Albums Released This Week (August 21 – 27)

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):

August 21


● Etta James —— Tell Mama ► Soul >> 1968
● The Nice —— Nice ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1969
● Black Rose —— Black Rose ► Pop-Rock >> 1980
● Chillliwack —— Wanna Be A Star ► Hard Rock >> 1981
● The Psychedelic Furs —— Mirror Moves ► Post-Punk New Wave >> 1984
● Metallica —— The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited ► Heavy Metal >> 1987
● Various Artists —— Dirty Dancing [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Jethro Tull —— Rock Island ► Prog Rock >> 1989
● Alice In Chains —— Facelift ► Heavy Metal/Grunge Metal >> 1990
● Prince —— Graffiti Bridge ► Funk-Pop >> 1990
● Jane’s Addiction —— Ritual De Lo Habitual ► Alt. Rock >> 1990
● New Order —— (the rest of) New Order ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Rainbow —— Stranger To Us All ► Hard Rock >> 1995
● Palace Music —— Viva Last Blues ► Indie Rock/Country-Rock >> 1995
● Oasis —— Be Here Now ► Alt. Pop-Rock/Britpop >> 1997
● Paul McCartney —— Liverpool Sound Collage ► Electronica/Ambient >> 2000
● John Waite —— Figure In A Landscape ► Power Pop >> 2001
● The Damned —— Grave Disorder ► Goth Rock >> 2001
● Slade —— Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology ► Hard Rock >> 2006
● Caribou —— Andorra ► Dream Pop >> 2007
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Last Of A Dyin’ Breed’ ► Southern Rock >> 2012

August 22


● Herbie Hancock —— Man-Child ► Fusion >> 1975
● Manfred Mann’s Earth Band —— Nightingales & Bombers ► Pop-Rock >> 1975
● Dennis Wilson —— Pacific Ocean Blue ► Pop-Rock >> 1977
● Depeche Mode —— Construction Time Again ► Synth-Pop >> 1983
● Let’s Active —— Every Dog Has His Day ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1988
● L.A. Guns —— Cocked & Loaded ► Heavy Metal >> 1989
● Jefferson Airplane —— Jefferson Airplane ► Arena Rock >> 1989
● Portishead —— Dummy ► Trip-Hop >> 1994
● Marvin Gaye —— Anthology ► Soul – Motown >> 1995
● King Crimson —— B’Boom: Official Bootleg – Live In Arentina ► Prog Rock >> 1995
● The Gathering —— Mandylion ► Alt Rock/Prog Metal >> 1995
● Styx —— Styx Greatest Hits ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1995
● Sparks —— Balls ► Glam Rock >> 2000
● Buju Banton —— Unchained Spirit ► Dancehall Reggae >> 2000
● Aldo Nova —— The Best Of Aldo Nova ► Glam Rock >> 2006
● Gov’t Mule —— High & Mighty ► Southern Rock/Jam Rock >> 2006
● The Marshall Tucker Band —— Live On Long Island 04-18-80 ► Southern Rock >> 2006
● Deadsy —— Phantasmagore ► Synth Rock/Nu Metal >> 2006

August 23


● Jimi Hendrix Experience —— Are You Experienced? ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1967
● Fleetwood Mac —— Mr. Wonderful ► Blues-Rock >> 1968
● Tygers Of Pang Yang —— Wild Cat ► Heavy Metal >> 1980
● Yazoo —— Upstairs At Eric’s ► Synth-Pop >> 1982
● Ratt —— Ratt [EP] ► Glam Metal >> 1983
● Frank Zappa —— Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger ► Art Rock/Contemporary Orchestral >> 1984
● Diana Ross —— Eaten Alive ► Smooth Soul >> 1985
● Various Artists —— Now That’s What I Call Music 7 ► Rock >> 1986
● Bad Company —— Dangerous Age ► Hard Rock >> 1988
● Jane’s Addiction —— Nothing’s Shocking ► Alt. Rock >> 1988
● Jeff Buckley —— Grace ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Dinosaur Jr. —— Without A Sound ► Alt. Rock >> 1994
● Symphony X —— The Damnation Game ► Heavy Metal/Prog Metal >> 1995
● Gardenian —— Soulburner ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1999
● Yes —— The Word Is Live ► Prog Rock >> 2005
● The Human League —— Credo ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 2011

August 24


● Ben E. King —— Young Boy Blues ► Soul >> 1964
● The Ventures —— Horse, The ► Rock n Roll Instrumental >> 1968
● Jeff Beck Group —— Truth ► Blues-Rock >> 1968
● Aretha Franklin —— Spirit In The Dark ► Soul >> 1970
● R.E.M. —— Chronic Town [EP] ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1982
● Rainbow —— Bent Out Of Shape ► Hard Rock >> 1983
● Mark Knopfler —— Cal [Sndtrk] ► Roots Rock >> 1984
● John Cougar Mellencamp —— The Lonesome Jubilee ► Roots Rock >> 1987
● Corey Hart —— Young Man Running ► Pop-Rock >> 1988
● Squeeze —— Frank ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1989
● Kylie Minogue —— Greatest Hits ► Dance-Pop >> 1992
● Tha Alkaholics —— 21 & Over ► West Coast Rap >> 1993
● Various Artists —— Bob Dylan The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (Disc 1) ► Folk-Rock >> 1993
● Annihilator —— Set The World On Fire ► Thrash Metal >> 1993
● Shaggy —— Midnite Lover ► Dancehall Reggae >> 1997
● Moloko —— I Am Not A Doctor ► Electronic/Dance >> 1998
● Christina Aguilera —— Christina Aguilera ► Dance-Pop >> 1999
● Lou Bega —— A Little Bit Of Mambo ► Latin Pop/Mambo >> 1999
● Elton John —— The Muse [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock >> 1999
● Donovan —— Beat Café ► Folk-Rock >> 2004
● The Rolling Stones —— Jump Back: The Best Of The Rolling Stones ► Blues-Rock >> 2004
● Steve Earle —— The Revolution Starts Now ► Alt. Country >> 2004

August 25


● The Supremes —— The Supremes A Go-Go ► Soul – Motown >> 1966
● Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston —— Take Two ► Soul – Motown >> 1966
● Grand Funk Railroad —— On Time ► Hard Rock >> 1969
● The Who —— Who’s Next ► British Rock >> 1971
● The Kinks —— Everybody’s In Show Biz ► British Rock >> 1972
● The Allman Brothers Band —— Brothers And Sisters ► Southern Rock >> 1973
● Bruce Springsteen —— Born To Run ► Album Rock >> 1975
● Boston —— Boston ► Arena Rock >> 1976
● The Replacements —— Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1981
● The Time —— What Time Is It? ► Funk >> 1982
● Alice Cooper —— Zipper Catches Skin ► Heavy Metal >> 1982
● Hooters —— One Way Home ► Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Metallica —— …And Justice For All ► Heavy Metal >> 1998
● Danny O’Keefe —— Redux ► Folk-Rock >> 1989
● Garth Brooks —— Beyond The Season ► Country Christmas >> 1992
● Peter, Paul & Mary —— Flowers And Stones ► Folk-Pop >> 1992
● Lucinda Williams —— Sweet Old World ► Alt. Country >> 1992
● The Wallflowers —— The Wallflowers ► Folk-Rock >> 1992
● The Brian Jones Massacre —— Methodrone ► Neo-Psychedelia >> 1995
● Rammstein —— Sehnsucht ► Industrial/Krautrock >> 1997
● Gamma Ray —— Somewhere Out In Space ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal >> 1997
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd ► Southern Rock >> 1998
● Heart —— Greatest Hits ► Album Rock >> 1998
● Everclear —— Live From Toronto ► Grunge-Punk >> 1998
● Nicole Wray —— Make It Hot ► Urban Contemporary >> 1998
● Lauryn Hill —— The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill ► Neo-Soul/Hip Hop >> 1998
● Guns N’ Roses —— Use Your Illusion ► Hard Rock >> 1998
● John Fogerty —— The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again ► Folk-Rock >> 2009
● Cheap Trick —— Sgt. Pepper Live ► Hard Rock/Power Pop >> 2009

August 26


● The Walker Brothers —— Portrait ► Pop-Rock >> 1966
● Diana Ross & The Supremes —— Diana Ross & The Supremes Sing And Perform “Funny Girl” ► Soul >> 1968
● The Supremes —— Live At London’s Talk Of The Town ► Soul – Motown >> 1968
● Marvin Gaye —— In The Groove ► Soul – Motown >> 1968
● Otis Redding —— Historic Performances Recorded At The Monterey International Pop Festival ► Memphis Soul >> 1970
● Grateful Dead —— Dead Set ► Folk-Rock >> 1981
● The Cure —— The Head On The Door ► Post-Punk >> 1985
● Journey —— Star-Box ► AOR Rock >> 1988
● Blur —— Leisure ► Alt Pop-Rock/Britpop >> 1991
● Amy Grant —— House Of Love ► Pop-Rock/Christian >> 1994
● Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ —— Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ ► Southern Rock >> 1997
● Dwight Yoakam —— Wild Gift ► Alt Country-Rock >> 1997
● Tha Alkaholics —— Likwidation ► West Coast Rap >> 1997
● Creed —— My Own Prison ► Alt Rock/Post-Grunge >> 1997
● Eddie Money —— Super Hits ► Album Rock >> 1997
● Various Artists —— Live! The Farewell Tour ► Pop-Rock >> 2003
● Peter Frampton —— Now ► Arena Rock >> 2003
● Styx —— Rockers ► Prog/Art Rock >> 2003
● Warren Zevon —— The Wind ► Pop-Rock >> 2003
● Little Feat —— Join The Band ► Southern Rock >> 2008
● Matthew Sweet —— Sunshine Lies ► Power Pop >> 2008
● Three Dog Night —— Three Dog Night: Greatest Hits Live ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 2008
● Kiss —— Kiss Rocks Las Vegas ► Hard Rock >> 2016

August 27


● Stevie Wonder —— I Was Made To Love Her ► Soul – Motown >> 1967
● Donna Summer —— Love To Love You Baby ► Disco >> 1975
● Eric Clapton —— No Reason To Cry ► Blues-Rock >> 1976
● Manfred Mann’s Earth Band —— The Roaring Silence ► Pop-Rock >> 1976
● ZZ Top —— Deguello ► Blues-Rock >> 1979
● Alan Parsons Project —— Eve ► Prog Rock >> 1979
● Pat Benatar —— In The Heat Of The Night ► Hard Rock >> 1979
● The B-52’s —— Wild Planet ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 1980
● Billy Squier —— Emotions In Motion ► Hard Rock >> 1982
● Depeche Mode —— Some Great Reward ► Synth-Pop >> 1984
● Mica Paris —— So Good ► Urban Contemporary >> 1988
● Garth Brooks —— No Fences ► Country-Pop >> 1990
● Brenda Lee —— Anthology (1956-1980) ► Country-Pop >> 1991
● Bad English —— Backlash ► Arena Rock >> 1991
● Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band —— The Fire Inside ► Heartland Rock >> 1991
● Alison Moyet —— Hoodoo ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 1991
● Jerry Garcia Band —— Jerry Garcia Band ► Roots Rock >> 1991
● Pearl Jam —— Ten ► Hard Rock >> 1991
● A+ —— Latch-Key Child ► Pop-Rap >> 1996
● The Who —— My Generation: The Very Best Opf The Who ► British Rock >> 1996
● Pearl Jam —— No Code ► Hard Rock >> 1996
● Jimmy Fallon —— The Bathroom Wall ► Comedy/Satire >> 2002
● Boston —— Corporate America ► Arena Rock >> 2002
● Uncle Kracker —— No Stranger To Shame ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2002
● Coldplay —— A Rush Of Blood To The Head ► Alt. Rock/Brit Pop >> 2002
● Grand Funk Railroad —— Trunk Of Funk ► Hard Rock >> 2002
● Ringo Starr —— Photograph: The Very Best Of Ringo Starr ► Pop-Rock >> 2007
● Bob Dylan —— The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10: Another Self-Portrait (1969-1971) ► Folk-Rock >> 2013
● Little River Band —— Cuts Like A Diamond ► Soft Rock >> 2013

This Week’s Birthdays (August 20 – 26)

Happy Birthday this week to:

August 20

1923 ● “Gentleman” Jim Reeves / (James Travis Reeves) → Country guitarist and singer, early purveyor of the “Nashville sound” combining country with pop sounds, first country-pop crossover hit, “He’ll Have to Go” (#2, Country #1, 1960) and over 70 other Country Top 20 hits, died in a single-engine plane crash on 7/31/1964, age 40
1931 ● Paul Robi / → Early member and vocals for hugely successful R&B/doo wop The Platters, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (#1, 1958) and 13 other Top 20 hits between 1955 and 1967, continued with several splinter groups using variations on The Platters name into the 80s, died of pancreatic cancer on 2/1/1989, age 57
1933 ● Roland Janes / → Rockabilly session guitarist at Sun Records (1956-1963) and important behind-the-scenes figure in the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, played on the most of the Sun recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis (“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” #3, R&B #1, 1957), Billy Lee Riley, Charlie Rich and other lesser stars, left to form his own record company but returned to Sun in the 80s and appears on grunge rock Mudhoney‘s album Tomorrow Hit Today (1998), died following a heart attack on 10/18/2013, age 70
1934 ● Sneaky Pete Kleinow / (Peter E. Kleinow) → Peddle steel guitarist, songwriter and session musician, original member of Flying Burrito Brothers, worked with Joan Baez, Eagles, Steve Miller Band, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt and many others, solo, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease on 1/6/2007, age 72
1937 ● Sky “Sunlight” Saxon / (Richard Elvern Marsh) → Frontman and lead singer for L.A. psychedelic flower power/garage rock The Seeds, “Pushin’ Too Hard” (#36, 1967), continued to record and perform with various bands and eclectic projects through the 00s, died from renal failure caused by an untreated infection on 6/25/2000, age 71
1939 ● Pee Wee Middlebrooks / (Ralph Middlebrooks) → Trumpet and trombone for influential R&B/funk The Ohio Players, “Love Rollercoaster” (#1, 1975) and six other Top 40 hits in the mid-70s, died of cancer on 11/15/1997, age 58
1940 ● John Lantree / → Bassist for one hit wonder English beat/pop-rock The Honeycombs, “Have I The Right?” (#5, 1964)
1941 ● David Brock / → Co-founder, guitarist, bassist, songwriter and musical focus for space rock pioneers Hawkwind, “Silver Machine” (UK #3, 1972), solo
1941 ● Gilbert Moorer, Jr. / → With his brother, Alvis, lead singer in R&B soul vocal group The Esquires (“Get On Up,” #11, 1967), died from throat cancer on 8/28/2008, age 67
1942 ● Isaac Hayes / → Hugely influential R&B/soul artist, producer, composer, first as an in-house session musician, songwriter and record producer for Memphis-based Stax Records, later as a Grammy-winning solo artist and soundtrack composer, “Theme From Shaft” (#1, 1972), early rapper, “Ike’s Rap” (R&B Top 10, 1986), film actor, TV voice-over star as the character “Chef” on South Park, died following a stroke on 8/10/2008, age 65
1944 ● “Uncle John” Turner / (John Turner) → Drums and percussion for electric Texas blues-rock Johnny Winter Band, “Illustrated Man” (Mainstream Rock #36, 1991), later in Krackerjack with Stevie Ray Vaughan, sessions and tours with B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Albert Collins and others, died on 7/26/1997, age 62
1944 ● John Povey / → Rhythm guitar for raunchy R&B/blues-rock British Invasion band The Pretty Things, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (UK #10, 1964)
1946 ● Ralf Hütter / → Co-founder, lead singer, keyboardist and de facto leader of German electro-rock pioneers Kraftwerk, “Autobahn” (#25, 1975)
1947 ● James Pankow / → Trombonist, brass instrument arranger, songwriter and constant member of for pop-rock/horn band Chicago, wrote “Make Me Smile” (#9, 1970), “Colour My World” (#7, 1970), “Just You “N” Me” (#4, 1973) and others
1948 ● Robert Plant / → Renowned and venerable rock vocalist and lyricist for hard rock Led Zeppelin, “Whole Lotta Love” (#4, 1969), solo, “Big Log” (#20, Mainstream Rock #6, 1983), formed The Honeydrippers with Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Nile Rodgers, “Sea Of Love” (#3, 1984), Grammy-winning collaboration album with country singer Alison Krauss, Raising Sand (#2, 2007), #1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 2011 readers’ poll of the Best Lead Singers of All Time
1949 ● Phil Lynott / → Irish singer, songwriter, bassist and bandleader for underrated Irish hard rock Thin Lizzy, “The Boys Are Back In Town” (#12, 1976), solo, founded and fronted hard rock Grand Slam, fell into a coma following a drug overdose and died on 1/4/2006, age 56
1952 ● Doug Fieger / → Lead vocals and rhythm guitar for power pop The Knack, “My Sharona” (#1, 1979), died of cancer on 2/14/2010, age 57
1952 ● John Hiatt / → Respected but commercially-neglected folk-rock singer/songwriter, guitarist and pianist, “Slow Turning” (Mainstream Rock #8, 1988), wrote songs covered by Paula Abdul, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, B. B. King, Aaron Neville, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt and many others
1952 ● Rudy Gatlin / → Country-pop music singer with brothers Larry and Rudy in Grammy-winning sibling trio The Gatlin Brothers, “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You)” (Country #1, 1983) and 16 other Country Top 10 hits in the 80s and 90s, composed music for TV specials and operated two theme restaurants in the 90s
1954 ● Barry Johnson / → Bassist for Philly-style Brit R&B/soul Sweet Sensation, “Sad Sweet Dreamer” (, , 1975)
1966 ● Dimebag Abbott / (Darrell Abbott) → With brother Vincent Paul Abbott, co-founder and guitarist in thrash metal Pantera, “Planet Caravan” (Mainstream Rock #21, 1994) and supergroup Damageplan, “Save Me” (Mainstream Rock #16, 2004), died from gunshot wounds when a man stormed the stage and began firing shots at the band and crowd on 12/8/2004, age 38
1970 ● Fred Durst / → Co-founder, lead vocals and frontman for rap-metal Limp Bizkit, “Nookie” (Mainstream Rock #6, 1999), producer, music video director, solo
1979 ● Jamie Cullum / → Brit jazz-pop and easy listening singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, “These Are The Days” (UK #12, 2004)
1985 ● Mikey Shoes / (Michael Shuman) → Bassist for stoner metal Queens Of The Stone Age, “No One Knows” (#51, Mainstream Rock #5, 2002), also co-fronted L.A. area rock bands Wires On Fire and Jubilee
1992 ● Demi Lovato / (Demetria Lovato) → Singer, songwriter, musician and actress, played “Mitchie Torres” in the Disney Channel movie Camp Rock (2008), pop solo singer, “Here We Go Again” (#15, 2009)

August 21

1904 ● Count Basie / (William Allen Basie) → Renowned nine-time Grammy-winning swing era jazz, blues and swing pianist, composer and bandleader, “April In Paris” (#28, R&B #8, 1956), led his Count Basie Orchestra for nearly 50 years, died of pancreatic cancer on 4/26/1984 , age 79
1938 ● Kenny Rogers / (Kenneth Ray Rogers) → Grammy-winning, multi-genre singer and songwriter, vocals for folk-pop The New Christy Minstrels, “Green, Green” (#14, 1963), frontman for country-pop The First Edition, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town” (#6, 1969), prolific solo career with dozens of pop and country Top 10 hits, including “Lucille” (#5, 1977), “Lady” (#1, 1980), producer, TV and film actor, entrepreneur and restaurateur
1939 ● Harold Reid / → Bass vocals and songwriter in country-gospel-pop crossover harmonic quartet The Statler Brothers (“Flowers On The Wall,” #4, Country #2, 1965), he and his younger brother, Don were the only brothers in the group and no one was named Statler, retired after the band’s farewell tour in 2002
1941 ● Tom Coster / → Keyboards and piano for San Francisco psych-jazz-rock “cosmic R&B” The Loading Zone, joined Latin-tinged rock Santana in 1972, “She’s Not There” (#27, 1977), since 1978 has fronted various jazz fusion combos
1944 ● Jackie DeShannon / (Sharon Lee Myers) → Early female rock ‘n’ roll singer/songwriter, toured with The Beatles in 1964, co-wrote songs with Jimmy Page and Randy Newman, moved to folk-pop sounds in the late-60s, wrote and sang “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” (#4, 1969), co-wrote Grammy-winning “Bette Davis Eyes” for Kim Carnes (#1, 1981)
1947 ● Carl Giammarese / → Guitarist and co-founder of Chicago-based pop-horn-rock The Buckinghams, “Kind Of A Drag” (#1, 1967), continues to front the band on the oldies circuit
1952 ● Glenn Hughes / → Bass and vocals for Brit hard rock Trapeze, left in 1973 to join Deep Purple, “Smoke On The Water” (#4, 1973), sang for Black Sabbath on the Seventh Star album (1986), various solo and collaboration albums, currently fronts hard rock supergroup Black Country Communion
1952 ● Joe Strummer / (John Graham Mellor) → Frontman and principal songwriter of influential and acclaimed punk-ska-dance-rock The Clash, “Rock The Casbah” (#8, 1982), actor, film score composer, radio host, solo and frontman for The Mescaleros, died of a heart attack on 12/22/2002, age 50
1954 ● Nick Kane / → Lead guitar for Grammy-winning country-rock The Mavericks, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” (Country #13, 1996)
1954 ● Steve Smith / → Drummer for arena rock Journey, “Who’s Crying Now” (#4, 1981) during the band’s peak years in the late-70s and early 80s, founded fusion group Vital Information in 1983, joined fusion group Steps Ahead in 1986, in 2001 voted into the Top 25 Drummers of All Time list in Modern Drummer magazine
1957 ● Budgie / (Peter Edward Clarke) → Drummer for punk then dance-rock Siouxsie & The Banshees, “Kiss Them For Me”, (#23, 1991), side project The Creatures, “Right Now” (UK #14, 1983), toured with John Cale, sessions
1957 ● Kim Sledge / → Lead vocals for family R&B/disco girl-group Sister Sledge and the disco anthem “We Are Family” (#2, 1979) plus ten other R&B Top 10 hits
1961 ● David Morales / → DJ, Grammy-winning remixer, producer and post-disco house music pioneer, “Needin’ U” (Dance/Club #1, 1998)
1967 ● Serj Tankian / → Vocals for Grammy-winning, Armenian-American hard rock/alt metal System Of A Down, “Aerials” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2002)
1968 ● Dina Carroll / (Geraldine Carroll) → Successful late-80s and 90s Brit soul-pop and dance-pop singer of Scottish and African American descent, “Don’t Be A Stranger” (UK #3, 1993) and “Special Kind Of Love” (Dance/Club #4, 1993)
1971 ● Master H. / (Liam Howlett) → MC and vocals for “big beat” electronic dance/rap The Prodigy, “Firestarter” (#30, 1996), producer and music DJ
1979 ● Kelis / (Kelis Rogers) → Urban contemporary R&B vocalist, “Milkshake” (#3, Dance/Club #1, 2003), former spouse of rapper Nas
1984 ● Melissa Schuman / → Vocals for R&B/dance-pop all-girl quartet Dream, “He Loves U Not” (#2, 2000), solo, actress
1986 ● Conor Clapton / → Son of rock superstar Eric Clapton and subject of his father’s lamenting, Grammy-winning song “Tears In Heaven” (#1, 1992) about the toddler’s tragic death from a fall out of a 53rd floor apartment window in New York City on 3/20/1991, age 4

August 22

1917 ● John Lee Hooker / → Boogie-blues singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Boogie Chillen” (R&B #1, 1948) and “Boom Boom” (#60, R&B #16, 1962), develop the “talking blues” style, recorded over 100 albums, won four Grammys between 1989 and 1997, died of natural causes on 6/21/2001, age 83
1926 ● Bob Flanigan / (Robert Lee Flanigan) → Founding member, bassist, trombonist and tenor in clean-cut, jazz/collegiate-pop harmony quartet The Four Freshmen (“Graduation Day,” #17, 1956), a major influence on Brian Wilson of The Beach Boyss but lost relevance during the British Invasion, died of congestive heart failure on 5/15/2011, age 84
1936 ● Chuck Brown / (Charles Louis Brown) → Guitarist, singer, songwriter, bandleader and the “Grandfather of Go-Go” music, the sub-genre of funk he helped develop in the 70s in metro Washington, DC, fronted Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers (“Bustin’ Loose,” #34, R&B #1, 1979), died from multiple organ failure on 5/16/2012, age 75
1936 ● Dale Hawkins / (Delmar Allen Hawkins) → Louisiana “swamp rock” and rockabilly pioneer, “Susie Q” (#27, R&B #7, 1957), AM pop record producer including John Fred & His Playboy Band‘s “Judy In Disguise (#1, 1968), died of colon cancer on 2/13/2010, age 73
1942 ● Joseph Chambers / → Guitarist for psychedelic soul-rock sibling group The Chambers Brothers, “Time Has Come Today” (#11, 1968)
1945 ● Ron Dante / (Carmine Granito) → Singer, songwriter, session musician and vocals for “virtual” bubblegum-pop studio bands The Detergents (“Leader Of The Laundromat,” #19, 1965), TV cartoon show-based The Archies (“Sugar Sugar,” #1, 1967) and one hit wonder The Cuff Links (“Tracy,” #9, 1969), commercial jingle vocalist (McDonalds’ “You deserve a break today”), producer for Barry Manilow (“I Write The Songs,” #1, 1976), Cher, John Denver and others, Broadway show producer
1946 ● Mutha Withem / (Gary Withem) → Keyboards for pop-rock Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, “Young Girl” (#2, 1968), teaches high school music near San Diego
1947 ● Donna Jean Godchaux / (Donna Jean Thatcher Godchaux) → Session backing vocalist, sang with the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979 (only woman ever officially billed as a Grateful Dead bandmember), also vocals for Robert Hunter and the Jerry Garcia Band, released a self-titled album with her husband and former Dead keyboardist Keith Godchaux
1948 ● David Marks / → Pop singer, songwriter, session guitarist and original member of The Beach Boys (“Surfin’ Safari,” #3, 1963) from 1962-63, left the band but returned for two reunions in 1997 and 2012, worked as a session musician in the intervals
1949 ● Sam Neely / → Talented country-pop singer and songwriter with star potential but minimal success, his highest charting tune was “You Can Have Her” (#34, Country #49, 1974), faded into obscurity in the late 80s and died from a heart attack while mowing the lawn on 7/19/2006, age 56
1952 ● Peter Laughner / → Early and important figure in the development of punk and New Wave through his work with several Cleveland-area alt rock bands in the early 70s, his co-founding of eclectic underground/art rock Pere Ubu (“Waiting For Mary,” Modern Rock #6, 1989) and his solo efforts prior to his untimely death from acute pancreatitis on 6/22/1977, age 24
1956 ● Chris Biondo / → Backing band guitarist, bassist and producer for Eva Cassidy, mixed-genre vocal interpreter of American classics and pop tunes including “Over The Rainbow” (1992), he produced all three of her posthumous UK #1 albums
1958 ● Ian Mitchell / → Nine-month stint as bassist and vocals for Scottish teen-pop Bay City Rollers, “Saturday Night” (#1, 1976), then co-founded pop-rock Rosetta Stone, the Ian Mitchell Band and La Rox, none of which were successful except outside the US and UK
1958 ● Vernon Reid / → Guitarist and songwriter for prog-funk-metal Living Colour, “Cult Of Personality” (#13, 1988), sessions
1961 ● Debbi Peterson / → Drummer for New Wave pop-rock girl-group The Bangles, “Walk Like An Egyptian” (#1, 1986)
1961 ● Roland Orzabal / → Vocals, guitar and songwriting for New Wave synth-pop Tears For Fears, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (#1, 1085)
1963 ● James DeBarge / → With his sister and three brothers, vocals in R&B/urban contemporary dance-pop sibling quintet Debarge, “All This Love” (#17, 1983)
1963 ● Tori Amos / (Myra Ellen Amos) → Alternative rock keyboardist and forefront of the 90s singer/songwriter revival, reestablished the piano as a rock instrument, “Cornflake Girl” (Modern Rock #1, UK #4, 1994)
1966 ● The Genius (also GZA) / (Gary Grice) → Highly literate rapper, songwriter and founding member of influential East Coast rap collective Wu-Tang Clan, “C.R.E.A.M.” (Hot Rap #8, 1994), left for a part-time solo career (“Liquid Swords,” #48, Rap #3, 1995) and various collaboration projects
1967 ● Layne Staley / → Lead singer and co-lyricist for alterna-metal/hard rock Alice In Chains, “No Excuses” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1994), died from a “speedball” injection of heroin and cocaine on 4/5/2002, age 34
1969 ● Steve Cradock / → Guitarist for mod revival Britpop/trad rock Ocean Colour Scene, “The Day We Caught The Train” (UK #4, 1996) plus 16 other UK Top 40 singles, concurrently a member of Paul Weller‘s backing band
1972 ● Paul Douchette / → Former drummer and later rhythm guitarist for post-grunge alt rock Matchbox Twenty, “Bent” (#1, 2000)
1973 ● Howie D. / (Howie Dorough) → Vocals, guitar and percussion for pop-dance-hip hop Backstreet Boys, “Quit Playing Games With My Heart” (#2, 1997), solo, occasional TV actor
1978 ● Jeff Stinco / (Jean-Francoise Stinco) → Lead guitar for French-Canadian pop-punk Simple Plan, “Perfect” (#24, Canada #5, 2003)

August 23

1900 ● Malvina Reynolds / → Folk-pop singer, songwriter and political activist, wrote “Little Boxes” for Pete Seeger (#70, 1964), “What Have They Done To The Rain?” for The Searchers (#29, 1965), songs covered by Joan Baez, Judy Collins and others, and children’s songs and material for the TV show Sesame Street, died on 3/17/1978, age 77
1912 ● Gene Kelly / → Broadway and film actor, dancer and adult pop singer, a dominant force in Hollywood musical films of the 40s and 50s, best known for his lead role in the highly-regarded Singin’ In The Rain (1952), died in his sleep on 2/2/1996, age 83
1913 ● Bob Crosby / → Swing-era vocalist and Dixieland bandleader, younger brother of crooner Bing Crosby, fronted authentic New Orleans swing band The Bob-Cats in the 30s, turned to radio in the 40s and became a popular variety program host, scored a hit duet single with Patty Andrews and “The Pussycat Song (Nyot! Nyow! Nyot!)” (#12, 1953), reunited The Bob-Cats for occasional performances until his death from cancer on 3/9/1993, age 79
1917 ● Tex Williams / (Sollie Paul Williams) → “Talking blues” style Western swing singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader with ten Country Top 10 hits over a 35 year career, including “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” (Country #1, 1947), died from pancreatic cancer on 10/11/1985, age 68
1936 ● Rudy Lewis / (Charles Rudolph Harrell) → Lead vocals from 1960-1964 for R&B/soul-doo wop The Drifters, “Up On The Roof” (#5, 1963), died in his sleep on 5/20/1964, the night before the group recorded “Under The Boardwalk” (#4, 1964) without him, age 27
1941 ● Pete Shannon / (Peter Shannon Harris) → Bassist for British Invasion pop-rock The Nashville Teens, “Tobacco Road” (#16, 1964)
1942 ● Spaghetti Micale / (Anthony Micale) → Lead vocal for blue-eyed soul/doo wop The Reflections (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #6, 1964), continues to perform with the group into the 10s
1942 ● Roger Greenaway / → British pop music songwriter and performer, as David was one half the pop vocal duo David & Jonathan, “Michelle” (#18, Adult Contemporary #3, 1966), collaborated with Roger Cook (aka Jonathan) to pen dozens of pop-rock hit singles, including “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” (The Hollies, #2, 1972) and “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” (The New Seekers, #7, 1971)
1943 ● Mick Burt / (Michael Arthur Burt) → Drummer backing Brit novelty pop-“rockney” duo Chas & Dave, “Gertcha” (UK #20, 1979)
1945 ● Pete Fornatale / → Award-winning early progressive FM radio DJ, first at WFUV-FM (Fordham University, New York) and, beginning in 1969, on trendsetting WNEW-FM, returned to WFUV in 2001, hosted Sirius XM satellite program, authored several books on rock culture, died from a stroke on 4/26/2012, age 66
1946 ● Jim Sohns / → Founding member and vocals for Chicago blues-pop-rock Shadows of Knight, “Gloria” (#10, 1965), continues to front incarnations of the band on the oldies circuit
1946 ● Keith Moon / → Legendary, exuberant and innovative drummer for hard rock The Who, “I Can See For Miles” (#9, 1967), recorded one solo album which was issued posthumously, voted #2 in a 2001 readers’ poll by Rolling Stone magazine for the Best Drummers of All Time, died after ingesting an overdose of alcohol withdrawal pills on 9/7/1978, age 32
1947 ● George McCorkle / → Founding member and guitarist for Southern rock The Marshall Tucker Band, wrote “Fire On The Mountain” (#38, 1975), left the band in 1984 for a songwriting career, issued a solo album in 1999, died of cancer on 6/29/2007, age 59
1947 ● Linda Pettifer Thompson / → Folk-rock singer/songwriter and recognized figure in the British folk-rock scene in the 70s and 80s, recorded with Paul McNeill and later with Sandy Denny and others as The Bunch, teamed with ex-Fairport Convention (“Si Tu Dos Partir,” UK #21, 1969) guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson and released six critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful albums in 10 years as a husband-and-wife duo, after breaking up continued to record and write music sporadically, issued her second solo LP, Won’t Be Long Now in 2013
1949 ● Rick Springfield / (Richard Springthorpe) → Australian-born singer/songwriter, “Jessie’s Girl” (#1, 1981) plus 14 other Top 40 hits, TV soap opera actor (Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital), author
1951 ● Jimi Jamison / (Jimmy Wayne Jamison) → Vocalist for pop-rock Target, joined hard AOR/arena rock Survivor in 1984, “Burning Heart” (#2, 1985), co-wrote and sang “I’m Always Here”, the theme from the TV show Baywatch, solo, charity organizer and fundraiser
1951 ● Mark Hudson / (Mark Jeffrey Hudson) → Member of sibling musical trio The Hudson Brothers, “So You Are A Star” (#21, 1974), producer/writer for Aerosmith, Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne, others
1953 ● Bobby G. / (Robert Alan Gubby) → Vocals for Brit mixed-gender euro-pop/disco Bucks Fizz, “Making Your Mind Up” (UK #1, 1981)
1954 ● Mark Avsec / → Keyboardist, songwriter and producer, toured with funk-rock Wild Cherry, “Play That Funky Music” (#1, 1976), co-founded, managed, produced and wrote or co-wrote all the music for pop-rock Donnie Iris & The Cruisers, “Ah! Leah!” (#29, 1980), played with the James Gang, became an intellectual property attorney specializing in music copyrights
1959 ● Edwyn Collins / → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, frontman for Scottish neo-pop revival Orange Juice, “Rip It Up” (UK #8, 1984), then power pop solo career, “A Girl Like You” (#32, UK #4, 1994), TV actor and producer
1961 ● Dean DeLeo / → Guitarist for alt hard rock Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song” (#18, 1994), during STP breaks co-founded spin-off bands Talk Show and Army Of Anyone
1962 ● Shaun Ryder / → Vocals for Manchester electro-dance club Happy Mondays, “Stinkin Thinkin” (Dance/Club #1, 1992), co-founded alt Brit-pop Black Grape, “England’s Irie” (UK #6, 1996), TV actor
1964 ● Pebbles / (Perri Alette McKissack Nixon) → Backing vocals for R&B/soul-funk Con Funk Shun, “Ffun” (#23, R&B #1, 1978), then dance-pop solo, “Mercedes Boy” (#2, 1988), discovered and managed R&B/urban soul-dance-pop girl trio TLC, “Creep” (#1, 1994), one of the most successful female groups of all time
1967 ● Cedella Marley / → With her two brothers and sister, vocals for five time Grammy-winning reggae-pop Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, “Tomorrow People” (Mainstream Rock #16, 1988), executive with Tuff Gong International records, fashion designer
1970 ● River Jude Phoenix / → Teen icon, film and TV actor, starred in Stand By Me (1986) and 14 other films plus numerous TV movies and programs, singer, songwriter, guitarist and frontman for alt folk-rock Aleka’s Attic, “Too Many Colors” (1990), died of a drug overdose on 10/31/1993, age 23
1974 ● Shifty Shellshock / (Seth Brooks Binzer) → Frontman for rap rock Crazy Town, “Butterfly” (#1, 2001)
1978 ● Julian Casablancas / → Guitar and vocals for early 00s garage rock revival The Strokes, “Juicebox” (Modern Rock #9, 2005)
1979 ● Richard Neville Dobson / → Vocals for Brit dance-pop boy band 5ive (aka Five), “When The Lights Go Out” (#10, 1998)
1981 ● Natalie Horler / → Vocals in German Euro-dance trio Cascada, “Everytime We Touch” (#10, 2005) and “Evacuate the Dancefloor” (#25, UK #1, 2009)
1986 ● Skyblu / (Skyler Austen Gordy) → With his uncle, Redfoo (Stefan Kendal Gordy), one half the electropop, hip house duo LMFAO, “Party Rock Anthem” (worldwide #1, 2011), grandson of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr.

August 24

1897 ● Fred Rose / → Country music songwriter and co-founder of Acuff-Rose Publishing, the first Nashville music publishing company and a giant in the industry, wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs for others, including Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Sophie Tucker, died from a heart attack on 12/1/1954, age 57
1905 ● Big Boy Crudup / (Arthur Crudup) → Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist, wrote numerous blues songs covered by others, including “That’s Alright (Mama)”, Elvis Presley‘s first Sun Records single in 1954, died nearly penniless from a heart attack on 3/28/1974, age 68
1915 ● Wynonie Harris / (Raoul J. Cita) → Blues shouter and humorous, ribald R&B singer in the 40s and 50s, covered “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (1948) and is considered a forerunner of rock ‘n’ roll, died from throat cancer on 6/14/1969, age 53
1924 ● Louis Teicher / → Julliard-trained pianist and, with Arthur Ferrante, one half of the easy listening piano duo Ferrante & Teicher, known for their instrumental renditions of classical pieces, movie themes and show tunes, including “Tonight” (#10, AC #2, 1961) and “Midnight Cowboy” (#8, AC #2, 1969), died from a heart attack on 8/3/2008, age 83
1929 ● William Winfield / → Lead singer for critically recognized but commercially little known R&B/doo wop The Harptones, “Life Is But A Dream” (1955), continues to sing with the group on the oldies circuit
1933 ● “Rupie The Groupie” Loewenstein / (Rupert Louis Ferdinand Frederick Constantine Lofredo Leopold Herbert Maximilian Hubert John Henry zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, Count of Loewenstein-Scharffeneck) → Bavarian aristocrat and investment advisor turned financial and tax manager to The Rolling Stones from 1968-2007, credited with a behind-the-scenes transformation of the band from cash-poor wannabes into a globally-recognized brand and music powerhouse while managing their financial excesses and expanding egos, died of complications from Parkinson’s disease on 5/20/2014, age 87
1938 ● David Freiberg / → Vocals and guitar for psychedelic folk-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service, “Fresh Air” (#49, 1970), sessions for David Crosby, Mickey Hart and others, toured with and joined Jefferson Airplane and stayed with the group went it morphed into Jefferson Starship, “Miracles” (#3, 1975), left in 1984
1938 ● Mason Williams / → Singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist, won a Grammy Award for his instrumental classical/folk-rock “Classical Gas” (#2, 1968), comedy writer for Saturday Night Live and other TV programs, poet and author of several books
1939 ● Ernest Wright, Jr. / → Founding member and vocals for R&B/doo wop Little Anthony And The Imperials, “Tears On My Pillow” (#4, 1958), still touring with two other remaining members of the group
1940 ● Tony Secunda / (Anthony Michael Secunda) → Businessman, promoter and manager for The Moody Blues (“Go Now!”, #1, 1965), The Move, Procol Harum (“A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” #5, 1967) and T. Rex (“Bang A Gong (Get It On),” #10, 1971), also discovered Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders, died of a heart attack on 2/12/1995, age 54
1942 ● Jimmy Soul / (James McCleese) → Teenaged gospel singer turned two hit wonder R&B/soul vocalist with a calypso-tinged, “Twistin’ Mathilda” (#2, 1962) and the rollicking “If You Wanna Be Happy” (#1, 1963), died from a heart attack on 6/25/1988, age 45
1942 ● Marshall Thompson / → Founding member of Chicago R&B/smooth soul vocal quartet the Chi-Lites (“Oh Girl,” #1, R&B #1, 1972), continued to record and perform with the group through the 90s, jailed for selling stolen police badges in 2001, returned to the group with his wife, Tara and continues into the 10s
1943 ● John Cipollina / → Founder and trendsetting lead guitarist for psychedelic folk-rock Quicksilver Messenger Service, “Fresh Air” (#49, 1970), formed hard rock Copperhead and played with numerous other rock bands, #32 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, died from emphysema on 5/29/1989, age 45
1944 ● James Brady / → Singer in light folk sunshine-pop, two hit wonder vocal trio The Sandpipers, “Guantanamera” (#9, 1966) and “Come Saturday Morning” (#17, 1970)
1945 ● Ken Hensley / → Keyboards and guitar for hard/prog rock Spice, renamed Uriah Heep, wrote or co-wrote many of their songs, including “Easy Livin'” (#39, 1972), fronted or played with numerous hard rock bands over the past 30 years, composed the rock opera Blood On The Highway (2006) and wrote two books, one about Uriah Heep and the other an autobiography
1945 ● Molly Duncan / (Malcolm Duncan) → Tenor saxophonist and founding member of Scottish blue-eyed soul Average White Band, “Pick Up The Pieces” (#1, 1974), sessions and tours with Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Tom Petty and others
1945 ● Randy Silverman / → Vocals for New York R&B/doo wop one hit wonder Vito & The Salutations, “Unchained Melody” (1963)
1947 ● Jim Fox / → Co-founder, drummer and only constant member of underrated hard rock The James Gang, “Funk #49” (#59, 1970) and “Walk Away” (#51, 1971), also played with oldies revival lineups of 60s garage/horn rock The Outsiders, “Time Won’t Let Me” (#5, 1966)
1948 ● Jean-Michel Jarre / → Pioneering French electronic synth-pop and ambient music composer, “Oxygene Part IV” (UK #4, 1979) and album Chronologie (#10, UK #9, 1993)
1951 ● Danny Joe Brown / → Lead vocals for Southern rock power-guitar band Molly Hatchet, “Flirtin’ With Disaster” (#42, 1979), died from effects of diabetes and a stroke on 3/10/2005, age 53
1951 ● Michael DeRosier / → Session drummer and later full-time member of hard rock Heart, “Magic Man” (#9, 1976), left in 1982 to join Boston-offshoot AOR/arena rock Orion The Hunter, “So You Ran” (#58, 1984), joined former Heart bandmates in 1988 to co-found AOR/hard rock Alias, “More Than Words Can Say” (#2, 1990)
1955 ● Jeffrey Daniel / → Dancer on Soul Train music TV show, tapped to replace session singers and dancers in pre-fab disco/pop Shalamar, “The Second Time Around” (#8, Dance/Club #1, 1980), now a British TV host
1961 ● Colin Angus / → Founding member, bassist and vocals for Scottish electronic psych/dance rock crossover band The Shamen, “Ebeneezer Goode” (UK #1, 1992)
1961 ● Mark Bedford / → Bassist for punk/ska revival Madness, “Our House” (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1963 ● John Bush / → Lead vocals for L.A. heavy metal Armored Saint, left in 1990 for speed/thrash metal Anthrax, “Only” (Mainstream #26, 1993)
1964 ● Oteil Burbridge / → Classical-trained, Grammy-winning jazz and rock bassist for The Allman Brothers Band, his own Oteil & The Pacemakers, Dead & Company, Phish and various permutations of Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers spin-offs
1968 ● Andreas Kisser / → Guitarist for Brazilian heavy metal/thrash metal Sepultura, “Roots Bloody Roots” (UK #19, 1996), sessions and film soundtracks
1970 ● Krystyn Robyn Osborn / → Vocalist and chief songwriter for country-pop sister trio SHeDAISY, “I Will…But” (#43, Country #2, 1999)

August 25

1918 ● Leonard Bernstein / → Talented composer, conductor, pianist, director of the New York Philharmonic, wrote the music to many Broadway shows, including West Side Story (1957), died from pneumonia on 10/14/1990, age 72
1933 ● Wayne Shorter / → Leading jazz and fusion saxophonist and composer, played with the Art Blakey‘s Jazz Messengers, joined the Miles Davis Quintet in 1964, co-founded jazz/rock fusion Weather Report, “Birdland” (1976), solo
1941 ● Christopher Augustine / → Drummer for one hit wonder pop-folk Every Mother’s Son, “Come On Down To My Boat” (#6, 1967)
1942 ● Walter Williams / → Vocals for R&B/Philly soul giants The O’Jays, “Love Train” (#1, 1973)
1944 ● Alan Parker / → Lead guitar and vocals for Brit Invasion pop-rock Dave Clark Five, “Catch Us If You Can” (#4, 1965) and 11 other Top 25 hits in the US
1947 ● Pete Arnesen / → Piano for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (, US #37, 1974)
1949 ● Gene “The Demon” Simmons / (Chaim Witz) → Bass, vocals and frontman for campy hard/glam-rock Kiss, “Detroit Rock City” (#7, 1976), released two solo albums, producer, talent scout, entrepreneur, author and film and TV actor
1949 ● Henry Paul / → Founding member, lead singer and guitarist for Southern hard rock Outlaws (“Hurry Sundown,” #34, 1975), left in 1977 to form and front country-rock Henry Paul Band, in 1991 founded Nashville-based Blackhawk (“I’m Not Strong Enough To Say No,” #2, 1995), reformed Outlaws in 2005 and continues to record and tour
1950 ● Willy De Ville / (William Boray) → Guitar, vocals and frontman for blue-eyed soul/roots rock/punk rock Mink De Ville, “Storybook Love” (1987), solo and collaborations with notable blues and R&B stars, died of pancreatic cancer on 8/7/2009, age 58
1951 ● James Warren / → Co-founder, bassist and vocalist for New Wave pop-rock The Korgis, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” (#18, 1980)
1951 ● Rob Halford / → Vocals for influential “New Wave” heavy metal band Judas Priest, “Breaking The Law” (1980)
1952 ● Geoff Downes / → Founding member and keyboards for New Wave synth-pop The Buggles, “Video Killed The Radio Star” (#40, 1979), joined prog rock Yes for one album (Drama, 1980), left to form prog/pop-rock Asia, “Heat Of The Moment” (#4, 1982), solo
1954 ● Elvis Costello / (Declan Patrick McManus) → Innovative, eclectic, multi-genre songwriter, singer and pub rock/punk/New Wave guitarist, frontman for The Attractions, “Veronica” (#19, 1989), 17 US Top 40 albums, has recorded classical-, jazz- and adult pop-based albums
1956 ● Matt Aitken / → Member of the multi-hit UK songwriting/production trio Stock-Aitken-Waterman (SAW), “Respectable” (#1 for Rick Astley, 1987)
1961 ● Billy Ray Cyrus / → Once touted as the “Next Elvis,” country-pop one hit wonder crossover singer, debut single “Achy Breaky Heart” (#4, 1992) spawned the worldwide “line dance” craze, debut album Some Gave All spent 17 weeks on the US album chart, father of actress Miley Cyrus
1962 ● Vivian Patrick Campbell / → Guitarist with hard rock/metal Def Leppard, “Love Bites” (#1, 1988), Dio and Whitesnake
1963 ● Candida Doyle / → Keyboard and backing vocals for alt rock/Britpop Pulp, “Common People” (UK #2, 1995)
1965 ● Erik Dahlgren / → Drummer for Swedish alt rock The Wannadies, “You And Me Song” (UK #18, 1996)
1966 ● Terminator X / (Norman Rogers) → Rapper and DJ for influential early hip hop group Public Enemy, “Fight The Power” (Rap #1, 1989), solo, producer, retired to his South Carolina ostrich stud farm in 2003
1967 ● Jeff Tweedy / → Co-founder, singer, songwriter and guitars for seminal roots rock trio Uncle Tupelo, after its breakup founded alt country-rock Wilco, “Outasite (Outta Mind)” (Mainstream Rock #22, 1997)
1969 ● Luke Scott / → Guitarist in Brit lounge/melodramatic pop group Babybird, “You’re Gorgeous” (UK #3, 1996)
1970 ● Jo Dee Messina / → Country-pop crossover singer with 12 Country Top 10 hits, six of them #1’s, including “That’s The Way” (#25, Country #1, 2000)
1985 ● Wynter Gordon / (Diana Gordon) → Dance-pop singer and songwriter, “Dirty Talk” (Dance #1, 2010), co-wrote “Sugar” for Flo Rida (#5, 2009)
1987 ● Amy MacDonald / → Scottish soft folk-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Don’t Tell Me That It’s Over” (UK #48, 2010)
1988 ● Alexandra Burke / → Brit R&B/neo-soul and electro-pop singer, won the 2008 UK talent show The X Factor, debut single “Hallelujah” (UK #1, 2008) plus four other UK Top 10 hits in two years
1988 ● Ray Quinn / → English TV soap opera actor, dancer and singer, runner-up in the 2006 UK talent show The X Factor, “Doing It My Way” (UK #1, 2007)

August 26

1903 ● Mr. Five by Five / (Jimmy Rushing) → Short and stout blues/jazz “shouter” and singer, lead vocals for the Count Basie band, died of leukemia on 6/8/1972, age 68
1936 ● René Ornelas / → Mexican-American singer and, with René Herrera, one half of the Tejano-pop duo René y René with two minor 60s hits, “Angelito” (“Little Angel”) (#43, 1964) and “Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero (The More I Love You)” (AC #14, 1969), one of the first Chicano acts on American Bandstand in 1964, continues to perform into the 10s as René René
1938 ● Jet Black / (Brian Duffy) → Drummer in punk-rock The Stranglers, “Strange Little Girl” (UK #7, 1982), plus over 20 other UK Top 40 hits
1939 ● Fred Milano / → Founding member and tenor vocals for R&B doo wop Dion & The Belmonts, “A Teenager In Love” (#5, 1959), continued after frontman Dion DiMucci left in 1960 as The Belmonts, “Tell Me Why” (#18, 1961), performed with the group until just before his death from lung cancer on 1/1/2012, age 72
1940 ● Nik Turner / → Founding member, saxophonist, flautist and composer for space rock pioneers Hawkwind, “Silver Machine” (UK #3, 1972), Sphynx and Space Ritual
1941 ● Chris Curtis / → Drummer and vocals for Merseybeat band The Searchers, “Needles And Pins” (#13, 1963), died following a long illness on 2/28/2005, age 63
1942 ● Vic Dana / → Tap dancer turned vocalist in pop/blue-eyed soul/doo wop trio The Fleetwoods, “Come To Me Softly” (#1, 1959), then solo, “Red Roses for a Blue Lady” (#10, 1965)
1944 ● Moe Tucker / (Maureen Ann Tucker) → Drummer for proto-punk The Velvet Underground, “White Light, White Heat” (1968)
1948 ● Valerie Simpson / → With husband Nickolas Ashford, songwriting and R&B/pop duo Ashford & Simpson, “Solid” (#12, 1984), penned hits for Ray Charles, “Let’s Go Get Stoned” (R&B #1, 1966), Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “You’re All I Need To Get By” (#7, 1968), Diana Ross, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (#1, 1970) and others
1949 ● Bob Cowsill / (Robert Cowsill) → Vocals 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, his twin brother Richard “Dick” Cowsill was the road manager for the group
1949 ● Dick Cowsill / (Richard Cowsill) → Road manager 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, twin brother of bandmember Bob Cowsill
1949 ● Leon Redbone / (Dickran Gobalian) → Cyprus-born, baritone jazz/blues/ragtime singer and interpreter of early 20th century popular songs and Tin Pan Alley songwriters, “Seduced” (#72, 1981) and album Double Time (#38, 1977)
1952 ● Billy Rush / → Songwriter and producer for New Jersey rock ‘n roll bar band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, “Talk To Me” (1978)
1954 ● Michael Chetwood / → Keyboards for New Wave pop-rock T’Pau, “Heart And Soul” (#4, 1987)
1954 ● Steve Wright / → BBC Radio 2 disc jockey in the weekday afternoon time slot since 1999
1957 ● John O’Neill / → Guitarist for Irish punk/New Wave pop-rock The Undertones, “My Perfect Cousin” (UK #9, 1980), co-founded hard/alt rock That Petrol Emotion, “Groove Check” (Dance/Club #12, 1989)
1960 ● Branford Marsalis / → Jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader and oldest of the four musical Marsalis brothers, played with Art Blakely, Herbie Hancock, his brother Wynton, and Sting, led Jay Leno’s Tonight Show band, formed his own record label in 2002 for his own albums and those of others
1965 ● Annie Holland / → Bassist for mixed-gender, post-punk alt rock Elastica, “Connection” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1966 ● Shirley Manson / → Scottish lead vocalist for Scottish-American alt rock Garbage, “Stupid Girl” (Dance/Club #5, 1996)
1966 ● Dan Vickrey / → Guitarist for alt-rock Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones” (Modern Rock #2, 1994)
1969 ● Adrian Young / → Drummer for “Third Wave” ska-rock No Doubt, “Don’t Speak” (Adult Top 40 #1, 1997)

Albums Released This Week (August 14 -20)

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):

August 14


● The Rolling Stones —— 5 X 5 ► British Invasion >> 1964
● Al Green —— Al Green Gets Next To You ► Soul >> 1971
● Buddy Guy & Junior Wells —— Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Play The Blues ► Electric Blues >> 1974
● Roberta Flack —— Killing Me Softly ► Pop-Soul >> 1973
● The Who —— Rarities Volume I & Volume II ► British Rock >> 1983
● Soul Asylum —— Say What You Will…Everything Can Happen ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1984
● Brenda Lee —— Feels So Right ► Country-Pop >> 1985
● The Heart Throbs —— Cleopatra Grip ► Indie Pop >> 1990
● Motörhead —— March Ör Die ► Heavy Metal >> 1992
● Spin Doctors —— Turn It Upside Down ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Elvis Costello And The Attractions —— Dead Deep Blue ► Roots Rock >> 1995
● Elvis Costello —— Deep Dead Blue ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Godspeed You Black Emperor! —— F♯ A♯ ∞ ► Instrumental/Experimental >> 1997
● The XX —— XX ► Dream Pop >> 2009
● Loverboy —— Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival ► Arena Rock >> 2012

August 15


● Chad & Jeremy —— Distant Shores ► Folk-Pop >> 1966
● Fleetwood Mac —— Pious Bird Of Good Omen ► Blues-Rock >> 1969
● The Band —— Rock Of Ages ► Folk-Rock >> 1972
● Rod Stewart —— Atlantic Crossing ► Folk-Rock >> 1975
● Scorpions —— Tokyo Tapes ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock >> 1978
● Led Zeppelin —— In Through The Out Door ► Hard Rock >> 1979
● America —— Alibi ► Folk-Rock >> 1980
● The Kinks —— Give The People What They Want ► British Rock >> 1981
● The Pretenders —— Pretenders II ► Post-Punk >> 1981
● AC/DC —— Flick Of The Switch ► Hard Rock >> 1983
● Cheap Trick —— Next Position Please ► Hard Rock/Power Pop >> 1983
● Dio —— Sacred Heart ► Heavy Metal >> 1985
● Michelle Shocked —— Short, Sharp, Shocked ► Folk-Rock >> 1988
● Glenn Frey —— Soul Searchin’ ► Pop-Rock >> 1988
● The Rolling Stones —— Singles Collection: The London Years ► Blues-Rock >> 1989
● Southern Culture On The Skids —— Dirt Track Date ► Rockabilly >> 1995
● Garbage —— Garbage ► Art Rock >> 1995
● Blind Melon —— Soup ► Alt. Rock >> 1995
● Korn —— Follow The Leader ► Post-Grunge/Nu Metal >> 1998
● Blue October —— Consent To Treatment ► Indie Rock/Post-Grunge >> 2000
● Ringo Starr —— Ringo Starr And Friends ► Pop-Rock >> 2006
● Little Dragon —— Little Dragon ► Trip Hop/Downtempo >> 2007
● Sparks —— The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman ► Glam Rock >> 2009

August 16


● The Rolling Stones —— Gimme Shelter ► Blues-Rock >> 1971
● The Temptations —— The Temptations Do The Temptations ► Soul – Motown >> 1976
● Red Hot Chili Peppers —— Freaky Styley ► Alt. Funk-Rock >> 1985
● Miami Sound Machine —— Primitive Love ► Pop-Dance >> 1985
● Mayhem —— Deathcrush ► Norwegian Black Metal >> 1987
● The Ethiopians —— Dread Prophecy ► Rocksteady >> 1989
● Red Hot Chili Peppers —— Mother’s Milk ► Alt. Funk-Rock >> 1989
● ALL —— Breaking Things ► Punk Rock/Pop-Punk >> 1993
● Crosby, Stills & Nash —— After The Storm ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● Prince —— Come ► Funk-Pop >> 1994
● Barenaked Ladies —— Maybe You Should Drive ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Neil Young & Crazy Horse —— Sleeps With Angels ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● Tricky —— Juxtapose ► Electronic Trip-Hop >> 1999
● Frank Zappa —— FZ:OZ ► Art Rock >> 2002

August 17


● Miles Davis —— Kind Of Blue ► Improv Jazz >> 1959
● The Band —— Stage Fright ► Folk-Rock >> 1970
● XTC —— Drums And Wires ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 1979
● Rose Royce —— Rose Royce IV: Rainbow Connection ► Disco/Funk >> 1979
● W.A.S.P. —— W.A.S.P. ► Glam Metal >> 1984
● Tom Waits —— Franks Wild Years ► Blues-Rock >> 1987
● New Order —— Substance 1987 ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1987
● Cannibal Corpse —— Eaten Back To Life ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1990
● The Call —— Red Moon ► New Wave Alt. Pop >> 1990
● Manfred Mann’s Earth Band —— Plains Music ► British Rock >> 1991
● Take That —— Take That & Party ► Pop-Rock/Boyband >> 1992
● Mariah Carey —— Music Box ► Pop-Rock >> 1993
● Bad Brains —— Rise ► Post-Punk/Hardcore >> 1993
● Tina Arena —— In Deep ► Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Front Line Assembly —— Re-wind ► Industrial Rock >> 1998
● Blur —— The 10 Year Limited Edition Anniversary Box Set ► Alt Pop-Rock/Britpop >> 1999
● The Knack —— Best Of The Knack ► Power Pop >> 1999
● John Mellencamp —— Rough Harvest ► Folk-Rock >> 1999
● The Moody Blues —— Strange Times ► Prog Rock >> 1999
● Talking Heads —— The Best Of The Talking Heads ► New Wave Art-Rock >> 2004
● Boz Scaggs —— Greatest Hits Live ► Pop-Rock >> 2004
● Iron Maiden —— The Final Frontier ► Heavy Metal >> 2010
● David Gray —— Founding ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2010
● John Mellencamp —— No Better Than This ► Roots Rock >> 2010

August 18


● Burning Spear —— Man In The Hills ► Roots Reggae >> 1976
● The Who —— Who Are You ► British Rock >> 1978
● Yes —— Drama ► Prog Rock >> 1980
● Wall Of Voodoo —— Dark Continent ► Post-Punk >> 1981
● ABBA —— ABBA Live ► Euro-Pop >> 1986
● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds —— Kicking Against The Pricks ► Post-punk Alt Rock >> 1986
● Debbie Gibson —— Out Of The Blue ► Pop-Rock/Dance-Pop >> 1987
● Aerosmith —— Permanent Vacation ► Hard Rock >> 1987
● Patty Smyth —— Patty Smyth ► Pop-Rock >> 1992
● Eric Clapton —— Unplugged ► Blues-Rock >> 1992
● Phranc —— Goofyfoot ► Folk-Rock/Surf Rock >> 1995
● At The Drive-In —— Acrobatic Tenement ► Post-Hardcore >> 1996
● Billy Joel —— Greatest Hits Volume III ► Pop-Rock >> 1997
● At The Drive-In —— In/Casino/Out ► Punk Rock >> 1998
● Graham Coxon —— The Sky Is Too High ► Indie Rock/Lo-Fi >> 1998
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Greatest Hits [2008] ► Southern Rock >> 2008

August 19


● The Beach Boys —— The Best Of The Beach Boys, Vol. 3 ► Pop-Rock >> 1968
● The Beach Boys —— Stacks O’ Tracks ► Instrumental Rock >> 1968
● Carpenters —— Close To You ► Soft Rock >> 1970
● Harry Nilsson —— Pussy Cats ► Folk-Rock >> 1974
● Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young —— So Far ► Folk-Rock >> 1974
● Emerson, Lake & Palmer —— Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends ► Prog Rock >> 1974
● The Manhattan Transfer —— Coming Out ► Jazz-Pop >> 1976
● The Doobie Brothers —— Livin’ On The Fault Line ► Pop-Rock >> 1977
● John Cougar Mellencamp —— Scarecrow ► Roots Rock >> 1985
● Arthur Brown With Jimmy Carl Black —— Brown, Black & Blue ► Blues-Rock >> 1991
● Sneaker Pimps —— Becoming X ► Electronic-Dance/Trip Hop >> 1996
● The Beach Boys —— Stars And Stripes Vol. 1 ► Pop-Rock >> 1996
● Fleetwood Mac —— The Dance ► Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Alison Moyet —— Hometime [UK] ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2002
● Neil Young & Crazy Horse —— Greendale ► Rock >> 2003
● Goo Goo Dolls —— Greatest Hits Volume Two: ► Alt Pop-Rock/Post-Grunge >> 2008
● Pure Bathing Culture —— Moon Tides ► Dream Pop >> 2013
● Jerry Garcia Band —— Garcia Live Volume Seven ► Roots Rock >> 2016

August 20


● Harmonia —— Deluxe ► Krautrock/Kosmische Musik >> 1975
● Kiss —— Kiss Destroys Anaheim, Pt. 1 ► Hard Rock >> 1976
● Kiss —— Kiss Destroys Anaheim, Pt. 2 ► Hard Rock >> 1976
● Bob Dylan —— Slow Train Coming ► Folk-Rock >> 1979
● Heart —— Passionworks ► Album Rock >> 1983
● Asia —— Astra ► Prog Rock >> 1985
● Queensrÿche —— Empire ► Heavy Metal >> 1990
● Black Sabbath —— TYR ► Hard Rock >> 1990
● Joan Jett & The Blackhearts —— Notorious ► Hard Rock >> 1991
● Spin Doctors —— Pocket Full of Kryptonite ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1991
● Luis Miguel —— Nada Es Igual ► Latin Pop >> 1996
● Boards Of Canada —— Music Has The Right To Children ► Techno-Ambient >> 1998
● Dark Tranquility —— Damage Done ► Heavy Metal/Melodic Death Metal >> 2002
● The Black Crowes —— Live ► Southern Rock >> 2002
● Black Sabbath —— Past Lives ► Hard Rock >> 2002
● Berlin —— Voyeur ► L. A. Synth-Pop >> 2002
● Tedeschi Trucks Band —— Made Up Mind ► Blues-Rock >> 2013

This Week’s Birthdays (August 13 – 19)

Happy Birthday this week to:

August 13

1921 ● Jimmy McCracklin / (James David Walker, Jr.) → West Coast blues pianist and songwriter with a seven decade recording and performing career and hundreds of songs and over 30 albums, best known for his blues/dance “The Walk” (#7, R&B #5, 1958), died from natural causes on 12/20/2012, age 91
0813
1930 ● Don Ho / (Donald Tai Loy Ho) → Air Force fighter pilot turned iconic Hawaiian pop/island music singer and entertainer with the signature song, “Tiny Bubbles” (#57, 1966), appeared in Honolulu and Vegas nightclubs over a 50-year career, guested on 70s TV sitcoms and briefly hosted his own program, suffered from coronary problems for many years but continued to perform until just before his death from heart failure on 4/14/2007, age 76
0813
1938 ● Baby Cortez / (David Cortez Clowney) → Pop and R&B organist with two Top 10 instrumentals, “The Happy Organ” (#1, 1959), the first instrumental #1 and the first major pop hit to feature an electric organ, and “Rinky Dink” (#10, 1962), faded from view by the late 60s
0813
1939 ● Howard Tate / → R&B/soul singer and songwriter with several minor chart hits, including “Ain’t Nobody Home” (#63, R&B #12, 1966) but best known for penning “Get It While You Can” by Janis Joplin (#78, 1971), died from leukemia on 12/2/2011, age 72
0813
1940 ● John Stokes / (Sean James Stokes) → With brothers Con and Dec Cluskey, founding member, vocals, bass guitar and harmonica in Irish beat pop-rock trio The Bachelors, “Diane” (#10, UK #1, 1964) and seven other UK Top 10 hits in 1964-66, following a split in 1984 formed pop-rock Stokes & Coe
0813
1947 ● David Ivor St. Hubbins / → Fictional character (lead singer and rhythm guitarist) played by Michael McKean in the “mock-rock” parody band Spinal Tap from the movie This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
0813
1948 ● Tony Santini / (Scott Powell) → Vocals with “greaser” revival parody rock-and-doo-wop Sha Na Na (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #55, 1975), TV actor, physician
0813
1949 ● Cliff Fish / → Original bassist for pop/rock one hit wonder Paper Lace, “The Night Chicago Died” (#1, UK #3, 1974), a second single “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero” (#96, UK #1, 1974) qualifies them as a two hit wonder in the UK
0813
1949 ● Jonathan Arendt / → Bassist for pop/rock one hit wonder Paper Lace, “The Night Chicago Died” (#1, UK #3, 1974), a second single “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero” (#96, UK #1, 1974) qualifies them as a two hit wonder in the UK
0813
1951 ● Dan Fogelberg / → Quintessential 70s-80s country-pop-rock singer/songwriter, “Part Of The Plan” (#31, 1975) and “Leader Of The Band” (#9, Adult Contemporary #1, 1982), political and environmental activist, died from prostate cancer on 12/16/2007, age 56
0813
1952 ● Hughie Thomasson / → Founding member, lead singer and guitarist for Southern hard rock Outlaws (“Hurry Sundown,” #34, 1975), disbanded the group in 1996 and joined raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd (“Sweet Home Alabama,” #8, 1974), reformed Outlaws in 2005 and toured until dying in his sleep from a heart attack on 9/9/2007, age 55
0813
1958 ● Feargal Sharkey / → Guitarist for Irish punk/New Wave pop-rock The Undertones, “My Perfect Cousin” (UK #9, 1980), solo, “A Good Heart” (#74, UK #1, 1985)
0813
1959 ● Danny Bonaduce / → Vocals and bass guitar in the pre-fab TV show sunshine pop group The Partridge Family, “I Think I Love You” (#1, 1970), producer, reality TV show host and panelist
0813
1959 ● Mark Nevin / → Vocals and songwriter for Brit neo-skiffle pop Fairground Attraction, “Perfect” (#80, UK #1, 1988)
0813
1959 ● Michael Bradley / → Bassist for Irish punk/New Wave pop-rock The Undertones, “My Perfect Cousin” (UK #9, 1980)
0813
1964 ● Ian Haugland / (Håkan Jan Haugland) → Drummer for Swedish hard rock/glam-metal Europe, “The Final Countdown” (#8, 1986)
0813
1984 ● “Baby Blue” Smith / (Diamond Blue Smith) → Vocals for Miami-based R&B/hip-hop quartet Pretty Ricky, “Grind With Me” (#7, 2005)
0813
1984 ● James Morrison / (James Morrison Catchpole) → Award-winning Brit soul-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “You Give Me Something” (UK #5, 2006) from his first album Undiscovered, which debuted at #1 on the UK albums chart
0813


August 14

1915 ● Alyce King / (Alice Golda Driggs Clarke) → Vocalist for complex and sophisticated four-part harmony 30s, 40s and 50s Big Band/pop sibling singing group The King Sisters, “The Hut-Sut Song” (Top 30, 1944), recorded with her sisters on hundreds of albums and numerous radio specials over three decades and in the musical-variety TV program The King Family Show (1966-1969) and holiday specials thereafter, died from respiratory problems on 8/23/1996, age 81
0814
1924 ● Lee Adams / → Musical theater lyricist best known for his collaborations with Charles Strouse, including Tony-winners Bye Bye Birdie (1960) and Applause (1970), and co-writing the opening theme to the 70s TV sitcom All In The Family (“Those Were The Days”)
0814
1926 ● Buddy Greco / (Armando Joseph Greco) → Jazz-pop pianist and Las Vegas lounge singer, member of Benny Goodman‘s band in the mid-40s and Frank Sinatra‘s “Rat Pack” in the 60s, enjoyed a long and prolific solo career, covered “Mr. Lonely” (#64, 1962) and issued over 60 albums and 100 singles, performed into the 00s and died on 1/10/2017, age 90
0814
1940 ● Dash Crofts / (Darrell Crofts) → Guitar, mandolin, vocals and songwriting for 70s light pop-rock duo Seals & Crofts, “Summer Breeze” (#6, 1972) and “Diamond Girl” (#6, 1973)
0814
1941 ● Connie Smith / (Constance June Meador) → Hugely popular 60s and 70s female country artist with 20 singles in the Country 10 and three #1 albums but extremely limited recognition on the mainstream pop side (“Once A Day” (#101, Country #1, 1964) was her first overall single and her highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100), continues to persevere as a gospel singer in the 10s
0814
1941 ● David Crosby / → Guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of seminal folk-country-rock The Byrds, “Mr. Tambourine Man” (#1, 1965) and folk-pop Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, “Just A Song Before I Go” (#7, 1977), collaborated with Graham Nash, “Immigration Man” (#36, 1972), then solo career with albums including Wind On The Water (#6, 1975) and singles including “Drive My Car” (Mainstream Rock #3, 1989)
0814
1941 ● Lionel Morton / → Vocals and rhythm guitar for early 60s Brit pop The Four Pennies, “Juliet” (UK #1, 1964), the most important British Invasion era act with no chart presence in the US
0814
1945 ● Steve Martin / → Emmy, Grammy and American Comedy award actor, comedian, producer and one hit wonder novelty song singer, “King Tut” (#17, 1975)
0814
1946 ● Larry Graham / → Bassist for R&B/soul-funk Sly & The Family Stone, “Family Affair” (#1, 1971), then founder/frontman funk band Graham Central Station
0814
1947 ● Maddy Prior / (Madelaine Edith Prior) → Lead vocals for Brit electric folk-rock revival band Steeleye Span, “All Around My Hat” (UK #5, 1975)
0814
1948 ● Bruce Thomas / → Bassist for Elvis Costello‘s backing band The Attractions, “Pump It Up” (UK #24, 1978), session work and author
0814
1951 ● Slim Dunlap / (Bob Dunlap) → Lead guitar for garage punk then alt rock pioneers The Replacements, “I’ll Be You” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1989), solo
0814
1956 ● Sharon Bryant / → Lead vocals for R&B/soul urban contemporary Atlantic Starr, “When Love Calls” (R&B #5, 1979), solo, sessions
0814
1960 ● Sarah Brightman / → Brit classical-pop-Broadway crossover singer and actress, dancer and vocals for disco Hot Gossip “I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper” (UK #6, 1978), played Jemima in Cats (1981) and Christine Daaé in Phantom Of The Opera (1986), solo, “Harem” (Dance/Club #1, 2003)
0814
1963 ● Jez Willis / → Partner/producer in Brit dance-pop duo Utah Saints, “Something Good” (UK #4, 1992)
0814
1965 ● Mark Collins / → Guitarist for “Madchester” alt rock The Charlatans UK, “The Only One I Know” (Mainstream Rock #37, 1991) and three UK #1 albums
0814
1970 ● Kevin Cadogan / → Lead guitar for post-grunge indie pop Third Eye Blind, “Semi-Charmed Life” (#4, 1997)
0814
1974 ● Ana Matronic / (Ana Lynch) → Vocals and frontwoman for dance-glam-rock Scissor Sisters, “Filthy Gorgeous” (Dance/Club #1, 2005)
0814
1977 ● Ed Harcourt / → Multi-instrumentalist Brit chamber pop singer/songwriter, “All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed” (UK #35, 2003)
0814


August 15

1896 ● Léon Theremin / (Lev Sergeyevich Termen) → Russian inventor of the theremin, one of the first electronic musical instruments and which he debuted with the New York Philharmonic in 1928, died of natural causes on 11/3/1993, age 97
0815
1909 ● Hugo Winterhalter / → Orchestral-pop and easy listening arranger with 40 years of credits on Broadway, in films, on TV, and on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Canadian Sunset” (#2, R&B #7, 1956), died from cancer on 9/17/1973, age 64
0815
1911 ● Buster Brown / → One hit wonder R&B/blues singer and harmonica player, “Fanny Mae” (#38, R&B #1, 1960), died 1/31/1976, age 64
0815
1925 ● Bill Pinkney / → Co-founder and first tenor for R&B/soul-doo wop The Drifters, “Up On The Roof” (#5, 1963), was the last surviving member of the group’s original lineup when he died after a heart attack on 7/4/2007, age 81
0815
1930 ● Jackie Brenston / → Tenor saxophonist and one hit wonder singer with a legitimate claim to the first rock ‘n’ roll record, “Rocket 88” (R&B #1, 1951), recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis with Ike Turner‘s Kings Of Rhythm as the backing band (credited as the Delta Cats), saw no further chart action and became a session musician and later a truck driver, died following an alcoholism-induced heart attack on 12/15/2007, age 49
0815
1932 ● Johnny Thunder / (Gil Hamilton) → Session backing singer and one hit wonder novelty R&B/soul and pop soloist, “Loop De Loop” (#4, R&B #6, 1963), continued to record through the 60s with no further success, still tours on the oldies circuit
0815
1933 ● Bobby Helms / → Country-pop crossover singer with seven Country Top 40 and Five Pop Top 40, but best known as the first to record “Jingle Bell Rock” (#6, Country #13, 1957), the holiday standard since recorded by thousands of artists and now heard millions of times each year, died from emphysema on 6/19/1997, age 63
0815
1933 ● Floyd Ashton / → Vocals for R&B/soul The Tams, “What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” (#9, 1963)
0815
1933 ● Mike Seeger / → Half-brother of folk legend Pete Seeger, award-winning folk musician and important music historian, co-founding member of influential folk revival/string band the New Lost City Ramblers and later the Strange Creek Singers, issued two dozen solo albums and produced dozens of documentary recordings of traditional American music, died from cancer on 8/7/2009, age 75
0815
1934 ● Bobby Howard Byrd / → Singer, songwriter and frontman for The Flames, which became James Brown‘s backing band The Famous Flames, later scored a handful of minor R&B and crossover hits as a solo artist, including “I Need Help (I Can’t Do It Alone) Pt. 1” (#69, R&B #14, 1970), just a few months after performing at Brown‘s memorial service died of cancer on 9/12/2007, age 73
0815
1938 ● Stix Hooper / (Nesbert Hooper) → Jazz-fusion drummer with The Jazz Crusaders (The Crusaders after 1971), “Street Life” (#36, 1979), solo, sessions
0815
1938 ● Shan Palmer / (Sheila Palmer) → Vocals for English pop trio The Kaye Sisters, “Ivory Tower” (UK #20, 1956)
0815
1941 ● Don Rich / → Country guitarist and pioneer of the “Bakersfield sound” of electrified country and pop crafted during his years as right-hand man to superstar Buck Owens (“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” (#25, Country #1, 1965 and 19 other Country #1 hits), played with Owens‘s backing band The Buckaroos and issued several solo albums, died in a motorcycle accident on 7/17/1974, age 32
0815
1942 ● Eddie Phillips / → Guitarist for underappreciated and little known (except in Germany) Britbeat/power pop The Creation, “Painter Man” (UK #36, GER #8, 1967)
0815
1942 ● Peter York / → Drummer for Brit pop-rock Spencer Davis Group, “Gimme Some Lovin”” (#7, 1967), then Eric Clapton‘s short lived Powerhouse, solo, organized the “Superdrumming” series of shows with different bandmembers
0815
1946 ● Jimmy Webb / → Grammy-winning professional rock composer and lyricist, wrote “Up Up and Away” for The 5th Dimension (#7, 1967), “MacArthur Park” for Richard Harris (#2, 1968), “Galveston” for Glen Campbell (#4, 1969), producer and film score arranger
0815
1948 ● Kate Taylor / → Folk-rockabilly singer/songwriter and guitarist, covered “It’s In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)” (#49, 1977), sister of folk-pop legend James Taylor
0815
1950 ● Joey Spampinato / → Founding member, bassist, vocals and songwriting for 40-year cult roots rock bar band NRBQ (New Rhythm And Blues Quintet)
0815
1950 ● Tom Aldrich / → Journeyman rock drummer for Southern raunch-rock Black Oak Arkansas, “Jim Dandy To The Rescue” (Top 30, 1973), then bluesy hard rock The Pat Travers Band, “New Age Music” (Mainstream Rock #33, 1981), later with Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake and others
0815
1951 ● Bobby Caldwell / → Smooth, jazzy blue-eyed soul singer with multiple Top 100 hits, including “What You Won’t Do For Love” (#9, R&B #6, 1979), moved to a Big Band sound in the 90s and continues tour and record into the 10s
0815
1961 ● Matt Johnson / → Founder, frontman, vocals, songwriter and only constant member of eclectic alt pop-dance-rock The The, “Dogs Of Lust” (Modern Rock #2, 1993), solo
0815
1962 ● Marcia Schofield / → Keyboards from 1987-90 for 35+ year punk and post-punk The Fall, “There’s A Ghost In My House” (UK #30, 1987), left for a career as a palliative care doctor
0815
1972 ● Mikey Graham / (Michael Graham) → Vocals for Irish teen-pop boy band Boyzone, “No Matter What” (Adult Contemporary #12, 1999)
0815
1972 ● Tim Foreman / → Bassist for Grammy-winning alt rock/Christian rock Switchfoot, “Meant To Live” (#18, Modern Rock #5, 2004)
0815
1984 ● David Welsh / → Lead guitar for mainstream/piano rock The Fray, “How To Save A Life” (#3, 2006)
0815
1984 ● Ted Dwane / → Bassist for Grammy-winning Brit folk-rock Mumford & Sons, “I Will Wait” (#12, Alt Rock #1, 2012)
0815
1989 ● Joe Jonas / → Lead singer with brothers Nick and Kevin in pre-fab Disney Channel teen-pop ballad trio the Jonas Brothers, “Burnin’ Up” (#5, 2008)
0815
1900 ● 0-Jan / 0-Jan → 0-Jan

August 16

1915 ● Al Hibbler / → Baritone jazz-pop-R&B singer, first with Duke Ellington‘s orchestra in the 40s, “Do Nothin’ Til You Here From Me” (#6, 1944), then solo, “Unchained Melody” (#3, 1955), died 4/24/2001, age 85
0816
1922 ● Ernie Freeman / (Ernest Aaron Freeman) → Pop and early rock ‘n’ roll bandleader, pianist and session musician, worked on hits by The Platters (“The Great Pretender,” #1, 1956), Dean Martin (“Everybody Loves Somebody,” #1, 1964), Frank Sinatra (“That’s Life,” #4, 1966) and others, wrote film scores and served as musical director at Reprise Records, died at home from a heart attack on 5/16/1981, age 58
0816
1923 ● Eddie Kirkland / → Electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter known as the “Gypsy of the Blues” for his rigorous touring schedule, released over 30 albums on various labels and toured with John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, English blues-rock band Foghat and others, continued to record, write and tour until his death in a car accident on 2/27/2011, age 87
0816
1923 ● Johnny Reed / → Founding member, bass vocals and double bass for doo wop and “bird group” trendsetting R&B vocal group The Orioles (“Crying In The Chapel,” #11, R&B #1, 1953) last surviving original member if the group when he died on 6/18/2005, age 81
0816
1931 ● Eydie Gormé / (Edith Gormezano) → Broadway and TV actress, nightclub and Vegas showroom entertainer, Grammy-winning traditional pop singer, “Blame It On The Bossa Nova” (#7, 1963), wife and singing partner of crooner Steve Lawrence, died from undisclosed causes on 8/10/2013, age 82
0816
1934 ● Ketty Lester / (Revoyda Frierson) → One hit wonder pop singer and actress with the crossover cover of “Love Letters” (#5, R&B #2, UK #5, 1962), shifted to a more-R&B style in the late 60s with little commercial success, turned to acting in the 70s and appeared in movies and on TV in various roles
0816
1942 ● Barbara George / → One hit wonder New Orleans R&B singer with her self-penned crossover hit, “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More)” (#3, 1961), died from a lung infection on 8/10/2006, age 63
0816
1942 ● Squirrel Lester / (Robert Lester) → Tenor vocals for smooth R&B/Chicago soul The Chi-Lites, “Have You Seen Her?” (#3, 1971), died from liver cancer 1/21/2010, age 67
0816
1945 ● Gary Loizzo / → Guitar/vocals and founder, pop-rock one hit wonder American Breed, “Bend Me Shape Me” (Top 10, 1968)
0816
1945 ● Kevin Ayers / → Eccentric singer/songwriter and original bassist for Canterbury-scene psych-art-jazz-prog rock fusion Soft Machine, switched to guitar and solo in 1969, has issued more than a dozen albums over 40 years
0816
1946 ● Snowy Fleet / (Gordon Fleet) → Drummer for Aussie-based 60s pop-rock The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (#16, 1967)
0816
1948 ● Barry Hay / → Lead vocals and frontman for Dutch hard rock Golden Earring, “Radar Love” (#13, 1974), over 40 hits and 30 gold and platinum albums in the Netherlands
0816
1949 ● Rock Action Asheton / (Scott Asheton) → Drummer for hard rock/proto-punk The Stooges, “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (1969), sessions, died from a heart attack on 3/15/2014, age 64
0816
1949 ● Sputnik Spooner / (William Spooner) → Guitarist and founder of camp-rock pop-rock satirists The Tubes, “She’s A Beauty” (#10, 1978), solo
0816
1953 ● J. T. Taylor / (James Taylor) → Lead singer for jazz-fusion then R&B/funk Kool & The Gang, “Celebration” (#1, 1981), left in 1988 for a largely unsuccessful solo career
0816
1957 ● Tim Farriss / → Guitarist for Aussie New Wave dance-groove-pop INXS, “Need You Tonight” (#1, 1987)
0816
1958 ● Madonna / (Madonna Louise Victoria Ciccone) → Film actress, record producer, entrepreneur and dance-pop megastar, “Like A Virgin” (#1, 1984), best selling female rock artist of the 20th century and second (behind Barbra Streisand) top selling US female artist of all time
0816
1960 ● Chris Pedersen / → Drummer for eclectic alt rock pop-ska-punk-folk fusion Camper Van Beethoven, “Take The Skinheads Bowling” (1985)
0816
1964 ● Matt Lukin / → Bassist for grunge rock Mudhoney, “Suck You Dry” (Modern Rock #23, 1992)
0816
1967 ● MC Remedee / (Debbie Pryce) → Vocals in female rap/house music duo Cookie Crew, “Rok Da House” (UK #5, 1988)
0816
1972 ● Emily Burns Strayer / (Emily Burns Erwin Robison Strayer) → Multi-instrumentalist singer, songwriter and founding member of country-rock girl group Dixie Chicks, “Not Ready To Make Nice” (#4, 2006), formed Court Yard Hounds in 2010 with sister and former Dixie Chicks bandmate Martie Erwin Maguire
0816
1980 ● Bob Hardy / → Bassist for Scottish art-pop-rock Franz Ferdinand, “Take Me Out” (Alt Rock #3, 2004)
0816
1980 ● Vanessa Lee Carlton / → One hit wonder “new era” female pop-rock singer/songwriter, “A Thousand Miles” (#5, 2002)
0816


August 17

1919 ● Georgia Gibbs / (Frieda Lipschitz) → Jazz-pop and R&B vocalist, first as a radio show singer and later as a widely popular 50s novelty pop artist, covered and bested LaVern Baker‘s “Tweedlee Dee” (#2, 1955), died of leukemia on 12/9/2006, age 87
0817
1933 ● Mark Dinning / (Max Dinning) → One hit wonder pop singer, “Teen Angel” (#1, 1959), died from an alcoholism-related heart attack on 3/22/1986, age 52
0817
1939 ● Ed Saunders / → Poet, social activist, environmentalist and bandleader for 60s underground rock The Fugs, author of numerous books including The Family (1971) about Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca murders and a nine-volume collection America: A History In Verse (started in 1998)
0817
1939 ● Luther Allison / → Distinctive Chicago electric blues guitarist and songwriter with a remarkable career upsurge after signing with Alligator Records in 1994 and returning to the U.S. from France after a 20-year trip abroad, issued two Top 20 Blues albums before being diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor and dying a month later on 8/12/1997, age 57
0817
1942 ● Tommy West / (Thomas Picardo) → Singer/songwriter, producer, and one half of the pop rock songwriting duo and folk-pop group Cashman & West, “American City Suite” (#27, 1972), produced albums for Jim Croce, Mary Travers, Henry Gross and others
0817
1944 ● Baby Huey / (James Ramey) → Corpulent rock and soul singer, songwriter and frontman for Baby Huey & The Babysitters whose lone album for Curtis Mayfield‘s Custom label, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend (1971) was released posthumously and is considered an early forerunner of hip hop music and a period classic, died from a weight and drug-induced heart attack on 10/28/1970, age 26
0817
1944 ● The Chief Seiter / (John Seiter) → Drums and vocals for folk-sunshine-pop Spanky & Our Gang, “Someday Will Never Be The Same” (#9, 1967)
0817
1946 ● Drake Levin / (Drake Levinshefski) → Lead guitar and backing vocals for hard-edged rock ‘n roll Paul Revere & The Raiders, “Just Like Me” (#11, 1965) and 14 other Top 30 hits, joined the band at age 16 for their prime hit-making years, left in 1967 in a dispute with bandleader Paul Revere (Dick) and formed power trio Brotherhood with two former Raiders, did session work and performed in Raiderss reunion tours until his death from cancer on 7/4/2009, age 62
0817
1947 ● Gary Talley / → Guitar for short-lived blue-eyed soul The Box Tops, “The Letter” (#1, 1967), then session work in Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta
0817
1949 ● Sib Hashian / (John Hashian) → Drummer for 70s-80s arena rock Boston, “More Than A Feeling” (#5, 1976), after leaving the band sued leader Tom Scholz for back royalties and settled out of court
0817
1950 ● Greg Arama / → Bassist for Chicago-area garage rock The Gang, which became one hit wonder for psych-rock Amboy Dukes, “Journey To The Centre Of The Mind” (#16, 1968), died in a motorcycle accident on 9/18/1979, age 29
0817
1953 ● Kevin Rowland / → Vocals for New Wave pop-rock Dexys Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen” (#1, 1983), solo career after the band broke up in 1987, reformed in 2003
0817
1955 ● Colin Moulding / → Bassist for quirky New Wave synth-pop XTC, “Making Plans For Nigel” (UK #17, 1979) and side project for the band under the pseudonym The Dukes Of Stratosphear
0817
1958 ● Belinda Carlisle / → Co-founder and lead vocals for New Wave pop-punk girl group The Go-Go’s, “We Got The Beat”, (#2, 1982), the most successful all-female pop and rock band of all time and the only one to play their own instruments and write their own songs, started a solo career following The Go-Go’s breakup, “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” (#1, 1987), wrote autobiography Lips Unsealed (2010) which reached #27 on the New York Times bestseller list
0817
1962 ● Gilby Clarke / (Gilbert Clarke) → Rhythm guitarist, replaced Izzy Stradlin in 1991 as lead guitar for hard rock Guns N’ Roses, “November Rain” (#3, 1992), left in 1994 for solo career and sessions with Slash’s Snakepit, Heart, MC5 and others
0817
1964 ● Maria McKee / → Co-founder and lead vocals for roots rock Lone Justice, “Shelter” (#47, Mainstream Rock #26, 1986), dissolved the band in favor of a solo career, “Show Me Heaven” (Adult Contemporary #28, UK #1, 1990) plus sessions
0817
1965 ● Deen Castronovo / → Journeyman rock drummer and session musician, worked with Bad English, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Social Distortion and many others before joining arena rock Journey as the band’s current drummer and backing vocalist (thru 2013)
0817
1965 ● Steve Gorman / → Drummer for roots/raunch rock The Black Crowes, “Hard To Handle” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1991)
0817
1966 ● Jill Cunniff / → Bassist and vocals for all-girl alt rock/hip hop Luscious Jackson, “Naked Eye” (#36, 1996)
0817
1969 ● Donnie Wahlberg / → Vocals for early 90s teen-pop boy band New Kids On The Block, “Step By Step” (#1, 1990), TV and film actor, brother of NKOTB bandmate and fellow actor Mark Wahlberg
0817
1969 ● Posdnuos / (Kelvin Mercer) → MC and vocals for jazz rap and alt hip hop trio De La Soul, “Me Myself And I” (R&B #1, 1989)
0817
1977 ● Claire Richards / → Vocals and dance routines for pre-fab Brit dance-pop group The Steps, “5, 6, 7, 8” (UK #14, 1997)
0817
1979 ● Mike Lewis / → Guitarist for Welsh alt hard rock Lostprophets, “Last Train Home” (Mainstream Rock #10, 2004)
0817


August 18

1918 ● Cisco Houston / (Gilbert Vandine Houston) → Traditional folk singer and guitarist, Woody Guthrie‘s traveling companion and harmony vocalist, died of cancer on 4/29/1961 shortly after career-boosting TV performances and appearance at the 1960 Newport Folk Festival, age 42
0818
1925 ● Sonny Til / (Earlington Carl Tilghman) → Lead singer and frontman for doo wop and “bird group” trendsetting R&B vocal group The Orioles (“Crying In The Chapel,” #11, R&B #1, 1953), died of heart failure complicated by diabetes on 12/9/1981, age 56
0818
1939 ● Johnny Preston / (John Preston Courville) → Two hit wonder pop-rock singer discovered by J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, “Running Bear” (#1, 1960) and “Cradle Of Love” (#7, 1960), died of heart failure on 3/4/2011, age 71
0818
1939 ● Maxine Brown / → Underrated R&B/soul vocalist, “All In My Mind” (#19, 1960) and several other charting singles in the 60s
0818
1944 ● Carl Wayne / (Colin David Tooley) → Founding member and lead singer for Brit psych-rock The Move, “Blackberry Way” (UK #1, 1968), left for a pop music, cabaret and TV theme song career, joined The Hollies in 2003, died of cancer on 8/31/2004, age 60
0818
1945 ● Barbara Ann Harris / → Singer for pop girl trio The Toys, “A Lover’s Concerto” (#2, 1965)
0818
1945 ● Sara Dash / → Founding member of 60s doo wop girl group The Bluebelles, which morphed into disco-funk Labelle, “Lady Marmalade” (#1, 1975), released four solo albums and the disco hit, “Sinner Man” (#71, Dance/Club #9, 1978), session singer for Laura Nyro, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Rolling Stones and others, toured with Keith Richards
0818
1945 ● Vince Melouney / → Australian musician, original guitarist for pop-rock The Bee Gees (“I Started A Joke,” #6, 1968) and one of three official bandmembers who were not Gibb family members, left the band in 1968 to pursue other interests
0818
1949 ● Nigel Griggs / → Bassist for Aussie New Wave pop-rock Split Enz, “I Got You” (#53, UK #12, 1980)
0818
1950 ● Dennis Elliott / → Original drummer for Foreigner, “Double Vision” (#2, 1978), left in 1992 to pursue a career in wood sculpting
0818
1951 ● John Rees / → Bass and backing vocals for Scottish-Australian Men At Work, “Down Under” (#1, UK #1, 1983), their Grammy-winning debut album, Business As Usual, was simultaneously the #1 US and UK album in January 1983, gaining them the distinction of being the only Aussie band to hold all four top spots at once
0818
1952 ● Patrick Swayze / → TV and film actor, Dirty Dancing (1987) and Ghost (1990), one hit wonder pop singer, “She’s Like The Wind” (#3, 1987), died from pancreatic cancer on 9/14/2009, age 57
0818
1953 ● Marvin Isley / → Bass guitar for six-decade, multi-generation R&B/soul family group The Isley Brothers, “That Lady, Pts. 1-2” (#6, 1973), died from complications of diabetes on 6/6/2010, age 56
0818
1956 ● Tony Garnier / → Bass guitarist with Asleep At The Wheel and other bands, since 1989 toured and recorded in Bob Dylan‘s backing band as Dylan‘s longest-serving sideman, also recorded with Tom Waits, Paul Simon and Michelle Branch
0818
1957 ● Ron Strykert / → Co-founder, vocals and guitar for Scottish-Australian Men At Work, “Down Under” (#1, UK #1, 1983), their Grammy-winning debut album, Business As Usual, was simultaneously the #1 US and UK album in January 1983, gaining them the distinction of being the only Aussie band to hold all four top spots at once
0818
1967 ● Blas Elias / → Drummer in pop-glam metal Slaughter, “Fly To The Angels” (#19, 1990) and the Las Vegas production of Blue Man Group
0818
1967 ● Dan Peters / → Founding member and drummer for grunge rock Mudhoney, “Suck You Dry” (Modern Rock #23, 1992)
0818
1967 ● Tracy Tracy / (Tracy Catell) → Peroxide-blonde lead vocals for indie pop-rockers The Primitives, “Crash” (Modern Rock #3, 1988)
0818
1969 ● Everlast / (Erik Francis Schrody) → Irish-American rapper and singer-songwriter, founding member of one hit wonder hip hop trio House Of Pain, “Jump Around” (#3, Rap #5, 1992), left for blues-rock/hip hop solo career, “What It’s Like” (#13, Mainstream Rock #1, 1998), then hip hop supergroup La Coka Nostra
0818
1971 ● Richard D. James / → Influential acid/ambient electronic music composer and performer under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, “Windowlicker” (Dance #15, 1999)
0818
1976 ● Dirk Lance / (George Alex Katunich) → Original bassist for alt-metal Incubus, “Drive” (#9, 2001), left in 2003 to pursue video game development, joined jam/funk Willie’s Nerve Clinic in 2006
0818
1983 ● Mika / (Michael Penniman) → Lebanese-American pop singer and musician popular everywhere but North America, “Grace Kelly” (UK #1, 2007) and six other UK Top 20 singles
0818


August 19

1935 ● Earl Gaines / → Hard-luck soul-blues and electric blues singer, his top charting song, “It’s Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)” (R&B #2, 1955) was credited to the backing band Louis Brooks & The Hi-Toppers, two decades worth of follow-ups were less than successful, left the industry in the late 70s to work as a truck driver, returned in the 90s and recorded several further albums, died from cancer on 12/31/2009, age 74
0819
1939 ● Ginger Baker / (Peter Edward Baker) → Drummer for blues-rock super-trio Cream, “Sunshine Of Your Love” (#5, 1968), super-trio Blind Faith (US #1 album Blind Faith, 1969), founded jazz-blues-rock fusion Ginger Baker’s Air Force, producer and solo
0819
1940 ● Don Fardon / (Donald Arthur Maughn) → Lead singer for 60s Brit mod scene freakbeat The Sorrows (“Take A Heart,” UK #21, 1965), then one hit wonder pop singer with his cover of “(The Lament Of The Cherokee) Indian Reservation” (#20, 1968), continued to perform into the 00s
0819
1940 ● Johnny Nash / → Reggae-pop vocalist who was a major force in the mainstreaming of reggae music in the early 70s, “I Can See Clearly Now” (#1, 1972)
0819
1940 ● Roger Cook / → British pop music songwriter and performer, as Jonathan was one half the pop vocal duo David & Jonathan, “Michelle” (#18, Adult Contemporary #3, 1966), collaborated with Roger Greenaway (aka David) to pen dozens of pop-rock hit singles, including “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” (The Hollies, #2, 1972) and “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” (The New Seekers, #7, 1971)
0819
1942 ● Bob Kuban / → Drummer and frontman for St. Louis-based one hit wonder horn-rock Bob Kuban & The In-Men (“The Cheater,” #12, 1966), continues to perform with various incarnations the band into the 10s
0819
1943 ● Billy J. Kramer / (William Howard Ashton) → Frontman for British Invasion pop-rock The Dakotas, “Little Children” (#7, 1964) and four other Top 40 singles in 1964
0819
1945 ● Ian Gillan / → Heavy metal vocalist, joined hard rock/prog rock Deep Purple, “Smoke On The Water” (#4, 1973) in 1969 but left in 1973, sang lead on the Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) concept album and Broadway show soundtrack, solo and frontman for the Ian Gillan Band and Gillan, joined Black Sabbath in 1984, reunited with Deep Purple in late-1984
0819
1947 ● George Newsome / → Drums and vocals for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, “Couldn’t Get It Right” (#3, 1977)
0819
1948 ● Elliott Lurie / → Co-founder, guitarist and singer/songwriter for one hit wonder pop-rock Looking Glass, “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” (#1, 1972), now a movie music composer and arranger
0819
1948 ● Susan Jacks / (Susan Pesklevits) → Canadian pop singer/songwriter with former husband Terry Jacks in pop-rock duo The Poppy Family, “Which Way You Goin’, Billy? (#2, 1969), then solo and songwriting
0819
1951 ● John Deacon / → Bassist and songwriter for camp rock/mock-opera/hard pop Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody” (#9, 1976), wrote or co-wrote “Stone Cold Crazy,” “You’re My Best Fiend,” “Another One Bites The Dust” (#1, 1980) and others, retired from the music business in the 90s
0819
1963 ● Joey Tempest / (Joakim Larsson) → Vocals for Swedish hard rock/glam-metal Europe, “The Final Countdown” (#8, 1986)
0819
1966 ● Lee Ann Womack / → Grammy-winning traditional country and pop crossover singer/songwriter, “I Hope You Dance” (#14, Country #1, 2000), actress
0819
1970 ● Fat Joe / (Joseph Cartagena) → Hip hop entertainer and entrepreneur, East Coast/gangsta/Latino rapper, “What’s Luv” (#2, 2002), founder and CEO of hip hop record label Terror Squad Entertainment
0819
1970 ● MC Eric / (Eric Martin) → Vocals for Belgian studio-based electro-dance-pop “house” music Technotronic, “Pump Up The Jam” (#2, 1989), solo, producer, teacher
0819
1976 ● Régine Chassagne / → Singer, multi-instrumentalist musician and co-founding member, with her husband Win Butler, of Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007)
0819
1980 ● Darius Campbell-Danesh / → Scottish stage actor, UK TV Popstars contestant in 2001 and folk-pop singer, “Colourblind” (UK #1, 2002)
0819
1983 ● Missy Higgins / (Melissa Higgins) → Australian pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Where I Stood” (Adult Top 40 #6, Aussie #10, 2006)
0819
1989 ● Lil’ Romeo / (Percy Miller, Jr.) → Pre-teen rapper, “My Baby” (#3, Rap #1, 2001), actor and host of his own Nickelodeon TV show Romeo, son of hardcore rapper Master P (Percy Miller)
0819

Albums Released Thsi Week (August 7 – 13)

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):

August 07


● Brenda Lee —— All The Way ► Country-Pop >> 1961
● The Byrds —— The Byrd’s Greatest Hits ► Country-Rock >> 1967
● The Moody Blues —— A Question Of Balance ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1970
● Stevie Wonder —— Signed, Sealed And Delivered ► Pop-R&B >> 1970
● King Curtis —— Live At The Fillmore West ► Soul >> 1971
● Sister Sledge —— Together ► Disco >> 1977
● Roberta Flack —— Roberta Flack ► Pop-Soul >> 1978
● Black Sabbath —— Born Again ► Hard Rock >> 1983
● Loudness —— Hurricane Eyes ► Heavy Metal/Japanese Metal >> 1987
● Jellyfish —— Bellybutton ► Alt. Power Pop >> 1990
● Jon Bon Jovi —— Blaze Of Glory ► Arena Rock >> 1990
● Extreme —— Extreme II: Pornograffitti ► Pop-Metal >> 1990
● The Fall —— Extricate ► Post-Punk Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Rory Gallagher —— BBC Sessions ► Blues-Rock >> 1999
● Gregg Allman —— Back To Macon, GA ► Southern Rock >> 2015

August 08


● Bob Dylan —— Another Side Of Bob Dylan ► Folk-Rock >> 1964
● The Yardbirds —— Over, Under, Sideways, Down ► Blues Rock >> 1966
● The Beatles —— Revolver ► Pop-Rock >> 1966
● Electric Light Orchestra —— Xanadu [Sndtrk] ► Prog. Rock >> 1980
● Debbie Harry —— Koo Koo ► New Eave Dance-Pop >> 1981
● Billy Joel —— An Innocent Man ► Pop-Rock >> 1983
● Robert Cray —— Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark ► Blues-Rock >> 1988
● N.W.A. —— Straight Outta Compton ► Hip-Hop >> 1988
● Tina Turner —— What’s Love Got To Do With It [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock >> 1993
● April Wine —— Frigate ► Arena Rock >> 1994
● Citizen King —— Brown Bag ► Alt Rock/Punk Hop >> 1995
● Moonspell —— Wolfheart ► Heavy Metal/Black Metal >> 1995
● Ben Folds Five —— Ben Folds Five ► Indie Rock/Piano Rock >> 1995
● De La Soul —— Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump ► Alt Rap >> 2000
● The Moody Blues —— Hall Of Fame ► Prog Rock >> 2000
● Shaggy —— Hot Shot ► Dancehall Reggae >> 2000
● Bad Company —— Live In Albuquerque 1976 ► Hard Rock >> 2006
● Gin Blossoms —— Major Lodge Victory ► Power Pop >> 2006

August 09


● John Sebastian —— The Four Of Us ► Folk-Rock >> 1971
● Minnie Riperton —— Perfect Angel ► Soul-Pop >> 1974
● Grand Funk Railroad —— Good Singin’, Good Playin’ ► Hard Rock >> 1976
● Motörhead —— Orgasmatron ► Heavy Metal >> 1986
● Danzig —— Danzig ► Heavy Metal/Blues Metal >> 1988
● The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band —— Workin’ Band ► Country-Rock >> 1988
● Julian Cope —— Autogeddon ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Machine Head —— Burn My Eyes ► Heavy Metal/Groove Metal >> 1994
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Endangered Species ► Southern Rock >> 1994
● Therion —— Theli ► Heavy Metal/Symphonic Metal >> 1996
● Stephen Stills —— Man Alive! ► Folk-Rock >> 2005
● Jerry Garcia Band —— Pure Jerry: Warner Theatre, March 18, 1978 – 2005 ► Roots Rock >> 2005
● Yes —— Songs From Tsongas ► Prog Rock >> 2005

August 10


● Elvis Presley —— Elvis For Everyone ► Rock ‘N’ Roll >> 1965
● Ten Years After —— Undead ► Blues-Rock >> 1968
● Frank Zappa —— Weasels Ripped My Flesh ► Art Rock >> 1970
● Rod Stewart —— Sing It Again Rod ► Blues-Rock >> 1973
● Michael Jackson —— Off The Wall ► Dance-Pop >> 1979
● Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin & Paco De Lucia —— Friday Night In San Francisco ► Flamenco-Jazz >> 1981
● Rufus —— Stompin’ At The Savoy ► Funk >> 1983
● Red Hot Chili Peppers —— The Red Hot Chili Peppers ► Alt. Funk-Rock >> 1984
● Five Star —— Between The Lines ► Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Winger —— Winger ► Heavy Metal >> 1988
● White Lion —— Big Game ► Hard Rock >> 1989
● Jamiroquai —— Emergency On Planet Earth ► Acid Jazz/Funk >> 1993
● James Taylor —— Live ► Folk-Rock >> 1993
● Billy Joel —— River Of Dreams ► Pop-Rock >> 1993
● Richard Marx —— Ballads ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Robert Earl Keen, Jr. —— Gringo Honeymoon ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● Brenda Lee —— 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection ► Country-Pop >> 1999
● The Innocence Mission —— Birds Of My Neighborhood ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1999
● Machine Head —— The Burning Red ► Heavy Metal/Groove Metal >> 1999
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Edge Of Forever ► Southern Rock >> 1999
● Dark Tranquility —— Projector ► Heavy Metal/Melodic Death Metal >> 1999
● Ace Troubleshooter —— Ace Troubleshooter ► Pop Punk >> 2000
● David Crosby & Graham Nash —— Crosby & Nash ► Folk-Rock >> 2004
● REO Speedwagon —— The Essential REO Speedwagon ► Arena Rock >> 2004
● Richard Marx —— My Own Best Enemy ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2004
● Soul Asylum —— Welcome To The Minority – The A&M Years 1988-1991 ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2007

August 11


● Bill Haley And His Comets —— Rockin’ The Joint ► Rock ‘n’ Roll >> 1958
● The Ventures —— Mashed Potatoes And Gravy ► Rock n Roll Instrumental >> 1962
● Elvis Presley —— Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 3 ► Rock n Roll >> 1963
● The Kinks —— Kinda Kinks ► British Invasion >> 1965
● Donovan —— Barabajagal ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● Klaatu —— Klaatu ► Prog Rock >> 1976
● The Go-Go’s —— Vacation ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 1982
● Vanity 6 —— Vanity 6 ► Dance-Pop >> 1982
● Pat Travers —— Blues Tracks ► Blues-Rock >> 1992
● The Flaming Lips —— Hit To Death In The Future Head ► Neo-Psychedlia >> 1992
● Dr. John —— Anutha Zone ► New Orleans R&B >> 1998
● The Beach Boys —— Endless Harmony Soundtrack ► Pop-Rock >> 1998
● The Anti-Nowhere League —— Scum ► Punk Rock >> 1998

August 12


● Bill Haley And His Comets —— Rockin’ The Oldies ► Rock ‘n’ Roll >> 1957
● Aretha Franklin —— Laughing On The Outside ► Soul >> 1963
● The Kinks —— The Kinks Greatest Hits! ► British Rock >> 1966
● Big Brother & The Holding Company —— Big Brother & The Holding Company ► Blues-Rock >> 1967
● Big Brother & The Holding Company —— Cheap Thrills ► Blues-Rock >> 1968
● Roberta Flack —— Chapter Two ► Pop-Soul >> 1970
● Luther Vandross —— Never Too Much ► Smooth Soul >> 1981
● Bob Dylan —— Shot Of Love ► Folk-Rock >> 1981
● Queensrÿche —— Queensrÿche ► Heavy Metal >> 1983
● Neil Young —— Old Ways ► Folk-Rock >> 1985
● Paul Simon —— Graceland ► Folk-Pop >> 1986
● Metallica —— Metallica ► Heavy Metal >> 1991
● Ringo Starr —— Ringo Starr And His Third All-Starr Band – Volume 1 ► Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Luis Miguel —— Romances ► Latin Pop >> 1997
● Pat Benatar —— Good King Bad ► Hard Rock >> 2003
● Extreme —— Saudades De Rock ► Pop-Metal >> 2008

August 13


● Gene Vincent —— Bluejean Bop! ► Rock n Roll >> 1956
● Bill Haley And His Comets —— Rock ‘N Roll Stage Show ► Rock ‘n’ Roll >> 1956
● Aretha Franklin —— The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin ► Soul >> 1962
● The Beatles —— Help! ► Pop-Rock >> 1965
● King Curtis —— Everybody’s Talkin’ ► Southern Soul >> 1970
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Pronounced, Leh-nerd Skin-nerd ► Southern Rock >> 1973
● Chicago —— Chicago 13 ► Jazz-Rock >> 1979
● Don Henley —— I Can’t Stand Still ► Pop-Rock >> 1982
● Twisted Sister —— Love Is For Suckers ► Hair Metal >> 1987
● Pixies —— Bossanova ► Garage Rock >> 1990
● Duran Duran —— Liberty ► Synth-Pop >> 1990
● Curtis Mayfield —— The Return Of Superfly [Sndtrk] ► Soul/Hip Hop >> 1990
● Brooks & Dunn —— Brand New Man ► Country-Rock >> 1991
● Aldo Nova —— A Portrait Of Aldo Nova ► Glam Rock >> 1991
● Kid Creole & The Coconuts —— You Shoulda Told Me You Were…. ► Dance-Rock >> 1991
● Sheena Easton —— No Strings ► Standards >> 1993
● Akinyele —— Put It In Your Mouth ► Dirty Rap >> 1996
● James Taylor —— October Road ► Folk-Rock >> 2002
● David Gray —— A Thousand Miles Behind ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2007
● Bruce Springsteen —— The ‘Collection: 1973-1984 ► Heartland Rock >> 2010

This Week’s Birthdays (August 6 – 12)

Happy Birthday this week to:

August 06

1928 ● Andy Warhol / (Andy Warhol (Warhola)) → The Velvet Underground manager, pop art painter and founder of the Pop Art movement, album cover designer (The Rolling Stones‘ Sticky Fingers album cover and others), avant-garde filmmaker, died following gall bladder surgery on 2/22/1987, age 58
1929 ● Mike Elliott / → Jamaican born jazz-pop saxophonist in several ska bands and Brit R&B/soul-pop The Foundations, “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” (#11, 1967)
1940 ● Mike Sarne / (Michael Scheuer) → Multilingual small-part movie actor, pop singer, “Come Outside” (UK #1, 1962), translated several 60s Brit singles for the German market, film director, including Joanna (1968) and Myra Breckinridge (1970
1946 ● Allan Holdsworth / → Highly-regarded journeyman jazz-rock fusion guitarist, during the 70s played with prog rock Tempest, Canterbury-scene fusion band Soft Machine, The New Tony Williams Lifetime, Gong, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bill Bruford and U.K., founded and fronted jazz-rock I.O.U. in the 80s, then solo with over a dozen acclaimed jazz fusion albums in the 90s and 00s, died from a heart attack on 4/15/2017, age 70
1946 ● Judy Craig / → Vocals for top-tier 60s New York girl group The Chiffons, “He’s So Fine” (#1, 1963)
1952 ● Pat MacDonald / → With wife Barbara K. MacDonald, one half of one hit wonder alt country-folk-pop duo Timbuk 3, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” (#19, 1986), solo
1958 ● Randy DeBarge / → With his sister and three brothers, vocals in R&B/urban contemporary dance-pop sibling quintet Debarge, “All This Love” (#17, 1983)
1963 ● Jamie Kensit / → Founder, songwriter and guitarist for Brit pop-rock Eighth Wonder, “Cross My Heart” (Dance/Club #10, 1988)
1969 ● Elliott Smith / (Steven Paul Smith) → Folk-punk singer and songwriter with the Academy Award-nominated “Miss Misery” from the film Good Will Hunting (1997), died from self-inflicted stab wound to the chest on 10/21/2003, age 34
1972 ● Geri Halliwell / (Geraldine Estelle Halliwell) → Vocals and “Ginger Spice” in pop-rock girl-group Spice Girls, “Wannabe” (#1, 1997), left for solo career in 1998, “Look At Me” (Dance/Club #12, UK #2, 1999) and seven other UK Top 10 hits
1981 ● Schleprok McCoy / (Travis McCoy) → Co-founder, MC and vocals for alt hip hop/rap rock Gym Class Heroes, “Intramurals: Cupid’s Chokehold” (#4, 2007), solo
1984 ● Eric Roberts / → Bass guitar and vocals for alt hip hop/rap rock Gym Class Heroes, “Intramurals: Cupid’s Chokehold” (#4, 2007), solo

August 07

1925 ● Felice Bryant / (Felice Scaduto Bryant) → Prolific country and pop songwriter, with her husband Boudleaux Bryant wrote “Rocky Top,” “Love Hurts,” “Bye Bye Love” (#2, 1957) and “All I Have To Do Is Dream” (#1, 1958) for The Everly Brothers, as well as “Raining In My Heart” for Buddy Holly, died on 4/22/2003, age 77
1926 ● Stan Freberg / → Irreverent, visionary radio comic/satirist, combined music with spoken word to create novelty songs, including “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” (#25, 1957), animation voice actor, advertising creative director, author
1928 ● Herbert Reed / → Founding member (1953) and bass vocals for hugely successful R&B/doo wop The Platters, “The Great Pretender” (#1, 1956) and 13 other Top 20 hits between 1955 and 1967, sang on every one of the group’s over 400 recorded songs, waged a successful court battle for rights to The Platters‘ name, died from heart disease on 6/4/2012, age 83
1936 ● Charles Pope / → With brother Joseph and others, vocals for R&B/soul The Tams, “What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” (#9, 1963) and “There Ain’t Nothing Like Shaggin'” (UK #21, 1987), continued to perform until a few years before his death from Alzheimer’s disease on 7/11/2013, age 76
1939 ● Ron Holden / → One hit wonder R&B/pop singer (“Love You So,” #7, R&B #11, 1960), died of a heart attack on 1/22/1997, age 57
1942 ● B.J. Thomas / (Billy Joe Thomas) → Light pop-rock singer, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” (#1, 1970) and “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” (#1, 1975), turned to gospel and country music later in his career, “New Looks From An Old Lover” (Country #1, 1983)
1943 ● Lana Cantrell / → Aussie-American pop and traditional standards singer turned entertainment lawyer, recorded seven albums along with a lone charting single (“Like A Sunday Morning,” #63, 1975) and appeared in Vegas and on TV musical variety shows before ditching her singing career for a law degree and practice in New York City in the 90s
1945 ● Kerry Chater / → Bassist for 60s pop-rock Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, “Young Girl” (#2, 1968)
1949 ● Carlo Novi / → Saxophones for New Jersey rock ‘n roll bar band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, “Talk To Me” (1978)
1950 ● Rodney Crowell / → Neo-traditionalist country singer/songwriter and guitarist, “I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried” (Country #1, 1988) and ten other Country Top 25 hits, worked in Emmylou Harris‘ backing band, artists who covered his songs include Bob Seger, “Shame On The Moon” (#2, 1982), Johnny Cash and Crystal Gayle
1952 ● Alexei David Sayle / → Stand-up comedian and satire/novelty pop song artist, “Ullo John! Gotta New Motor” (UK #15, 1984), film actor (Gorky Park, 1983 and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, 1989), radio and TV personality, author
1958 ● Bruce Dickinson / → Vocalist for Brit heavy metal Iron Maiden, “Flight Of Icarus” (Mainstream Rock #8, 1983), then solo, “Tears Of A Dragon” (Mainstream Rock #36, 1994), now flies as a B757 captain for UK charter airline Astraeus, BBC Radio host, author
1960 ● Jacqui O’Sullivan / → Brit singer and songwriter, backing vocals for Status Quo, Visage and the Eurythmics, joined pop trio Bananarama in 1988, “I Want You Back” (UK #5, 1988), solo
1964 ● Ian Dench / → Chief songwriter and guitarist for Brit dance-rock quintet EMF (“Epsom Mad Funkers”), “Unbelievable” (#1, 1990)
1965 ● Johnny Solinger / (John Preston “Johnny” Solinger) → Lead vocalist hired in 1999 to replace founding member Sebastian Bach in New Jersey-based hair metal/pop-metal Skid Row (“I Remember You,” #6, 1989), issued a solo country-metal album in 2008
1965 ● Raul Malo / → Singer, songwriter, guitarist and frontman for Grammy-winning country-rock The Mavericks, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” (Country #13, 1996), solo
1966 ● Kristin Hersh / → Singer/songwriter, lead vocals and guitar for alt rock Throwing Muses, “Dizzy” (Modern Rock #8, 1989) and alt punk rock power trio 50 Foot Wave, acoustic solo performances, author and co-founder of non-profit CASH Music recording software
1968 ● Lynn Strait / (James Lynn Strait) → Lead singer and songwriter for up-and-coming punk/nu-metal Snot, the band broke up shortly after his death in a California highway accident on 12/11/1998, age 30

August 08

1907 ● King Carter / (Bennett Lester Carter) → Lifetime Grammy Award and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master alto saxophonist with a long and prolific career from the late 20s to the early-00s, his best known composition was the Grammy-winning “Prelude To A Kiss” (Best Jazz Instrumental, 1994), died from natural causes on 7/12/2003, age 95
1920 ● Jimmy Witherspoon / → Late 40s jump blues “shouter” and rock ‘n’ roll roots singer, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business (Parts 1 & 2)” (R&B #1, 1949), his style went out in the late 50s and he switched to blues-rock, recorded occasionally through he 70s, toured and performed until just before he died of throat cancer on 9/18/1997, age 77
1921 ● Webb Pierce / → One of the most popular 50s/60s honky tonk and rockabilly singer/songwriters with dozens of Country Top 20 hits and a handful of crossover hits, including “More And More” (#22, Country #1, 1954) and “I Ain’t’ Never” (#24, Country #2, 1959), lived a large and flamboyant lifestyle from the end of his recording days in the early 80s to his death from pancreatic cancer on 2/24/1991, age 69
1932 ● Mel Tillis / (Lonnie Melvin Tillis) → Prolific country music singer and songwriter with 34 songs in the Country Top 10 and the crossover hit “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town” (#6, Country #39, 1970) for Kenny Rogers & The New Edition, others of his songs have been covered by Linda Ronstadt, Ricky Van Shelton, Waylon Jennings and others, later invested in radio stations, music publishing and a theater in Bronson, Missouri
1933 ● Joe Tex / (Joseph Arlington) → R&B/Southern soul singer, “Hold On To What You’ve Got” (#5, 1965) and eight other Top 40 hits, died of a heart attack on 8/13/1982, age 49
1938 ● Connie Stevens / (Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingoglia) → Pop music singer with six charting singles in 1959-65, including “Sixteen Reasons” (#3, 1960), then starred in the TV series Hawaiian Eye and in numerous films in the 60s, turned to various business and humanitarian projects in the 80s and 90s, and added film direction and screenwriting to her resume in the 90s and 00s
1938 ● Don Jacobucci / → Baritone vocals for two hit wonder doo wop quartet The Regents, original “Barbara Ann” (#13, 1961) and “Run Around” (#28, 1961)
1939 ● Phil Balsley / → Baritone vocals in country-gospel-pop crossover harmonic quartet The Statler Brothers (“Flowers On The Wall,” #4, Country #2, 1965), known as the “Quiet One” for his on stage presence and humble appearance
1942 ● Jay David / (John David) → Drummer for AM pop-rock Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, “Sylvia’s Mother” (#5, 1972) plus nine other Top 40 hits
1944 ● John Renbourn / → English singer, songwriter and guitarist with a nearly 5 decade solo career and over 30 albums, but best known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch and co-founding folk-rock group Pentangle (“Light Flight,” UK #43, 1970), continued to record tour until his death from a heart attack on 3/26/2015, age 70
1944 ● Michael Johnson / → Adult contemporary pop and country singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Bluer Than Blue” (#12, 1978) and two other Top 40 hits plus seven Country Top 40 singles
1949 ● Airrion Love / → Vocals for R&B/Philly soul The Stylistics, “You Make Me Feel Brand New” (#2, 1974) plus 15 R&B Top 40 singles
1949 ● Keith Carradine / → Four-decade Broadway stage and Hollywood film actor with a short pop music career based on the Oscar-winning, self-penned “I’m Easy” (#17, AC #1, 1976) from the movie Nashville (1975)
1956 ● Ali Score / (Alister Score) → Drummer for bizarrely-teased hair New Wave pop-rock A Flock of Seagulls, “I Ran (So Far Away)” (#9, 1982)
1956 ● Chris Foreman / → Guitar for punk/ska revival Madness, “Our House” (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1956 ● David Grant / → Pop singer and member of Brit soul/funk Linx, “You’re Lying” (R&B #27, 1981) and “Intuition” (UK #7, 1981), then solo, “Watching You Watching Me” (UK #10, 1983), celebrity vocal coach and husband of Carrie Grant
1957 ● Dennis Drew / → Keyboardist, co-founder and one of two constant members of folk-pop 10,000 Maniacs, “These Are Days” (Alt-Rock #1, 1992)
1961 ● Paul Jackson / → Bassist for New Wave pop-rock T’Pau, “Heart And Soul” (#4, 1987)
1961 ● Rikki Rockett / (Richard Allen Ream) → Drummer for hair metal/power ballad Poison, “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” (#1, 1988), solo and owner of a custom drum kit manufacturing company
1961 ● The Edge / (David Howell Evans) → Guitarist, occasional vocalist and sometime songwriter for Irish mega-star rockers U2, “With Or Without You” (#1, 1987)
1962 ● Kool Moe Dee / (Mohandas Dewese) → Member of early hip hop/old-school rap Treacherous Three, left for Grammy-winning solo career in 1986, “Rise ‘N’ Shine” (Rap #1, 1991)
1973 ● Scott Stapp / (Anthony Scott Flippen) → Founding member, lead vocalist and lyricist for Grammy-winning post-grunge Creed, “With Arms Wide Open” (#1, 2000), solo
1973 ● Toby Allen / → With brothers Andrew and Mike Tierney and another schoolmate, co-founder and vocals in Motown-inspired Aussie teen-pop boyband Human Nature (“Everytime You Cry,” AUS #3, 1997), currently in residence on the Las Vegas Strip performing in a Motown-themed show
1974 ● Brian Harvey / → Vocalist and rapper for Brit teen dance-pop/hip hop boy band East 17, “Stay Another Day” (UK #1, 1994), plus over 15 other UK Top 40 hits
1976 ● Drew Lachey / → With brother Nick and two others, vocalist in adult contemporary pop-rock boy band 98 Degrees, “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” (#2, 2000), TV and Broadway actor, celebrity dancer on Dancing With The Stars in 2006
1976 ● JC Chasez / (Joshua Scott Chasez) → Lead vocals for teen dance-pop harmony boy band ‘N Sync, “It’s Gonna Be Me” (#1, 2000), solo
1981 ● Bradley McIntosh / → Vocals for pre-fab teen pop S Club 7, “Never Had A Dream Come True” (#10, 2001)
1983 ● Vanessa Joy Amorosi / → Australian pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Absolutely Everybody” (UK #7, Australia #6, 1999) and “This Is Who I Am” (Australia #1, 2009)

August 09

1913 ● Harry Mills / (Harry Flood Mills) → Baritone vocals in six-decade jazz and pop quartet The Mills Brothers (“Cab Driver,” #23, Adult #3, 1968), best known for approximating instrument sounds with vocals, first as a novelty act in the vaudeville era of the 20s and later as the music behind their singing, continued to perform with his brothers until his death on 6/28/1982, age 68
1934 ● Merle Kilgore / → Country-pop singer, songwriter and business manager best known for co-writing “Ring Of Fire” (Johnny Cash #17, Country #1, 1963) with June Carter Cash and “Wolverton Mountain (“#6, Country #1, 1962) for Claude King, for being Johnny Cash‘s best man at his wedding in 1968, for managing Hank Williams Jr., and for his involvement with the Country Music Association, died from heart failure on 2/6/2005, age 70
1939 ● Billy Henderson / → Founding member and vocals for Grammy-winning Motown and later Atlantic R&B/soul quintet The Spinners, “Then Came You” (#1, 1974) plus eleven other Top 20 hits in the 70s, died from diabetes on 2/7/2007, age 67
1944 ● John Parry / → Session musician and early member of Brit comedy-rock Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, “I’m The Urban Spaceman” (UK #5, 1968)
1944 ● Viv Prince / (Vivian St. John Prince) → Drummer for raunchy R&B/blues-rock British Invasion band The Pretty Things, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (UK #10, 1964)
1946 ● Marinus Gerritsen / → Bassist for Dutch hard rock Golden Earring, “Radar Love” (#13, 1974), over 40 hits and 30 gold and platinum albums in the Netherlands
1947 ● Amanda McBroom / → Singer, songwriter, cabaret performer and TV and voice actress best known for writing “The Rose” (Bette Midler, #3, AC #1, 1979) from the soundtrack to the 1979 film of the same name, and for roles on Broadway shows and TV series including Hawaii Five-O and Charlie’s Angels
1947 ● Barbara Mason / → R&B/soul-pop one hit wonder singer, “Yes, I’m Ready” (#5, 1965)
1948 ● Bill Collings / (William Ralph Collings) → Pre-med college drop out whose curiousity for guitars led him to become a luthier and founder of Collings Guitars, a leading mass-producer of stringed instruments, his guitars were used by Lyle Lovett, Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and many others, died from bile duct cancer on 7/14/2017, age 68
1955 ● Charlie Morgan / → Session drummer and percussionist, played with Kate Bush, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Orleans, Tom Robinson Band, Tina Turner and others
1959 ● Kurtis Blow / (Kurtis Walker Combs) → First commercially-successful rapper, first hip hop artist to sign with a major record label and first to have a gold rap song, “The Breaks” (R&B #4, Dance/Club #9, 1980), producer and songwriter
1963 ● Whitney Houston / → Immensely popular, Grammy and Emmy award winning R&B/pop singer with the biggest hit single in rock/pop history, “I Will Always Love You” (#1, 1993) plus nine other US #1s, cousin of soul-pop songstress Dionne Warwick and goddaughter of R&B/soul diva Aretha Franklin, drowned in a hotel bathtub on 2/12/2012, age 48
1970 ● Arion Salazar / → Original bassist for post-grunge indie pop Third Eye Blind, “Semi-Charmed Life” (#4, 1997)
1978 ● Luke Concannon / → Guitar and vocals for Brit folk-rock-hip hop one hit wonder duo Nizlopi, “JCB Song” (UK #1, 2005)

August 10

1909 ● Leo Fender / (Clarence Leonidas Fender) → Inventor of the Fender Broadcaster, Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars used by countless rock musicians, died of Parkinson’s disease on 3/21/1991, age 81
1922 ● Al Alberts / (Al Albertini) → Co-founding member and vocals in traditional pop quartet The Four Aces, “Love Is A Many-splendored Thing” (#1, 1955) and 30 other Top 40 hits between 1950 and 1969, became a musical variety TV program host in Philadelphia, retired in 1994 and died from renal failure on 11/27/2009, age 87
1928 ● Eddie Fisher / (Edwin Jack Fisher) → Pop/adult contemporary crooner, “I Need You Now” (#1, 1954), TV actor, ex-husband of Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Connie Stevens and 2 others, father of actresses Carrie Fisher (Star Wars, 1977) and Joely Fisher (TVs Ellen, 1994-98), died following hip surgery on 9/22/2010, age 82
1928 ● Jimmy Dean / (Jimmy Ray Dean) → Country music singer and Grammy-winning crossover country-pop star, “Big Bad John” (#1, 1961), prime time TV variety show personality, breakfast sausage businessman and film actor, died of natural causes on 6/13/2010, age 81
1939 ● Sal Cuomo / → First tenor vocals for two hit wonder doo wop quartet The Regents, original “Barbara Ann” (#13, 1961) and “Run Around” (#28, 1961)
1940 ● Bobby Hatfield / → Blue-eyed soul singer and, with Bill Medley, one half of hugely successful pop-rock duo The Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody” (#4, 1965), died from a cocaine overdose while on tour on 11/5/2003, age 63
1940 ● Tunes Antunes / (Michael Antunes) → Saxophone player for New England one hit wonder rock ‘n’ roll bar band John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, “On The Dark Side” (#7, 1983), acted with bandmates in the rock band-based movie Eddie & The Cruisers (1983)
1943 ● James Griffin / → Songwriter, guitar and vocals for soft MOR pop-rock Bread, “Make It With You” (#1, 1970), co-wrote “For All We Know,” the 1971 Academy Award Best Song of the Year by the Carpenters from the movie Lovers And Other Strangers, issued several solo albums and performed in various country-rock combos through the early 00s, died from complications of cancer on 1/11/2005, age 61
1943 ● Ronnie Spector / (Veronica Bennett Spector) → Lead singer and frontgal (in front of sister Estelle) in quintessential 60s pop “Wall of Sound” girl group The Ronettes, “Be My Baby” (#2, 1963), married the band’s producer Phil Spector in 1968
1945 ● Brian Carman / → Founding member, guitarist and songwriter for garage/surf rock The Chantays, co-wrote their instrumental hit “Pipeline” (#4, 1963), continued to perform with the band until his death from Crohn’s disease on 3/1/2015, age 69
1945 ● Larry Larden / → With brother Dennis, guitar and vocals for one hit wonder pop-folk Every Mother’s Son, “Come On Down To My Boat” (#6, 1967)
1946 ● Mick Clarke / → Bass and vocals for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (, US #37, 1974)
1947 ● Ian Anderson / → Frontman, flautist and vocals for long-lived Brit folk-rock http://bit.ly/JET371, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), solo
1949 ● Andy Cresswell-Davis / → Co-founder, drummer and vocalist for New Wave pop-rock The Korgis, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” (#18, 1980), previously played on John Lennon‘s Imagine album, solo and sessions since The Korgis broke up for good in the early 90s
1950 ● Patti Austin / → R&B/jazz-pop singer, “Baby Come to Me” (#1, 1983), duets with Michael Jackson, James Ingram and George Benson, backing vocals for Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones and others
1959 ● Mark Price / → Drummer for goth-rock All About Eve, “Martha’s Harbour” (UK #10, 1988)
1961 ● Jon Farriss / → Drummer for Aussie New Wave dance-groove-pop INXS, “Need You Tonight” (#1, 1987)
1962 ● Julia Fordham / → Sultry-voiced jazz-pop singer and songwriter, backing singer for Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde, solo, “Happy Ever After” (Adult Contemporary #24, 1989) and “Wake Up With You (The I Wanna Song)” (Dance/Club #10, 2002)
1967 ● Lorraine Pearson / → Vocals for Brit family R&B/dance-pop quintet 5 Star, “Can’t Wait Another Minute” (#41, Dance/Club #7, 1986) and fifteen Top 40 singles in native England
1967 ● Todd Nichols / → Guitarist for alt pop-rock Toad The Wet Sprocket, “All I Want” (#15, 1992)
1968 ● Leigh Marklew / → Bassist for hard rock/heavy metal Terrorvision, “Tequila” (UK #2, 1999)
1968 ● Biv Bivins / (Michael Bivins) → Vocals for R&B/teen pop then hip hop/new jack swing vocal quartet New Edition, “If It Isn’t Love” (#7, 1988), then Bell Biv Devoe, “Poison” (#3, 1990)
1972 ● Devon Allman / → Guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, founder and bandleader for blues-rock Honeytribe, LP Space Age Blues debuted at #7 on Billboard‘s Blues Albums chart (2010), occasionally appears as a guest musician for his father, Gregg Allman and The Allman Brothers Band, currently in blues-rock supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood with Cyril Neville and others
1977 ● Aaron Kamin / → Co-founder and guitarist for post-grunge alt rock The Calling, “Wherever You Will Go” (#5, 2001)

August 11

1922 ● Ronald Erle Grainer / → Australian-born, UK-based film and TV soundtrack composer, wrote score for To Sir, With Love (1967) and theme to BBC sci-fi TV show Doctor Who (1963-1986, 2005 to present) plus dozens of other films and programs, died from spinal cancer on 2/21/1981, age 58
1925 ● Mike Douglas / (Michael Delaney Dowd, Jr.) → Successful “Big Band” and pop singer, first with the Kay Kyser Band in the 40s and later in Los Angeles nightclubs, in the 60s became a widely popular talk show host of Emmy-winning, nationally-syndicated The Mike Douglas Show and a staunch supporter of all things Philadelphia, reprised his singing career with “The Men In My Little Girl’s Life” (#6, 1966), died from dehydration on 8/11/2006, his 81st birthday
1937 ● Shel Talmy / → Record producer and music arranger with a deep resume in a short period in the mid-60s, including British Invasion guitar rock bands The Kinks (“You Really Got Me,” #7, UK #1, 1964) and The Who (“I Can’t Explain,” #93, UK #8, 1965 and their debut album My Generation, UK #5, 1965), plus cult group The Creation, Aussie rock ‘n’ roller The Easybeats (“Friday On My Mind,” #16, UK #6, 1967), unsuccessful early songs for future star Boston, folk-rock The Pentangle, folk-pop Chad & Jeremy and others, “retired” from producing in the 70s
1939 ● Ronnie Dawson / (Ronald Monroe Dawson) → The “Blond Bomber,” rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll guitarist and bandleader with several unremarkable 50s singles and extensive session work in the 60s, found relative success in the U.K. n the 80s and 90s and toured extensively, died from throat cancer on 9/30/2003, age 64
1942 ● Guy Villari / → Lead vocals for two hit wonder doo wop quartet The Regents, original “Barbara Ann” (#13, 1961) and “Run Around” (#28, 1961)
1942 ● Mike Hugg / → Drums, percussion and second longest surviving member of British Invasion pop-rock Manfred Mann, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (#1, 1964), film and TV theme composer, advertising jingle writer, solo artist
1943 ● Denis Payton / (Denis Archibald West Payton) → Horns and backing vocals for British Invasion pop-rock The Dave Clark Five, “Catch Us If You Can” (#4, 1965) and 11 other Top 25 hits in the US, died from cancer 12/17/2006, age 63
1943 ● Kenny Gamble / (Kenneth Gamble) → With partner Leon Huff in the famed Philadelphia songwriting and production team of Gamble & Huff, crafted the “Philly soul” sound as the founders and chief creative team for Motown-rival Philadelphia International Records, wrote and produced dozens of hits from “Expressway To Your Heart” (The Soul Survivors, #4, R&B #3, 1967) to “Love Train” (The O’Jays, #1, R&B #1, 1872) and “Close the Door” (Teddy Pendergrass, #25, R&B #1, 1978), after the disco era the shine on the label faded but the two continued to write into the 10s
1943 ● Jim Kale / (Michael James Kale) → Bassist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), has managed and toured with various reincarnations of the band through the 00s
1948 ● Bill Hurd / → Keyboards for glam rock/rock ‘n roll revival The Rubettes, “Sugar Baby Love” (, US #37, 1974)
1949 ● Eric Carmen / → Founding member, keyboards and vocals for Cleveland garage rock quartet The Choir, “It’s Cold Outside” (#68, 1967), then co-founded power pop The Raspberries, “Go All The Way” (#5, 1972), started soft rock solo career in 1975, “All By Myself” (#2, 1976) and six other Top 40 hits
1950 ● Erik Keith Braunn / → Guitarist for psych-rock Iron Butterfly, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” (#30, 1970), died from a birth defect-related heart attack on 7/25/2003, age 53
1952 ● Bob Mothersbaugh / → Founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist for quirky 80s pop-rock Devo, “Whip It” (#14, 1980), also produced soundtracks for film and television, including the Rugrats series during the 90s, rejoined Devo bandmates in music production company Mutato Muzika
1954 ● Bryan Bassett / → Guitar and vocals for one hit wonder funk-pop Wild Cherry, “Play That Funky Music” (#1, 1976), started music producer career in the 80s, toured with hard rock Foghat and Southern hard rock Molly Hatchet in the 90s and 00s
1954 ● Joe Jackson / (David Ian Jackson) → Punk-challenging British New Wave pop-rock singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, “Steppin’ Out” (#6, 1982), moved into eclectic pop-jazz-classical fusion in the 90s, won Grammy Award – Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2000 for Jackson: Symphony 1
1956 ● Alan Frew / → Vocals for Canadian pop-rock Glass Tiger, “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” (#2, 1986), solo
1957 ● Richie Ramone / (Richard Reinhardt) → Drummer and songwriter, joined punk rock The Ramones in 1983, wrote hit song “Somebody Put Something In My Drink” (1986)
1958 ● Jah Wobble / (John Joseph Wardle) → Bassist, vocalist, songwriter and co-founder of punk rock Public Image Ltd., “This Is Not A Love Song” (UK #5, 1983), solo
1960 ● Paul Gendler / → Guitarist for Brit dance-pop band Modern Romance, “Can You Move” (Dance/Club #2, 1981) and “Best Years Of Our Lives” (UK #4, 1982)
1962 ● Bragi Ólafsson / → Bassist for Icelandic alt pop-rock The Sugarcubes, “Hit” (Modern Rock #1, 1991)
1964 ● Hamish Seelochan / → Vocals in Brit R&B/neo-soul-funk The Pasadenas, “Tribute (Right On)” (Dance/Club #27, UK #5, 1988)
1968 ● Charlie Sexton / → Blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, bandleader and solo artist, “Beat’s So Lonely” (#17, 1985) from his debut album at age 16, sessions for Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and others
1970 ● Ali Shaheed Muhammad / → DJ/producer for artistic hip hop jazz-rap fusion trio A Tribe Called Quest, “Check The Rhime” (Rap #1, 1991), solo, producer
1970 ● Andy Bell / → Guitar and vocals for Brit neo-psych “shoegazing” band Ride, “Twisterella” (Modern Rock #12, 1992), later Hurricane , joined Oasis in 1999
1976 ● Ben Gibbard / → Vocals for indie pop/rock Death Cab For Cutie, “Soul Meets Body” (Modern Rock #5, 2005)
1976 ● Brendan Bayliss / → Founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist for neo-prog rock jam band Umphrey’s McGee, album Mantis (#62, Indie #6, 2009)
1978 ● Mack Daddy / (Chris Kelly) → Vocals for teen sensation pop-rap duo Kriss Kross, “Jump” (#1, 1992), died from an apparent drug overdose on 5/1/2013, age 34
1981 ● Sandi Thom / → Scottish neo-folk-rock singer/songwriter, “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)”, the first song to reach UK #1 based solely on the strength of downloads
1985 ● Asher Roth / → White suburban rapper, “I Love College” (#12, 2009), built an early following through web sites Facebook and MySpace
1985 ● J-Boog / (Jarell Houston) → Vocals for R&B/hip hop urban boy band B2K, “Bump, Bump, Bump” (#1, 2002)

August 12

1918 ● Roy C. Bennett / (Israel Brodsky) → Songwriter and collaborator with Sid Tepper, with whom he wrote over 300 songs, including “Red Roses For A Blue Lady” for Vaughn Monroe (#4, 1948), “The Young Ones” for Cliff Richard (UK #1, 1962) and over 40 for Elvis Presley, died of natural causes on 7/2/2015, age 96
1918 ● Sid Bernstein / → Music producer, promoter and concert impresario best known for bringing The Beatles to New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1964 and Shea Stadium in 1965, also booked shows in New York for The Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, The Moody Blues, The Kinks and other British Invasion bands, managed The Rascals and Laura Nyro in the 60s and early 70s, later arranged tours for Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac and others, died at age 95 on 8/21/2013, age 95
1920 ● Percy Mayfield / → R&B balladeer and songwriter, solo artist, “Please Send Me Someone To Love” (R&B #1, 1950), wrote “Hit The Road Jack” for Ray Charles (#1, 1961), died following a heart attack on 8/11/1984, age 63
1926 ● Joe Jones / → New Orleans R&B singer, songwriter and arranger, pianist for B. B. King, solo artist, “You Talk To Much” (#3, 1960), record producer and manager for various R&B acts, including girl group The Dixie Cups, died following heart bypass surgery on 11/27/2005, age 79
1927 ● Porter Wagoner / → Country-pop megastar known for his rhinestone-encrusted suits, pompadour hairdo, 16 Country Top 10 hits, including “The Carroll County Accident” (#92, Country #2, 1968) and multiple duet albums and hits with protégée Dolly Parton (“Please Don’t Stop Loving Me,” Country #1, 1974), toured and performed at the Grand Ole Opry until just before his death from lung caner on 10/28/2007, age 80
1929 ● Buck Owens / (Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr.) → Country music megastar singer, songwriter and guitarist, pioneer of the “Bakersfield sound” blending country and pop, “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” (#25, Country #1, 1965) and 19 other Country #1 hits, The Beatles covered his “Act Naturally” (#47, 1965), bandleader for The Buckaroos, TV host (Hee Haw), died after lengthy illnesses on 3/24/2006 , age 76
1944 ● Larry Troutman / → With three of his brothers and two non-family members, co-founder, percussion and backing vocals in underrated but influential funk sextet Zapp, “More Bounce To The Ounce” (R&B #2, 1980), shot and killed his brother and bandmate Roger Troutman in an apparent murder/suicide on 4/25/1999, age 54
1945 ● Joe Rascoff / (Joseph Fishel Rascoff) → New York City accounting firm partner who left in the early 70s to manage road financial affairs for The Rolling Stones, his company later expanded to business management and tour production for The Allman Brothers Band, David Bowie, U2, Paul Simon, Sting and others and advised artists on royalty negotiations and accounting, briefly led electronic dance music producer SFX Entertainment in the 10s before retiring, died firm prostate cancer on 4/6/2017, age 71
1948 ● Ron Mael / → With brother Russell Mael, keyboardist for quirky pop-rock Sparks, “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us” (UK #2, 1974) and “Just Got Back From Heaven” (Dance/Club #7, 1989)
1949 ● Mark Knopfler / → Frontman, lead guitar, songwriter and vocals for post-punk New Wave rock Dire Straits, “Sultans Of Swing” (#4, 1979), solo, Notting Hillbillies
1950 ● Craig Douglas / (Terence Perkins) → Early Brit pop-rock singer, “Only Sixteen” (UK #1, 1959) plus nine other UK Top 40 singles
1950 ● Kid Creole / (Thomas August Darnell Browder) → Guitarist, songwriter and frontman for multi-genre, big band-style Latin-tinged pop-rock Kid Creole & The Coconuts, “It’s A Wonderful Thing, Baby” (Dance Club #18, UK #4, 1982)
1953 ● Jerry Speiser / → Drummer for Scottish-Australian Men At Work, “Down Under” (#1, UK #1, 1983), their Grammy-winning debut album, Business As Usual, was simultaneously the #1 US and UK album in January 1983, gaining them the distinction of being the only Aussie band to hold all four top spots at once
1954 ● Pat Metheny / → Seventeen-time Grammy-winning jazz-rock fusion guitarist, composer and bandleader, sessions and side projects with David Bowie, Gary Burton, Chick Corea and many others
1958 ● Jürgen Dehmel / → Bassist for German pop-rock band Nena, “99 Luftballons” (#2, 1984)
1961 ● Roy Hay / → Guitar and vocals for New Wave synth-pop Culture Club, “Karma Chameleon” (#1, 1984) plus seven other UK top 10 singles
1963 ● Sir Mix-A-Lot / (Anthony Ray) → Hip hop MC, producer and rapper, “Baby Got Back” (#1, 1992) which one a Grammy for Best Rap Performance
1968 ● Paul Tucker / → Keyboards for Brit R&B/Northern soul duo Lighthouse Family,”Lifted” (UK #4, 1996) and 9 other UK Top 40 hits
1969 ● Tanita Tikaram / → Brit folk-pop singer and songwriter, “Twist In My Sobriety” (Modern Rock #25, UK #22, 1988)

Albums Released This Week (July 31 – August 6)

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):

July 31


● The Rascals —— Goovin’ ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 1967
● Journey —— Escape ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1981
● Eddie Rabbitt —— Step By Step ► Country -Pop >> 1981
● Fugazi —— Steady Diet Of Nothing ► Post Hardcore Rock ‘N’ Roll >> 1991
● Ronan Keating —— Ronan ► Euro Dance-Pop >> 2000
● Little River Band —— Where We Started From ► Soft Rock >> 2001
● Rory Gallagher —— Live At Montreux ► Blues-Rock >> 2006
● Little River Band —— Forever Gold ► Soft Rock >> 2007
● Dave Matthews Band —— Live Trax ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2007
● Korn —— Untitled Album ► Post-Grunge/Nu Metal >> 2007
● Phish —— Chicago ’94 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2012
● Tony Banks —— A Chord Too Far ► Prog Rock >> 2015

August 01


● Brenda Lee —— Brenda Lee ► Country-Pop >> 1960
● Jethro Tull —— Stand Up ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● Bonzo Dog Band —— Tadpoles ► Psychedelic Rock (Comedy) >> 1969
● Scorpions —— Lonesome Crow ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock >> 1972
● Bette Midler —— No Frills ► Pop-Rock Vocals >> 1983
● Aerosmith —— Rock And A Hard Place ► Hard Rock >> 1982
● Bruce Hornsby & The Range —— The Way It Is ► Pop-Rock >> 1986
● Little Feat —— Let It Roll ► Southern Rock >> 1988
● Bryan Adams —— So Far So Live ► Pop-Rock >> 1994
● AFI —— Answer That And Stay Fashionable ► Hardcore Punk >> 1995
● Jimmy Buffett —— Barometer Soup ► Folk-Rock >> 1995
● Pinetop Perkins —— Got My Mojo Workin’ ► Paino Blues >> 1995
● Deadsy —— Deadsy ► Synth Rock/Nu Metal >> 1996
● Big L —— The Big Picture ► Hardcore Rap >> 2000
● Carpenters —— As Time Goes By ► Easy Listening >> 2001
● Goo Goo Dolls —— iTunes Originals ► Alt Pop-Rock/Post-Grunge >> 2006
● Jimmy Buffett —— Live At Wrigley Field ► Folk-Rock >> 2006
● Jerry Garcia Band —— Pure Jerry: Coliseum, Hampton, VA, November 9, 1991 ► Roots Rock >> 2006
● Steely Dan —— Steely Dan: The Definitive Collection ► Jazz-Rock >> 2006

August 02


● Frank Zappa —— Fillmore East: June 1971 ► Art Rock >> 1971
● Elvis Presley —— Elvis ► Contemporary Adult Pop-Rock >> 1973
● Boston —— Don’t Look Back ► Arena Rock >> 1978
● Jackson Browne —— Lawyers In Love ► Folk-Rock >> 1983
● Poison —— Look What The Cat Dragged In ► Heavy Metal/Hair Metal >> 1986
● Vinnie Vincent Invasion —— Vinnie Vincent Invasion ► Hard Rock/Glam Metal >> 1986
● Midnight Oil —— Diesel And Dust ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Dwight Yoakam —— Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room ► Alt Country-Rock >> 1988
● Neil Young —— Borrowed Tunes: A Tribute To Neil Young ► Acoustic Rock >> 1994
● Immature —— Playtyme Is Over ► Pop-Rap >> 1994
● Jimi Hendrix —— Jimi Hendrix: Woodstock ► Blues-Rock >> 2004
● Talking Heads —— 12 X 12 Original Remixes ► New Wave Art-Rock >> 1999
● Michael Penn —— Mr. Hollywood, Jr., 1947 ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2005
● The Tubes —— Wild In London ► Alt. Rock >> 2005
● John Hiatt —— Dirty Jeans And Mudslide Hymns ► Roots Rock >> 2011
● Screaming Trees —— Last Words: The Final Recordings ► Neo-Psychedelia >> 2011

August 03


● Brenda Lee —— Grandma, What Great Songs You Sang! ► Country-Pop >> 1959
● Creedence Clearwater Revival —— Green River ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● Canned Heat —— Future Blues ► Folk-Rock >> 1970
● Stevie Wonder —— Innervisions ► Pop-R&B >> 1973
● Talking Heads —— Fear Of Music ► New Wave Art-Rock >> 1979
● Cilla Black —— Especially For You ► Pop-Rock >> 1980
● Peter Frampton —— The Art Of Control ► Arena Rock >> 1982
● Def Leppard —— Hysteria ► Hard Rock >> 1987
● Babes In Toyland —— To Mother ► Hard Rock/Riot Grrl >> 1991
● The Hollywood Flames —— The Hollywood Flames ► Doo-Wop >> 1992
● Uncle Tupelo —— March 16-20, 1992 ► Alt. Country-Rock >> 1992
● The Beach Boys —— Summer In Paradise ► Pop-Rock >> 1992
● INXS —— Welcome To Wherever You Are ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1992
● Sheryl Crow —— Tuesday Night Music Club ► Blues-Rock >> 1993
● Buju Banton —— Voice Of Jamaica ► Dancehall Reggae >> 1993
● Kylie Minogue —— Mixes ► Dance-Pop >> 1998
● The Pietasters —— Awesome Mix Tape Vol. 6 ► Ska/Soul >> 1999
● REO Speedwagon —— The Ballads ► Arena Rock >> 1999
● Alison Krauss —— Forget About It ► Bluegrass >> 1999
● Basement Jaxx —— Remedy ► Progressive House >> 1999
● Cilla Black —— The Definitive Collection (A Life in Music) ► Pop-Rock >> 2009
● The Black Crowes —— Croweology ► Southern Rock >> 2010
● Gov’t Mule —— Mulennium ► Southern Rock/Jam Rock >> 2010

August 04


● Aretha Franklin —— Aretha Arrives ► Soul >> 1967
● Michael Jackson —— Ben ► Soul Ballad >> 1972
● Rainbow —— Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow ► Hard Rock >> 1975
● Slayer —— Haunting The Chapel ► Heavy Metal >> 1984
● Gin Blossoms —— New Misrable Experience ► Power Pop >> 1992
● Donovan —— Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976 ► Folk-Rock >> 1992
● Pink Floyd —— 1967: The First Three Singles ► Prog Rock >> 1997
● Dimmu Borgir —— Godless Savage Garden ► Heavy Metal/Black Metal >> 1998
● Kraftwerk —— Tour De France Soundtracks ► Techno-Rock >> 2003

August 05


● The Beatles —— Revolver [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1966
● Pink Floyd —— The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn ► Prog Rock >> 1967
● The Stooges —— The Stooges ► Proto-Punk >> 1969
● Pat Benatar —— Crimes Of Passion ► Hard Rock >> 1980
● Elvis Costello And The Attractions —— Punch The Clock ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1983
● Young MC —— Brainstorm ► Rap >> 1991
● HiM —— Interpretive Belief System ► Heavy Metal/Goth Metal >> 1997
● 311 —— Transistor ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Jeff Beck —— Jeff ► Instrumental Rock >> 2003
● Jack Bruce —— More Jack Than God ► Prog Rock/Fusion >> 2003
● Bob Dylan —— Constructing The Legend ► Folk-Rock >> 2013

August 06


● Johnny Cash —— Ring Of Fire: The Best Of Johnny Cash ► Outlaw Country >> 1963
● The Beatles —— Help! [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1965
● Peter, Paul & Mary —— LifeLinesLive ► Folk-Pop >> 1996
● Barry White —— Can’t Get Enough ► Soul >> 1974
● Romeo Void —— Benefactor ► Post-Punk >> 1982
● Prince —— Purple Rain ► Album Rock >> 1984
● Midnight Oil —— Species Deceases ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1985
● Dramarama —— Live At The China Club ► Alt Hard Rock >> 1990
● Harem Scarem —— Harem Scarem ► Hard Rock/Glam Metal >> 1991
● Yes —— Yesyears ► Prog Rock >> 1991
● 2 Live Crew —— Shake A Lil’ Somethin’ ► East Coast Rap >> 1966
● Modest Mouse —— Interstate 8 ► Alt. Rock >> 1996
● The Human League —— Secrets ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 2001
● Ringo Starr —— King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo & His All-Starr Band ► Pop-Rock >> 2002