Singles Released This Week (May 25 – 31)

Here’s a running list of charting singles (and B-Sides that charted) from rock and pop music from the 50s through the 80s – the BEST music ever made!

Entries are: Year • Artist • Track Title • Genre • Album • B-Side

(If a non-album single, then [Single]. If the charting track was the B-Side, then [B-Side]. Any “UK” entry designates a single different from its US counterpart).

May 25
1957 • Buddy Holly • “That’ll Be The Day” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • [Single] • “I’m Looking For Someone To Love”
1961 • Marvin Gaye • “Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide” • Soul • The Soulful Moods Of Marvin Gaye • “Never Let You Go (Sha-Lu Bop)”
1971 • Elvis Presley • “Life” • Gospel-Pop • [Single] • “Only Believe”
1973 • George Harrison • “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Living In The Material World • “Miss O’Dell”
1973 • Mott The Hoople • “Honaloochie Boogie” [UK] • Glam Rock • Mott • “Rose”
1997 • Sublime • “Wrong Way” • Ska Punk • Sublime • “Wrong Way” [Album Version]

May 26
1961 • Jerry Lee Lewis • “Cold Cold Heart” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • [Single] • “It Won’t Happen With Me”
1965 • Elvis Presley • “(Such An) Easy Question” • Pop-Rock • [Single] • “It Feels So Right”
1967 • The Hollies • “Carrie Anne” • Pop-Rock • Evolution • “Signs That Will Never Change”
1967 • The Hollies • “Carrie Anne” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Evolution • “Signs That Will Never Change”
1971 • The Doobie Brothers • “Nobody” • Pop-Rock • The Doobie Brothers • “Slippery Paul”
1975 • Glen Campbell • “Rhinestone Cowboy” • Country-Pop • Rhinestone Cowboy • “Lovelight”
1978 • The Rolling Stones • “Miss You” [UK] • Disco-Pop • Some Girls • “Far Away Eyes”
1978 • The Cars • “My Best Friend’s Girl” [UK] • New Wave Pop-Rock • The Cars • “Moving In Stereo”
1978 • Talking Heads • “Pulled Up” [UK] • New Wave Pop-Rock • Talking Heads: 77 • “Don’t Worry About The Government”
1981 • J. Geils Band • “Angel In Blue” • Blues-Rock • Freeze-Frame • “River Blindness”
1987 • Richard Marx • “Don’t Mean Nothing” • AA Pop-Rock • Richard Marx • “The Flame Of Love ”

May 27
1958 • The Crickets • “Think It Over” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • [Single] • “Fool’s Paradise”
1966 • The Yardbirds • “Over, Under, Sideways, Down” [UK] • Blues Rock • Roger The Engineer • “Jeff’s Boogie”
1966 • The Beatles • “Rain” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Hey Jude • [B-Side]
1966 • The Beatles • “Paperback Writer” [UK] • Power Pop • [Single] • “Rain”
1971 • Boz Scaggs • “Near You” • Blues-Rock • Moments • “Downright Women”
1976 • Aerosmith • “Last Child” • Funk Rock • Rocks • “Combination”
1976 • KC & The Sunshine Band • “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Your Booty” • Disco • Part 3 • “Boogie Shoes”
1977 • The Sex Pistols • “God Save The Queen” [UK] • Punk-Rock • Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols • “No Feeling”
1977 • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers • “Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” [UK] • Album Rock • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers • “Fooled Again (I Don’t Like It)”
1977 • Supertramp • “Give A Little Bit” • Prog/Art Rock • Even In The Quietest Moments • “Downstream”
1977 • Elvis Costello • “Alison” [UK] • New Wave Pop-Rock • My Aim Is True • “Welcome To The Working Week”
1982 • Billy Idol • “Hot In The City” • Hard Rock • Billy Idol • “Hole In The Wall”
1983 • Bryan Adams • “Cuts Like A Knife” • Pop-Rock • Cuts Like A Knife • “Lonely Nights”
1986 • Bruce Hornsby & The Range • “Every Little Kiss” • Pop-Rock • The Way It Is • “The Red Plains”
1986 • Janet Jackson • “Nasty” [UK] • Dance-Pop • Control • “You’ll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)”
1996 • Matchbox Twenty • “Push” • Post-Grunge • Yourself Or Someone Like You • “Busted” [Acoustic] / “Tired”

May 28
1965 • Donovan • “Colours” [UK] • Folk-Rock • Fairytale • “To Sing For You”
1965 • The Moody Blues • “From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)” [UK] • British Beat • [Single] • “And My Baby’s Gone”
1965 • The Supremes • “Back In My Arms Again” [UK] • Soul-Pop • More Hits By The Supremes • “Whisper You Love Me Boy”
1969 • Neil Diamond • “Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)” • Soft Rock • Neil Diamond • “Dig In”
1969 • Smokey Robinson & The Miracles • “Doggone Right” • Soul – Pop • Time Out For Smokey Robinson & The Miracles • “Here I Go Again”
1971 • Carpenters • “Rainy Days And Mondays” [UK] • Soft Pop • Carpenters • “Saturday”
1982 • The Cars • “Since You’re Gone” [UK] • Rock Ballad • Shake It Up • “Maybe Baby”
1982 • A Flock Of Seagulls • “Space Age Love Song” [UK] • New Wave Synth-Pop • A Flock Of Seagulls • “Windows”

May 29
1964 • Peter & Gordon • “Nobody I Know” [UK] • Merseybeat • [Single] • “You Don’t Have To Tell Me”
1967 • The Tremeloes • “Silence Is Golden” • Brit Beat • Chip, Dave, Alan And Rick • “Let Your Hair Hang Down”
1971 • Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway • “You’ve Got A Friend” • Pop-Soul • Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway • “Gone Away”
1971 • James Taylor • “You’ve Got A Friend” • Folk-Rock • Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon • “You Can Close Your Eyes”
1972 • Paul McCartney & Wings • “Mary Had A Little Lamb” • Pop/Children’s • [Single] • “Little Woman In Love”
1978 • The Cars • “Just What I Needed” • New Wave Pop-Rock • The Cars • “I’m In Touch With Your World”
1981 • Toni Basil • “Mickey” [UK] • Pop-Dance • Word Of Mouth • “Hanging Around”
1982 • Survivor • “Eye Of The Tiger” • Album Rock • Eye Of The Tiger • “Take You On A Saturday”
1985 • Fine Young Cannibals • “Johnny Come Home” [UK] • R&B Ska • Fine Young Cannibals • “Good Times And Bad”
1989 • Guns N’ Roses • “Sweet Child O’ Mine” [UK] • Hard Rock • Appetite For Destruction • “It’s So Easy” [Live]

May 30
1965 • The Beatles • “Paperback Writer” • Power Pop • Rubber Soul • “Rain”
1967 • The Rascals • “You Better Run” • Blue-Eyed Soul • Groovin’ • “Love Is A Beautiful Thing”
1969 • The Beatles • “Old Brown Shoe” [UK] • Pop-Rock • [Single] • [B-Side]
1969 • The Bee Gees • “Tomorrow Tomorrow” [UK] • Psychedelic Pop • [Single] • “Sun In My Morning”
1969 • The Beatles • “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” [UK] • Pop-Rock • [Single] • “Old Brown Shoe”
1969 • Procol Harum • “A Salty Dog” [UK] • Prog Rock • A Salty Dog • “Long Gone Geek”
1970 • The Beatles • “Rain” • Pop-Rock • Hey Jude • [B-Side]
1975 • Smokey [Smokie] • “If You Think You Know How To Love Me” [UK] • Soft Rock • [Single] • “‘Tis Me”
1987 • George Michael • “I Want Your Sex (Rhythm 1: Lust)” [UK] • Dance-Pop • Faith • “”I Want Your Sex” (“Rhythm Two: Brass in Love”)”

May 31
1968 • Donovan • “Hurdy, Gurdy Man” • Folk-Rock • The Hurdy Gurdy Man • “Teen Angel”
1975 • The Isley Brothers • “Fight The Power Part 1” • Soul-Funk • The Heat Is On • “Fight The Power Part 2”
1977 • Suzy And The Red Stripes • “Seaside Woman” • Reggae-Pop • [Single] • “B-Side To Seaside”
1994 • Pink Floyd • “Take It Back” • Prog Rock • The Division Bell • “Astronomy Domine” [Live]
1995 • Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson • “Scream” • New Jack Swing • HIStory: Past, Present, Future, Book I • “Childhood”

Albums Released This Week (May 25 – 31)

Here’s a sampling of the BEST music ever made! Great albums from the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and pop released this week (and some related albums of note):

May 25
1965 ● Chad & Jeremy —— Before And After ► Folk-Pop
1968 ● The Ventures —— Flights Of Fancy ► Rock n Roll Instrumental
1972 ● Young-Holt Unlimited —— Oh, Girl ► Pop-Soul
1973 ● Mike Oldfield —— Tubular Bells ► Instrumental
1978 ● David Gilmour —— David Gilmour [UK] ► Prog Rock
1978 ● AC/DC —— Powerage ► Hard Rock
1982 ● Spandau Ballet —— Diamond ► New Wave Synht-Pop
1982 ● Queen —— Hot Space ► Glam Rock
1983 ● Dio —— Holy Diver ► Heavy Metal
1984 ● Spandau Ballet —— Parade ► New Wave Synht-Pop
1987 ● Death —— Scream Bloody Gore ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal
1989 ● Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam —— Straight To The Sky ► Dance-Pop
1990 ● Jeff Healey Band —— Hell To Pay ► Blues-Rock
1992 ● Mellow Man Ace —— The Brother With Two Tongues ► Latin Rap/House
1993 ● Anthrax —— The Sound Of White Noise ► Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal
1993 ● Marc Cohn —— The Rainy Season ► Adult Contemporary
1993 ● Donald Fagen —— Kamakiriad ► Jazz-Rock
1994 ● Talisman —— Humanimal (Part 1) ► Hard Rock
1995 ● The Pietasters —— Ooloodoo ► Ska/Soul
1998 ● Tricky —— Angels With Dirty Faces ► Electronic Trip-Hop
1999 ● Anti-Flag —— A New Kind Of Army ► Punk Rock
2002 ● Kylie Minogue —— Confide In Me ► Dance-Pop
2004 ● Wilson Phillips —— California ► Pop-Rock
2004 ● Three Dog Night —— The Complete Hit Singles ► Blue-Eyed Soul
2009 ● Iron Maiden —— Flight 666 ► Heavy Metal
2009 ● Simple Minds —— Graffiti Soul ► New Wave Alt. Pop
2015 ● Yes —— Progeny: Seven Shows From Seventy-Two ► Prog Rock

May 26
1967 ● The Mothers Of Invention —— Absolutely Free ► Art Rock
1969 ● George Harrison —— Electronic Sound ► Art-Rock
1969 ● John Lennon & Yoko Ono —— Unfinished Music, No. 2: Life With The Lions ► Pop-Rock
1969 ● Diana Ross & The Supremes —— Let The Sunshine In ► Soul – Motown
1972 ● Weather Report —— I Sing The Body Electric ► Jazz-Rock Fusion
1987 ● The Cure —— Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me ► Post-Punk
1992 ● Los Lobos —— Kiko ► Roots Rock
1992 ● Queen —— Live At Wembley ’86 ► Glam Rock
1997 ● The Jam —— Direction Reaction Creation ► Punk-Rock
1998 ● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds —— The Best Of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ► Alt Rock
1998 ● Wilson Phillips —— The Best Of Wilson Phillips ► Pop-Rock
1998 ● The B-52’s —— Time Capsule ► New Wave Pop-Rock
2009 ● Procol Harum —— Procol Harum Live: In Concert With The Danish National Concert Orchestra And Choir ► Prog Rock
2009 ● 10,000 Maniacs —— Extended Versions ► Folk-Rock

May 27
1963 ● Bob Dylan —— The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan ► Folk-Rock
1975 ● Paul McCartney & Wings —— Venus And Mars ► Pop-Rock
1976 ● Aretha Franklin —— Sparkle [Sndtrk] ► Soul
1977 ● Dixie Dregs —— Free Fall ► Jazz-Rock
1977 ● Neil Young —— American Stars ‘N Bars ► Folk-Rock
1983 ● Mike Oldfield —— Crises ► Progressive Rock
1986 ● Journey —— Raised On Radio ► Prog/Art Rock
1993 ● Eric Clapton —— Stages ► Blues-Rock
1994 ● Future Sound Of London —— Lifeforms ► Ambient Techno
1997 ● Snot —— Get Some ► Punk Metal/Funk Metal
1997 ● Turbonegro —— Ass Cobra ► Heavy Metal/Pop Metal
1997 ● Various Artists —— Poptopia! 70s Power Pop Classics ► Power Pop
1997 ● Various Artists —— Poptopia! Power Pop Classics Of The ’80s ► Power Pop
1997 ● Various Artists —— Poptopia! Power Pop Classics Of The ’90s ► Power Pop
2003 ● Led Zeppelin —— How The West Was Won ► Hard Rock
2008 ● John Hiatt —— Same Old Man ► Roots Rock
2008 ● Cyndi Lauper —— Bring Ya To The Brink ► Dance-Pop

May 28
1971 ● Rod Stewart —— Every Picture Tells a Story ► Blues-Rock
1971 ● Graham Nash —— Songs For Beginners ► Folk-Rock
1974 ● 10cc —— Sheet Music ► Pop-Rock
1977 ● Peter Frampton —— I’m In You ► Arena Rock
1977 ● Cat Stevens —— Izitso ► Folk-Pop
1978 ● Streetheart —— Meanwhile Back In Paris ► Hard Rock/Prairie Rock
1982 ● Cher —— I Paralyze ► Pop-Rock
1982 ● Chic —— I Paralyze ► Pop-Rock
1982 ● Glenn Frey —— No Fun Aloud ► Pop-Rock
1982 ● Heatwave —— Current ► Funk/Disco
1989 ● The Jacksons —— 2300 Jackson Street ► Soul/pop
1991 ● Electronic —— Electronic ► Alt Dance/House
1991 ● Sam Phillips —— Cruel Intentions ► AltRock/Secular
1991 ● The Smashing Pumpkins —— Gish ► Hard Rock
1996 ● The Brian Jones Massacre —— Take It From The Man! ► Neo-Psychedelia
1996 ● The Anti-Nowhere League —— The Horse Is Dead ► Punk Rock
2004 ● The Electric Prunes —— California ► Psychedelic Rock
2011 ● Weather Report —— Live In Berlin 1975 ► Jazz-Rock Fusion
2012 ● The Who —— Pinball Wizard: The Collection ► British Rock
2013 ● John Fogerty —— Wrote A Song For Everyone ► Folk-Rock

May 29
1969 ● Crosby, Stills & Nash —— Crosby, Stills & Nash ► Folk-Rock
1976 ● Poco —— Rose of Cimarron ► Country-Rock
1981 ● Amy Grant —— Amy Grant In Concert ► Pop-Rock/Christian
1984 ● Tina Turner —— Private Dancer ► Pop-Rock
1985 ● Warlock —— Hellbound ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Metal
1986 ● Chris De Burgh —— Into The Light ► Soft Rock
1987 ● John Hiatt —— Bring The Family ► Roots Rock
1989 ● Trooper —— The Last Of The Gypsys ► Hard Rock
1991 ● Dismember —— Like An Ever Flowing Stream ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal
1995 ● Teenage Fanclub —— Grand Prix ► Power Pop
1995 ● Rod Stewart —— A Spanner In The Works ► Pop-Rock
2000 ● Bright Eyes —— Fevers And Mirrors ► Indie Rock/Pop-Rock
2001 ● Goo Goo Dolls —— What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce ► Alt Pop-Rock/Post-Grunge
2002 ● Hammer, Jan —— Miami Vice: The Complete Collection [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock

May 30
1964 ● The Rolling Stones —— England’s Newest Hit Makers ► Blues-Rock
1966 ● The Kingston Trio —— Children Of The Morning ► Folk-Pop
1972 ● Bobby Womack —— Understanding ► Soul-Funk
1972 ● The Velvet Underground —— Live At Max’s Kansas City ► Alt. Rock
1973 ● George Harrison —— Living In The Material World ► Pop-Rock
1977 ● Heatwave —— Too Hot To Handle ► Funk/Disco
1979 ● Peter Frampton —— Where I Should Be ► Arena Rock
1980 ● Peter Gabriel —— Peter Gabriel [3] ► Prog Rock
1981 ● Echo & The Bunnymen —— Heaven Up Here ► Post-Punk
1984 ● Jefferson Starship —— Nuclear Furniture ► Arena Rock
1988 ● Bob Dylan —— Down In The Groove ► Folk-Rock
1988 ● Earth, Wind & Fire —— The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 2 ► Soul-Funk
1995 ● Eddie Money —— Love And Money ► Album Rock
1995 ● Kansas —— Freaks Of Nature ► Prog/Arena Rock
1997 ● Dimmu Borgir —— Enthrone Darkness Triumphant ► Heavy Metal/Black Metal
1998 ● Dredg —— Leitmotif ► Alt Rock/Experimental
2000 ● Billy Bragg & Wilco —— Mermaid Avenue Vol. II ► Folk-Rock
2000 ● Iron Maiden —— Brave New World ► Heavy Metal
2004 ● Frank Zappa —— Joe’s Corsage ► Art Rock
2005 ● Oasis —— Don’t Believe The Truth ► Alt. Pop-Rock/Britpop
2006 ● Manfred Mann’s Earth Band —— Alive In America ► Hard Rock
2006 ● The Radio Dept. —— Pet Grief ► Dream Pop

May 31
1965 ● Junior Walker & The All-Stars —— Shotgun ► Soul – Motown
1980 ● Whitesnake —— Ready An’ Willing ► Arena Rock
1983 ● Talking Heads —— Speaking In Tongues ► New Wave Art-Rock
1985 ● A-Ha —— Hunting High And Low ► Synth-Pop
1988 ● Boogie Down Productions —— By All Means Necessary ► East Coast Rap
1993 ● No Use For A Name —— The Daily Grind ► Punk-Rock
1994 ● Stone Temple Pilots —— Purple ► Arena Rock
1994 ● The Church —— Sometime Anywhere ► Alt. Power Pop
1994 ● Various Artists —— The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock/World
1994 ● Elton John —— The Lion King [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock
1995 ● Gary Moore —— Blues For Greeny ► Roots Rock (Irish)
1999 ● Mike + The Mechanics —— M6 ► Brit Pop-Rock
2004 ● PJ Harvey —— Uh Huh Her ► Indie Rock
2005 ● The Butterfield Blues Band —— Live ► Blues-Rock
2005 ● Little Feat —— Barnstormin’ Live, Vol. 1 ► Southern Rock
2010 ● Queen —— The Singles Collection: Volume 3 ► Glam Rock

This Week’s Birthdays (May 24 – 30)

Happy Birthday this week to:

May 24
1928 ● Max Bennett → Jazz and rock bass guitarist, session musician and bandleader, member of the acclaimed Wrecking Crew group of L.A. studio musicians, played on numerous albums by The Monkees, The Partridge Family, Frank Zappa and many others, co-founded the jazz-rock L.A. Express in the 70s and currently fronts Private Label
1938 ● Tommy Chong → Canadian-American comedian, TV and film actor, voice artist, director and one-half the groundbreaking stoner duo Cheech & Chong, “Santa Claus And His Old Lady” (#3, 1972), performed in various venues with and without his comedic partner through to their reunion in the 00s, became the oldest contestant to make the semi-finals on Dancing With The Stars in September 2014
1938 ● Prince Buster / (Cecil Bustamonte Campbell) → One of the most important figures in the development of ska and rocksteady music in Jamaica and beyond, hugely influential reggae/ska perfumer, producer and solo artist over a nearly 40 year career, scored UK (“Al Capone,” UK #18, 1967) and US hits (“Ten Commandments Of Man,” #81, R&B #17, 1967), dropped out of the industry in the late 70s and recorded and performed only sporadically up to his death following a stroke on 9/8/2016, age 78
1941 ● Bob Dylan / (Robert Allen Zimmerman) → Vastly influential and popular folk-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with 29 Top 20 albums and five Top 20 singles, including “Like A Rolling Stone” (#2, 1965)
1941 ● Tony Valentino / (Emilio Bellissimo) → Co-founding member, vocals and guitar for garage/proto-punk The Standells, “Dirty Water” (#11, 1966), toured and performed with the band into the 80s, now an L.A.-area restaurateur
1942 ● Derek Quinn → Guitar and harmonica for British Invasion novelty/comedy pop-rock ‘n’ roll Freddie & The Dreamers, “I’m Telling You Now” (#1, 1965)
1944 ● Patti LaBelle (Patricia Holt) / (Patricia Holt) → Soul diva and the “Queen of Rock and Soul”, first with R&B/gospel-doo wop The Blue Belles, “Down The Aisle (The Wedding Song)” (#37, R&B #14, 1963), then as frontwoman for LaBelle, “Lady Marmalade” (#1, 1975), then a long solo career, including a duet with Michael McDonald, “On My Own” (#1, 1986) and a comeback single “New Day” (Dance/Club #11, 2004)
1945 ● Dave Peacock → Bass and vocals for Brit pop-“rockney” duo Chas & Dave, “Gertcha” (UK #20, 1979)
1946 ● Steve Upton → Drummer (1970-1989) for Brit prog-rock Wishbone Ash, “Time Was” (1972)
1947 ● Albert Bouchard → Drummer, guitarist and songwriter for hard rock/pop metal Blue Öyster Cult, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” (#12, 1976)
1947 ● Plaster Caster / (Cynthia Caster) → Rock groupie known for making plaster casts of rock star’s penises and breasts, including Jimi Hendrix and members of MC5, Television, The Kinks, various road managers and other rock stars
1947 ● Waddy Wachtel / (Robert Wachtel) → High-profile L.A. session musician, composer and record producer, worked in the studio and on tour with Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards, James Taylor, Iggy Pop, Jackson Browne and many others, composed scores for multiple films, wrote or co-wrote dozens of songs and produced dozens of records by artists from Bryan Ferry to Warren Zevon
1955 ● Rosanne Cash → Country-pop singer/songwriter, “Seven Year Ache” (#22, Country #1, 1981), daughter of country music legend Johnny Cash
1956 ● Larry Blackmon → Leader, drummer, producer and principal songwriter for R&B/funk Cameo, “Word Up” (#6, 1986)
1960 ● Guy Fletcher → Multi-instrumentalist with prog rock Roxy Music, “Love Is The Drug” (#30, 1976), session work for Bryan Ferry, Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler and others
1962 ● Gene Anthony Ray → Actor, dancer and choreographer, played “Leroy’ in the movie and TV series Fame, danced on The Weather Girls‘ video of “It’s Raining Men,” died from a stroke related to HIV on 11/14/2003, age 41
1967 ● Heavy D / (Dwight Myers) → Rapper, singer and MC for R&B/hip hop The Boyz, “Now That We Found Love” (#11, 1991), moved to reggae-rap fusion, died after collapsing outside his L.A. condo on 11/8/2011, age 44
1969 ● Rich Robinson → Guitarist for roots/raunch rock The Black Crowes, “Hard To Handle” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1991)
1969 ● Tommy Page → Twelve-album, one hit wonder dance-teen-pop singer, “I’ll Be Your Everything” (#1, 1990), producer
1976 ● Alessandro Cortini → Keyboards for industrial rock Nine Inch Nails, “The Day The World Went Away” (#17, 1999)
1988 ● Billy Gilman → Country-pop singer and youngest Country Top 20 artist in history, “One Voice” (#38, Country #20, 2000)

May 25
1921 ● Hal David → Pop/MOR lyricist, co-wrote dozens of hits, often in collaboration with composer Burt Bacharach, including “(They Long To Be) Close To You” for the Carpenters (#1, 1970), “Walk On By” for Dionne Warwick (#6, 1964), won two Oscars for film score to Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969) and for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” from the soundtrack (B. J. Thomas, #1, 1969), died from a stroke on 9/1/2012, age 91.
1922 ● Kitty Kallen / (Katherine Kalinsky) → Pop vocalist with 21 Top 40 hits in the 40s and 50s, including “Little Things Mean A Lot” (#1, 1954), retired from singing in 1955 to nurse paralyzed vocal cords but returned in 1959 to score two additional hits before Beatlemania sank her career
1927 ● Norman Petty → Musician and record producer best known for his work in the 50s with Buddy Holly and his backing band, The Crickets, as coach, recording engineer, producer, band manager and occasional co-writer of numerous hit songs, including “Peggy Sue” (#3, 1957), also fronted his own band and produced albums for Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs and others, died from leukemia on 8/15/1984, age 57
1927 ● Paul Oliver / (Paul Hereford Oliver) → Brit architectural historian whose sideline interest in blues music led him to author several early and authoirtative books on the subject, including “The Story Of The Blues” (1969), wrote multiple biographies and narratives about indigenous American music over 40 years, left an unfinished 1,400 page manuscript on Texas blues when he died from natural causes on 8/15/2017, age 90
1936 ● Tom T. Hall → Grammy-winning country storytelling songwriter and singer, wrote “Harper Valley P.T.A.” for Jeannie C. Riley (#1, 1968) and as a solo artist recorded 21 Country Top 10 hits, including “I Love” (#12, Country #1, 1973)
1936 ● Donnie Elbert → R&B/Northern soul singer with a lone 50s minor hit, “What Can I Do?” (#61, R&B #12, 1957), left for the UK and recorded there with some success in the 60s, returned to the US in 1970 and had eight charting singles in eight years, including “Where Did Our Love Go” (#15, R&B #6, 1971), died of a stroke on 1/26/1989, age 52
1942 ● Blinky Davison / (Brian Davison) → Drummer for 60s Brit prog rock The Nice, “America” (1968), prog rock Refugee and space-rock Gong, died 4/15/2008, age 65
1943 ● Jessi Colter / (Miriam Johnson) → Singer/songwriter and lone female star from the “outlaw country” genre, “I’m Not Lisa” (#4, Country #1, 1975), wife of Waylon Jennings, teamed with Waylon, Willie Nelson and Tompall Glaser on the 1976 album Wanted! The Outlaws, the first country music album to sell over a million copies
1943 ● Poli Palmer / (John Michael Palmer) → Piano and vibraphone for blues/art rock Family, “In My Own Time” (UK #4, 1971)
1945 ● Dave Lee Travis / (David Patrick Griffin) → BBC Radio 1 and TV host, with fellow DJ Paul Burnette released “Convoy GB” (UK #4, 1976) as Laurie Lingo & The Dipsticks, a parody of . McCall‘s “Convoy” (#1, Country #1, 1975)
1947 ● Mitch Margo / (Mitchell Stuart Margo) → Tenor vocals and piano for blue-eyed R&B/doo-wop group The Tokens, was just 14 years old when the band released it’s biggest hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (#1, 1961), later helped produce albums for the Chiffons and Tony Orlando & Dawn, wrote songs for others, including “Laugh ” (1967) for The Monkees and “Slow Dance” (1989) for The Carpenters, performed with various Tokens lineups, composed TV scores and painted for album covers and children’s books until his death from natural causes on 11/24/2017, age 70
1948 ● Klaus Meine → Lead vocals and frontman for German hard rock/metal Scorpions, “Rock You Like A Hurricane” (#25, 1984)
1949 ● Clarence Burke Jr. → With his four siblings, lead singer in the “First Family of Soul,” Chicago R&B/soul The Five Stairsteps “O-o-h Child” (#7, R&B #14, 1970), worked with Billy Preston and George Harrison‘s Dark Horse label, reformed the Stairsteps with two brothers as R&B/disco The Invisible Man’s Band (“All Night Thing,” Dance/Club #10, 1980), continued to perform until just before his death from undisclosed causes on 5/26/2013, age 64
1950 ● Jean Millington → Vocals and guitar with sister June in pioneering all-girl rock quartet Fanny (“Butter Boy,” #29, 1975), one of the earliest women-only rock bands and the first to release an album on a major record label (Fanny, Reprise, 1970), broke up in 1975 but continued to record and perform with her sister as a duet and in various Fanny reunions, including as Fanny Walks The Earth with an eponymous album in 2018.
1950 ● Robby Steinhardt / (Robert Eugene Steinhardt) → Co-lead singer and violinist for prog/heartland rock Kansas, “Carry On Wayward Son” (#11, 1977), solo
1951 ● Chuck Ruff / (Charles Frederick Carson Ruff) → Rock drummer best known as a founding member of hard rock Edgar Winter Group (“Frankenstein,” #1, 1973 and “Free Ride,” #14, 1973), later played on albums by Sammy Hagar (“Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” (#13, 1983) and worked in various solo and collaboration bands, died after a long illness on 10/14/2011, age 60
1955 ● John Grimaldi → Guitarist for hard/art rock Argent, “Hold Your Head Up” (#5, 1972)
1958 ● Paul Weller / (John William Weller) → Co-founder, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for punk rock/modcon trio The Jam, “Going Underground” (UK #1, 1980), then co-founded sophisti-pop-soul The Style Council, “My Ever Changing Moods” (#29, UK #5, 1984), then solo “Peacock Suit” (UK #5, 1996) and 28 other UK Top 40 singles
1959 ● Rick Smith / (Richard Smith) → Keyboards for electro/trance/dance-pop Underworld, “Two Months Off” (Dance/Club #2, 2002)
1975 ● Lauryn Hill → Grammy-winning singer, guitarist and songwriter with R&B/jazz-rap The Fugees, “Killing Me Softly” (#1, 1996), solo, “Doo Wop (That Thing” (#1, 1998)
1980 ● Joe King → Co-founder, guitar, backing vocals and songwriter of mainstream/piano rock The Fray, “How To Save A Life” (#3, 2006)

May 26
1886 ● Al Jolson / (Asa Yoelson) → Pre-eminent traditional and Tin Pan Alley pop singer, Broadway actor, radio host, comedian, early sound-era movie star and self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Entertainer,” recorded dozens of still-popular songs, including “Swanee” (1921), “April Showers” (1924) and “I’m Sitting On Top Of The World” (1927), starred in the first “talkie” film, The Jazz Singer (1927), continued to perform and record until his death from a heart attack on 10/23/1950, age 64
1904 ● George Formby / (George Hoy Booth) → Widely popular Brit stage/screen actor, singing comedian and ukulele player, recorded more than 200 albums and appeared in 20 films, best known for the song “Leaning On A Lamp Post,” died after a heart attack on 3/6/1961, age 56
1909 ● Papa Charlie McCoy / (Charles McCoy) → Delta blues guitarist and songwriter, frontman for The Mississippi Hot Footers and partner is several bands with his older brother, Kansas Joe McCoy, with whom he recorded the earliest version of the now-standard “Sweet Home Chicago,” died from paralytic brain disease on 7/26/1950, age 41
1920 ● Peggy Lee / (Norma Deloris Egstrom) → Sultry, distinctive singer, pop-jazz-big band songwriter and actress, “Fever” (#8, 1958), Grammy-winner, worked with Benny Goodman, Randy Newman, Quincy Jones and others, died from complications of diabetes and a heart attack on 1/21/2002, age 81
1922 ● Frank Guida → Sicilian-American record store owner turned songwriter and record producer credited with crafting the 60s lo-fi, dance-party “Norfolk Sound,” discovered and produced hits for doo-wop/soul Gary U.S. Bonds, including “Quarter To Three” (#1, 1961), also co-wrote and produced “If You Wanna Be Happy” for Jimmy Soul (#1, 1963), died on 5/19/2007, age 85
1926 ● Miles Davis / (Miles Dewey Davis III) → Jazz bandleader, trumpeter and composer, major influence on jazz and fusion music, 8-time Grammy winner, including his 1970 album Bitches Brew, died on 9/28/1991, age 65
1938 ● Jaki Liebezeit / (Hans Liebezeit) → Quietly influential, minimalist rock drummer and core member of early Kraut rock, experi-pop/avant-garde Can, “I Want More” (UK #26, 1976), died from pneumonia on 1/22/2017, age 78
1940 ● Levon Helm / (Mark Lavon Helm) → Arkansas farm boy, drummer and vocalist with four Canadian bandmates in seminal roots rock The Band (“Up On Cripple Creek,” #25, 1970), issued seventeen solo albums, produced albums for others, acted in nearly two dozens films, including Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980), and hosted the weekly Midnight Ramble music revue at his home near Woodstock, NY, from the late 90s until his death from cancer on 4/19/2012.
1941 ● Art Sharp → Guitar and vocals for British Invasion pop-rock The Nashville Teens, “Tobacco Road” (#16, 1964)
1942 ● Ray Ennis → Vocals and guitar for British Invasionn pop-rock The Swinging Blue Jeans, “Hippy Hippy Shake” (#24, 1964)
1944 ● Verden Allen / (Terence Allen) → Keyboards for early Brit glam-rockers Mott The Hoople, “All The Young Dudes” (#37, 1972)
1945 ● Garry Peterson → Long-time drummer for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970) and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” (#1, 1974)
1946 ● Ronnie Harkai → Drummer for garage/horn rock The Outsiders, “Time Won’t Let Me” (#5, 1966), now a recording engineer, producer and music consultant
1946 ● Mick Ronson / (Michael Ronson) → Guitarist, songwriter and producer, worked with David Bowie as one of the Spiders from Mars, session work for Bob Dylan, Ian Hunter, Morrissey and others, Rolling Stone magazine’s 64th greatest guitarist of all time, died of liver cancer on 4/29/1993, age 46
1948 ● Stevie Nicks / (Stephanie Lynn Nicks) → Hugely successful female rock/pop vocalist, achieved fame with blues-rock turned mega-star band Fleetwood Mac, “Go Your Own Way” (#10, 1977), successful solo career, “Talk To Me” (#4, 1985)
1949 ● Hank Williams, Jr. / (Randall Hank Williams, Jr.) → Country-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Honky Tonkin'” (1982), son of country music legend Hank Williams, Sr.
1958 ● Wayne Hussey / (Jerry Lovelock) → Guitarist for New Wave dance-pop Hi-NRG group Dead Or Alive, “You Spin Me ‘Round (Like A Record)” (#11, 1985), then goth-metal The Sisters of Mercy, “Temple Of Love” (UK #3, 1992), and The Mission, “Deliverance” (Mainstream Rock #27, 1990)
1962 ● Colin Vearncombe → Frontman and singer/songwriter for Brit pop-rock Black, “Wonderful Life” (UK #8, 1987), solo
1964 ● Lenny Kravitz / (Leonard Albert Kravitz) → Grammy-winning multi-instrumental singer, songwriter, “Fly Away” (#12, 199), session musician and singer with Mick Jagger, Madonna, David Bowie and others
1966 ● Tommy Stewart → Drummer for funk metal/hard rock Extreme, “More Than Words” (#1, 1991), also with Everclear, Fuel, Halloween and other bands
1967 ● Kristen Pfaff → Bass guitarist for Minneapolis post-hardcore Janitor Joe, recruited to Seattle grunge rock girl group Hole in 1993, planned to return to Janitor Joee but died from a suspected but unconfirmed opium overdose on 6/16/1994, age 27
1968 ● Phillip Rhodes → Drummer for power-pop Gin Blossoms, “Found Out About You” (Modern Rock #1, 1994), solo
1971 ● Joey Kibble → Vocals in a cappella gospel Take 6, “I L-O-V-E U” (R&B #19, 1990)
1972 ● Alan White → Drummer (1994-2005, replacing Tony McCarroll) in Grammy-nominated Britpop Oasis, “Wonderwall” (#8, 1996), the band had 22 consecutive UK Top 10 hits
1978 ● Jaheim Hoagland → R&B/dance-pop singer, “My Place” with Nelly (#4, Rap #4, 1992)
1981 ● Isaac Slade → Co-founder, lead singer, pianist and chief songwriter of mainstream/piano rock The Fray, “How To Save A Life” (#3, 2006)

May 27
1922 ● Christopher Lee → Decorated World War II RAF veteran, 70-year film actor (mostly villainous roles or in horror films) and singer with a late-in-life career as a heavy metal vocalist, often interpreting classical pieces in a hard rock mode, issued several “symphonic metal” albums and, at age 91, became the oldest living performer to score a chart hit with his seasonal “Jingle Hell” (#18, 2013) from the album A Very Metal Christmas (2013), continued to record until just before his death on 6/7/2015, age 93
1932 ● Junior Parker / (Hermon Parker, Jr.) → Memphis blues/soul vocalist, “Driving Wheel” (R&B #5, 1961), co-wrote Elvis Presley‘s “Mystery Train” (Country #11, 1956), died during surgery to remove a brain tumor on 11/18/1971
1935 ● Ramsey Lewis → Grammy-winning jazz/pop pianist, bandleader and composer, “The In Crowd” (#5, 1965)
1939 ● Don Williams / (Donald Ray Williams) → Country’s “Gentle Giant,” mild-mannered, deep baritone mainstream countrypolitan singer and songwriter with 17 Country #1 hits, including “I Believe In You” (#24, Country #1, 1980), his songs have been covered by Eric Clapton (“Tulsa Time,” #30, 1980), Bonnie Raitt, Pete Townshend and multiple others, died from emphysema on 9/8/2017, age 78
1943 ● Cilla Black / (Priscilla Maria Veronica White) → Working-girl-made-good Swinging Sixties light pop Brit singer, actress and TV/radio personality with a 50-year career in music and entertainment, recorded 11 UK Top 10 singles, including “You’re My World” (#26, UK #1, 1964), hosted or guested on various BBC TV programs through the early 10s, died following a fall and stroke on 8/1/2015, age 72
1944 ● Billy Adamson → Drummer for Merseybeat band The Searchers, “Needles And Pins” (#13, 1963), retired from the band in 1998 and died from undisclosed causes on 11/11/2013, age 69.
1945 ● Bruce Cockburn → Canadian folk-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Wondering Where The Lions Are” (#21, 1980)
1947 ● Marty Kristian → Guitar and vocals for folk-sunshine pop The New Seekers, “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” (#7, 1972)
1947 ● Peter Knight → Violin for Brit electric folk-rock revival band Steeleye Span, “All Around My Hat” (UK #5, 1975)
1948 ● Pete Sears → Journeyman bassist and keyboardist, session work for Rod Stewart in 70s, 1974-1987 with Jefferson Starship, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us” (#1, 1987), then Hot Tuna, David Nelson Band, Moonalice and session work
1949 ● James Mitchell → Vocals for R&B/soul quartet The Detroit Emeralds, “Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)” (#24, R&B #4, 1972), left to co-found R&B/quiet storm The Floaters, “Float On” (#2, 1977)
1957 ● Eddie Harsch → Keyboards for roots/raunch rock The Black Crowes, “Hard To Handle” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1991)
1957 ● Siouxsie Sioux / (Susan Dallion) → Vocals and frontwoman for punk then dance-rock Siouxsie & The Banshees, “Kiss Them For Me”, (#23, 1991), side project The Creatures, “Right Now” (UK #14, 1983)
1958 ● Neil Finn → Guitar, vocals and songwriting for Aussie New Wave pop-rock Split Enz, “I Got You” (#53, UK #12, 1980), left to form Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (#2, 1987), solo and Finn Brothers, “Won’t Give In” (UK #6, 2004)
1966 ● Sean Kinney → Drummer in alterna-metal/hard rock Alice In Chains, “No Excuses” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1994)
1971 ● Left Eye Lopes / (Lisa Nicole Lopes) → Vocals for R&B/urban soul-dance-pop girl trio TLC, “Creep” (#1, 1994), died in a car accident on 4/25/2002, age 30
1975 ● André 3000 / (André Benjamin) → Half of hip hop duo OutKast, “Ms. Jackson” (#1, 2001) and “Hey Ya” (#1, 2004), solo

May 28
1910 ● T. Bone Walker / (Aaron Thibeaux Walker) → Electric blues pioneer, “Stormy Monday” (1947), influenced Albert Collins, B. B. King, Buddy Guy, Freddie King and many others, #47 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists list, died of bronchial pneumonia following a stoke on 3/16/1975, age 64
1917 ● Papa John Creach / (John Henry Creach) → Fiddler for 60s psych-rock Jefferson Airplane, “Somebody To Love” (#5, 1967), then folk-rock Hot Tuna and mainstream arena rock Jefferson Starship, “Miracles” (#3, 1975), died after suffering a heart attack during the Northridge earthquake on 2/22/1994, age 76
1929 ● Sonny Burgess / (Albert Austin Burgess) → The “Arkansas Wild Man,” freewheeling Sun Records boogie woogie and rockabilly singer, guitarist and frontman for The Pacers (“We Wanna Boogie,” 1956), chart success eluded him but he performed and recorded for four decades (except for a stint as a sewing supplies salesman in the 70s), hosted a weekly rockabilly nostalgia radio show in Arkansas in the 90s, fell in his home and died a month later on 8/18/2017, age 88
1943 ● Tony Mansfield → Drummer for 60s British Invasion pop-rock Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, “Little Children” (#7, 1964)
1944 ● Billy Vera / (William McCord, Jr.) → Rock historian, songwriter and singer, duet with Judy Clay, “Storybook Children” (#20, 1968) and solo as frontman for pop-rock The Beaters, “At This Moment” (#1, 1986), featured on the TV show Family Ties
1944 ● Gladys Knight → The “Empress of Soul”, Grammy-winning R&B vocals and frontwoman for The Pips, “Midnight Train To Georgia” (#1, 1973), solo
1944 ● Gary Stewart / (Gary Ronnie Stewart) → “Outlaw country” singer and songwriter mixing honky tonk and Southern rock sounds on nine Country Top 20 hits among nearly 30 charting songs, including “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles)” (Country #1, 1975), his album Out of Hand (1975) was one of the highest acclaimed country albums of the 70s, collaborated with Gregg Allman and Dicky Betts on Cactus And A Rose (1980), toured and recorded through the 90s and committed suicide a month after the death of his wife of 43 years on 12/16/2003, age 59.
1945 ● John Fogerty → Frontman, songwriter, guitar and vocals for roots rock/”swamp” rock Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Down On The Corner” (#3, 1969), Grammy-winning solo career (album Centerfield, #1, 1985) and bandleader for The Blue Ridge Rangers
1946 ● Stacy Sutherland / (Stacy Keith Sutherland) → Guitarist and songwriter in legendary Austin, Texas acid/garage rock The 13th Floor Elevators (the first band to use the term “psychedelic rock” to describe their music – and their LSD/stoner lifestyle), the band’s 3-year stint led to four albums, seven singles and a lone charting hit (“You’re Gonna Miss Me,” #55, 1966), left in 1969 to form his own group (Ice), spend times behind bars and fall deeper into drug and alcohol addiction, his estranged wife Bunny accidentally shot and killed him during a domestic dispute on 8/24/1978, age 32.
1948 ● Ray Laidlaw → Drummer for Brit folk-rock Brethren, which became Lindisfarne, “Lady Eleanor” (UK #3, 1971)
1949 ● Wendy O. Williams → Mohawk hairdo-sporting, controversial singer and frontwoman for outrageous punk/heavy metal Plasmatics, “Butcher Baby” (UK #55, 1980), solo, actress in sexploitation film Reform School Girls (1986), committed suicide on 4/6/1998, age 48
1952 ● JoJo Billingsley / (Deborah Jo Billingsley White) → Backing vocals for raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” (#8, 1974), only bandmember not aboard the fatal flight on 10/20/1977, claimed to have been born again by the event and turned to Christian music, died from cancer on 6/24/2010, age 58
1955 ● Eddie Jobson / (Edwin Jobson) → Respected journeyman violinist and synthesizer player with Frank Zappa‘s band, long-lived Brit folk-rock Jethro Tull, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), Roxy Music, U.K., Yes, solo
1955 ● John McGeoch → Scottish guitarist, singer and co-founder of post-punk Magazine, “Shot By Both Sides” (UK #41, 1978), then with punk then dance-rock Siouxsie & The Banshees, “Kiss Them For Me”, (#23, 1991), Armoury Show and Public Image Ltd., died in his sleep ion 3/4/2004, age 48
1959 ● Steve Strange / (Stephen Harrington) → Frontman and vocals for New Romantic synth-pop Visage, “Fade To Grey” (UK #8, 1980), nightclub host and promoter
1961 ● Roland Gift → Lead singer for Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy” (#1, 1989)
1964 ● Wes Burt-Martin → Guitarist for folk-pop Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians, “What I Am” (# , 1989)
1965 ● Chris Ballew → Co-founder, bass and vocals for post-grunge alt rock The Presidents Of The United States Of America, “Lump” (Mainstream Rock #7, 1995), currently performs children’s music under the pseudonym Caspar Babypants
1968 ● Kylie Minogue → Grammy-winning, widely-popular Aussie pop singer, songwriter and actress, “The Loco-Motion” (#3, 1988)
1970 ● Jimi Goodwin → Vocals, bass and guitar for dance-pop/house music Sub Sub, “Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)” (UK #3, 1993), disbanded and reformed as alt rock Doves, “There Goes The Fear” (UK #3, 2002)
1970 ● Mark Richardson → Drummer for Brit alt rock/metal Skunk Anansie, “All I Want” (UK #14, 1996)
1981 ● Mark Feehily → Vocals for Irish pop boy band Westlife, “Swear It Again” (#20, 2000) and 17 UK Top 10 hits
1985 ● Colbie Caillat → Pop singer and guitarist, “Bubbly” (2007), daughter of Ken Caillat who co-produced Fleetwood Mac‘s Rumours and Tusk albums

May 29
1939 ● Sir Monti Rock III / (Joseph Montanez Jr.) → Flamboyant Puerto Rican-American performer, musician and 60s TV entertainment show guest, opened the disco era with the LP Disco Tex And His Sex-O-Lettes (1975) with producer Bob Crewe (The Four Seasons), scored the hit “Get Dancin'” (#10, 1975) and several others, performed on the Vegas club circuit through the 00s
1941 ● Roy Crewsdon → Guitarist for British Invasion novelty/comedy pop-rock ‘n’ roll Freddie & The Dreamers, “I’m Telling You Now” (#1, 1965), now operates a bar in Tenerife
1945 ● Gary Brooker → Chief songwriter, keyboardist and vocals for prog/psych rock Procol Harum, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” (#5, 1967), solo plus session work for Eric Clapton
1947 ● Joey Levine → Unabashed bubblegum pop music songwriter, record producer and vocalist, as part of the Jerry Kasenetz/Jeffrey Katz team sang lead vocals for studio group Ohio Express (“Yummy Yummy Yummy,” #4, 1968) and other groups comprised of studio musicians, wrote and produced multiple pop hits by The 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Music Explosion and others, formed his own branding company and wrote jingles for national or global brands including Pepsi, Chevrolet and Anheuser-Busch
1947 ● Junior Campbell / (William Campbell, Jr.) → Lead guitar for pop/rock the Gaylords, then Marmalade, “Reflections Of My Life” (#10, 1970)
1947 ● Larry Harris / (Larry Alan Harris) → Music industry executive and co-founder of Casablanca Records with his second cousin, Neil Bogart, signed and launched the careers of Kiss, Donna Summer, Village People and others, plus less flamboyant acts as Cher, funk band Parliament, and comedians Robin Williams and Rodney Dangerfield, left after the disco craze ended and the label fell into decline to work for other labels and open a comedy club in Seattle, died from an abdominal aneurysm on 122/18/2017, age 70
1949 ● Francis Rossi → Co-founder and lead guitarist for Brit psych-boogie rock Status Quo, “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” (#12, 1968), solo
1950 ● Rebbie Jackson / (Maureen Reillette Jackson Brown) → Eldest of the Jackson family of musicians, performed with her brothers beginning in 1974 on stage and on the TV variety show The Jacksons, issued four solo albums and charted several singles, including “Centipede” (#24, R&B #4, 1984)
1952 ● Karl Bartos → Percussionist for German electro-rock pioneers Kraftwerk, “Autobahn” (#25, 1975), left in 1990 for solo career and collaborations
1953 ● Danny Elfman → Grammy-winning TV and film score composer, frequently in collaboration with Tim Burton (Batman, 1989), singer/songwriter and leader of New Wave ska-pop/alt rock Oingo Boingo, “Weird Science” (#45, Dance/Club #21, 1985)
1955 ● Mike Porcaro → Session musician who joined his brothers Jeff and Steve Porcaro in 1982 as bassist in pop/arena rock Toto (“Africa,” #1, 1982), retired from the band in 2007 and died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, on 3/15/2015, age 59
1956 ● La Toya Jackson → Background vocals for her brothers’ band The Jackson 5, then largely unsuccessful and unnoticed solo singing career
1959 ● Danny Pearson / (Daniel Pearson) → Bassist for critically acclaimed but light selling alt pop-rock American Music Club (1991 album Everclear)
1959 ● Mel Gaynor → Drummer for Scottish New Wave pop-rock Simple Minds, “(Don’t You) Forget About Me” (#1, 1985)
1960 ● Jesse Johnson → Guitarist for R&B/soul-funk The Time, wrote “Jungle Love” (#20, Dance/Club #9, 1984), then solo, “Crazay” (Dance/Club #12, 1986)
1961 ● David Palmer → Drummer for New Wave synth-pop ABC, “Be Near Me” (#9, 1982)
1961 ● Melissa Etheridge → Grammy-winning alt-heartland rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, “I’m The Only One” (#8, 1993), gay activist
1962 ● John Pedder → Bassist in Brit lounge/melodramatic pop group Babybird, “You’re Gorgeous” (UK #3, 1996)
1963 ● Blaze Bayley / (Bayley Alexander Cooke) → Lead vocalist for heavy metal Wolfsbane from 1984 to 1994, Iron Maiden (“The Angel And The Gambler”, Mainstream Rock #24, 1998) from 1994 to 1999, solo and frontman for Blaze
1964 ● Fresh Kid Ice / (Christopher Wong Won) → Asian-American rapper of Trinidadian and Chinese decent, founding member of notorious hip hop group 2 Live Crew (“Banned In The USA,” #20, Rap #1, 1990), their sexually-explicit lyrics resulted in arrests and sparked a national debate about obscenity and the legal limits of artistic expression, died from an unspecified “medical condition” at a Veterans Administration hospital on 7/13/2017, age 53
1967 ● Noel Gallagher → Singer, songwriter and guitarist for Grammy-nominated Brit pop Oasis, “Wonderwall” (#8, 1996), the band had 22 consecutive UK Top 10 hits
1969 ● Chad Kinchla / (Chandler Kinchla) → Guitarist for blues-rock jam band Blues Traveler, “Run-Around” (#8, 1995)
1975 ● Melanie Brown → Vocals and “Scary Spice” in pop-rock girl-group Spice Girls, “Wannabe” (#1, 1997)
1976 ● Dave Buckner → Founding member and original drummer for alt metal/rap metal Papa Roach (“Scars, #15, Alt Rock #2, 2004), left the band in 2007 for rehabilitation
1978 ● Daniel Pearce → Vocals in teen pop boy band One True Voice, “Sacred Trust / After You’re Gone” (UK #2, 2002)
1980 ● Andrew John Hurley → Drummer for alt rock/punk-pop Fall Out Boy, “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race” (#2, 2007)

May 30
1909 ● Benny Goodman → The “King of Swing” and most popular figure of the early Swing Era bandleaders, clarinetist, film actor (playing himself), died from a heart attack on 6/13/1986, age 77
1915 ● Maxine Powell → African American child actress turned finishing school owner who became the etiquette and style coach for Berry Gordy‘s Motown Records in the 60s, the only such training program offered at any record label at any time, died after a long period of declining health on 10/14/2013, age 98
1926 ● Johnny Gimble → Grammy-winning virtuoso country and Western swing fiddler, played with Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys in the 50s, as a session musician appeared on numerous albums by Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins and others in the 60s, toured with Willie Nelson, worked with Asleep At The Wheel and acted in films and on TV in the 70s and 80s, died following a stroke on 5/9/2015, age 88
1928 ● Herb Oscar Anderson / (Herbert Oscar Anderson) → Beloved, crooning Top 40 music radio DJ, member of the “Swingin’ 7” team of announcers on world-famous WABC-am in New York City during the 60s, left when 60s pop turned to 70s harder rock, continued to host music radio programs in different markets, including a weekly show on a Vero Beach, Florida station until his death from kidney failure on 1/29/2017, age 88
1944 ● Lenny Davidson → Guitarist 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
1944 ● Gladys Horton → Founder and lead vocals for Motown pop-soul girl group The Marvelettes, “Please Mr. Postman” (#1, 1961) and nine other Top 40 singles, died following a stroke on 1/26/2011, age 66
1955 ● Topper Headon / (Nicholas Bowen Headon) → Drummer and occasional vocals for influential and acclaimed punk-ska-dance-rock The Clash, wrote “Rock The Casbah” (#8, 1982)
1958 ● Marie Fredriksson / (Gun-Marie Fredriksson) → Pop singer and songwriter who balanced a successful solo career in Sweden and international acclaim as lead singer with Per Gessle in pop-rock duo Roxette, the second most successful Swedish pop act after ABBA, the pair scored multiple Top 10 hits worldwide and four #1 hits the U.S., including “Joyride” (#1, SWE #1, 1991), diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2002, underwent surgery and chemotherapy, recovered to continue performing and recording as a solo artist and with Gessle in Roxette reunions until her death from a recurrence of a brain tumor on 12/9/2019, age 61.
1960 ● Stephen Duffy → Founding member, guitarist, vocals and songwriting for New Wave synth-pop Duran Duran, “Hungry Like The Wolf” (#3, 1982)
1964 ● Tom Morello → Guitarist for Grammy-winning punk/hip hop/thrash metal Rage Against The Machine, “Guerrilla Radio” (Modern Rock #6, 1999)
1964 ● Wynonna Judd / (Christina Ciminella) → Country singer/songwriter in duo The Judds (with mother Naomi), “Girl’s Night Out” (Country #1, 1984) and 17 other Top 10 country hits, solo, “To Be Loved By You” (Adult Contemporary #25, Country #1, 1996)
1967 ● Sven Pipien → Bassist for roots/raunch rock The Black Crowes, “Hard To Handle” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1991)
1968 ● Tim Burgess → Vocals for “Madchester” alt rock The Charlatans UK, “The Only One I Know” (Mainstream Rock #37, 1991), solo
1971 ● Patrick Dalheimer → Bassist for alt rock Live, “Lightning Crashes” (Modern Rock #5, 1995) and The Gracious Few
1974 ● Cee Lo Green / (Thomas Callaway) → Singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer, member of pioneering Dirty South rap group Goodie Mob, “Cell Therapy” (#13, Rap #1, 1995), then Gnarls Barkley, “Crazy” (#2, 2006) and solo, “F**k You” (#2, 2010)

On the Stairway to Heaven: Notable Deaths in April 2020

We note with sadness the April 2020 passing of these contributors to rock and pop music of the 60s, 70s and 80s – the BEST music ever made! Several were victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 1
● Ellis Marsalis / (Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr.) → Famed New Orleans jazz pianist and patriarch of the Marsalis family of jazz musicians, which includes nationally-recognized sons Branford (saxophone) and Wynton (trumpet), performed and recorded for decades and inspired others in the revival of traditional jazz in the late 20th century, along the way earned a master’s degree in music education, mentored high school students through the jazz studies program at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and won a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master Award, died from complications of the COVID-19 virus on 4/1/2020, age 85.

● Adam Schlesinger / (Adam Lyons Schlesinger) → Chief songwriter, guitarist and vocalist in power pop Fountains Of Wayne (“Stacy’s Mom,” #21, 2003), indie pop Ivy and supergroup Tinted Windows, enjoyed a second career writing songs for TV, theater and film soundtracks, including Academy Award-nominated “That Thing You Do” (#41, 1996) from the movie of the same name, and producing for The Monkees, Robert Plant, They Might Be Giants and others, died from complications of the COVID-19 virus at the peak of his career on 4/1/2020, age 52.

April 04
● Alex Harvey / (Thomas Alexander Harvey) → Occasional R&B/country-pop crossover artist best known as a songwriter with a master’s degree in music and two hits recorded by others, “Reuben James” (Kenny Rogers, Top 30, 1969) and “Delta Dawn” (Tanya Tucker, Country #6, 1972 and Helen Reddy, #1, 1973), the two were among dozens of songs given to others to record that sold over 50 million copies worldwide, enjoyed a second career as a actor in films and the TV programs Walker, Texas Ranger, Dallas, and The Dukes of Hazzard, among others, died from unspecified causes on 4/4/2020, age 73.

April 7
● Steve Farmer / (Steven Orville Farmer) → Second guitarist and songwriter with 60s one hit wonder The Amboy Dukes, co-wrote with frontman Ted Nugent 22 songs for the group, including the psych-rock anthem “Journey To The Center Of Your Mind” (#16, 1968), continued to write and record for decades until his death from unspecified coronary issues on 4/7/2020, age 71.

● John Prine → Highly-influential, revered folk and country-rock singer, literary songwriter and guitarist, wrote dozens of acclaimed and oft-covered songs that chronicled Americana, social issues, love and life, including the melancholy “Sam Stone” and the now folk standard “Angel From Montgomery,” both from his debut album, John Prine (1971), won Grammy awards for albums The Missing Years (1992) and Fair & Square (2005), survived two bouts of cancer – squamous cell (1998) and lung (2013) but succumbed to complications of the COVID-19 virus on 4/7/2020, age 73.

● Hal Willner → Music producer for film, TV and live events over a 40 year career, working on albums for Leon Redbone, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams and others, known most prominently as the sketch music producer for venerable TV variety show Saturday Night Live from 1980 until his death from symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 virus on 4/7/2020, age 64.

April 12
● Jerry Hludzik / (Jerry G. Ludzik) → Bass guitarist and singer in Northeast Pennsylvania pop-rock The Buoys, whose sole single was a cover of Rupert Holmes‘ “Timothy” (#17, 1970), left with his Buoys co-founder Bill Kelly to start melodic rock Dakota, despite opening for glam-rock Queen on tour in 1980-81 and studio backing by horn-rock Chicago‘s Bill Champlin and Robert Lamm, the band never took off and disbanded in 1987, thereafter spent the 90s and 00s as a staff writer for MCA Records in Nashville and recording three albums using the Dakota name, reunited with Kelly and other former bandmates to issue a new Dakota album, Long Road Home (2015), died from early-onset dementia on 4/12/2020, age 68.

April 15
● Eddie Cooley / (Edward James Cooley) → R&B singer and songwriter, co-wrote “Fever” in 1956 and enjoyed royalties from dozens of recordings of the song over the decades, including Peggy Lee (#8, UK #5, 1958) and Madonna (#6, Dance/Club #1, 1993), as frontman for R&B girl-trio backing group The Dimples scored a rockabilly hit with “Priscilla” (#20, 1956), stopped touring and recording by 1960 but wrote several minor hits for others through the early 60s, thereafter disappeared from music and died from undisclosed causes on his 87th birthday, 4/15/2020.

● Gary McSpadden → Gospel and Christian music baritone singer in numerous vocal groups in the 60s, including The Oak Ridge Boys and The Imperials, left music to pastor a Texas ministry in 1967, over the ensuing decades divided time among preaching, hosting gospel music programs on TV, singing in the Bill Gaither Trio and writing as part of the Gaither songwriting team, producing albums for others and issuing sixteen of his own, died from a stroke while suffering from pancreatic cancer on 4/15/2020, age 77.

April 17
● Barney Ales / (Baldassare Ales) → Rising-star sales manager in 1950s Detroit for Warner Bros. Records, left to join fledgling, black-owned Motown Records and was instrumental in bringing white teenagers to the label in the 60s, when Motown left for L.A. in 1972, stayed and formed his own label but sold it to Motown and rejoined in 1975, serving as President in the late 70s, later worked with Elton John‘s Rocket Records and other jazz and R&B labels, died from undisclosed causes on 4/17/2020, age 85.

● Matthew Seligman → Bass guitarist with 70s neo-psych-pop The Soft Boys and in short stints with 80s synth-pop Thompson Twins (“Hold Me Now,” #3, UK #4, 1983) and Thomas Dolby (“Hyperactive,” #62, UK #17, 1984), in the later 80s and 90s became a successful session bassist for Sinead O’Connor, David Bowie (Live Air 1985), Tori Amos and others, earned a law degree in the 90s and practiced as a human rights and personal injury lawyer until his death from complications of the COVID-19 virus on 4/17/2020, age 64.

April 19
● Ian Whitcomb / (Ian Tomothy Whitcomb) → → One hit wonder Brit singer/songwriter with the vaudevillian, British Invasion “You Turn Me On” (#8, 1965), later authored After The Ball (1972) and other books on pop music history, wrote for magazines and newspapers, recorded soundtracks and albums of varying genres from ragtime to music hall, wrote and starred in documentaries for BBC-TV and other outlets, and performed on stage and as a radio DJ through to his death from complications of a 2012 stroke on 4/19/2020, age 78.

April 24
● Hamilton Bohannon / (Hamilton Frederick Bohannon) → Drummer, bandleader, producer and one of the leading figures in the rise of 70s disco/dance music, worked and toured with Stevie Wonder and other Motown acts in his early years, joined Dakar/Brunswick Records in 1972 and began releasing his own funk and R&B albums, perfected the thudding baseline and heavy rhythms of disco and went on to record and produce numerous dance-pop hits, including his own “Let’s Start The Dance” (R&B #9, 1978), issued a final album 1990 and spent the next decades producing for others, writing books and hearing modern hip hop acts sample his work, died from unrevealed causes on 4/24/2020, age 78.

March 27
● Harold Reid / (Harold Wilson Reid) → Bass vocals, songwriter and de facto leader of country-gospel-pop crossover harmony quartet The Statler Brothers (Grammy-winning “Flowers On The Wall,” #4, Country #2, 1965), the group was a force on the country charts for 25 years with 32 Country Top 10 singles between 1965 and 1989 – he and his younger brother, Don, were the only brothers in the group and no one was named Statler – retired after the band’s 38th studio album and farewell tour in 2002, died of kidney failure on 4/24/2020, age 80.

March 28
● Bobby Lewis / (Robert Alan Lewis) → R&B and rock ‘n’ roll singer known for his signature hit “Tossin’ And Turnin'” (#1, R&B #1, 1961) and a second Top 10 hit in “One Track Mind” (#9, 1961) but faded from the limelight thereafter, continued to perform over the next 40-plus years despite failing eyesight, died on 4/28/2020, age 95.

Singles Released This Week (May 18-24)

Here’s a running list of charting singles (and B-Sides that charted) from rock and pop music from the 50s through the 80s – the BEST music ever made!

Entries are: Year • Artist • Track Title • Genre • Album • B-Side

(If a non-album single, then [Single]. If the charting track was the B-Side, then [B-Side]. Any “UK” entry designates a single different from its US counterpart).

May 18
1972 • Looking Glass • “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” • Pop-Rock • Looking Glass • “One By One”
1979 • Joe Jackson • “One More Time” [UK] • Post-Punk Hard Rock • Look Sharp! • “Don’t Ask Me”
1987 • Thompson Twins • “Long Goodbye” [UK] • New Wave Synth-Pop • Close To The Bone • “Dancing In Your Shoes”
2014 • The Flaming Lips feat. Miley Cyrus • “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” • Pop-Rock • With A Little Help From My Friends • [None]

May 19
1958 • Jerry Lee Lewis • “Fools Like Me” • Rockabilly • Jerry Lee Lewis • [B-Side]
1958 • Jerry Lee Lewis • “High School Confidential” • Rockabilly • Jerry Lee Lewis • “Fools Like Me”
1958 • Bobby Darin • “Splish Splash” • Novelty Pop • [Single] • “Judy Don’t Be Moody”
1972 • Sweet • “Little Willy” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Sweet • “Man from Mecca”
1973 • Paul Simon • “Kodachrome” • Folk-Pop • There Goes Rhymin’ Simon • “Tenderness”
1975 • Eagles • “One Of These Nights” • Country-Rock • One Of These Nights • “Visions”
1975 • Aerosmith • “Sweet Emotion” • Hard Rock • Toys In The Attic • “Uncle Salty”
1975 • Lynyrd Skynyrd • “Saturday Night Special” • Southern Rock • Nuthin’ Fancy • “Made In The Shade”
1978 • Dire Straits • “Sultans Of Swing” [UK] • New Wave/Post-Punk • Dire Straits • “Eastbound Train” [Live Version]
1978 • Steely Dan • “Deacon Blues” [UK] • Jazz-Rock • Aja • “Josie”
1981 • The Moody Blues • “Gemini Dream” • Prog Rock • Long Distance Voyager • “Painted Smile”
1986 • Genesis • “Invisible Touch” • Prog Rock • Invisible Touch • “The Last Domino”
1986 • Bananarama • “Venus” • New Wave Dance-Pop • True Confessions • “White Train”

May 20
1955 • Bill Haley & His Comets • “Rock Around The Clock” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • Shake, Rattle And Roll • “Thirteen Women (And Only One Man in Town)”
1960 • Buddy Holly • “True Love Ways” [UK] • Pop-Rock • [Single] • “Moondreams”
1977 • Queen • “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” [UK] • Glam Rock • Queen’s First E.P.[EP] • “Death on Two Legs (Dedicated To)” / “Tenement Funster” / “White Queen (As It Began)”
1979 • Kiss • “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” • Disco-Rock • Dynasty • “Hard Times”
1983 • Big Country • “In A Big Country” [UK] • Alt. Pop-Rock • The Crossing • “All Of Us”
1983 • The Police • “Every Breath You Take” • New Wave Pop-Rock • Synchronicity • “Murder By Numbers”
1990 • Roxette • “It Must Have Been Love” • Soft Rock/Pop • Pretty Woman[Sndtrk] • “Chances”
1991 • Bonnie Raitt • “Something To Talk About” • Blues-Rock • Luck Of The Draw • “One Part Be My Lover”

May 21
1963 • Stevie Wonder • “Fingertips, Pt. 2” • Soul-Pop • Recorded Live! The 12-Year Old Genius • [B-Side]
1963 • Stevie Wonder • “Fingertips, Pt. 1” • Soul-Pop • Recorded Live! The 12-Year Old Genius • “Fingertips, Pt. 2”
1964 • Marvin Gaye • “Try It Baby” • Soul • How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) • “If My Heart Could Sing”
1964 • The Beatles (Die Beatles) • “Sie Liebt Dich” • Brit Beat • [Single] • “I’ll Get You”
1965 • The Hollies • “I’m Alive” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Hear! Here! • “You Know He Did”
1965 • The Who • “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” [UK] • Power Pop • [Single] • “Daddy Rolling Stone”
1968 • Elvis Presley • “Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet Baby” • Pop-Rock • [Single] • “Let Yourself Go”
1968 • Gary Puckett & The Union Gap • “Lady Willpower” • Pop-Rock Ballad • Incredible • “Daylight Stranger”
1968 • Elvis Presley • “Let Yourself Go” • Pop-Rock • [Single] • [B-Side]
1968 • Diana Ross & The Supremes • “Some Things You Never Get Used To” • Soul-Pop • [Single] • “You’ve Been So Wonderful To Me”
1969 • The Isley Brothers • “I Turned You On” • Soul-Funk • The Brothers: Isley • “I Know Who You Been Socking It To”
1976 • Carpenters • “I Need To Be In Love” • Soft Pop • A Kind Of Hush • “Sandy”
1996 • Metallica • “Until It Sleeps” • Thrash Metal • Load • “Overkill”
2001 • The Calling • “Wherever You Will Go” • Alt Rock/Post-Grunge • Camino Palmero • “Adrienne”
2004 • Rush • “Summertime Blues” • Prog/Art Rock • Feedback • [None]

May 22
1964 • Dave Clark Five • “Bits And Pieces” [UK] • Brit Pop • Glad All Over • “All Of The Time”
1967 • Aretha Franklin • “Lee Cross” • Soul • Take It Like You Give It • “Until You Were Gone”
1967 • The Byrds • “Have You Seen Her Face” • Folk-Rock • Younger Than Yesterday • “Don’t Make Waves”
1967 • The Byrds • “Don’t Make Waves” • Folk-Rock • [Single] • [B-Side]
1970 • Christie • “Yellow River” • Pop-Rock • Christie • “Down The Mississippi Line”
1979 • Diana Ross • “The Boss” • Disco • The Boss • “I’m In The World”
1981 • Phil Collins • “If Leaving Me Is Easy” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Face Value • [Multiple]
1994 • Stone Temple Pilots • “Big Empty” • Arena Rock • Purple • “Lounge Fly”

May 23
1975 • 10cc • “I’m Not In Love” [UK] • Art Pop-Rock • The Original Soundtrack • “Good News”
1978 • Bruce Springsteen • “Prove It All Night” • Heartland Rock • Darkness On The Edge Of Town • “Factory”
1980 • U2 • “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” [UK] • Alt. Pop-Rock • [Single] • “Touch”
1987 • Bob Seger • “Shakedown” • Album Rock • Beverly Hills Cop II[Sndtrk] • “The Aftermath”
1988 • The Moody Blues • “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” • Prog Rock • Sur La Mer • “Miracle”
2011 • Blondie • “Mother” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Panic Of Girls • “Mother” [Instrumental]

May 24
1963 • Gerry & The Pacemakers • “I Like It” [UK] • Merseybeat • [Single] • “It Happened To Me”
1968 • The Rolling Stones • “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” [UK] • Rock ‘n’ Roll • [Single] • “Child Of The Moon”
1973 • Led Zeppelin • “Over The Hills And Far Away” • Hard Rock • Houses Of The Holy • “Dancing Days”
1974 • Elton John • “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Caribou • “Sick City”
1974 • 10cc • “The Wall Street Shuffle” [UK] • Art Pop-Rock • Sheet Music • “Gismo My Way”
1976 • The Beach Boys • “Rock And Roll Music” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • 15 Big Ones • “T M Song”
1982 • Glenn Frey • “I Found Somebody” • Pop-Rock • No Fun Aloud • “She Can’t Let Go”
1983 • Michael Jackson • “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” • Dance-Pop • Thriller • “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” [Instrumental]
1986 • AC/DC • “Who Made Who” • Hard Rock • Who Made Who • “Guns For Hire” [Live]
1993 • AC/DC • “Big Gun” • Hard Rock • Last Action Hero[Sndtrk] • “Back In Black” [Live]
2012 • Aerosmith • “Legendary Child” • Hard Rock • Music From Another Dimension! • [None]

Albums Released This Week (May 18 – 24)

Here’s a sampling of the BEST music ever made! Great albums from the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and pop released this week (and some related albums of note):

May 18
1964 ● Brenda Lee —— By Request ► Country-Pop
1973 ● The Byrds —— History Of The Byrds ► Country-Rock
1976 ● Angel —— Helluva Band ► Prog Rock
1976 ● Warren Zevon —— Warren Zevon ► Pop-Rock
1979 ● Ian Dury & The Blockheads —— Do It Yourself ► Punk-Rock
1979 ● David Bowie —— Lodger ► Glam Rock
1986 ● Concrete Blonde —— Concrete Blonde ► Alt. Pop-Rock
1987 ● Steve Earle —— Exit 0 ► Alt. Country
1988 ● Various Artists —— Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing-Off! ► Pop-Rock
1990 ● Luis Miguel —— 20 Años ► Latin Pop
1993 ● Jerry Lee Lewis —— The Jerry Lee Lewis Anthology: All Killer, No Filler ► Rock n Roll
1993 ● Janet Jackson —— janet. ► Pop-Soul
1993 ● Judas Priest —— Metal Works ’73-’93 ► Heavy Metal
1993 ● Kiss —— Alive III ► Hard Rock
1997 ● Feeder —— Polythene ► Grunge-Rock
1998 ● Grave Digger —— Knights Of The Cross ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Metal
1999 ● AFI —— Black Sails In The Sunset ► Hardcore Punk
1999 ● Eddie Money —— Ready Eddie ► Album Rock
1999 ● Jimmy Buffett —— Beach House On The Moon ► Folk-Rock
1999 ● The Phil Collins Big Band —— A Hot Night In Paris ► Jazz-Rock
2010 ● Triumph —— Greatest Hits Remixed ► Arena Rock

May 19
1962 ● The Ventures —— Twist Party, Vol. 2 ► Rock n Roll Instrumental
1969 ● Alexander “Skip” Spence —— Oar ► Pop-Psychedelic
1969 ● Brenda Lee —— Johnny One Time ► Country-Pop
1969 ● Spiral Starecase —— More Today Than Yesterday ► Psychedelic Pop
1969 ● Poco —— Pickin’ Up The Pieces ► Country-Rock
1971 ● Aretha Franklin —— Aretha Live At The Fillmore West ► Soul
1972 ● Elton John —— Honky Chateau ► Pop-Rock
1972 ● Uriah Heep —— Demons & Wizards ► Prog. Rock
1975 ● Willie Nelson —— Red Headed Stranger ► Classic Country
1976 ● Billy Joel —— Turnstiles ► Pop-Rock
1977 ● Aretha Franklin —— Sweet Passion ► Soul
1978 ● Kraftwerk —— The Man-Machine ► Techno-Rock
1978 ● The Kinks —— Misfits ► British Rock
1986 ● Peter Gabriel —— So ► Prog Rock
1986 ● The Cure —— Staring At The Sea: The Singles ► Post-Punk
1986 ● Prince —— Parade ► R&B-Pop
1986 ● The Ramones —— Animal Boy ► Punk-Rock
1987 ● Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam —— Spanish Fly ► Dance-Pop
1992 ● Billy Ray Cyrus —— Some Gave All ► Country-Pop
1992 ● Kiss —— Revenge ► Hard Rock
1998 ● Calexico —— The Black Light ► Alt Rock/Americana
1998 ● The Knack —— Very Best Of The Knack ► Power Pop
1998 ● Kool & The Gang —— Greatest Hits Live ► Funk
1998 ● Kansas —— Always Never The Same ► Prog/Arena Rock
2004 ● Journey —— Open Arms: Greatest Hits ► AOR Rock
2005 ● Spandau Ballet —— Live At N.E.C. ► New Wave Synht-Pop
2008 ● Sparks —— Exotic Creatuess Of The Deep ► Glam Rock
2009 ● Gin Blossoms —— Live In Concert ► Power Pop
2009 ● Eric Clapton And Steve Winwood —— Live From Madison Square Garden ► Blues-Rock
2014 ● R.E.M. —— Complete Rarities: I.R.S. 1982-1987 ► Rock
2014 ● R.E.M. —— Complete Warner Bros. Rarities 1988–2011 ► Rock
2015 ● Whitesnake —— The Purple Album ► Arena Rock

May 20
1974 ● Climax Blues Band —— Sense Of Direction ► Blues-Rock
1976 ● David Bowie —— Changesonebowie ► Glam Rock
1977 ● The Jam —— In The City ► Punk-Rock
1977 ● Genesis —— Spot The Pigeon [EP] ► Prog Rock
1980 ● Kiss —— Unmasked ► Hard Rock
1981 ● Elton John —— The Fox ► Pop-Rock
1985 ● Savatage —— Power Of The Night ► Heavy Metal/Speed Metal
1987 ● Various Artists —— Beverly Hills Cop II [Sndtrk] ► Album Rock
1996 ● Manic Street Preachers —— Everything Must Go ► Hard Rock
1996 ● Soilwork —— Steelbath Suicide ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal
1997 ● Peter Cetera —— You’re The Inspiration: A Collection ► Pop-Rock
1997 ● Blues Brothers —— Blues Brothers & Friends: Live From The House Of Blues ► Blues-Rock
1997 ● Foo Fighters —— The Colour And The Shape ► Grunge Rock
1997 ● Millencolin —— For Monkeys ► Euro-punk
1997 ● The Tragically Hip —— Live Between Us ► Folk-Rock
1997 ● John Fogerty —— Blue Moon Swamp ► Roots Rock
1997 ● Michael Jackson —— Blood On The Dance Floor: HIStory In The Mix ► Dance-Pop
1997 ● James Taylor —— Hourglass ► Folk-Rock
2000 ● Bracket —— When All Else Fails ► Punk Rock
2003 ● Jack Bruce —— Live At Manchester Free Trade Hall ’75 ► Prog Rock/Fusion
2003 ● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 17 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band
2003 ● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 18 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band
2003 ● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 19 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band
2003 ● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 20 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band
2003 ● Whitesnake —— The Silver Anniversary Collection ► Arena Rock
2003 ● Jesse Colin Young —— Walk The Talk ► Folk-Rock
2003 ● Earth, Wind & Fire —— The Promise ► Soul-Funk
2003 ● Kansas —— Greatest Hits Live ► Prog/Arena Rock
2003 ● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Vicious Cycle ► Southern Rock
2003 ● Boz Scaggs —— But Beautiful ► Pop-Rock
2011 ● Whitesnake —— Live At Donington 1990 ► Arena Rock
2016 ● The Blues Magoos —— Mercury Singles 1966-1968 ► Garage Rock
2016 ● Mudcrutch —— Mudcrutch 2 ► Southern Rock
2016 ● Various Artists —— Day Of The Dead ► Jam Band/Space Rock
2016 ● Eric Clapton —— I Still Do ► Blues-Rock
2016 ● Bob Dylan —— Fallen Angels ► Folk-Rock
2016 ● Tom Petty & Bob Dylan —— Live On Air 1986 ► Folk-Rock
2016 ● Tom Petty & Stevie Nicks —— Leather And Lace: Radio Broadcast, 1983 ► Album Rock
2016 ● The Zombies —— The BBC Radio Sessions ► Art Rock

May 21
1963 ● Stevie Wonder —— Recorded Live! The 12-Year Old Genius ► Soul – Pop
1971 ● Marvin Gaye —— What’s Going On ► Soul – Motown
1971 ● Paul & Linda McCartney —— Ram [UK] ► Pop-Rock
1973 ● Earth, Wind & Fire —— Head To The Sky ► Soul-Funk
1976 ● Blue Öyster Cult —— Agents Of Fortune ► Metal
1979 ● Saxon —— Saxon ► Heavy Metal
1980 ● Paul McCartney —— McCartney II ► Pop-Rock
1982 ● John Waite —— Ignition ► Power Pop
1983 ● Joe Walsh —— You Bought It – You Name It ► Blues-Rock
1988 ● Cinderella —— Long Cold Winter ► Heavy Metal
1988 ● Poison —— Open Up And Say…Ahh! ► Heavy Metal/Hair Metal
1990 ● Soul II Soul —— Vol. II: 1990 – A New Beginning ► Dance-Pop/Electronic
1991 ● Helloween —— Pink Bubbles Go Ape ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal
1991 ● The Doors —— In Concert ► Blues-Rock
1996 ● Everything But The Girl —— Walking Wounded ► Electro-Pop
1996 ● The Wallflowers —— Bringing Down The Horse ► AA Pop-Rock
1996 ● Jason Becker —— Perspective ► Hard Rock
1996 ● Bobby Patterson —— Second Coming ► Texas Soul
1996 ● Scorpions —— Pure Instinct ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock
1996 ● Soundgarden —— Down On The Upside ► Grunge Rock
1996 ● The Cure —— Wild Mood Swings ► Post-Punk
1999 ● Arch Enemy —— Burning Bridges ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal
2002 ● Kool & The Gang —— Too Hot Live ► Funk
2002 ● Phil Lesh & Friends —— There And Back Again ► Country-Rock
2002 ● Poison —— Hollyweird ► Heavy Metal/Hair Metal
2002 ● Bad Company —— In Concert: Merchants Of Cool ► Hard Rock
2002 ● Three Dog Night —— Three Dog Night With The London Symphony Orchestra ► Blue-Eyed Soul
2012 ● Soundgarden —— The Classic Album Selection ► Grunge Rock
2013 ● The Beach Boys —— Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour ► Pop-Rock

May 22
1967 ● The Monkees —— Headquarters ► Pop-Rock
1975 ● Minnie Riperton —— Adventures In Paradise ► Soul-Pop
1979 ● Smokey Robinson —— Where There’s Smoke… ► Soul – Motown
1980 ● Diana Ross —— Diana ► Soul – Motown
1981 ● Toyah —— Anthem ► Punk Rock
1989 ● David Bowie & Tin Machine —— Tin Machine ► Hard Rock
1990 ● Andrew Ridgeley —— Son Of Albert ► Dance-Pop
1990 ● Madonna —— I’m Breathless [Sndtrk] ► Dance-Pop
1990 ● The Pretenders —— Packed! ► Post-Punk
1992 ● Spiritualized —— Lazer Guided Melodies ► Space Rock/Shoegaze
1992 ● Ringo Starr —— Time Takes Time ► Pop-Rock
2001 ● Stabbing Westward —— Stabbing Westward ► Industrial Rock
2002 ● The Tubes —— Hoods From Outer Space ► Alt. Rock
2006 ● Natalie Cole —— Leavin’ ► Soul-Pop
2007 ● Ozzy Osbourne —— Black Rain ► Hard Rock
2012 ● The Knack —— Havin’ A Rave-Up! Live In Los Angeles, 1978 ► Power Pop
2012 ● Sade —— Bring Me Home: Live 2011 ► Quiet Storm

May 23
1966 ● Brenda Lee —— Ten Golden Years ► Country-Pop
1966 ● Marvin Gaye —— Moods Of Marvin Gaye ► Soul – Motown
1969 ● The Who —— Tommy ► British Rock
1969 ● Cilla Black —— Surround Yourself With Cilla ► Pop/Merseybeat
1971 ● Rory Gallagher —— Rory Gallagher ► Blues-Rock
1972 ● The Jackson 5 —— Lookin’ Through The Windows ► Soul – Motown
1975 ● Elton John —— Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy ► Pop-Rock
1979 ● Kiss —— Dynasty ► Hard Rock
1979 ● Diana Ross —— The Boss ► Disco
1980 ● Graham Parker —— The Up Escalator ► Pub Rock
1980 ● Roxy Music —— Flesh + Blood ► Prog Rock
1983 ● Bob Marley & The Wailers —— Confrontation ► Roots Reggae
1988 ● Joan Jett & The Blackhearts —— Up Your Alley ► Hard Rock
1988 ● The Kinks —— Live: The Road ► British Rock
1988 ● Rod Stewart —— Out Of Order ► Blues-Rock
1989 ● Wang Chung —— The Warmer Side Of Cool ► New Wave/Dance-Pop
1989 ● The Ramones —— Brain Drain ► Punk-Rock
1994 ● Stevie Nicks —— Street Angel ► Pop-Rock
1995 ● Bad Brains —— God Of Love ► Post-Punk/Hardcore
1995 ● Jerry Lee Lewis —— Young Blood ► Rock n Roll
1995 ● The Rembrandts —— LP ► Pop-Rock
1995 ● Squirrel Nut Zippers —— The Inevitable ► Swing Revival
1995 ● Chicago —— Night & Day ► Big Band
1995 ● Chris Isaak —— Forever Blue ► AA Pop-Rock
1995 ● Warren Zevon —— Mutineer ► Pop-Rock
1998 ● Aretha Franklin —— A Rose Is Still A Rose ► Soul
2000 ● Eminem —— The Marshall Mathers LP ► Hip-Hop
2000 ● The Go-Go’s —— VH1 Behind The Music: Go-Go’s Collection ► Alt. Pop-Rock
2000 ● Matchbox Twenty —— Mad Season ► Alt. Rock
2000 ● Rae & Christian —— Blazing The Crop ► Electronic Dance Mix
2000 ● Charlie Watts —— Charlie Watts/Jim Keltner Project ► Jazz-Rock Fusion
2000 ● Wilson Phillips —— Greatest Hits ► Pop-Rock
2000 ● XTC —— Wasp Star: Apple Venus, Vol. 2 ► New Wave Pop-Rock
2000 ● Don Henley —— Inside Job ► Pop-Rock
2006 ● Huey Lewis & The News —— Greatest Hits & Videos ► Pop-Rock
2007 ● Jeff Beck —— Official Bootleg USA ’06 ► Instrumental Rock
2011 ● Atlanta Rhythm Section —— With All Due Respect ► Southern Rock
2014 ● Kiss —— Kiss 40 ► Hard Rock

May 24
1968 ● The Small Faces —— Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake ► Psychedelic Rock
1974 ● Robert Hunter —— Tales Of The Great Rum Runners ► Country-Rock
1974 ● Harry Nilsson —— Son Of Dracula [Sndtrk] [UK] ► Folk-Rock
1974 ● David Bowie —— Diamond Dogs ► Glam Rock
1986 ● AC/DC —— Who Made Who ► Hard Rock
1986 ● Neil Diamond —— Headed For The Future ► Pop-Rock
1988 ● Camper Van Beethoven —— Our Beloved ► Punk-Folk-Ska Fusion
1988 ● Van Halen —— OU812 ► Hard Rock
1993 ● ABBA —— More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits ► Euro-Pop
1993 ● Natalie Cole —— Take A Look ► Soul-Pop
1993 ● Guns N’ Roses —— The “Civil War” [EP] ► Hard Rock
1993 ● Rod Stewart —— Unplugged…And Seated ► Blues-Rock
1993 ● The Doobie Brothers —— Listen to the Music: The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers ► Pop-Rock
1994 ● The Beastie Boys —— Ill Communication ► Rap
1994 ● Jeru The Damaja —— The Sun Rises In The East ► East Coast Rap
1994 ● Jimmy Buffett —— Fruitcakes ► Folk-Rock
2004 ● Dark Tranquility —— Exposures – In Retrospect And Denial ► Heavy Metal/Melodic Death Metal
2004 ● Avril Lavigne —— Under My Skin ► Alt. Pop/Pop-punk
2011 ● Journey —— Eclipse ► AOR Rock

This Week’s Birthdays (May 17 – 23)

Happy Birthday this week to:

May 17
1921 ● Bob Merrill / (Henry Merrill Levan) → Pop and Broadway songwriter, wrote multiple hits, including “(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window” for Patti Page (#1, 1953) and “People” for Barbra Streisand (Adult Contemporary #1, 1964), died after a long illness on 2/17/1998, age 76
1934 ● Sonny Knight / (Joseph Coleman Smith) → R&B singer (“Confidential,” #17, R&B #8, 1956) and author of the novel The Day The Music Died (1981) about racism in the music industry, suffered a massive stroke in 1996 and died two years later on 9/5/1998, age 64
1938 ● Pervis Jackson → Original member and bass vocals for Grammy-winning Motown and later Atlantic R&B/soul The Spinners, “Then Came You” (#1, 1974) plus eleven other Top 20 hits in the 70s, continued touring with the group until his death from cancer on 8/18/2008, age 70
1941 ● Malcolm Hale → Guitar, horns and vocals for sunny folk-pop Spanky & Our Gang, “Sunday Will Never Be The Same” (#9, 1967), died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty home furnace on 10/30/1968, age 27
1942 ● Taj Mahal / (Henry St. Clair Fredericks) → Prominent multi-instrumentalist acoustic and electric folk-blues-country-reggae guitarist and songwriter, founded roots folk-rock Rising Sons with Ry Cooder, prolific solo career with over 30 studio and live albums, composer of film soundtracks, Grammy-winning best contemporary blues album Señor Blues (1997)
1944 ● Richard Schwartz → Vocals for white R&B/doo wop quartet The Quotations, “Imagination” (Top 40, 1961)
1944 ● Jesse Winchester / (James Ridout Winchester) → Draft-dodging American folk-pop singer/songwriter, “Say What” (#2, 1981), moved to Canada in 1967 and received citizenship in 1973, continued to record and perform until his death from bladder cancer on 4/11/2014, age 69
1949 ● Bill Bruford → Inimitable rock drummer, composer, bandleader, producer and record company executive, founding member of prog/art rock Yes, briefly with prog rock Genesis in early 70s, then prog/space-rock King Crimson, “Heartbeat” (Mainstream Rock #57, 1982) for 25 years, solo albums and side projects including UK, ABWH and Earthworks
1950 ● Howard Ashman → With songwriting team partner/composer Alan Menken, Academy Award-winning lyricist and producer for stage and screen, co-wrote “Under The Sea” from Disney‘s The Little Mermaid (1989), the title song to Beauty And The Beast (1991) and “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin (1992), died of AIDS on 3/14/1991, age 40
1952 ● Roy Adams → Drummer for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, “Couldn’t Get It Right” (#3, 1977)
1953 ● Lightnin’ Licks Johnson / (George Johnson) → Vocals and guitar for R&B/soul-disco-funk sibling group The Brothers Johnson, “Stomp!” (#7, R&B #1, 1980), solo
1955 ● David Townsend → EMI staff songwriter turned smooth soul singer and guitarist in the “quiet storm” trio Surface, “The First Time” (#1, R&B #1, 1990), found dead in his home on 10/26/2005, age 50
1958 ● Alan Rankine → Guitarist for post-punk New Romantic art-glam-dance-pop The Associates, “Party Fears Two” (UK #9, 1982), now college music lecturer
1959 ● Paul Di’Anno / (Paul Andrews) → Vocalist for Brit heavy metal Iron Maiden, “Flight Of Icarus” (Mainstream Rock #8, 1983), was fired in 1981 and pursued a moderately successful solo career and as a member of several hard rock project groups, including Gogmagog, Battlezone, Praying Mantis and Killers
1960 ● Simon Fuller → Record and TV producer, manager for the Spice Girls, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Will Young, Emma Bunton and others, creator of the Idol TV variety/contest series, first in the U.K. as Pop Idol and now with over 50 other versions including American Idol, Canadian Idol, and World Idol
1961 ● Enya / (Eithne Ni Bhraonain) → Vocals for Celtic folk-pop sibling group Clannad, then solo new age dreamy synth-pop, “Orinoco Flow” (#24, 1989) and “Only Time” (#10, 2001)
1962 ● Tracey Bryn → With sister Melissa Belland, frontgal and vocals in college rock/indie pop-rock Voice Of The Beehive, “Scary Kisses” (Mainstream Top 40 #32, 1996), daughter of Bruce Belland of 50s pop vocal quartet The Four Preps
1963 ● Page McConnell → Keyboards, vocals and songwriting for improv-rock jam band Phish, “Free” (Mainstream Rock #11, 1996) plus solo and side projects
1965 ● Homer O’Dell → Guitarist for new jack swing R&B/soul-pop sextet Mint Condition, “What Kind Of Man Would I Be?” (#17, 1996)
1965 ● Trent Reznor → Founder, leader and songwriter for industrial rock Nine Inch Nails, “The Day The World Went Away” (#17, 1999)
1966 ● Jan Kincaid → Founding member, drums and keyboards for acid-jazz/funk The Brand New Heavies, “Sometimes” (UK #11, 1997)
1967 ● Simon Friend → Guitarist for alt folk-Celtic rock The Levellers, “Just The One” (UK #12, 1995)
1968 ● Dave Abbruzzese → Drummer (1991-94) for post-grunge/alt rock kings Pearl Jam, “Even Flow” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1992), solo
1970 ● Darnell Van Rensalier → Vocals for R&B/urban contemporary soul quartet Shai, “If I Ever Fall In Love” (#2, 1992)
1970 ● Jordan Knight → Singer in early 90s teen-pop boy band New Kids On The Block, “Step By Step” (#1, 1990)
1971 ● Vernie Bennett / (Vernette Bennett) → Vocals for Brit R&B/dance-pop singer for girl-group Eternal, “Stay” (#19, UK #3, 1993)
1973 ● Joshua Homme → Founding member, vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter for stoner metal Queens Of The Stone Age, “No One Knows” (#51, Mainstream Rock #5, 2002), later with supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, “New Fang” (Alt Rock #10, 2009)
1974 ● Andrea Corr → With two sisters and brother, lead vocals in Irish folk-pop-rock sibling act The Corrs, “Breathless” (Adult Top 40 #7, 2000), solo and actress
1976 ● Kandi Burruss → Vocals for female R&B/dance-pop quartet Xscape, “Understanding” (#8, 1993)

May 18
1911 ● Big Joe Turner / (Joseph Vernon Turner) → Premier blues “shouter” and boogie-woogie, jump blues and early rock ‘n’ roll vocalist, “Shake, Rattle And Roll” (#22, R&B #1, 1954), died from a kidney failure on 11/24/1985, age 74
1912 ● Perry Como / (Pierino Ronald Como) → Small town barber turned pre-rock ‘n’ roll crooner, then Grammy-winning smooth easy listening/pop singer, “Catch A Falling Star” (#1, 1958) and 19 other Pop Top 25 singles plus nine Adult Contemporary Top 10 hits, died in his sleep on 5/12/2001, age 88
1922 ● Kai Winding / (Kai Chresten Winding) → Danish-American jazz trombonist who played with every major jazz and be bop artist in small and large groups over a 40-year career, from Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton in the 40s to Quincy Jones and Chuck Mangione in the 70s, founded several of his own groups and collaborated with J. J. Johnson in the 50s, was the first to record “Time Is On My Side,” which later became the first US Top 10 hit for The Rolling Stones (#6, 1964), died following a heart attack during surgery for a brain tumor on 5/6/1983, age 60.
1933 ● Fred Smith / (Fred Sledge Smith) → R&B songwriter and record producer, co-wrote several 50-60s hits for doo wop The Olympics, including novelty song “Western Movies” (#8, R&B #7, 1958) and dance-craze “(Baby) Hully Bully” (#72, 1960), produced hits for Bob & Earl (“Harlem Shuffle,” #44, 1964) and Jackie Lee (“The Duck,” #14, 1965), formed his own label, MoSoul, in 1967 and produced two albums for Bill Cosby, worked briefly for Stax Records until it closed in 1975, left the music industry thereafter and died from undisclosed causes on 7/29/2005, age 72
1939 ● Gary Paxton / (Larry Wayne Stevens) → Grammy-winning, eccentric gospel musician whose career opened as a teenage pop singer with Clyde “Skip” Battin (later in The Byrds) in the duo Skip & Flip (“It Was I,” #11, 1959), later recorded with the Hollywood Argyles (“Alley-Oop,” #1, 1960) and produced “Monster Mash” (#1, 1962) for Bobby “Boris” Pickett, converted to Christianity in the 70s, won Best Inspirational Album award in 1975, survived an assassination attempt by hitmen in 1980, retired in 1999 and died at home on 7/16/2016, age 77
1942 ● Rodney Dillard → Progressive and influential bluegrass guitar and dobro player with brother Doug in duo country-rock The Dillards
1944 ● Albert Hammond → Brit-Gibraltarian pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “It Never Rains In Southern California” (#5, 1973)
1945 ● Scar Lopez / (Richard Lopez) → Founding member and vocals for pioneering “East Side Sound” of L.A., Mexican-American one hit wonder, brown-eyed-soul/garage rock quartet Cannibal And The Headhunters (“Land Of A Thousand Dances,” #30, 1965), died from lung cancer on 7/30/2010, age 65
1946 ● Bruce Gilbert → Guitarist for long-lived post-punk Wire, “Eardrum Buzz” (Modern Rock #2, 1989)
1946 ● George Alexander → Bassist for eclectic rock ‘n’ roll/proto-punk cult band The Flamin’ Groovies, album Shake Some Action reached #142 on the Billboard 200 chart
1949 ● Bill Wallace → Bassist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), now college music instructor
1949 ● Rick Wakeman → Renowned keyboardist and composer, started as sessionman for Black Sabbath, David Bowie and others in the 60s, joined folk-prog-rock The Strawbs in 1970, moved to archetypal prog rock Yes, “Roundabout” (#13, 1971), successful solo career and film score composing
1950 ● Mark Mothersbaugh → Multi-instrumental musician, composer, singer and founding member of quirky 80s pop-rock Devo, “Whip It” (#14, 1980), also wrote musical scores for dozens of films and television shows in the 90s and 00s in music production company Mutato Muzika with his former Devo bandmates
1952 ● George Strait → The “King of Country,” traditionalist country, honky tonk and Western swing singer, songwriter and guitarist with more (57) Country #1 hits than any other artist, including “All My Ex’s Live In Texas” (Country #1, 1987)
1953 ● Butch Tavares / (Feliciano Tavares) → Vocals for five brother R&B/funk-disco Tavares, “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” (#15, 1976)
1954 ● Wreckless Eric / (Eric Goulden) → Singer, songwriter and Stiff Records artist, had the punk classic UK airplay hit “I’d Go The Whole Wide World” (1978)
1956 ● Jim Moginie / (James Moginie) → Australian singer and musician best known for founding politically-outspoken Aussie rock Midnight Oil (“Beds Are Burning,” #17, Mainstream Rock #6, 1988), the band’s album Diesel And Dust (1987) ranked #13 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Best Albums of the 80s
1957 ● Michael Cretu → Romanian-born founder, frontman, composer and creative genius behind new age electronic/world music Enigma, “Return To Innocence” (#4, 1994)
1958 ● Toyah Ann Wilcox → Brit actress and singer, appeared in the punk film Jubilee (1977) and in The Who‘s mod film Quadrophenia (1979), fronted punk-rock Toyah, “It’s A Mystery” (1981)
1961 ● Hugh Whittaker → Drummer for Brit jangle-guitar pop-rock The Housemartins, “Caravan Of Love” (UK #1, 1986)
1961 ● Russell Senior → Guitar and violin for alt rock/Britpop Pulp, “Common People” (UK #2, 1995), left in 1997 to pursue other projects and sell antique glassware
1969 ● Martika / (Martika Marta Marrero) → Cuban-American teen-pop/bubblegum singer, “Toy Soldiers” (#1, 1989)
1970 ● Billy Howerdel → Guitar technician for alt rock Tool, “Schism” (Mainstream Rock #2, 2001), then founded alt-metal-fused-with-art rock A Perfect Circle, “Weak And Powerless” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2004)
1975 ● Jack Johnson → Hawaii born professional surfer turned acoustic soft beach rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Upside Down” (#38, Adult Top 40 #11, 2006)
1982 ● Eric West → 90s hip hop singer turned model and actor, returned to music with a 2010 solo album and the single “Gone” featuring Kanye West

May 19
1894 ● Moms Mabley / (Loretta Mary Aitken) → Hugely successful stand-up comedienne from the vaudeville era with 17 charting albums in the 60s and one hit, a cover of “Abraham, Martin And John” (#35, R&B #18, 1969), for a time making her the oldest living person to have a Billboard Top 40 hit, died from heart failure on 5/23/1975, age 82
1932 ● Alma Cogan / (Alma Cohen) → 50s and early 60s rising star Brit traditional pop female vocalist, “Dreamboat” (UK #1, 1955) plus 20 other UK Top 40 hits, died of stomach cancer on 10/26/1966, age 34
1940 ● Mickey Newbury / (Milton Sims Newbury, Jr.) → Prolific country music songwriter with dozens of hit songs performed by others, including Top 20 songs on four charts simultaneously, “Here Comes the Rain, Baby” (Eddy Arnold, Country #4, 1968), “Sweet Memories” (Andy Williams, Easy Listening #4, 1968), “Time Is A Thief” (Solomon Burke, R&B #15, 1968) and “Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was In)” (Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, Pop #5, 1968), plus a solo hit single “An American Trilogy” (#26, 1972), died 9/29/2002, age 62
1945 ● Pete Townshend / (Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend) → Guitarist, songwriter, rock opera composer and vocalist for Brit rock ‘n’ roll The Who, “I Can See For Miles” (#9, 1967) and 14 other US Top 40 singles, rock opera albums Tommy (1969) and Quadrophenia (1973), Grammy-winning solo career, “Face The Face” (#26, Mainstream Rock #3, 1985)
1947 ● Jerry Hyman → Trombonist for jazz-rock/pop-rock horn band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969)
1947 ● Paul Brady → Irish folk-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist with The Johnstons and Planxty, then long solo career, “Nobody Knows” (1990)
1947 ● Gregory Herbert → Alto saxophone for jazz-rock/pop-rock fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (#2, 1969), died of a drug overdose on 1/31/1978, age 30
1947 ● Steve Currie → Bassist for proto-glam-rock T. Rex, “Bang A Gong (Get It On)” (#10, 1971), sessions, died in a car crash on 4/28/1981, age 33
1948 ● Tom Scott → Grammy-winning jazz-pop-rock multi-reedist, composer, session musician and bandleader, co-founder of the Blues Brothers Band and jazz-rock The L. A. Express, which backed Joni Mitchell, Carole King, George Harrison and others, solo “Tom Cat” (R&B #93, 1975), composer of film soundtracks and TV shows, including the theme song for Starsky And Hutch
1948 ● Paul Williams / (Paul S. Williams) → Music journalist and writer, founder and editor of college-rag turned national publication Crawdaddy, the first journal entirely devoted to in-depth commentary about rock music and the career-starter for a generation of rock writers and critics, also wrote articles for Rolling Stone and other rock publications and some two dozen books on a variety of subjects, including three about Bob Dylan, suffered brain trauma in a 1995 bicycle accident and died from complications of resulting dementia on 3/27/2013, age 64.
1949 ● Dusty Hill / (Joe Michael Hill) → Bass, vocals and keyboards for venerable Texas blues/boogie rock trio ZZ Top, “Legs” (#8, 1984)
1949 ● Larry Wallis → English hard rock guitarist and songwriter with a long resume, including co-founder of late-60s pop-rock The Entire Sioux Nation and original member of heavy metal trio Motörhead during 1975, in between played with ex-T. Rex percussionist Steve Took‘s Shagrat, Blodwyn Pig, briefly with start-up UFO and the first incarnation of power pop/proto-punk Pink Fairies, after Motörhead wrote and recorded the punk classic “Police Car” in 1977 and became an in-house writer and producer for Stiff Records into the 80s, played in various collaborations before rejoining the Pink Fairies in 1987, released three albums with The Deviants and wrote for Dr. Feelgood in the 90s, continued working alongside other top names in British rock through to the 10s and in 2017 issued The Sound Of Speed, a collection of rare and unreleased tracks, died from undisclosed causes on 9/19/2019, age 70.
1950 ● Mike Wedgewood → Bassist for Brit prog/avant-garde rock Curved Air, “Back Street Luv” (UK #4, 1974)
1950 ● Romeo Challenger → Drummer for Brit rock ‘n’ roll revival Showaddywaddy, “Under The Moon Of Love” (UK #1, 1976) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1951 ● Joey Ramone / (Jeffrey Hyman) → Cultural icon, lead vocals and songwriter for seminal punk rock band The Ramones, “Rockaway Beach” (#66, 1978), died from lymphatic cancer on 4/15/2001, age 49
1952 ● Barbara Joyce Lomas → Vocals for 70s R&B/soul-funk-disco B.T. Express, “Do It (‘Til Your Satisfied)” (#2, R&B #1, 1974)
1952 ● Grace Jones / (Grace Mendoza) → Severely androgynous “Queen of the Gay Discos” and R&B/dance-pop-disco diva, “Pull Up To The Bumper” (R&B #5, Dance/Club #2, 1981), actress
1954 ● Phil Rudd / (Phillip Rudd) → Drummer for Aussie power chord hard rockers AC/DC, “For Those About To Rock” (Mainstream Rock #4, 1982), left in 1983
1956 ● Teddy Bear Ware / (Martyn Ware) → Founding member of late-70s synth-pop pioneers The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (#1, 1981), left to form 80s synth-pop Heaven 17, “Temptation” (UK #2, 1983) and “Contenders” (Dance/Club #6, 1987)
1962 ● Iain Harvie → Founder, guitarist and songwriter for pop and country-rock Del Amitri, “Roll To Me” (#10, 1995)
1963 ● Yazz / (Yasmin Evans) → Brit dance-pop singer often credited as Yazz And The Plastic Population, “The Only Way Is Up” (#96, Dance/Club #2, 1988)
1965 ● Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot → Vocals for Brit teen-pop blue-eyed soul Curiosity Killed The Cat, “Down To Earth” (UK #3, 1986)
1968 ● Paul Hartnoll → With brother Phil, Brit electronic dance music duo Orbital, “The Box” (UK #11, 1996)
1970 ● Stuart Cable → Original drummer for Welsh alt rock/trad rock Stereophonics, “Have A Nice Day” (Modern Rock #26, UK #5, 2001), left in 2003 and hosted cable TV show in Wales and BBC Radio Wales, choked to death on 6/7/2010
1972 ● Jenny Berggren → Singer and songwriter for Swedish pop-rockers Ace Of Base, “All That She Wants” (#2, 1993)
1992 ● Sam Smith / (Samuel Frederick Smith) → Four-time Grammy-winning R&B/pop singer with the 2014 Song of the Year, “Stay With Me” (#2, UK #1, 2014)

May 20
1901 ● Jimmy Blythe / (James Louis Blythe) → Chicago R&B/blues and boogie woogie piano player credited with over 200 piano roll tunes and for recording one of the first full-length boogie-woogie songs (“Chicago Stomp,” 1924), died from meningitis on 6/14/1931, age 30
1925 ● Vic Ames / (Victor Urick) → Chicago R&B/blues and boogie woogie piano player credited with over 200 piano roll tunes and for recording one of the first full-length boogie-woogie songs (“Chicago Stomp,” 1924), died from meningitis on 6/14/1931, age 30
1940 ● Shorty Long / (Frederick Earl Long) → Overlooked Motown R&B/pop singer, “Here Comes The Judge” (#8, R&B #4, 1968), producer and song craftsman, drowned in a Detroit River boating accident on 6/29/1969
1942 ● Jill Jackson → Vocals in pop duo Paul & Paula, “Hey Paula” (#1, 1963)
1944 ● Joe Cocker / (John Robert Cocker) → Gravelly-voiced, blue-eyed soul pub-rock/blues-pop-rock vocalist and hard partying rock star, “A Little Help From My Friends” (#68, UK #1, 1968), “The Letter” (#7, 1970) and duet with Jennifer Warnes, “Up Where We Belong” (#1, 1982), died from lung cancer on 12/22/14, age 70
1946 ● Cher / (Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre) → Singer and TV and film actress, first with husband Sonny Bono in pop-rock duo Sonny & Cher, “I Got You Babe” (#1, 1965) and later as a five-decade solo act with 33 charting singles (22 in the Top 4), including “Believe” (#1, 1999)
1950 ● Stephen Alex Broughton → Drummer for Brit blues-rock then prog rock Edgar Broughton Band, “Apache Dropout” (UK #33, 1970)
1950 ● Andy Johns → Brit sound engineer and record producer, worked on albums by Free (Highway, 1970), The Rolling Stones (Exile On Main Street, 1972), Television (Marquee Moon, 1977) and many others, died from complications of a stomach ulcer on 4/7/2013, age 62
1952 ● Warren Cann → Drummer for New Wave electro-synth-pop pioneers Ultravox, “Vienna” (UK #2, 1980) and 15 other UK Top 40 singles
1954 ● Guy Hoffman / (Guy Edward Hoffman) → Drummer for roots rock The BoDeans, “Closer To Free” (#16, 1993)
1954 ● Jimmy Henderson → Guitarist for Southern raunch-rock Black Oak Arkansas, “Jim Dandy To The Rescue” (Top 30, 1973)
1955 ● Steve George → Keyboardist for 80s atmospheric pop-rock quartet Mr. Mister, “Kyrie” (#1, 1985)
1958 ● Jane Wiedlin → Guitar, songwriting and vocals for top New Wave pop-rock all-girl group The Go-Go’s, “We Got The Beat (#2, 1982) and solo, “Rush Hour” (#9, 1988)
1959 ● Susan Cowsill → Sub-teen vocalist for family pop band The Cowsills, “The Rain, The Park And Other Things” (#2, 1967) and theme song from Broadway musical Hair, (#2, 1969), inspiration for the TV show The Partridge Family, backing vocalist for various artists in the 80s, then formed alt country-rock supergroup Continental Drifters in 1991, solo
1961 ● Dan Wilson → Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for post-grunge alt rock Semisonic, wrote “Closing Time” (Modern Rock #4, 1998), producer
1961 ● Nick Heyward → Guitar and vocals for New Wave funk-pop Haircut 100, “Love Plus One” (#37, 1982)
1963 ● Nasher / (Brian Nash) → Backing vocals and guitarist for Brit New Wave pop/rock Frankie Goes To Hollywood, “Relax” (#10, 1984)
1964 ● Patti Russo / (Patricia Russo) → Singer/songwriter and actress best known as the female lead vocalist with Meat Loaf‘s touring band, Neverland Express from 1993 to 2013
1966 ● Tom Gorman → Guitarist for alt pop-rock Belly, “Feed The Tree” (#1, Modern Rock, 1993)
1967 ● Kit Clark → With brother Gary Clark, founding member and vocals for Scottish pop-rock Danny Wilson, “Mary’s Prayer” (#23, Adult Contemporary #6, 1987)
1972 ● Busta Rhymes / (Trevor Smith, Jr.) → Grammy-nominated, idiosyncratic speed rapper, first with Leaders Of The New School, “What’s Next” (Rap #1, 1993), then solo, “Woo-Hah!! Got You All In Check ” (#8, Rap #1, 1996)
1981 ● Sean Conlon → Vocals for Brit dance-pop boy band 5ive (aka Five), “When The Lights Go Out” (#10, 1998)
1984 ● Naturi Naughton → Vocals for R&B/dance-teen-pop 3LW (aka 3 Little Women), “No More (Baby I’ma Do Right)” (#23, 2001)

May 21
1904 ● Fats Waller / (Thomas Wright Waller) → Jazz and ragtime pianist, co-wrote “Ain’t Misbehavin'” (1929), the oft-covered classic now included in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, died 12/15/1943 from pneumonia, age 39
1926 ● Al Grossman / (Albert Bernard Grossman) → Chicago folk club owner and later promoter and manager for Bob Dylan (1962-70), Peter, Paul & Mary, The Band, Paul Butterfield, Janis Joplin and others, built Bearsville Studios near Woodstock, NY and founded Bearsville Records, died of a heart attack while flying to London on the Concorde to sign unknown British rock singer on 1/25/1986, age 59
1928 ● Tom Donahue → Rock Hall of Fame-inducted pioneering “free format” FM rock DJ on KSAN (San Francisco) and other stations, night club owner, concert producer/promoter, record label executive, died of a heart attack on 4/28/1975
1940 ● Tony Sheridan / (Anthony McGinnity) → Britbeat pop-rock bandleader, frontman for The Beat Brothers and collaborator with The Beatles in Hamburg in the early 60s, recorded several tracks with the Fab Four, including “My Bonnie” in June 1961, which reached #5 in West Germany, retired from the music business in the mid-70s, died following heart surgery on 2/16/2013, age 72
1941 ● Ronald Isley → Vocals for six-decade, multi-generation R&B/soul family group The Isley Brothers, “That Lady, Pts. 1-2” (#6, 1973)
1943 ● Hilton Valentine → Guitarist for British Invasion hard/blues-rock The Animals, “House Of The Rising Sun” (#1, 1964)
1943 ● John Dalton → Bass guitarist for British Invasion pop-rock The Kinks, “Lola” (#9, 1970), replaced Pete Quaiffe in 1969, left the band in 1976 and periodically appears with the Kast Off Kinks
1943 ● Vincent Crane / (Vincent Cheesman) → Keyboards and songwriter for Brit psych-rock The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, “Fire” (#12, 1987), left with bandmate Carl Palmer to form prog/art rock Atomic Rooster, “The Devil’s Answer” (UK #4, 1971), died from an overdose of painkillers on 2/14/1989, age 45
1944 ● Marcie Blaine / (Marcia Blank) → One hit wonder pop singer, “Bobby’s Girl” (#3, 1962)
1947 ● Bill Champlin → Singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and frontman for psych-rock Sons Of Champlin, joined pop-rock/horn band Chicago, “You’re The Inspiration” (#3, 1984) in 1981 and has played and toured with the band since, also solo and side projects
1948 ● Leo Sayer / (Gerard Hugh Sayer) → Grammy-winning blue-eyed R&B/pop-disco singer, “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (#1, 1977)
1954 ● Marc Ribot → Multi-genre guitarist and composer, session work for dozens of artists from Norah Jones to Elvis Costello to Tom Waits, member of New York City avant-garde The Lounge Lizards
1955 ● Stan Lynch → Drummer for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, “Free Fallin'” (#7, 1989)
1963 ● Kevin Shields → Founding member and guitarist for art-prog-rock, “shoe-gazing” pioneers My Bloody Valentine, “Only Shallow” (Modern Rock #27, 1992)
1963 ● Tim Lever → Keyboards for New Wave dance-pop Hi-NRG group Dead Or Alive, “You Spin Me ‘Round (Like A Record)” (#11, 1985)
1964 ● Martin Blunt → Bass for “Madchester” alt rock The Charlatans UK, “The Only One I Know” (Mainstream Rock #37, 1991)
1972 ● The Notorious B.I.G. / (Christopher George Latore Wallace) → Street hustling drug dealer turned East Coast hip hop superstar, “Mo Money Mo Problems” (#1, 1997), murdered in a drive-by shooting in L.A. on 3/9/1997, age 24.
1975 ● Lee Gaze → Lead guitarist for Welsh alt hard rock Lostprophets, “Last Train Home” (Mainstream Rock #10, 2004)
1978 ● Adam Wade Gontier → Lead singer and guitarist in Canadian punk/metal Three Days Grace, “Just Like You” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2004)
1985 ● Mutya Buena → Singer in Brit multi-racial pop girl group Sugababes, “Hole In The Head” (Dance/Club #1, 2004), quit the group in 2005 for solo, “Real Girl” (UK #2, 2006)

May 22
1924 ● Charles Aznavour / (Shahnour Aznavourian) → The “French Frank Sinatra”, world-known French-Armenian music hall singer, songwriter, actor and diplomat, “She” (UK #1, 1974)
1930 ● Jimmy Keyes → Founding member and first 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 7/22/1995, age 65
1937 ● Kenny Ball → Brit traditional jazz trumpeter and bandleader, Kenny Ball & His Jazzman, “Midnight In Moscow” (#2, 1962)
1941 ● Bruce Rowlands → Drummer in Joe Cocker‘s backing group The Grease Band, then joined renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (UK #21, 1969)
1941 ● Jackie Jackson / (Jackie Landry Jackson) → 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, became a stenographer in the Bronx (NY) court system following her music career, died from breast cancer on 12/23/1997, age 56
1942 ● Calvin Simon → Vocals for R&B/doo wop The Parliaments, “(I Wanna) Testify” (#20, R&B #3, 1967), then R&B/soul-funk (“P-Funk”) giants Parliament-Funkadelic, “One Nation Under A Groove” (#31, 1978)
1949 ● Chris Butler → Lead guitarist and chief songwriter for New Wave pop-rock The Waitresses, “I Know What Boys Like” (Mainstream Rock #23, 1982), solo and record producer/executive
1950 ● Bernie Taupin → Lyricist and renowned songwriting partner of Elton John with dozens of collaborative hits, also co-wrote Jefferson Starship‘s “We Built This City” (#1, 1985), Heart‘s “These Dreams” ( #1, 1986), and songs for Rod Stewart, Cher, The Motels, John Waite, Alice Cooper and multiple others
1954 ● Jerry Dammers → Founding member and keyboard play for ska revival/punk rock The Specials, “Ghost Town” (UK #1, 1981), producer and co-founder of 2 Tone Records
1955 ● Iva Davies → Welsh singer/songwriter, guitarist, producer and film score composer, frontman for Aussie New Wave synth-pop/pub rock Icehouse, “Electric Blue” (#7, 1987)
1955 ● Mary Black → Irish folk and contemporary pop-rock-blues singer and songwriter, “Columbus” (1989)
1959 ● Morrissey / (Steven Patrick Morrissey) → Vocalist and lyricist, frontman for definitive Brit indie rock The Smiths, “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” (UK #10, 1984), solo, “Suedehead” (UK #5, 1988) and over 15 other UK Top 40 singles
1962 ● Jesse Valenzuela → Vocals and guitar for power-pop Gin Blossoms, “Found Out About You” (Modern Rock #1, 1994), solo
1966 ● Johnny Gill → R&B/hip hop “new jack swing” singer, “Super Love” (#29, 1983), joined New Edition, “If It Isn’t Love” (#7, 1988), returned to solo recording, “Rub You The Right Way” (#3, 1990)
1967 ● Dan Roberts → Bassist for Canadian alt pop-rock Crash Test Dummies, “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” (#4, 1993)
1979 ● Russell Pritchard → Bass guitarist for Brit indie rock The Zutons, “Valerie” (UK #9, 2006)
1981 ● Su-Elise Nash → Vocals in “UK urban” R&B/dance-pop trio Mis-Teeq, “One Night Stand” (Dance/Club #4, 2004), now a performing arts school director

May 23
1910 ● Artie Shaw / (Arthur Jacob Arshawsky) → Big Band-era bandleader, composer and one of the most-renowned clarinetists of all time, his version of Cole Porter‘s “Begin The Beguine” (#3, 1938) is one of the most popular and enduring songs of the Swing Era, retired from touring in the early 50s, returned briefly in the mid-80s and died of natural causes on 12/30/2004, age 94
1918 ● Bumps Blackwell / (Robert Blackwell) → Early rock ‘n’ roll and soul music producer, Specialty Records executive, managed Little Richard and co-wrote several hits, including “Long Tall Sally” (#6, R&B #1, 1956), guided multiple other R&B/soul acts including Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Sly & The Family Stone, died of pneumonia on 1/27/1985, age 66
1921 ● Humphrey Lyttleton → Jazz bandleader, trumpeter, composer and BBC Radio 4 host, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, died of an aortic aneurysm on 4/25/2008, age 86
1925 ● Mac Wiseman / (Malcolm Bell Wiseman) → Known as “The Voice with a Heart,” former radio DJ and guitarist for Bill Monroe‘s Foggy Mountain Boys, started a solo career in 1951 and became a legend in bluegrass and country music with over 60 albums and a knack for pulling from other genres through his versions of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (Country #10, 1955), the R&B standard “I Hear You Knockin’,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Never Going Back Again” and others, also recorded with jazz great Woody Herman and folkie John Prine, co-founded the Country Music Association (CMA) in 1958 to save country music from the rise of rock ‘n’ roll, received a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) fellowship in 1993 honoring his contributions to traditional American music and arts, died from kidney failure on 2/24/2019, age 93.
1928 ● Rosemary Clooney → Immensely popular 40s-50s adult pop singer, “Mangos” (#10, 1957), stage and film actress, died of lung cancer on 7/29/2002, age 74
1933 ● Gary Burden → Grammy-winning designer of music album covers for many rock and pop luminaries, including The Doors, the Eagles, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne, as well as 40 covers for Neil Young beginning with After The Gold Rush (1970) and continuing for over 35 years, died from undisclosed causes on 3/7/2018, age 84
1934 ● Robert Moog → Keyboard musician and inventor of the synthesizer, built his first electronic instrument – the Theremin – at age 14 and in 1970 produced the MiniMoog “the first compact, easy-to-use synthesizer,” died on 8/21/2005 four months after being diagnosed with brain cancer, age 71
1941 ● General Norman Johnson → Frontman and lead singer for R&B/soul-pop Chairmen Of The Board, “Give Me Just A Little More Time” (#3, 1970), left for a successful songwriting career, including the Grammy-winning “Patches” for Clarence Carter (#4, R&B #2, 1971) and “Want Ads” for Honey Cone (#1, R&B #1, 1971), died from lung cancer on 10/13/2010, age 69
1944 ● Tiki Fulwood / (Raymond Fulwood) → Drummer for R&B/soul-funk (“P-Funk”) giants Parliament-Funkadelic, “One Nation Under A Groove” (#31, 1978), died from stomach cancer on 10/29/1979, age 35
1945 ● Misty Morgan → With husband Jack Blanchard, one-half of the country-pop vocal duo Jack & Misty, scored two crossover hits, including the Grammy-nominated “Tennessee Bird Walk” (#23, Country #1, 1970) among 15 country chart hits, continued to record and perform without chart success into the 00s
1946 ● Danny Klein → Bassist for boogie-blues-rock ‘n roll bar band J. Geils Band, wrote “Centerfold” (#1, 1982)
1946 ● Ruth Underwood / (Ruth Komanoff) → Marimba, vibraphone, xylophone and general percussionist for Frank Zappa and his backing band, The Mothers Of Invention (“Brown Shoes Don’t Make It,” 1967) in the 60s and 70s, also did session work for pop-rock Ambrosia, jazz-fusion George Duke and others, retired from music in the 80s
1947 ● Bill Hunt → Horns and keyboards for pop-rock Electric Light Orchestra, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (#4, 1979) and 26 other Top 40 hits
1953 ● Rick Fenn → Guitarist and vocals for soft pop-rock 10cc, “I’m Not In Love” (#2, 1975), session work with Mike Oldfield, Rick Wakeman and others
1955 ● Jim Mankey → Guitarist with post-punk alt rock Concrete Blonde, “Joey” (Modern Rock #1, 1990)
1955 ● Thereza Bazar → Singer for Brit cabaret-pop Guys N’ Dolls, “There’s A Whole Lot Of Loving” (UK #2, 1975), then formed pop duo Dollar with David Van Day, “Mirror, Mirror” (UK #4, 1981), solo
1957 ● Jimmy McShane → Irish-born frontman and lead singer for Italian New Wave synth-pop Baltimora, “Tarzan Boy” (#13, UK #6, 1985), died from AIDS-related causes on 3/29/1995, age 37
1965 ● Simon Gilbert → Drummer in Britpop indie rock Suede, “Trash” (UK #3, 1996)
1967 ● Junior Waite / (Frederick Waite, Jr.) → Vocals for ska/reggae band Musical Youth, “Pass The Dutchie” (#10, 1982)
1967 ● Phil Selway → Drummer for alt/indie rock Radiohead, “There There” (Modern Rock #14, 2003)
1970 ● Matt Flynn → Drummer for alt funk-rock Maroon 5, “She Will Be Loved” (#5, 2004) since 2006, previously played with The B-52’s, Chicago and others
1973 ● Maxwell / (Gerald Maxwell Rivera) → Leading R&B/neo-soul singer, “Fortunate” (#4, R&B #1, 1999)
1974 ● Jewel / (Jewel Kilcher) → Singer/songwriter and guitarist, “You Were Meant For Me” (#3, 1997)
1974 ● Richard Jones → Bassist for Welsh alt rock/trad rock Stereophonics, “Have A Nice Day” (Modern Rock #26, UK #5, 2001)
1978 ● Mad Dog / (Scott Raynor) → Drummer for pop-punk Blink-182, “All The Small Things” (#6, 2000)
1983 ● Heidi Range → Original member and vocalist for Brit dance-pop vocal trio Atomic Kitten, “Whole Again” (UK #1, 2000), then multi-racial pop girl group Sugababes, “Hole In The Head” (Dance/Club #1, 2004)