Albums Released This Week (April 16 – 22)

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):

April 16


● The Rolling Stones —— The Rolling Stones ► Rock n Roll >> 1964
● Bert Jansch —— Bert Jansch ► Folk-Rock >> 1965
● Donovan —— A Gift From A Flower To A Garden [UK] ► Folk-Rock >> 1968
● Minnie Riperton —— Come To My Garden ► Soul-Pop >> 1970
● Klaus Schulze —— Moondawn ► Space Rock >> 1976
● The Damned —— Damned, Damned, Damned ► Punk-Rock >> 1977
● The Band —— The Last Waltz ► Folk-Rock >> 1978
● Stephanie Mills —— Sweet Sensation ► Quiet Storm >> 1980
● Tommy Tutone —— National Emotion ► Power Pop >> 1983
● Poco —— Inamorata ► Country-Rock >> 1984
● The Bodeans —— Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams ► Roots Rock >> 1986
● Spacemen 3 —— The Perfect Perscription ► Neo-Psychedelia/Space Rock >> 1987
● Scorpions —— Savage Amusement ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock >> 1988
● Bathory —— Hammerheart ► Heavy Metal/Viking Metal >> 1990
● Chris Rea —— Auberge ► Album Rock >> 1991
● Brainbombs —— Genius And Brutality – Taste And Power ► Noise Rock >> 1995
● Brooks & Dunn —— Borderline ► Country-Rock >> 1996
● Voice Of The Beehive —— Sex & Misery ► Alt. Rock >> 1996
● Echo & The Bunnymen —— What Are You Going To Do With Your Life? ► Post-Punk >> 1999
● Tom Waits —— Mule Variations ► Blues-Rock >> 1999
● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 10 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2002
● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 11 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2002
● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 12 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2002
● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 7 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2002
● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 8 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2002
● Phish —— Live Phish Volume 9 ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 2002
● The Band —— The Last Waltz [Box Set] ► Folk-Rock >> 2002
● Aldo Nova —— Under The Gun…A Portrait Of Aldo Nova ► Glam Rock >> 2007
● The Kingston Trio —— The Final Concert ► Folk-Pop >> 2007
● The Pretenders —— Live In London ► Post-Punk >> 2010
● Foo Fighters —— Medium Rare ► Grunge Rock >> 2011
● R.E.M. —— R.E.M. Three ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2011
● Houses —— A Quiet Darkness ► Electronic Pop >> 2013

April 17


● Dusty Springfield —— A Girl Called Dusty ► Pop-Rock >> 1964
● Brinsley Schwarz —— Brinsley Schwarz ► Pub Rock >> 1970
● Paul McCartney —— McCartney [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1970
● Ten Years After —— Cricklewood Green ► Blues-Rock >> 1970
● Peter Frampton —— Wind Of Change ► Pop-Rock >> 1972
● Eagles —— Desperado ► Country-Rock >> 1973
● Stiff Little Fingers —— Go For It ► Punk-Rock >> 1981
● Motörhead —— Iron Fist ► Heavy Metal/Speed Metal >> 1982
● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds —— The Good Son ► Alt Rock >> 1990
● Rick Wakeman —— Silent Nights ► Art-Rock >> 1991
● Rick Wakeman —— Time Machine ► Prog Rock >> 1991
● The Church —— Uninvited, Like The Clouds ► Alt. Power Pop >> 2006
● Dark Tranquility —— Fiction ► Heavy Metal/Melodic Death Metal >> 2007
● Tom Petty —— Live ► Album Rock >> 2017

April 18


● Cilla Black —— Cilla Sings A Rainbow ► Rock ‘N’ Roll/Merseybeat >> 1966
● The Pretty Things —— Emotions ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1967
● The Miracles —— Renaissance ► Soul – Motown >> 1973
● ZZ Top —— Fandango! ► Blues-Rock >> 1975
● The Cure —— Seventeen Seconds ► Post-Punk >> 1980
● Butthole Surfers —— Rembrandt Pussycat ► Post-Punk Hardcore >> 1986
● Erasure —— The Innocents ► Alt. Dance >> 1988
● Eric Clapton —— Crossroads ► Blues-Rock >> 1988
● Reba McEntire —— Reba ► Country-Pop >> 1988
● Timbuk 3 —— Eden Alley ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 1988
● Pixies —— Doolittle ► Garage Rock >> 1989
● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds —— Let Love In ► Alt Rock >> 1994
● Deicide —— Once Upon The Cross ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1995
● Scorpions —— Live Bites ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock >> 1995
● Tricky —— Maxinquaye ► Electronic Trip-Hop >> 1995
● Blind Guardian —— The Forgotten Tales ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal >> 1996
● Ace Of Base —— Greatest Hits ► Euro-Dance Pop >> 2000
● Berlin —— Live:Sacred & Profane ► L. A. Synth-Pop >> 2000
● Black Label Society —— Stronger Than Death ► Heavy Metal >> 2000
● Sheena Easton —— Freedom ► Pop-Rock >> 2000
● The Apples In Stereo —— The Discovery Of A World Inside The Moone ► Indie Pop-Rock/Power Pop >> 2000
● Daniel Powter —— Daniel Powter ► Folk-Rock >> 2006
● Kansas —— Works In Progress ► Prog/Arena Rock >> 2006
● Matthew Sweet & Suzanna Hoffs —— Under The Covers, Vol. 1 ► Pop-Rock >> 2006
● Grimes —— Darkbloom [EP] ► Dream Pop >> 2011
● Mike + The Mechanics —— The Road ► Brit Pop-Rock >> 2011
● Neil Young —— A Letter Home ► Hard Rock >> 2014
● Jethro Tull —— Live At Carnegie Hall 1970 ► Folk-Rock >> 2015

April 19


● Tony Bennett —— If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set ► Easy Listening >> 1965
● The Zombies —— Odessey and Oracle ► Baroque Pop >> 1968
● The Beatles —— The Beatles/1962-1966 [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1973
● The Beatles —— The Beatles/1967-1970 [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1973
● Miles Davis —— Big Fun ► Jazz-Rock Fusion >> 1974
● John Sebastian —— Welcome Back ► Folk-Rock >> 1976
● Jethro Tull —— The Broadsword And The Beast ► Prog Rock >> 1982
● Laurie Anderson —— Big Science ► Art Rock >> 1982
● Ultravox —— Lament ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1984
● Natalie Cole —— Good To Be Back ► Soul-Pop >> 1989
● Golden Earring —— Bloody Buccaneers ► Hard Rock >> 1991
● Gastr Del Sol —— Crookt, Crackt, Or Fly ► Alt Rock >> 1994
● Superchunk —— Foolish ► Indie Rock/Alt Punk >> 1994
● The Sneetches —— Starfucker ► Alt. Power Pop >> 1995
● The Cranberries —— Bury The Hatchet ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1999
● R.E.M. —— Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions ► Rock >> 2014

April 20


● Jethro Tull —— Benefit ► Prog Rock >> 1970
● Paul McCartney —— McCartney ► Pop-Rock >> 1970
● Dr. John —— Dr. John’s Gumbo ► Roots Rock >> 1972
● Jesse Colin Young —— Light Shine ► Folk-Rock >> 1974
● Rick James —— Come Get It! ► Soul-Funk >> 1978
● Amy Grant —— My Father’s Eyes ► Pop-Rock/Christian >> 1979
● Charlie Daniels Band —— Million Mile Reflections ► Southern Rock >> 1979
● Ronnie Wood —— Gimme Some Neck ► Hard Rock >> 1979
● Dave Edmunds —— Twangin’… ► Roots/Pub Rock >> 1981
● Bon Jovi —— 7800° Fahrenheit ► Arena Rock >> 1985
● Pavement —— Slanted And Enchanted ► Garage Rock >> 1992
● Aerosmith —— Get A Grip ► Hard Rock >> 1993
● Ben E. King —— Anthology ► Soul >> 1993
● Dave Edmunds —— The Anthology (1968-1990) ► Roots/Pub Rock >> 1993
● Radiohead —— Pablo Honey ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1993
● 10,000 Maniacs —— The Earth Pressed Flat ► Folk-Rock >> 1999
● Alice Cooper —— The Life And Crimes Of Alice Cooper ► Hard Rock >> 1999
● Buckethead —— Monsters And Robots ► Experimental/Funk-Metal >> 1999
● Little Feat —— Highwire Act: Live In St. Louis 2003 ► Southern Rock >> 2004
● Machine Head —— Through The Ashes Of Empires ► Heavy Metal/Groove Metal >> 2004
● Prince —— Musicology ► Dance-Pop >> 2004
● The Staple Singers —— Reach Out And Touch…Live! ► Memphis Soul >> 2004
● Jimmy Buffett —— Encores: Live ► Folk-Rock >> 2010
● The Apples In Stereo —— Travellers In Space And Time ► Indie Pop-Rock/Power Pop >> 2010

April 21


● King Curtis —— King Soul ► Instrumental Soul >> 1960
● The Mothers Of Invention —— Uncle Meat ► Art Rock >> 1969
● ABBA —— ABBA ► Euro-Pop >> 1975
● Ringo Starr —— Bad Boy [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1978
● Pete Townshend —— Empty Glass ► Prog Rock >> 1980
● Bananarama —— Bananarama ► New Wave Dance-Pop >> 1984
● Accept —— Russian Roulette ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Metal >> 1986
● Siouxsie And The Banshees —— Tinderbox ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 1986
● Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers —— Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) ► Album Rock >> 1987
● X Japan —— Blue Blood ► Heavy Metal/Speed Metal >> 1989
● The Beastie Boys —— Check Your Head ► Rap >> 1992
● The Cure —— Wish ► Post-Punk >> 1992
● Unwound —— The Future Of What ► Post Hardcore >> 1995
● Dark Tranquility —— The Mind’s I ► Heavy Metal/Melodic Death Metal >> 1997
● Supergrass —— In It For The Money ► Post-Punk Britpop >> 1997
● Arch Enemy —— Stigmata ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1998
● Lou Reed —— Perfect Night: Live In London ► Hard Rock >> 1998
● Ray Davies —— The Storyteller ► Pop-Rock >> 1998
● Widespread Panic —— Light Fuse, Get Away ► Southern Rock >> 1998
● The Who —— Live From Toronto ► British Rock >> 2006
● Depeche Mode —— Sounds Of The Universe ► New Wave/Synth-Pop >> 2009
● Procol Harum —— Novum ► Prog Rock >> 2017

April 22


● The Monkees —— The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees ► Pop-Rock >> 1968
● Iron Butterfly —— Live ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1970
● Merle Haggard —— Hag ► Country Classics >> 1971
● The Temptations —— Sky’s The Limit ► Soul – Motown >> 1971
● J. Geils Band —— Blow Your Face Out ► Blues-Rock >> 1976
● Heart —— Magazine ► Album Rock >> 1978
● Prince —— Around The World In A Day ► Pop-Rock >> 1985
● Alison Moyet —— Hoodoo [UK] ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 1991
● The Fall —— Shift-Work ► Post-Punk >> 1991
● The Samples —— No Room ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1992
● Stratovarius —— Episode ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal >> 1996
● Asia —— Live ► Prog Rock >> 1997
● Boston —— Greatest Hits ► Arena Rock >> 1997
● Chicago —— The Heart Of Chicago 1967-1997 ► Jazz-Rock >> 1997
● Mary J. Blige —— Share My World ► Hip Hop Soul >> 1997
● Son Volt —— Straightaways ► Alt. Country-Rock >> 1997
● Black Sabbath —— Symptom Of The Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970 – 1978 ► Hard Rock >> 2002
● Black Label Society —— The Blessed Hellride ► Heavy Metal >> 2003
● Madonna —— American Life ► Dance-Pop >> 2003
● Matthew Sweet —— Kimi Ga Suki ► Power Pop >> 2003
● The Yardbirds —— Birdland ► Blues Rock >> 2003
● Whitesnake —— Best! ► Arena Rock >> 2003
● Simple Minds —— Sunday Express – Live Volume 2 ► New Wave Alt. Pop >> 2007
● Elvis Costello And The Imposters —— Momofuku ► Roots Rock >> 2008
● Whitesnake —— Good To Be Bad ► Arena Rock >> 2008
● Carpenters —— 40/40 ► Easy Listening >> 2009
● Whitesnake —— Made In Japan ► Arena Rock >> 2013

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This Week’s Birthdays (April 15 – 21)

Happy Birthday this week to:

April 15

1894 ● Bessie Smith / → The “Empress of the Blues” and first significant female blues recording artist, a major influence on all jazz singers to follow and an inspiration to many pop-rock performers, died following a car accident on 9/26/1937, age 43
1933 ● Roy Clark / → Affable country superstar singer/songwriter, guitar and banjo player, “Yesterday, When I Was Young” (#19, Country #9, 1969), 23-year host of TV show Hee Haw
1935 ● Eliot Tiber / (Eliyahu Teichberg) → Abstract artist, interior designer and Catskill Mountains hotel owner credited with saving the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival by issuing a permit to hold the event in Bethel, NY after the nearby town of Wallkill revoked an earlier permit in July 1969, just weeks before the festival kick-off, became the subject of several books and the Ang Lee film Taking Woodstock (2009), died from complications of a stroke on 8/10/2016, age 81
1937 ● Bob Luman / → Country, rockabilly and one hit wonder pop crossover singer, “Let’s Think About Livin'” (#7, Country #9, 1960) plus 20 other Country Top 40 hits, died from pneumonia on 12/27/1978, age 41
1939 ● Marty Wilde / (Reginald Leonard Smith) → Early Brit rock ‘n’ roll singer, “Bad Boy” (#45, UK #7, 1959), plus over 10 other UK Top 40 hits, father of 80s pop-rock singer Kim Wilde
1940 ● Satch Satchell / (Clarence Satchell) → Saxophone and guitar for R&B/funk The Ohio Players, “Love Rollercoaster” (#1, 1975), died from a brain aneurysm on 12/30/1995, age 55
1944 ● Dave Edmunds / → Roots-rock guitarist, vocals, songwriter, producer and bandleader for Love Sculpture, solo “I Hear You Knocking'” (#4, 1970), member of Rockpile with Nick Lowe
1947 ● Mike Chapman / (Michael Donald Chapman) → Australian-born songwriter and producer, created the “Chinnichap” songwriting and production team with co-writer Nicky Chinn, wrote and produced UK Top 10 hits for Mud, Suzi Quatro, Smokie and Sweet, produced albums for Blondie and The Knack
1947 ● Wooly Wolstenholme / (Stuart Wolstenholme) → Keyboards and vocals for Brit prog-folk-rock Barclay James Harvest, album Octoberon (#174, 1977), died on 12/13/2010, age 63
1948 ● Michael Kamen / → American composer, arranger and orchestral arranger, collaborated with Eric Clapton on the score for Lethal Weapon (1987), co-scored Die Hard (1988) plus sequels and multiple other films, worked with Roger Waters, The Who, Queen, David Bowie and others, co-wrote Bryan Adams‘ ballad “(Everything I Do), I Do It for You” (#1, 1991), died from a heart attack on 11/18/2003, age 55
1962 ● Nick Kamen / (Ivor Neville Kamen) → Brit pop-rock model and pop-rock singer, “Each Time You Break My Heart” (UK #5, 1986)
1965 ● Linda Perry / → Songwriter, guitarist and lead vocals for indie hard rock 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up?” (#11, 1993), went solo in 1995, wrote “Beautiful” (#2, 2002) for Christina Aguilera, plus other songs for Jewel, Courtney Love, Gwen Stefani, Sugababes, Robbie Williams, Melissa Etheridge and Gavin Rossdale
1965 ● Oscar Harrison / → Drummer for Britpop/trad rock Ocean Colour Scene, “The Day We Caught The Train” (UK #4, 1996) plus 16 other UK Top 40 singles
1966 ● Graeme Clark / → Bassist for Scottish pop-rock Wet Wet Wet, “Love Is All Around” (#41, UK #1, 1994)
1966 ● Samantha Fox / → Former pinup tart and teen Page 3 topless model turned pop singer, “Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)” (#3, Dance #1, 1987)
1967 ● Frankie Poullian / → Bassist for Brit hard/glam rock The Darkness, “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” (Mainstream #35, 2004)
1968 ● Edward John O’Brien / → Guitarist for alt/indie rock Radiohead, “There There” (Modern Rock #14, 2003)
1980 ● Patrick Carney / → Founding member and drummer for blues-rock The Black Keys, “Tighten Up” (Alt Rock #1, 2010), produced records for up-and-coming bands and founded independent label Eagle Rock Records

April 16

1924 ● Henry Mancini / → Grammy-winning composer, conductor and arranger for stage, film and TV, wrote “Moon River” (#11, 1961) and the themes to The Pink Panther movies and Peter Gunn TV show, died from pancreatic cancer on 6/14/1994, age 70
1924 ● Rudy Pompilli / → Saxophonist with early and important rock ‘n’ roll group Bill Haley & His Comets, “Rock Around The Clock” (#1, 1955), died of lung cancer on 2/5/1976, age 51
1929 ● Ed Townsend / → Award-winning soul singer and songwriter, wrote and produced the autobiographical Impressions hit “Finally Got Myself Together (I’m A Changed Man)” (#17, R&B #1, 1974), co-wrote with Marvin Gaye “Let’s Get It On” (#2, R&B #1, 1973), had his own hit with “For Your Love” (#13, R&B #7, 1958) and wrote songs for many other soul and pop artists through the 70s, died of a heart attack on 8/13/2003, age 74
1929 ● Roy Hamilton / → Classical-trained 50s R&B/gospel-pop singer, “Unchained Melody” (#6, R&B #1,1955), died after a stroke on 7/20/1969, age 40
1930 ● Herbie Mann / (Herbert Jay Solomon) → Pre-eminent 60s jazz-pop flautist, composer and bandleader most known for his big hit “Hijack” (#14, Disco #1, 1975), died from prostate cancer on 7/1/2003, age 73
1934 ● Robert Stigwood / (Robert Colin Stigwood) → Australian-born music executive and producer, founder of Robert Stigwood Organization and the RSO Records label, manager for supergroup Cream and disco-pop The Bee Gees, producer of stage shows Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, and the hit films Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978) and Evita (1996) starring Madonna, died of natural causes on 1/4/2016, age 81
1935 ● Bobby Vinton / (Stanley Robert Vinton) → Early 60s pop-rock crooner, “Blue Velvet” (#1, 1963) and over 25 other Top 40 hits
1939 ● Dusty Springfield / (Mary Isabel O’Brien) → Vocalist with her brother Tom Springfield in light folk-pop trio The Springfields, “Silver Threads And Golden Needles” (#20, 1962), then blue-eyed soul-pop diva, “Son Of A Preacher Man” (#10, 1969), died from breast cancer on 3/2/1999, age 59
1943 ● “Lonesome Dave” Peverett / (David Jack Peverett) → Guitar and vocals for blues-rock Savoy Brown “Tell Mama” (#83, 1971), then founded and led blues/boogie rock Foghat, “Slow Ride” (#20, 1975), died of cancer on 2/7/2000, age 56
1945 ● Johnny Sandlin / (John Everett Sandlin) → Bandmate with brothers Duane and Gregg Allman in 60s rock Hour Glass, then joined Capricorn Records as a session musician, later engineered and produced albums for The Allman Brothers Band, including At Fillmore East (#13, 1971) and Eat A Peach (#4, 1972), also worked with Wet Willie, Elvin Bishop, Dixie Dregs and Widespread Panic, died from cancer on 9/19/2017, age 72
1945 ● Stefan Grossman / → Folk and acoustic blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, worked in The Even Dozen Jug Band and political folk The Fugs, solo recordings, co-founder of Kicking Mule Records
1947 ● Gerry Rafferty / (Gerald Rafferty) → Scot singer, songwriter and frontman for Stealers Wheel, “Stuck In The Middle” (#6, 1973), then solo, “Baker Street” (#2, 1978), died of liver failure caused by acute alcoholism on 1/4/2011, age 63
1947 ● “The Bear” Kerslake / (Lee Kerslake) → Drummer and backing vocals for prog/hard rock Uriah Heep, “Easy Livin'” (#39, 1972), played on Ozzy Osbourne‘s Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman LPs, for which he received no credit and no royalties and lost a lawsuit against Osbourne for recovery
1951 ● John Bentley / → Bassist for New Wave traditional guitar pop Squeeze, “Tempted” (Mainstream Rock #8, 1981)
1953 ● Peter Garrett / → Towering Australian musician, politician and activist, frontman and lead vocals from 1975 to 2002 for politically-outspoken Aussie rock Midnight Oil (“Beds Are Burning,” #17, Mainstream Rock #6, 1988) , the band’s album Diesel And Dust (1987) ranked #13 on Rolling Stone magazines 100 best albums of the 80s, served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 2004 to 2013
1956 ● Paul Buchanan / → Singer/songwriter and guitarist in ambient folk-pop The Blue Nile, “Saturday Night” (UK #50, 1991), has songs covered by Annie Lennox and Rod Stewart
1959 ● Stephen Singleton / → Saxophonist for New Wave synth-pop ABC, “Be Near Me” (#9, 1982), left in 1984 for brief film career
1962 ● Ian MacKaye / → Singer, songwriter, musician, producer and record label executive, frontman for hardcore punk Minor Threat and The Teen Idles, post-hardcore Embrace and Fugazi, co-founder of Dischord Records
1963 ● “Little Jimmy” Osmond / (James Arthur Osmond) → Vocals for family-oriented light pop-rock The Osmonds, ten US Top 40 singles including “One Bad Apple” (#1, 1971)
1963 ● Nick Berry / → Brit TV actor and pop singer, “Every Loser Wins” (UK #1, 1986)
1964 ● David Pirner / → Vocals and guitar for garage rock superstar group Soul Asylum, “Runaway Train” (#5, 1993), solo
1969 ● Sean Cook / → Bassist for space rock/trance rock Spiritualized, “Lazer Guided Melodies” (UK #27, 1992)
1970 ● Gabrielle / (Louisa Gabrielle Bobb) → Brit house/R&B singer, “Dreams” (#26, Dance/Club #1, UK #1, 1993) and 15 other UK Top 30 hits through 2004
1971 ● Selena Quintanilla-Pérez / → The “Queen of Tejano Music”, Grammy-winning, beloved Mexican-American pop singer, “Dreaming Of You” (#22, 1995), subject of a film (Selena, 1997) based on her life and starring Jennifer Lopez, murdered by the embezzling president of her fan club on 3/31/1995, age 23
1973 ● Akon / (Aliaune Thiam) → Senegalese-American R&B/hip hop artist, “I Wanna Love You” (#1, 2006) plus 10 other Top 40 hits, first artist of any genre to simultaneously hold the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 on two separate occasions, recorded as a guest on over 300 other Top 40 singles

April 17

1926 ● Sam Carr / (Samuel Lee McCollum) → Drummer in electric Mississippi Delta blues trio The Jelly Roll Kings known for his minimalist drum kit, died from congestive heart failure on 9/21/2009, age 83
1931 ● David Axelrod / → Top-level 60s and 70s music producer, worked with jazz and R&B artists from Cannonball Adderly to Lou Rawls and varied pop acts as David McCallum and The Electric Prunes, enjoyed a resurgence of sorts when hip hop acts sampled his work in the 90s, died of lung cancer on 2/5/2017, age 85
1934 ● Don Kirshner / → Entertainment mogul, led Brill Building songwriting teams, formed The Monkees, owned Kirshner Records (“Sugar Sugar” by The Archies, #1, 1969), major concert promoter, TV music show host, died of heart failure 1/17/2011, age 76
1936 ● Pete Graves / (Alexander Graves) → Vocals and founding member of important 50s R&B/doo wop The Moonglows, “Sincerely” (R&B #1, 1955)
1937 ● Don Buchla / (Donald Buchla) → Berkeley-trained NASA engineer, musician, business entrepreneur and unheralded electronic music pioneer, his many creations were mostly outside of contemporary bounds but included precursors to 80s synthesizers and computer-based keyboard controllers, his “Buchla Box” supplied the sound for Ken Kesey‘s “Acid Tests” and Grateful Dead sounds systems in the 60s, died of cancer on 9/14/2016, age 79
1940 ● Billy Fury / (Ronald Wycherley) → Early British rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter, “Halfway To Paradise”” (UK #3, 1961) and 25 other UK Top 40 singles between 1959 and 1966, starred as rock ‘n’ roller “Stormy Tempest” in the film That’ll Be The Day (1973) with David Essex and Ringo Starr, died of a heart attack on 1/28/1983, age 42
1942 ● Shelly Buchansky / → Vocals for New York R&B/doo wop one hit wonder Vito & The Salutations, “Unchained Melody” (1963)
1943 ● Roy Estrada / → Bassist for experimental art rock Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, then Frank Zappa-led satirical rock group The Mothers Of Invention, “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It” (1967), co-founded Southern-fried blues-boogie rock Little Feat, “Dixie Chicken” (1973), left after their first two albums to rejoin various Zappa projects, currently serving 25 years without parole for sexually abusing a child on several occasions
1945 ● Tony Crane / → Founding member, rhythm guitar and lead vocals for Britbeat pop-rock The Merseybeats, “Mr. Moonlight'” (UK #5, 1964) and seven other UK Top 40 hits but no chart presence in the US, then folk-pop vocal duo The Merseys, “Sorrow” (UK #4, 1966), reformed The Merseybeats in 1993 and continues with the band
1948 ● Graham Bell / → Brit pop-rock vocalist as a solo act and bandmember, started with psych-pop band Skip Bifferty in the 60s, recorded the rock opera Tommy with the London Symphony Orchestra, joined jazzy prog rock Every Which Way and formed pop-rock Bell & Arc in the 70s, toured with and did session work for Long John Baldry, Jackie Lomax and others, died of cancer on 5/2/2008, age 60
1948 ● Jan Hammer / → Jazz-rock fusion keyboardist with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck Group, composed and performed TV’s “Miami Vice Theme” (#1, 1985)
1954 ● Michael Sembello / → Producer, composer, session guitarist for many pop-rock acts, solo one hit wonder singer, “Maniac” (#1, 1983) from the film Flashdance (1983)
1955 ● Pete Shelley / (Peter McNeish) → Founder, lead guitar, principal songwriter and vocals for early and seminal punk-pop Buzzcocks, went solo in 1981, “On Your Own” (Dance/Club #10, 1986)
1957 ● Afrika Bambaataa / (Kevin Donovan) → Proto-rap hip-hop DJ and electro-funk artist, “Planet Rock” (#48, R&B #4, 1986), Zulu Nation spiritual leader
1964 ● Maynard James Keenan / → Founder, frontman, songwriter and lead vocalist for Grammy-winning prog-metal band Tool, “Vicarious” (Modern Rock #2, 2006) plus side project alt rock A Perfect Circle, “Weak And Powerless” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2003)
1967 ● Liz Phair / → Lo-fi indie pop-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Why Can’t I?” (#32, Top 40 #10, 2004)
1967 ● Matt Chamberlain / → Widely-heard session drummer, played on over 200 albums with rock and pop bands such as Christina Aguilera, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, David Bowie, Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians, Peter Gabriel, Elton John, Morrissey, Pearl Jam, The Wallflowers, Natalie Merchant, John Mayer, William Shatner and many others
1970 ● Redman / (Reginald Noble) → Actor, producer and funk/reggae-tinged rapper, “How High” (#13, Rap #2, 1995), worked with Method Man on the 1999 album Blackout!, featured on Christina Aguilera‘s “Dirrty” (#48, UK #1, 2002)
1974 ● Victoria Beckham / (Victoria Adams Beckham) → Vocals and “Posh Spice” in pop-rock girl-group Spice Girls, “Wannabe” (#1, 1997), married soccer star David Beckham in June 1999

April 18

1918 ● Tony Mottola / → Session guitarist for Perry Como, Burl Ives and others, member of Frank Sinatra‘s backing band and Doc Severinsen‘s The Tonight Show house band, one hit wonder easy listening soloist (“This Guy’s In Love With You,” Easy Listening #22, 1968) with dozens of light pop guitar-based albums, died from complications of pneumonia on 8/9/2004, age 86
1924 ● Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown / → Grammy-winning electric Texas blues, country, Cajun and R&B guitarist, “Okie Dokie Stomp” (1954), died of emphysema on 9/10/2005, age 81
1935 ● Paul Rothchild / (Paul A. Rothchild) → Boston-area folk album producer, discovered The Butterfield Blues Band in the early 60s, moved to Southern California and became central to the development of the L.A. Sound in the 60s and 70s, produced five albums by The Doors, plus various recordings for Janis Joplin, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Neil Young, Tom Paxton, Love, Bonnie Raitt, The Outlaws and others, died from lung cancer on 3/30/1995, age 59
1939 ● Glen D. Hardin / → Country and rock ‘n’ roll drummer, first with post-Buddy Holly & The Crickets, then in the TV show Shindig house band and Elvis Presley‘s backing band, session work for Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and others
1941 ● Mike Vickers / (Michael Vickers) → Multi-instrumentalist (guitar, flute and sax) for British Invasion pop-rock Manfred Mann, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (#1, 1964), then film score composer and session man, played synthesizer on The Beatles‘ Abbey Road album
1943 ● Clyde Stubblefield / (Clyde Austin Stubblefield) → R&B and funk drummer with Eddie Kirkland and Otis Redding in the early 60s, then joined James Brown‘s band in 1965 and created memorable funk rhythm patterns, including the drum break on “Funky Drummer” (#51, R&B #20, 1970), the most sampled music segment ever, continued to record on his own and with others through the 10s and performed in central Wisconsin until his death from kidney failure on 2/18/2017, age 68
1945 ● Charles Love / → Guitarist and founding member of a cappella doo wop group turned early and influential funk and black rock Bloodstone, “Natural High” (#10, R&B #4, 1973) and eleven other charting singles, died from emphysema on 3/6/2014, age 68
1946 ● Skip Spence / (Alexander Lee Spence) → Early guitarist for psych-folk Quicksilver Messenger Service, left to become original drummer for psych-rock Jefferson Airplane, “Somebody To Love” (#5, 1967), left to form eclectic psych-rock Moby Grape, “Omaha” (#88, 1967), went solo in 1969, died from lung cancer on 4/16/1999, age 52
1946 ● Lennie Baker / (Leonard J. Baker) → Saxophonist in a later lineup of 50s rock ‘n’ roll Danny & The Juniors, joined “greaser” revival parody rock-and-doo-wop Sha Na Na (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #55, 1975) in 1970 and played saxophone and sang with the group for 30 years on stage, film and TV, died from an unspecified infection on 2/24/2016, age 69
1958 ● Andy Kyriacou / → Drummer for New Wave dance-pop Modern Romance, “Can You Move” (Dance/Club #2, 1981) and “Best Years Of Our Lives” (UK #4, 1982)
1958 ● Les Pattinson / → Bassist for gloomy post-punk psych-rock Echo & The Bunnymen, “Enlighten Me” (Modern Rock #8, 1990)
1959 ● Richard Lyons / (Richard Duaine Lyons) → Founding member of avant-garde, sonic experimentation and collage sound cult band Negativland, since 1980 the band has released nearly two dozen LPs and EPs and hosted a weekly live radio program, Over The Edge, on KPFA in Berkeley, CA, all featuring sound bites, music sampling, distortion, dubbing and random noises, died from complications of nodular melanoma on 4/18/2016, age 57
1962 ● Shirlie Holliman / → Backing vocals for New Wave dance-pop Wham!, “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (#1, 1984), left to form pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie, “Heartache” (#78, Dance #2, 1987)
1963 ● Michael Mangini / → Drummer for Canadian thrash metal Annihilator, left to join heavy metal/hard rock Extreme, “More Than Words” (#1, 1991), sessions and Steve Vai backing band
1964 ● Bez Berry / (Mark Berry) → On stage dancer for Manchester electro-dance club Happy Mondays, “Stinkin Thinkin” (Dance/Club #1, 1992), left to form and dance for dance-pop Black Grape, “In The Name Of The Father” (UK #8, 1995)
1970 ● Greg Eklund / → Drummer for Northwest post-grunge/punk Everclear, “Wonderful” (#11, Alt Rock #3, 2000)
1974 ● Mark Tremonti / → Guitarist for Grammy-winning post-grunge Creed, “With Arms Wide Open” (#1, 2000), founding member of hard rock Alter Bridge, “Open Your Eyes” (Mainstream Rock #2, 2004)
1982 ● Marie-Élaine Thibert / → Canadian adult contemporary and teen pop singer, runner-up in the first season of the Quebec singing idol reality show Star Académie, two-time Felix award winner for best female artist in Quebec and one-time Juno award winner for best Francophone album in Canada, her first four albums reached the Top 10 in Canada

April 19

1928 ● Alexis Korner / → Major force in early British blues-rock, formed Blues Incorporated with Charlie Watts, then blues-rock ensemble CCS which covered Led Zeppelin‘s “Whole Lotta Love” (#58, 1971), writer and radio DJ, died from lung cancer on 1/1/1984, age 55
1934 ● Dickie Goodman / (Richard Dorian Goodman) → With partner Bill Buchanan, one half of the pioneering novelty “break in” song genre (prototype of later “sampling” technique) Buchanan & Goodman, “Flying Saucer, Pt. 1-2” (#3, 1956), plus solo work, “Mr. Jaws” (#4, 1975), died from self-inflicted gun shot wounds on 11/6/1989, age 55
1940 ● Bobby Russell / → Country-pop crossover singer with several minor singles, including “Saturday Morning Confusion” (#28, Country #24, 1971), best known for penning several country and pop hits, from Grammy-winning “Little Green Apples” for O. C. Smith (#2, 1968) to “Honey” for Bobby Goldsboro (#1, 1968) and “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” (#1, 1972) for his then-wife Vicki Lawrence, died from coronary artery disease on 11/19/1992, age 52
1942 ● Alan Price / → Organist for early line-up of Brit blues-rock The Animals, “House Of The Rising Sun” (#1, 1964), left for one hit solo career, “‘Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear” (UK #4, 1967)
1942 ● Larry Ramos / (Hilario Ramos) → Filipino-American guitarist, banjo player and singer with 60s folk-pop vocal ensemble The Association, co-sang two of the group’s hits, “Windy” (#1, 1967) and “Never My Love” (#2, 1967), left in 1975 over musical differences but returned in 1979 and performed with the group until just prior to his death from melanoma on 4/30/2014, age 72
1943 ● Eve Graham / (Evelyn Mae Beatson) → Vocals for folk-sunshine pop The New Seekers, “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” (#7, 1972)
1944 ● Bernie Worrell / (George Bernard Worrell, Jr.) → Founding member and keyboards for R&B/soul-funk Parliament-Funkadelic, co-wrote many P-Funk hits with bandleader George Clinton including synth-funk classic “Flash Light” (#16, R&B #1), worked with Talking Heads, Gov’t Mule and Black Jack Johnson among others and fronted the Bernie Worrell Orchestra until his death from lung cancer on 6/24/2016, age 72
1945 ● Michael Stewart / → Co-founder and guitarist for folk-pop harmony group We Five “You Were On My Mind” (#3, AC #1, 1965), brother of John Stewart of The Kingston Trio and producer of Billy Joel‘s Piano Man album (#27, 1973), worked as a computer programmer until he committed suicide on 11/13/2002, age 57
1946 ● Tim Curry / → Singer, stage and film actor, voice actor, came to prominence as “Dr. Frank N. Futer” in cult classic move The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), later in Annie (1982), Legend (1985), Clue (1985) and Monty Python’s Spamalot (2004)
1947 ● Mark Volman / → With long-time collaborator Howard Kaylan, co-founder and vocals for pop-rock The Turtles, “Happy Together” (#1, 1967), then Frank Zappa-led satirical rock group The Mothers Of Invention, “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It” (1967), formed Flo & Eddie with Kaylan, continues with him in TV, film, radio and reconstituted Turtles projects
1948 ● Stuart McLean / (Andrew Stuart McLean) → Canadian humorist, author and host of the long-running weekly music and storytelling variety show The Vinyl Café on the CBC, the BBC and dozens of U.S. public radio stations, contracted melanoma in 2015 and suspended production of the show in 2016, died of the disease on 2/15/2017, age 68
1956 ● Gary Langan / → Recording engineer and founding member of avant-garde synth-pop The Art Of Noise, “Kiss” featuring Tom Jones (#31, Dance/Club #18, UK #5, 1988), record producer
1956 ● Paul Mario Day / → Original lead vocalist for Brit heavy metal Iron Maiden (“Flight Of Icarus,” Mainstream Rock #8, 1983), was fired in 1976 for lack of stage charisma and went on to perform and record with various hard rock bands in New South Wales, Australia
1956 ● Rod Morgenstein / → Drummer for jazz-Southern rock fusion Dixie Dregs, later with pop-metal Winger, “Miles Away” (#12, 1990)
1957 ● Tony Martin / (Anthony Harford) → Multi-instrumentalist heavy metal lead singer for Black Sabbathh (“TV Crimes,” UK #33, 1992) in two stints between 1987 and 1997, second longest tenured vocalist after Ozzy Osbourne, issued several solo albums and worked with other metal acts through the 00s
1965 ● Suge Knight / (Marion Knight, Jr.) → Strong-armed co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records, served time for parole violation, suspected of involvement in the murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.

April 20

1923 ● Tito Puente / (Ernesto Antonio “Tito” Puente, Jr.) → The “King of Latin Music,” five-time Grammy-winning virtuoso vibraphonist, bandleader, songwriter and arranger in a 50-year career that brought mamba, cha-cha-cha and “salsa” music to mainstream audiences through albums, nightclubs, radio and movies, appeared in the TV sitcom The Cosby Show in 1983 and the film The Mambo Kings (1992), Latin rock Santana covered his “Oye Como Va” (#13, 1970), died following heart valve surgery on 5/31/2000, age 77
1929 ● Bob Braun / → Long-time radio DJ (WLWT-Cincinnati), TV music show host and one hit wonder pop-rock singer, “Till Death Do Us Part” (#26, 1962), died from cancer on 1/15/2001, age 71
1932 ● Gerry Granahan / → Philadelphia radio DJ, songwriter, Influential rock ‘n’ roll producer and pop-rock singer with the minor hit “No Chemise Please” (#23, 1958), co-wrote “Click Clack” (#28, 1958) and performed the song and others in the fictional band Dickey Doo & The Don’ts, produced “My Boyfriend’s Back” (#1, 1963) for The Angels and songs for Patty Duke, Jay & The Americans and others, served as an executive with Dot and Paramount Records, continued to perform in the 90s
1939 ● Johnny Tillotson / → Country, pop, R&B and adult crossover singer/songwriter, “Poetry In Motion” (#2, 1961)
1945 ● Jimmy Winston / → Original organ player for British Invasion raunch/rock The Small Faces, left for obscurity in 1965 before the band hit notoriety
1947 ● Ken Scott / → EMI Studios recording engineer whose first session was The Beatles‘ 1964 A Hard Days Night album, worked on multiple other Beatles albums and hit songs, plus recordings for Manfred Mann, Peter and Gordon, Jeff Beck Group, Procol Harum and others, left in 1969 for Trident Studios where he worked with Elton John, David Bowie, Supertramp, America, Lou Reed and others, helped create the harder jazz rock sound typified by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham, Stanley Clark and Jeff Beck, moved to Los Angeles in 1976 and produced albums by The Tubes, Devo, Kansas, Level 42 and L.A. punk and hard rock bands, continues to work in studios and talk about the profession
1947 ● Mark Fisher / → Brit architect and stage designer known for his elaborate sets for The Rolling Stones, U2, Pink Floyd (The Wall Tour, 1980), Madonna, Peter Gabriel, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga and others, died after a long illness on 6/25/2013, age 66
1948 ● Craig Frost / → Keyboardist, joined hard rock/early heavy metal power trio Grand Funk Railroad in 1972, “We’re An American Band” (#1, 1973), joined Bob Seger‘s Silver Bullet Band in the early 80s
1951 ● Luther Vandross / → Eight-time Grammy-winning R&B/smooth soul singer/balladeer, “Power Of Love/Love Power” (#4, 1986) and duet with Janet Jackson, “The Best Things In Life Are Free” (#10, 1997), died following a stroke and heart attack caused by genetic diabetes and hypertension on 7/1/2005, age 54
1967 ● Mike Portnoy / → Drummer for heavy metal Dream Theater, “Pull Me Under” (Mainstream Rock #10, 1992)
1971 ● Mikey Welsh / → Bassist for post-grunge alt rock Weezer, “Beverly Hills” (#10, 2005), died of an overdose-induced heart attack in a Chicago hotel on 10/8/2011, age 40
1972 ● Carmen Electra / → Erstwhile Playboy Bunny, Baywatch beach tart and vocalist for burlesque dance-pop girl troupe The Pussycat Dolls, “Don’t Cha” (#2, 2005) featuring Busta Rhymes
1972 ● Ziggy Marley / (Stephen Robert Nesta Marley) → Grammy-winning roots reggae/ska singer, guitarist, songwriter and bandleader for Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, “Tomorrow People” (Mainstream Rock #16, 1988), son of reggae superstar and icon Bob Marley
1974 ● Tina Cousins / → Fashion model turned dance-pop diva with five UK Top 20 singles, including “Killin’ Time” (UK #15, 1999)

April 21

1919 ● Don Cornell / → Smooth baritone pre-rock ‘n’ roll pop and easy listening singer with over 30 Top 40 hits between 1942 and 1955, including “Hold My Hand” (#2, UK #1, 1954) , died from emphysema and diabetes on 2/23/2004, age 84
1939 ● Ernie Maresca / (Ernest Peter Maresca) → 60s doo wop and rock ‘n’ roll songwriter whose résumé includes several hits for Dion, including “Runaround Sue” (#1, 1961), and a brief one hit wonder solo career, “Shout Shout (Knock Yourself Out)” (#6, 1962)
1943 ● Mars Bonfire / (Dennis Eugene McCrohan Edmonton) → Guitar and vocals for Canadian-American hard rock, proto-metal Steppenwolf, wrote “Born To Be Wild” (#2, 1968)
1947 ● Alan Warner / → Founding member, guitars and backing vocals for Brit R&B/soul-pop The Foundations, “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” (#11, 1967), later wrote dozens of musical instrument instructions books
1947 ● Iggy Pop / (James Newell Osterberg) → Frontman and vocals for hard rock/proto-punk The Stooges, solo, Lust For Life (1977, Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums #147)
1947 ● John Weider / → Guitar and violin for British Invasion hard/blues-rock The Animals, “House Of The Rising Sun” (#1, 1964), then bassist for blues/art rock Family, “In My Own Time” (UK #4, 1971), sessions and solo as a jazz-new age guitarist and singer/songwriter
1948 ● Paul Davis / → Pop-rock and country-pop singer/songwriter (“I Go Crazy, #7, 1977), guest vocalist with Marie Osmond and Tanya Tucker, wrote several country hits for others, died of a heart attack on 4/22/2008, age 60
1951 ● Nicole Barclay / → Vocals for pioneering all girl rock group Fanny, “Butter Boy” (#29, 1975), early women-only rock band and first to sign with a major record label
1958 ● Mike Barson / → Keyboards for Brit punk/ska revival Madness, “Our House” (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles, continues to record and perform with the band into the 10s
1959 ● Michael Timmins / → Guitarist and songwriter for Canadian alt-art-country-blues-rock Cowboy Junkies, “Sweet Jane” (Modern Rock #5, 1989)
1959 ● Robert Smith / → Founder, frontman, guitarist, vocals, songwriter and only constant member of gloomy post-punk-pop The Cure, “Love Song” (#2, 1989), plus over 20 other Top 40 singles in his native UK
1960 ● John Maher / → Drummer in early and seminal punk-pop Buzzcocks, “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” (UK #12, 1978), now sells and races Volkswagen cars
1963 ● Johnny McElhone / (John Francis McElhone) → Bassist for Scottish teen-aged post-punk alt rock Altered Images, “Happy Birthday” (UK #2, 1981), then joined Scottish blues-rock Texas, “In My Heart” (Alt Rock #14, 1991)
1966 ● Michael Franti / → Creator, frontman, chief poet, lead vocals and guitar for politically and socially active hip hop-funk-rock fusion Michael Franti & Spearhead (“Say Hey (I Love You),” #18, R&B #1, 2009)
1978 ● Brandon Steineckert / → Drummer in screamo-tinged, post-hardcore punk The Used, “Under Pressure” (#48, 2005), left in 2006 to join punk rock revival Rancid, “Time Bomb” (Modern Rock #8, 1995)

Albums Released This Week (April 9 – 15)

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):

April 09


● Bob Dylan —— Nashville Skyline ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● Dr. John —— Remedies ► Blues-Rock >> 1970
● Queen —— Queen II ► Prog Rock >> 1974
● America —— Hideaway ► Folk-Rock >> 1976
● Natalie Cole —— Natalie ► Soul-Pop >> 1976
● Rainbow —— Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll ► Arena Rock >> 1978
● Squeeze —— Cool For Cats ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1979
● Elton John —— Jump Up! ► Pop-Rock >> 1982
● R.E.M. —— Reckoning ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1984
● Billy Squier —— Creatures Of Habit ► Hard Rock >> 1991
● Roxette —— Crash! Boom! Bang! ► Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Chino XL —— Here To Save You All ► Hardcore Rap >> 1996
● Bonnie Raitt —— Silver Lining ► Blues-Rock >> 2002
● Neil Young Featuring Booker T. & The M.G.’s —— Are You Passionate? ► Rock & Soul >> 2002
● Roy Buchanan —— Strange Kind Of Feeling ► Blues-Rock >> 2002
● Motörhead —— Hammered ► Heavy Metal >> 2004

April 10


● Elvis Presley —— It Happened At The World’s Fair ► Rock n Roll >> 1963
● The Beatles —— The Beatles’ Second Album ► Pop-Rock >> 1964
● Dusty Springfield —— From Dusty With Love ► Pop-Rock >> 1970
● Elton John —— Elton John ► Pop-Rock >> 1970
● Miles Davis —— Black Beauty: Miles Davis At Fillmore West ► Jazz-Rock Fusion >> 1970
● Carpenters —— Golden Prize Volume II [Japan] ► Easy Listening >> 1974
● Supertramp —— Even In The Quietest Moments ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1977
● Jethro Tull —— Heavy Horses ► Prog Rock >> 1978
● The Cure —— Faith ► Post-Punk >> 1981
● Jethro Tull —— The Broadsword And The Beast [UK] ► Prog Rock >> 1982
● Scorpions —— Blackout ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock >> 1982
● The Cult —— Sonic Temple ► Hard Rock >> 1989
● Fleetwood Mac —— Behind The Mask ► Pop-Rock >> 1990
● Laura Branigan —— Laura Branigan ► Dance-Pop >> 1990
● The Hives —— Veni Vidi Vicious ► Garage Rock >> 2000
● Whitesnake —— The Early Years ► Arena Rock >> 2004
● Brenda Lee —— Gospel Duets With Treasured Friends ► Country-Pop >> 2007
● Bonnie Raitt —— Slipstream ► Blues-Rock >> 2012

April 11


● Creedence Clearwater Revival —— Mardi Gras ► Folk-Rock >> 1972
● The Beach Boys —— Love You ► Pop-Rock >> 1977
● Whitesnake —— Come An’ Get It ► Arena Rock >> 1981
● Savatage —— Sirens ► Heavy Metal/Speed Metal >> 1983
● The Who —— Two’s Missing ► Hard Rock >> 1987
● Butthole Surfers —— Hairway To Steven ► Post-Punk Hardcore >> 1988
● Iron Maiden —— Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son ► Heavy Metal >> 1988
● Celtic Frost —— Vanity/Nemesis ► Heavy Metal >> 1990
● Pavement —— Wowee Zowee ► Garage Rock >> 1995
● Bad Manners —— Special Brew ► Ska Revival >> 2000
● No Doubt —— Return Of Saturn ► Ska-Pop >> 2000
● Queen —— Stone Cold Classics ► Glam Rock >> 2006
● Asia —— Phoenix ► Prog Rock >> 2008
● Judas Priest —— The Essential Judas Priest ► Heavy Metal >> 2008
● Bob Dylan —— In Concert – Brandeis University 1963 ► Folk-Rock >> 2011

April 12


● Martha Reeves & The Vandellas —— Dance Party ► Soul – Motown >> 1965
● The Supremes —— We Remember Sam Cooke ► Soul – Motown >> 1965
● Stevie Wonder —— Where I’m Coming From ► Pop-R&B >> 1971
● The Jackson 5 —— Maybe Tomorrow ► Soul – Motown >> 1971
● Stephen Stills & Manassas —— Manassas ► Folk-Rock >> 1972
● J. Geils Band —— Bloodshot ► Blues-Rock >> 1973
● Poco —— Seven ► Country-Rock >> 1974
● Bob Seger —— Beautiful Loser ► Heartland Rock >> 1975
● Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band —— Live Bullet ► Heartland Rock >> 1976
● John Mellencamp (John Cougar) —— American Fool ► Roots Rock >> 1982
● Rush —— Grace Under Pressure ► Arena Rock >> 1984
● Cheap Trick —— Lap Of Luxury ► Hard Rock/Power Pop >> 1988
● Neil Young & The Bluenotes —— This Note’s For You ► Blues-Rock >> 1988
● Bruce Springsteen —— In Concert/MTV Unplugged ► Album Rock >> 1993
● David Gray —— A Century Ends ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1993
● All-4-One —— All-4-One ► Contemporary Soul >> 1994
● Hole —— Live Through This ► Grunge >> 1994
● Motörhead —— Live At Brixton ’87 ► Heavy Metal >> 1994
● Golden Earring —— Paradise In Distress ► Hard Rock >> 1999
● Nightmares On Wax —— Carboot Soul ► Electronic/Trip Hop >> 1999
● Supertramp —— It Was The Best Of Times ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1999
● New Order —— In Sessions ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 2004
● Foo Fighters —— Wasting Light ► Grunge Rock >> 2011
● Counting Crows —— Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation) ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2012

April 13


● Diana Ross & The Supremes —— Farewell ► Soul >> 1970
● Bob Marley & The Wailers —— Catch A Fire ► Roots Reggae >> 1973
● David Bowie —— Aladdin Sane ► Glam Rock >> 1973
● Michael Jackson —— Music & Me ► Soul Ballad >> 1973
● Aretha Franklin —— Almighty Fire ► Soul >> 1978
● Thin Lizzy —— Black Rose: A Rock Legend ► Hard Rock >> 1979
● Billy Squier —— Don’t Say No ► Hard Rock >> 1981
● The Church —— Of Skins And Heart ► Alt. Power Pop >> 1981
● R.E.M. —— Murmur ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1983
● Carly Simon —— Coming Around Again ► Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Fleetwood Mac —— Tango In The Night ► Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Johnny Cash —— Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town ► Trad Country >> 1987
● Glass Tiger —— Diamond Sun ► Pop-Rock >> 1988
● The Cross —— Shove It ► Hard Rock >> 1988
● Chris Isaak —— San Francisco Days ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1993
● Warren Zevon —— Learning To Flinch ► Pop-Rock >> 1993
● Desmond Dekker & The Specials —— King Of Kings ► Ska Revival >> 1995
● Bruce Springsteen —— 18 Tracks ► Album Rock >> 1999
● Rick Springfield —— Karma ► Power Pop >> 1999
● The Ataris —— Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits ► Pop-Punk >> 1999
● The Jellybricks —— The Soap Opera ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1999
● The Who —— 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best Of The Who ► British Rock >> 1999
● Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers —— Echo ► Album Rock >> 1999
● Various Artists —— VH1 Divas 1999 ► Pop-Rock >> 1999
● Bruce Springsteen —— Collection: 1973-2012 ► Heartland Rock >> 2012

April 14


● Dionne Warwick —— Dionne Warwick In Paris ► Pop-Soul >> 1966
● Gentle Giant —— Three Friends ► Prog Rock >> 1972
● Iron Maiden —— Iron Maiden ► Heavy Metal >> 1980
● Judas Priest —— British Steel ► Heavy Metal >> 1980
● Van Halen —— Diver Down ► Hard Rock >> 1982
● David Bowie —— Let’s Dance ► Glam Rock >> 1983
● Cocteau Twins —— Victorialand ► Folk-Rock >> 1986
● Soul Asylum —— Clam Dip & Other Delights [EP] ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1989
● Chaka Khan —— The Woman I Am ► Soul-Funk >> 1992
● ZZ Top —— Greatest Hits ► Blues-Rock >> 1992
● Cast —— Mother Nature Calls ► Britpop >> 1997
● Converge —— When Forever Comes Crashing ► Punk/Metalcore >> 1998
● Cream —— BBC Sessions ► Blues-Rock >> 2003
● Tom Petty —— In The Coloseum ► Album Rock >> 2014

April 15


● Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells —— Together ► Soul – Motown >> 1964
● The Rolling Stones —— Aftermath ► Rock n Roll >> 1966
● Al Green —— Green Is Blues ► Soul (Southern) >> 1970
● Grand Funk Railroad —— Survival ► Hard Rock >> 1971
● Lynyrd Skynyrd —— Second Helping ► Southern Rock >> 1974
● Little Feat —— Time Loves a Hero ► Southern Rock >> 1977
● The Stranglers —— Rattus Norvegicus ► Punk-Rock >> 1977
● Andrew Gold —— All This And Heaven Too ► Pop-Rock >> 1978
● Billy Ocean —— Love Zone ► Dance-Pop >> 1986
● Leo Kottke —— My Father’s Face ► Folk-Rock >> 1989
● Grateful Dead —— One From The Vault ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1991
● The Doobie Brothers —— Brotherhood ► Pop-Rock >> 1991
● David Gray —— Sell, Sell, Sell ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1996
● Bran Van 3000 —— Glee ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Buck-O-Nine —— Twenty-Eight Teeth ► Ska-Punk >> 1997
● Depeche Mode —— Ultra ► Synth-Pop >> 1997
● Jerry Garcia Band —— How Sweet It Is ► Roots Rock >> 1997
● Savage Garden —— Savage Garden ► Dance-Pop >> 1997
● Teddy Pendergrass —— You And I ► Soul-Pop >> 1997
● Fleetwood Mac —— Say You Will ► Pop-Rock >> 2003
● ZZ Top —— Mescalero ► Blues-Rock >> 2003
● Simple Minds —— Sunday Express – Live Volume 1 ► New Wave Alt. Pop >> 2007
● Rush —— Snakes & Arrows Live ► Prog/Art Rock >> 2008
● Tom Petty —— Petty’s Peculiar Picks: The Best Of Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure ► Album Rock >> 2014
● PJ Harvey —— Hope Six Demolition Project, The ► Indie Rock >> 2016

This Week’s Birthdays (April 8 -14)

Happy Birthday this week to:

April 08

1896 ● Yip Harburg / (Edgar Yipsel Harburg) → One of the top Broadway and Hollywood lyricists of the 30s and 40s, wrote the lyrics to multiple pop standards, including “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?” (1932), co-wrote the songs to The Wizard Of Oz and the Oscar-winning “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” (1939), died from a heart attack on 3/5/1981, age 84
1914 ● Irving Taylor / (Irving Goldberg) → Composer, lyricist and screenwriter known for his late 50s whimsical novelty and parody songs, and for co-writing “Everybody Loves Somebody” (Dean Martin, #1, 1964) which improbably knocked The Beatles‘ “A Hard Day’s Night” off Billboard’s top spot, also wrote for Bob Newhart and Jonathan Winters on their TV show scripts, died on 12/3/1983, age 69
1920 ● Carmen McRae / → Pianist, songwriter and versatile jazz singer, worked with Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie, recorded over 60 albums and was a seven-time Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Performance – Female, received a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award in 1994, continued to tour and perform until just before her death following a stroke on 11/10/1994, age 74
1929 ● Jacques Brel / → Internationally acclaimed Belgian singer and songwriter whose compositions have been interpreted by Marc Almond, David Bowie, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, The Kingston Trio, Frank Sinatra, Nina Simone, sold over 25 million records worldwide, all in French, died of cancer 10/9/1978, age 49
1941 ● J.J. Jackson / (Jerome Louis Jackson) → R&B/soul singer and organist, “But It’s Alright” (#22, R&B #4, 1966)
1941 ● Peggy Lennon / (Margaret Anne Lennon) → With her sisters, vocals in semi-religious pop vocal quartet The Lennon Sisters (“Tonight You Belong To Me,” #15, 1956), performed regularly on TV variety shows, including The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1968, retired in 1999 and was replaced by her younger sister, Mimi
1942 ● Leon Huff / → With partner Kenny Gamble 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 continue to write into the 10s
1942 ● Chappo Chapman / (Roger Chapman) → Co-frontman and lead vocals for Brit art/blues-rock Family, then hard blues-rock Streetwalkers, now solo
1944 ● Deke Richards / (Dennis Lussier) → Songwriter and record producer, part of the Motown songwriting team known as “The Clan” and later “The Corporation,” co-wrote multiple hits for several Motown bands, most importantly bubblegum-soul The Jackson 5 including “I Want You Back” (#1, 1970), “ABC” (#1, 1970), retired to operate a vintage movie poster business and died from esophageal cancer on 3/24/2013, age 68
1944 ● Keef Hartley / → Drummer for Brit beat group Rory Storm & The Hurricanes (replaced Ringo Starr), then blues-rock John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, then founded jazz-pop-rock fusion Keef Hartley Band and was the first British act to appear at Woodstock, died from unspecified causes on 11/26/2011, age 67
1947 ● Larry Norman / → Musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner and pioneer of Christian rock music with a catalogue of over 100 albums despite an often contentious relationship with the Christian church and the Christian music industry, his long hair and radical social themes kept his records out of Bible stores for much of his career, died from complications of long-term heart ailments on 2/27/2008, age 60
1947 ● Steve Howe / → Lead guitarist in archetypal, pioneer progressive rock band Yes, “Roundabout” (#13, 1971) and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” (#1, 1983), then pop-rock Asia, “Heat Of The Moment” (#4, 1982), also Bodast, GTR, the Syndicats and Tomorrow
1956 ● Justin Sullivan / → Frontman, guitarist and lyricist for post-punk/alt rock New Model Army, “No Rest” (UK #28, 1985)
1962 ● Adam Mole / → Keyboards for “grebo” dance-rock Pop Will Eat Itself, “X, Y & Zee” (Modern Rock #11, 1991)
1962 ● Izzy Stradlin / (Jeffrey Isbell) → Guitarist for hard rock Guns N’ Roses, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (#1, 1988), also fronted the Ju Ju Hounds
1962 ● Jem Kelly / → Guitars for New Wave/New Romantic pop-rock The Lotus Eaters, “The First Picture Of You” (UK #15, 1983)
1963 ● Donita Sparks / → Co-founder, guitar and vocals for all-girl post-punk/grunge band L7, “Pretend We’re Dead” (Alt Rock #8, 1992)
1963 ● Julian Lennon / → Guitarist and singer/songwriter, pop-rock “Too Late For Goodbyes” (#11, 1984), son of John and only child of his first wife Cynthia
1964 ● Biz Markie / (Marcel Theo Hall) → Freestyle rhymer/rapper, “Just A Friend” (#9, Rap #5, 1989)
1971 ● Darren Jessee / → Drummer for piano-based indie pop-rock Ben Folds Five, “Brick” (Modern Rock #6, 1998)
1972 ● The Pig / (Paul Dedrick Gray) → Founding member, bassist and songwriter for Grammy-winning alt metal/rap-metal Slipknot, “Duality” (Mainstream Rock #5, 2004), died from an accidental drug overdose on 5/24/2010, age 38
1975 ● Anouk Teeuwe / → Dutch pop-rock singer, “Nobody’s Wife” (1997)
1984 ● Ezra Koenig / → Lead singer and rhythm guitar for indie Afro-pop/rock Vampire Weekend, “Cousins” (Alt Rock #18, 2009)

April 09

1932 ● Carl Perkins / → The “King of Rockabilly,” singer, songwriter and guitarist, “Blue Suede Shoes” (#2, 1955), died from throat cancer on 1/19/1998, age 65
1938 ● “Rockin'” Sidney Simien / (Sidney Simien) → Grammy-winning Cajun/swamp blues and zydeco singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, one hit wonder crossover phenomenon “My Toot Toot” (Country #19, 1985), zydeco’s first international hit, died of throat cancer on 2/25/1998, age 59
1943 ● Terry Knight / (Richard Terrance Knapp) → Producer, promote, radio DJ and later manager for hard rock/early heavy metal power trio Grand Funk Railroad, “We’re An American Band” (#1, 1973) and Bloodrock, “D.O.A.” (#76, 1978), died from multiple stab wounds inflicted by his teenage daughter’s boyfriend during an argument on 11/1/2004, age 61
1944 ● Emil Stucchio / → Vocals for white harmony group The Classics, “Till Then” (#20, Adult Contemporary #7, 1963)
1946 ● Les Gray / (Thomas Leslie Gray) → Vocals for Brit “good time” glam-rock ‘n’ roll Mud, “Tiger Feet” (UK #1, 1974), died from throat cancer on 2/21/2004, age 57
1948 ● Chico Ryan / (David Allen Ryan) → Vocals for “greaser” revival parody rock-and-doo-wop Sha Na Na (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #55, 1975), died on 7/26/1998, age 50
1948 ● Phillip Wright / → Drummer and lead vocals for pop/rock one hit wonder Paper Lace, “The Night Chicago Died” (#1, 1974), a second single “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero” (#96, UK #1, 1974) qualifies them as a two hit wonder in the UK
1950 ● Peter Wood / → Keyboardist for folk-pop-rock Quiver and The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver (“Arms Of Mary,” #81, UK #5, 1976), later worked with Al Stewart, with whom he co-wrote “Year Of The Cat” (#8, 1977), and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd in the backing band for The Wall concerts in 1980-81, died in December 1994, age 44
1961 ● Mark Kelly / → Keyboards for Brit prog-rock revival group Marillion, “Kayleigh” (Mainstream Rock #14, 1985)
1969 ● Kevin Martin / → Lead vocals for grunge-rock Candlebox, “Far Behind” (#18, 1994)
1977 ● Gerard Way / → Vocals for 00s alt rock/emo band My Chemical Romance, “Welcome To The Black Parade” (#9, 2006)
1978 ● Rachel Stevens / → Vocals for pre-fab teen pop S Club 7, “Never Had A Dream Come True” (#10, 2001)
1980 ● Albert L. Hammond, Jr. / → Guitarist for early 00s garage rock revival The Strokes, “Juicebox” (Modern Rock #9, 2005)
1987 ● Jesse McCartney / → Teen TV actor (All My Children), then dance-pop boy band Dream Street, solo, “Beautiful Soul” (#16, 2006)

April 10

1911 ● Martin Denny / → Composer credited with inventing the exotica genre of easy listening lounge music combining Latin, South Pacific and “space age” pop music in rearrangements of popular songs, “Quiet Village” (#4, R&B #11, 1959) from the #1 album Exotica (1959), toured extensively through the early 00s and performed his last concert in Hawaii just three weeks before his death on 3/2/2005, age 93
1921 ● Sheb Wooley / (Shelby F. Wooley) → Country music singer with eight Country Top 40 hits and the novelty-pop hit “The Purple People Eater” (#1, 1958), TV actor (played Pete Nolan in the TV series Rawhide), died of leukemia on 9/16/2003, age 82
1928 ● Rosco Gordon / → Memphis blues singer and distinctive piano player with two R&B Top 5 hits in the immediate pre-rock ‘n’ roll days (“Booted,” R&B #1, 1952 and “No More Doggin’,” R&B #2, 1952) and a later crossover hit (“Just A Little Bit,” #64, R&B #2, 1960), his shuffling-style called “Rosco’s Rhythm” has been cited as a building block for Jamaican ska music beginning in the 60s, died of a heart attack on 7/11/2002, age 74
1932 ● Nate Nelson / (Nathaniel Nelson) → Founding member and tenor vocals for sophisticated group harmony R&B/doo wop The Flamingos, “I Only Have Eyes For You”, (#11, R&B #3, 1959), appeared with his bandmates in the rock ‘n’ roll musicals Rock, Rock, Rock (1956) and Go, Johnny, Go! (1959), died from heart disease on 6/1/1984, age 52
1936 ● Bobby Smith / (Robert Smith) → Principal lead vocals for Grammy-winning Motown and later Atlantic R&B/soul The Spinners, “Then Came You” (#1, 1974) plus eleven other Top 20 hits in the 70s, died from pneumonia caused by lung cancer on 3/16/2013, age 76
1940 ● Ricky Valance (David Spencer) / (David Spencer) → Welsh singer, covered “Tell Laura I Love Her” (UK #1, 1960), becoming the first UK #1 by an artist from Wales
1947 ● Bunny Wailer (aka Bunny Livingston) / (Neville O’Reilly Livingston) → Reggae/ska percussionist and singer/songwriter, original member of The Wailers with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Grammy-winning solo career, named by Newsweek magazine as one of the three most important figures in world music
1947 ● Burke Shelley / → Bass guitar and vocals for early and influential Welsh heavy metal band Budgie, “Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman” (1971)
1947 ● Karl Russell / → Vocals for R&B/soul-disco The Hues Corporation, “Rock The Boat” (#1, 1974), one of the earliest disco hits
1948 ● Fred Smith / → Original bassist for New Wave pop-rock Blondie, “Heart Of Glass” (#1, 1979), left in 1975 to replace Richard Hell in punk-rock Television, rejoining Blondie in 1978
1950 ● Eddie Hazel / → Lead guitarist for R&B/soul-funk (“P-Funk”) Parliament-Funkadelic, “One Nation Under A Groove” (#31, 1978), his solo is the funk-metal guitar classic on “Maggot Brain” (1971), died of liver failure on 12/23/1992, age 42
1950 ● Ernest Stewart / → Rhythm guitar for R&B/soul-disco-funk kings KC & The Sunshine Band, “That’s The Way (I Like It)” (#1, 1975) and five other #1 hits, died on 4/26/1977, age 47
1953 ● Terre Roche / → Singer/songwriter in critically-acclaimed but commercially-marginal female folk-pop harmony vocal sister trio The Roches, backed Paul Simon, solo
1957 ● Steve Gustafson / → Bassist for folk-pop 10,000 Maniacs, “These Are Days” (Alt-Rock #1, 1992)
1959 ● Babyface / (Kenneth Brian Edmonds) → Urban contemporary R&B singer/songwriter, “When Can I See You” (#4, 1994), writer and producer for Toni Braxton, Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men, Whitney Houston, TLC and others
1959 ● Brian Setzer / → Founder and frontman for rockabilly revival The Stray Cats, “Stray Cat Strut” (#9, 1983), then leader of pop-swing revival Brian Setzer Orchestra, “Jump Jive An’ Wail” (Adult Top 40 #14, 1998)
1959 ● Katrina Leskanich / → Lead vocals for New Wave pop-rock Katrina And The Waves, “Walking On Sunshine” (#9, 1985) and the Eurovision 1997 contest winner “Love Shine A Light” (UK #3, 1997)
1963 ● Mark Oliver Everett / → Guitarist and lead singer for L.A. indie rock Eels, “Novocaine For The Soul” (Modern Rock #1, 1997)
1963 ● Torch DeMartini / (Warren DeMartini) → Lead guitarist for hard rock/glam and hair metal Ratt, “Round And Round” (#12, 1984)
1964 ● Reni Wren / (Alan Wren) → Drummer for Brit guitar pop-rock The Stone Roses, “She Bangs The Drums” (Alt Rock #9, 1989)
1968 ● Kenediid Osman / → Bassist for Britpop Sleeper, “Sale Of The Century” (UK #10, 1996)
1970 ● Kenny Lattimore / → R&B singer, “For You” (#33, 1997)
1970 ● Mike Mushok / → Guitarist for post-grunge/alt metal Staind, “It’s Been A While” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2001)
1970 ● Q-Tip / (Jonathan Davis (aka Kamaal Ibn John Fareed)) → MC in artistic hip hop jazz-rap fusion trio A Tribe Called Quest, “Check The Rhime” (Rap #1, 1991), then Grammy-winning solo career, “Vivrant Thins” (#26, Rap #10, 1999), producer and actor
1975 ● Chris Carrabba / → Frontman, lead singer and guitarist for alt rock/emo band Dashboard Confessional, “Stolen” (#44, 2007)
1979 ● Sophie Ellis Bextor / → Lead singer for indie-rock Brit-pop Theaudience, then solo, “Murder On The Dancefloor” (UK #2, 2001)
1980 ● Bryce Soderberg / → Bassist and vocals for post-grunge pop-rock Lifehouse, “Hanging On A Moment” (Billboard Song of the Year 2001) and “You And Me” (#5, 2005)
1981 ● Liz McClarnon / (Elizabeth Margaret McClarnon) → Vocals for Brit dance-pop vocal trio Atomic Kitten, “Whole Again” (UK #1, 2000)
1983 ● Andrew Dost / → Founding member and keyboards for indie pop-rock Fun (“We Are Young,” #1, 2011), co-composed the soundtrack to the comedy drama film The D Train (2015)
1984 ● Mandy Moore / → Teen idol pop singer, “I Wanna Be With You” (#24, Top 40 #11, 2000) turned film actress (A Walk To Remember, 2002) and Adult Contemporary singer/songwriter

April 11

1934 ● Cleotha Staples / → Eldest sibling in influential R&B/soul-gospel father-daughters quartet The Staple Singers, whose gospel roots and early focus shifted to soul music and non-religious lyrics in the 70s and produced a string of Top 40 hits, including “I’ll Take You There” (#1, 1972), died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease on 2/21/2013, age 78
1935 ● Richard Berry / → R&B/ballad and novelty singer/songwriter and backing vocalist, wrote and recorded “Louie Louie” in 1956 (became a #2 hit and subsequent garage rock classic for The Kingsmen in 1962), died from heart failure on 1/23/1997, age 61
1939 ● Freddie Gorman / (Frederick Cortez Gorman) → Versatile Motown Records singer, songwriter and producer in the 60s and 70s, co-wrote “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes (#1, R&B #1, 1961) and a dozen others, member of session group The Originals which also had string of 70s charting singles, including “The Bells” (#12, R&B #4, 1970) and “Down To Love Town” (#47, Dance/Club #1, 1976), died of lung cancer on 6/13/2006, age 67
1943 ● Tony Victor / → Vocals for white harmony group The Classics, “Till Then” (#20, Adult Contemporary #7, 1963)
1946 ● “Whispering Bob” Harris / (Robert Brinley Joseph Harris) → Iconic BBC Radio 2 DJ and TV host, including the long running contemporary music show The Old Grey Whistle Test and current twice-weekly rock music program
1950 ● Tom Hill / → Bassist for Brit hard rock/glam-rock Geordie, “All Because Of You” (UK #6, 1973)
1951 ● Paul Fox / → Guitarist and lead singer for punk/dub reggae/club and Rock Against Racism-supporting quartet The Ruts, “Babylon’s Burning” (UK #7, 1979), continued with various post-punk and revival bands through to his death from lung cancer on 10/21/2007, age 56
1956 ● Neville Staples / → Vocals for 2 Tone Records multiracial ska band The Specials, “Ghost Town” (#1, 1981), left to form New Wave pop Fun Boy 3, “Really Saying Something” (Club #16, UK #5, 1982), frontman for The Neville Staple Band
1958 ● Stuart Adamson / (William Stuart Adamson) → Guitar and vocals for Scottish art-punk-rock The Skids, “Into The Valley,” UK #10, 1979), then for art-folk-rock Big Country, “In A Big Country,” #17, Mainstream Rock #3, UK #17, 1983), suffered from alcoholism and hanged himself in a Honolulu hotel room on 12/16/2001, age 43
1961 ● Doug Hopkins / → Co-founder, lead guitarist and chief songwriter for power-pop Gin Blossoms, “Found Out About You” (Modern Rock #1, 1994), committed suicide on 12/5/1993, age 32
1965 ● Nigel Pulsford / → Founding member and original lead guitarist for alt-rock Bush, “Glycerine” (Mainstream #4, 1995), left in 2002 to spend time with his family
1966 ● Lisa Stansfield / → English singer/songwriter, first as lead vocals for pop-rock Blue Zone UK, “Jackie” (#54, Dance/Club #37, 1988), then solo “All Around The World” (#3, 1989)
1969 ● Cerys Elizabeth Philip Matthews / → Vocals for Welsh indie-alt-rock Catatonia, “Mulder And Scully” (UK #3, 1998)
1970 ● Delroy 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
1970 ● Dylan Keefe / → Bass and vocals for one hit wonder post-grunge/indie rock Marcy Playground, “Sex And Candy” (Mainstream Rock #4, 1997)
1971 ● Ollie Riedel / (Oliver Riedel) → Bassist for heavy metal/industrial Kraut rock Rammstein, “Sehnsucht” (Mainstream Rock #20, 1998)
1978 ● Tom Thacker / → Guitar and vocals for Canadian indie punk-pop Sum 41, “We’re All To Blame” (Mainstream Rock #36, 2004)
1979 ● Chris Gaylor / → Drums and percussion for alt rock/power pop The All-American Rejects, “Swing, Swing” (Modern Rock #8, 2003)
1987 ● Joss Stone / (Jocelyn Eve Stoker) → Blue-eyed Brit R&B/neo-soul singer, released first album at age 16, first hit at 17, “Fell In Love With A Boy” (, 2004), Grammy-winner in 2007 with John Legend and Van Hunt for cover of Sly & The Family Stone‘s “Family Affair”

April 12

1916 ● Russell Garcia / → Composer and arranger for NBC Radio, MGM Studios, Warner Bros. and Disney on soundtracks from classic movies (The Time Machine, 1960) to TV shows (Rawhide, 1962), orchestra conductor for Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Judy Garland and others, bandleader with the acclaimed, spooky and innovative Fantastica: Music From Out Space (1959), relocated to New Zealand in the 60s and led the country’s national symphony orchestra, died following a fall on 11/19/2011, age 95
1917 ● Helen Forrest / (Helen Fogel) → Extremely popular jazz-swing-pop “girl singer” of the Big Band era, performed with Benny Goodman, Harry James, Nat King Cole, Artie Shaw and as a solo artist, charted dozens of Top 40 singles and seven #1 hits, including “Taking A Chance On Love” (#1, 1943), died from heart failure on 7/11/1999, age 82
1919 ● Billy Vaughn / → Saxophonist, orchestra leader and arranger with more Top 40 hits during the early rock ‘n’ roll era than any other orchestra, including “Sail Along Silvery Moon” (#5, 1957), musical director for Dot Records and artists such as Pat Boone and the Fontane Sisters in the 60s and recorded over 30 albums of mainstream instrumental covers, retired in the 80s and died from mesothelioma on 9/26/1991, age 72
1925 ● Ned Miller / (Henry Ned Miller) → Shy, unassuming country crooner and songwriter whose stage fright caused him to stop touring and eventually quit songwriting, but not until he penned 11 charting Country hits for himself, including the huge crossover single “From A Jack To A King” (#6, Country #2, 1962) plus numerous hits for others, including Hank Snow, Gale Storm and Ricky Van Shelton, left the music business in the late 60s and faded into obscurity, died of natural causes on 3/18/2016, age 90
1925 ● Prentiss Barnes / → Bass vocals and founding member of important 50s R&B/doo wop The Moonglows (“Sincerely,” R&B #1, 1955), received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1995, died in a car accident on 10/1/2006, age 81
1930 ● Carole Lindsay Young / → Vocals for English pop trio The Kaye Sisters, “Ivory Tower” (UK #20, 1956), died 8/20/2006, age 76
1933 ● Tiny Tim / (Herbert Khaury) → Warbling singer and ukulele-strumming, 60s flash-in-the-pan novelty act, “Tiptoe Through The Tulips” (#17, 1968), married Victoria Mae “Miss Vicki” Budinger on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show on 1217/1969, died of a heart attack on stage on 11/30/1996, age 63
1940 ● Herbie Hancock / (Herbert Jeffrey Hancock) → Renowned jazz fusion keyboardist with Miles Davis and Chick Corea, solo “Chameleon” (1973), composed film soundtracks
1944 ● John Kay / (Joachim Krauledat) → Guitar, vocals and songwriting for Canadian-American hard rock, proto-metal Steppenwolf, “Born To Be Wild” (#2, 1968)
1948 ● Lois Reeves / (Sandra Delores Reeves) → Joined sister Martha’s Motown R&B/soul-pop group Martha Reeves & The Vandellas in 1967 to replace Betty Kelly, “Jimmy Mack” (#11, R&B #1, 1967)
1949 ● Donald Ray Mitchell / → Vocals for eclectic R&B and rock fusion Was (Not Was), “Walk The Dinosaur” (#7, 1989)
1950 ● David Cassidy / (David Bruce Cassidy) → TV, stage and screen actor and singer, portrayed Keith Partridge, the teen idol oldest son of real-life stepmother Shirley Jones, in the pre-fab TV show and sunshine pop group The Partridge Family (“I Think I Love You,” #1, 1970), followed with a 40-year career as an international adult pop music star (“How Can I Be Sure,” #25, AC #3, UK #1, 1972) and TV actor, died from liver failure on 11/21/2017, age 67
1951 ● Alexander Briley / → Vocals (and the Army G. I. character) for R&B/disco Village People, “Y.M.C.A.” (#2, 1978)
1954 ● Pat Travers / → Canadian bluesy hard rock guitarist, singer and bandleader for the Pat Travers Band, “New Age Music” (Mainstream Rock #33, 1981) and solo
1956 ● Herbert Grönemeyer / → German film actor (Das Boot, 1981) and film score composer, now successful pop-rocker, “Mensch” (German #1, 2002)
1957 ● Vince Gill / → Neo-traditionalist country-pop singer/songwriting and guitarist, fronted light country-rock Pure Prairie League, “Amie” (#27, 1973), then successful solo career with 17 Country Music Awards and 14 Grammys, married to singer Amy Grant
1958 ● Will Sergeant / → Guitarist for gloomy post-punk psych-rock Echo & The Bunnymen, “Enlighten Me” (Modern Rock #8, 1990)
1962 ● Art Alexakis / → Frontman, guitars, lead vocals and principal songwriter for Northwest post-grunge/punk Everclear, “Wonderful” (#11, Alt Rock #3, 2000)
1964 ● Amy Ray / → Guitar and vocals in indie-folk-pop duo Indigo Girls, “Closer To Fine” (#52, Modern Rock #26, 1989)
1965 ● Sean Welch / → Bassist for Brit alt pop-rock The Beautiful South, “A Little Time” (UK #1, 1990)
1967 ● Mellow Man Ace / (Ulpiano Sergio Reyes) → Cuban-born rapper and house music singer (“Mentirosa,” #14, 1990), brother of Sen Dog
1967 ● Sarah Cracknell / → Frontwoman and lead vocals for indie dance-pop Saint Etienne, “Nothing Can Stop Us” (Dance/Club #1, 1992)
1970 ● Nicholas Lofton Hexum / → Vocals and rhythm guitar for alt-rock reggae-rap-metal 311, “All Mixed Up” (Modern Rock #4, 1996)
1974 ● Shakir Stewart / → Record label executive noted for signing Beyoncé to Hitco Music, Ciara to LaFace Records and Young Jeezy and Rick Ross to Def Jam Records, where he was Executive Vice President until his death from a self-inflicted gun shot wound on 11/1/2008, age 34
1978 ● Guy Berryman / → Bassist and backing vocals for Brit-pop/anthem rock Coldplay, “Speed Of Sound” (#8, 2005)
1980 ● Bryan McFadden / → Vocals for Irish pop boy band Westlife, “Swear It Again” (#20, 2000) and 17 UK Top 10 hits, now solo and judge on Australia’s Got Talent TV show
1987 ● Brendon Urie / → Lead singer, guitar and piano for emo-pop Panic! At The Disco, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (#7, 2006)

April 13

1926 ● Cosimo Matassa / (Cosimo Vincent Matassa) → Early rock ‘n’ roll recording engineer credited with creating the “New Orleans Sound” from his studio near the French Quarter through recordings for Fats Domino (“The Fat Man,” R&B #2, 1950) and Little Richard (“Tutti Frutti,” #17, 1956), and later albums by Ray Charles, Dr. John and others, including 21 gold records, retired in the 80s and died from natural causes on 9/11/2014, age 88
1934 ● Horace Kay / → Vocals for R&B/soul The Tams, “What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” (#9, 1963)
1936 ● Rashad Feild / (Richard Timothy Feild) → Vocals and guitar with Dusty Springfield and her brother in light folk-pop trio The Springfields, “Silver Threads And Golden Needles” (#20, 1962), now Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher
1940 ● Lester Chambers / → Lead vocals, harmonica and percussion for bi-racial psychedelic soul-rock The Chambers Brothers, “Time Has Come Today” (#11, 1968)
1942 ● Bill Conti / → Prolific film and TV score composer, best known for the Rocky movie series, wrote and directed “Gonna Fly Now” (#1, 1977), theme song from Rocky, orchestra conductor for the Academy Awards
1943 ● Guy Stevens / → Label executive, producer and band manager, early figure at Island Records and the Britbeat and blues scenes in the 60s, managed Procol Harum (“A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” #5, UK #1, 1967) and mentored Mott The Hoople (“All the Young Dudes, #37, UK #3, 1972), produced albums for <strongFree and Spooky Tooth plus the punk classic London Calling (1978) for The Clash, died from a prescription drug overdose on 8/29/1981, age 38
1944 ● Brian Pendleton / → Original rhythm guitarist for raunchy R&B/blues-rock British Invasion band The Pretty Things, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (UK #10, 1964), died of lung cancer on 5/15/2001, age 57
1944 ● Jack Casady / (John William Casady) → Bassist for 60s psych-rock Jefferson Airplane, “Somebody To Love” (#5, 1967), then folk-rock Hot Tuna
1945 ● Lowell George / → Singer/songwriter and guitarist, frontman for Southern-fried blues-boogie rock Little Feat, “Dixie Chicken” (1973), solo, died of an accidental drug overdose on 6/29/1979, age 34
1946 ● Al Green / (Albert Greene) → Southern R&B and gospel singer, “Let’s Stay Together” (#1, 1972), #65 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
1946 ● Roy Loney / → Founding member, wild frontman and lead vocals for eclectic rock ‘n’ roll/proto-punk cult band The Flamin’ Groovies, left for mostly quiet solo career in 1971
1948 ● Peter Sweval / (Piet Sweval) → Co-founder and bassist for the band the eventually became one hit wonder pop-rock Looking Glass (“Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl),” #1, 1972), later joined pop/metal Starz (“Cherry Baby,” #33, 1977), died from cancer on 1/23/1990, age 41
1951 ● Max Weinberg / → Drummer for Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band, frontman for Max Weinberg 7 (house band for TV’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien), author of 1991 book The Big Beat: Conversations with Rock’s Greatest Drummers
1951 ● Peabo Bryson / (Robert Peabo Bryson) → R&B/smooth soul vocalist, duet with Roberta Flack “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” (1983) plus solo, “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” (#10, 1984)
1954 ● Jimmy Destri / (James Mollica) → Keyboards for New Wave pop-rock Blondie, “Heart Of Glass” (#1, 1979)
1955 ● Louis Johnson / → Bass and vocals for R&B/soul-funk The Brothers Johnson, “Strawberry Letter 23” (#, R&B #1, 1977), session musician for renowned producer Quincy Jones, played on Michael Jackson‘s Off the Wall, Thriller and Dangerous albums and recorded five solo LPs of gospel and funk music, died in his Las Vegas home on 5/21/2015
1957 ● Wayne Lewis / → Lead singer and keyboards for 80s urban contemporary soul Atlantic Starr, “Always” (#1, 1987)
1961 ● Butch Taylor / (Clarence Frederick Taylor) → Keyboards for pop-funk-rock jam band Dave Matthews Band, “Don’t Drink The Water” (#4, 1998)
1961 ● Hiro Yamamoto / → Founding member and original bassist for seminal grunge-rock group Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1994), left in 1991 to form three piece indie rock/neo psychedelia Truly
1962 ● Hillel Slovak / → Guitarist for funk-rock Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Californication” (Modern Rock #1, 2000), died from a heroin overdose 6/25/1988, age 26
1966 ● Marc Ford / → Lead guitarist for roots/raunch rock Black Crowes, “Hard To Handle” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1991), solo
1972 ● Aaron Lewis / → Vocals for post-grunge/alt metal Staind, “It’s Been A While” (Mainstream Rock #1, 2001)
1975 ● Lou Bega / (David Lubega) → German-born, Italian and Ugandan-descended dance-pop Latino-tinged singer, “Mambo No. 5” (#3, 1999)
1979 ● Tony Lundon / → Singer for teen dance-pop Liberty X, “Just A Little” (UK #1, 2002)

April 14

1925 ● Bill Harris / (William Harris) → Guitarist and vocals in pioneering, genre-defining R&B/doo wop The Clovers, “Ting-A-Ling” (R&B #1, 1952) and 18 other R&B Top 10 hits in the early 50s plus the crossover “Love Potion No. 9” (#23, R&B #23, 1959), left in 1958 and, following several decades of business successes and failures, died from pancreatic cancer nearly penniless on 12/6/1988, age 63
1932 ● D. L. Menard / (Doris Leon Menard) → The “Cajun Hank Williams,” contemporary Cajun music guitarist, singer, songwriter and frontman for the several bands, including The Louisiana Aces and most recently Jambalaya for over two decades, wrote the oft-covered Cajun standard “The Back Door” (“La Porte En Arrière”), died from multiple cancer and heart-related ailments on 7/27/2017, age 85
1935 ● Loretta Lynn / (Loretta Webb) → Iconic country music star singer/songwriter, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (#83, Country #1, 1970), first female to be named Country Music Entertainer of the Year
1942 ● Tony Burrows / → Session singer who, in the spring of 1970, set the record for the most UK Top 10 singles at one time, all with different groups: Edison Lighthouse “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” (#5, UK #10, 1970), White Plains “My Baby Loves Lovin'” (#13, UK #9, 1970), The Pipkins “Gimme Dat Ding” (#9, UK #6, 1970) and the Brotherhood of Man “United We Stand” (#13, UK #10, 1970), also sang lead vocals for The Ivy League, “Tossing And Turning” (#83, UK #3, 1965), psych-pop one hit wonder The Flower Pot Men, “Let’s Go To San Francisco” (UK #1, 1967), and pop-rock The First Class, “Beach Baby” (#4, UK #13, 1974)
1945 ● Ritchie Blackmore / → Guitar and vocals for hard rock/prog rock Deep Purple (“Smoke On The Water,” #4, 1973), founded and fronted hard rock Rainbow (“Since You’ve Been Gone,” #57, 1979, and “Stone Cold, “Mainstream Rock #1, 1982) then renaissance-folk-rock Blackmore’s Night
1946 ● Patrick Fairley / (Patrick Fairlie) → Founding member and rhythm guitar for Scottish pop-rock The Marmalade, “Reflections Of My Life” (#10, 1970)
1948 ● June Millington / → Guitar and vocals for pioneering all girl rock group Fanny, “Butter Boy” (#29, 1975), early women-only rock band and first to sign with a major record label
1948 ● Larry Ferguson / → Keyboardist for Brit interracial R&B/soul-disco-funk Hot Chocolate, “You Sexy Thing” (#3, 1976) and 27 other UK Top 40 hits, including one in every year from 1970 to 1984
1949 ● Dennis Byron / → Welsh keyboardist with early prog rock septet Amen Corner, “(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice” (UK #1, 1969), worked with The Bee Gees during the 70s and ’80s
1949 ● Sonja Kristina / → Vocals for Brit prog/avant-garde rock Curved Air, “Back Street Luv” (UK #4, 1974)
1962 ● Joey Pesce / → Keyboardist for New Wave synth-pop-rock ‘Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry” (#8, 1985)
1964 ● Vinnie Moore / (Vincent Moore) → Influential shred guitarist and member of Brit hard rock UFO, “Doctor Doctor” (UK #35, 1979) and “The Writer” (Rock #23, 1982), solo
1965 ● Carl Hunter / → Bassist for Brit synth-pop The Farm, “Groovy Train” (#41, Dance/Club #4, 1991), film producer and academic media professor
1965 ● Sheila Chandra / → Vocals for Brit prog rock trio Monsoon, “Ever So Lonely” (UK #12, 1982), then solo
1969 ● Martyn Le Noble / → Dutch bassist and founding member of hard art-rock Porno For Pyros, “Pets” (Mainstream Rock #25, 1993), later worked with Jane’s Addiction, The Cult, Scott Welland, Dave Navarro and others
1973 ● David Miller / → Baritone for pre-fab Euro-pop vocal quartet Il Divo, “Unbreak My Heart” (Adult Contemporary #33, 2005)
1974 ● DaBrat / (Shawta Harris) → Hard-edged MC/urban rapper, “Funkdafied” (#6, Rap #1, 1994), first female hip hop artist with a platinum selling record (Funkdafied, 1994)
1980 ● Win Butler / → Lead vocalist and songwriter for Grammy-winning Canadian alt/indie rock Arcade Fire, “Keep The Car Running” (Alt #32, 2007)

Albums Released This Week (April 2 – 8)

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):

April 02


● Elvis Presley —— Kissin’ Cousins ► Rock n Roll >> 1964
● Donny Hathaway —— Donny Hathaway ► Soul >> 1971
● The Beatles —— The Beatles/1962-1966 ► Pop-Rock >> 1973
● The Beatles —— The Beatles/1967-1970 ► Pop-Rock >> 1973
● Bad Company —— Straight Shooter ► Hard Rock >> 1975
● Jesse Colin Young —— Love On The Wing ► Folk-Rock >> 1977
● Phyllis Hyman —— Phyllis Hyman ► Soul – Quiet Storm >> 1977
● Jefferson Starship —— Modern Times ► Arena Rock >> 1981
● David Bowie & Giorgio Moroder —— Cat People [Sndtrk] ► Electronic Dance-Pop >> 1982
● Cocteau Twins —— The Spangle Maker [EP] ► Folk-Rock >> 1984
● Go West —— Go West ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1985
● Severed Heads —— Bulkhead ► Electronica/Industrial >> 1988
● Lenny Kravitz —— Mama Said ► Pop-Rock/Soul-Funk >> 1991
● Mike + The Mechanics —— Word Of Mouth ► Brit Pop-Rock >> 1991
● Atlanta Rhythm Section —— Atlanta Rhythm Section ’96 ► Southern Rock >> 1996
● Citizen King —— Count The Days ► Alt Rock/Punk Hop >> 1996
● Eric Clapton —— Crossroads 2: Live In The Seventies ► Blues-Rock >> 1996
● Our Lady Peace —— Clumsy ► Post-Grunge Alt Rock >> 1997
● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds —— No More Shall We Part ► Alt Rock >> 2001
● Genesis —— Genesis 1976 – 1982 ► Prog Rock >> 2007
● Richard Marx —— Hits & Ballads ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2010
● Lotus Plaza —— Spooky Action At A Distance ► Indie Rock/Neo-Psychedelia >> 2012
● The Rolling Stones —— L.A. Friday (Live 1975) ► Blues-Rock >> 2012
● Charles Bradley —— Victim Of Love ► Soul-Funk >> 2013

April 03


● Brenda Lee —— Emotions ► Country-Pop >> 1961
● Moby Grape —— Wow ► Psychedelic Rock (SFO) >> 1968
● Simon & Garfunkel —— Bookends ► Folk-Rock >> 1968
● Harry Nilsson —— Harry ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● Billy Preston —— Live European Tour ► Funk >> 1974
● Poco —— Live ► Country-Rock >> 1976
● En Vogue —— Born To Sing ► Dance-Pop >> 1990
● Ronnie Wood —— Live & Electric ► Hard Rock >> 2000
● Journey —— Arrival ► AOR Rock >> 2001
● David Gray —— Live from London [EP] ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2006
● Poison —— The Best of Poison – 20 Years of Rock ► Heavy Metal/Hair Metal >> 2006
● Black Sabbath —— Black Sabbath: The Dio Years ► Hard Rock >> 2007
● REO Speedwagon —— Find Your Own Way Home ► Arena Rock >> 2007
● Wilson Phillips —— Dedicated ► Pop-Rock >> 2012

April 04


● The Kingston Trio —— Sold Out ► Folk-Pop >> 1960
● ZZ Top —— Rio Grande Mud ► Blues-Rock >> 1972
● Carly Simon —— Boys In The Trees ► Pop-Rock >> 1978
● Cocteau Twins —— Peppermint Pig [EP] ► Folk-Rock >> 1983
● Rodan —— Rusty ► Alt Rock/Math Rock >> 1994
● Black Sabbath —— Cross Purposes Live ► Hard Rock >> 1995
● Duran Duran —— Thank You ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Radiohead —— The Bends ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1995
● The Band —— Live At Watkins Glen ► Folk-Rock >> 1995
● INXS —— Elegantly Wasted ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Kreator —— Voices Of Transgression: A 90s Retrospective ► Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal >> 1999
● Lou Reed —— Ecstasy ► Hard Rock >> 2000
● Procol Harum —— BBC Live In Concert ► Prog Rock >> 2000
● Mariah Carey —— The Emancipation Of Mimi ► Pop-Rock >> 2005
● Grand Funk Railroad —— Greatest Hits ► Hard Rock >> 2006
● Goo Goo Dolls —— Warner Sound Sessions [EP] ► Alt Pop-Rock/Post-Grunge >> 2014
● 10,000 Maniacs —— Twice Told Tales ► Folk-Rock >> 2015

April 05


● Ben E. King —— Seven Letters ► Soul >> 1965
● Jimi Hendrix —— Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky: Live At The L.A. Forum 4-5-70 ► Blues-Rock >> 1970
● David Crosby & Graham Nash —— Graham Nash/David Crosby ► Folk-Rock >> 1972
● Johnny Cash —— Ragged Old Flag ► Trad Country >> 1974
● Journey —— Evolution ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1979
● Tracy Chapman —— Tracy Chapman ► Folk-Rock >> 1988
● Crash Test Dummies —— The Ghosts That Haunt Me ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1991
● David Bowie —— Black Tie White Noise ► Glam Rock >> 1993
● Boz Scaggs —— Some Change ► Pop-Soul >> 1994
● Milla Jovovich —— The Divine Comedy ► Soft Rock >> 1994
● Blind Guardian —— Imaginations From The Other Side ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal >> 1995
● Kansas —— On The Other Side ► Prog/Arena Rock >> 2005
● Eric Clapton —— Icon ► Blues-Rock >> 2011
● Eric Clapton —— Icon 2 ► Blues-Rock >> 2011
● The Who —— Icon ► British Rock >> 2011
● The Who —— Icon 2 ► British Rock >> 2011

April 06


● Cilla Black —— Sher-oo! ► Pop/Merseybeat >> 1968
● Jean Jacques Burnel —— Euroman Cometh ► Minimal Wave >> 1979
● Roger Taylor —— Fun In Space ► Glam Rock >> 1981
● The Motels —— All Four One ► L. A. New Wave >> 1982
● The Cult —— Electric ► Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Revival >> 1987
● Bruce Hornsby —— Harbor Lights ► Pop-Rock >> 1993
● The Dandy Warhols —— Dandys Rule, OK? ► Psych Rock >> 1995
● Big Sugar —— Heated ► Blues-Rock >> 1999
● Various Artists —— Fat Music Volume 4: Life In The Fat Lane ► Punk-Rock >> 1999
● Jane’s Addiction —— A Cabinet Of Curiosities ► Alt. Rock >> 2009
● Madonna —— Sticky & Sweet Tour ► Dance-Pop >> 2010
● Peter Wolf —— Midnight Souvenirs ► Blues-Rock/Blue-Eyed Soul >> 2010

April 07


● The Nazz —— Nazz Nazz ► Garage Rock >> 1969
● Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young —— 4 Way Street ► Folk-Rock >> 1971
● Genesis —— …And Then There Were Three… [UK] ► Prog Rock >> 1978
● Prince —— For You ► Quiet Storm >> 1978
● Rick James —— Street Songs ► Soul-Funkl >> 1981
● Blow Monkeys —— Animal Magic ► Pop-Rock >> 1986
● Various Artists —— Absolute Beginners [Sndtrk] ► Contemporary Rock >> 1986
● Whitesnake —— Whitesnake ► Arena Rock >> 1987
● Diamanda Galás —— The Singer ► Gospel/Blues >> 1992
● M.O.P. —— To The Death ► Hardcore Rap >> 1994
● Oval —— 94 Diskont ► Experimental/Electronica >> 1995
● The Chemical Brothers —— Dig Your Own Hole ► Eletronica/Big beat >> 1997
● 2 Live Crew —— The Real One ► East Coast Rap >> 1998
● Bachman-Turner Overdrive —— King Biscuit Flower Hour ► Album Rock >> 1998
● Bonnie Raitt —— Fundamental ► Blues-Rock >> 1998
● King Crimson —— Space Groove ► Prog Rock >> 1998
● Stabbing Westward —— Wither Blister Burn & Peel ► Industrial Rock >> 1998
● James Taylor —— Other Covers [EP] ► Folk-Rock >> 2009
● Neil Young —— Fork In The Road ► Folk-Rock >> 2009
● The Tragically Hip —— We Are The Same ► Folk-Rock >> 2009
● Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers —— Psychotic Reaction ► Album Rock >> 2017

April 08


● Elvis Presley —— Elvis Is Back! ► Rock n Roll >> 1960
● Merle Haggard —— The Legend Of Bonnie & Clyde ► Trad Country >> 1968
● P. J. Proby —— Three Week Hero ► Pop-Rock >> 1969
● Caravan —— In The Land Of Grey And Pink ► Prog Rock >> 1971
● Dr. John —— Desitively Bonnaroo ► New Orleans R&B >> 1974
● Aerosmith —— Toys In The Attic ► Hard Rock >> 1975
● Carly Simon —— Playing Possum ► Pop-Rock >> 1975
● The Clash —— The Clash [UK] ► Punk >> 1977
● Dave Edmunds —— D.E. 7th ► Roots/Pub Rock >> 1982
● Toto —— Toto IV ► Pop-Rock >> 1982
● Heaven 17 —— The Luxury Gap ► Synth-Pop >> 1983
● Simple Minds —— Real Life ► New Wave Alt. Pop >> 1991
● The Rolling Stones —— Flashpoint ► Rock n Roll >> 1991
● The Offspring —— Smash ► Punk-Rock >> 1994
● Unwound —— Repetition ► Post Hardcore >> 1996
● Boz Scaggs —— Come On Home ► Pop-Soul >> 1997
● Frank Zappa —— Have I Offended Someone? ► Art Rock >> 1997
● Richard Marx —— Flesh And Bone ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Third Eye Blind —— Third Eye Blind ► Power Pop >> 1997
● James Taylor —— The Best Of James Taylor ► Folk-Rock >> 2003
● Judas Priest —— Live In London ► Heavy Metal >> 2003
● Lucinda Williams —— World Without Tears ► Alt. Country >> 2003
● Mariah Carey —— E=MC2 ► Pop-Rock >> 2008
● Paul Simon —— So Beautiful Or So What ► Folk-Pop >> 2011
● Counting Crows —— Echoes Of The Outlaws Roadshow ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2013
● Fossil Collective —— Tell Where I Lie ► Dream Pop >> 2013
● Various Artists —— The Rebel Kind: Girls With Guitars ► Girl Groups >> 2014
● Peter Wolf —— A Cure For Loneliness ► Blues-Rock/Blue-Eyed Soul >> 2016

This Week’s Birthdays (April 1 – 7)

Happy Birthday this week to:

April 01

1897 ● Lucille Bogan / → Under the pseudonym Bessie Jackson, early blues songwriter and recording artist known for her sexually charged lyrics including “Shave ‘Em Dry” (1935) and “B.D. Woman’s Blues” (1937), considered one of the “big three” of the blues with Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, died from coronary sclerosis on 8/10/1948, age 51
1921 ● Arthur Smith / → Country music instrumentalist and pioneer of electric guitar music in the late 40s, charted the oft-covered “Guitar Boogie” (#25, 1948), an early rock ‘n’ roller, wrote hundreds of songs, including “Dueling Banjos” from the film Deliverance (1972), hosted country music’s first syndicated TV show beginning in 1951, died at home on 4/3/2014, age 93
1927 ● Amos Milburn / → Boogie-blues piano master, singer and rock ‘n’ roll roots pioneer, “Chicken Shack Boogie” (R&B #1, 1948) and eight other R&B Top 10 hits, died following a stroke on 1/3/1980, age 52
1932 ● Debbie Reynolds / (Mary Frances Reynolds) → Popular film, stage and TV actress and adult-pop singer “Tammy” (#1, 1957), starred numerous films including the genre-defining Hollywood musical Singing In The Rain (1952), one of the top films in American cinema history, continues to be active in business and charitable organizations into the 10s
1934 ● Jim Ed Brown / → Country and country-pop singer and radio and TV host, found early fame with his two sisters in 50-60s country-folk harmony trio The Browns, “The Three Bells” (#1, Country #1, 1959), followed with a solo career and 13 Country Top 25 hits, including “Morning” (Country #1, 1970), recorded seven Country Top 10 duets with Helen Cornelius in the late 70s, including “I Don’t Want To Have To Marry You” (Country #1, 1976), hosted various country music radio and TV entertainment shows until shortly before his death from lung cancer on 6/3/2015, age 81
1939 ● Rudolph Isley / → Vocals for six-decade R&B/soul family group The Isley Brothers, “That Lady, Pts. 1-2” (#6, 1973)
1942 ● Alan Blakely / → Keyboards for British Invasion pop-rock Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, “Silence Is Golden” (US #11, UK #1, 1967), died of cancer on 6/1/1996, age 54
1942 ● Phil Margo / → Drummer and vocalist for white doo-wop The Tokens, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (#1, 1961)
1944 ● Frank Gari / (Frank Garofal)) → Pop music singer and songwriter with three Top 40 hits in 1961, including “Lullaby Of Love” (#23, 1961), transitioned to an Emmy and Clio award-winning career composing theme and advertising jingles for TV and radio, worked for McDonald’s, Smuckers, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show and many advertisers and TV programs worldwide
1945 ● John Barbata / → Drummer for pop-rock The Turtles, “Happy Together” (#1, 1967), joined Jefferson Airplane in 1972 and remained through 1978 with Jefferson Starship, “Miracles” (#3, 1975), later sessions work
1946 ● Ronnie Lane / (Ronald Frederick Lane) → Bass player, songwriter and vocals for Brit raunch/psych-pop-rock The Small Faces, “Itchycoo Park” (#16, 1968), after Steve Marriott left and Rod Stewart and Ron Wood joined, renamed The Faces, “Stay With Me” (#17, 1971), formed rock ‘n’ roll Slim Chance, “How Come” (UK #5, 1974), collaborated with Pete Townshend (Rough Mix, 1977) and issued several solo albums, died of multiple sclerosis on 6/4/1997, age 51
1947 ● M / (Robin Scott) → New Wave synth-pop one hit wonder electro-dance-pop singer and songwriter, “Pop Muzik” (#1, 1979), producer and collaborator
1948 ● Jimmy Cliff / (James Chambers) → Pioneering ska and reggae singer, songwriter, bandleader, actor in the film The Harder They Come (1972) and singer of the title track, also “I Can See Clearly Now” (#18, 1993)
1948 ● Simon Cowe / → Guitarist for Brit folk-rock Lindisfarne, “Lady Eleanor” (UK #3, 1971)
1949 ● Gil Scott-Heron / → Spoken-word, soul and jazz poet known for his critiques of politics, racism and the mass media society, highly influential progenitor of hip hop music and countless rappers, issued fifteen Top 25 Jazz Albums and seven Top 40 R&B albums along with multiple charting singles including “Angel Dust” (R&B #15, 1978) but never achieved fame beyond cult popularity, died after a brief illness related to HIV on 3/27/2011, age 62
1951 ● Henry Gross / → Guitar and vocals in “greaser” revival parody rock-and-doo-wop Sha Na Na (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #55, 1975), at age 18 was the youngest performer at Woodstock, left the band in 1970 for a one hit wonder singer/songwriter solo career (“Shannon,” #6, 1976), continues to record and perform in the 10s
1952 ● Billy Currie / → Keyboards for New Wave electro-synth-pop pioneers Ultravox, “Vienna” (UK #2, 1980) and 15 other UK Top 40 singles
1952 ● Rob Wasserman / → Grammy-winning stand up bass guitarist and composer with three acclaimed solo albums Solo (1983), Duets (1988) and Trios (1994) and session work with Neil Young, Elvis Costello and many others, co-founded RatDog with Bob Weir and toured extensively with Lou Reed, died from cancer on 6/29/2016, age 64
1954 ● Jeff Porcaro / → Drummer for jazz-pop-rock Steely Dan in the mid-70s, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” (#4, 1974), then sessions for Boz Scaggs, Warren Zevon, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson and many others, formed arena rock Toto, “Africa” (#1, 1983), died of a heart attack from suspected cocaine use on 8/5/1992, age 38
1958 ● D. Boon / (Dennes Dale Boon) → Singer, songwriter and guitarist for influential hardcore/punk rock trio The Minutemen, died in a car accident at the peak of the band’s underground popularity on 12/22/1985, age 27
1961 ● Mark White / → Guitar and keyboards for New Wave synth-dance-pop ABC, “The Look Of Love” (#18, 1982)
1961 ● Susan Boyle / → Amateur Scottish singer, “I Dreamed A Dream” (2009), whose out-of-nowhere rise to fame (and fortune) resulted from her appearance on the UK TV show Britain’s Got Talent
1964 ● Leslie Langston / → Bassist for alt rock Throwing Muses, “Dizzy” (Modern Rock #8, 1989)
1965 ● Peter O’Toole / → Bassist for Irish rockers Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go” (Modern Rock #7, 1988)
1977 ● Simon White / → Guitarist for short-lived, super-hyped 90s Britpop Menswear, “Being Brave” (UK #10, 1996)
1981 ● Hannah Louise Spearitt / → Vocals for pre-fab teen pop S Club 7, “Never Had A Dream Come True” (#10, 2001)
1986 ● Hillary Scott / → Vocals and songwriter for country-rock harmony group Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” (#2, Country #1, 2009), solo
1994 ● Ella Eyre / (Ella McMahon) → Singer/songwriter and collaborator wish Rudimental on Brit Award 2014 Single of the Year “Waiting All Night’ (UK #1, 2013)

April 02

1912 ● Herbert Mills / → Tenor 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, performed with his last remaining brother, Donald until his death on 4/12/1989, age 77
1917 ● Lou Monte / (Louis Scaglione) → Novelty pop crooner and guitarist best known for his Italian-American dialect in parodies and children’s songs, including “Pepino The Italian Mouse” (#5, 1963) and the Christmas standard “Dominic The Donkey,” died on 6/12/1989, age 72
1928 ● Serge Gainsbourg / (Lucien Ginsburg) → French provocateur, ladies man and pop singer, duet with ingénue Jane Birkin, “Je T’Aime… Moi Non Plus” (#69, UK #1, 1970), the first foreign language UK chart topper, died of a heart attack on 3/2/1991, age 62
1938 ● Warner Mack / (Warner MacPherson) → Country music singer with fourteen Country Top 20 hits and two crossover minor singles from 1957 to 1970, including the self-penned debut single “Is It Wrong (For Loving You)” (#61, Country #9, 1957)
1939 ● Marvin Gaye / (Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr.) → Grammy-winning, highly talented and revered R&B/soul pioneer, first with R&B/doo wop The Moonglows, then Motown solo vocalist, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (#1, 1968), transformed to beloved social commentator, “What’s Goin’ On” (#1, 1973), shot dead by his father in a domestic dispute on 4/1/1984, age 43
1942 ● Leon Russell / (Claude Russell Bridges) → Multi-instrumentalist, in-demand sessionman for multiple top-name rock artists on hundreds of albums in nearly every genre of pop and rock music, songwriter with dozens of hits recorded by others, including over 100 covers of Grammy-winning “A Song For You” (1970), bandleader for Joe Cocker‘s backing group, producer for albums by Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and others, scratchy-voiced solo artist with two Top 20 hits (“Tight Rope,” #11, 1972 and “Lady Blue,” #14, 1975), recorded and performed until health issues forced his retirement, died in his sleep from heart failure on 11/13/2016, age 74
1942 ● Parrot Castrodale / (Phil Castrodale) → First tenor for blue-eyed soul/doo wop The Reflections (“(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet,” #6, 1964)
1943 ● Larry Coryell / (Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III) → Virtuoso guitarist and pioneer of jazz-rock fusion, started with Free Spirits and Gary Burton in the 60s, formed seminal fusion band The Eleventh House in the 70s, flipped between jazz and rock, electric and acoustic for the balance of his career and played alongside John McLaughlin, Jack Bruce and Charles Mingus, composed operas in his later years and died from heart failure in a New York City hotel while on tour on 2/19/2017, age 73
1946 ● Kurt Winter / → Guitarist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, “American Woman” (#1, 1970), joined in 1970 to replace founder Randy Bachman, co-wrote “Hand Me Down World” (#17, 1970), left in 1974 to start a mattress business, died from kidney failure on 12/14/1997, age 51
1947 ● Emmylou Harris / → Grammy-winning traditional- and neo-country singer/songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, collaborator, solo artist , “Sweet Dreams” (Country #1, 1976)
1949 ● David Robinson / → Drummer for pop/rock ‘n’ roll Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers, then New Wave synth-pop/guitar rock The Cars, “Just What I Needed” (#27, 1978)
1952 ● Dave Bronze / → Session and touring bassist for Robin Trower, Eric Clapton, Ray Davies. Belinda Carlisle, Procol Harum and many others
1952 ● Leon Wilkeson / → Bassist, backing vocals and occasional songwriting for raunchy Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” (#8, 1974), died from liver and lung failure on 7/27/2001, age 49
1956 ● Gregory Abbott / → One hit wonder R&B/soul-urban pop-quiet storm singer/songwriter, “Shake You Down” (#1, 1986)
1961 ● Keren Jane Woodward / → Founding member and vocals for hugely successful Brit synth-dance-pop girl group Bananarama, covered “Venus” (#1, 1986)
1966 ● Garnett Silk / (Garnett Damoin Smith) → Rising star Jamaican reggae/dancehall singer and Rastafarian, “Hey Mama Africa” (UK #1, 1992), died trying to save his mother in an accidental house fire on 12/16/1996, age 28
1967 ● Greg Camp / → Co-founding member, vocals and guitar for neo-garage/quirky Smash Mouth, “Walkin’ On The Sun” (Adult Top 40 #1, 1997)
1971 ● Chico / (Yousseph Slimani) → Welsh Latin pop singer, “It’s Chico Time” (UK #1, 2006), reached the semi-finals of the 2005 season of the UK series The X Factor
1979 ● Jesse Carmichael / → Keyboards for alt funk-rock Maroon 5, “She Will Be Loved” (#5, 2004)
1981 ● Scott Cain / → Australian singer and winner of the third Australian Popstars competition, “I’m Moving On” (Aus. #1, 2002)
1983 ● Yung Joc / (Jasiel A. Robinson) → Hardcore/gangsta rapper, “It’s Goin’ Down” (#3, 2006)

April 03

1922 ● Doris Day / (Doris Von Kappelhoff) → Award-winning, virginal film heroine and family TV hostess, pop singer, “Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” (#2, 1956)
1928 ● Don Gibson / (Donald Eugene Gibson) → Traditional and country-pop singer/songwriter, “Oh, Lonesome Me” (#7, Country #1, 1958) plus over 40 other Country Top 25 hits between 1956 and 1978, died 11/17/2003, age 75
1931 ● Gil Robbins / (Gilbert Lee Robbins) → Folk guitarist and singer, Air Force band conductor and member of the Cumberland Three with future Kingston Trio member John Stewart, joined the Harry Belafonte Singers and recorded five albums with The Highwaymen in the early 60s, acted in off-Broadway plays, including Month of Sundays (1968), How to Steal an Election (1968) and Mississippi Moonshine (1975)., father of actor Tim Robbins, died from prostate cancer on 4/5/2011, age 80
1936 ● Jimmy McGriff / (James Harrell McGriff) → Soul-jazz organist and bandleader, “All About My Girl” (#50, R&B #12, 1963), died from complications of multiple sclerosis on 5/24/2008, age 72
1938 ● Jeff Barry / (Joel Adelberg) → Brill Building pop-rock songwriter, singer, record producer, husband of noted songwriter Ellie Greenwich, with whom he co-wrote “Be My Baby” for The Ronettes (#2, 1963), “Leader Of The Pack” for The Shangri-Las (#1, 1964) and “I Can Hear Music” for The Beach Boys (#24, 1969), among dozens of other 60s hits
1938 ● Philippé Wynne / (Philippé Walker) → Co-lead 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, left in 1977 for a largely unsuccessful solo career, died of a heart attack on a nightclub stage on 7/14/1984, age 46
1941 ● Jan Berry / (William Jan Berry) → Singer in seminal surf music duo Jan & Dean, “Surf City” (#1, 1963), died on 3/26/2004 after years of poor health following a 1966 auto accident, age 63
1942 ● Billy Joe Royal / → Light country-rock and pop singer, “Down In The Boondocks” (#9, 1965) and three other Top 40 hits in the 60s and 70s, then ten Country Top 20 hits in the 80s and 90s, toured regularly until he died in his sleep on 10/6/2015, age 73
1942 ● Wayne Newton / (Carson Wayne Newton) → Stage and screen star, pop music solo act, “Danke Schoen” (#13, Adult Contemporary #3, 1963), consummate Las Vegas showman and local real estate tycoon
1943 ● Artie Traum / (Arthur Roy Traum) → Award-winning Greenwich Village and Woodstock folk and smooth jazz singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer with ten solo albums, another four with his brother, Happy Traum, and numerous appearances and production credits with The Bandd, Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan, Richie Havens, James Taylor and many others, later career as a documentary filmmaker, died from liver cancer on 7/20/2008, age 65
1943 ● Joe Vann / (Joseph Canzano) → Lead vocals for Italian-American doo wop The Duprees, “You Belong To Me” (#7, 1962), died 2/28/1984, age 40
1943 ● Richard Manuel / (Richard George Manuel) → Canadian-born keyboardist, occasional drummer, songwriter and tenor vocals for seminal roots rock The Band, “Up On Cripple Creek” (#25, 1970) (“Up On Cripple Creek,” #25, 1970), committed suicide in a Florida motel room following a performance on 3/4/1986, age 42
1944 ● Barry Pritchard / → Vocals and guitar for Brit pop/rock harmony beat group The Fortunes, “You’ve Got Your Troubles” (#7, 1965), died following a heart attack 1/11/1999, age 54
1944 ● Lois Wilkinson / → With partner Andrea Simpson, one half of the British Invasion pop-rock girl duo The Caravelles, “You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry” (#3, 1963)
1944 ● Tony Orlando / (Michael Anthony Orlando Casavitis) → AM Pop star singer, leader of the vocal group Dawn, “Knock Three Times” (#1, 1971), Las Vegas showroom icon
1946 ● Dee Murray / (David Murray Oates) → Bassist for numerous rock and pop acts, most notably the Elton John band, died from a stroke after a long bout with cancer on 1/15/1992, age 45
1949 ● Richard Thompson / → Folk-rock guitarist and singer/songwriter, founding member of renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (1969), solo, duo with wife Linda
1951 ● Mel Schacher / → Bassist for garage rock legends ? And The Mysterians, “96 Tears” (#1, 1966), then formed hard rock/early heavy metal power trio Grand Funk Railroad, “We’re An American Band” (#1, 1973)
1956 ● Judie Tzuke / (Judith Myers) → UK pop singer/songwriter, “Stay With Me Till Dawn” (1979) ranks #39 of 50 top songs in the BBC Best of British – 50 Golden Years of Popular Music from 2002
1961 ● Eddie Murphy / (Edward Regan Murphy) → Stand-up comedian, comic screen actor (Beverly Hills Cop, 1984), Saturday Night Live cast member, sometime pop singer, “Party All The Time” (#2, 1985)
1962 ● Mike Ness / (Michael James Ness) → Co-founder, lead guitar, vocals and songwriter for Southern California punk revival band Social Distortion, “I Was Wrong” (#54, Alt Rock #4, 1996)
1962 ● Simon Raymonde / → Bassist for Scottish alt rock/dream-pop Cocteau Twins, “Heaven Or Las Vegas” (Modern Rock #9, 1990)
1963 ● Christopher Michael “Criss” Oliva / → Co-founder with his brother Jon and lead guitarist for heavy metal Savatage (“Edge Of Thorns,” Mainstream Rock #26, 1993), died at the peak of the band’s popularity in a car collision caused by a drunk driver on 10/17/1993, age 30
1968 ● Sebastian Bach / (Sebastian Bierk) → Canadian-born frontman and lead vocals for New Jersey-based hair metal/pop-metal Skid Row (“I Remember You,” #6, 1989), left in 1996 for a moderately successful solo recording and Broadway and TV acting career
1970 ● Matthew Priest / → Drummer for goofball Brit power pop trio Dodgy, “Good Enough” (UK #4, 1996)
1974 ● Drew Shirley / → Singer, songwriter and guitarist with Grammy-winning alt rock/Christian rock Switchfoot, “Meant To Live” (#18, Modern Rock #5, 2004)
1985 ● Leona Lewis / → Contemporary R&B singer/songwriter, “Bleeding Love” (#1, 2007), won the third series of Britain’s The X Factor in 2006, Billboard magazine’s “Top New Artist” for 2008

April 04

1913 ● Frances Langford / → Hollywood actress and singer, introduced the since oft-covered “I’m In The Mood For Love” in 1935, veteran of Bob Hope‘s USO tours during World War II, starred in multiple pre- and post-war musicals, appeared on TV as a host or guest on numerous variety programs through the early 60s, died from congestive heart failure on 7/11/2005, age 92
1915 ● Muddy Waters / (McKinley Morganfield) → Grammy-winning Chicago blues giant, “Mannish Boy” (R&B #5, 1955), major inspiration for the British blues-rock explosion of the 60s, Rolling Stone magazine #17 Greatest Artist of All Time, died in his sleep from heart failure on 4/30/1983, age 68
1922 ● Elmer Bernstein / → Golden Globe, Emmy and Academy Award-winning film score composer and music conductor with a 50-plus year career and over 200 film scores and TV themes, among them The Magnificent Seven (1960, also used in Marlboro cigarette ads), To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978), Airplane! (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), and various National Geographic specials, died of cancer on 8/18/2004, age 82
1928 ● Maya Angelou / (Marguerite Annie Johnson) → One of the most important African-American authors, artists, social activists and educators of all time, wrote the best-selling I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1969) and seven autobiographies, three books of essays, numerous books of poetry, screenplays, and recorded a single album of calypso music, Miss Calypso (1957), died from natural causes on 5/28/2014, age 86
1932 ● Clive Davis / → Hugely successful, Grammy-winning record company executive responsible for signing and promoting many of rock and pop music’s biggest names over a five-decade career, first with Columbia Records which he transformed into a rock music powerhouse in the 70s, then with upstart Arista Records and his own label, J Records, more recently as Chairman and CEO of RCA Music Group and chief creative officer for Sony Music Entertainment
1936 ● Margo Sylvia / → Vocals and songwriter for R&B/doo wop The Tune Weavers, “Happy, Happy Birthday Baby” (#5, 1957), died on 10/29/1991, age 55
1938 ● Declan Mulligan / → Irish guitarist for pop-rock The Beau Brummels, “Laugh, Laugh” (#15, 1964)
1938 ● Michael Parks / → One hit wonder pop singer and TV actor with various smaller roles in the 60s, best known as the star of the series Then Came Bronson (1969-1970) and for singing the theme song for the show, “Long Lonesome Highway” (#20, 1969), appeared in over two dozen films through 2015
1939 ● Major Lance / → Chicago good-time R&B/soul singer, “The Monkey Time” (#8, R&B #2, 1963), died of heart failure on 3/9/1994, age 55
1939 ● Hugh Masekela / (Ramapolo Hugh Masekela) → The “father of South African jazz ,” trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer and singer best known in the U.S. as a one hit wonder pop artist for his instrumental hit “Grazing In The Grass” (#1, R&B #1, CAN #6, 1968), issued over 50 albums during his career, many during a 30-year exile from his homeland for his anti-apartheid views and music, played with other African musicians on Paul Simon‘s Graceland tour in the mid-80s, continued to record and perform until his death from prostate cancer on 1/23/2018, age 78
1940 ● Sharon Sheeley / → Successful early rock ‘n’ roll songwriter, wrote “Poor Little Fool” for Ricky Nelson (#1, 1958) and “Somethin’ Else” for Eddie Cochran (#58, 1959), was Cochran’s “unofficial fiancé” and survived the taxi crash that killed Cochran in 1960, died following a cerebral hemorrhage on 5/17/2002, age 62
1941 ● Michael Z. Gordon / → Musician, composer, record producer and film screenwriter, frontman and songwriter for two contemporaneous surf-rock bands in the 60s, The Routers (“Let’s Go (Pony),” #19, 1962) and The Marketts (“Out Of Limits,” #3, 1964), later composed music for multiple TV shows and feature films, including the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction (1994)
1942 ● Kris Jensen / (Peter Kristian Jensen) → One hit wonder pop singer with J.D. Loudermilk‘s “Torture” (#1, 1962), a song The Everly Brothers turned down, recorded several dozen other songs without success and drifted into obscurity in the late 60s
1945 ● Knox Carnochan / (Ian Carnochan) → Founding member and vocals for punk-rock The Vibrators, “Automatic Lover” (UK #35, 1978)
1946 ● Dave Hill / → Lead guitarist and backing vocals for Brit glam-metal Slade, “Run Runaway” (#20, 1984)
1948 ● Pick Withers / (David Withers) → Original drummer for post-punk New Wave pop-rock Dire Straits, “Sultans Of Swing” (#4, 1983), left the band in 1982
1948 ● Berry Oakley / (Raymond Berry Oakley III) → First bassist for Southern blues-rock The Allman Brothers Band, “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” (#77, 1972), died in a motorcycle accident on 11/11/1973, age 24
1949 ● Junior Braithwaite / (Franklin Delano Alexander Braithwaite) → Co-founding member and vocals for roots reggae The Wailers, left Jamaica in 1964 to pursue a medical career in Chicago, returned in 1984 for a Wailers reunion album and tour, murdered on 6/2/1999, age 50
1950 ● Pip Pyle / (Phillip Pyle) → Journeyman drummer for several Canterbury-scene psych-art-jazz-prog rock fusion bands over a 40 year career, including Gong, Hatfield And The North, In Cahoots and National Health in the 60s and 70s, collaborated with multiple artists in various progressive and experimental music projects, died on 8/28/2006, age 56
1951 ● Graeme Kelling / → Guitarist in Scottish indie pop-rock Deacon Blue, “Real Gone Kid” (UK #8, 1988), died from pancreatic cancer on 6/10/2004, age 53
1951 ● Steve Gatlin / → Elementary school teacher turned country music singer, first with Tammy Wynette‘s band and later 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, issued two albums as a solo artist and currently tours as a motivational speaker
1952 ● Gary Moore / → Guitarist for Irish blues-rock band Skid Row, plus three short stints with hard rock Thin Lizzy, “Waiting For An Alibi” (UK #9, 1979), solo, “Still Got The Blues” (Mainstream Rock #9, 1990), found dead in his vacation hotel room in Spain on 2/6/2011. age 58
1962 ● Craig Adams / → Bassist and songwriter for goth-rock The Sisters of Mercy, then hard rock/metal revival The Cult, “Fire Woman” (Mainstream Rock #4, 1989) and The Mission, “Deliverance” (Mainstream Rock #27, 1990),
1963 ● David Gavurin / → Guitarist for Brit alt-indie-rock The Sundays, “Here’s Where The Story Ends” (Modern Rock #1, 1990)
1963 ● Nigel Preston / → Founding member and drummer for post-punk/goth rock The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary” (UK #15, 1985), fired from the band for erratic behavior, worked with Nile Rodgers and DeLuca before a prison stint for armed robbery, died from a drug overdose on 4/1/1992, age 29
1966 ● Mike Starr / → Original bassist for alterna-metal/hard rock Alice In Chains, “No Excuses” (Mainstream Rock #1, 1994), died from an apparent methadone overdose on 3/8/2011, age 44
1968 ● Mark Yates / → Guitarist for hard rock/heavy metal Terrorvision, “Tequila” (UK #2, 1999)
1970 ● Mix Master Mike Schwartz / (Michael Schwartz) → DJ for hardcore punk then blue-eyed hip hop masters the Beastie Boys, “Fight For Your Right” (#7, 1987)
1972 ● Jill Scott / → Actress (as Big Mama Thornton in Hounddog, 2007), poet, songwriter and R&B/soul singer, “A Long Walk” (#43, R&B #9, 2001)
1972 ● Magnus Sveningsson / → Bassist for Swedish pop-rock The Cardigans, “Lovefool” (#1, 1996)
1973 ● Kelly Price / → R&B/pop singer, backing vocals for Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Faith Evans, Mase and Notorious B.I.G., and solo, “Friend Of Mine” (#12, 1998)
1974 ● Andre Dalyrimple / → Vocals for urban R&B/dance-club brother quartet Soul For Real, “Candy Rain” (#2, 1995)
1975 ● Phil A. Jimenez / → Vocals and percussion for post-grunge Wheatus, “Teenage Dirtbag” (Modern Rock #7, 2001)
1978 ● Lemar Obika / → Brit R&B/soul-pop singer, appeared on BBC TV talent show Fame Academy, “Dance (With You)” (UK #3, 2002)
1980 ● Johnny Borrell / → Guitar and vocals for Brit-Swede indie pop-rock Razorlight, “America” (UK #1, 2006)

April 05

1906 ● Lord Buckley / (Richard Myril Buckley) → Sophisticated and influential Beat poet, comedian, stage performer, spoken word recording artist and proto-rapper, influenced Lenny Bruce, Wavy Gravy, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Jimmy Buffett, died following a stroke on 11/12/1960, age 54
1911 ● Goddard Lieberson / → Columbia Records executive responsible for introducing the long-play record (LP) at the label in the early 50s, served as president of Columbia/CBS from 1956 to 1971 and from 1973 to 1975 and as president of the Recording Industry Association of America from 1964 to 1977, died from cancer on 5/29/1977, age 66
1922 ● Gale Storm / (Josephine Cottle) → TV star in early sitcom My Little Margie (1952-1955) and pop vocalist with three Top 10 hits, including a cover of early rock ‘n’ roller “I Hear You Knockin'” (#2, 1956), found bit parts on TV in he 80s and acted in regional theater, died from natural causes on 6/27/2009, age 87
1928 ● Tony Williams / → Former parking lot attendant turned lead tenor 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, left the group in 1960 for a mildly successful solo career, died of emphysema on 8/14/1992, age 64
1929 ● Joe Meek / (Robert George Meek) → Brit 60s rock ‘n’ roll record producer, songwriter and film composer, produced The Tornados‘ hit “Telstar” (#1, 1961) among others, committed suicide after murdering his landlady on 2/3/1967, age 37
1931 ● “Cowboy Jack” Clement / (Jack Henderson Clement) → Country, pop and rock ‘n’ roll singer, songwriter and producer, “discovered” rockabilly Jerry Lee Lewis while working at Sun Records and produced Lewis‘s “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (#3, Country #1, R&B #1, 1957), wrote “Guess Things Happen That Way” for Johnny Cash (#11, Country #1, 1958), from the 50s to the late 80s produced hundreds of albums for Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, U2 and many others, died from liver cancer on 8/8/2013, age 82
1932 ● Billy Bland / → One hit wonder R&B singer and songwriter, “Let The Little Girl Dance” (#7, R&B #11, 1960), left the industry in 1963 and currently runs a soul food restaurant in Harlem
1933 ● Reggie Lavong / (Reginald Jerome Nelson) → Smooth-voiced R&B, soul and blues DJ best known as Dr. Jive on WWRL-AM in New York City in the 60s and later on WHAT in Philadelphia, became an executive promoting R&B artists for Capitol, Island and then MCA Records and a small business entrepreneur, moved to the financial world as a Wall Street stock broker before retiring, died from complications of an infection on 9/19/2017, age 84
1934 ● Stanley Turrentine / (Stanley William Turrentine) → The “Sugar Man,” tenor saxophone legend starting with blues and R&B bands in the 50s, played soul-jazz with Jimmy Smith and his own jam bands in the 60s, shifted to jazz fusion in the 70s and recorded albums for the CTI Records jazz label, continued to record and perform through the 90s despite nominal commercial success, died following a stroke on 9/12/2000, age 66
1935 ● “G” Grant / (Peter James Grant) → Brit movie actor turned rock band manager for The Nashville Teens, The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck and others, co-founder of Swan Song Records, died from a heart attack on 11/22/1995, age 60
1939 ● Ronnie White / (Ronald Anthony White) → Founding member and vocalist for R&B/soul-pop The Miracles, who charted 18 Top 10 hits including “Tears of a Clown” (#1, 1970), introduced Stevie Wonder to Motown chief Berry Gordy Jr., died of leukemia on 8/26/1995, age 56
1941 ● Dave Swarbrick / → Important figure in the 60s British folk revival and in the development for electrified folk-rock, first with the Ian Campbell Folk Group and then on fiddle, mandolin, songwriting and vocals for renowned folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (1969), after disbandment in 1979 played in multiple acoustic groups and as a session musician, issued a dozen solo albums through 2010, died from emphysema on 6/3/2016, age 75
1942 ● Allan Clarke / → Guitarist, singer and songwriter for British Invasion pop-rock harmony group The Hollies, “Bus Stop” (#5, 1966)
1944 ● Crispian St. Peters / (Robin Peter Smith) → Folk-pop two hit wonder singer/songwriter, “The Pied Piper” (#4, UK #5, 1966) and “You Were On My Mind” (UK #2, 1967), died following a long illness on 6/8/2010, age 66
1944 ● Nick Caldwell / (Nicholas Caldwell) → Original member of R&B/soul vocal quintet The Whispers, “And The Beat Goes On” (#19, R&B #1, 1980) and 33 other R&B Top 40 hits from 1969 to 1991, continued to perform with the group until his death from congestive heart failure on 1/5/2016, age 71
1946 ● Dave Holland / → Drummer with influential “New Wave” heavy metal band Judas Priest, “Breaking The Law” (1980)
1948 ● Kent Henry / (Kent Henry Plischke) → Rock guitarist with pop-rock Blues Image (“Ride Captain Ride, #4, 1970) and hard rock Steppenwolf in the 70s, died during intestinal surgery on 3/18/2009, age 61
1950 ● Anna Fältskog / (Agnetha Åse Fältskog) → Vocals for internationally successful Scandinavian pop quartet ABBA, “Dancing Queen” (#1, 1976)
1951 ● Everett Morton / → Drummer for multi-racial Brit ska revival band The Beat (known as the English Beat in the US), “Hand’s Off She’s Mine” (Dance/Club #22, 1980)
1954 ● Stan Ridgeway / → Frontman and distinctive baritone vocalist for alt indie rock Wall Of Voodoo, “Mexican Radio” (Mainstream Rock #41, 1982), then solo with “Goin’ Southbound” (Modern Rock #8, 1989)
1961 ● Jacob Slichter / → Drummer for post-grunge alt rock Semisonic, “Closing Time” (Modern Rock #4, 1998), authored book So You Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star (2004)
1964 ● Kid Reid / (Christopher Reid) → With Christopher “Play” Martin, one half of the positive-attitude hip hop musical duo Kid ‘N Play, “Ain’t Gonna Hurt Nobody” (#51, Rap #1, 1991), the duo branched into acting with film appearances and their own short-lived TV program
1966 ● Mike McCready / → Lead guitarist for post-grunge/alt rock kings Pearl Jam, “Last Kiss” (#2, 1999)
1967 ● Troy Gentry / → Country music singer and songwriter, one-half of the rough-hewed country/rock duo Montgomery Gentry (“Roll With Me,” #33, Country #1, CAN #66, 2003), died in a helicopter crash just before a performance near Trenton, NJ on 9/8/2017, age 50
1968 ● Paula Cole / → Alt pop-rock dreamy 90s two hit singer/songwriter, “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone” (#8, 1997) and “I Don’t Want To Wait” (#11. 1997)
1973 ● Pharrell Williams / → Grammy-winning rapper, fashion designer, and with Chad Hugo, one half of the hit songwriting/production duo The Neptunes, responsible for multiple pop, hip hop and R&B hits, including Britney Spears‘ “I’m A Slave 4 U” (Dance/Club #4, 2001), worked with Mase, Nelly and Kelis, solo US #1 album The Neptunes Present…Clones
1975 ● Juicy J / (Jordan Michael Houston) → Founding member, producer and MC for Memphis hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, “Stray Fly” (#18, R&B #9, 2005), later solo, “Bandz A Make Her Dance” (#29, Rap #5, 2012), produced tracks and albums for Ludacris, Lil Wayne and others

April 06

1918 ● Shakey Horton / (Walter Horton) → Influential blues harmonica player frequently referred to as “Big Walter,” session musician for Chess Records in Chicago in the 50s, played frequently with Muddy Waters, backed several notable blues musicians on their albums and issued four of his own, toured with Willie Dixon’s All-Stars and made guest appearances on albums by Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac, died from heart failure and alcohol abuse on 12/8/1981, age 63
1926 ● Sergio Franchi / (Sergio Franci Galli) → Italian pop ballad crooner, signed to RCA and moved to the U.S. for his debut album (Romantic Italian Songs, #17, 1962), issued 35 albums and made 24 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show before his death from a brain tumor on 5/1/1990, age 64
1929 ● André Previn / (André George Previn) → German-American jazz pianist, ten-time Grammy-winning film score composer and conductor for symphony orchestras in Houston, London, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, recorded hundreds of pieces in various genres and is considered one of the most versatile musicians of any era, charted one pop hit, “Like Young” (#46, 1959)
1937 ● Merle Haggard / (Merle Ronald Haggard) → Hugely successful and influential “Bakersfield Sound” traditional country guitarist, singer and songwriter with 38 Country #1 hits, including “Mama Tried” (Country #1, 1968) and “Workin’ Man Blues” (Country #1, 1969), plus 33 other Country Top 10 singles and ten crossover hits, inspired The Byrds, Grateful Dead, Elvis Costello and over 400 covers of “Today I Started Loving You Again,” died from pneumonia on 4/6/2016, his 79th birthday
1940 ● Don Myric / → Jazz-funk saxophonist, original member of Phoenix Horns Esq., the horn section for R&B/soul-dance-pop Earth, Wind & Fire (“Shining Star,” #1, 1975), later session work for Phil Collins (sax solo on “One More Night,” #1 , 1985), Carlos Santana, Heaven 17 and others, died after being accidentally shot by a police officer during a narcotics investigation on 7/30/1993, age 53
1941 ● Phil Austin / → Comedian, writer and member of 60s/70s eclectic, satiric, surrealistic radio-friendly comic quartet The Firesign Theatre and the voice of the group’s best-known character, private eye Nick Danger, the group’s nearly 40 albums were cult hits, particluarly for college audiences, died from an aneurysm on 6/18/2015, age 74
1942 ● Anita Pallenberg / → Fashion model, sometime actress known for roles in cult movies, 60s and 70s counterculture “It Girl” and muse to rock legends The Rolling Stones, had romantic relations with Brian Jones and, as rumored, with The Rolling Stones before taking up with Keith Richards and bearing two sons and a daughter with him, was exonerated from murder charges when a 17-year old boy shot himself in 1979 with a pistol in her bed in the suburban New York estate she shared with Richards, died from complications of hepatitis C on 6/13/2017, age 75
1944 ● John Stax / (John Edward Lee Fullager) → Original bassist for raunchy R&B/blues-rock British Invasion band The Pretty Things, “Don’t Bring Me Down” (UK #10, 1964)
1947 ● Tony Connor / → Drummer for Brit interracial R&B/soul-disco-funk Hot Chocolate, “You Sexy Thing” (#3, 1976) and 27 other UK Top 40 hits, including one in every year from 1970 to 1984
1951 ● Ralph Cooper / → Drummer for Aussie light pop-rock Air Supply, “The One That You Love” (#1, 1981)
1953 ● Christopher Franke / → German keyboardist and composer for atmospheric space/new age electro-synth proto-Kraut rock Tangerine Dream
1960 ● Warren Haynes / → Blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, solo artist, sideman and bandleader, founding member of power trio/jam band Gov’t Mule, “Drivin’ Rain” (Mainstream Rock #33, 2002), played with The Allman Brothers Band, David Allan Coe, the Dickie Betts Band, Phil Lesh & Friends and The Dead plus numerous session and special projects with Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews, John Mayall and others
1961 ● Gene Eugene / (Eugene Andrusco) → Canadian-born child actor (TV shows Bewitched, Jake And The Fatman and others), record producer (owner and chief engineer at The Green Room recording studio in Los Angeles), founding member of Christian alt rock supergroup Lost Dogs and frontman for innovative Christian funk-rock Adam Again, died from a brain aneurysm on 3/20/2000, age 38
1962 ● Stan Cullimore / (Ian Peter Cullimore) → Guitarist for Brit jangle guitar pop-rock The Housemartins, “Caravan Of Love” (UK #1, 1986), author of children’s books
1965 ● Black Francis / (Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV) → Guitarist and singer with influential alt melodic rock Pixies, “Velouria” (Modern Rock #4, 1990), formed Frank Black and the Catholics in 1993, reunited Pixies in 2004, plus over 10 solo albums.
1968 ● Joe Gittleman / → Bassist for ska punk The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, “The Impression That I Get” (Top 40 #17, Modern Rock #1, 1997) and other bands, assistant professor of music at a Vermont college
1978 ● Myleene Klass / → Singer for pre-fab mockstar dance-pop Hear’Say, “Pure And Simple” (UK #1, 2001), now TV host and model

April 07

1908 ● Percy Faith / → Composer, bandleader, producer and easy listening/pop singer, “The Theme From A Summer Place” (#1, 1960), died of cancer on 2/9/1976, age 67
1912 ● Jack Lawrence / → Hall of Fame songwriter and musical theater lyricist noted for songs that helped launch the careers of The Ink Spots (“If I Didn’t Care,” #2, 1939), Frank Sinatra (“All Or Nothing At All,” #2, 1943) and Bobby Darin (“By The Sea,” #6, 1959), wrote the song “Linda” for his friend Lee Eastman‘s daughter, who grew up to marry Paul McCartney, died from complications of a broken pelvis from a fall in his home on 3/16/2009, age 96
1915 ● Billie Holiday / (Eleanora Fagan Gough) → Known as “Lady Day”, hugely successful and revered jazz-blues singer, “Lady Sings The Blues” (1956), died from liver failure on 7/17/1959, age 44
1920 ● Ravi Shankar / (Rabindra Shankar Chowdery) → World-renowned Indian sitarist, mentor to George Harrison, music professor and university department head, member of Indian parliament, father of contemporary jazz-pop star Norah Jones, died from complications following heart valve replacement surgery on 12/11/2012, age 92
1922 ● Mongo Santamaria / (Ramón “Mongo” Santamaría Rodríguez) → Grammy-winning Cuban percussionist and Latin-jazz bandleader, “Watermelon Man” (#10, R&B #8, 1963), died following a stroke on 2/1/2003, age 80
1935 ● Bobby Bare / → Country-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, “All American Boy” (#2, 1959) and Grammy-winning “Detroit City” (#16, Adult Contemporary #4, 1963) plus over 50 Country Top 40 hits from 1964 to 1983
1937 ● Charlie Thomas / → Vocals for R&B/doo wop The Five Crowns, who changed their name in 1958 to The Drifters, “Under The Boardwalk” (#4, 1964)
1938 ● Freddie Hubbard / (Frederick Dewayne Hubbard) → Renowned jazz/be bop NEA Jazz Master trumpeter with a Grammy-winning album (First Light, 1972) which led to accusations of commercial sell-out, performed in numerous collaborations with George Benson, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Turrentine and many others, died from a heart attack on 11/26/2008, age 70
1938 ● Spencer Dryden / → Drummer for 60s psych-rock Jefferson Airplane, “Somebody To Love” (#5, 1967), then country-folk-rock New Riders Of The Purple Sage, “Panama Red” (1973), died of cancer on 1/11/2005, age 66
1943 ● Alan Buck / → Drummer 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 U.S., died from a heart attack on 3/15/1994, age 50
1943 ● Mick Abrahams / (Michael Timothy Abrahams) → Original lead guitarist for long-lived Brit folk-rock Jethro Tull, “Living In The Past” (#11, 1973), left after a falling-out with bandleader Ian Anderson, formed blues-rock Blodwyn Pig that released two charting albums in the early 70s
1947 ● Skip Pitts / (Charles Pitts) → Soul, funk and blues guitarist, “wah-wah” style innovator, session musician with Stax Records, performed with Isaac Hayes (soundtrack album Shaft, 1971), also worked with James Brown, Otis Redding, The Isley Brothers, Cyndi Lauper and others, died of cancer on 5/1/2012, age 65
1947 ● Florian Schneider-Esleben / → Drums and keyboards for German electro-rock pioneers Kraftwerk, “Autobahn” (#25, 1975)
1947 ● Patricia Bennett / → Vocals for top-tier 60s New York girl group The Chiffons, “He’s So Fine” (#1, 1963)
1948 ● Carol Douglas / → Disco diva with the early dance-pop/disco hit “Doctor’s Orders” (#11, Disco #2, 1975) and several other Dance/Club chart singles but little commercial success, continued to perform in clubs into the 90s
1948 ● Dallas Taylor, Jr. / → Session drummer for John Sebastian and with Lowell George in pre-Little Feat folk-rock The Factory, founding member of 60s psych rock Clear Light (“Mr. Blue,” 1967), joined Crosby, Stills & Nash for their debut album (1969) and their follow-up with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Déjà Vu (1970), played with Stephen Stills on his solo albums and with his band Manassas, toured with Paul Butterfield‘s band in the late 70s, died from liver failure on 1/18/2015, age 66
1949 ● John Oates / → Singer/songwriter and one half of Philly soul-pop-rock duo Hall & Oates, “Private Eyes” (#1, 1981), plus 20 other Top 20 hits
1949 ● Wells Kelly / → Multi-instrumentalist musician, early member of pop-rock King Harvest (his brother Sherman wrote the hit “Dancing In The Moonlight” – #1, 1973) and co-founder of pop-rock Orleans (“Still The One,” #5, 1976), toured with Steve Forbert, Clarence Clemons and Meat Loaf in the early 80s, found dead on the front steps of a London flat after a night of partying during a tour on 10/29/1984, age 35
1950 ● Steve Ellis / (Stephen John Ellis) → Vocals for London-based R&B/soul-pop Love Affair, “Everlasting Love” (UK #1, 1968) and four other UK Top 20 hits in the late 60s, left in 1969 for a marginal solo career and stints with various Brit rock bands, still records and performs with The New Amen Corner into the 10s
1951 ● Bruce Gary / → Drummer for power pop The Knack, “My Sharona” (#1, 1979), worked with Albert Collins, Jack Bruce, Dr. John in the 70s and Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Yoko Ono, Bette Midler and others, and as a producer before dying of lymphoma on 8/22/2006, age 55
1951 ● Janis Ian / (Janis Eddy Fink) → Grammy-winning, often controversial singer/songwriter, first hit was at age 16, “Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking)” (#14, 1967), then “At Seventeen” (#3, 1975)
1960 ● Simon Climie / → Songwriter and member of the Brit pop duo Climie Fisher, “Love Changes (Everything)” (#23, 1988), lately collaborating with Eric Clapton
1962 ● Barbara Kessler / → Folk-pop singer and songwriter (“Deep Country,” 1994)
1978 ● Duncan James / (Duncan Matthew James Inglis) → Actor, TV host and singer with Brit boy band Blue, “If You Come Back” (UK #1, 2002), solo

Albums Released This Week (March 26 – April 1)

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):

March 26


● John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers —— John Mayall Plays John Mayall ► Blues-Rock >> 1965
● The Kinks —— Percy [Sndtrk] ► British Rock >> 1971
● The Mothers Of Invention —— Just Another Band From L.A. ► Art Rock >> 1972
● ABBA —— Ring Ring ► Pop-Rock >> 1973
● Smokey Robinson —— A Quiet Storm ► Soul/Quiet Storm >> 1975
● Santana —— Amigos ► Jazz-Rock Fusion >> 1976
● Thin Lizzy —— Jailbreak ► Hard Rock >> 1976
● Village People —— Go West ► Disco >> 1979
● Van Halen —— Women And Children First… ► Hard Rock >> 1980
● The Oak Ridge Boys —— Fancy Free ► Country-Pop >> 1981
● Keel —— The Right To Rock ► Heavy Metal >> 1985
● Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers —— Southern Accents ► Album Rock >> 1985
● Van Halen —— 5150 ► Hard Rock >> 1986
● Cross —— Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know ► Hard Rock >> 1990
● Digital Underground —— Sex Packets ► Pop-Rap >> 1990
● Heart —— Brigade ► Album Rock >> 1990
● Bob Dylan —— The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 ► Folk-Rock >> 1991
● Rod Stewart —— Vagabond Heart ► Blues-Rock >> 1991
● Anal Cunt —— 40 More Reasons To Hate Us ► Heavy Metal/Grindcore >> 1996
● Bonnie Tyler —— Free Spirit ► Pop Vocals (Female) >> 1996
● Mark Knopfler —— Golden Heart ► Roots Rock >> 1996
● The Monkees —— Missing Links, Volume Three ► Pop-Rock >> 1996
● Whitesnake —— Restless Heart ► Arena Rock >> 1997
● Coldplay —— The Singles 1999-2006 ► Alt. Rock/Brit Pop >> 2007
● David Gray —— Shine: The Best Of The Early Years ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2007
● Elton John —— Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits ► Pop-Rock >> 2007
● Iron Maiden —— En Vivo! ► Heavy Metal >> 2012

March 27


● Bob Dylan —— Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits ► Folk-Rock >> 1967
● The Yardbirds —— The Yardbirds Greatest Hits ► Blues Rock >> 1967
● Ringo Starr —— Sentimental Journey ► Pop-Rock >> 1970
● Three Dog Night —— Seven Separate Fools ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 1972
● Jesse Colin Young —— On The Road ► Folk-Rock >> 1976
● Ian Hunter —— You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic ► Album Rock >> 1979
● David Gilmour —— About Face ► Prog Rock >> 1984
● King Crimson —— Three Of A Perfect Pair ► Prog Rock >> 1984
● Run-D.M.C. —— Run-D.M.C. ► Rap >> 1984
● The Outfield —— Voices Of Babylon ► Pop-Rock >> 1989
● Slint —— Spiderland ► Experimental/Indie Rock >> 1991
● Silverchair —— Frogstomp ► Grunge >> 1995
● Embrace —— Drawn From Memory ► Alt Rock/Post-Britpop >> 2000
● Bruce Springsteen —— Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live In New York City ► Heartland Rock >> 2001
● Peter Cetera —— Another Perfect World ► Pop-Rock >> 2001
● Natalie Cole —— Anthology ► Soul-Pop >> 2003
● Massive Attack —— Collected ► Trip-Hop >> 2006
● Machine Head —— The Blackening ► Heavy Metal/Groove Metal >> 2007
● Stevie Nicks —— Crystal Visions – The Very Best Of Stevie Nicks ► Pop-Rock >> 2007
● PJ Harvey & John Parish —— A Woman A Man Walked By ► Indie Rock >> 2009

March 28


● The Rascals —— The Young Rascals ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 1966
● The Rolling Stones —— Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) ► Rock >> 1966
● Led Zeppelin —— Houses Of The Holy ► Hard Rock >> 1973
● Golden Earring —— Contraband ► Hard Rock >> 1977
● 10cc —— Look Hear? ► Pop-Rock >> 1980
● Al Jarreau —— Jarreau ► Jazz-Pop Vocal >> 1983
● Frank Zappa —— Baby Snakes [Sndtrk} ► Art Rock >> 1983
● Frank Zappa —— The Man From Utopia ► Art Rock >> 1983
● Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band —— Like A Rock ► Heartland Rock >> 1986
● Roxette —— Joyride ► Pop-Rock >> 1991
● En Vogue —— Funky Divas ► Dance-Pop >> 1992
● The Divine Comedy —— Promenade ► Brit Pop >> 1994
● Big L —— Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous ► Hardcore Rap >> 1995
● Glenn Frey —— Solo Collection ► Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Sarah McLachlan —— The Freedom Sessions ► Folk-Rock >> 1995
● Wilco —— A.M. ► Alt. Country-Rock >> 1995
● Cherry Twister —— At Home With Cherry Twister ► Power Pop >> 2000
● Common —— Like Water For Chocolate ► Alt Hip Hop >> 2000
● Various Artists —— Romeo Must Die: The Album [Sndtrk] ► R&B/funk-rap >> 2000

March 29


● Quicksilver Messenger Service —— Happy Trails ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1969
● Diana Ross —— Diana! ► Soul >> 1971
● The Jackson 5 —— Skywriter ► Soul – Motown >> 1973
● King Crimson —— Starless And Bible Black ► Prog Rock >> 1974
● Mott The Hoople —— The Hoople ► Hard Rock >> 1974
● Charlie Daniels Band —— Saddle Tramp ► Southern Rock >> 1976
● Supertramp —— Breakfast In America ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1979
● Sparks —— Angst In My Pants ► Glam Rock >> 1982
● Slade —— Rogues Gallery ► Glam Rock >> 1985
● Bobby McFerrin —— Simple Pleasures ► Pop-Reggae >> 1988
● Little Feat —— Representing The Mambo ► Southern Rock >> 1989
● Otis Redding —— Remember Me ► Memphis Soul >> 1992
● Suede —— Suede ► Brit Pop >> 1993
● The Kinks —— Phobia ► British Rock >> 1993
● GWAR —— This Toilet Earth ► Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal >> 1994
● Phish —— Hoist ► Prog Rock/Jam Band >> 1994
● The Subdudes —— Annunciation ► Blues-Rock >> 1994
● Gamma Ray —— Power Plant ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal >> 1999
● Judy Collins —— Portrait Of An American Girl ► Folk-Pop >> 2005
● Bob Dylan —— All The Best: Dylan ► Folk-Rock >> 2011
● Whitesnake —— Forevermore ► Arena Rock >> 2011

March 30


● The Kinks —— The Kink Kontroversy ► British Invasion >> 1966
● Billy Preston —— Club Meeting ► Soul >> 1967
● Peter Frampton —— Frampton ► Arena Rock >> 1975
● The Commodores —— Commodores ► Soul-Funk >> 1977
● Magazine —— Secondhand Daylight ► Post-Punk >> 1979
● The Pretenders —— Extended Play ► Post-Punk >> 1981
● Bryan Adams —— Into The Fire ► Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Erasure —— The Circus ► Alt. Dance/Synthpop >> 1987
● PJ Harvey —— Dry ► Indie Rock >> 1992
● Onyx —— Bacdafucup ► Hardcore Rap >> 1993
● Pink Floyd —— The Division Bell ► Prog Rock >> 1994
● Choking Victim —— No Gods, No Managers ► Hardcore Punk >> 1999
● Aerosmith —— Honkin’ On Bobo ► Hard Rock >> 2004
● Bob Dylan —— The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert At Philharmonic Hall ► Folk-Rock >> 2004
● Janet Jackson —— Damita Jo ► Pop-Soul >> 2004
● Los Lonely Boys —— Los Lonely Boys ► Folk-Rock >> 2004
● The Who —— Then And Now ► British Rock >> 2004
● The Yardbirds —— Live At B. B. King’s Blues Club ► Blues Rock >> 2007
● Rush —— Time Stand Still: The Collection ► Prog/Art Rock >> 2010
● The Band —— Live In Tokyo 1983 ► Folk-Rock >> 2010

March 31


● Three Dog Night —— It Ain’t Easy ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 1970
● Deep Purple —— Machine Head ► Hard Rock >> 1972
● Led Zeppelin —— Presence ► Hard Rock >> 1976
● Heatwave —— Central Heating ► Funk/Disco >> 1978
● Paul McCartney & Wings —— London Town ► Pop-Rock >> 1978
● Genesis —— Duke ► Prog Rock >> 1980
● Scorpions —— Animal Magnetism ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Rock >> 1980
● Culture Club —— From Luxury To Heartache ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1986
● Prince —— Sign ‘O’ The Times ► Soul-Funk >> 1987
● The Smiths —— Louder Than Bombs ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1987
● Thompson Twins —— Close To The Bone ► New Wave Dance-pop >> 1987
● Body Count —— Body Count ► Heavy Metal >> 1992
● Bruce Springsteen —— Human Touch ► Heartland Rock >> 1992
● Bruce Springsteen —— Lucky Town ► Heartland Rock >> 1992
● Def Leppard —— Adrenalize ► Hard Rock >> 1992
● Céline Dion —— The Collection 1982-1988 ► Adult Pop >> 1997
● Daz Dillinger —— Retaliation, Revenge And Get Back ► West Coast Rap >> 1998
● Duran Duran —— Night Versions: The Essential Duran Duran ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1998
● Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark —— Live: Architecture & Morality And More ► New Wave Synth Pop >> 2008
● Cheap Trick —— Playlist: The Very Best Of Cheap Trick ► Hard Rock/Power Pop >> 2009
● Ringo Starr —— Postcards From Paradise ► Pop-Rock >> 2015
● Van Halen —— Tokyo Dome Live In Concert ► Hard Rock >> 2015
● Bob Dylan —— Triplicate ► Folk-Rock >> 2017

April 01


● John Coltrane —— Giant Steps ► Jazz >> 1959
● Marvin Gaye —— When I’m Alone I Cry ► Soul/Broadway >> 1964
● Cat Stevens —— Mona Bone Jakon ► Folk-Pop >> 1970
● Harry Nilsson —— Son Of Dracula [Sndtrk] ► Folk-Rock >> 1974
● Journey —— Journey ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1975
● Rush —— 2112 ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1976
● The Clash —— Capital Radio [EP] ► Punk >> 1977
● Grateful Dead —— Reckoning ► Folk-Rock >> 1981
● Aldo Nova —— Aldo Nova ► Glam Rock >> 1982
● Trooper —— Money Talks ► Hard Rock >> 1982
● Paul Young —— The Secret Of Association ► Pop-Rock >> 1985
● Suzanne Vega —— Solitude Standing ► Alt. Rock >> 1987
● Black Sabbath —— Headless Cross ► Hard Rock >> 1989
● The Afghan Whigs —— Up In It ► Post-Punk >> 1990
● School Of Fish —— School Of Fish ► Jangle Pop >> 1991
● Lit —— Tripping The Light Fantastic ► Alt Rock/Post-Grunge >> 1997
● Simple Minds —— Cry ► New Wave Alt. Pop >> 2002
● Cher —— The Very Best Of Cher ► Pop-Rock >> 2003
● Ringo Starr —— Extended Versions ► Pop-Rock >> 2003
● Stabbing Westward —— The Essential Stabbing Westward ► Industrial Rock >> 2003
● R.E.M. —— Accelerate ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2008
● The Apples In Stereo —— Electronic Projects For Musicians ► Indie Pop-Rock/Power Pop >> 2008
● The Rolling Stones —— Shine A Light: Original Soundtrack ► Blues-Rock >> 2008
● Van Morrison —— Keep It Simple ► Folk-Rock >> 2008
● Jerry Garcia Band —— June 26, 1981, Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA ► Roots Rock >> 2013
● Jackson Browne —— Looking Into You: A Tribute To Jackson Browne ► Folk-Rock >> 2014
● Charles Bradley —— Changes ► Soul-Funk >> 2016
● Cheap Trick —— Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello ► Hard Rock/Power Pop >> 2016