael” Aday) → Hard-edged iconic pop-rock singer and occasional actor, “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad” (#11, 1978) and Grammy-winning “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (#1, 1993), released the phenomenally successful Bat Out Of Hell album trilogy
1953 ● Greg Ham → Saxophone, flute and keyboards 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, found dead in his Melbourne home on 4/19/2012
1953 ● Robbie Shakespeare → Reggae bassist and, with Sly Dunbar, one half of the studio duo Riddim Twins, produced albums for Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Bunny Wailer and others, recorded with Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones and others
1958 ● Shaun Cassidy → TV actor, 70s teen idol singer, “Hey Deanie” (#7, 1978), half brother of TV actor and Partridge Family character David Cassidy
1966 ● Stephan Jenkins → Guitar, vocals and songwriting for post-grunge indie pop Third Eye Blind, “Semi-Charmed Life” (#4, 1997)
1967 ● Brett Anderson → Vocals for Britpop indie rock Suede, “Trash” (UK #3, 1996)
1970 ● Mark Calderon → Vocals in a cappella hip hop harmony group Color Me Badd, “I Wanna Sex You Up” (#2, 1991)
1975 ● Bradley Kirk Arnold → Vocals for post-grunge alt rock 3 Doors Down, “Kryptonite” (#3, 2000)
1975 ● Lee Brennan → Vocals and co-founding member of Brit teen-dance-pop boy band 911, covered The Bee Gees‘ “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
1982 ● Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.) → Self-proclaimed “best rapper alive,” teenaged member of hip hop groups The B.G.’z and Hot Boys, Grammy-winning solo career, “Lollipop” (#1, 2008)
1984 ● Avril Lavigne → Canadian teen-pop singer and “skatepunk” icon , “Complicated” (#2, 2002) and “Girlfriend” (#1, 2007), fashion designer, actress
Sep 28
1901 ● Ed Sullivan → Bandleader, entertainment writer and host of his own TV variety show for 23 years, introduced The Beatles to over 70 million American viewers on 2/9/1964, died from esophageal cancer on 10/13/1974
1923 ● Tuli Kupferberg → Counterculture author, poet, cartoonist, pacifist and co-founder of satirical underground rock The Fugs, solo, died from kidney failure on 7/12/2010
1925 ● Billy Grammer → Country guitarist, “Gotta Travel On” (#4, 1959), fronted The Travel On Boys, led businesses which produced guitars under his name, member of the Grand Ole Opry, died after a long illness on 8/10/2011
1935 ● Koko Taylor (Cora Walton) → The “Queen of Chicago Blues”, large-framed and -voiced R&B/blues belter, “Wang Dang Doodle” (#58, R&B #4, 1966), won Grammy Award as part of the compilation album Blues Explosion (1984), died following gastrointestinal surgery on 6/3/2009
1938 ● Ben E. King (Benjamin Earl Nelson) → R&B/smooth soul singer with doo wop The Drifters, “Save The Last Dance For Me” (#1, 1960) and solo, “Stand By Me” (#1, 1961), still touring and recording in 2011
1943 ● Nick St. Nicholas (Klaus Karl Kassbaum) → German-born Canadian bass guitarist, co-founded hard rock The Sparrow, which became Canadian-American hard rock, proto-metal Steppenwolf, “Born To Be Wild” (#2, 1968), currently leader of supergroup World Classic Rockers
1946 ● Helen Shapiro → Early 60s beehive-hair Brit teen-pop singer, “Walking Back to Happiness” (UK #1, 1961), moved to cabaret and stage musicals in the 70s
1950 ● Paul Burgess → Journeyman Brit drummer for soft pop/art-rock 10cc, “I’m Not In Love” (#2, 1975), The Invisible Girls, Magna Carta, Jethro Tull, Camel, The Icicle Works, Joan Armatrading and others, with Katy Lied as of 2010
1951 ● Norton Buffalo (Phillip Jackson) → Blues and country-rock harmonica player, songwriter, singer and bandleader, toured with ‘Commander Cody, sessions for Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Elvin Bishop and others, member of the Steve Miller Band, “Fly Like An Eagle” (#2, 1977), frontman for The Stampede and later The Knockouts, died on 10/30/2009 from cancer
1952 ● Andy Ward → Drummer and founding member of 70s prog rock Camel, later with prog-rock revival group Marillion, “Kayleigh” (Mainstream Rock #14, 1985) and 90s supergroup Mirage
1953 ● Jim Diamond → Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist with Gully Foyle, The Alexis Korner Band, Bandit and PhD, “I Won’t Let You Down” (UK #3, 1982), then solo, “I Should Have Know Better” (UK #1, 1984)
1954 ● George Lynch → Guitarist for pop-metal Dokken, “Alone Again” (1984), solo, fronted Lynch Mob, “Tangled In The Web” (Modern Rock #13, 1992) and Souls Of We
1960 ● Jennifer Rush (Heidi Stern) → German-American superstar dance-pop singer, “The Power Of Love” (#57, UK #1, 1985) and multiple other Top 40 hits in various European countries, virtually unknown in the US
1962 ● Peter Hooton → Founder and lead vocals for Brit synth-pop The Farm, “Groovy Train” (#41, Dance/Club #4, 1991)
1966 ● Kenny Wilson (Ginger Fish) → Drummer for industrial-pop-metal/shock rock Marilyn Manson, “The Dope Show” (Mainstream Rock #12, 1998)
1967 ● Moon Unit Zappa → Film and TV actress, MTV and VH-1 VJ, artist, monologue vocals on “Valley Girl” (#32, 1982), daughter of Frank Zappa and spouse of Matchbox Twenty drummer Paul Doucette
1968 ● Sean Levert → Vocals for R&B/smooth soul trio LeVert, “Casanova” (#5, R&B #1, 1987), son of O’Jays vocalist Eddie Levert, died from sarcoidosis while in jail on child support charges on 3/30/2008
1977 ● Young Jeezy (Jay Wayne Jenkins) → Hip hop business entrepreneur turned Southern/gangsta rapper, founded Corporate Thugz Entertainment , solo artist, “Soul Survivor” (#4, 2005), member of Boyz ‘N Da Hood and U.S.D.A.
1984 ● Melody Thorton → Vocals for burlesque dance-pop girl troupe The Pussycat Dolls, “Don’t Cha” (#2, 2005)
1987 ● Hilary Duff → TV actress and star of Lizzie McGuire show, then teen dance-pop, “With Love” (#24, Dance/Club #1, 2007), movie actress, apparel designer and author
Sep 29
1907 ● Orvon Grover “Gene” Autry → The “Singing Cowboy” on radio, TV and in 93 films, cut over 600 records, scored 25 consecutive Top 10 Country hits between 1944 and 1952, including “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” (#1, Country #1, 1949), died of lymphoma on 10/2/1998
1935 ● Jerry Lee Lewis → The “Killer”, iconic and scandalous rock ‘n roll legend, keyboardist, singer and songwriter, “Great Balls Of Fire” (#2, 1957), #24 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, still performing as of 2010
1937 ● Joe “Guitar” Hughes → Texas blues, R&B and shuffle guitarist, played with Little Richard‘s group The Upsetters, Johnny Copeland, T-Bone Walker, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Big Joe Turner and others, solo, died 5/20/2003 after a heart attack
1939 ● Tommy Boyce → In collaboration with Bobby Hart, pop singer, “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight” (#8, 1968) and the prolific Boyce & Hart hit songwriting team, “Last Train To Clarksville” (The Monkees, #1, 1966) plus dozens more Top 40 hits and over 300 songs, committed suicide on 11/23/1994 after years of struggle with depression
1942 ● Jean-Luc Ponty → French virtuoso jazz and prog rock fusion electric violinist, album Enigmatic Ocean reached #35 in 1977, switched to synthesizers in the mid-80s and to world music in the 90s
1943 ● Manuel Fernandez → Electric organ for Spanish rock ‘n roll band Los Bravos, “Black Is Black” (US #4, 1966), the first US Top 10 hit by a Spanish band
1944 ● Mike Post (Leland Michael Postil) → Prolific, well-known and highly regarded TV and film theme composer, wrote cop show theme song “Hill Street Blues” (#10, 1981) and other popular shows, five-time Grammy Award winner
1947 ● Peter Hope-Evans → Harmonica and Jew’s harp in Brit folk-rock duo Medicine Head, “One And One Is One” (UK #3, 1973)
1948 ● Mike Pinera → Guitarist and singer with pop-rock Blues Image, “Ride Captain Ride” (#4, 1970), later solo and with Iron Butterfly, Cactus and Classic Rock All Stars
1948 ● Mark Farner → Lead singer and guitarist for hard rock/early heavy metal power trio Grand Funk Railroad, “We’re An American Band” (#1, 1973), toured with Ringo Starr’s Allstars in mid-90s
1956 ● Suzzy Roche → Singer/songwriter in critically-acclaimed but commercially-marginal female folk-pop harmony vocal sister trio The Roches, backed Paul Simon, solo
1957 ● Mari Wilson → Retro-60s beehive-hairdo R&B-pop-quiet storm singer, “Just What I Always Wanted” (, 1982)
1958 ● Mick Harvey → Multi-instrumentalist, long association with alt rock Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, “Where The Wild Roses Grow” (Australia #2, UK #11, 1995)
1963 ● Les Claypool → Bassist with funk-metal Primus, “N.I.B.” (Mainstream Rock #2, 2000), solo, film producer
1965 ● Ian Baker → Keyboards for techno-electronic pop-dance Jesus Jones, “Right Here, Right Now” (#2, 1991)
1966 ● Tony “Doggen” Foster → Guitarist in Julian Cope‘s backing band, with trip hop Olive, “You’re Not Alone” (Dance/Club #5, UK #1, 1996), power trio Brain Donor and space rock Spiritualized
1968 ● Brad Smith → Bass, flute and backing vocals for roots-psych-alt rock Blind Melon, “No Rain” (Modern Rock #1, 1993), solo, later alt rock Unified Theory, rejoined Blind Melon in 2006
1968 ● Luke Goss → With twin brother Matt, drummer in Brit teen idol pop boy band Bros, “I Owe You Nothing” (, 1988), solo and film acting credits
1968 ● Matthew Goss → With twin brother Luke, lead singer in Brit teen idol pop boy band Bros, “I Owe You Nothing” (, 1988), solo and currently performing in Las Vegas
1969 ● DeVante Swing (Donald DeGrate, Jr.) → Vocals and songwriter in R&B/electro-dance “bad boy” quartet Jodeci, “Lately” (#4, 1993), founded Swing Mob Records, producer
1969 ● Jonathan Auer → Guitarist, singer and songwriter for power pop The Posies, “Dream All Day” (Mainstream Rock #17, 1993), toured and recorded with power pop Big Star and The Squirrels, solo
1981 ● Suzanne Shaw → Singer for pre-fab mockstar dance-pop Hear’Say, “Pure And Simple” (UK #1, 2001), stage actress and TV host
1987 ● Joshua Farro → Guitarist for alt rock/pop-punk Paramore, “Misery Business” (#27, 2007)
Sep 30
1913 ● Cholly Atkins (Charles Atkinson) → Vaudeville performer, legendary Cotton Club and Apollo Theater choreographer and Swing-era tap dancer with Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and others, parlayed freelance work as dance instructor for 50s R&B groups into the full-time, in-house choreographer position for Motown Records, designed trademark moves and gestures for The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5 and others, continued to teach dance until his death from pancreatic cancer on 4/19/2003
1917 ● Buddy Rich → Virtuoso jazz drummer known as the “King of the Drum Solo” over a seven decade career in big band, bop, swing and straight jazz, highly influential to dozens of jazz and rock drummers, scored eleven Jazz Top 20 albums between 1967 and 1981, died from heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor on 4/2/1987
1933 ● Cissy Houston (Emily Drinkard) → R&B/soul singer in gospel-soul family group The Drinkard Singers, then vocal team The Group backed Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross and others, fronted soul-pop The Sweet Inspirations, solo, “Think It Over” (Dance/Club #5, 1978), mother of Whitney Houston
1935 ● Johnny Mathis → Jazz-pop adult contemporary vocalist, “Chances Are” (#1, 1957) and “Too Much Too Little Too Late (#1, 1978) plus 18 other Top 40 hits, Greatest Hits album remained on the US chart for over nine years
1940 ● Dewey Martin (Walter Milton Dwayne Midkiff) → Canadian drummer with country-rock The Dillards, then co-founded folk-rock Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth” (#7, 1967) and stayed with the band through various incarnations into the 90s, died 2/1/2009 from unknown causes
1942 ● Franklin Joseph “Frankie” Lymon → Teenage lead singer and frontman for The Teenagers, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” (#6, 1956), died from a drug overdose on 2/28/1968
1942 ● Gus Dudgeon → Record producer, primarily for The Beach Boys, Elton John, David Bowie, The Zombies, Kiki Dee, Strawbs, XTC and Joan Armatrading, died with his wife in a car accident on 7/21/2002
1943 ● Marilyn McCoo → Lead vocals for mainstream R&B/soul-pop The 5th Dimension, “Wedding Bell Blues” (#1, 1969), then Grammy-winning solo career, including duet with spouse Billy Davis Jr., “You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)” (R&B #6, 1976), now TV host and stage actress
1947 ● Marc Bolan (Mark Field) → Guitarist, songwriter and frontman for proto-glam-rock T. Rex, “Bang A Gong (Get It On)” (#10, 1971), released several solo albums, died in a car accident on 9/16/1977
1952 ● John Lombardo → Co-founder, guitarist and songwriter for folk-pop 10,000 Maniacs, left to form duo John & Mary, returned with partner Mary Ramsey in 1994, “More Than This” (#25, 1997)
1954 ● Lesley Beach → Saxophone for Brit reggae-pop-ska band Amazulu, “Too Good To Be Forgotten” (UK #5, 1986)
1954 ● Patrice Rushen → Grammy-winning R&B/jazz-pop pianist, producer, composer and vocalist, “Forget Me Nots” (#23, R&B #4, 1982), music professor, sessions and touring bands
1956 ● Basia Trzetrzelewska → Polish jazz-pop female vocalist in the Latin dance-pop jazz trio Matt Bianco, then solo, “Time And Tide” (#26, 1988) and “Drunk On Love” (Dance/Club #1, 1994)
1962 ● Brian Bonhomme → Guitar and vocals for New Wave swing/pop Roman Holliday, “Don’t Try To Stop It” (#68, UK #14, 1983)
1964 ● Ernest Joseph “Trey” Anastasio III → Guitarist, songwriter and de facto frontman for improv-rock jam band Phish, “Free” (Mainstream Rock #11, 1996), solo
1964 ● Robby Takac → Bassist for alt-rock Goo Goo Dolls, “Iris” (#1, 1998)
1965 ● Matt Fallon (Frankel) → Original lead vocalist for New Jersey-based hair metal/pop-metal Skid Row (“I Remember You,” #6, 1989), left in 1987 to pursue an unsuccessful solo career
1984 ● Keisha Buchanan → Singer in Brit multi-racial pop girl group Sugababes, “Hole In The Head” (Dance/Club #1, 2004)
Oct 01
1927 ● Floyd “Buddy” McRae → Founding member and second tenor vocals for one hit wonder R&B/doo wop The Chords, one of the earliest black groups to cross over to the pop charts with “Sh-Boom” (#9, R&B #3, 1954), died on 3/19/2013
1930 ● Richard Harris → Irish actor, film director, theatrical producer and adult contemporary singer/songwriter, “Macarthur Park” (#2, 1968), died of cancer on 10/25/2002
1932 ● Albert Collins → The “Master of the Telecaster,” influential electric blues singer and guitarist, “Get Your Business Straight” (R&B #46, 1972) and Grammy-winning album Live ’92/93 (1993), died from liver cancer on 11/24/1993
1935 ● Julie Andrews (Julia Elizabeth Wells) → Film and stage actress, author and Grammy-winning singer, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (#66, 1965)
1942 ● Herb Fame (Herbert Feemster) → Male vocalist and only constant member of R&B/soul-pop duo Peaches & Herb, “Reunited” (#1, 1978), now a Washington, DC police officer
1943 ● Jerry Martini → Co-founder and saxophone for R&B/funk Sly & The Family Stone, “Everyday People” (#1, 1969), played with Rubicon and Prince‘s backing band
1944 ● Herbert “Toubo” Rhoad → Baritone vocals for a cappella The Persuasions, “Chain Gang” (1971), died on 12/8/1988 while on tour with the group
1944 ● Barbara Parritt → Singer for R&B/pop girl trio The Toys, “A Lover’s Concerto” (#2, 1965)
1945 ● Donny Hathaway → Rising star smooth R&B/soul singer best known for duets with Roberta Flack, including “Where Is The Love?” (#5, 1972), jumped from New York City hotel window 1/13/1979
1947 ● Jane Dornacker → Rock vocalist and stand-up comedienne turned TV traffic reporter, early member of camp-rock pop-rock satirists The Tubes (“She’s A Beauty,” #10, 1978), died in a news traffic helicopter crash in New York City on 10/22/1986
1947 ● Martin Turner → Founding member, bass and vocals for prog/hard rock, twin lead guitar pioneers Wishbone Ash, “Time Was” (1972)
1947 ● Rob Davis → Guitarist for Brit “good time” glam-rock ‘n’ roll Mud, “Tiger Feet” (UK #1, 1974), songwriter who co-wrote “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” for Kylie Minogue (#7, 2002)
1948 ● Michael “Cub” Koda → Guitarist, founder, frontman and songwriter for hard rock Brownsville Station, “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” (#3, 1973), solo career, disc jockey and music journalist, died on 7/5/2000 from kidney failure
1948 ● Mariska Veres → Lead vocals and frontgal for Dutch pop-rock one hit wonder Shocking Blue, “Venus” (#1, 1970), died from cancer on 12/2/2006
1955 ● Howard Hewett → Lead vocalist and frontman for R&B-urban contemporary Shalamar, solo “I’m For Real” (R&B #2, 1986), solo
1957 ● Andy Walton → Drummer for glam pop-rock Kenny, “The Bump” (UK #3, 1975)
1958 ● Martin Cooper → Saxophonist and occasional songwriter for New Wave synth-pop Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, “If You Leave” (#4, 1986), painter
1959 ● Youssou N’Dour → Senegalese dance-pop percussionist and singer, vocals on Paul Simon‘s “Graceland” (1986), solo, “7 Seconds” (#98, UK #3, 1994), worked with Peter Gabriel, Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and others
1968 ● Kevin Griffin → Founder, guitarist, songwriter and lead vocalist for alt pop-rock Better Than Ezra, “Good” (#30, Modern Rock #1, 1995)
1973 ● LaTocha Scott → Vocals for female R&B/dance-pop quartet Xscape, “Understanding” (#8, 1993)
1974 ● Keith Duffy → Vocals for Irish teen-pop boy band Boyzone, “No Matter What” (Adult Contemporary #12, 1999), TV actor
1985 ● Dizzee Rascal (Dylan Kwabena Mills) → British garage songwriter, record producer and rapper, “Holiday (UK #1, 2009)
Oct 02
1933 ● David Somerville → Canadian singer and songwriter, co-founder and original lead singer for pop vocal group The Diamonds, “Little Darlin'” (#2, 1957) and fourteen other Top 40 hits between 1956 and 1961, co-wrote the theme song to TV drama series The Fall Guy (1981-1986) with show producer Glen Larson of The Four Preps, with whom he toured in the 80s, died from cancer on 7/14/2015
1938 ● Nick Gravenites → Blues, rock and folk guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer, worked with Quicksilver Messenger Service and Janis Joplin‘s Kozmic Blues Band, joined The Butterfield Blues Band and founded blues-rock Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield, wrote the score to the film The Trip (1967) and produced the music to the film Steelyard Blues (1973), inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003
1939 ● Lolly Vasquez → With brother Patrick, co-founder, guitar and vocals for Native American rockers Redbone, “Come And Get Your Love” (#5, 1974), died 3/4/2010
1941 ● Ron Meagher → Co-founder and bassist in pop-rock The Beau Brummels, “Laugh, Laugh” (#15, 1964)
1945 ● Don McLean → Folk-rock singer/songwriter best known for his 8 minute epic, “American Pie” (#1, 1971), the song inspired by and a tribute to the death of Buddy Holly
1946 ● Ron Griffiths → Bassist, vocals and songwriter for power pop quartet The Iveys, “Maybe Tomorrow” (#67, 1968), left before the band changed its name and became Badfinger
1947 ● Frank “Skip” Konte → Record producer, movie score writer and pop-rock keyboardist, joined The Blues Image in 1967 and co-wrote “Ride Captain Ride” (#4, 1970), left in 1973 to join pop-rock Three Dog Night (“Joy To The World,” #1, 1971), formed KonteMedia and produced the sci-fi movie Meridian in 2010
1949 ● Richard Hell (Meyers) → Bassist, singer and songwriter, one of the original New York punk rockers, co-founded punk-rock Television, then fronted The Voidoids, “Blank Generation” (1977), now an author
1950 ● Mike Rutherford → Bass, backing vocals and one of two constant members of prog-rock turned pop-rock Genesis, “Invisible Touch” (#1, 1986), fronts side project Mike + The Mechanics, “All I Need Is A Miracle” (#5, 1986)
1951 ● Sting (Gordon Matthew Sumner) → Lead vocals, bass guitar and songwriter for post-punk The Police, “Every Breath You Take” (#1, 1983), then highly successful solo career, “Fortress Around Your Heart” (#1, 1985) and five other Top 20 hits and 11 Grammy Awards
1952 ● John Otway → Novelty folk-rock cult singer/songwriter, “Really Free” (UK #27, 1977) with Wild Willy Barrett and “Bunsen Burner” (UK #9, 2002)
1955 ● Philip Oakey → Vocals for late-70s synth-pop pioneers The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (#1, 1981)
1956 ● Freddie Jackson → R&B/urban soul balladeer, “You Are My Lady” (#12, R&B #1, 1985) and nine other R&B #1 hits
1958 ● Robbie Nevil → Songwriter, guitarist and pop-rock solo singer, “C’est La Vie” (#2, 1987), producer and writer for Babyface, Jessica Simpson, Destiny’s Child, Smash Mouth and others
1960 ● Al Connelly → Guitarist for Canadian pop-rock Glass Tiger, “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” (#2, 1986)
1962 ● Claude V. McKnight, III → Vocals in a cappella gospel Take 6, “I L-O-V-E U” (R&B #19, 1990)
1962 ● Sigtryggur “Siggi” Baldursson → Drummer in Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991)
1965 ● Floyd I. “Bud” Gaugh IV → Drums and percussion for California ska-punk revivalist trio Sublime, “What I Got” (#29, 1997)
1967 ● Gillian Welch → Country, bluegrass and light roots-rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and percussionist, released multiple albums with musical partner David Rawlings, including Grammy-nominated The Harrow & The Harvest (#20, Indie Albums #3, 2011)
1969 ● Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) → Alternative rock singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, “You Were Right” (UK #9, 2002)
1970 ● Dion Allen → Backing vocals in hip hop/urban rap quintet Az Yet, “Last Night” (#9, R&B #1, 1996)
1971 ● Tiffany Renee Darwish → Late 80s teen queen and bubblegum pop singer, “Could’ve Been” (#1, 1987) and “I Think We’re Alone Now” (#1, 1987)
1973 ● Proof (DeShaun Holton) → Detroit rapper, high school chum of Eminem and member with him of the hip hop collective D12 (aka Dirty Dozen), “My Band” (#6, 2004) plus several solo and collaborative projects, died from gunshot wounds at a nightclub shooting on 4/11/2006
1973 ● Lene Grawford Nystrøm Rasted → Vocals for Danish dance-pop Aqua, “Barbie Girl” (#7, 1997), which drew a lawsuit from Mattel for its sexual content
Oct 03
1938 ● Eddie Cochran → Rockabilly pioneer singer, songwriter and influential power chord guitarist, “Summertime Blues” (#8, 1958), died in a car crash while on tour in England on 4/17/1960
1941 ● Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans) → Grammy-winning R&B/pop singer and early 60s dance-craze instigator, “The Twist” (#1, 1960 and 1962), the only song to hit #1 in the US singles charts twice, plus 17 other Top 40 hits
1941 ● Lenny Waronker → Record producer and former CEO of Warner Bros. Records, worked with Maria Muldaur, Gordon Lightfoot, Randy Newman, The Doobie Brothers and multiple other 70s rock bands, partner with DreamWorks development team
1945 ● Antonio Martinez → Guitarist for Spanish rock ‘n roll band Los Bravos, “Black Is Black” (US #4, 1966), the first US Top 10 hit by a Spanish band
1947 ● Ben Cauley → Trumpet player and founding member of soul/funk The Bar-Kays, “Soul Finger” (#17, R&B #3, 1967), which also served as Stax Records‘ in-house session group and Otis Redding‘s backing band, survived the December 1967 plane crash that killed Redding and four bandmembers, reformed the The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes on his landmark album, Hot Buttered Soul (1969), continued to perform until his death on 9/21/2015
1949 ● Lindsey Buckingham → Guitar, vocals and songwriter for pop duo Buckingham Nicks, joined pop-rock Fleetwood Mac in 1974, wrote “Go Your Own Way” (#10, 1977), then solo, “Trouble” (#9, 1981), producer
1950 ● Ronnie Laws → Jazz, blues and funk saxophonist and singer, first with R&B/soul-dance-pop Earth, Wind & Fire, “Shining Star” (#1, 1975), then solo, “Every Generation” (R&B #12, 1980), sessions for Ramsey Lewis, Hugh Masekela, Sister Sledge and others
1954 ● Stevie Ray Vaughan → Grammy-winning Texas blues-rock guitar master, “Crossfire” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1983), died in a helicopter crash on 8/27/1990 following a show in Wisconsin
1961 ● Robbie Jaymes → Keyboards for Brit dance-pop band Modern Romance, “Can You Move” (Dance/Club #2, 1981) and “Best Years Of Our Lives” (UK #4, 1982)
1962 ● Tommy Lee (Bass) → Drummer in hair-metal Mötley Crüe, “Dr. Feelgood” (#6, 1989), founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, “Get Naked” (2000) and other solo work, former spouse of actresses Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson
1965 ● Neil Sims → Drummer for Brit indie rock/shoegazing band Catherine Wheel, “Black Metallic” (Modern Rock #9, 1991)
1966 ● Dan Miller → Guitarist for at pop-rock They Might Be Giants, “Birdhouse In Your Soul” (#3, Modern Rock, 1990)
1967 ● Chris Collingwood → Singer, songwriter, rhythm guitarist and founding member of power pop band Fountains Of Wayne, “Stacy’s Mom” (#21, 2003)
1969 ● Gwen Stefani → Lead vocals for rock/ska No Doubt, “Underneath It All” (#3, 2002), then solo, “Hollaback Girl” (#1, 2005) from the 2004 worldwide Top 10 album Love, Angel, Music, Baby, fashion designer
1971 ● Kevin Richardson → Vocals in pop-dance-hip hop Backstreet Boys, “Quit Playing Games With My Heart” (#2, 1997)
1975 ● India.Aire Simpson → Grammy-winning neo-classic R&B/soul singer and songwriter, “Little Things” (Song of the Year, 2000)
1978 ● Jake Shears (Jason Sellards) → Vocals dance-glam-rock Scissor Sisters, “Filthy Gorgeous” (Dance/Club #1, 2005)
1979 ● Nate Wood → Drums, percussion and backing vocals for post-grunge alt rock The Calling, “Wherever You Will Go” (#5, 2001)
1983 ● Danny O’Donoghue → Irish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in teen-pop boy band Mytown, “Body Bumpin'” (Canada #12, 2000) then Celtic folk-pop-rock The Script, “Breakeven” (#12, 2010)
1984 ● Ashlee Simpson → Reality TV series actress and teen-dance-pop singer, “Pieces Of Me” (#5, 2004), fodder for tabloid magazines
