Happy Birthday this week to:
Nov 01
1903 ● Don Robey → Record label owner, producer and songwriter whose influence over the development of R&B/pop was immeasurable, launched or managed the careers of Bobby “Blue” Bland, Big Mama Thornton, the Dixie Hummingbirds, Memphis Slim, Little Junior Parker and many others through his Peacock and Duke labels (the first African-American to own a successful record label), sold to ABC/Dunhill in 1973 and died of a heart attack on 6/16/1975
1940 ● Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler → Vietnam veteran and one hit wonder pop star, “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” (#1, 1966), died on 11/5/1989 after being in a coma for a year following a shooting in an attempted robbery
1944 ● Mike Burney → Saxophonist for eccentric jazz-pop Wizzard, “See My Baby Jive” (UK #1, 1973)
1944 ● Richard S. “Kinky” Freidman → The “Jewish Cowboy,” irreverent country-rock satirist, singer, songwriter and bandleader, The Texas Jewboys, novelist, journalist and would-be politician
1946 ● Rick Grech (Richard Roman Grechko) → Bassist for blues/art rock Family, “In My Own Time” (UK #4, 1971), supertrio Blind Faith (US #1 album Blind Faith, 1969), Traffic, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, died on 3/17/1990 from alcohol-related kidney failure
1949 ● David Foster → Canadian producer, composer, musician, arranger for dozens of top MOR/easy listening artists and recordings, including The Bee Gees, Michael Bublé, Clay Aiken, Céline Dion, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill and many others
1950 ● Dan Peek → Multi-instrumental singer and songwriter for folk-pop America, wrote “Lonely People” (#5, 1974), later moved to Contemporary Christian pop music, died in his sleep on 7/24/2011
1951 ● Ronald Bell (Khalis Bayyan) → Founding member, saxophonist, songwriter and singer for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Jungle Boogie” (#4, 1973)
1954 ● Chris Morris → Guitarist 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
1957 ● Lyle Lovett → Witty country-pop singer/songwriter, “Give Me Back My Heart” (Country #13, 1987), three-time Grammy Award winner, former husband of actress Julia Roberts
1959 ● Eddie Macdonald → Bassist for post-punk anthem rockers The Alarm, “Sold Me Down The River” (Mainstream #2, 1989)
1962 ● Mags Furuholmen → Guitar and keyboards for Norwegian synth-pop A-ha, “Take On Me” (#1, 1985)
1962 ● Anthony Kiedis → Vocals for funk-rock Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Californication” (Modern Rock #1, 2000)
1963 ● Rick Allen → Drummer for hard rock/metal Def Leppard, “Love Bites” (#1, 1988), lost his left arm in an auto accident in England in 1984 but continued with custom-constructed acoustic and electronic drumkits
1966 ● Willie D (William Dennis) → Vocals in controversial gangsta/horror-rap Geto Boys, “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” (#23, 1991), solo, “Dear God” (Rap #4, 2002)
1967 ● Sophie B. Hawkins → Eclectic rock, pop, jazz, R&B and African music singer and songwriter, “As I Lay Me Down” (#6, 1995)
1969 ● Darren Partington → Keyboards and percussion for electronic/acid-house band 808 State, “Pacific State” (UK #10, 1989)
1975 ● Harold Elwin “Bo” Bice, Jr. → Husky-voiced American Idol runner-up, pop/rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Inside Your Heaven” (#2, 2005)
1981 ● LaTavia Roberson → Backing vocals in Grammy-winning R&B/dance-pop Destiny’s Child, “Say My Name” (#1, 2000), stage actress
Nov 02
1929 ● Amar G. Bose → MIT graduate student, audio engineer and classical music lover, visionary engineer, inventor and billionaire entrepreneur whose namesake company, the Bose Corporation, is synonymous with top-quality audio systems and residential and automotive speakers, his company introduced the revolutionary 901 Series of home speaker systems, the Bose Wave radio, “sound docks” and noise-cancelling headphones, died 7/12/2013 from undisclosed causes
1931 ● Phil Woods → Four-time Grammy-winning alto saxophonist, in touring bands for Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman in the 50s, fronted his own bands in the 60s, then session work for Billy Joel (alto sax solo on “Just The Way You Are”), Steely Dan (“Doctor Wu”), Paul Simon (“Have A Good Time”) and others, continued to record and perform until just before his death from emphysema on 9/29/2015
1937 ● Earl “Speedo” Carroll → Singer and frontman for R&B/doo wop The Cadillacs, “Speedo” (#17, R&B #3, 1955), left in 1963 to join The Coasters and performed with the group through the 80s, now on the oldies circuit
1941 ● Bruce Welch → Guitarist with instrumental pop-rock The Shadows, “Apache” (Worldwide #1, 1960)
1941 ● Jay Black (David Blatt) → Lead vocals and de facto frontman for clean-cut, pop-rock vocal group Jay & The Americans, “Cara Mia” (#4, 1965)
1944 ● Keith Emerson → Influential and accomplished progressive rock keyboardist for 60s Brit prog rock The Nice, “America” (1968), founding member of prog rock supergroup Emerson Lake & Palmer, “Lucky Man” (#48, 1971), solo
1945 ● John David “J.D.” Souther → Country-rock singer and songwriter, session musician and producer for Linda Ronstadt, co-wrote hits for the Eagles, including “New Kid In Town” (#1, 1977), member of the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, solo “You’re Only Lonely” (#7, 1979)
1946 ● Leonard “Chip” Hawkes → Bass and vocals for British Invasion pop-rock The Tremeloes, “Silence Is Golden” (US #11, UK #1, 1967), father of pop singer Chesney Hawkes
1947 ● Dave Pegg → Electric folk bassist for renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (UK #21, 1969), long-lived Brit folk-rock Jethro Tull, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), solo, producer
1952 ● Maxine Nightingale → Brit R&B/soul singer, “Right Back Where We Started From” (#2, 1976)
1956 ● Fred Fairbrass → Guitarist for dance-pop Right Said Fred, “I’m Too Sexy” (#1, 1991)
1957 ● Carter Beauford → Drummer for pop-funk-rock jam band Dave Matthews Band, “Don’t Drink The Water” (#4, 1998)
1961 ● k. d. lang (Kathryn Dawn Lang) → Canadian singer and songwriter, started as country-pop and shifted to adult contemporary and dance-pop, “Constant Craving” (#38, Adult Contemporary #2, 1992)
1962 ● Ron McGovney → Original bassist for heavy metal Metallica, “Enter Sandman” (#10, 1991), left in 1982 after several demo recordings but before the band’s first true album
1963 ● Bobby Dall → Bassist in hair metal/power ballad Poison, “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” (#1, 1988)
1965 ● Andy Barker → Drummer in electronic/acid-house 808 State, “Pacific State” (, 1989)
1967 ● Alvin Chea → Vocals in a cappella gospel Take 6, “I L-O-V-E U” (R&B #19, 1990)
1969 ● Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu → Bassist for nu metal Korn, “Here To Stay” (Mainstream #4, 2002)
1971 ● John Hampson → Guitarist and songwriter for indie power pop Nine Days, “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)” (#6, 2000)
1975 ● Chris Walla → Guitarist for indie pop-rock Death Cab For Cutie, “Soul Meets Body” (Modern Rock #5, 2005)
1978 ● Nelly (Cornell Haynes, Jr.) → Grammy-winning hip hop vocalist, “Country Grammar (Hot Shit)” (#7, 2000), record producer, music entrepreneur and record label CEO
Nov 03
1933 ● John Barry (Jonathan Barry Prendergrast) → Grammy- and Academy Award-winning film score composer for 11 James Bond films and others, including the theme song to Born Free (1966) and the soundtrack to Dances With Wolves (1989), died from a heart attack on 1/30/2011
1934 ● Bill Arhos → Creator and long-time executive producer of Austin City Limits, the PBS musical variety show that introduced much of America to the sound of redneck rock and progressive country music, which became the longest-running live concert program on television and the only TV show to receive the National Medal of Arts, died from heart disease on 4/11/2015
1941 ● Brian Poole → Lead singer and frontman for British Invasion pop-rock The Tremeloes, “Silence Is Golden” (US #11, UK #1, 1967), solo, daughters Karen and Shellie formed Alisha’s Attic in the 90s.
1943 ● Bert Jansch → Scottish acoustic blues and folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, 60s duo with John Renbourn then co-founded folk-rock group Pentangle (“Light Flight,” UK #43, 1970), solo
1946 ● Nick Simper → Bassist for early Brit rock ‘n’ roll Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, survived the 1966 car crash that killed Johnny Kidd, quit The Pirates in 1968 to co-found hard rock Deep Purple, fired in 1969 and pursued a solo career and founded/fronted hard rock Warhorse, Flying Fox and Fandango
1946 ● Tommy Dee (Thomas De Generes) → Guitarist in blue-eyed soul one hit wonder John Fred & His Playboy Band, “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” (#1, 1968)
1948 ● Lulu (Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) → Scottish pop singer and songwriter, “To Sir With Love” (#1, 1967), actress, TV host, continues performing in 2011
1954 ● Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard) → Singer and frontman for post-punk New Wave glam-pop Adam & The Ants, “Goody Two Shoes” (#12, 1983), film and TV actor
1960 ● James Prime → Keyboards for Scottish indie pop-rock Deacon Blue, “Real Gone Kid” (UK #8, 1988)
1960 ● Matthew “Maff” Ashman → Underrated post-punk and New Wave guitarist with the early lineup of Adam And The Ants, left in 1980 to form Afro-Euro-synth-pop Bow Wow Wow, “I Want Candy” (#22, 1982), later co-founded post-punk Chiefs Of Relief and punk-revival Agent Provocateur, died on 11/11/1995 from complications of diabetes
1962 ● Marilyn (Peter Anthony Robinson) → Brit New Romantic dance-pop singer, “Calling Your Name” (UK #4, 1983)
1962 ● Ian McNabb → Guitar and vocals for Brit neo-psychedelic rock Icicle Works, “Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)” (#37, 1984)
1969 ● Mark Roberts → Guitarist in Welsh indie-alt-rock Catatonia, “Mulder And Scully” (, 1998)
1969 ● Robert Miles (Roberto Concina) → Italian dream-house DJ, composer, producer and electronica musician, “Children” (Dance/Club #1, 1996)
1973 ● Mick Thomson → Lead guitarist for Grammy-winning alt metal/rap-metal Slipknot, “Duality” (Mainstream Rock #5, 2004)
1976 ● Ras (Rahsaan J. Bromfield) → Vocals in Brit R&B/dance-pop boy band Damage, “Wonderful Tonight” (UK #3, 1997)
1980 ● Dan Marsala → Guitar and vocals for alt rock/post-hardcore Story Of The Year, “Anthem Of Our Dying Day” (Modern Rock #10, 2004)
Nov 04
1938 ● Harry Elston → Vocalist in Ray Charles‘ backing group The Hi-Fi’s, then co-founder and singer in pop-rock vocal group The Friends Of Distinction, “Grazing In The Grass” (#3, 1969)
1940 ● Delbert McClinton → Texas blues and country-rock guitarist, harmonica player, singer and songwriter, “Giving It Up For Your Love” (#8, 1980), played on Bruce Channel‘s one hit wonder “Hey Baby” (#1, 1962), wrote “Two More Bottles Of Wine” for Emmylou Harris (Country #1, 1978)
1947 ● Michael Joseph “Mike” Smith → Saxophone for Welsh early prog rock septet Amen Corner, “(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice” (UK #1, 1969)
1954 ● Chris Difford → Guitarist, vocalist and lyricist for New Wave pop-rock Squeeze, “Tempted” (#49, Mainstream Rock #8, 1981)
1957 ● James Honeyman-Scott → Guitarist, songwriter and founding member of post-punk New Wave hard pop-rock The Pretenders, “Back On The Chain Gang” (#5, 1982), died on 6/16/1982 from cocaine abuse
1963 ● Lena Hilda Zavaroni → Teen pop shooting star singer, discovered on UK TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, at 10 years old became the youngest British singer to earn a silver disc, “Ma! (He’s Making Eyes At Me)” (UK #10, 1974), died on 10/1/1999 after years of battling anorexia nervosa
1965 ● Wayne Static (Wells) → Lead vocals, guitar, keyboards and programming for industrial metal band Static-X, “Push It” (Mainstream Rock #20, 1999), solo
1965 ● Jeff Scott Soto → Puerto Rican-American heavy metal and arena rock vocalist for Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen Band, Journey and solo
1966 ● Kool Rock-ski (Damon Wimbley) → Member of novelty rap trio The Fat Boys, “Wipe Out” (#12, 1987), film actor and solo hip hop artist
1970 ● Puff Daddy aka P. Diddy (Sean John Combs) → Producer, Bad Boy Records founder, stage and screen actor, fashion designer, entrepreneur and Grammy-winning rapper, “I’ll Be Missing You” (#1, 1997)
1971 ● Shawn Rivera → Co-founder and vocals for contemporary R&B vocal group Az Yet, “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” (#8, 1997), producer, percussionist, session musician
1974 ● Louise Nurding Redknapp → Brit R&B/dance-pop singer for girl-group Eternal, “Stay” (#19, UK #3, 1993), then solo, “Naked” (UK #5, 1996)
1977 ● Kavana (Anthony Kavanaugh) → Brit actor, pop singer and songwriter, “I Can Make You Feel Good” (UK #8, 1997)
Nov 05
1931 ● Harold McNair → Jamaican-born calypso and jazz saxophonist and flautist, worked as a sideman for Kenny Clarke, Quincy Jones and others, did session work for Donovan, John Martyn and others, fronted his own ensembles and co-founded jazz-blues-rock fusion Ginger Baker’s Air Force, died from lung cancer on 3/7/1971
1931 ● Ike Turner (Izear Luster Turner, Jr.) → Legendary R&B and rock ‘n’ roll bandleader, “Rocket 88” (R&B #1, 1951) and as a duo with then-wife Tina Turner, “Proud Mary” (#4, 1971), died from emphysema on 12/7/2007
1936 ● Bill Sherrill → Songwriter, record producer and Nashville music executive credited with mixing 60s pop maximalism with country music to create the “countrypolitan” sound and invigorate the careers of Tammy Wynette and George Jones, among others, co-wrote “Stand By Your Man” (#19, Country #1, 1968) with Wynette and “The Most Beautiful Girl ” (#1, Country #1, 1973) for Charlie Rich, produced albums for dozens of top artists, including Barbara Mandrell, Ray Charles, Johnny Paycheck and Elvis Costello, died after a brief illness on 8/4/2015
1941 ● Art Garfunkel → Grammy-winning folk-pop singer and guitarist in 60s partnership with Paul Simon, then adult contemporary pop solo career, “All I Know” (#9, 1973), film actor in Carnal Knowledge (1971)
1943 ● Pablo Samellhi Gomez → Drummer for Spanish rock ‘n roll band Los Bravos, “Black Is Black” (US #4, 1966), the first US Top 10 hit by a Spanish band
1946 ● Gram Parsons (Cecil Ingram Connor III) → Legendary and pioneering country-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, played in The International Submarine Band, joined The Byrds in 1968 for the seminal Sweetheart Of The Rodeo album, co-founded The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1969, issued two solo albums before dying from a heroin overdose on 9/19/1973
1946 ● Loleatta Holloway → Stage actress and backing vocalist, then R&B/disco singer, “Love Sensation” (Dance #1, 1980), continued to record dance/pop singles into the 00s, died from heart failure on 3/31/2011
1947 ● Peter Noone → Vocals and frontman for British Invasion pop-rock Herman’s Hermits, “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” (#1. 1965)
1948 ● Donnie McDougall → Guitarist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), still performs with the group
1948 ● Peter Hammill → Guitarist, pianist, singer and songwriter for progressive/art rock Van Der Graf Generator, left the band in 1971 for solo career, releases solo (as Rikki Nadir) and VDGG reunion albums sporadically through 2008
1950 ● Dennis Provisor → Keyboardist for AM Top 40 pop-rockers The Grass Roots, “Midnight Confessions” (#5, 1968)
1956 ● Helen O’Hara (nee Bevington) → Violinist in New Wave pop-rock Dexys Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen” (#1, 1983), solo
1957 ● David Moyse → Guitarist for Aussie light pop-rock Air Supply, “The One That You Love” (#1, 1981)
1957 ● Mike Score → Keyboards, guitar and lead singer for bizarrely-teased hair New Wave pop-rock A Flock of Seagulls, “I Ran (So Far Away)” (#9, 1982)
1959 ● Ken Coomer → Drummer for alt-metal Clockhammer, joined seminal roots rock trio Uncle Tupelo in 1992, left in 1994 to co-found alt country-rock Wilco, “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” (#22, 1997)
1959 ● Bryan Guy Adams → Grammy-winning Canadian pop-rock power songwriter and balladeer, “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” (#1, 1991) and 18 other Top 40 hits
1959 ● Rob Fisher → Keyboards, vocals and songwriting for New Wave synth-pop Naked Eyes, “(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me” (#10, 1983) and pop-soul Climie Fisher, “Love Changes Everything” (#23, 1988), died on 8/25/1999 following surgery for intestinal cancer
1961 ● David Bryson → Guitarist for alt-rock Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1965 ● Paris Grey (Shanna Jackson) → Vocals and one half of the house and electro-techno/dance-pop duo Inner City, “Big Fun” (Dance-Club #1, 1984)
1968 ● Mark Hunter → Keyboards for Brit alt pop-rock James, “Sit Down” (UK #2, 1991) and “Laid” (#61, Modern Rock #3, 1994)
1971 ● Jon Greenwood → Guitar and keyboards for alt/indie rock Radiohead, “There There” (Modern Rock #14, 2003)
1974 ● David Ryan Adams → Alt country-rock singer and songwriter, “New York, New York” (Adult Top 40 #18, 2002) and with country-rock The Cardinals
1975 ● Lisa Scott-Lee → Vocals and dance routines for pre-fab Brit dance-pop group The Steps, “5, 6, 7, 8” (UK #14, 1997)
1985 ● Kate Jenna DeAraugo → Australian singer, winner of the third season of Australian Idol in 2005, solo, “Maybe Tonight” (Australia #1, 2005) then joined pre-fab dance-pop girl group Young Divas
1987 ● Kevin Jonas → Singer in teen-pop ballad trio the Jonas Brothers, “Burnin’ Up” (#5, 2008), TV actor
Nov 06
1814 ● Antoine-Joseph “Adolphe” Sax → Belgian musician and instrument designer, invented the saxophone, died on 2/4/1894
1916 ● Ray Conniff → Grammy-winning composer and instrumental pop-easy listening bandleader, “Somewhere My Love (Lara’s Theme)” (#9, 1966), died on 10/12/2002
1933 ● Joseph Pope → With brother Charles and others, vocals for R&B/soul The Tams, “What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” (#9, 1963) and “There Ain’t Nothing Like Shaggin'” (UK #21, 1987), died on 3/16/1996
1937 ● Eugene Pitt → Founding member of R&B/doo wop vocal quintet The Jive Five, “My True Story” (#3, 1961)
1938 ● P.J. Proby (James Marcus Smith) → Texas-born rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter with a more success in England than at home, “Hold Me” (#70, UK #3, 1964), cabaret actor
1938 ● Jim Pike → Vocalist in close-harmony folk-pop trio The Lettermen, “When I Fall In Love” (#1, 1961) and 15 other Top 10 hits
1941 ● Guy Clark → Country-rock guitarist and songwriter, wrote “L.A. Freeway” for Jerry Jeff Walker (#98, 1973) and dozens of songs for other artists, including Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson and Emmylou Harris
1941 ● Doug Sahm → Tex-Mex rock ‘n roll and country-rock bandleader for The Sir Douglas Quintet, “She’s About A Mover” (#13, 1965), also played with The Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven, died 11/18/1999 from a heart attack
1947 ● John Wilson → Drummer for Irish garage-rock, proto-punk Them, “Gloria” (#71, 1966), joined blues-rock Taste in 1968, Stud in 1971 and Sid Row in 1975, reformed Them in the 90s
1947 ● George Young → Scottish rhythm guitarist in Aussie-based 60s pop-rock The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (#16, 1967), producer for AC/DC and older brother of Angus and Malcolm Young
1948 ● Glenn Frey → Guitarist, singer and songwriter, member of Linda Ronstadt‘s backing band, which became country rock/L.A. rock Eagles, “One Of These Nights” (#1, 1975), solo, “You Belong To The City” (#2, 1985), TV and film actor
1948 ● Rushton Moreve (John Rushton Morey) → Early bassist for Canadian-American hard rock, proto-metal Steppenwolf, co-wrote “Magic Carpet Ride” (#3, 1968), left the band in 1968, died in a car accident on 7/1/1981
1950 ● Chris Glen → Scottish bassist in The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, “Delilah” (UK #7, 1975) and The Michael Schenker Group, solo
1961 ● Craig Goldie → Heavy metal guitarist in Rough Cutt, Giuffria, “Call To The Heart” (#15, 1984) and Dio, “Rainbow In The Dark (Mainstream Rock #14, 1983)
1963 ● Paul Brindley → Bassist for Brit alt-indie-rock The Sundays, “Here’s Where The Story Ends” (Modern Rock #1, 1990)
1964 ● Greg Graffin, Ph.D. → Co-founder, lead singer, songwriter and only constant member of L.A. punk rock Bad Religion, “Infected” (Mainstream Rock #33, 1995), received his doctorate from Cornell University and has lectured in life sciences and paleontology
1964 ● Corey Glover → Lead singer for prog-funk-metal Living Colour, “Cult Of Personality” (#13, 1988), solo, actor
1966 ● Paul Gilbert → Guitarist for pop-metal “shredder” band Mr. Big, “To Be With You” (#1, 1992)
1979 ● Trevor Penick → Vocals for pre-fab teen idol boy-band O-Town, “All Or Nothing” (#3, 2001)
Nov 07
1922 ● Al Hirt → Nicknamed “Jumbo” and “The Round Mound of Sound,” portly New Orleans-based Dixieland jazz and pop virtuoso trumpeter and bandleader with the Grammy-winning “Java” (#4, 1964), wrote the theme song to the TV crime show The Green Hornet, died of liver failure on 4/27/1999
1938 ● Delectus “Dee” Clark → Falsetto R&B/soul vocalist, “Raindrops” (#2, 1961) and five other Top 40 hits, died of a heart attack on 12/7/1990
1942 ● Johnny Rivers (John Henry Ramistella) → Early rock ‘n’ roll singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Secret Agent Man” (#3, 1966) and 15 other Top 40 hits, founded Soul City Records and produced The 5th Dimension (“Wedding Bell Blues,” #1, 1969), continues to perform in the 00s
1943 ● Joni Mitchell (Roberta Joan Anderson) → Canadian pop-rock-jazz-fusion singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Help Me” (#7, 1974), wrote “Both Sides Now” for Judy Collins (#8, 1968) and “Woodstock” for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (#11, 1970)
1943 ● Dino Valenti (Chester W. Powers, Jr.) → Vocals and songwriter for psychedelic folk-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service, “Fresh Air” (#49, 1970), solo, wrote “Get Together” for The Youngbloods (#5, 1969), died on 11/16/1994
1951 ● Kevin Scott MacMichael → Canadian guitarist and songwriter for New Wave pop-rock Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight” (#1, 1987), died on 12/31/2002 of lung cancer
1954 ● Robin Beck → Pop-rock vocalist, sang the Coca-Cola jingle “The First Time” (UK #1, 1988), back-up singer for Melissa Manchester, Leo Sayer and others
1957 ● Jellybean (John Benitez) → Puerto Rican drummer, guitarist, producer (Madonna, Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters and others), club DJ and remixer, solo artist, “Who Found Who?” (#16, Dance/Club #3, 1987)
1960 ● Tommy Thayer → Guitarist, songwriter and producer, worked with Kiss as a session player and back-up on tours and is now the lead guitarist and “Spaceman” character for the group
1963 ● Clint Mansell → Guitarist for dance-rock Pop Will Eat Itself, “X, Y & Zee” (Modern Rock #11, 1991)
1964 ● Liam O Maonlai → Co-founder, vocals and keyboards for Irish rockers Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go” (Modern Rock #7, 1988)
1967 ● Sharleen Spiteri → Vocals for Scottish blues-rock Texas, “In My Heart” (Alt Rock #14, 1991)
1970 ● Neil Hannon → Founder, singer and frontman for Irish orchestral-pop group The Divine Comedy, “National Express” (UK #8, 1999)
1971 ● Robin Finck → Lead guitarist for industrial rock Nine Inch Nails, “The Day The World Went Away” (#17, 1999), joined reincarnated hard rock Guns N’ Roses in 1998 as a side project
1978 ● Mark Daniel Read → Vocals for Brit-Norwegian pop-rock boy band A1, “Same Old Brand New You” (, 2000)
1983 ● Forrest Kline → Lead singer, chief songwriter and guitarist in emo-rock/power pop Hellogoodbye, “Here (In Your Arms)” (#14, 2006)
