Happy Birthday this week to:
October 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, age 81
1935 ● René Herrera → Mexican-American singer and, with René Ornelas, one half of the Tejano-pop duo René y René with two minor 60s hits, “Angelito” (“Little Angel”) (#43, 1964) and “Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero (The More I Love You)” (AC #14, 1969), one of the first Chicano acts on American Bandstand in 1964, retired in 1969 for a career in banking, died from cancer on 12/20/2005, age 70
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 ● Candido “Lolly” Vasquez-Vegas → With brother Patrick, co-founder, guitar and vocals for Native American rockers Redbone, “Come And Get Your Love” (#5, 1974), died 3/4/2010, age 70
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 ● Sigtryggur “Siggi” Baldursson → Drummer in Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991)
1962 ● Claude V. McKnight, III → Vocals in a cappella gospel Take 6, “I L-O-V-E U” (R&B #19, 1990)
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)
1967 ● Floyd I. “Bud” Gaugh IV → Drums and percussion for California ska-punk revivalist trio Sublime, “What I Got” (#29, 1997)
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, age 32
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
1973 ● LaTocha Scott → Vocals for female R&B/dance-pop quartet Xscape, “Understanding” (#8, 1993)
October 03
1938 ● Eddie Cochran → Pioneering rockabilly singer, songwriter, influential power chord guitarist and up-and-coming rock star, “Summertime Blues” (#8, 1958) and two other Top 40 hits, died in a car crash while on tour in England on 4/17/1960, age 21
1940 ● Alan O’Day → One hit wonder pop rock singer, “Undercover Agent” (#1, UK #43, 1977), also wrote hit songs for Helen Reddy (“Angie Baby,” #1, 1974) and co-wrote The Righteous Brothers (“Rock And Roll Heaven,” #3, 1974), turned to TV in the 80s and co-wrote over 100 songs for the Muppet Babes series, died from brain cancer on 5/17/2013, age 72
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
1946 ● P. P. Arnold → L.A.-born gospel and R&B/soul singer recruited from motherhood to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1964, left the band for a London-based solo career including a Mick Jagger produced debit album, The First Lady Of Immediate (1967) and several UK-only cover hits plus backing work with the Small Faces, Humble Pie, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel and others into the 00s
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 bandmates, 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 , age 68
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 following a show in Wisconsin on 8/27/1990, age 35
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)
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
October 04
1929 ● Leroy Van Dyke → Country-pop singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Walk On By” (#5, Country #1, 1961), named by Billboard magazine as the most popular country song of all time
1937 ● Pirkle Lee Moses, Jr. → Lead vocals for Chicago doo wop The El Dorados, “At My Front Door” (#17, R&B #1, 1955), fronted various incarnations of the group until his death on 12/6/2000, age 63
1944 ● Marlena Davis → Vocals in mixed gender R&B doo-wop quartet The Orlons, “The Wah-Watusi” (#2, R&B #5, 1962), left the group in late 1963 for a career as an executive secretary, died from lung cancer on 2/25/1993, age 48
1947 ● Jim Fielder → Bassist for jazz-rock/pop-rock fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969), sessions
1952 ● Jody Stevens → Drummer and last surviving original member of power pop cult band Big Star, “September Gurls” (1974, Rolling Stone #178), currently a studio engineer
1957 ● Barbara K. MacDonald (Kooyman) → With then-husband Pat MacDonald, one half of one hit wonder alt country-folk-pop duo Timbuk 3, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” (#19, 1986), following divorce in 1995 pursued a solo music career mixed with social activism
1959 ● Chris Lowe → Keyboards for synth-pop dance Pet Shop Boys, “West End Girls” (#1, 1986)
1961 ● Juan “Jon” Secada → Cuban-American R&B and pop singer and songwriter, “Just Another Day” (#5, 1992), two albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Latin Pop Performance
1965 ● Leo Barnes → Saxophone for Irish rockers Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go” (Modern Rock #7, 1988)
1977 ● Richard Reed Parry → Multi-instrumentalist member of Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007)
1984 ● Lena Katina (Elena Sergeevna Katina) → Singer in Russian teen pop duo t.A.T.u., “All The Things She Said” (#20, UK #1, 2003), solo
October 05
1907 ● Mrs. Miller (Elva Ruby Connes) → Undeniably unique, improbably humorous and oddly catchy novelty pop singer with an off-key, warbling, faux-operatic delivery on renditions of light pop, jazz and easy listening hits, including “Yellow Submarine,” “The Girl From Ipanema” and “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” scored two Top 100 hits and a Top 20 album (Mrs. Miller’s Greatest Hits, #15, 1966) before disappearing into obscurity the early 70s, died on 7/5/1997, age 89
1911 ● Maxine King (Maxine Elliott Driggs Thomas) → 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 and holiday specials thereafter, died from natural causes at age 92 on 5/13/2009, age 97
1924 ● Bill Dana (William Szathmary) → TV actor, comedian and screenwriter, created the character José Jiménez and the comedy single “The Astronaut” (Top 20, 1961)
1935 ● Margie Singleton (Margaret Louis Ebey) → Popular country duet and solo singer, “Keeping Up With The Joneses” (Country #5, 1964) and four other Country Top 20 hits
1936 ● George “Wydell” Jones Jr. → Lead vocals and songwriter for doo-wop The Edsels, “Rama Lama Ding Dong” (#21, 1961), died from cancer on 9/27/2008, age 71
1937 ● Carlo Mastrangelo → Bass and later lead vocals for R&B doo wop Dion & The Belmonts, “A Teenager In Love” (#5, 1959), continued after frontman Dion DiMucci left in 1960 as The Belmonts, “Tell Me Why” (#18, 1961), performed with the group until just prior to his death from cancer on 4/4/2016, age 78
1939 ● Abi Ofarim (Abraham Reichstadt) → Israeli guitarist, vocalist and dancer, one half the folk-pop-rock husband/wife duo Esther & Abi, “Cinderella Rockafella” (UK #1, 1968)
1941 ● Arlene Smith → Vocals for early R&B/pop girl group trio The Chantels, “Maybe” (#15, R&B #2, 1958), one of the definitive songs of the genre
1941 ● Wally Lester → Vocals in R&B doo wop The Skyliners, “Since I Don’t Have You” (#12, 1959)
1942 ● Richard Street → Lead vocals from 1971 to 1993 for Motown R&B/soul legends The Temptations, Grammy-winning “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (#1, 1972), his unfinished autobiography was published after his death from a pulmonary embolism on 2/27/2013, age 70
1943 ● Steve Miller → Guitarist, singer, songwriter and frontman for blues-rock then psych-rock then pop-rock Steve Miller Band, “The Joker” (#1, 1973), now teaches college music courses
1945 ● Brian Connolly → Vocals for glam pop-rock Sweet, “Ballroom Blitz” (#5, 1973), died of kidney and liver failure after years of alcoholism on 2/10/1997, age 51
1947 ● Brian Johnson → Lead vocals for Brit glam-rock Geordie, “All Because Of You” (UK #6, 1972), joined AC/DC replacing deceased lead singer Bon Scott in 1980, “Back In Black” (#37, 1981)
1948 ● Carter Cornelius → Singer, musician and member of sibling R&B/soul-pop Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, “Treat Her Like A Lady” (#3, R&B #20, 1971) and “Too Late To Turn Back Now” (#2, R&B #5, 1972) and seven other charting hits in the mid-70s, went into seclusion with a religious sect in the late 70s and died from a heart attack on 11/7/1991 , age 43
1948 ● Lucius “Tawl” Ross → Rhythm guitar for R&B/funk giants Funkadelic, “One Nation Under A Groove” (#28, 1978)
1949 ● Louis Charles “B. W.” Stevenson III → One hit wonder country-pop singer, “My Maria” (#9, 1973), died during heart valve surgery on 4/28/1988, age 38
1950 ● “Fast” Eddie Clarke → Guitar and vocals in speed-metal Motörhead, “Ace Of Spades” (UK #15, 1980), left the band in 1982 to co-found heavy metal Fastway
1951 ● Bob Geldof → Frontman, guitar, singer and songwriter for Irish New Wave punk-pop Boomtown Rats, “I Don’t Like Mondays” (#73, UK #1, 1980) plus 8 other UK Top 20 hits, Live Aid founder/promoter, author, and political activist
1952 ● Harold Faltermeyer (Harald Faltermeier) → Grammy-winning German synth-pop keyboardist, producer and composer, co-wrote the themes from the movies Beverly Hills Cop “Axel F” (#3, 1985) and Top Gun, session work with Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand, Billy Idol, Cheap Trick and others
1953 ● Russell Craig Mael → With brother Ron, vocals and frontman 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)
1957 ● Lee Thompson → Sax and vocals for punk/ska revival Madness, “Our House” (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1960 ● Paul Heard → Keyboards and programming for Brit dance-pop/house music M People, “Moving On Up” (#34, Dance #1, 1993)
1964 ● Dave Dederer → Co-founder, bass and vocals for post-grunge alt rock The Presidents Of The United States Of America, “Lump” (Mainstream Rock #7, 1995), later with web/mobile media company Melodeo
1974 ● Heather Headley → Trinidadian R&B/soul, calypso, reggae and soca singer, “In My Mind” (Dance/Club #1, 2006), Broadway stage actress, The Lion King (1997) and Aida (1998)
1977 ● Kele Le Roc (Kelly Biggs) → Brit pop, garage and R&B/soul singer, “Little Bit Of Lovin'” (UK #8, 1998), backing vocals for Shy FX and Curtis Lynch, Jr.
1978 ● James Valentine → Guitarist for alt funk-rock Maroon 5, “She Will Be Loved” (#5, 2004)
1980 ● Paul Anthony Thomas → Bass guitar for post-grunge punk-pop Good Charlotte, “The Anthem” (Alt Rock #10, 2003)
1985 ● Nicola Roberts → Singer in pre-fab all-girl Euro-pop vocal group Girls Aloud, “Sound Of The Underground” (UK #1, 2002)
October 06
1917 ● Bob Neal → Memphis country and pop radio DJ, music talent agent, Elvis Presley‘s second manager, resigned in favor of Colonel Tom Parker in early 1955
1940 ● Gerald E. “Jerry” Heller → Music impresario best known for managing early rap stars N.W.A. and introducing gangsta rap to a mainstream audience, co-founded Ruthless Records with rapper Eazy-E in 1987, N.W.A. and the label eventually fell into acrimony that continued up to his lawsuit against NBC Universal and others for the negative portrayal of his character in the film Straight Outta Compton (2015) about N.W.A. and the rise of rap music, died after a heart attack on 9/2/2016, age 75
1942 ● Neil Korner → Bassist for British Invasion pop-rock The Nashville Teens, “Tobacco Road” (#16, 1964)
1945 ● Robin Shaw (Scrimshaw) → Session vocalist recruited to pre-fab British Invasion pop-rock The Flower Pot Men, “Let’s Go To San Francisco” (Top 10, 1967), then moved over to pre-fab pop White Plains, “My Baby Loves Lovin'” (#13, 1970) and later pop-rock The First Class, “Beach Baby” (#4, UK #13, 1974)
1946 ● Millie Small → Jamaican one hit wonder “bluebeat” reggae/ska singer, “My Boy Lollipop” (#2, 1964), the first international ska hit
1949 ● Roberto Alfonso “Bobby” Farrell → West Indian vocalist in R&B/disco Euro-dance Boney M, “Rivers Of Babylon” (#30, UK #1, 1978), left for a solo career in 1988 and later fronted his own version of the band, Bobby Farrell’s Boney M, died in his sleep from a heart attack on 12/30/2010, age 61
1949 ● Thomas McClary → Guitarist for Grammy-winning Motown R&B/soul-funk Commodores, “Three Times A Lady” (#1, 1978), left for a solo career in gospel music
1951 ● Gavin Sutherland → Bass guitar and vocals for folk-rock sibling duo The Sutherland Brothers, “(I Don’t Want To Love You But) You Got Me Anyway” (#48, 1973), then joined with an obscure rock band to form The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, “The Arms Of Mary” (#81, UK #5, 1975)
1951 ● Kevin Cronin → Lead vocals, rhythm guitar and songwriter for arena rock REO Speedwagon, wrote “Keep On Lovin’ You” (#1, 1980) and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (#1, 1985)
1954 ● David Hidalgo → Singer, songwriter and guitarist for Tex-Mex roots rock Los Lobos, “La Bamba” (#1, 1987), solo, side projects and session work, also member of supergroup Los Super Seven and the Latin Playboys
1958 ● Tim Mooney → Drummer for critically acclaimed but light selling alt pop-rock American Music Club (1991 album Everclear)
1960 ● Richard Jobson → Lead singer in New Wave art-punk-rock The Skids, “Into The Valley” (UK #10, 1979), later producer, TV host, film director and screenwriter
1961 ● Tim Burgess → Drummer for new wave pop-rock T’Pau, “Heart And Soul” (#4, 1987)
1964 ● Matthew Sweet → Power pop guitarist and songwriter, “Girlfriend” (Mainstream Rock #10, 1992), collaborated with The Bangles‘ singer Susanna Hoffs on two albums, Under The Covers, (2006) and Vol. 2 (2009), featuring covers of 60s and 70s pop-rock hits
1966 ● Tommy Stinson → Lead guitar for garage punk then alt rock pioneers The Replacements, “I’ll Be You” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1989), solo, sessions, played with Guns N’ Roses, Soul Asylum, The Old 97’s and others
1982 ● William Pierce Butler → Multi-instrumentalist for Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007)
October 07
1927 ● Al Martino (Jasper Cini) → Italian-American pop crooner, “I Love You Because” (#3, 1963) and ten other Top 40 hits, film actor, played Johnny Fontane in The Godfather series, died on 10/13/2009, age 82
1939 ● Colin Cooper → Founding member, saxophone, guitar and vocals for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, “Couldn’t Get It Right” (#3, 1977), died on 7/3/2008, age 68
1941 ● Tony “Panama” Silvester → Panama-born founding member and vocalist for R&B/soul The Main Ingredient, “Everybody Plays The Fool” (#3, 1972) and 11 R&B Top 40 singles, died from multiple myeloma on 11/27/2006, age 65
1941 ● Martin Murray → Rhythm guitar for one hit wonder English beat/pop-rock The Honeycombs, “Have I The Right?” (#5, 1964)
1945 ● Bob Webber → Co-founder, keyboards and vocals for one hit wonder pop-rock Sugarloaf, “Green-Eyed Lady” (#3, 1970)
1945 ● Kevin Godley → Guitar, vocals and songwriter for soft pop-rock 10cc, “I’m Not In Love” (#2, 1975), co-founded pop duo Godley & Crème, “Cry” (#16, 1985), later a film and music video director
1949 ● David Hope → Founding member and bassist for prog/heartland rock Kansas, “Dust In The Wind” (#6, 1978), converted to Christianity and formed religious-tinged hard rock AD with other Kansas bandmates, now an Anglican priest and author
1951 ● John (Cougar) Mellencamp → Grammy-winning roots rock singer/songwriter, “Jack And Diane” (#1, 1982) and 23 other Top 40 and 16 Mainstream Rock Top 40 hits
1953 ● Hector Samuel “Tico” Torres → Drummer and percussionist in Bon Jovi, “Living On A Prayer” (#1, 1987)
1959 ● David Taylor → Original bass guitarist for studio-only pop-rock one hit wonder Edison Lighthouse, “(Love Grows) Where My Rosemary Goes” (#5, 1970)
1959 ● Simon Cowell → Record A&R executive, TV producer, music entrepreneur and notoriously critical judge on TV shows Popstars, Pop Idol, American Idol and, starting in 2011, the US version of The X Factor
1964 ● Samantha “Sam” Brown → Brit singer, keyboardist and songwriter, “Stop!” (UK #4, 1989), also backing vocals in sessions and tours with Steve Marriott, The Small Faces, Jools Holland Band, Spandau Ballet and Pink Floyd
1967 ● Toni Braxton → Grammy-winning R&B/soul-pop singer, “Un Break My Heart” (#1, 1996), Broadway stage and film actress, Las Vegas showroom headliner
1968 ● Thomas Edward “Thom” Yorke → Lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter for alt/indie rock Radiohead, “There There” (Modern Rock #14, 2003), solo, “Black Swan” (Mainstream Rock #40, 2006)
1976 ● Taylor Hicks → Blue-eyed soul singer and songwriter, 2006 American Idol winner, “Do I Make You Proud” (#1, 2006)
1978 ● Alesha Dixon → Brit singer, dancer and songwriter in “UK urban” R&B/dance-pop trio Mis-Teeq, “One Night Stand” (Dance/Club #4, 2004), solo, “The Boy Does Nothing” (UK #5, 2008), model
October 08
1932 ● Roddis Franklin “Pete” Drake → Record producer and session peddle steel guitarist, played on numerous albums for a variety of artists, including hits by Lynn Anderson (“Rose Garden,” #3, Country #1, 1970), Bob Dylan (“Lay Lady Lay,” #3, 1969) and others, plus a lone charting hit as a solo artist, “Still” (#22, 1964), produced albums for Ringo Starr and Nashville musicians, died from emphysema on 7/29/1998, age 55
1934 ● Doc Green → Baritone vocals for the second lineup of R&B/soul doo wop The Drifters, “Save The Last Dance For Me” (#1, 1960), left in 1962 and sang with various R&B groups through the 80s, including Vic & The Salutations, died from cancer on 3/10/1989, age 54
1940 ● George Bellamy → Rhythm guitar for Brit instrumental rock ‘n’ roll The Tornados, “Telstar” (#1, 1962), the first major US hit by a British group, solo, father of Muse frontman Matthew Bellamy
1940 ● Fred Cash → Vocals for Chicago soul/doo wop The Impressions, “It’s All Right” (#4, 1963)
1941 ● Dave Arbus → Founding member, violin, flute, saxophone and trumpet in Brit prog-rock/jazz fusion East Of Eden, “Jig A Jig” (UK #7, 1971), later with Fiddler’s Dram, violin solo on The Who‘s “Baba O’Reilly” (1970)
1942 ● Reese Francis “Buzz” Clifford → Rock ‘n roll one hit wonder singer, “Babysittin’ Boogie” (#6, 1961), wrote songs recorded by Petula Clark, Lou Rawls, Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson and others
1944 ● Susan Raye → Country music singer with 19 Country Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1974, many as duets with mentor Buck Owens, and a lone crossover hit “L.A. International Airport” (#54, Country #9, 1971), dropped out of the industry in the late 70s, returned for two curtain call albums in 1985 and retired for good in 1986
1945 ● Butch Rillera → Drummer for Native American rockers Redbone, “Come And Get Your Love” (#5, 1974)
1945 ● Ray Royer → Guitarist for prog/psych rock Procol Harum, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” (#5, 1967)
1947 ● Tony Wilson → Bassist in Brit interracial R&B/soul-disco Hot Chocolate, “You Sexy Thing” (#3, 1976) and 27 other UK Top 40 hits, including one in every year from 1970 to 1984
1948 ● Johnny Ramone (John Cummings) → Lead guitar and frontman in seminal punk rock band The Ramones, “Rockaway Beach” (#66, 1978), died of prostate cancer on 9/15/2004, age 55
1949 ● Hamish Stuart → Bass and backing vocals for Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band, “Pick Up The Pieces” (#1, 1974), session work for Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and others, member of Paul McCartney‘s backing band in the 90s
1949 ● Michael Rosen → Trumpeter for Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band, “Pick Up The Pieces” (#1, 1974), sessions
1949 ● Harry Bowens → Vocals for eclectic R&B and rock fusion Was (Not Was), “Walk The Dinosaur” (#7, 1989)
1950 ● Robert “Kool” Bell → Founder, frontman, lead vocals, bass and songwriter for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Celebration” (#1, 1980)
1952 ● Cliff Adams → Trombonist for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Celebration” (#1, 1980), also played with Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells, The Stylistics and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, died from liver failure on 1/12/2015, age 62
1959 ● James Johnstone (aka MC Large Drink) → Saxophone and guitar for post-punk jazz-funk-rock Pigbag, “Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag” (Dance/Club #56, UK #3, 1982)
1963 ● Steve Perry → Co-founder and lead vocals for jazz-rock-ska-swing revival octet Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “Zoot Suit Riot” (Modern Rock #15, 1998)
1964 ● Priscilla “CeCe” Winans → Grammy-winning R&B/soul and gospel crossover singer in duets with brother BeBe (Benjamin), “Close To You” (R&B/Hip Hop #21, 2009) or solo, “Let Everything That Has Breath” (Dance/Club #8, 2006)
1965 ● C.J. Ramone (Christopher John Ward) → Last bassist for seminal punk rock band The Ramones, “Rockaway Beach” (#66, 1978), replaced original member Dee Dee Ramone in 1986
1967 ● Teddy Riley → Singer, producer, New Jack Swing pioneer, founder and frontman for R&B vocal group Blackstreet, “No Diggity” (#1, 1996), Grammy-winning song featuring Dr. Dre, solo, produced for Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown and others
1968 ● Leeroy Thornhill → MC and vocals for “big beat” electronic dance/rap The Prodigy, “Firestarter” (#30, 1996)
1985 ● Bruno Mars (Peter Gene Hernandez) → Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonator turned contemporary R&B/pop and pop-rap singer, “Just The Way You Are” (#1, 2010)
