a Phil Brodie Band Info Page

"Births & Deaths"
These birthdates and death dates are unique to this site,
I have been working on them for over 10 years now.
PLEASE give credit or link if copied
PAGES UPDATED DAILY
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MAY: Charts ~ MAY: On This Day ~ MAY: Quiz
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MAY
SADLY DEPARTED
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RESPECT - OBITUARIES
.. 2013 .. 2012 .. 2011 .. 2010 .. 2009 .. 2008 .. 2007 .. 2006 .. 2005 .. 2004 .. REQUESTS
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MORE BIRTHDATES & PASSINGS & TRIBUTES
January . February . March . April . May . June . July
August . September . October . November . December
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MAY BIRTHDAYS

Born ~ May 1st.
1989: Tim Urban (US singer)
1984: Keiichiro Koyama (Japanese singer; News).
1980: Jay Reatard/Jimmy Lindsey Jr (US vocalist, musician; Reatards/Lost Sounds/others)*13.Jan.2010.
1979: MC Harvey/Michael Harvey (UK musical artist; So Solid Crew/solo/guest).
1978: Nick Traina (US singer; Link 80/Knowledge)*20.Sept.1997.
1974: Kellie Crawford (Australian singer; Hi-5)
1970: Bernard Butler (UK guitarist, vocals; The Tears/McAlmont & Butler/Suede).
1968: D'Arcy Wretsky-Brown (US bass player; Smashing Pumpkins/Filter).
1967: Tim McGraw/Samuel Timothy Smith (US country singer).
1966: Johnny Colt (US bassist; The Black Crowes/Brand New Immortals'/Supernova).
1962: Owen Paul McGee (Scottish singer).
1959: Phil Smith (UK sax player, guitar; Haircut 100/sessionist).
1958: Paul Gardiner (UK bassist; Tubeway Army/Garry Newman/sessions)*04.Feb.1984.
1957: Rick Driscoll (UK singer; Kenny).
1957: Kow Otani (Japanese composer)
1957: Steve Farris (US guitarist; Mr Mister/sessionist/freelance).
1955: Martin "Marty" O'Donnell (American award-winning composer; films/tv/video game music).
1955: Nick Feldman (UK bassist, vocals; Wang Chung/Promised Land).
1954: Frédéric "Fred" Chichin (French singer, guitar; Les Rita Mitsouko/Taxi Girl)*28.Nov.2007.
1954: Ray Parker Jr. (US singer, guitarist; Motown/Raydio/sessionist/freelance).
1953: Glen Ballard (American songwriter and record producer).
1949: Jim Clench (Canadian bassist; April Wine/Bachman Turner Overdrive)*02.Nov.2010.
1949: Tim Hodgkinson (UK composer, multi-musician; Henry Cow/The Work/others).
1946: Nick Fortuna (US bassist; Buckinghams).
1945: Rita Coolidge (US singer; Delaney and Bonnie, solo).
1944: Marva Whitney/Marva Ann Manning (American funk singer)*22.Dec.2012.
1939: Judy Collins (US folk singer).
1939: Victor Davies (Canadian composer)
1936: Lacy Gibson (US jazz influenced blues guitar virtuoso, vocalist; sessionist/solo)*11.April.2011.
1934: Shirley Horn (US award winning jazz singer, pianist)*20.Oct.2005.
1930: Little Walter/Marion Walter Jacobs (US singer, harmonica player)*15.Feb.1968.
1929: Sonny James (American country music singer and songwriter).
1929: Francesco Sorianello (US actor and opera singer)*06.May.2013.
1919: Manna Dey/Prabodh Chandra Dey (Indian singer; Bengali/Hindi/Indian films).
1917: Danielle Darrieux (French singer, actress)
1913: Walter Susskind (Czech conductor)*25.March.1980.
1901: Heinz Eric Roemheld (US composer; film scores/classical)*11.Feb.1985.
1907: Kate Smith (singer, radio hostess)*17.June.1986.

May 2nd.
1988: Lara Liang (Taiwanese-American singer)
1987: Nana Kitade (Japanese pop/rock singer, songwriter).
1985: Lily Allen (English singer and songwriter).
1982: Lorie/Laure Pester (French Pop, electropop, R&B singer).
1978: Steve Bays (Canadian vocals, keyboard; Hot Hot Heat)
1978: Intars Busulis (Latvian singer, trombone player)
1974: Garðar Thór Cortes (Icelandic tenor)
1969: Ben Leach (UK keyboard/synthesizer; Farm).
1968: Ziana Zain/Siti Roziana binti Zin (Malaysian singer, actress)
1967: David McAlmont (UK singer; Thieves/The Tears/solo).
1961: Dr Robert/Robert Howard (UK lead singer; Blow Monkeys/solo)
1959: Tony Wakeford (English bassist, composer; Crisis/Sol Invictus).
1957: Will Kennedy (US drummer; Yellowjackets/sessions/solo)
1956: David Rhodes (UK guitarist, songwriter, producer/composer; Peter Gabriel/session musician)
1955: Jo Callis (UK guitarist, keyboards; The Rezillos/Human League).
1954: Prescott Niles (US bass; The Knack).
1953: Valery Gergiev (Russian-born conductor)
1952: Mari Natsuki (Japanese singer, dancer, actress)
1951: John Glascock (UK bassist, electric guitar; The Gods/Carmen/Jethro Tull)*17.Nov.1979.
1950: Lou Gramm/Louis A. Grammatico (US vocals,percussion; Black Sheep/Foreigner/solo).
1948: Larry Gatlin (US singer, guitar, songwiter; the Imperials/Gatlin Brothers).
1946: John "Kellogs" Kalinowski (UK rock-n-roll manager; Procol Harum/many others)*01.March.2013.
1946: Lesley Gore (US singer).
1945: Judge Dread/Alexander Hughes (English reggae and ska artist)*13.March.1998.
1945: Goldy McJohn/John Goadsby (US organ, keyboards; Sparrows/Steppenwolf/Mynah Birds/sessionist).
1945: Randy Cain/Rudy Cain (US singer; The Delfonics)*09.April.2009.
1944: Bob Henrit (UK drummer; top sessionist/DayBreakers/Roulettes/Argent/Unit4+2/Kinks).
1943: Hilton Valentine (UK guitarist; The Alan Price Band/Animals/solo).
1936: Engelbert Humperdinck/Arnold George Dorsey (UK singer).
1936: Michael Rabin (US violinist)*19.Jan.1972.
1933: John 'Bunk' Gardner (US clarinet, sax, bassoon, flute player: Mothers of Invention).
1929: Sven-Olof Walldoff (Swedish record producer, composer, orchestra conductor)*10.June.2011.
1929: Frederick Lincoln"Link" Wray (US singer, guitarist)*05.Nov.2005
1928: Horst Walter Stein (German conductor)*27.July.2008.
1924: Theodore Bikel (Austrian-born actor, singer)
1922: Serge Reggiani (Italian-born French singer, actor)*23.July.2004.
1915: Van Alexander/Al Feldman (writer,arranger, leader;Van Alexander Band).
1915: Doris Fisher (US singer and songwriter)*15.Jan.2003.
1898: Henry Hall (UK bandleader )*28.Oct.1989.
1897: John Fred Coots (American songwriter)*08.April.1985.
1895: Lorenz "Larry" Hart (American lyricist; Rodgers and Hart)*22.Nov.1943.

May 3rd.
1995: Zachary David Sobiech (US pop singer; A Firm Handshake)*20.May.2013.
1985: Greg Raposo (US Pop/Rock Singer; Dream Street/solo).
1983: Myriam Fares (Lebanese singer).
1981: Farrah Franklin (US singer, actress, model; Destiny's Child/solo).
1981: U;Nee/Heo Yoon (South Korean singer, actress)*21.Jan.2007.
1979: Danny Foster (singer; Hear'Say).
1978: Paul Banks (US/UK vocalist, lead guitar, lyricist; Interpol).
1975: Maksim Mrvica (Croatia pianist).
1973: Brad Martin (US country music singer, guitarist)
1973: Rea Garvey (Irish singer–songwriter, guitarist; German rock/pop band Reamonn).
1972: Mark Morrison (British R&B singer).
1971: Josey Scott (American singer; Saliva).
1969: Jay Darlington (keyboardist; Kula Shaker/Rooster).
1968: Shane Minor (American country singer).
1965: László Bódi (Hungarian rock singer-songwriter; Cipofuzo/Republic).
1965: Simon Smith (UK drummer, tour manager; Wedding Present/Ukrainians/Cinerama)?
1959: David Ball (UK electronic musician, producer; The Grid/Soft Cell).
1953: Gary Young (US drummer, singer, guitar; Pavement/solo).
1953: Bruce Hall (US bassist, singer; REO Speedwagon).
1951: Christopher Cross/Christopher Geppert (US singer, songwriter, composer).
1950: Mary Hopkins (Welsh folk singer).
1949: Kaoru Abe (Japanese free jazz alto saxophonist)*09.Sept.1978.
1947: John Richardson (UK drummer, multi-musician; Rubettes/solo).
1945: Richard Allix (UK drummmer; Vanity Fare).
1944: Russell Allen "Rusty" Wier (American singer-songwriter)*09.Oct.2009.
1944: Peter Staples (UK bassist, songwriter; Troggs/Ten Feet Five/Wild Things).
1940: Conny Planck (German international record producer, mult-musician)*18.Dec.1987.
1934: Frankie Valli/Francis Stephen Castelluccio (US singer; The Four Lovers/Four Seasons).
1933: James Brown (US soul singer, keyboards; Famous Flames)*25.Dec.2006.
1928: Dave Dudley/David Darwin Pedriska (US country music singer)*22.Dec.2003.
1923: George Hadjinikos (Greek pianist, conductor).
1921: Joe Ames (US singer; The Ames Brothers)*22.Dec.2007.
1920: John Aaron Lewis (American jazz pianist)*29.March.2001.
1919: Pete Seeger (US folk singer, songwriter, guitar, banjo).
1919: Jane Scott (US rock music critic; The Plain Dealer Newspaper)*04.July.2011.
1917: Betty Comden (US lyricist; Comden and Green)*23.Nov.2006.
1916: Léopold Simoneau (French Canadian tenor)*24.Aug.2006.
1912: Virgil Fox (American flamboyant organist)*25.Oct.1980.
1903: Bing Crosby (US singer, actor)*14.Oct.1977.
1886: Marcel Dupré (French organist, composer)*30.May.1971.

May 4th.
1987: Anjeza Shahini (Albanian singer; solo/Eurovision Song contestant).
1985: Anthony Fedorov (American singer; American Idol contestant).
1984: Will Pugh (US vocalist, guitarist; Cartel)
1984: Little Boots/Victoria Christina Hesketh (UK singer)
1982: Queen of Crunk/Rasheeda Buckner (American hiphop singer).
1982: Hector King (Mexican singer, keyboards, songwriter).
1979: Lance Bass (US singer, actor; 'N Sync).
1977: Spencer Krug (Canadian multi-musician; Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown/others).
1972: Mike Dirnt (US bassist; Green Day/The Frustrators).
1972: Chris Tomlin (US singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist)
1971: Rudresh Mahanthappa (Indian-american jazz saxophonist)
1970: Gregg Alexander/Alex Ander/Gregory Aiuto (US lead singer,songwriter; New Radicals).
1968: Julian Barratt (UK comedian, singer; one half of The Mighty Boosh)
1964: Gary Hold (US guitarist; Exodus)
1962: Oleta Adams (US soul, jazz, gospel singer, pianist).
1961: Jay Aston (UK singer; Bucks Fizz/Gene Loves Jezebel).
1959: Randy Travis (US Country-Gospel singer).
1955: Robert Ellis Orrall (US singer)
1954: Rey Valera (Filipino singer, songwriter)
1954: Ryan Cayabyab (Filipino singer, composer)
1953: Oleta Adams (US singer)
1952: Jacob Miller (Jamaican reggae artist; solo/guest/Inner Circle)*23.March.1980.
1951: Tirso Cruz III (Filipino actor, singer)
1951: Bruce Day (US drummer, Santana/Pablo Cruise)?
1951: Mick Mars/Bob Alan Deal (US guitar; Motley Crue).
1951: Colin Bass (UK bassist, producer, multi-musician; Camel).
1951: Jackie Jackson/Sigmund Esco Jackson (US singer; eldest brother of The Jackson Five).
1950: Darryl Hunt (UK bassist; The Pogues/ BISH).
1949: Stella Parton (US country music singer)
1949: Zal Cleminson (Scottish guitarist; Nazareth/Alex Harvey Band)
1945: Georg Wadenius (Swedish guitarist, composer; Blood,Sweat&Tears/int. sessionist).
1944: Peggy Santiglia (US singer; Angels).
1941: Nick Ashford (US songwriter; Ashford and Simpson songwriting/production team)*22.Aug.2011.
1941: David LaFlamme (US violin, flute, vocals; It's A Beautiful Day).
1940: Ronnie Bond (UK drummer; The Troggs)*13.Nov.1992.
1938: Tyrone Davis (US soul singer)*09.Feb.2005.
1937: Ron Carter (US jazz double bassist; Miles Davis/Johnny Frigo/Solo/freelance).
1937: Dick Dale/Richard Anthony Monsour (US guitarist, King Of The Surf Guitar; The Del-Tones).
1931: Gennady Rozhdestvensky (Russian conductor)
1930: Roberta Peters (American soprano)
1928: Renée Franke (German pop singer, radio presenter)*09.Nov.2011.
1928: Lars Gullin (Swedish jazz baritone saxophone player, pianist, composer)*17.May.1976.
1928: Maynard Ferguson (Canadian trumpeter and bandleader)*23.Aug.2006.
1923: Ed Cassidy (US drummer, actor; Rising Sons/Spirit)*06.Dec.2012.
1923: Assi Rahbani (Lebanese composer, singer, musician, producer)*21.June.1986.
1916: Maurice "Moe" Purtill (US drummer; Glenn Miller/others/sessionist)*09.March.1994.

May 5th.
1989: Chris Brown (US singer).
1989: Kurt Calleja (Maltese singer)
1988: Brooke Hogan/Brooke Ellen Bollea (American R&B singer).
1988: Skye Sweetnam (Canadian singer, guitar, piano, songwriter).
1988: Adele/Laurie Blue Adkins (English soul, jazz singer, guitarist).
1987: Marija Šestic (Bosnian singer; European Song Contestant).
1984: Wade MacNeil (Canadian guitarist; Alexisonfire).
1981: Craig David (UK rhythm & blues singer).
1973: Casino Versus Japan/Erik Kowalski (US composer,electronic musician).
1972: Devin Townsend (guitar,singer, keyboards; Own Band/Strapping Young Lad).
1971: Carl Crack/Carl Böhm (German techno musician; Atari)*06.Sept.2001.
1971: David Reilly (American singer, multi-musician; God Lives Underwater)*16.Oct.2005.
1966: Shawn Drover (Canadian drummer; Eidolon/Megadeth).
1964: Lorraine McIntosh (Scottish singer, actress; Deacon Blue).
1963: James LaBrie (Canadian singer; Dream Theater).
1962: Kevin Mooney (UK bassist; Adam And The Ants).
1962: Jenifer McKitrick (US songwriter)
1961: Sean McLuskey (UK R&R vocals, guitar; Jo Boxers).
1959: Ian McCulloch (UK singer; Echo & The Bunnymen).
1956: Robert Marien (Québécois actor, singer, songwriter).
1951: Rex Goh (Singapore guitarist; Air Supply/Savage Garden/others).
1950: Eddy Amoo (UK singer; Real Thing).
1948: Joe ‘Bean’ Esposito (US singer, songwriter).
1948: Bill Ward (UK drummer; Black Sabbath).
1943: Raphael/Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez (Spanish singer)
1942: Jim King/Alec Woodburn (UK saxophone, harmonica,vocals; Farinas/Family/Ring of Truth).
1942: Tammy Wynette/Virginia Wynette Pugh (US country singer)*06.Apr.1998
1937: Johnnie Taylor (singer;Five Echoes/Soul Stirrers/HighwayQCs)*31.May.2000.
1937: Delia Derbyshire (UK electronic music composer)*03.July.2001
1936: Patrick Gowers (British composer)
1935: Edward "Kidd" Jordan (American jazz saxophonist).
1934: John "Ace" Cannon (US saxophonist)
1928: Marshall Grant (US upright bassist, electric bassist; Tennessee Two)*07.Aug.2011.
1927: Charles Welles Rosen (US pianist, author)*09.Dec.2012.
1917: Pío Leyva/Wilfredo Pascual (Cuban singer; Buena Vista Social Club)*22.March.2006.
1918: Horondino Jose da Silva/Dino 7 Strings (Brazilian guitar player, pioneer;7 string guitar)*26.May.2006.
1908: Kurt Böhme (German bass vocalist)*20.Dec.1989.
1901: Blind Willie McTell/William Samuel McTier (US singer)*19.Aug.1959.
1885: Agustín Barrios (Paraguayan guitarist, composer)*07.Aug.1944.

May 6th.
1994: Krystal Jung (US-born Korean singer)
1981: Matt Drake (UK vocalist, guitarist; Evile)
1981: Matthew Leone (US bassist; Madina Lake)
1981: Nathan Leone (US lead singer; Madina Lake)
1981: Mark O'Connell (US drummer; Taking Back Sunday)
1980: Taebin/Danny Im (Korean singer; 1TYM)
1979: Kerry Ellis (UK West End actress, singer)
1971: Sarah Blackwood (UK lead singer; Dubstar).
1971: Chris Shiflett (US guitar; Foo Fighters).
1968: Lætitia Sadier (French singer; Stereolab)
1968: Tony Wright (UK vocalist; Terrorvision).
1967: Mark Bryan (US guitarist; Hootie & The Blowfish).
1966: David Narcizo (US drummer; Throwing Muses).
1964: Tony Scalzo (US bass player, vocals; Fastball).
1962: Adam Yellin (US record producer)
1961: Gina Riley (Australian actress, writer, singer, comedian)
1960: Larry Steinbachel (UK keyboards, percussion; Bronski Beat).
1960: Phyllis Treigle (American soprano)
1960: John Flansburgh (US guitar, actor; They Might Be Giants).
1958: Lolita Flores/Dolores González Flores (Spanish singer, actress)
1952: Gregg Henry (US actor, rock, blues and country musician).
1950: Robbie McIntosh (Scottish drummer; Average White Band)*23.Sept.1974. (not Robbie- Pretenders)
1949: Mbah Surip/Urip Achmad Ariyanto (Indonesian reggae singer)*04.Aug.2009.
1948: Mary MacGregor (US singer).
1945: Bobby Posner (UK bassist; Shel Carson Combo/Colin Hicks & the Cabin Boys/The Rokes).
1945: Bob Seger (US singer, guitar, songwriter; Silver Bullet Band/Bob Seger System).
1945: Jimmie Dale Gilmore (US guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, actor; The Flatlanders).
1942: Colin Earl (UK keyboardists; Mongo Jerry/Foghat/King Earl Boogie Band).
1933: Nookie Boy/Oliver Morgan (American rhythm & blues vocalist)*31.July. 2007.
1939: Herbie Cox (US lead singer; Cleftones).
1939: Eddie C. Campbell (US blues guitarist, singer).
1930: Karl-Heinz Kämmerling (German classical pianist and teacher)*14.June.2012.
1924: Denys Wright (UK jazz-skiffle guitarist, pianist;top session musician)*08.Feb.1992.
1922: Otmar Suitner (Austrian conductor)
1917: Kal Mann (American lyricist; Elvis Presley, Bobby Rydell many more)*28.Nov.2001.
1913: Carmen Cavallaro (US light music pianist)*12.Oct.1989.
1899: Billy Cotton (British band leader and entertainer)*25.March.1969.

May 7th.
1989: Master Shortie/Theo Jerome Kerlin (UK hip-hop and R&B singer-songwriter, rapper).
1988: Natalie Mejia (US dancer, singer; Girlicious)
1986: Matt Helders (UK drummer; Arctic Monkeys).
1984: May7ven/Oluwayemisi May Odegbami (Nigerian-UK singer-songwriter, dancer)
1979: Dionysis Boukouvalas (Greek composer, pianist, musicologist)
1978: Stian Arnesen (Norwegian guitar, bass, drums, keyboards; Troll/Crowhead/solo).
1977: Lisa Kelly (Irish singer)
1975: Zee/Abdul Aziz Peregrino-Brimah (American holy hip hop artist).
1974: Lynden David Hall (UK singer, songwriter, arranger)*14.Feb.2006.
1973: Kristian Lundin (Swedish international songwriter).
1972: Felix da Housecat (US DJ, record producer)
1971: Horgh/Reidar Horghagen (Norwegian drummer; Immortal/Hypocrisy).
1969: Eagle-Eye Lanoo Cherry (Swedish/American singer).
1963: Johnny Lee Middleton (US bassist; Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
1961: Phil Campbell (Welsh guitarist; Motorhead/Persian Risk).
1961: Dean Howard (UK lead guitar; T'Pau/freelance).
1960: Adam Bernstein (US music video/television director)
1958: Marty Wilson-Piper (guitar, songwriter; The Church).
1956: Anne Dudley (UK keyboards, synthesizer; self & Jaz Coleman/Art Of Noise/sessionist).
1953: Müslüm Gürses/Müslüm Baba/Müslüm Akbas (Turkish singer, actor)*03.March.2013.
1951: Bernie Marsden (UK guitarist; Whitesnake/Company of Snakes/others)
1950: Prairie Prince/Charles L. Prince (US drummer; Tubes/Journey/freelance).
1949: Keith/James Keefer (US singer).
1948: Pete Wingfield (UK singer, pianist, keyboards, producer; Olympic Runners/sessionist).
1946: Bill Danoff (US singer, guitar, songwriter; Starland Vocal Band/solo).
1946: Bill Kreutzmann (American drummer; Grateful Dead).
1946: Jerry Nolan (US drums; New York Dolls/Heartbreakers/solo)*14.Jan.1992.
1946: Thelma Houston (US soul singer; Motown/solo).
1945: Christy Moore (Irish folk singer; Planxty/solo).
1943: Ricky West/Richard Charles Westwood (UK lead guitarist, Tremeloes).
1943: Terry Allen (American country music singer).
1943: Harvey Andrews (UK folk singer and songwriter).
1942: Justin Hinds (Jamaica Ska & Rocksteady singer; Justin Hinds & the Dominoes)*16 March 2005.
1940: Arthur Blythe (US jazz alto saxophonist, composer; World Saxophone Quartet/The Leaders)
1939: Jimmy Ruffin (US soul singer; The Temptations/solo).
1939: Johnny Maestro/John Mastrangelo (US lead singer, rhythm guitar; Brooklyn Bridge)*24.March.2010.
1933: Nexhmije Pagarusha (Albanian singer).
1932: Derek Taylor (UK press officer, author; Beatles/Byrds/Beachboys)*08.Sept.1997.
1931: Ingvar Wixell (Swedish baritone opera singer)*08.Oct.2011.
1931: Teresa Brewer/Theresa Breuer (US singer)*17.Oct.2007.
1927: Jim Lowe (American singer, DJ. radio host).
1922: Lew Anderson (American sax player, actor and bandleader)*14.May.2006.
1833: Johannes Brahms (Austrian-Hungarian composer, pianist)*03.April.1897.
1840: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russia composer, pianist)*06.Nov.1893.

May 8th.
1983: Mattie Jay (UK singer; Busted)
1981: Björn Dixgård (Swedish guitarist, singer, songwriter)
1980: Michelle McManus (Scottish singer)
1978: Ana Maria Lombo (US-Colombian singer, dancer; Eden's Crush).
1978: Jang Woo Hyuk (Korean singer)
1977: Bad News Brown/Paul Frappier (Haitian-Canadian rapper, harmonica player)*11.Feb.2011.
1977: Joe Bonamassa (US blues rock guitarist, singer).
1976: Ian Watkins (UK vocals; Lostprophets/Steps).
1976: Martha Wainwright (Canadian/American, singer-songwriter).
1975: Enrique Iglesias (Spanish singer; son of Julio Iglesias).
1973: Kris Hudson-Lee (UK bassist; Crimes of Passion/Deadline/Joe Lazarus/Telefunken/others)
1972: Darren Hayes (Australian singer, producer; Savage Garden).
1966: Marta Sánchez (Spanish singer)
1965: Eri Kawai (Japanese pop, world and classical singer)*04.Aug.2008.
1964: Dave Rowntree (UK drums, director; Blur/animation company Nanomation).
1963: Sylvain Cossette (Quebec singer, songwriter)
1963: Anthony Field (Australian multi-musician, actor)
1960: Eric Brittingham (US bassist; Cinderella/Naked Beggars)
1957: Marie Myriam (French singer)
1954: Phil Wiggins (US Piedmont blues harmonica player; Cephas & Wiggins).
1953: Alex Van Halen (Dutch drummer; Mammoth/Van Halen/freelance).
1953: Billy Burnette (US guitarist, singer; Fleetwood Mac/solo).
1951: Chris Frantz (US drummer; Gorillaz/Tom Tom Club/Talking Heads).
1951: Philip Bailey (US vocals, percussion; Earth, Wind & Fire/solo).
1948: Felicity Lott (UK singer)
1946: Andrew Sneddon (Scottish bassist; East of Eden).
1945: Keith Jarrett (US jazz pianist).
1944: Bill Legend/William Fifield (UK drummer; Zodiacs/Epics/Teenbeats/Scorpions/T Rex).
1944: Gary Glitter/ Purve Paul Gadd (UK singer).
1944: Danny Whitten (US guitarist, singer, songwriter; Neil Young's Crazy Horse/others)*18.Nov.1972.
1943: Paul Samwell-Smith (UK bassist, music producer; Yardbirds/Postcard of the Edge/others).
1942: Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood (US multi-musician; Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention)*25.Dec.2011.
1941: John Fred/John Fred Gourrier (US singer; John Fred and His Playboy Band/solo)*15.April.2005.
1941: Mahmoud Ahmed (Ethiopian singer)
1940: Toni Tennille/Cathryn Antoinette Tennille (US singer; Captain & Tennille).
1940: Ricky Nelson (US singer)*31.Dec.1985.
1930: Papa Bue/Arne Bue Jensen (Danish trombonist, bandleader; The Viking Jazz Band)*02.Nov.2011.
1930: Heather Harper (Irish singer)
1914: David Myers (US cinematographer, pioneer; rock documentries)*26.Aug.2004.
1911: Robert Leroy Johnson (US blues singer, guitarist virtuoso)*16.Aug.1938.
1910: Mary Lou Williams/Mary Elfrieda Scruggs (US pianist, singer, composer)*28.May.1981
1905: Red Nichols (Jazz Cornet, trumpet; all the greats/Five Pennies)*28.June.1965.

May 9th.
1993: Ryosuke Yamada (Japanese actor, singer).
1981: Yu Yokoyama (Japanese actor, singer).
1979: Matt Morris (US singer-songwriter)
1979: Andrew Wilkes Krier (US singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, entertainer).
1979: Pierre Bouvier (Canadian singer, TV host; Simple Plan/MTV).
1975: Ryan Vikedal (Canadian drummer; Nickelback).
1975: Tamia Hill nee Tamia Marilyn Washington (Canadian singer).
1972: Megumi Odaka (Japanese actress, singer)
1971: Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan (UK bassist, DJ; Oasis).
1970: Ghostface Killah/Dennis Coles (US rapper; Wu-Tang Clan).
1970: Alan Sanderson (Italian Grammy winning recording engineer, mixing engineer, record producer).
1969: Amber/Marie-Claire Cremers (Dutch singer-songwriter)
1969: Peter Wilkinson/Leslie Craig Wilkinson (UK bassist; Cast/Shack).
1965: Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot (UK frontman; Curiosity Killed the Cat).
1964: Kevin Saunderson (US electronic music producer; Reese & Santonio/Inner City).
1963: Sanja Doležal (Croatian singer, television host).
1962: Paul 'PD' Heaton (UK vocalist, producer, mixing; Housemartins, Beautiful South).
1962: David Gahan (UK vocals; Depeche Mode).
1961: Sean Altman (US singer; Rockapella).
1960: Marc Duncan (US guitarist; Prayer for Cleansing/Vibrators)?
1955: Anne-Sofie von Otter (Swedish mezzo-soprano)
1954: Tony Palligrosi (US trumpet, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes).
1954: Lawrence Dutton (US violist)
1953: David Benoit (US arranger, keyboardist, pianist; sessionist/freelance).
1953: Connie Kaldor (Canadian singer-songwriter)
1953: John "Rhino" Edwards (UK bassist; Climax Blues Band/Dexys Midnight Runners/Status Quo).
1951: Vytautas Kernagis (Lithuanian singer-songwriter, bard, director, TV announcer)*15.March.2008.
1950: Tom Petersson (US 12-string bass guitarist, electric bass; vocals; Swag/Cheap Trick).
1949: Billy Joel (US pianist, singer, composer, songwriter).
1948: Tania Maria (Brazilian singer, pianist, composer, bandleader)
1948: Richard Hudson (UK drummer, guitarist, sitar;Five Proud Walkers/Strawbs/Monks/others).
1946: Clint Holmes (UK-born American singer-songwriter)
1946: Drafi Deutscher (German Schlager singer, composer)*09.June.2006.
1945: Steve Katz (US guitar, vocals, Blood SweatTears/American Flyer/Even Dozen Jug Band)
1944: Richie Furay (US guitar, vocals, Buffalo Springfield/Poco/freelance)
1944: Don Dannemann (US guitarist; Cyrkle).
1942: Tommy Roe (US vocalist, guitarist).
1942: Mike Millward (UK rhythm guitarist, vocals; Fourmost)*07.March.1966
1941: Danny Rapp (US frontman; Danny and the Juniors)*05.April.1983. Although his birth certificate states his birth was May 10, he was born at home on May 9 and registered the following day.
1941: Pete Birrell (UK bassist; Freddie and the Dreamers).
1940: John Hawken (UK organist; Cruisers Rock Combo/Nashville Teens/Spooky Tooth/Strawbs).
1940: Dick Morrissey (UK top tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, composer)*08.Nov.2000.
1939: Nokie Edwards/Nole Floyd Edwards (US guitarist, actor; Ventures).
1938: Colin Eric Allen (UK drummer; Zoot Money's Big Roll Band/John Mayall/Stone The Crows).
1937: Dave Prater (US singer; Sam and Dave)*09.April.1988.
1937: Sonny Curtis (US fiddle, guitar, singer; Three Tunes/Crickets/solo).
1935: Nokie Edwards/Nole Floyd Edwards (US guitarist; The Ventures).
1924: Bulat Okudzhava (Russian writer, guitarist, songwriter, composer)*12.June.1997.
1921: Mary Virginia Curtis Verna (American operatic soprano)*04.Dec.2009.
1914: Hank Snow (Canadian country singer, songwriter)*20.Dec.1999
1914: Carlo Maria Giulini (Italian musician, conductor)*14.June.2005.
1914: Frank Chacksfield (UK pianist, organist, composer, conductor)*09.June.1995.
1909: Don Messer (Canadian fiddler)*26.March.1973.
1904: Conrad Bernier (French-Canadian organist, composer, teacher)*07.Nov.1988.


May 10th.
1992: Charice Pempengco (Filipino singer).
1985: Ashley Poole (US singer; Dream/Lady Phoenix).
1984: Kristyna Myles (UK singer).
1980: Jason Dalyrimple (US singer; Soul For Real).
1979: Lee Hyori (South Korean singer).
1977: Keith Murray (US singer; We Are Scientists)
1977: Denise Ho (Hong Kong singer)
1976: Udo Mechels (Belgian singer)
1976: Stuart Braithwaite (Scottish guitarist, bassist, drummer, singer-songwriter; Mogwai)
1975: Shin Jung-hwan (Korean singer)
1975: Torbjørn Brundtland (Norwegian singer, keyboardist; Röyksopp)
1974: Liu Fang (Chinese pipa player-Chinese lute)
1973: Aviv Geffen (Israeli singer-songwriter; Blackfield)
1971: Craig Mack (US rapper)
1970: Perry Blake (Irish singer/songwriter)
1970: Gabriela Montero (Venezuelan pianist)
1967: Young M.C./Marvin Young (rap artist).
1965: Philip Harper (US jazz trumpeter; Jazz Messengers/Charles Mingus's big band).
1965: Krist Novoselic (Croatian-US bass, vocals, guitar, accordion, farfisa; Nirvana/Sweet 75/Eyes Adrift).
1962: Gary Daly (vocals, synthesizer, keyboards; China Crisis).
1961: Danny Carey (US drummer; Tool, Pigmy Love Circus)
1960: Bono/Paul Hewson (Irish singer, songwriter, activist, philanthropist, guitarist; U2).
1957: Sid Vicious/John Simon Ritchie (UK bassist, singer; Sex Pistols/others/solo)*02.Feb.1979.
1957: Karl Hyde (UK musician; electronic music duo Underworld).
1956: Paige O'Hara (US Broadway singer, actress)
1953: Coat Cooke (Canadian Sax and reed player; NOW Orchestra/Coat Cooke Trio).
1952: Sly Dunbar/Lowell Fillmore Dunbar (US drummer; Impact All-Stars/Sly & Robbie/freelance).
1952: Lee Brilleaux (South African-UK vocalist, harmonica, slide guitarist; Dr Feelgood)*07.April.1994.
1952: Kikki Danielsson (Swedish singer)
1952: Ranking Trevor/Maxwell Grant (Jamaican pioneer of rap reggae)*07.Aug.2012.
1951: Greg Piccolo (US tenor saxophonist; Roomful of Blues/others)
1951: Ron Banks (US singer; The Dramatics)*04.March.2010.
1949: Hans Reichel (German guitarist, inventor; September Band/solo/others)*22.Nov.2011.
1947: Vic Elmes (UK guitarist, songwriter; Acid Gallery/The Epics/Christie/Christie Again).
1947: Jay Ferguson (US vocalist, percussionist, multi-musician; Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne)?
1946: Donovan/Donovan Phillip Leitch (UK singer/songwriter/guitar).
1946: Diderik Wagenaar (Dutch composer, musical theorist)
1946: Dave Mason (UK guitarist, vocals; Deep Feeling/Traffic/Fleetwood Mac/solo/top session musian).
1946: Graham Gouldman (UK singer, songwriter, guitarist; 10cc/Mindbenders/Hotlegs).
1944: Jackie Lomax (UK singer, guitar; Balls/The Undertakers).
1943: Otha Young/Robert Young (US singer-songwriter, guitar;Juice Newton/Dixie Peach)*06.Aug.2009.
1940: Carlton George "Carl" Douglas (Jamaican singer; "Kung Fu Fighting").
1938: Henry Fambrough (US singer; Detroit Spinners)
1937: Mike Melvoin (US jazz pianist, composer; studio & session musician)*22.Feb.2012.
1935: Peter Bennett/Pietro Benedetto (US music promoter; Beatles/many others)*22.Nov.2012.
1935: Larry Williams (US singer, saxophone, keyboards, piano)*07.Jan.1980.
1934: Dmitri Nabokov (US opera singer and translator)*22.Feb.2012.
1930: Scott Muni/Donald Allen Muñoz (American radio DJ)*28.Sept.2004.
1924: Theodore "Teddy" Riley (jazz trumpet player and bandleader)*14.Nov.1992
1920: Herburt "Bert" Weedon OBE (UK guitarist; Ted Heath/Squadronaires/others/solo)*20.April.2012.
1916: Milton Babbitt (US composer, violin, clarinet, saxophone)*29.Jan.2011.
1909: Maybelle Carter (US guitarist, autoharp, banjoist; Carter Family acts)*23.Oct.1978.
1905: Markos Vamvakaris (Greek rebetiko musician, songwriter)*08.Feb.1972.
1899: Fred Astaire/Frederick Austerlitz (US singer, dancer, actor)*22.June.1987.
1894: Dimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin (Ukrainian-US film score composer, conductor)*11.Nov.1894.
1888: Max Steiner (Austrian-born US music composer; theatre, films)*12.Dec.1971.

May 11th.
1988: Ace Hood/Antoine McColister (American rapper).
1985: Matt Giraud (US singer)
1984: Gerald Clayton (Dutch-American jazz pianist)
1983: Holly Valance/Holly Rachel Vukadinovic (Australian singer, actress).
1982: Guji Lorenzana (Filipino singer, actor)
1979: Erin Lang (Canadian singer, composer)
1978: Perttu Kivilaakso (Finnish cellist; Apocalyptica)
1974: Ryan Adams (singer-songwriter, piano, guitar; The Finger/Whiskeytown).
1972: Daniel Ornellas (Zimbabwean singer, guitarist; Tree63)
1966: Christoph Schneider (German drummer; Rammstein)
1966: Mike Sifringer (German metal guitarist; Destruction).
1965: Avtar Singh (UK bassist, vocals, Cornershop)
1965: Greg Dulli (US rock composer, singer, instrumentalist; Backbeat Band/Twilight Singers)
1963: Carrie McDowell/Carrie Hodge (US singer)
1956: Lavrentis Machairitsas (Greek rock guitarist, singer).
1955: Mark Joel Herndon (US drummer; Alabama).
1955: Susan Stenger (US bassist, vocals; Bos/Band Of Susans)
1955: Jonathan "J.J." Jeczalik (UK electronic musician; Art Of Noise).
1953: Céline Lomez (French-Canadian singer, actress).
1952: Renaud Séchan (French composer)
1948: Shigeru Izumiya (Japanese folk musician)
1947: Claude Hudson "Butch" Trucks (US drummer; Allman Brothers).
1946: Plume Latraverse (French-Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter)
1943: Les Chadwick (UK bassist; Gerry and the Pacemakers).
1941: Eric Burdon (UK lead singer;Alan Price Combo/Animals/War).
1939: Carlos Lyra (Brazilian bossa nova singer, composer)
1936: Carla Bley (US jazz pianist, organist; Carla Bley's The Lost Chords).
1935: Christopher "Kit" Lambert (UK record producer, manager; The Who/others)*07.April.1981
1926: Dorothea Margaretha "Teddy" Scholten-van Zwieteren (Dutch singer)*08.April.2010.
1909: Herbert Murrill (English composer)*25.July.1952.
1902: Bidu Sayão (Brazilian-US soprano)*12.March.1999.
1896: Josip Štolcer-Slavenski (Croatian composer)*30.Nov.1955.
1888: Irving Berlin (US composer of many pop, stage show and film hits)*22.Sept.1989
1885: Joe "King" Oliver (US jazz corneter, bandleader; King Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band)*10.April.1938.

May 12th.
1982: David Thaxton (Welsh stage actor, singer)
1981: Kentaro Sato (Japanese composer)
1981: Dennis Trillo (Filipino actor, singer)
1978: Wilfred Le Bouthillier (Canadian singer)
1978: Aya Ishiguro (Japanese singer; Morning Musume)
1967: Paul D'Amour (US bass guitarist; ex-Tool)
1966: Bebel Gilberto (Brazilian singer)
1965: Dez Fafara (US vocalist; Devildriver/Coal Chamber).
1963: Charles Pettigrew (US singer; Charles and Eddie)*06.April.2001.
1962: Brett Gurewitz (US songwriter, record producer; Bad Religion, Epitaph Records)
1961: Billy Duffy (UK guitarist; The Cult/Theatre Of Hate).
1960: Mark Colwill (UK bass guitarist; Tindersticks).
1958: Eric Singer/Eric Doyle Mensinger (UK drummer; Kiss/freelance).
1959: Ray Gillen (US singer; Black Sabbath/Badlands/Phenomena)*01.Dec.1993.
1955: Kix Brooks (singer; Brooks & Dunn).
1954: Barry "BB" Borden (vocals, drums; Mother'sFinest/MarshallTucker Band/Molly Hatchet)?
1950: Billy Squier (US guitarist, vocals, keyboard; The Dead Kennedys/ The Sidewinders/ Piper/ Solo).
1948: Steve Winwood (UK vocals, keyboards; Spencer Davis Group/Traffic/solo).
1945: Ian McLagan (UK organ, keyboards; Faces/Small Faces/sessionist).
1945: Jayotis Washington (second tenor singer; The Persuasions).
1944: James Purify (singer; James and Bobby Purify).
1943: David Walker (keyboard, guitar, vocals; Gary Lewis & the Playboys)?
1942: Billy Swan (US singer-songwriter, bass, keyboards; solo/sessionist)
1942: Michel Fugain (French singer, songwriter)
1942: Ian Dury (singer, songwriter, poet, actor: The Blockheads)*27.March.2000.
1941: Trevor Tomkins (UK jazz drummer; Gilgamesh/Roy Budd/many others).
1940: Norman Jesse Whitfield (American songwriter and producer; Motown/Whitfield)*16.Sept.2008.
1938: James ''Jimmie'' Hastings (UK jazz sax, clarinet, flutist; Ronnie Caryl/Caravan/other).
1928: Burt Bacharach (US songwriter, pianist, arranger)
1928: Henry "Hank" Cosby (US saxophone, Funk Brothers)*22.Jan.2002.
1922: Gerald Wiggins (American jazz pianist; many greats)*13.July.2008.
1921: Edvard Mirzoyan (Georgian-Armenian composer)*05.Oct.2012.
1913: Jamelão/José Bispo Clementino dos Santos (Brazilian samba singer)*14.June.2008.
1910: Giulietta Simionato (Italian mezzo-soprano singer)*05.May.2010.
1842: Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (French composer)*13.Aug.1912.

May 13th.
1988: Casey Donovan (Australian singer)
1987: Charlotte Wessels (Dutch singer; Delain)
1986: Robert Pattinson (UK actor, singer, model)
1986: Alexander Rybak (Norwegian singer-composer, violinist, pianist, writer, actor)
1985: Iwan Rheon (Welsh stage-television actor, singer)
1984: Benny Dayal (Indian singer)
1983: Grégory Lemarchal (French singer)*30.April.2007
1980: Mau Marcelo (Filipino singer)
1980: Chris Barker (US bassist; Anti-Flag)
1979: Michael Madden (US bassist; Maroon 5).
1977: Ilse DeLange (Dutch singer)
1969: Buckethead/Brian Carroll (US guitar virtuoso; Deli Creeps/Guns'n'Roses/many others)
1968: Alison Goldfrapp (UK musician)
1968: PMD/Parrish J. Smith (US rapper; EPMD/solo)
1967: Melanie Janene Thornton (American-German pop singer)*24.Nov.2001.
1967: Chuck Schuldiner/Charles Michael Schuldiner (US singer, guitar, songwriter; Death)*13.Dec.2001.
1966: Darius Rucker (US vocals, guitar; Hootie & The Blowfish).
1965: Tasmin Little (UK classical violinist)
1965: Lari White (US country music singer)
1964: Lorraine McIntosh (Scottish singer; Deacon Blue).
1963: Julian Brookhouse (guitarist; Curiosity Killed the Cat)?
1954: Johnny Logan/Seán Patrick Michael Sherrard (Australian/Irish singer).
1953: Mary Cleere Haran (US cabaret singer)*05.Feb.2011.
1951: Paul Thompson (drums, Roxy Music/Oi!/T-Head).
1950: Stevie Wonder/Stevland Judkins (US singer, songwriter, multi- instrumentalist).
1950: Danny Kirwan (UK singer, guitar; Fleetwood Mac).
1947: Peter "Overend" Watts (UK bassist; Mott The Hoople).
1945: "Blue Lou" Marini Jr (US saxophone; Earth, Wind & Fire/Saturday Night Live Band/sessionist).
1945: Magic Dick/Richard Salwitz (US trumpet player, harmonica; J Geils Band).
1944: Carolyn Franklin (US singer, youngest sister of Aretha)*25.April.1988.
1943: Mary Wells (US singer; Motown artist/other labels)*26.July.1992.
1941: Ritchie Valens/Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes (US singer)*03.Feb.1959.
1941: Joe Brown (UK singer, actor).
1935: Dominic Cossa (US classical baritone singer)
1933: Waldick Soriano (Brazilian romantic singer, composer)*04.Sept.2008
1928: Nils-Bertil Dahlander aka Bert Dale (83) (Swedish jazz drummer)*06.June.2011.
1926: Dewey Phillips ("Daddy-O", American pioneering disk jockey)*28.Sept.1968.
1923: Red Garland/William Garland (US hard bop jazz pianist)*23.April.1984
1920: Gareth Morris (UK flautist)*14.Feb.2007.
1914: Johnnie Wright (US country singer-songwriter; Johnny & Jack /Kitty Wells)*27.Sept.2011.
1912: Gil Evans (Canadian musician)*20.March.1988
1909: Ken Darby (US award winning composer, arranger and conductor)*24.Jan.1992.
1842: Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (English composer; Gilbert & Sullivan)*22.Nov.1900.

May 14th.
1993: Miranda Cosgrove (US actress, singer)
1986: Alyosha/Olena Kucher (Ukrainean singer)
1984: Olly Murs (UK singer)
1983: Tom Welham (UK guitarist; Thirteen Senses/Gabriella Cilmi)
1983: Anahí Giovanna Puente Portilla (Mexican actress, singer; RBD)
1983: Sarbel Michael (Greek-born singer)
1982: BeardyMan/Darren Foreman (UK beatboxer)
1976: Hunter Burgan (US bassist; AFI)
1976: Martine McCutcheon/Martine Kimberley Sherri Ponting (UK singer, actress).
1974: Krister Axel (US poet, songwriter)
1973: Shanice/Shanice Wilson (US female singer).
1973: Natalie Appleton/Natalie Jane Appleton Howlett (Canadian singer; All Saints/Appleton).
1969: Danny Wood (US singer; New Kids On The Block/solo).
1969: Steve Hillier (UK keyboards, songwriter, DJ, journalist; Dubstar).
1967: Tillmann Uhrmacher (German singer, DJ, music producer, radio host)*06.June.2011.
1967: Melanie Janene Thornton (American-German pop singer; La Bouche)*24.Nov.2001.
1966: Michael "Mike" Inez (US guitar, sax, bass; Ozzy Osbourne/Alice In Chains/freelance).
1966: Fabrice 'Fab' Morvan (French singer in the duo Milli Vanilli).
1966: Raphael Saadiq (US vocalist, bassist; Tony! Toni! Toné!)
1964: Shelley Preston (UK singer; Bucks Fizz/Fret Monkey/Hard Candy/session).
1964: Eric Peterson (US guitarist; Testament)
1962: Ian Astbury (UK vocals, producer, percussion; The Cult/freelance).
1962: C.C. DeVille/Bruce Anthony Johannesson (US lead guitar; Poison).
1961: Jean Leclerc (French-Canadian singer. guitarist, songwriter)
1960: Ronan Tynan (Irish singer)
1960: Anne Clark (UK singer)
1959: Steve Hogarth (UK vocalist, keyboards, percussion; Marillion/sessionist/solo)
1953: Tom Cochrane (Canadian singer-songwriter, guitar, harmonica; Red Rider)
1953: John Howard Rutsey (Canadian drummer, founder member; Rush)*11.May.2008.
1952: David Byrne (Scottish vocalist, guitar;Talking Heads/solo).
1951: Jay Beckenstein (US saxophone player; Spyro Gyra).
1950: Arthur Grant (UK drums; Edgar Broughton Band)?
1947: Al Ciner (US guitar; The Nite Lites/American Breed)?
1946: Gene Cornish (US guitar, singer, bass; Fotomaker/Bulldog/Young Rascals).
1945: Stan Tippins aka Jet Black/Billy Thunder (UK vocalist; Mott the Hoople/Doc Thomas Group/others)?
1944: Herbie Armstrong (Irish guitarist; Brian Rossi & the Golden Eagles/Van Morrison/others).
1943: Derek 'Lek' Leckenby (UK guitarist; Herman's Hermits/sessionist)*04.June.1994.
1943: Winston Riley (Jamaican singer, songwriter, record producer)*19.Jan.2012.
1943: Jack Bruce (UK bassist, multi-musician; Manfred Mann/West/Bruce&Laing/Cream/freelance).
1940: Troy Shondell/Gary Shelton (US singer).
1938: Mike Preston/Jack Davies (UK singer, actor)
1937: Victor Harold ''Vic'' Flick (UK lead guitarist; John Barry Seven/top sessionist).
1936: Charlie Gracie (US singer)
1936: Bobby Darin/Walden Robert Perciville Cassotto (US singer)*20.Dec.1973.
1933: Frank Harte (Irish singer, song collector)*27.June.2005.
1932: Richard Wiedamann (German pianist, composer, cultural mediator)*06.Jan.2011.
1931: Alvin Lucier (US composer)
1930: Ara Berberian (US opera bass singer)*21.Feb.2005.
1928: Will 'Dub' Jones (US bass vocalist; The Coasters/ The Cadets)*16.Jan.2000.
1925: Patrice Munsel (US opera soprano)
1925: Al Porcino (US jazz trumpet player)
1917: Lou Harrison (US composer)*02.Feb.2003.
1916: Lance Dossor (UK-born concert pianist)*03.Dec.2005.
1900: Leo Smit (Dutch composer)*30.April.1943.
1900: Walter Rehberg (Swiss concert pianist, composer, writer)*24.Oct.1957.
1897: Sidney Bechet (US jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer)*14.May.1959.

May 15th.
1995: Ksenia Sitnik (Belarusian singer)
1989: Sunny/Lee Soonkyu (South Korean singer; Girls' Generation)
1987: Jennylyn Mercado (Filipina actress, singer)
1982: Jessica Sutta (US dancer, singer, actress; Pussycat Dolls)
1975: Peter Iwers (Swedish bassist; Flames)
1974: Ahmet Zappa (US singer,songwriter)
1970: Martin Rossiter (UK vocalist; Gene/solo)
1969: Asalah Nasri (Syrian singer)
1968: Seth Putnam (US vocalist; Anal Cunts/sessions)*11.June.2011.
1966: Pete Wiggs (UK keyboardist; Saint Etienne).
1965: Jon Sevink (fiddle; Levellers)?
1963: Julian Godfrey Brookhouse (guitarist; Curiosity Killed The Cat).
1961: Melle Mel/Melvin Glover (US rap artist; Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five).
1959: Andrew Eldritch (producer, vocals, remixing; Sisters of Mercy).
1953: Mike Oldfield (UK composer, keyboards, percussion, guitar, bass; Kevin Ayres/Barefoot/solo).
1953: Manos Xydous (Greek singer-songwriter, musician, record producer)*13.April.2010.
1951: Dennis Fredericksen(vocals; Toto).
1949: Geoff Gill (UK drummer; Tony Adams-Vicroys/The Shots/The Smoke/Chord Five).
1948: Gary Thain (New Zealand bassist; Uriah Heep)*08.Dec.1975
1948: Brian Eno (UK synthesisers, keyboards; Roxy Music/U2)
1947: Graham Goble (Australian guitarist; Little River Band).
1946: Robert Anthony Garner (UK bassist; The Creation).
1946: Rod Coombes (UK drummer; Lulu-Luvvers/Jeff Beck/Juicy Lucy/Stealers Wheel/Strawbs/others).
1945: Lasse Berghagen (Swedish singer)
1944: Frederick Steven Amey/Tich (UK vocalist, guitar; Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich).
1941: Kay Toinette "K. T." Oslin (US folk singer)
1938: Lenny Welch (US singer).
1937: Trini Lopez 3rd (US singer, songwriter).
1935: Bruce "Utah" Phillips (US folk singer, political activist)*23.May.2008.
1935: Gordon Mills (UK music manager, harmonica player, vocals, songwriter; Viscounts)*29.July.1986.
1934: Mae Wheeler (US singer, event producer)*15.June.2011.
1932: Baba Oje (US hip-hop artist; Arrested Development).
1931: Pavlina Nikaj (Albanian singer)*13.Oct.2011.
1925: Natalie Nevins (US singer; Lawrence Welk/solo)*23.Aug.2010.
1923: John Lanchbery (UK composer, conductor)*27.Feb.2003.
1918: Eddy Arnold (US top country singer, acoustic guitarist)*08.May.2008.
1912: Arthur Berger (US composer)*07.Oct.2003.
1909: Clara Solovera (Chilean folk singer, composer)*27.Jan.1992.

May 16th.
1993: Lee Ji-eun aka IU (Korean singer)
1985: Okura Tadayoshi (Japanese singer; Kanjani Eight)
1983: Nancy Ajram (Lebanese singer).
1982: Billy Crawford (Filipino-American singer-songwriter, TV presenter)
1978: David Ford (UK singer-songwriter; Easyworld/solo).
1977: Dolcenera/Emanuela Trane (Italian singer)
1975: Tony Kakko (Finnish singer; Sonata Arctica)
1975: Tonéx/Anthony Charles Williams II (US singer, songwriter, arranger,choreographer)
1974: Laura Pausini (Italian pop singer)
1974: Sonny Sandoval/Paul Joshua Sandoval (US singer; P.O.D.)
1973: Special Ed/Edward Archer (US rapper).
1973: Will White (UK electronic producer, DeeJay; Propellerheads)
1971: Simon Katz (UK lead guitar; Gorillaz/Jamiroquai).
1971: Rachel Goswell (UK singer, songwriter; Slowdive, Mojave 3)
1970: Danielle Spencer (Australian singer, actress)
1968: Patrick Waite (UK bassist, singer; Musical Youth)*13.Feb.1993.
1968: Ralph Tresvant (US vocalist; New Edition/solo).
1966: Janet Jackson (US singer; solo artist/sister of Michael).
1966: Scott Reeves (US actor, singer)
1965: Chris "Krist" Novoselic (US bass; Eyes Adrift/Sweet 75/Nirvana).
1964: Boyd Tinsley (US violinist, mandolin, vocals; Dave Matthews Band/solo/sessionist)
1960: Stella Nova/Steve New (UK guitarist, singer; Rich Kids/Public Image Ltd/others)*24.May.2010.
1958: Glenn Gregory (UK vocals, synthesizer; Groove Train/Heaven 17/Honeyroot/Ugly).
1955: Hazel O'Connor (UK singer, actress).
1953: Richard Page (US lead singer, bassist, now a songwriter; Mr Mister)
1951: Jonathan Richman (US guitarist, vocals, punk icon; Modern Lovers/solo).
1950: Ray Condo/Ray Tremblay(Canadian rockabilly singer, sax, guitar;Hardrock/Goners)*15.April.2004.
1948: Adrian Legg (UK fingerstyle guitarist; solo/guest/sessions)
1947: Barbara Lee (US singer; Chiffons)*15.May.1992.
1947: Darrell Sweet (English drummer; The Shadettes/Nazareth)*30.April.1999.
1946: Robert Fripp (UK guitarist, keyboards; League of Gentlemen/King Crimson/Giles&Fripp/solo).
1946: Roger Earl (UK rock drummer; Savoy Brown, Foghat).
1945: Nicky Chinn (UK songwriter; Sweet/Suzi Quatro/others)
1944: Robert Ernest Barrie Tucker (UK lead guitarist, vocals; Rustiks)
1944: Billy Cobham (drums; Jazz Is Dead/Bobby&Midnites/NewYork Jazz Qrt/Mahavishnu Orc).
1944: Maciej Zembaty (Polish writer and singer)*27.June.2011.
1939: Pervis Jackson (US singer; Detroit Spinners/The Spinners)*18.Aug.2008.
1937: Henk Pleket (Dutch folk singer, guitarist; the Port Singers)*23.Oct.2011.
1934: Dorothy Jones (US singer; The Cookies/solo)*25.Dec.2010.
1930: Friedrich Gulda (Austrian pianist)*27.Jan.2000.
1929: Betty Carter/Lillie Mae Jones (US jazz singer)*26.Sept.1998.
1925: Bobbejaan Schoepen (Belgian singer-songwriter, whistler, multi-musician)*17.May.2010.
1922: Eddie Bert (US top bebop jazz trombonist)*28.Sept.2012.
1919: Liberace/Wladziu Valentino Liberace (US pianist, singer, TV presenter)*04.Feb.1987.
1913: Woody Herman (US clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, bandleader)*29.Oct.1987.

May 17th.
1991: Adil Omar (Pakistani rapper)
1987: Ott Lepland (Estonian singer)
1985: Derek Hough (US dancer, singer)
1981: Lim Jeong Hee (Korean singer)
1981: Shiri Maimon (Israeli singer)
1980: Dallas Taylor (US singer; Underoath)
1976: Kandi Burruss (US singer; Xscape).
1975: Laura Voutilainen (Finnish singer).
1974: Andrea Corr (Irish vocalist, tin whistle; Corrs).
1973: Joshua Homme (US guitarist, multi-musician; Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age).
1973: Steve Barakatt (Canadian composer)
1971: Vernie Bennett (UK singer; Eternal).
1970: Angelica Agurbash (Belorussian singer, actress, model)
1970: Jordan Knight (US vocals; New Kids On The Block).
1970: Darnell Van Rensalier (US vocals; Shai).
1969: Alan Doyle (Canadian singer; Great Big Sea)
1968: Dave Abbruzzese (US drummer; Pearl Jam).
1967: Simon Friend (UK guitarist, multi-musician; Levellers).
1966: Jan Kincaid (UK drummer, keyboardist; Brand New Heavies).
1965: Trent Reznor (US singer; Nine Inch Nails).
1965: Homer O'Dell (US guitarist; Mint Condition)?
1965: Richard Hynd (Scottish drummer; Texas/Slide).Some sources give June 17th
1963: Page McConnell (US singer, keyboardist, songwriter; Phish)
1962: Tracy Bryn (US vocals; Voice of the Beehive)?
1961: Enya/Eithne Ni Bhraonain (Irish singer, keyboards; Clannad/solo).
1959: Paul Di'Anno (UK vocalist; Praying Mantis/Iron Maiden).
1958: Alan Rankine (Scottish guitars, keyboards; Associates).
1957: Gösta Sundqvist (Finnish singer-songwriter, radio personality; Leevi & the Leavings)*15.Aug.2003.
1953: Luca Prodan (Italian-Scottish singer, musician; Sumo/Hurlingham Reggae Band)
1953: George Johnson (US vocalist, guitar; Brothers Johnson).
1952: Roy Adams (UK drummer; Climax Chicago Blues Band).
1950: Howard Ashman (US playwright, director, lyricist)*14.March.1991.
1949: Bill Bruford (UK drummer; U.K/Yes/National Health/King Crimson/Gong).
1947: Rod Demick (Welsh born Irish rhythm guitarist,vocalist; The Vibros/Tony-Telstars/The Wheels).
1946: Udo Lindenberg (German singer, composer).
1944: Jessie Winchester (Canadian citizen, vocals, keyboards, guitar, songwriter).
1942: Taj Mahal (US blues singer,multi-instrumentalist).
1941: David Cope (US composer, author)
1941: Malcolm Hale (US lead guitar, trombone, vocals; Spanky And Our Gang)*30.Oct.1968.
1938: Pervis Jackson (American R&B bass singer; The Spinners)*18.Aug.2008.
1931: Jackie McLean (US jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader)*31.March.2006.
1925: Ira Tucker (US lead singer with The Dixie Hummingbirds for 70 years)*24.June.2008.
1925: Bob Merrill (US songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, screenwriter)*17.Feb.1998.
1923: Peter Mennin}i (US composer, teacher)*17.June.1983.
1921: Dennis Brain (UK virtuoso horn player)*01.Sept.1957.
1919: Antonio Aguilar Barraza (Mexican singer, actor)*19.June.2007.
1918: Birgit Nilsson (Swedish soprano operatic singer)*25.Dec.2005.
1906: Zinka Milanov (Croatian soprano)*30.May.1989.
1901: Werner Egk (German composer)*10.July.1983.

May 18th.
1988: Koji Seto (Japanese actor, singer)
1988: Taeyang (South Korean singer; Big Bang)
1985: Dalma Kovács (Romanian singer, actress)
1985: Francesca Battistelli (US singer)
1980: Diego Rivas aka El Guaruras (Mexican singer; Arriba Mi Sinaloa/Los Guaruras)*13.Nov.2011.
1980: Ali Zafar (Pakistani singer, model)
1979: David Nail (US country singer)
1975: Jack Johnson (US singer-songwriter, guitar, ukulele, piano, drums)
1972: Roc Raida/Anthony Williams (US hip hop DJ, turntablist, producer; X-Ecutioners)*19.Sept.2009
1970: Billy Howerdel (US guitarist; A Perfect Circle)
1969: Martika/Marta Marrero (US singer).
1967: Rob Base/Robert Ginyard (US rapper)
1966: Michael Tait (US singer; Newsboys/dc Talk/Tait)
1965: Ingo Schwichtenberg (German drummer; Helloween)*08.March.1995.
1962: Nanne Grönvall (Swedish singer)
1962: Sandra Ann Lauer (German singer; Arabesque/solo)
1961: Russell Senior (UK guitarist, violinist; Pulp/Venini/Art Brut).
1961: Hugh Whittaker (drums; Housemartins/Penny Candles/Juniper Chute/Gargoyles)?
1958: Toyah/Toyah Wilcox (singer; Toyah/solo).
1957: Michael Cretu (Romanian musician; Enigma/solo).
1954: Wreckless Eric/Eric Goulden (UK singer, songwriter, guitar).
1954: Reinhold Heil (German composer)
1952: George Strait (US country singer, guitar).
1950: Mark Mothersbaugh (US singer, composer, multi-musician; Devo).
1948: Feliciano 'Butch' Tavares (US vocalist; Chubby & the Turnpikes/Tavares).
1949: Bill Wallace (Canadian bassist; The Gettysburg Address/Guess Who).
1949: Rick Wakeman (UK keyboards; Strawbs/Yes/ABWH/solo).
1949: Walter Hawkins (US gospel music singer)*11.July.2010.
1946: George Alexander (US bassist, harmonica; Flamin Groovies)
1946: Bruce Gilbert (UK guitar; Wire/Cupol).
1945: Ian Whiteman (UK organist; Boz People/Ben Carruthers-Deep/The Action/Mighty Baby).
1944: Albert Hammond (UK guitarist, singer-songwriter;Diamond Boys/Magic Lanterns/Family Dogg).
1941: Lobby Loyde/John Lyde (Australian guitarist; Billy Thorpe-Aztecs/Coloured Balls)*21.April.2007.
1922: Kai Winding (Danish-born jazz trombonist, composer)*06.May.1983
1920: Lucia Mannucci (Italian singer; Quartetto Cetra/solo)*07.March.2012.
1915: Charles Trenet (French singer)*19.Feb.2001.
1914: Alla Bayanova (Russian singer)*30.Aug.2011.
1912: Pierino 'Perry' Como (singer, TV presenter)*12.May.2001.
1911: Big Joe Turner (US blues singer, songwriter)*24.Nov.1985.
1892: George "Pops" Foster (US important jazz string bass player)*29.Oct.1969.
1892: Ezio Pinza (Italian basso opera singer, actor)*09.May.1957.
1830: Carl Goldmark (Hungarian composer)*02.Jan.1915.

May 19th.
1991: Jordan Pruitt (US singer)
1978: Kim Zolciak (US reality show star, singer)
1977: Natalia Oreiro (Uruguayan singer and actress)
1975: Jonas Renkse (Swedish singer; Katatonia/Bloodbath/others/guest)
1972: Jenny Berggren (Swedish singer; Ace Of Base).
1970: Prince Be/Attrell Cordes (Rap artist; PM Dawn).
1970: Stuart Cable (Welsh drummer, TV & radio personality; Stereophonics/Killing for Company)*07.June.2010.
1968: Paul Hartnoll (UK member of techno band Orbital).
1968: Kyle Eastwood (US jazz bassist, singer).
1967: Michael Lee Firkins (US electric guitar player).
1965: Boris/Philippe Dhondt (French singer, songwriter, composer, radio host)
1965: Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot (US vocals; Curiosity Killed The Cat).
1962: Iain Harvie (Scottish guitarist; Del Amitri).
1960: Yazz/Yasmin Evans (UK singer).
1956: Martyn Ware (UK electronic musician, producer; The Human League/Heaven 17)
1954: Phil Rudd (Australian drummer; AC/DC).
1952: Grace Jones (US singer).
1951: Joey Ramone/Jeffry Ross Hyman (US lead singer; Ramones)*15.April.2001.
1950: Romeo Challenger (UK drummer; Black Widow/Showaddywaddy).
1950: Mike Wedgwood (bassist; Curved Air)?
1950: Ronald Kerst (American songwriter/poet).
1949: Dusty Hill (US bassist, ZZ Top).
1948: Grace Jones (Jamaican singer, actress)
1947: David Helfgott (Australian pianist)
1947: Steve Currie (UK bass player; glam rock band T Rex)*28.April.1981.
1947: Paul Brady (Irish singer, songwriter; The Johnstons, Planxty).
1947: Greg Herbert (US saxophonist, flute; Duke Ellington/Blood Sweat & Tears)*30.Jan.1978.
1947: Jerry Hyman (singer, trombonist; Blood Sweat & Tears).
1948: Tom Scott (US saxophonist; Blues Brothers Band/Own band/freelance).
1948: Paul Williams (US music journalist, publisher, author; Crawdaddy!)*27.March.2013.
1945: Graham Walker (UK bassist, vocalist; The Grumbleweeds).
1945: Pete Townshend (UK guitarist, songwriter; The Who).
1941: Bobby Burgess (US dancer, singer)
1940: Mickey Newbury (US singer, songwriter)*29.Sept.2002.
1932: Alma Cogan (UK singer)*26.Oct.1966.
1932: Claude Blanchard (French-Canadian singer, comedian and actor)*20.Aug.2006.
1931: Eric Tappy (Swiss tenor)
1929: Estela Raval (Argentina rock and Latin pop singer; The Five Americans)*06.June.2012.
1929: Johnny Alf (Brazilian singer, pianist and composer)*04.March.2010
1926: David Jacobs (British DJ, TV personality, radio presenter).
1924: Sandy Wilson (British composer)

May 20th.
1986: LaLa Brown/Yolanda Brown (American singer)*19.Oct.2007.
1984: Naturi Naughton (US singer; 3LW/solo/Broadway/Stage).
1984: Kenny Vasoli (US singer, bassist; The Starting Line).
1981: Sean Conlon (singer; Five/solo).
1975: Andrew Sega (US electronic musician, composer, keyboardist)
1973: Elsa Lunghini (French singer, actress)
1972: Busta Rhymes/Trevor Tahiem Smith Jr (US hip hop musician, actor).
1967: Kit Clark (Scottish bassist; Danny Wilson/Swiss Family Orbison).
1967: Blake Schwarzenbach (US singer, guitarist; Jawbreaker)
1966: Tom Gorman (guitar; Belly)?
1963: Brian Nash (guitar; Frankie Goes To Hollywood).
1961: Nick Heyward (guitar, vocals; Haircut 100/solo).
1959: Daniel Darc/Daniel Rozoum (French singer; Taxi Girl/solo)*28.Feb.2013.
1959: Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole (Hawai'ian singer songwriter, ukulele player)*26.June.1997.
1959: Sue Cowsill (US singer; Cowsills/Psycho Sisters/session).
1958: Jane Wiedlin (American rhythm guitarist, singer; The Go-Go's).
1955: Steve George (US keyboardist; Mr Mister).
1955: Zbigniew Preisner (Polish film composer)
1954: Guy Hoffman (US drummer, vocals; Violent Femmes/Oil Tasters/BoDeans/others)
1954: Jimmy Henderson (lead guitarist; Black Oak Arkansas).
1952: Warren Cann (drummer; Ultravox).
1950: Victor Lewis (US drummer; Grey/sessionist).
1950: Andy Johns (British sound engineer and record producer)*07.April.2013.
1946: Cher/ Cherilyn Sarkasian (US singer; Sonny & Cher/solo).
1944: Joe Cocker/Vance Arnold/John Robert Cocker (UK R&B singer).
1944: Boudewijn de Groot (Dutch singer)
1943: Al Bano (Italian singer)
1942: Jill "Paula" Jackson (US singer; Paul and Paula).
1940: Frederick Earl "Shorty" Long (US soul singer, songwriter, producer; Motown)*29.June.1969.
1940: Frode Thingnæs (Norwegian jazz tromboneist, rcomposer, conductor, leader)*15.Nov.2012.
1936: Rufus Harley (American jazz bagpipe player)*31.July.2006.
1935: Dino Saluzzi (Argentinian bandoneón and banjo player).
1934: Hy Lit/Hyman Litsky (American radio disc jockey)*17.Nov.2007.
1933: Gil Garfield (US singer, songwriter; The Cheers)*01.Jan.2011.
1932: Bob Florence (US arranger, bandleader and pianist)*15.May.2008.
1931: Louis Smith (US bandleader, trumpeter, teacher).
1925: Clem DeRosa (US jazz drummer, arranger, bandleader, music educator)*20.Dec.2011.
1925: Vic Ames (US singer; Ames Brothers)*23.Jan.1978.
1925: Chester Ludgin (US operatic baritone)*09.Aug.2003.
1920: Betty Driver MBE (UK singer, actress; Betty Turpin-Coronation Street)*15.Oct.2011.
1909: Erich Kunz (Austrian operatic bass-baritone)*08.Sept.1995.

May 21st.
1992: Olivia Olson (US singer, actress)
1986: Myra Quintana (US singer)
1986: Alexander Noyes (US drummer; Honor Society)
1985: Marco Carta (Italian singer)
1985: Kano/Kane Brett Robinson (UK rapper)
1985: Mutya Buena (singer; Sugababes/solo).
1982: Brian Klemm (US guitarist, vocalist; Suburban Legends)
1981: Maximilian Mutzke (German singer, drummer)
1980: Gotye/Wouter "Wally" De Backer (Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental, singer-songwriter)
1978: Adam Gontier (Canadian singer; Three Days Grace)
1976: Deron Miller (US singer, guitarist, songwriter; CKY)
1976: Kardinal Offishall (Canadian rapper)
1974: Havoc/Kejuan Muchita (US MC-record producer; Mobb Deep).
1974: Adriano Cintra (Brazilian multi-instrumentist; CSS)
1972: Notorious B.I.G. /Biggie Smalls/ Christopher Wallace (US rapper)*09.March.1997.
1968: Julie Vega (Filipino child actress, singer)*06.May.1985.
1967: Blake Schwarzenbach (US guitarist, multi-musician; Jawbreaker/Jets to Brazil)
1964: Martin Blunt (UK bassist; The Charlatans UK)?
1961: Tim Lever (UK keyboards, saxophone, guitars; Dead Or Alive).
1963: Kevin Shields (US-born Irish rock guitarist, producer, My Bloody Valentine/Primal Scream).
1955: Stan Lynch (US drummer, producer, songwriter; Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers).
1954: Marc Ribot (US guitarist, composer)
1954: Vicki Sue Robinson (US singer and broadway star)*27.April.1927.
1951: Arthur Russell (US cellist, singer, disco artist)*04.April.1992.
1948: Leo Sayer (solo singer, harmonica, guitar).
1947: Bill Champlin (singer, songwriter, keyboards, guitarist; Sons of Champlin/Chicago).
1944: Marcie Blane (US singer)
1943: Vincent Crane/Vincent Cheesman (UK keyboards;Atomic Rooster/C.W.of Arthur Brown)*14.Feb.1989.
1943: Hilton Valentine (UK guitar; The Animals/solo).
1941: Ronald Isley (US singer; Isley Brothers).
1941: Martin Carthy (UK folk singer, guitarist)
1940: Tony Sheridan/Anthony Sheridan McGinnity (UK singer-songwriter, guitarist)*16.Feb.2013.
1939: Malcolm Murphy (UK jazz drummer,vocalist;San Jacinto/Crescent City Stompers/Ken Colyer/others)?
1938: Pete Gresham (UK jazz pianist; Steve Laine/The Storyville Jazzmen/Bob Wallis/Keith Smith/others).
1938: Lee "Shot" Williams (US blues singer).
1935: Terry Lightfoot (British jazz clarinetist, bandleader)*15.March.2013.
1933: Maurice André (French trumpet player)*25.Feb.2012.
1930: Tommy Bryant (US jazz double-bassist)*01.Jan.1982.
1928: Tom "Big Daddy" Donahue (pioneering rock n roll radio disc jockey)*28.April.1975.
1926: Albert Grossman (US artist manager; Dylan/Joplin/manyothers)*25.Jan.1986.
1920: Bill Barber (US jazz tuba player; Miles Davis/John Coltrane/others)*18.June.2007.
1920: Forrest White (US musical instruments industry executive; Fender)*22.Nov.1994.
1918: Dennis Day/Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty (US singer, comedian)*22.June.1988.
1916: Lydia Mendoza (US guitarist and singer of Tejano music)*20.Dec.2007.
1913: Gina Bachauer (Greek pianist)*22.Aug.1976.
1904: Fats Waller/Thomas Wright Waller (US jazz pianist, bandleader)*15.Dec.1943.
1901: Horace Heidt (US band leader)*01.Dec.1986.

May 22nd.
1992: Chinami Tokunaga (Japanese singer)
1981: Su-Elise Nash (UK singer; Mis-Teeq).
1980: Rhett Fisher (US actor, singer; Manic Mind).
1971: Raimund Marasigan (Filipino singer)
1968: DJ Big Will/William Dunn (US DJ and Radio presenter).
1967: Dan Roberts (Canadian bassist; Crash Test Dummies).
1967: John Vanderslice (US singer, guitarist; Mk Ultra/solo)
1966: Johnny Gill (US singer; New Edition/solo).
1966: Kenny Hickey (US guitarist; Type O Negative)
1964: Rita Guerrero (Mexican actress, singer; Santa Sabina/Ensamble Galileo)*12.March.2011.
1962: Jesse Valenzuela (US lead vocals; Gin Blossoms).
1959: Steven Morrissey (UK singer, songwriter; Smiths/solo).
1956: Natasha Shneider (Russian-born singer, actress)*02.July.2008.
1955: Chalmers "Spanky" Alford (American jazz guitarist)*24.March.2008.
1955: Mary Black (Irish singer, songwriter).
1955: Jerry Dammers (UK keyboardist; The Specials/The Spatial AKA Orchestra)
1955: Iva Davies (Australian guitarist, vocals; Icehouse).
1955: Jimmy Lyon (US guitarist; Eddie Money/Greg Kihn Band)
1950: Bernie Taupin (UK wind instrumentalist, vocals, Elton John's co-writer; Farm Dogs).
1947: Bill Lordan (UK drummer; The Mystics/Gypsy/Robin Trower Band)
1943: Hilton Valentine (UK guitarist; Heppers/Wild Cats/Alan Price Combo/Animals/solo)
1942: Calvin Simon (US vocals; Parliament/Funkadelic).
1940: Jerry Ricks (US blues guitarist; freelance/solo)*10.Dec.2007.
1937: Facundo Cabral (Argentine singer and songwriter)*09.July.2011.
1934: Peter Nero/Bernard Nierow (US pianist, pops conductor).
1930: Kenny Ball (UK trumpet player, vocals; Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen)*07.March.2013.
1930: Wiley "Mack" Self (US rockabilly singer-songwriter, guitarist; solo/Silver Dollar Band)*14.June.2011.
1925: James King (American tenor operatic singer)*20.Nov.2005.
1924: Eric Delaney (UK drummer; session/freelance/own band)*14.July.2011.
1924: Cuddly Dudley/Dudley Hislop (Jamaica singer; Cuddly Duddley & the Redcaps)*15 July 2011.
1924: Charles Aznavour/Shahnour Varenagh Aznavourian (Armenian singer, actor)
1917: Georg Tintner (Austrian-born conductor)*02.Oct.1999.
1914: Sun Ra/Le Sony'r Ra/Herman Poole Blount (US composer, keyboards, own band)*30.May.1993.
1891: Eddie Edwards (US jazz trombonist)*09.April.1963.

May 23rd.
1991: Lena Meyer-Landrut (German singer)
1983: Heidi Range (UK singer; Sugababes)
1982: Malene Mortensen (Danish singer)
1981: Gwenno Saunders (Welsh dancer, singer; The Pipettes)
1978: Scott Raynor (US drummer; blink-182)
1978: Katie Reider (US singer-songwriter, gay rights activist)*14.July.2008.
1974: Mónica Naranjo (Spanish singer)
1974: Charlie Yeung (Hong Kong actress, singer)
1974: Jewel Kilcher (US singer, songwriter).
1974: Richard Jones (UK bass; Stereophonics)?
1973: Maxwell (US soul singer).
1973: Jacopo Gianninoto (Italian singer, guitarist, conposer).
1970: Matt Flynn (US drummer, Maroon 5)
1969: Mindi Abair (US smooth jazz saxophonist)
1967: Philip "Phil" James Selway (drums; Radiohead).
1967: Freddie 'Junior' Waite (UK drummer, vocals; Musical Youth)?
1965: Simon Gilbert (UK drums, Suede/Futon)
1958: François Feldman (French singer)
1957: Thereza Bazar (Canadian singer; Dollar/Guys n' Dolls).
1957: Jimmy McShane (Irish singer, dancer, frontman; Baltimora)*29.March.1995.
1955: Luka Bloom (Irish folk-rock singer-songwriter, guitarist).
1953: Rick Fenn (UK guitarist; 10CC/freelance)
1952: Anne-Marie David (French singer)
1952: Jim Mankey (US guitarist; Concrete Blonde/Sparks).
1947: Jean-Jacques Kravetz (French keyboard player, saxophonist, composer; Peter Maffay's band/others)
1947: Bill Hunt (French horn, hunting horn; Electric Light Orchestra/Wizzard)?
1946: Danny Klein (US bass; J Geils Band).
1944: Raymon "Tiki" Fulwood (US drummer; Parliament, Funkadelic)*29.Oct.1979.
1943: Vicky Moscholiou (Greece singer)*16.Aug.2005.
1943: Norman Johnson (US singer; The Showmen/Chairmen Of The Board)*13.Oct.2010.
1942: Fred Wedlock (UK folk singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor)*04.March.2010.
1939: Michel Colombier (French composer, songwriter, conductor)*14.Nov.2004.
1936: Ingeborg Hallstein (German opera singer)
1934: Robert Moog (American pioneer of electronic music)*21.Aug.2005.
1928: Pauline Julien (French Canadian singer)*01.Oct.1998.
1928: Rosemary Clooney (US singer, actress)*29.June.2002.
1925: Mac Wiseman (US bluegrass singer, songwriter, guitars, upright bass)
1923: Alicia de Larrocha (Spanish pianist)*25.Sept.2009.
1922: Per Grundén (Swedish actor, opera singer)*06.Feb.2011.
1922: Robert Alexander "Bumps" Blackwell (US songwriter, arranger, record producer)*09.March.1985
1921: Humphrey Lyttelton (UK jazz trumpeter, bandleader, radio personality)*25.April.2008.
1920: Helen O'Connell (US singer)*09.Sept.1993.
1913: Titi Ruth/Ruth Fernández (Puerto Rican singer)
1912: Jean Françaix (French composer)*25.Sept.1997.
1910: Scatman Crothers/Benjamin Crothers (US actor, singer, guitarist)*22.Nov.1986.
1910: Artie Shaw/Arthur Jacob Arshawsky (US clarinetist, composer, bandleader)*30.Dec.2004.
1906: Lucha Reyes/Maria de luz Flores (Mexican mariachi singer)*25.June.1944.
1901: Edmund Rubbra (UK composer)*14.Feb.1986.

May 24th
1991: Erika Umeda (Japanese singer)
1988: Billy Gilman (country music singer and songwriter).
1983: Alan Lastufka (US author, songwriter, guitarist, artist)
1980: Cecilia Cheung (Hong Kong actress, singer)
1976: Alessandro Cortini (Italian multi-instrumentalist; Nine Inch Nails/blindoldfreak)
1975: Maria Lawson (UK singer) some sources give 1979 as year of birth
1973: Ruslana Lyzhychko (Ukrainian singer)
1970: Tommy Page (US singer, keyboards).
1969: Rich Robinson (US guitar; The Black Crowes/freelance).
1967: Steve McDonald (US bassist; Redd Kross)
1967: Heavy D/Dwight Myers (Jamaican-American rapper, producer; Heavy D & the Boyz)*08.Nov.2011.
1963: Kathy Leander (Swiss singer)
1962: Gene Anthony Ray (US actor, dancer, singer; 'Leroy' in the film & TV's 'Fame')*14.Nov.2003.
1960: Guy Fletcher (UK keyboardist; Dire Straits)
1956: Larry Blackmon (US singer, songwriter, producer; Cameo).
1955: Rosanne Cash (US country singer, guitar).
1955: David Leonard (US guitarist, singer, songwriter; solo/sessionist/freelance)
1953: Nell Campbell (US actress, singer)
1947: George Melvin (US jazz and R&B keyboardist)*15.April.2010.
1947: Cynthia Plaster Caster/Cynthia Albritton (US groupie; took casts of rock stars' penis' & boobs).
1946: Steve Upton (Welsh drummer, percussionist; Wishbone Ash).
1945: Dave Peacock (UK vocals, bass, guitar; Rebel Rousers/Chas & Dave).
1944: Patti Labelle (US R&B & soul singer; the Bluebelles/solo).
1942: Derek Quinn (UK guitar, harmonica; Freddie & the Dreamers).
1941: Bob Dylan/Robert Zimmerman (US vocalist, songwriter, harmonica, guitar, keyboards).
1939: Rodney Foster (Nth Ireland trombonist, pianist, vocalist;White Eagles Band/own bands/others)
1938: Tommy Chong (Canadian-US comedian, actor, writer, director, activist, singer).
1937: Archie Shepp (US jazz saxophonist, piano, vocals)
1936: Harold Budd (US composer, poet, musician)
1934: Barry Rose OBE (UK choir-trainer, organist)
1930: Hans-Martin Linde (German conductor)
1928: Max Bennett (US jazz bassist; session musician/own bands)
1914: Giuseppe Valdengo (Italian baritone)*03.Oct.2007.
1886: Paul Paray (French conductor, composer)*10.Oct.1979

May 25th.
1985: Luciana Abreu (Portuguese singer, actress)
1984: Kostas Martakis (Greek singer)
1984: Marion Raven (Norwegian singer-songwriter; M2M)
1981: Huw Stephens (Welsh radio presenter, music promoter; BBC Radio 1/BBC Radio Cymru).
1980: Joe King (US guitarist, co-founder of The Fray)
1977: Giel Beelen (Dutch radio DJ)
1976: Sandra Nasic (German singer; Guano Apes)
1975: Lauryn Hill (US singer, The Fugees/solo).
1974: Frank Klepacki (US guitarist, synthesizer, drums; video game music composer)
1973: Daz Dillinger/Delmar Drew Arnaud (US rapper;Tha Dogg Pound)
1969: Glen Drover (Canadian guitarist; Megadeth)
1968: Karl Roy (Filipino rock singer; POT/Kapatid)*13.March.2012.
1959: Rick Smith (UK keyboards; Underworld).
1958: Paul Weller (UK guitarist, keyboards, songwriter; The Jam/Style Council).
1958: Carrie Newcomer (US folksinger)
1956: Sugar Minott/Lincoln Barrington Minott (Jamaican reggae singer)*10.July.2010.
1956: David P. Sartor (US composer)
1951: Chuck Ruff (US drummer; Edgar Winters/ Sammy Hagar/ Chuck Ruff Group)*14.Oct.2011.
1950: Jean Millington (US bass guitarist, singer; Fanny/Ladies on the Stage/freelance)?
1950: Robby Steinhardt (US rock, violinist, violist, cellist, singer; Kansas/freelance)
1948: Klaus Meine (German lead singer; Scorpions).
1947: Mitch Margo (US singer, record producer; The Tokens)
1945: Winston B Weatherill (UK guitarist, sitar; Astrals/Mickey-Sapphires/Gary Farr-T-Bones/The Fox)?
1945: Dave Lee Travis (UK singer, DJ, BBC Radio 1 and TV presenter).
1944: Charlie Harper/David Charles Perez (UK lead singer; UK Subs)
1944: Pierre Bachelet (French singer, songwriter)*15.Feb.2005.
1943: John "Poli" Palmer (UK vibraphone, flute, piano, synthesizers; Family/freelance).
1943: Jessi Colter (US country singer)
1942: Brian "Blinky" Davison (UK drummer; The Nice)*15.April.2008.
1936: Donnie Elbert (US soul singer)*26.Jan.1989.
1936: Tom T. Hall (US singer, songwriter)
1929: Beverly Sills/Belle Miriam Silverman (US singer)*02.July.2007.
1927: Norman Petty (US pianist, songwriter, pioneer record producer; Norman Petty Trio)*15.Aug.1984.
1925: Aldo Clementi (Italian composer)*03.March.2011.
1922: Kitty Kallen (US big band singer)
1921: Hal David (US pianist, lyricist, arranger, composer)*01.Sept.2012.
1898: Mischa Levitzki (Russian-born pianist)*02.Jan.1941.
1877: Billy Murray (US singing recording artist)*17.Aug.1954.

May 26th.
1982: Jon Tester (US guitarist; Voytek)
1981: Eda-Ines Etti (Estonian singer)
1981: Irini Merkouri (Greek singer)
1981: Isaac Slade (US singer, pianist; The Fray)
1978: Phil Elverum (US singer-songwriter)
1977: Mark Hunter (US lead vocalist, songwriter; Chimaira).
1976: Justin Pierre (US singer; Motion City Soundtrack)
1973: Sergio Vallín Loera (Mexican lead guitarist; Maná).
1972: Alan White (UK drums; Oasis / not the YES drummer).
1967: Kristen Pfaff (US bassist, Hole /Janitor Joe)*16.May.1994.
1967: Chris Feinstein (American bassist, producer, writer, collaborator; sessionist)*14.Dec.2009.
1967: Kevin Moore (US keyboardist, composer; Dream Theater/Chroma Key music project/O.S.I.)
1964: Lenny Kravitz (US singer, guitarist, drums, songwriter).
1962: Colin Vearncombe/Black (UK singer, songwriter; Black).
1959: Steve Hanley (UK bassist; The Fall/Tom Hingley and the Lovers)
1958: Wayne Hussey/Jerry Wayne Lovelock (UK guitar; Mission/Sisters of Mercy).
1957: Diomedes Diaz (Colombian singer)
1957: Kristina Olsen (US musician)
1954: Marian Gold (German singer; Alphaville)
1953: Richard Sohl (US pianist; Patti Smith Group)*03.June.1990.
1952: David Meece (US contemporary Christian singer)
1949: Alan ''Al'' Perkes (UK musician; East of Eden).
1949: Hank Williams, Jr. (US country singer/songwriter).
1948: Lloyd Parks (Jamaican reggae vocalist, bass player; Invincibles/Termites/Techniques)
1948: Stevie Nicks (US singer, songwriter; Fleetwood Mac).
1946: Mick Ronson (UK guitarist, producer; Spiders from Mars/sessionist)*29.April.1993.
1945: Garry Peterson (Canadian drummer; The Guess Who).
1944: Terrence "Verden" Allen (Welsh keyboards, organ; Mott The Hoople/solo).
1944: Warren "Gates" Nichols (US steel guitarist; Confederate Railroad)*14.Aug.2009.
1944: Jaroslaw Kukulski (Polish composer)*13.Sept.2010.
1942: Ray Ennis (UK vocals, guitar; Swinging Blue Jeans).
1942: Philip 'Phil' Cuncliffe (UK early drummer; The Presidents)?
1942: Peter Miller (UK guitarist, singer-songwriter; Offbeats/Peter Jay-Jaywalkers/Solo/others).
1941: Art Sharp (UK guitarist, vocals; Nashville Teens).
1940: Levon Helm/Mark Lavon Helm (US drummer, singer, multi-musician; The Band/solo)*19.April.2012.
1940: Lew Tabackin (US jazz flautist, tenor saxophonist).
1938: William Bolcom (US composer)
1937: Neil Richard Ardley (UK jazz pianist, composer, author)*23.Feb.2004.
1927: Antonio Prieto (Chilean actor, singer)*14.July.2011.
1926: Miles Dewey Davis III (US leader, composer, trumpeter)*28.Sept.1991.
1922: Frank Guida (Italian composer, producer).
1920: Peggy Lee/Norma Deloris Egstrom (US blues & jazz singer)*21.Jan.2002.
1916: Moondog/Louis Thomas Hardin (blind US composer, musician, cosmologist, poet)*08.Sept.1999.
1919: Ruben Gonzalez (Cuban pianist)*08.Dec.2003.
1904: George Formby/George Hoy Booth (UK singing comedian, ukulele, banjo)*06.March.1961.

May 27th.
1986: Timo Descamps (Flemish actor, singer).
1981: Özgür Çevik (Turkish singer, actor)
1976: RJD2/Ramble John Krohn (US hip-hop producer, singer)
1975: Dre/André '3000' Benjamin (US rapper; OutKast).
1975: Jadakiss/Jason Phillips (US rapper; D-Block)
1974: Coleman Mellett (American jazz guitarist with Chuck Mangione)
1974: Derek Webb (US singer, songwriter; Caedmon's Call)
1972: Ivete Sangalo (Brazilian singer)
1971: Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes (US singer, songwriter, rapper; TLC/solo)*25.April.2002
1966: Sean Kinney (US drummer; Alice In Chains).
1958: Neil Mullane Finn (New Zealand vocalist/guitarist; Split Enz/Crowded House/Finn Brothers).
1957: Siouxsie Sioux/Susan Dallion (UK bassist; The Banshees/The Creatures).
1957: Eddie Harsch/Edward Hawrysch (Canadian-American keyboardist, The Black Crowes)
1951: Ken Nicol (UK lead guitarist; Nicol and Marsh's Easy Street/Steeleye Span/The Albion Band).
1948: Pete Sears (UK keyboards, bass; Jefferson Starship/Jorma Kaukonen Trio/freelance).
1947: Colin Standing (UK lead guitarist; Kit and the Saracens/The Jimmy Brown Sound, Horse)?
1947: Peter Knight (UK violin, mandolin; The Wombles/Steeleye Span/freelance).
1947: Marty Kristian/Martin Vanags (singer; The New Seekers).
1946: Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (Danish double bassist)*19.April.2005.
1945: Bruce Cockburn (Canadian folk/rock guitar, dulcimer, singer, songwriter).
1944: Alain Souchon (French singer, songwriter)
1943: Cilla Black/Priscilla White (UK singer, TV presenter).
1935: Ramsey Lewis (US keyboard player; Ramsey Lewis Trio).
1935: Mal Evans (English roadie, record producer; Beatles/Apple)*05.Jan.1976.
1932: Herman "Junior" Parker Jr (US blues singer, harmonica, songwriter)*18.Nov.1971.
1930: Eino Tamberg (Estonian composer)*24.Dec.2010.
1926: Bud Shank (American alto saxophonist)*02.April.2009.
1915: Esther Soré (Chilean singer)*06.Sept.1996.
1909: Dolores Hope (US singer, philanthropist, widow of actor Bob Hope)
1891: Claude Champagne (Quebec composer, multi-musician)*21.Dec.1965.
1888: Louis Durey (French composer)*03.July.1979.

May 28th.
1985: Colbie Caillat (US singer-songwriter)
1983: Nick Dennis (Australian singer)
1981: Adam Green (US singer-songwriter)
1980: Mark Feehily (Irish singer; Westlife).
1970: Mark Richardson (drums, Feeder/Skunk Anansie).
1970: Jimi Goodwin (UK vocalist, bass, guitar, drums; Doves).
1970: Bobby Bognar (US singer; The Piper Downs)
1968: Kylie Minogue (Australian singer).
1965: Chris Ballew (US guitarist, singer; Presidents of the United States of America).
1964: Phil Vassar (US country music singer)
1963: Gavin Harrison (UK drummer; Porcupine Tree)
1962: Roland Gift (UK singer; Fine Young Cannibals).
1959: Steve Strange/Steven Harrington (Welsh lead singer, Visage).
1955: Eddie Jobson (UK violin, keyboards, synthesizers; Curved Air/Roxy Music/Frank Zappa). Some sourses give Eddie's birthdate as April 28th.
1953: Arto Lindsay (US guitarist, singer; DNA/Ambitious Lovers/others)
1954: Youri Egorov (Soviet classical pianist)*15.April.1988.
1949: Wendy Orlean Williams (US lead singer; Plasmatics/solo)*06.April.1998.
1947: Leland "Lee" Bruce Sklar (US bassist, singer-songwriter, film score composer).
1948: Ray Laidlaw (UK drummer; Lindisfarne).
1948: Tomata du Plenty/David Xavier Harrigan (US lead singer; The Screamers)*21.Aug.2000.
1945: John Fogerty (US lead singer, guitar, songwriter; Creedence Clearwater Revival, solo).
1944: Gary Stewart (US country singer, songwriter)*16.Dec.2003.
1944: Gladys Knight (US singer; The Pips).
1944: Billy Vera/William McCord Jr (US singer; Billy Vera & Judy Clay).
1943: Elena Souliotis (Greece operatic soprano)*04.Dec.2004.
1942: John H Harrison (UK bassist; Group X/Hawkwind Zoo/ Hawkwind)*26 May 2012.
1941: Myrna Smith (US singer, songwriter; Sweet Inspirations)*24.Dec.2010.
1938: Leonardo Favio/Fuad Jorge Jury (Argentine singer, actor, film director)*05.Nov.2012.
1938: Prince Buster/Muhammed Yusef Ali/Cecil Bustamente Campbell (Jamaican ska singer).
1935: Richard Van Allan CBE (UK operatic bass singer)*04.Dec.2008.
1931: Eric von Schmidt (US folk-blues singer-songwriter)*02.Feb.2007.
1925: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (German baritone)
1923: György Ligeti (Hungarian composer)*12.June.2006.
1917: Papa John Creach (US violinist, fiddle; Jefferson Airplane/J.Starship/Hot Tuna)*22.Feb.1994
1910: T- Bone Walker/Aaron Thibeaux Walker (US first true lead guitarist)*16.March.1975
1909: Benny Goodman (US clarinetest, conductor, bandleader)*13.June.1986
1900: Tommy Ladnier (US jazz trumpeter)*04.June.1939.
1898: Andy Kirk (US jazz saxophonist, tubist; Twelve Clouds of Joy)*11.Dec.1992.
1837: Tony Pastor (US very early vaudeville performer)*26.Aug.1908.

May 29th.
1986: Valy Hedjasi (Iranian/German singer)
1982: Joanne Borgella (US model, singer)
1982: Ailyn/An Ling/Pilar Giménez García (Spanish singer; Sirenia/solo)
1978: Pelle Almqvist (Swedish lead singer; The Hives)
1978: Daniel Pearce (UK vocalist; One True Voice)
1976: David Buckner (US drummer; Papa Roach)
1975: Scary Spice/Melanie Brown (UK singer; Spice Girls).
1973: Mark Lee (US guitarist; Third Day)
1972: Stanislas Renoult (French singer)
1972: Simon Jones (UK bassist; The Verve/The Shining/others)
1972: Stanislas Renoult (French singer)
1969: Chad Kinchla (Canadian guitarist; Blues Traveler).
1967: Noel Gallagher (UK guitarist, singer; Oasis).
1963: Blaze Bayley/Bayley Alexander Cooke (UK singer, songwriter; Wolfsbane/Iron Maiden/Blaze Bayley)
1962: John Pedder (UK bassist; Babybird)
1961: Melissa Etheridge (US rock singer, guitarist).
1961: David Palmer (UK drummer; ABC)
1960: Jesse Johnson (US guitarist, composer; The Time/Prince).
1960: Mel Gaynor (UK drums; Simple Minds).
1957: George Webley (UK bassist, composer, bandleader, broadcaster)*07.May.2011.
1956: LaToya Jackson (US singer).
1955: Mike Porcaro (US bassist; Toto/sessionist)
1953: Danny Elfman (US singer, composer, writer of film scores;Oingo Boingo).
1952: Hilton Ruiz (Afro-Cuban jazz pianist; Roland Kirk Band, solo)*06.June.2006.
1950: Rebbie Jackson/Maureen Reillette Brown (American singer)
1949: Francis Rossi OBE (UK guitar, vocals; Status Quo).
1945: Gary Brooker (UK keyboard; Procul Harum/Liquorice John Death/Paramounts/Eric Clapton).
1941: Roy Crewsdon (UK rhythm guitar, Freddie and the Dreamers).
1937: Irmin Schmidt (German keyboardist; Can)
1937: Hibari Misora (Japanese award winning singer)*24.June.1989.
1933: Helmuth Rilling (German conductor)
1922: Iannis Xenakis (Greek composer)*04.Feb.2001
1915: Karl Münchinger (German conductor)*13.March.1990.
1915: Igor Buketoff (US conductor, arranger, teacher)*07.Sept.2001.

May 30th.
1990: Im Yoona (Korean singer; Girls' Generation)
1989: Kevin Covais (US singer)
1987: Joyce Cheng (Hong Kong singer, writer, actress)
1986: Pasha Parfeny (Moldovan singer)
1983: Jennifer Ellison (UK actress, model, singer)
1981: Remy Ma/Remynisce Smith-Mackie (US rapper; Terror Squad/solo)
1981: Devendra Banhart (US singer and songwriter)
1978: Eric Searle (US singer, guitarist; Light Pupil Dilate)
1975: Brian Fair (US singer; Shadows Fall/Transient)
1974: Cee-Lo Green/Thomas DeCarlo Callaway (US hip hop, soul singer, rapper; Goodie Mob/solo)
1974: Big L/Lamont Coleman (American rapper; D.I.T.C)*15.Feb.1999.
1971: Idina Menzel (US actress, singer).
1971: Patrick Dahleimer (US bassist; Live).
1967: Tim Burgess (UK vocals, The Charlatans UK).
1966: Stephen Malkmus (US vocalist, guitarist; Pavement)
1964: Wynonna Judd (US country singer, guitarist).
1964: Tom Morello (US guitar, vocals; Lock Up/Audioslave/Rage Against The Machine).
1958: Marie Fredriksson (Swedish vocalist; Roxette).
1955: Nicholas "Topper" Headon (UK drummer; Clash).
1951: Zdravko Colic (Yugoslav-Bosnian singer)
1950: Dann Glenn (US guitarist, composer)
1944: Lenny Davidson (UK bassist, guitar; The Blue Jays/Dave Clark Five).
1935: Harry Beckett (Barbadian-born UK trumpeter, flugelhorn player; many Jazz bands)*22.July.2010.
1933: Don Wayne (US songwriter)*12.Sept.2011.
1933: Michael Garrick MBE (UK jazz pianist, composer, pioneer)*11.Nov.2011.
1932: Pauline Oliveros (American accordionist, composer, and reedist).
1928: Gustav Leonhardt (Dutch harpsichordist, keyboardist and conductor)*16.Jan.2012.
1913: Kalman Bloch (American clarinetist; Los Angeles Philharmonic)*12.March.2009.
1909: Benjamin "Benny" Goodman (American clarinetist, bandleader)*13.June.1986.

May 31st.
1988: Hope Partlow (American pop-rock inger).
1986: Sopho Khalvashi (Georgian singer; Eurovision Song Contest).
1983: David Hernandez (US singer; American Idol).
1981: Tasha Reid/Natasha Shanta Reid/Yoon Mi-rae (Korean-US rapper).
1980: Andy Hurley (American drummer; Fall Out Boy).
1977: Scott Klopfenstein (US vocalist, trumpet, guitar, keyboard; Reel Big Fish).
1971: Diana Damrau (German soprano)
1967: Johnny Diesel/Mark Lizotte (Australian singer, guitarist; Johnny Diesel and the Injectors).
1966: Nick Scotti (American actor and singer).
1965: Steve White (UK drummer; Paul Weller/Style Council/The Players/freelance).
1964: Scotti Hill (American rock guitarist; Skid Row).
1964: Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniel/Darryl Lovelace (US hip-hop singer; Run-D.M.C).
1963: Hugh Dillon (Canadian rock vocalist, actor; The Headstones).
1963: Wendy Smith (UK singer; backing vocals, guitar; Prefab Sprout).
1963: Wesley Willis (US singer, keyboards; MonsterVoodoo Machine/Wesley Willis Fiasco)*21.Aug.2003.
1962: Corey Hart (Canadian singer, songwriter, multi-musician).
1959: Danny Pearson (singer, bass; American Music Club/solo)?
1956: William Bennett (US oboist; San Francisco Symphony Orchestra)*28.Feb.2013.
1956: Fritz Hilpert (German pianist, flute, sound engineer; Kraftwerk).
1955: Tommy Emmanuel (Australian guitarist virtuoso).
1954: Vicki Sue Robinson (US singer, Broadway star)*27.April.2000.
1952: Karl Bartos (electronic percussionist/keyboards; Kraftwerk/freelance).
1949: Nancy Shade (US spinto soprano singer, actress).
1948: Martin Hannett aka Martin Zero (UK record producer, musician)*18.April.1991.
1948: Mike Edwards (UK cellist, bass viol, musical arranger; ELO/stage work)*03.Sept.2010.
1948: John "Bonzo" Bonham (UK drummer; Led Zeppelin)*25.Sept.1980.
1947: Greg Abate (US jazz saxophonist, flautist, composer, arranger).
1946: Junior Campbell/William Cambell (instrumentalist, vocalist; Marmalade).
1941: Johnny Paycheck/Donny Young/Donald Lytle (US country singer, guitar)*19.Feb.2003.
1938: Peter Yarrow (US singer, guitar, songwriter; Peter, Paul & Mary/solo).
1932: Ed Lincoln/Eduardo Lincoln Barbosa de Sabóia (Brazilian musician, composer)*16.July.2012.
1931: Shirley Verrett (American operatic soprano)*05.Nov.2010.
1930: Dave McKenna (American jazz pianist)*18.Oct.2008.
1927: James "Red" Holloway (US tenor / alto blues and jazz saxophone player)*25.Feb.2012.
1914: Akira Ifukube (Japanese composer of classical music and film scores)*08.Feb.2006.
1902: Billy Mayerl (UK pianist, composer)*25.March.1959.
1901: Alfredo Antonini (Italian-American symphony conductor and composer)*03.Nov.1983.

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PASSED ~ RESPECT

May 1st.
1965: Spike Jones/Lindley Armstrong Jones (53) American comedian, actor, bandleader, drummer; a popular musician and bandleader specializing in performing satirical arrangements of popular songs. Ballads and classical works receiving the Jones treatment would be punctuated with gunshots, whistles, cowbells and ridiculous vocals. Through the 1940s and early 1950s, the band recorded under the title Spike Jones and his City Slickers and toured the USA and Canada under the title The Musical Depreciation Revue. He and his band featured in many films including "Thank Your Lucky Stars", "Variety Girl" and "Fireman, Save My Child" They starred in TV variety shows such as The Colgate Comedy Hour and their Four Star Revue in 1952, before Spike was given his own slot by CBS, The Spike Jones Show, which aired from 1954 to 1961. His final group, Spike Jones's New Band, recorded 4 LPs of brassy renditions of songs of the 1960s, including "Washington Square" and "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" (sadly taken by emphysema) b. December 14th 1911.
1978: Aram Khachaturian (74) Armenian composer born in Tiflis, Georgia, Russian Empire; works were often influenced by folk music of Armenia. In 1951, he became professor at the Gnessin State Musical and Pedagogical Institute, Moscow and the Moscow Conservatory. He also held important posts at the Composers' Union, becoming deputy chairman of the Moscow branch in 1937, then appointed vice-chairman of the Organizing Committee of Soviet Composers in 1939. In 1939 he composed his ballet Happiness, which was later reworked into the ballet Gayane. The cinematic quality of his music for Spartacus was clearly seen when the Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia was used as the theme for a popular BBC drama series, The Onedin Line, during the 1970s. Since then, it has become one of the most popular of all classical pieces for UK audiences. Joel Coen's The Hudsucker Proxy also prominently featured music from Spartacus and Gayane (the "Sabre Dance" included). Gayane's adagio was used in Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey among other films. He was also the composer for the state anthem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, whose tune is one of the five current choices to become the next state anthem of Armenia. The climax of Spartacus was also used in Caligula (film) and Ice Age: The Meltdown (?) b. June 6th 1903.
1982: William Primrose CBE (76) Scottish violist and teacher, born in Glasgow and in 1919 he moved to study at the then Guildhall School of Music in London. From there he moved to Belgium to study under Eugène Ysaÿe who encouraged him to take up the viola instead. In 1930, he joined Warwick Evans, John Pennington, and Thomas Petre as the violist in the London String Quartet. In 1937, he began playing in the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. His career as a soloist took off when he started touring with Richard Crooks. He later signed with Arthur Judson, an influential concert manager. In 1946, he was the soloist in the first recording of Berlioz's Harold in Italy. In 1953 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard (sadly died of cancer) b. August 23rd 1904.
1986: Hugo Peretti (69) American songwriter and record producer; he began his career as a teenager, playing the trumpet in the Borscht Belt in upstate New York. He graduated to playing with orchestras, then in the 1950s partnered with his cousin Luigi Creatore to form the Hugo & Luigi songwriting team that evolved to producing records. In 1957, they bought into Roulette Records where they wrote songs for various artists such as Valerie Carr and produced major hits for Jimmie Rodgers including "Honeycomb", "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine", "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again" and "Secretly". In 1960 Hugo & Luigi signed a contract with RCA Records where they produced crooner Perry Como, Sam Cooke and Ray Peterson and wrote English lyrics for the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (with the original bulk of the song written by Solomon Linda), producing the hit for The Tokens. They wrote the Presley hit single Wild in the Country and with George David Weiss they co-wrote "Can't Help Falling in Love" for Elvis Presley. They left RCA in 1964 to join George David Weiss in writing a musical about the American Civil War. Titled Maggie Flynn, it ran on Broadway in 1968. In the 1970s, Hugo & Luigi owned part of Avco Records and then established H&L Records which they operated until retiring at the end of the decade. Among their successes were recordings by The Stylistics and The Softones. They also won the 1977 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album as producers for "Bubbling Brown Sugar." (?) b. December 6th 1916.
1990: Sergio Franchi (64) Italian tenor, born in Cremona, Italy, then the family moved to South Africa in 1952, where he worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study music. He later returned to Italy to study with Rossi Masetti in Milan. He toured extensively in Europe, and in 1962 he undertook an American tour where he relocated to; in 1972, he became an American citizen. Sergio made his New York City Broadway mark playing the part of Renato De Rossi opposite Elizabeth Allen as Leona Samish, in the Rodgers/Sondheim musical Do I Hear a Waltz?. The title song has become popular in the repertoire. A foundation has been formed in his name to give out scholarships to talented singing students of limited means (sadly died of brain cancer) b. April 6th 1926
1992: Sharon Redd (46) US singer, disco diva; in 1968, she recorded four songs, "Half As Much", "Do You Want Me", "I've Got A Feeling" and "Since I Lost You", before getting a major break starring in an Australian production of Hair, which premiered in Sydney on June 6, 1969. She also appeared in her own television special and, in 1974, traveled to London performing in an American production of The Wedding Of Iphigenia. She released her first album in 1980, self-titled Sharon Redd, closely followed by two more "Redd Hott" in 1982 and "Love How You Feel" in 1983 which sealed her reputation as a true "disco diva". These recordings featured "You Got My Love", "Never Give You Up", "In the Name of Love", "Love How You Feel", "Beat The Street", and "Can You Handle It" (pneumonia complications) b. October 19th 1945.
2006: Johnny Paris/John Pocisk (65) American saxophone player; he led the instrumental band Johnny and the Hurricanes, known for their rocking renditions of traditional tunes having hits such as "Reveille Rock","Beatnik Fly" and "Red River Rock". The band began as The Orbits in Toledo, in 1957. Signing to Twirl Records and a name change, Johnny and the Hurricanes recorded their debut disc "Crossfire" in a vacant cinema to provide echo, it became a U.S. No.23 hit in the U.S. chart in the summer of 1959. The band developed a following in Europe. In 1962, they played at the Star-Club in Hamburg, where a little known British group, The Beatles, served as an opening act. Johnny and the Hurricanes cut records until 1965. After the recording haydays Johnny formed a record label, Atila Records, and his music publishing company, Sirius 1 Music, which still operate today, and also also bred bull mastiffs under the Lion Heart kennel with his 2nd wife for more than a decade. He continued with the occational tour with the Hurricanes in Europe and United States until his death (sepsis, pneumonia and pancytopenia treated splenectomy) b. August 29th 1940.
2006: Big Hawk/John Edward Hawkins (36) American rapper and a founding member of the late DJ Screw's rap group the Screwed Up Click. He was also the older brother of Fat Pat, who was killed in 1998. In 1994 Big Hawk, Fat Pat, DJ Screw and some of their friends, KK and Koldjack, formed the group D.E.A. and Dead End Records. In late 1995 D.E.A. released an original independent album entitled, “Screwed For Life” featuring Lil' Keke, Big Pokey and the rest of the S.U.C. In 1999, after the deaths of Hawk’s brother (Fat Pat) and DJ Screw and the incarceration of many others SUC members, Big Hawk participated in a Southside Playaz compilation album titled “You Got Us Fuxxed Up,” with Mike D, Claydoe and other members of the S.U.C. He released his solo album, "Under Hawk's Wings" on Dead End Records in 2000 and had recorded with Lil' Flip, Lil' Keke, Big Moe, Z-Ro, he was also was featured on the Lil' Troy hit "Wanna Be A Baller" and featured on the popular single "Swang" by Trae that included a tribute to Fat Pat in 2005 (gunned down) b. November 15th 1969.
2007: James "Jimmy" Henshaw (65) Scottish lead guitar, keyboardist and songwriter, born in Motherwell. He was a founding member of the 60's band, the VIP's, who later became prog rock band Spooky Tooth. As the VIP's, they had a big following in Carlisle & Cumbria, and played alongside a then newcomer to the music world Jimi Hendrix. The band are most remembered for their singles "Wintertime", "Don't Keep Shouting At Me" and "I Wanna Be Free". Jimmy went on to be a prolific songwriter, record arranger and producer, and as a multi-musician sessionist he toured most of Europe (sadly Jimmy died fighting cancer) b. October 20th 1941.
2008: Jim Hager (66) American country musician, one half of The Hager Twins, also known as the Hager Brothers, with his identical twin Jon, they first gained fame on the TV series Hee Haw. The twins first sang in the church choir. then as s teenagers, they sang on a Saturday morning WGN-TV series. Both brothers served in the United States Army and performed at Officers' Clubs and NCO Clubs in the United States and Europe. After leaving the military, the Hager brothers moved to California and performed at the Ledbetter's Night Club in Los Angeles with The Carpenters, The New Christy Minstrels, John Denver, Steve Martin and Kenny Rogers. They also worked at Disneyland, which is where Buck Owens saw them perform and signed them to contracts. In addition to Owens, the brothers served as opening acts for Tex Ritter, Wynn Stewart, Billie Jo Spears and Lefty Frizzell. (died in his sleep) b. August 30th 1941.
2010: Rob McConnell (75) Canadian jazz valve trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator born in London, Ontario. He took up the trombone in high school, and began his performing career in the early 50s, performing and studying with Don Thompson, Bobby Gimby, and later, with fellow Canadian Maynard Ferguson. In 1968 he formed The Boss Brass, a big band that would become his primary performing and recording unit through the 1970s and 1980s and Rob & The Boss Brass became one of Canada's most popular jazz ensembles, performing live and recording for Concord Jazz and a variety of other labels. In 1997, McConnell was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in 1998 was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Since that time he has remained active, touring internationally both as a performer and educator, running clinics around the world and performing as both a leader and a guest artist (sadly died fighting cancer) b. February 14th 1935
2013: Mac Daddy /Chris Kelly (34) American rap artist and one half of the rap duo Kris Kross, formed in 1992 Chris and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith and discovered in an Atlanta shopping mall and the duo landed a spot on Michael Jackson's 1992 Dangerous World Tour, as well as a cameo appearance on Jackson's "Jam" music video. They were best known for their hit 1992 song "Jump", which was No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and was certified double platinum as a single. Kris Kross was also noted for their fashion style, which consisted of wearing their clothing backwards. The duo sang the "Rugrats Rap" for Nickelodeon which was released as extras on some Nickelodeon VHS Tapes starting in 1994, and was finally released on CD on The Best of Nicktoons in 1998 (sadly a suspected drug overdose) b. August 11th 1978.

May 2nd.
1985: Larry Clinton (75) American big band composer, bandleader, trumpeter; known for his practise of rearranging the works of famous composers like Debussy and Tchaikovsky and adding lyrics was known as "swinging the classics." His version of Debussy’s "Reverie", with vocalist Bea Wain, was particularly popular, which peaked at #1 on Billboard's Record Buying Guide in 1938. His first stint as a bandleader was from 1937 to 1941, and he recorded a string of hits for Victor Recordsincluding "I Double Dare You", "Summer Souvenirs", and "A Study in Brown". In 1941 Larry and his band appeared in six short musical films, designed for then-popular "movie jukeboxes". He quit the music business upon the outbreak of World War II, and became as a flight instructor. He resumed his musical career and enjoyed further success as a bandleader from 1948 to 1950. He remained active in the music business until 1961. (He died in Tucson, Arizona) b. August 17th 1909.
1989: Bennie Benjamin (81) American songwriter; hugely successful songwriter often in partenership with the great composer George David Weiss. At the age of twenty, Bennie moved to New York City, where he studied the banjo and guitar with Hy Smith, after which he performed in vaudeville and with various orchestras, until in 1941, when he started composing songs. In 1968, he became a music publisher, starting his own company. His many songs include "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Anyone (Could Fall In Love With You)", "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", "Can Anyone Explain? (No! No! No!)", "I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore", "Confess", "Cross Over the Bridge", "Echoes", "How Important Can It Be?", "How Can I?", "Strictly Instrumental", "I Am Blessed", "Of This I'm Sure", "Our Love (Will See Us Through)", "Don't Take All Night", "Lonely Man". Bennie was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. (??) b. November 4th 1907.
1998: hide/Hideto Matsumoto (33) Japanese guitarist; lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997. He was also a successful solo artist and co-founder of the United States based band Zilch. In 1980 entered Zushi Kaisei Senior High School in Zushi, Kanagawa, where he joined the school's brass band, he soon quit the band though, because he was assigned the clarinet, while he wanted to play the trumpet. He then concentrated on playing guitar and in 1981, formed the band Saver Tiger. The following year they started playing shows at live houses in Yokosuka, such as Rock City. He joined X Japan, then called X, in 1987 as the band's lead guitarist and occasional songwriter, composing songs like "Celebration", "Joker" and the single "Scars". In 1993 went solo, releasing 3 albums Hide Your Face in 1994, Psyence in 1996, and Ja, Zoo in 1998) also starred in an art film titled Seth et Holth, along with Tusk of Zi:Kill. In 1994, hide oversaw the production of the first release on his own label Lemoned (After a night out drinking, he was found hanged with a towel tied to a doorknob in his Tokyo apartment. Three fans died in copycat suicides, of the 50,000 people who attended his funeral, nearly 60 were hospitalized and about 200 received medical treatment) b. December 13th 1964.
2008: Graham Thomas Bell (60) English pop and rock singer, born in Blyth, Northumberland. Graham made a solo single in 1966, and a solo album in 1972 with Tim Hinkley, Mel Collins and Ian Wallace. He was a member of Skip Bifferty, later Heavy Jelly, and Every Which Way. In 1971 he joined his old mates from Skip Bifferty to form Bell & Arc. He then appeared in Tommy, after which it was reported that Pete Townshend produced an album for him but it never saw the light of day. Graham then moved to America where he toured with Long John Baldry among others, before returning to his native North East England in the mid 1980s. He also lived for a while in Cumbria before finally heading for London again and cropping up in Snowy White's Blues Agency in 1989. He also played on Carol Grimes' Warm Blood in 1974, with Tommy Eyre, Jess Roden, John 'Rabbit' Bundrick and Henry Lowther (?) b. April 17th 1948.
2009: Kiyoshiro Imawano (58) Japanese rock musician, lyricist, musical producer, composer and actor from Tokyo, dubbed "Japan's King of Rock". While in school, he formed a band named the Clovers. This band changed its name to RC Succession in 1968, an influencial rock band which debuted on the music scene in 1970. In 1982, he collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto and released the single "Ikenai Rouge Magic" which became a top hit on the Oricon chart. After the break up of RC Succession , Kiyoshiro continued as a solo singer. In '92, he released the album Memphis which was recorded with Booker T. & the M.G.'s. in Memphis, where he received an honorary citizenship from the Mayor of Memphis.Over his career he recorded on 27 albums and was known for pioneering adoption of linguistic characteristics of the Japanese language into his songs (cancer) b. April 2nd 1951.
2011: Ernest Mogotsi Mothle (69) South African jazz double bassist, electric bassist, vocalists and composer.
While at St. Marin's School in Sophiatown, he played in the Father Huddleston Band, after which in 1959 he founded the vocal group Dominoes with Francis and Cornelius Kekana and Gabriel Tladi. He was then with the African Jazz and Variety Show, Heshoo Beshoo Group, and The Jazz Prophet. In 1972 he went to Europe, where he worked from 1974 in Julian Bahulas band and played and recorded with Mike Oldfield recorded, Jim Dvorak's Joy, Dudu Pukwanas band, Trevor Watts Drum Orchestra and Moire Music, Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath. From 1986 he performed in Germany regularly with the Jazz against apartheid project to Makaya Ntshoko and John Tchicai . In 1989 he was with Winston Mankunku touring Europe. In 1995 he went back to South Africa where he was a music teacher of the Tshwane University of Technology. With his own group, he is also on the DVD Acoustic Africa-2004. In 2007 he played with his quartet at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (sadly died from the effects of diabetes disease) b. December 2nd 1941.
2012: Zvi Zeitlin (90) Belorussian-born American classical violinist, he had a distinguished international career as a soloist, and gave important early performances of the Arnold Schoenberg Violin concerto. He was also the dedicatee of a concerto by the American composer Gunther Schuller. He taught for 45 years at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music (sadly died from pneumonia) b. February 21th 1922.
2013: Sid Selvidge (69) American guitarist, singer, producer and record label owner, raised in Greenville, Miss. While in high school he dee jayed jazz and rock 'n' roll records for WDDT radio and would later spin for KWHAM in West Memphis and eventually he founded the internationally broadcast radio program, Beale Street Caravan. Also after moving to Memphis to attend Rhodes College he began to turn toward blues music and later founded the rock band Mud Boy and the Neutrons, who influenced the Memphis alternative rock scene in the 1970s through the 1990s (sadly died while fighting cancer) b. July 21st 1943
2013: Jeff Hanneman (49) American guitarist born in Oakland and grew up in Long Beach, California. In 1981 he approached Kerry King, when King was auditioning for a band. After the try-out session, the two guitarists started talking and playing Iron Maiden and Judas Priest songs and decided to form their own band, and Slayer was born (sadly died from liver failure) b. January 31st 1964.

May 3rd.
1935: Cecil Irwin (32) American tenor saxophonist, clarinet, big band arranger; mostly known for his membership in several of the great Earl Hines bands of the 1920s and '30s. At this time he also played sideman with Johnny Dodds, Jabbo Smith, King Oliver, and Joe Venuti. Earlier in his career Cecil had played with Carroll Dickerson, Erskine Tate, and Junie Cobb (tragically died in traffic accident that occurred outside of Des Moines, IA, while he was on tour) b. December 7th 1902.
1972: Les Harvey (27) Scottish guitarist, born in Glasgow, Scotland. In the 1960s he was asked to join The Animals by Alan Price, but chose to stay with his brother Alex in the Alex Harvey Soul Band. He later joined Blues Council, recording one record, 'Baby Don't Look Down'. Then in March 1965 their tour van crashed killing vocalist Fraser Calder and bassist James Giffen, the rest of the band went their separate ways. Les joined Scottish band Cartoone to record some tracks for their 2nd album, and accompanied Cartoone on their live tour of USA supporting Led Zeppelin. Les and Cartoone were given a standing ovation in Chicago when they supported the US band Spirit in 1969. In late 1969, Les joined Stone The Crows , the rock/blues band formed in Glasgow, which had previously been known as 'Power'. He stayed with Stone The Crows until his tragic untimely death (electrocuted by a live microphone on stage at Swansea's Top Rank Suite) b. September 13th 1945.
1991: Mohammed Abdel Wahab (84) Egyptian singer, musician and composer, noted for composing the "Ya Beladi", the National anthem of the Kingdom of Libya 1951–1969. Despite the fact that Abdel composed many songs and musical pieces in classic Arab music, he was always criticized for his orientation to Western music. In fact, his introduced the Western rhythms to Arab songs in a way appropriate to the known forms of Arab songs. For example, he introduced in 1941 in his song Al Gondol the Waltz rhythm, and in 1957, he introduced the rock and roll rhythm in Abdel Halim Hafez’s song Ya Albi Ya Khali (?) b. March 7th 1907.
1996: Dimitri Fampas (74) Greek classical guitarist, born in Milina of Lafkos, near Volos; as a child, he played traditional music on lute and mandolin. In '39, he studied Advanced Musical Theory at the Athens Conservatory and in 1953, he received a diploma in classical guitar performance cum laude from the National Conservatory of Greece. In 1955 and '56, he received a scholarship from the Italian government to study guitar with Andrés Segovia and musicology with Emilio Pujol at the “Academia Chigianna” in Siena. In 1959, he attended classes with Segovia once more, this time at the Academy of Santiago, Spain, receiving a scholarship from Segovia himself. Dimitri's career spanned almost four decades with hundreds of recitals worldwide. He toured in England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Turkey, USA, Canada, USSR and the Vatican. Dimitri also created two guitarist orchestras, one for young players and another for advanced guitarists, with which he made numerous concert appearances (?) b. December 22nd 1921.
1996: Patsy Montana/Ruby Rose Blevins (87) American country music singer-songwriter; she was the first female country performer to have a million-selling single with "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" in 1935. Born in Beaudry, Arkansas, she went to California in 1929, to study violin at the University of the West. Here she won a local talent contest with her singing, yodelling, and playing the guitar and first prize was to play on the Hollywood Breakfast Club radio program. She travelled to Chicago with her 2 brothers, to enter a large watermelon the Chicago World's Fair. While there, she auditioned for a crooner's role, however, the producer fell in love with her "giggle" and auditioned her instead at WLS-AM for a group called the Prairie Ramblers. she and the Ramblers became regulars on WLS's National Barn Dance program. The Prairie Ramblers also backed Patsy on most of her hits with ARC Records, Decca Records, and RCA Records. Later she performed with her two daughters Beverly and Judy as the Patsy Montana Trio. Patsy was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1987 and in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1996 (died at her home in San Jacinto) b. October 30th 1908.
1997: Narciso Yepes (69) Spanish classical guitarist; at 13, he was accepted to study at the Conservatorio de Valencia with the pianist and composer Vicente Asencio. Here he followed courses in harmony, composition, and performance. In 1950, after performing in Paris, he spent a year studying interpretation under the violinist George Enescu, and the pianist Walter Gieseking. He also studied informally with Nadia Boulanger. This was followed by a long period in Italy where he worked with artists of every kind. Over is career he was granted many honours including the Gold Medal for Distinction in Arts, conferred by King Juan Carlos I; membership in the Academy of “Alfonso X el Sabio”; an Honorary Doctorate from the Uni of Murcia, and the National Music Prize of Spain (He died in Murcia) b. November 14th 1927.
2001: Billy Higgins (64) American drummer; beginning in 1958 he started to play on Ornette Coleman's first records, before freelancing extensively with hard bop and other post-bop players, including Bo Diddley, Donald Byrd, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Milt Jackson, Jackie McLean, Pat Metheny, Hank Mobley, Thelonious Monk, Lee Morgan, David Murray, Art Pepper, Sonny Rollins, Mal Waldron, and Cedar Walton. He played on over 700 recordings, including recordings of rock and funk. In 1989, Billy co-founded a cultural center, in Los Angeles... The World Stage, to encourage and promote younger jazz musicians. (liver disease and liver failure brought on by hepatitis) b. October 10th 1936.
2002: Yevgeny Fyodorovich Svetlanov (73) Russian conductor, composer, and pianist, born in Moscow; from 1955 he conducted at the Bolshoi Theatre, being appointed principal conductor there in '62. From 1965 he was principal conductor of the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. In '79 he was appointed principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. He was particularly noted for his interpretations of Russian works, covering the whole range of Russian music, from Mikhail Glinka to the present day. He was also one of the few Russian conductors to conduct the entire symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. His own compositions included a string quartet in 1948, symphony in 1956, Russian Variations for harp and orchestra in 1975, and a piano concerto in 1976, among other works. Yevgeny was also a fine pianist, two notable recordings being Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Trio No. 2 in D minor, and a disc of Nikolai Medtner's piano music (?) b. September 6th 1928.
2005: Pierre Moerlen (52) French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield. In January 1973, Pierre joined Daevid Allen's band, Gong, debuting on the Angel's Egg album. In June 1973 he was asked by Virgin's boss Richard Branson to play percussion with Mike Oldfield for the premiere of Tubular Bells. Between 1975 and 1987, beginning with Ommadawn, Pierre would be Mike Oldfield's percussionist of choice for his albums and his tours. From 1978 Gong went under the name of Pierre Moerlen's Gong releasing 'Downwind' in 1979, 'Time Is The Key' in 1979 followed by "Live" and "Leave It Open" both in 1980. Following Mike Oldfield's 10th Anniversary tour in 1983, Pierre joined the Swedish progressive/symphonic band "Tribute". PMG reformed for two albums and tours in the late 1980s. After spending several years as orchestra pit musician for various musicals, he returned to active service in 1997 when he joined the British jazz-rock outfit Brand X for international touring in 1997. Later that year, he was asked to rejoin Gong, and toured with the band until 1999. He then concentrated on putting together a new PMG line-up and repertoire, which resulted in the live album Pentanine, recorded in Moscow in 2002 (died unexpectedly of natural causes) b. October 23 1952.
2010: Roy Carrier (63) American Zydeco musician, singer, and accordionist, he formed his first band The Night Rockers in 1961, at the age of 14, with himself on guitar, a brother on drums, his uncle on the rubboard, and an accordion player named Chris Johnson. In 1965, he re-formed the Night Rockers band, with himself fronting the group on accordion and released 9 albums the last being Zydeco Soul in 2006 () b. February 11th 1947.
2012: Willie French Lowery (68) American singer/songwriter, guitarist, and composer born in Lumbee. During a musical career of more than four decades, he wrote more than 500 songs in genres ranging from gospel and blues to country and children's music. His 1970 song "Streets of Gold" reached No.1 on the pop charts in the Carolinas, Virginia, Philadelphia and New York. He had owned and managed Willie French Lowery Publishing since 1977 and between 1994 and 2003, he owned and operated Soundstation Recording Studio in Lumberton, where he produced and recorded gospel, rock, folk, and traditional American Indian artists. His 1979 album "Proud to Be a Lumbee" inspired pride for thousands of Lumbee Indians and helped them develop self esteem. He received numerous honors including a lifetime achievement award given to him by the Lumbee tribe in 2006 for his service (sadly Willie died after a 12-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease) b. 1944
2012: Nenad Šaric (65) Croatian drummer and member of the band The New Fossils, he was also the husband of the bands singer Sanja Dolezal. Born in in Rijeka, he was with his first band, Morning Star, for four years before he joined the legendary band 220. After the sudden death of a band member 1985, Nenad joined The New Fossils (sadly died from a massive stroke) b. October 10th 1947.
2012: Edith Bliss (52) Australian pop singer and television presenter, born in Brisbane, Queensland; she moved to Sydney in 1979 where she won a contract with ATV Northern Publishing. Under the supervision of Chris Gilbey she began recording, releasing "If It's Love You Want", "Heart of Stone" and "Two Single Beds", before releasing the album Sheer Bliss, in 1980. Bliss opted for a career in television. She was employed as a reporter on the children's series Simon Townsend's Wonder World which began in 1979. In 1984 Edith and another reporter, Phillip Tanner, reported from Rome for Wonder World and appeared on Where Are They Now on the Seven Network, for a Wonder World reunion in 2006 (sadly died after a long illness) b. September 28th 1959.
2012: Lloyd Brevett (80) Jamaican double bassist and founder member of The Skatalites, who pioneered ska music and paved the way for reggae. The founders of the Skatalites, Lloyd along with Tommy McCook-died 1998, Rolando Alphonso-died 1998, Lloyd Knibb-died 2011, Don Drummond-died 1969, Jah Jerry Haynes-died 2007, Jackie Mittoo-died 1990, Johnny Moore -2008, Jackie Opel-died 1970 and Lester Sterling, started to play together in 1955, and formed the now legendary Skatalites in 1964. In spring 1964, they recorded their first LP Ska Authentic at Studio One in Kingston and toured Jamaica as the creators of ska. Later that year "Man in the Street", entered the Top 10 in the UK. The Skatalites were together for >>> READ MORE <<< (sadly Lloyd died from a second stroke, 6 weeks after his 32 year old son, Okine, was murdered in March by gunmen outside the family's home in Kingston. He was gunned down a few of hours after accepting, on behalf of his father, a reggae industry award for Lloyd's musical contributions) b. August 1st 1931.
2013: Cedric "Im" Brooks (70) Jamaican saxophonist and flautist known for his solo recordings and as a member of The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, The Light of Saba, and The Skatalites. He learned music theory and clarinet at aged 11, while a pupil at the famous Alpha Boys School, after which he took up tenor saxophone and flute. He was a member of groups such as The Vagabonds and the Granville Williams Band in the early 1960s, but it would be the late 1960s when he would find his first major commercial success, as part of a duo with trumpeter David Madden, Im & David. In 1970 he teamed up with Rastafarian drummer Count Ossie, as Im and Count Ossie they released tracks such as "Black is Black", "So Long Rastafari Calling", and "Give Me Back My Language and Culture". The pair later formed The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari with Cedric acting as musical director and leader of the horn section. He left in 1974 to form a new band, the Divine Light, later called The Light of Saba. During the 1980s and 1990s, he released a few singles but largely worked as a session musician and in 1998 he worked with Carlos Malcolm in California, as part of a 20-piece ska and mento orchestra known as "Zimbobway's King Kingston Orchestra". In 1999, after the sad death of saxophonist Rolando Alphonso, Cedric joined the legendary Skatalites (sadly died of a cardiac arrest) b. 1943

May 4th.
1937: Noel Rosa (26) Brazilian composer, songwriter, guitarist and banjo player; born in Rio de Janeiro he was one of the greatest names in Brazilian popular music, giving a new twist to samba, combining its Afro-Brazilian roots with a more urban, witty language and making it a vehicle for ironic social commentary. He wrote around 250 successful compositions. "Com que roupa?", "Fita amarela", "São coisas nossas", "Pela décima vez", "É bom parar", "O orvalho vem caindo", "Coração" and "Gago apaixonado" (sadly tuberculosis) b. December 11th 1910.
1955: George Enescu (73) Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher; he created his first musical composition at the age of five, at seven he entered the Vienna Conservatory and graduated before his 13th birthday, earning the silver medal. In his Viennese concerts young George played works by Brahms, Sarasate and Mendelssohn. In 1923 he made his debut as a conductor in a concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra in New York City. He was also a noted violin teacher, Yehudi Menuhin, Christian Ferras, Ivry Gitlis, Arthur Grumiaux, Ida Haendel and Joan Field were among his pupils and was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity (?) b. August 19th 1881.
1979: Leo Addeo (64) American saxophonist, clarinetist, and arranger; born in New York City, he studied violin as a child, but switched to clarinet and saxophone in his teens and had love for Hawaiian music. After performing with several bands, he went over to the arrangment side of the business working wiith the likes of Gene Krupa, Larry Clinton, and Frankie Carle. Hugo Winterhalter hired Leo as an orchestrator and brought him along when he moved to RCA in the early 1950s. Leo went on to become one of RCA's key house arrangers for most of the 1950s and 1960s, with Hawaiian music being his speciality (?) b. October 14th 1914.
1987: Paul Butterfield (44) American blues harmonica player and singer, who founded the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in the early 60s and performed at the original Woodstock Festival. Their original debut sessions were scrapped, to appear in 1995 as The Original Lost Elektra Sessions. A second recording live at the Cafe Au Go Go, were also rejected by producer Paul Rothchild. Some of the discarded tracks appeared on the What's Shakin LP shared with the Lovin' Spoonful. Later in 1967, The Butterfield Blues Band played the Monterey International Pop Festival along with Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar, The Who, Otis Redding, and many others. Following the releases of Live in 1970 and Sometimes I Just Feel Like Smiling in 1971, Paul broke up the horn band and formed a new group including Chris Parker on drums, guitarist Amos Garrett, Geoff Muldaur, pianist Ronnie Barron and bassist Billy Rich, naming the ensemble "Better Days." The group released Paul Butterfield's Better Days and It All Comes Back in 1972 and 1973, respectively. In 1976, they performed at The Band's final concert, The Last Waltz. Together with The Band, he performed the song "Mystery Train" and backed Muddy Waters on "Mannish Boy". The late 1970s and early 1980s saw Paul as a solo act and a session musician, he also toured as a duo with Rick Danko, formerly of The Band, and he also toured with another member of The Band, Levon Helm, as a member of Helm's "RCO All Stars" in 1977. In 1986 Butterfield released his final studio album, The Legendary Paul Butterfield Rides Again (sadly died from a drugs related heart failure) b. December 17th 1942.
1990: Emily Remler (32) American jazz guitarist; born in New York City, Emily began to play the guitar at the age of ten. She veared from rock to jazz while studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and began to listen to legendary jazz greats such as Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Emily rose to prominence in the 1980s. She recorded seven albums of hard bop, jazz standards and fusion guitar, releasing her debut album Firefly in 1981. This was followed by Take Two, Transitions, Catwalk, Together - with Larry Coryell, East to Wes and her final album, This is Me in 1990. As well as her solo caree, Emily played in blues groups, on Broadway and with artists as diverse as Larry Coryell to the singer Rosemary Clooney. She played for the Los Angeles version of the show 'Sophisticated Ladies' from 1981 to 1982 and produced two popular guitar instruction videos. She also worked as guitarist for Astrud Gilberto. In 1985 she won the ‘Guitarist Of The Year’ award in DownBeat Jazz Magazine’s international poll. (sadly died of heart failure at the home of musician Ed Gaston at Connells Point, while on tour in Australia) b. September 18th 1957.
2012: Adam Yauch aka MCA (47) American rapper, bassist and film director born in Brooklyn, NYC. While at high school, he taught himself to play the bass guitar and formed the Beastie Boys with John Berry, Michael Diamond and Kate Schellenbach. They played their first show, then still a hardcore punk band on his 17th birthday and at aged 22, he and the Beastie Boys, now performing as a hip hop trio, toured with Madonna in 1985, and a year later released their debut album Licensed to Ill, which has been followed by 7 other albums the last being their 2011 album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Under the pseudonym "Nathanial Hörnblowér", Adam directed many of the Beastie Boys' music videos and in 2002, he built a recording studio in New York City called >>> Read More <<< (sadly Adam died battling cancer) b. August 5th 1964.
2013: Milan Peroutka (49) Czech drummer; he joined the rock band Olympic in 1986 as a replacement for Peter Hejduk and was an active member of the band until his unexpected death (?) b. January 1st 1964.
2013: César Portillo de la Luz (90) Cuban musician, lyricist and composer, born in Havana, and is credited with founding the filin music genre. The Miami Herald described him as "a fundamental author of Latin American music" and "one of Cuba’s most celebrated composers" and he is also cited as "the most distinguished lyricist of his generation. He had his own show titled Feeling Season and received international prominence after his 1946 song "Contigo en la distancia"/"With You in the Distance" was performed by Andy Russell. His songs have been performed by many well-established artists worldwide, including Nat King Cole, Christina Aguilera, José José and Lucho Gatica. César was awarded the Premio Latino a Toda Una Vida by the Spanish Academy of the Arts and Lyrics of Music at a ceremony held in Madrid in 2004 (?) b. October 31st 1922.

May 5th.
1959: Hal McIntyre (44) American saxophone and clarinet player, bandleader and a founding member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Born in Cromwell, Connecticut, he played extensively as a teenager and led his own octet in 1935. He was offered a ten day slot as an alto sax behind Benny Goodman, but Glenn Miller heard of his ability and drafted him as a founding member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, where he played from 1937 to 1941. He co-wrote the song "Daisy Mae" with Billy May which was recorded by Glenn Miller. In 1941 he formed another band touring all America and played overseas for troops during WW II. He toured extensively with singer Sunny Gale until the summer of '51 and backed The Mills Brothers for their 1952 smash hit "Glow Worm" (he died in a house fire at his home in LA) b. November 29th 1914.
1972: Reverend Gary Davis (76) American blues and gospel guitarist & singer, his unique finger-picking style influenced many other artists such as the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Wizz Jones, Jorma Kaukonen, Keb Mo, Ollabelle and Resurrection Band. Born in the south, he played around the Carolinas in his earlier days, but in the 1940s, he relocated to New York City. By the 1960s, he had become known as the "Harlem Street Singer" and had acquired a reputation as the person to see if you wanted to learn to play guitar, his students in New York City included Stefan Grossman, David Bromberg, Roy Book Binder, Woody Mann, Nick Katzman, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Winslow, and Ernie Hawkins.. The folk revival of the 1960s re-invigorated his career, culminating in a performance at the Newport Folk Festival and the recording by Peter, Paul and Mary of "Samson and Delilah", also known as "If I Had My Way", originally a Blind Willie Johnson recording that Gary had popularized (sadly he died of a heart attack) b. April 30th 1896.
1977: Sam Lanin (85) US bandleader; recorded under names Lanin's Arcadians, Lanin's Jazz Band, Lanin's Famous Players, Lanin's Southern Serenaders, Lanin's Red Heads, Sam Lanin's Dance Ensemble, Lanin's Arkansaw Travelers. Also a session leader for an enormous number of jazz recording sessions of the 1920s. Among the ensembles he directed and recorded with were Ladd's Black Aces, The Broadway Bell-Hops, The Westerners, The Pillsbury Orchestra and Bailey's Lucky Seven. He had a rotating cast of noted musicians playing with him, including Phil Napoleon, Miff Mole, Jules Levy Jr. and Red Nichols, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Manny Klein, Jimmy McPartland, Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Lang, Bunny Berigan, Nick Lucas and Frankie Trumbauer (sadly died and forgotten by many) b. September 4th 1891.
1982: Cal Tjader (56) American vibraphonist and percussionist born in St. Louis, Missouri to touring Swedish American vaudevillians. He was a latin jazz musician, though he also explored various other jazz idioms. Unlike other American jazz musicians who experimented with the music from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he never abandoned it, performing it until his death. Cal primarily played the vibraphone, but he was also accomplished on the drums, bongos, congas, timpani, and the piano. He worked with numerous musicians from several cultures. He is often linked to the development of Latin Rock and Acid Jazz. Although fusing jazz with Latin music is often categorized as "Latin Jazz" or, earlier, "Afro-Cuban Jazz", his output swung freely between both styles. He won a Grammy in 1980 for his album La Onda Va Bien, capping off a career that spanned over forty years (Cal was born on tour, he also died on tour. While on the road with his band in Manila, he sadly collapsed from a heart attack) b. July 16th 1925.
1986: Billy Mackel (75) American jazz guitarist, he started out playing banjo early in his career in his home town of Baltimore, but switched to guitar in the 1930s. He led his own band early in the 1940s, then joined Lionel Hampton in 1944. Billy worked with Hampton, with occasional intermissions, for around forty years, touring and recording with him copiously. In the 1940s he also recorded with Milt Buckner, Arnett Cobb, Herbie Fields, and others, and worked with Billy Williams in the 60s (?) b. December 28th 1910. (1910 is the correct not 1912)
1988: Billo Frómeta (72) Dominican orchestra conductor, arranger and composer, born in Pimentel, Provincia Duarte. At the age of 15, he founded and was the resident conductor of the Banda del Cuerpo de Bomberos de Ciudad Trujillo/Ciudad Trujillo's Fire Brigade's Band. He also founded the Orquesta Sinfónica de Santo Domingo during this time, they moved to Venezuela in December 1937, where they changed thier name to "Billo's Caracas Boys". Billo played in Venezuela until the fall of Marcos Pérez Jiménez in 1958 when he moved to Cuba for 2 years after which he returned to Venezuela. (April 1988, he suffered a stroke while rehearsing with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra for a concert-tribute in his honour that would occur the very next day: just after he finished conducting the practice run for "Un Cubano en Caracas", he collapsed on the ground as the orchestra was applauding his performance. Frómeta died the following week) b. November 15th 1915.
1992: Jean-Claude Pascal (64) French singer born in Paris; while working for Christian Dior, on his work for costumes for the theatre-play Don Juan he came into contact with acting and made his first cinema-movie in 1949 with Quattro rose rosse, dozens more movies followed including Le Rideau cramoisi, Le Grand jeu, La Encrucijada, and Le Rendez-vousand. Jean-Claude won the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg singing "Nous les amoureux"/We the lovers. He later represented Luxembourg again in the 1981 contest and finished 11th of 20 singing "C'est peut-être pas l'Amérique"/ It may not be America (?) b. October 24th 1927.
2004: Coxsone Dodd/Clement Seymour Dodd (72) Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, '60s and beyond. In 1962 he produced the Jazz record 'I Cover The Water Front' on the Port-O-Jam label, two of the musicians who played on the album, Roland Alphonso and Don Drummond became founding members of the Skatalites three years later. In 1963 he opened Studio One on Brentford Road, Kingston. It was the first black-owned recording studio in Jamaica. He held regular Sunday evening auditions in search of new talent, and it was here that he first found Bob Marley, singing as a part of The Wailin' Wailers. He received his nickname "Coxsone" at school: because of his teenage talent as a cricketer, his friends compared him to Alec Coxon, a member of the 1940s Yorkshire County Cricket Club team. Coxsone was posthumously awarded the Order of Distinction, in the rank of Commander on October 15th 2007, for service to the Jamaica music industry (sadly taken by a heart attack) b. January 26th 1932.
2004: Ritsuko Okazaki (44) Japanese singer-songwriter; she made her debut in 1993 with Kanashii Jiyu / Koi ga, Kiete Yuku - Sad Freedom / Love has Disappeared. During the nineties, she continued singing and also wrote songs for seiyus. From 2000 she became involved in earnest with anime and composed several songs for Wedding Peach, Fruits Basket and Love Hina. She formed the duo Melocure in 2002 with singer-songwriter Megumi Hinata. Ritsuko was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2003 but still continued with her work (tragically she died suddenly from septic shock) b. December 29th 1959.
2006: Naushad Ali (86) Indian music director; regarded as a pioneer of Indian music, one of the foremost music directors and composers for Bollywood films. Naushad worked with several lyricists, including Shakeel Badayuni, Majrooh Sultanpuri, D. N. Madhok, Zia Sarhadi, and Khumar Barabankvi. Mother India in 1957, for which he had composed music, was the first Indian film that got nominated for Oscar. In 1981, Naushad was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. In 1988 he worked in a Malayalam Film Dhwani starring Ever Green Hero Prem Nazir. In 1995 he gave music for Shahrukh Khan starrer, Guddu of which a few songs became popular. In 2004, when a colorized version of the classic Mughal-e-Azam was released, Naushad was a guest of honor at the premiere. He composed the tunes of Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story in 2005 at the age of 86, becoming the world's oldest composer (old age) b. December 25th 1919.
2008: Thomas Boggs (63) American drummer; he played in local Memphis bands including Tommy Burk and the Counts and with Flash and the Board of Directors, who opened for Paul Revere and the Raiders. In '68 he joined the Box Tops, playing on thier hit "Sweet Cream Ladies". After The Box Tops he went into the catering business and went on to found the Huey's Restaurant Chain around Memphis, USA. (cancer related) b. July 16th 1944.
2008: Jerry Wallace (79) American country music singer born in Guilford, Missouri; his better-known songs include "Primrose Lane", "Shutters And Boards", "In The Misty Moonlight", "Otoko no Sekai" and "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" which was featured in the 1972 Night Gallery episode "The Tune in Dan's Cafe". Also in 1972, he gained nomination for the Country Music Association Award as Male Vocalist of the Year, and his song "To Get To You" gained nomination for Single of the Year (heart failure) b. December 15th 1928.
2010: Lucho Barrios/Luis Barrios Rojas (76) Peruvian bolero singer born in Callao (sadly died due to a pulmonary embolism) b. April 22nd 1935.
2010: Giulietta Simionato (99) Italian mezzo-soprano singer, born in Forli She studied in Rovigo and Padua, and made her operatic debut at Montagnana in 1928 and by the end of her career was recognised as one of the most respected singers of her generation. In 1936, she made her debut at La Scala and appeared there regularly between 1936 and 1966. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1953, where she likewise appeared regularly between 1963 and 1965. In 1959, Giulietta made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera, as Azucena in Il Trovatore. She also appeared at the Edinburgh Festival, the San Francisco Opera, the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, the Lyric Opera of Chicago from 1954–1961, the Vienna State Opera, and the Salzburg Festival. In 1957, she sang in Anna Bolena with Maria Callas. Giulietta was a major recording artist and retired in 1966 (died in Rome a week before her 100th birthday) b. May 12th 1910.
2011: Nigel Pickering (81) American guitarist with Spanky and Our Gang born in Pontiac, Mich, the late 50s and early 60s, saw him playing with The Folksters, with Art Schill and bassist Ken Hodges, who later became a member of Our Gang. The Folksters performed on the Ed Sullivan Show and for Johnny Carson. Eventually, he, Hodges, and McFarlane got together to play and sing as a fill-in band at "Mother Blues," a Chicago nightclub, wearing costumes and incorporating comedy into the act. Soon after the idea for Spanky and Our Gang was born. The group's songs made the charts from 1967 to 1969, including "Sunday Will Never Be The Same","Making Every Minute Count", "Lazy Day", "Sunday Mornin'" in the spring, which reached #30, and "Like To Get To Know You",They cut a few albums and performed on major TV shows, but broke up when their guiding light, guitarist and trombonist Malcolm Hale, died of pneumonia (sadly Nigel died battling liver cancer) b. 1930
2013: Greg Quill (66) Australian-born musician, singer, songwriter and journalist; he lived in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and was a long serving entertainment columnist at the Toronto Star newspaper until his death. He began his music career in the 1960s, and released an album, Fleetwood Plain in 1970. He formed Country Radio that same year which signed to Infinity Records and started co-writing with the band’s Kerryn Tolhurst. Their second single, 1972 “Gypsy Queen,” spent 13 weeks on the Australian music charts, peaking at No. 12. The song was in the soundtrack to 2007’s "December Boys," starring Daniel Radcliffe, and the 2009 ABC series "East of Everything"; it was released in Canada in 1972 on Toronto’s MUCH Productions. After getting an arts grant, he moved to Toronto in 1974 and became a journalist at The Star (died in his sleep due to pneumonia and a recently diagnosed case of sleep apnea) b. 1947

May 6th.
1971: Dickie Valentine/Richard Maxwell (41) English pop singer born in London. On 14 Feb 1949, he was signed by Ted Heath to join his band, as a singer to work alongside Lita Roza and Denis Lotis. He was voted the Top UK Male Vocalist in 1952 while singing with the Ted Heath Orchestra, the most successful of all British big bands, and again after going solo in 1954. In November 1954, he was invited to sing at the Royal Command Performance, and in February 1955 he was top billed at the London Palladium. Not only did he sing, he also did jokes and impersonated many people, including Johnnie Ray, Frankie Laine, Mario Lanza, and Billy Daniels. He recorded two number one hits, "Christmas Alphabet" and "Finger of Suspicion". In 1955 was by far his best chart year, with two number ones and three other Top Ten hits. While his second number one "Christmas Alphabet" marked the first time in the UK that a song created for the Christmas market hit number one. In April 1955, he again topped the bill at the London Palladium for two weeks, a month after winning the male vocalist category in the NME poll. He went on to win this title consecutively from 1953-57. In 1961, he had a TV series Calling Dickie Valentine. In 1966 he partnered with Peter Sellers on the ATV sketch show The Dickie Valentine Show. (Dickie was tragically killed outright in a car crash on a single lane bridge at Glangrwyney, near Crickhowell, Wales, together with pianist Sidney Boatman and drummer Dave Pearson) b. November 4th 1929.
1971: Sidney Boatman (??) English pianist with Dickie Valentine (see above) b. ????
1971: Dave Pearson (42) English drummer with Dickie Valentine (see above) b. 1928
1972: Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan CC (79) Canadian orchestral conductor and composer, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician, from the 1920s through the 50s. His extraordinary contributions to the development of music in Canada, as conductor, performer, composer, administrator, lecturer, adjudicator, writer, humourist, and statesman, are unparalleled. From 1926 to 1942, he was principal of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, later to become the Royal Conservatory of Music. He notably was instrumental in establishing the Conservatory String Quartet in 1929. He was a conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra between 1931 and 1956. Noted for choosing slow tempos when conducting earned him the affectionate name "Lord Largo"! During the Centennial of the City of Toronto, in 1934, he was the chairman of the Music and Pagentry Committee. For many years, he served as organist of the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. For his 'services to music in Canada', he was knighted in 1935 by King George V. In 1969, he was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada. His Order of Canada investiture by then Governor General of Canada, Roland Michener, in Toronto, marked the first time the award had been made in a private ceremony, as his health did not allow him to travel to Ottawa (?) b. August 18th 1893.
1983: Kai Chresten Winding (60) Danish born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. Born in Aarhus, Denmark, he immigrated to the US in 1934, graduating in 1940 from Stuyvesant High School in New York. His career as a professional trombonist began in 1940 with Shorty Allen's band, then played with Sonny Dunham and Alvino Rey. After the war, he joined Benny Goodman's band, and later moved on to Stan Kenton's orchestra. During the 60s, Kai had a long stint at Verve Records, his best known recording from this period is "More", the theme from the movie Mondo Cane. In the 70s and early 80s, Kai recorded for a number of independent record labels, and he continued to give clinics, play jazz concerts and even reunited with Johnson for a live concert in Japan (Tragically died from a brain tumor) b. May 18th 1922
1985: Julie Vega (16) Filipino child actress and singer; as well as her acting career, she became a successful singer in her own right and sing many of the theme songs of the movies she appeared in like Dear Mama, Where Love Has Gone, Don't Cry for Me Papa, and Iiyak Ka Rin. Her debut single Somewhere in My Past, was a major hit which became a certified gold record. (Julie had been diagnosed with a form of demyelinating disease, which was highly suspected to be either Guillain-Barré syndrome or multiple sclerosis, but her cause of death was officially listed as cardiac arrest secondary to bronchopneumonia) b. May 21st 1968.
1992: Marlene Dietrich (90) German-born American cabaret singer, chorus girl and film and stage actress, born in Schöneberg, a district of Berlin, Germany. In 1920s Berlin, she acted on the stage and in silent films. Her performance as Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel, directed by Josef von Sternberg, brought her international fame and a contract with Paramount Pictures in the US. Her many Hollywood films included Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, and The Devil is a Woman. Marlene became a US citizen in 1939; during World War II, she was a high-profile frontline entertainer. Although she still made occasional films in the post-war years, she spent most of the 1950s to the 1970s touring the world as a successful show performer. Marlene appeared at the Edinburgh Festival, with Bacharach as conductor, in 1964 and 1965 and made appearances on Broadway twice in 1967 and 1968, winning a special Tony Award for her performance. In 1999 the American Film Institute named Marlene the ninth greatest female star of all time (died peacefully of natural causes in Paris, France) b. December 27th 1901.
2002: Otis Blackwell (69) American songwriter, singer and pianist born in Brooklyn, New York, one of the greatest R&B songwriters of all time whose work significantly influenced rock 'n' roll. His compositions include Little Willie John's "Fever", Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" and "Breathless", Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up" and "Return to Sender" with Winfield Scott, Jimmy Jones' "Handy Man" and so many more. He first became known by winning a local talent contest at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York in 1952, which led to a recording contract with RCA and then with Jay-Dee. His first release was his own composition "Daddy Rolling Stone" which became a favorite in Jamaica where it was recorded by Derek Martin. The song later became part of The Who's Mod repertoire. Otis was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and in 1991 into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame. His crowning moment came in the late 1980s when the Black Rock Coalition, an organization of black rock musicians, led by Vernon Reid, the lead guitarist of the band, Living Colour, held a tribute for him at the Prospect Park Bandshell in his native Brooklyn (Otis sadly died from a heart attack) b. February 16th 1932. [Otis Blackwell not be confused with songwriter and producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell]
2004: Barney Kessel (80) American jazz guitarist, born in Muskogee, Oklahoma; In 1944 he participated in the film Jammin' the Blues, which featured Lester Young, and in 1947 he recorded with Charlie Parker's New Stars on the Relaxin' at Camarillo session and others for Dial Records. He was rated the No.1 guitarist in Esquire, Down Beat, and Playboy magazine polls between 1947 and 1960. As a "first call" guitarist at Columbia Pictures, during the 1960s Kessel became one of the most in-demand session guitarists in America, and was considered a key member of the group of first-call session musicians now usually known as The Wrecking Crew. During the 1970s, he presented his seminar 'The Effective Guitarist' in various locations around the world (sadly Barney died from a brain tumor) b. October 17th 1923.
2006: Grant McLennan (48) Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Rockhampton, Queensland, then moved to Cairns as a young child. In 1976 Grant began a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Queensland. Then in 1977/78 along with singer-songwriter Robert Forster he co-founded the alternative rock band The Go-Betweens, releasing their first official album 'Send Me A Lullaby' in 1982, after which they relocated to the UK. Their second LP 'Before Hollywood' in 1983 established them as cult favourites in the UK. Grant's composition "Cattle And Cane" was a hit on the British independent charts and also named by the A.P.R.A as one of the 10 greatest Australian songs of all time. After recording six albums, The Go-Betweens disbanded in December 1989. Next, Grant collaborated on two albums with the band Jack Frost, recorded four solo albums, and collaborated with Powderfinger's Ian Haug in Far Out Corporation. In 2000 Grant and Robert reformed The Go-Betweens, and recorded three more albums. Their last studio album, Oceans Apart, won the band their first ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album. Their That Striped Sunlight Sound DVD was nominated for Best Music DVD at the 2006 awards (died suddenly of a heart attack) b. February 12th 1958
2007: Ðorde Novkovic (63) Croatian songwriter; he joined the musical school in Sarajevo at the age of 6. After graduating conducting from Musical Academy in Sarajevo, he founded a band Pro Arte in 1967. His first hit came in 1969 with the song "Više se nece vratiti" performed by Mišo Kovac and sold in half a million copies. In 1973, Pro Arte merged with another Sarajevo pop group Indexi, but the experiment lasted only several months. Pro Arte existed in continuity until 1980, then off-and-on throughout the 1980s until Dorde moved to Rovinj, Croatia in 1989. This is where Ðorde switched to writing songs, creating material for some of the hits of the former Yugoslavia. He collaborated with performers such as Mišo Kovac, Neda Ukraden, Zdravko Colic, Duško Lokin, Ðani Maršan, Tomislav Ivcic, Tereza Kesovija, Ivica Šerfezi, Gabi Novak, Srebrna krila and others. He wrote the song "Don't Ever Cry" for Put, the first Croatian representative in the Eurovision Song Contest and also co-owned and managed the Croatia Records label (sadly died after a stroke) b. September 2nd 1943.
2008: Michael "Micky" Waller (66) British drummer born in Hammersmith, London; he was much in demand as a session musician and played with many of the biggest names on the UK rock and blues scene after he became a professional musician in 1960 and eventually he became Rod Stewart's drummer of choice. His first pro-band, The Flee-Rekkers, had a No.23 hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1960, with their recording of "Green Jeans". He left to join a well-known band of the day, Joe Brown and the Bruvvers. In July 1963, he joined the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars. After Davies' death in 1964, he joined Marty Wilde as one of the Wildecats. After a short stint with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, who he rejoined several times, he joined Brian Auger as part of The Trinity. In April 1965, the group evolved into The Steampacket. He also worked with the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, the Jeff Beck Group, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and in 1968, was involved in staging the rock musical Hair in London. He also played with the Walker Brothers, Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Dusty Springfield, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart and played in the band of Tex- Mex accordion player Flaco Jimenez in the mid-80s. But blues and R&B were his love, and after much studio work in the 70s and 80s he continued throughout his later years, to play live in bands such as Deluxe Blues Band, Terry Smith Blues Band, and his own Micky Waller Band. (sadly Micky died from liver failure) b. September 6th 1941. Most sources give Micky Waller's death as April 29th 2008
2008: Franz Jackson (95) American saxophonist and clarinetist of the Chicago jazz school. Born in Rock Island, Illinois he was long noted as being one of the last surviving jazz artists to have recorded pre-1940. His first professonal job came at age 16 with Albert Ammons in 1929. He then worked with Cassino Simpson, 1931; Carroll Dickerson in 1932 and 1934-6; Jimmie Noone in 1934; Roy Eldridge - 1937; and Fletcher Henderson from 1937-38. He re-joined Eldridge in 1938 and went with him to New York. He toured California with Earl Hines in 1940-41, then worked in New York City with Fats Waller in 1941 and Cootie Williams in 1942. He next played in Boston with Frankie Newton from 1942-3, toured again with Eldridge in 1944, and worked with Wilbur De Paris in 1944-45. Franz visited the Pacific with Jesse Stone in 1946 in the first of a series of US tours he played in the late 1940's and early 1950's. After returning to Chicago in 1957, Franz formed his own band, the very successful Original Jass All-Stars and in 1996, he received the Jazz Master Award from Arts Midwest. Franz was still active well into his 90s in various jazz clubs of Chicago, and also played at jazz festivals and clubs throughout the world (?) b. November 1st 1912.
2009: Randall "Poodie" Locke (56) American stage manager; he had worked as a roadie for singer-songwriter B.W. Stevenson before becoming Nelson's stage manager around the time Willie released his 1975 album, Red Headed Stranger. He appeared in Nelson's 1980 film, Honeysuckle Rose. He opened Poodie's Hilltop Bar and Grill in Spicewood, Texas, in 2002, the bar became a favorite stop for musicians. (heart attack) b. ????
2009: Viola Wills/Viola Mae Wilkerson (69) American pop singer; she was discovered by Barry White in 1965, who signed her to Bronco Records and changed her name to Viola Wills. She started her career at the L.A. Conservatory of Music and, over the following years, in addition to working with Barry White, also performed with Joe Cocker, Smokey Robinson and many other established recording artists of the era. It was while working in London as one of Cocker's backing vocalists, dubbed the "Sanctified Sisters" that she worked on and released her solo debut album of self-penned originals titled Soft Centers, backed by Cocker's session players. Her hits include including "Gonna Get Along Without You Now", "Dare To Dream", "Both Sides Now", "No News Is News", "A House Is Not a Home", "If You Could Read My Mind", "Love Pains", "Let's Love Now", "Take One Step Forward" (by Wills and Noel McCalla), and "Always Something There to Remind Me" (cancer) b. December 30th 1939.
2009: Ean Evans (48) American bassist; he started out at 5 playing the trumpet, before changing to guitar in his early teens and playing with local bands. Influenced by the likes of John Paul Jones, Leon Wilkeson and Geddy Lee he changed to bass, enjoying the aggressive approach to playing. In the 1980s he played bass for a rock band called "...Five Miles High!", before forming his first original band "Cupid's Arrow", which was popular in the Atlanta area. After composing and recording over 50 songs, Ean became a full time studio musician. He went on to play with The Outlaws, recording and world wide touring. He then formed his band "Noon" in which he was guitarist, bass player as well as primary songwriter and vocalist. In August of 2001 he joined Lynyrd Skynyrd replacing bassist Leon Wilkeson who had sadly passed away (cancer) b. September 16th 1960.
2011: Mike Spoerndle (59) American club owner ans promoter of East Haven, who founded the legendary New Haven music club Toad’s Place in 1975. Mike helped bring some of the biggest names in rock ‘n roll to the Elm City, including the Rolling Stones’ surprise performance on Aug. 12, 1989. Bob Dylan played for six hours on Jan. 12, 1990. Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, U2, REM, and Bon Jovi all performed, are just a few who have performed at Toad's Place (the exact cause of death remains unknown, but Spoerndle had battled drug and alcohol dependency in the past decade) b. 1952
2013: Steve Martland (53) English composer, born in Liverpool and studied composition at Liverpool University and in the Netherlands with Louis Andriessen. He worked mainly with artists outside classical institutions, Dutch and US groups, freelance musicians and his own Steve Martland Band which tours his music internationally. He also worked with the King’s Singers and Evelyn Glennie for whom he wrote Street Songs. His Principia was adopted as the theme music for the BBC radio programme The Music Machine. Dance Works is also used as the title music for a Dutch TV programme. He also wrote and directed A Temporary Arrangement with the Sea, a film about Louis Andriessen. In August 1998 he collaborated with the band Spiritualized on a project for the Flux Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Also, Steve was composer in residence at the ETNA Music Festival in Sicily in 2006 and 2007 (died in his sleep) b. October 10th 1959.
2013: Francesco Sorianello (84) American actor and opera singer; as well as portraying the role of Alessandro over 10 seasons of the Ramona Pageant between 1967-81, he performed a number of concerts, appeared in stage productions, mostly musicals and appeared in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” with Debbie Reynolds in 1989. (sadly Francesco has died of a heart attack) b. May 1st 1929.

May 7th.
1989: Ron Wilson (44) American drummer, best known as one of the original members of The Surfaris, an early surf rock group formed in Glendora, California in 1962., introducing a vigorous cadence-laced drumming style which made their music much more energetic than other surf bands. His energetic drum solo made 'Wipe Out' the best-remembered instrumental of the period. The band toured in various forms for many years and at times invited members of the audience to attempt Ron's drum riff while the guitarists played the melody (sadly Ron died of a brain aneurysm) b. June ?? 1945.
1995: Ray McKinley (84) American jazz drummer, singer and bandleader; Dorsey Brothers, Will Bradley, Glenn Miller, and became leader of the revived Glenn Miller band. He got his start working with local bands in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, before joining Smith Ballew in 1929, when he met Glenn Miller. The two formed a friendship which lasted from 1929 until Miller's death in 1944. They both joined the Dorsey Brothers in 1934. Ray remained with Jimmy until 1939, when he joined Will Bradley, becoming co-leader. His biggest hit with Bradley, as a singer, was "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar," which he recorded early in the year 1940. He joined Glenn Miller's Army Air Force band, which he co-led with arranger Jerry Gray after Miller's disappearance in December 1944. He formed his own band, then n 1956, capitalizing on the popularity of the Glenn Miller Story movie Ray was chosen to be the leader of the revived Glenn Miller band, which he led until 1966. He co-hosted a 13-week CBS-TV summer series with the band on CBS-TV in 1961. Surviving kinescopes of the program, which was broadcast live, show another side of McKinley's talent: On that "Glenn Miller Time" series .. he was a more than adept song and dance man as well. (?) b. June 18th 1910.
1998: Eddie Rabbitt (56) American singer and songwriter; he grow up in New Jersey, but moved to Nashville to start a career as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after penning such hits as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974. Later in the 1970s, he helped to develop the crossover-influenced sound of country music prevalent in the 1980s with hits "Suspicions" and "Every Which Way but Loose". His duets "Friends and Lovers" and "You and I", with Juice Newton and Crystal Gayle respectively, later served as the themes for the soap operas Days of Our Lives and All My Children. In the 1970s and 80s he penned 20 No.1 country hits including "Drivin' My Life Away" and "I Love a Rainy Night," which also topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks (lung cancer) b. November 27th 1941.
2004: Rudi Maugeri (73) Canadian baritone singer and founding member of The Crew-Cuts, who named themselves after the then popular crew cut haircut, one of the first connections made between pop music and hairstyle. They all had been members of the St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto. They were most famous for their recording of a cover version of The Chords, hit record, "Sh-Boom" in 1954. Rudi also worked as a disc jockey, radio show host and station programmer in both New York and L.A. (sadly lost his brave battle with pancreatic cancer) b. January 21st 1931.
2010: David Fisher (70) American folk singer and guitarist; while still at high school in New Haven, Connecticut, Dave sang with a doo-wop group called the Academics, he released three singles while with them. A year later while at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, Dave started the Highwaymen, originally calling themselves the Clansmen, with Bob Burnett, Steve Trott, Chan Daniels and Steve Butts. They had a Billboard No.1 hit in 1961 with "Michael" which sold over one million copies, and were awarded a gold disc. It was followed by another top 20 hit in 1962 "Cottonfields". They continued for another three years recording two albums and performed countless concerts and television shows. Dave spent the next thirty years in LA where he composed, arranged, edited and supervised music for TV and film for most of the major studios and wrote over a thousand songs, before again performing with a reformed Highwayman as lead tenor, lead guitarist and musical director (?) b. ????
2010: Francisco Aguabella (84) Cuban-American jazz percussionist, born in Matanzas, he first left Cuba in the 1950s to perform with Katherine Dunham in the Shelley Winters film "Mambo" filmed in Italy. After touring with Katherine Dunham he relocated to America and performed and toured with Peggy Lee for the next seven years. He performed in Europe, Australia, South America, and all over the United States, including the White House. Francisco enjoyed an extensive music performing and recording career with many great jazz artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao, Lalo Schifrin, Cal Tjader, Nancy Wilson, Poncho Sanchez, Bebo Valdes and numerous others. He also taught Afro-Cuban drumming to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of California, Los Angeles. (sadly lost his life to a cancer-related illness) b. August 28th 1925.
2011: John Walker/John Joseph Maus (67) American singer, songwriter and guitarist, born in New York City, but moved to California in 1947. After singing at local venues, John went on to form The Walker Brothers in 1964 along with bassist Scott Engel, and drummer Al "Tiny" Schneider. Their song "Make It Easy On Yourself", reached No.1 in the UK chart in September 1965. The following year they had their second UK No.1, "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore", it was also their biggest hit in the US, where it made No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100. In early '68, The Walker Brothers split up and John began performing solo releasing a single, "Annabella", and the album, 'If You Go Away'. In 1974, he reformed The Walker Brothers and in 1975, they released an album, No Regrets and recorded two further albums together, Lines and Nite Flights. In 2000, he set up his own record label and released a CD, You. He toured Britain again as part of a nostalgia package tour in 2004, and released an album, Silver Sixties Tour 2004 (sadly John died battling liver cancer) b. November 12th 1943.
2011: George Webley (53) British musician, composer, bandleader, and broadcaster born in Clapham, London. He left school at the age of 14 to go on the road with a showband. He became Herbie Flowers', noted bassist of Blue Mink, T.Rex and Sky, apprentice in his late teens and was himself a session bass player until the age of 30. George then became a musical director for EMI producing dozens of chart records. In 1989, he became bandleader on Jameson Tonight and composed or arranged the theme music for the television programmes Have I Got News For You, The Office, Room 101, and Graham Norton. He also composed numerous other themes for the National Theatre, Arts Theatre, ballet, and radio including Ian McMillan’s East Coast Girls, Emma Clarke's Share and Share Alike, and Neil Mossey’s Stockport So Good They Named It Once. In 1999 Webley presented the BBC2 educational series Music File, which won the Prix La Basle award for educational excellence. He also won the 2002 Sony Gold for Music Broadcaster[3] whilst on BBC Three Counties, where he launched "Cabbie Chat - The Rank Opinion", which ran every morning on his Milton Keynes Breakfast programme. In his last 5 years he worked mostly on BBC London radio and most recently he formed a new band, The G Spot, featuring Happy Dave on drums and Jez on guitar. They played their first gig on 28 Aug 2010 for Natalie Cassidy of Eastenders fame at the National Theatre, South Bank, London. The performance was filmed for a reality show to be shown later this year, 2011, on E4 (awaiting the coroners report) b. May 29th 1957.
2013: Eric Kitteringham (66) Irish rock musician with the 60s rock band Taste () b.
2013: Peter Rauhofer (48) Austrian dj, remixer and producer who formerly went under the moniker Club 69 as well as Size Queen. From Vienna, he was famous for a variety of his remixes including Cher's, "Believe", and a number of Madonna's songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails", "Nobody Knows Me", "Get Together", "Impressive Instant", and "4 Minutes", as well as her collaboration with Britney Spears, "Me Against The Music" and various collaborations with Janet Jackson, "Throb", "Just A Little While" to name a few. He provided remixes for Whitney Houston, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Pet Shop Boys, Christina Aguilera, Yoko Ono, Pink, Tori Amos and Mariah Carey. In 2000 he won the Grammy Award for Best Remixer of the Year for his remix of Cher Believe song (sadly died of brain cancer) b. April 29th 1965.

May 8th.
1967: LaVerne Sophia Andrews (55) American contralto singer and eldest of The Andrews Sisters, who became the best-selling female vocal group in the history of popular music setting records that remain unsurpassed to this day. Born in Minnesota, LaVerne played piano accompaniment for the silent film showings in exchange for free dancing lessons for herself and her sisters, Maxine and Patricia. They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring in vaudeville with the likes of Ted Mack, Leon Belasco, and comic bandleader Larry Rich, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937, most notably via their major record hit, Bei Mir Bist Du Schön/To Me, You Are Beautiful. Once the sisters found fame and settled in California. During World War II, they entertained the Allied forces extensively in America, Africa and Italy, visiting Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard bases, war zones, hospitals, and munitions factories (cancer) b. July 6th 1911.
1974: Graham Bond (36) British keyboard player, one of the great catalytic figures of 60s rock in UK, and has a claim to the title "Father of the British Blues". He gained attention as a jazz saxophonist as a member of the Don Rendell Quintet. After which, he was a member of Blues Incorporated, a group led by Alexis Korner, before forming his Graham Bond Quartet. With a lineup of himself on vocals and organ, Ginger Baker on drums, Jack Bruce on double bass, and, briefly, John McLaughlin on guitar, who was replaced by Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax and the name changed to the Graham Bond Organization. Graham was the main song writer, and also produced their two studio albums, The Sound of '65 and There's a Bond Between Us. The GBO is notable in popular music history for jump-starting the careers of two future Cream members, bassist/singer Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. One song Bruce and Baker originally recorded with Bond, "Train Time," later wound up in the repertoire of Cream. Graham also formed Magus with UK folk-singer Carolanne Pegg, the group disbanded around Christmas 1973 without recording. During that same period, he discovered American singer-songwriter-guitarist Mick Lee, and took him under his wing. They played together live, but never recorded. The new band also had plans to include Chris Wood of Traffic, but never materialized due to Bond's untimely death (suicide?? maybe?? He died under the wheels of train at Finsbury Park station, London) b. October 28th 1937.
1982: Neil Bogart/Neil E. Bogatz (39) American record executive. He was a singer in the 1960s before running Cameo-Parkway Records, after which he became an executive at Buddah Records. He is credited with being a key player in the rise of bubblegum pop music during his time working at Cameo-Parkway and Buddah. He founded Casablanca Records in the 70's. The KISS album Creatures of the Night was dedicated to the memory of Neil, Donna Summer's self-titled album from 1982 is also dedicated to Neil's memory, and the liner notes contain one of his s favorite sayings, "why head for the mountaintop when you're reaching for the sky". In the 1980 film Can't Stop the Music, actor Paul Sand plays a record executive loosely based on Bogart. (sadly he lost his fight with cancer) b. February 3rd 1943.
1985: Carl Marx (87) German composer and conductor; he composed orchestral works, concerti, chamber music, piano music, works for organ, cantatas, numerous choral works and lieder set to words by German poets. He studied musical composition with Orff, Siegmund von Hausegger and Anton Beer-Waldbrunn among others. In 1928 he became choir director of the Munich Bach Society, and in 1929 was appointed professor of compositional technique at the Akademie der Tonkunst, Munich. From 1939 to 1945 he taught music theory at the Johann Joseph Fux Conservatory in Graz, composed music for Nazi ceremonies and contributed to songbooks for the Hitler Youth. From 1946 until given emeritus status he was professor of composition at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart (He died in Stuttgart) b. November 12th 1897.
1988: Joseph Hilton 'Nappy' Lamare (82) American jazz banjoist, electric bassist, guitarist, and vocalist, born in New Orleans. He started his musical career in New Orleans working with performers such as Monk Hazel, Johnny Wiggs and Sharkey Bonano, to name a few. He perhaps best-known for his work from 1930-1935 with the Ben Pollack band, and from 1935-1943 with the Bob Crosby band (?) b. June 14th 1905.
1990: Luigi Nono (66) Italian pianist and avant-garde composer of classical music, he remains one of the most prominent composers of the 20th century. Born in Venice, Hermann Scherchen presented Luigi's first acknowledged work, the Variazioni canoniche sulla serie dell'op. 41 di A. Schönberg in 1950, at the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt. During the 1960s, Luigi's musical activities became increasingly explicit and polemical in their subject, whether that be the warning against nuclear catastrophe - Canti di vita e d'amore: sul ponte di Hiroshima of 1962; the denunciation of capitalist exploitation - La Fabbrica Illuminata in 1964; the condemnation of Nazi war criminals in the wake of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials - Ricorda cosi ti hanno fatto in Auschwitz, 1965; or of American imperialism in the war against Vietnam - A floresta e jovem e cheia de vida of 1966. His last masterpieces, such as Caminantes… Ayacucho 1986–87, inspired by a region in southern Peru that experiences extreme poverty and social unrest, La lontananza nostalgica utopica futura 1988–89, and "Hay que caminar" soñando 1989, offer poignant comment on the composer's life-long quest for political renewal and social justice. (?) b. January 29th 1924.
1991: Rudolf Serkin (88) Bohemian-born pianist born in Bohemia, Austro-Hungarian Empire, now Cheb, Czech Republic.a child prodigy, he was sent to Vienna at the age of 9, where he studied piano with Richard Robert and, later, composition with Joseph Marx making his public debut with the Vienna Philharmonic at 12. Shortly after the outbreak of WW II in 1939, he emigrated to the United States, where he taught several generations of pianists at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. From 1968 to 1976 he served as the Institute's Director. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 and in March 1972 celebrated his 100th appearance with the New York Philharmonic by playing Johannes Brahms's Piano Concerto No.1. The orchestra and board of directors also named him an honorary member of the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Society, a distinction also conferred on Aaron Copland, Igor Stravinsky, and Paul Hindemith. In 1986, he celebrated his 50th anniversary as a guest artist with the orchestra. He is also regarded as one of the primary interpreters of the music of Beethoven in the 20th century (sadly died of cancer) b. March 28th 1903.
1991: Jean Langlais (84) French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser, born in La Fontenelle a village near Mont St Michel. He became blind due to glaucoma when he was only two years old, and was sent to study at the Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris, where he began to study the organ. From there, he progressed to the Paris Conservatoire, obtaining prizes in organ. Jean was a prolific composer, composing 254 works with opus numbers, the first of which was his Prelude and Fugue for organ in 1927, and the last his Trio in 1990, another organ piece. Although best known as a composer of organ music and sacred choral music, he also composed a number of instrumental, orchestral and chamber works and some secular song settings. He was also a much in demand as a concert organist, and toured widely across Europe and the United States. (?) b. February 15th 1907.
1995: Teresa Teng (42) Chinese pop singer from Taiwan, her voice and songs are instantly recognized throughout east Asia. Her songs also enjoy huge popularity among Korean, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Indonesian listeners. To date she currently holds the record of being the highest selling Asian artist of all time with sales of over 100 million, slightly higher than that of Michiya Mihashi. Teresa was known for her folk songs and romantic ballads, such as "When Will You Return?" and "The Moon Represents My Heart". She recorded songs not only in her native Mandarin but also in English, Taiwanese, Cantonese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indonesian (Tragically died from a severe respiratory attack while on holiday in Thailand. Teresa was a lifelong sufferer from asthma) b. January 29th 1953.
1996: Celedonio Romero (83) Cuban guitarist, composer and poet, born in Cienfuegos, Cuba. He studied classical guitar at the Conservatory of Málaga and at the Madrid Royal Conservatory and made his concert debut at the age of 22. In 1957 he relocated to Southern California, where with his three sons Angel, Celin and Pepe started a guitar quartet, the Romeros. Celedonio made a large number of recordings, both solo and with the Romeros, and he also wrote over 100 compositions for guitar, including a dozen concertos. He was inducted into the Orden de Isabel la Católica by King Juan Carlos I. He was also made a "Caballero del Santo Sepulcro" / "Knight of the Holy Sepulchre" by Pope John Paul II. (?) b. March 2nd 1913.
2005: Nasrat Parsa (36) Afghani singer; one of the few Afghan singers who had a formal training in classical music. It was these lessons that would prepare him for performing the ghazal that he later became known for in Europe. Due to Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the ensuing disruptive guerrilla fighting, Nasrat and his family left Afghanistan in 1981 for Pakistan and subsequently to New Delhi, India, where he attended the school of music under the apprenticeship of classic Indian singer Daish Pandi. Nasrat and his family next immigrated to Hamburg, Germany, where he met fellow countrymen and became more involved in the music scene with the other exiled singers and musicians.There, he taught Waly Hedjasi, better known as VALY, a highly acclaimed musician. In 2005 at the height of his popularity, Nasrat was invited to perform at a concert in Vancouver, Canada, for Mother’s Day, opening a tour that was scheduled to include several cities in North America (murdered while performing at the Mother's Day concert in Canada) b. February 22nd 1968
2000: Dédé Fortin/André Fortin (37) Canadian singer and guitarist, born near the village of St-Thomas-Didyme, in the Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, he studied cinema at the Université de Montréal. In 1990 he formed and fronted the band Les Colocs. The band marked the history of Quebec music with their sound, infused with brass sounds, first very wild and festive, later more mellow, as well as more inspired by swing, country, blues and african music. Their debut self titled album was released in '93, which was followed by 1995's 'Atrocetomique' and 'Dehors novembre' in '98 which won the Félix Award for the Rock Album of the Year. Albums 'Les Années 1992-1995', 'Suite 2116' and 'Live 1993-1998' were released after his death. A movie about his life, "Dédé à travers les brumes" was released on March 13th 2009 (Dédé committed Hara-kiri, a Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment, in his apartment in the Plateau neighborhood of Montreal) b. November 17th 1962.
2008: Eddy Arnold (89) American country music star; with 145 songs on the country charts including 28 number one hits. A member of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 and the Country Music Hall of Fame since 1966, he ranked 22nd on Country Music Television's 2003 list of "The 40 Greatest Men of Country Music" and he is among one of the most popular country singers in U.S. history. His many hits included "That's How Much I Love You", "What Is Life Without Love", "It's a Sin", "I'll Hold You in My Heart", "To My Sorrow", "Anytime", "Bouquet of Roses", "(Just a Little Lovin') Will Go a Long Way", "A Heart Full of Love (For a Handful of Kisses)", "One Kiss Too Many", "There's Been a Change in Me", "Kentucky Waltz", "I Wanna Play House With You", "Eddy's Song", "Make the World Go Away", "I Want to Go with You" and "Turn the World Around" to mention just a few. In 2000, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. In 2005, Arnold received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy, and later that year, released an album with RCA Records called After All These Years. (Eddy died of natural causes, just one week short of his 90th birthday) b. May 15th 1918.
2011: Cornell Dupree (69) American jazz and R&B guitarist, beginning his career playing in the Atlantic Records studio band, recording on albums by Aretha Franklin, noted for playing the opening guitar riff on Aretha's "Respect" and King Curtis as a member of "The King Pins". He appeared on the 1969 Lena Horne and Gábor Szabó recording, and on recordings with Archie Shepp, Grover Washington, Jr., Snooky Young and Miles Davis. In the late 70s he was a founding member of the band Stuff, which featured fellow guitarist Eric Gale, Richard Tee on keyboards, Steve Gadd, Chris Parker on drums, and Gordon Edwards on bass. Also Dupree and Cornell recorded together on many occasions. Other notable albums include Joe Cocker's Stingray and Luxury You Can Afford, plus his solo albums Teasin', Saturday Night Fever (instrumental), Shadow Dancing, Can't Get Through, Coast to Coast, Uncle Funky, Child's Play, Bop 'n' Blues, and Unstuffed. He played on Brook Benton's "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love", and is featured on two tracks of Peter Wolf's 1998 album, Fool's Parade (sadly Cornell died of complications from emphysema) b. December 19th 1942.
2012: Roman Totenberg (101) Polish-born American violinist born in Lódz. He made his debut at the age of 12 as soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra in 1923. He was also awarded the gold medal at the Chopin Conservatory/Warsaw and continued his studies with Carl Flesch in Berlin, where he won the International Mendelssohn Prize in 1931, and later with George Enescu and Pierre Monteux in Paris. He made both his British debut in London and his American debut in New York in 1935. In 1983 he was named Artist Teacher of the Year by the American String Teachers Association and in April 2007 he was honored with the New England String Ensemble's Muses & Mentors Award for his great artistry and significant contributions to string education. In 1988 he was awarded the highest Medal of Merit by the Polish Government for his life-long contributions to Polish society (?) b. January 1st 1911.
2012: Kiyoko Otani (93) Japanese soprano singer (died from respiratory failure) b.
2012: Everett Lilly (87) American bluegrass mandolin player and along with his brother Bea, performed as the Lilly Brothers. Born in Clear Creek, WV, they made their radio debut on the Old Farm Hour show at WCHS in Charleston in 1938. In 1948, the brothers signed with the WWVA Jamboree as members of "Red Belcher's Kentucky Ridge Runners", but quit two years later because of a financial dispute and the brothers retired temporarily. In 1951, he joined Flatt & Scruggs as mandolin player, then the next year, in 1952, Tex Logan, persuaded them to reunite. The personnel of the Lilly Brothers: Everett, Bea, Don Stover and Tex Logan, didn't change between 1952 and 1970 and is considered one of bluegrass music's most stable lineups. The death of Everett’s son, Giles, in a car crash in 1970 brought a start of an end to the brothers. For the remainder of the 1970s, the brothers did reunite on several occasions. In the 1980s, as Bea retired, Everett and his son Mark played together in the group "Clear Creek Crossin'" and he continued to play and perform with his sons in the band Everett Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers until his death. The Lilly Brothers’ career was chronicled in a 1979 documentary "True Facts in a Country Song". In 1986, the Lilly Brothers were inducted into the Massachusetts Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2002, they were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and in 2008, inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall Of Fame (?) b. July 1st 1924.
2013: Zia Fariduddin Dagar (80) Indian classical vocalist in the Dhrupad, the oldest existing form of north Indian classical music (Hindustani classical music) and part of the Dagar family of musicians. He taught at the Dhrupad Kendra, Bhopal, along with his elder brother, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar for 25 years. He was awarded the 1994 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Hindustani music-Vocal by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. Padma Shri- India's fourth highest civilian honor been conferred upon him in year 2012, but he turned it down, saying the government did not care about his seniority as he was chosen for it after much younger Dhrupad singers were conferred the honour. Zia represented the 19th generation of the musical tradition of the Dagar family that is believed to have preserved and nurtured Dhrupad for 20 generations (sadly died after a short illness) b. June 15th 1932
2013: Bill Langstroth (82) Canadian country music producer raised in Montreal; his first gig was in Halifax as a producer at CBC. Working alongside Don Messer, he quickly climbed the ladder, from coordinating producer in 1954 to a series producer in 1955. He built the Don Messer show into a nationally broadcasted program and in the years following hosted, "Singalong Jubilee." His extensive efforts and great talent in the areas of television production allow him to be recognized as one of the country's first and best industry leaders and in 2011, he was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of fame (?) b. November 5th 1930. <- Canadian Country Music Hall give this as Bill Langstroth's birthdate, which makes him 82, not 81 as reported on many sites.
2013: Juan Tarodo (52) Spanish drummer, songwriter and producer; born in Madrid, he was a founding member of the techno pop Olé Olé, one of the most successful bands in Spain and Latin America between 1983 and 1993, with hits singles such as "No controls", "Conspiracy" and "I'm a thousand". After the band split in 1993, Juan moved more to the production side of the business. As a producer, he worked with the likes of Noelia, Jose Luciano, Pedro Marin, Anibal Berraute, Jose Luis Rodriguez "El Puma" and Juan Gabriel, among others (sadly Juan died battling leukemia) b. June 12th 1960.

May 9th.
1919: James Reese Europe (38) American ragtime and early jazz bandleader, arranger, and composer. Born in Mobile, Alabama, into a musical family, at about ten, his family moved to Washington, D.C., where he studied violin with Enrico Hurlei, the assistant director of the Marine Corps Band. At 22, he moved to New York and began playing piano in a cabaret and in 1905, he joined Joe Jordan to write for The Memphis Students. In 1907, he was the musical director of Cole and Johnson's Shoo-Fly Re giment. James was the leading figure on the African American music scene of New York City in the 1910s. George Gershwin remembered sitting on the curb outside Baron Wilkin's nightclub in Harlem for hours when he was seven years old, listening to James Europe play. In 1910, he founded one of the most unusual African-American organizations of the time The Clef Club playing many of the most elite functions in New York, London, Paris, and on yachts traveling worldwide. During World War I James obtained a Commission in the New York Army National Guard, where he saw combat as a lieutenant with the 369th Infantry Regiment (the "Harlem Hellfighters"). He went on to direct the regimental band to great acclaim entertaining the troops. During this time, his group performed in a series of concerts with some of the greatest marching bands of France, Britain, and Italy. James and his band returned triumphantly to New York on February 12, 1919, and soon began a tour of American cities. The final concert on the tour was at Mechanic's Hall in Boston (During the intermission of his concert at Boston’s Mechanics Hall, James was fatally stabbed in the neck by his drummer Herbert Wright, severing his jugular vein with a pen knife. James was granted the first ever public funeral for an African American in New York) b. February 22nd 1881
1957: Ezio Pinza (64) Italian bass opera singer born in Rome; he spent 22 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera, appearing in more than 750 performances of 50 operas. He opposite many celebrated singers at the Met during his heyday. They included, among others, such international stars as Rosa Ponselle, Elisabeth Rethberg, Giovanni Martinelli, Beniamino Gigli, Lawrence Tibbett and Giuseppe De Luca. He also sang to great acclaim at La Scala, Milan, and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. After retiring from the Met in 1948, he enjoyed a fresh career on Broadway in the musical theatre and also appeared in several Hollywood films. (Ezio sadly died from a stroke) b. May 18th 1892
1983: Bob Neal (65) American DJ and agent, born to missionary parents in the Belgian Congo on the continent of Africa. After a well traveled upbringing, back in America, in the late 1940s, he had his own country music program on WMPS, "The Bob Neal Farm Hour". This gave him the change to promote young artists and songwriters, and in 1954 Sam Phillips of Sun Records introduced him to a young Elvis, Bob took over Elvis's early management signing him in 1955. He also formed the talent agency, Stars Inc and by 1956, he was putting together package shows, which took several artists on a tour, these included Johnny Cash, Sonny James, Roy Orbison and the Teen Kings, Johnny Horton, Faron Young and others. Over the years Bob has promoted and/or managed many other artists such as Carl Belew, Tommy Cash, Stonewall Jackson, Sonny James, Warner Mack, Johnny Paycheck, Pete Drake, Connie Hall and Jimmy Martin to mention a few (?) b. October 6th 1917.
1989: Keith Whitley (34) American country music singer, guitarist, born in Sandy Hook, KY; his brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 until 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters. He charted nineteen singles on the Billboard country charts, including five consecutive No.1s: "Don't Close Your Eyes", "When You Say Nothing at All", "I'm No Stranger to the Rain", "I Wonder Do You Think of Me" and "It Ain't Nothin'", the last two posthumously (alcohol poisoning) b. July 1st 1954.
1991: Yanka Dyagileva (24) Russian poet and singer-songwriter, born in Novosibirsk and was one of the brightest figures in Russia's underground punk scene. She played solo and performed with others, including Egor Letov and Velikiye Oktyabri of the Great Octobers rock band. She was greatly influenced by her friend Alexander Bashlachev, and Letov, her lover and mentor. Her songs were a mixture of desperate, punk-style nihilism and folk lamentations. (The exact date of her sad death is unknown; on May 9th 1991, Yanka disappeared from her countryside home, where she lived with her family. On May 17th she was found dead in the Inya River, far away from the place where she had disappeared. It is thought she probably committed suicide after a long bout with depression) b. September 4th 1966.
1998: Talat Mahmood (74) Indian playback singer and film actor born in Lucknow, he sang about 800 songs in his long career; he studied classical music at Morris Music College. His reputation as a ghazal singer soon spread with his classical songs " Sapnon Ki Suhaani Duniyaa Ko " for film Shikast and " Laage Tose Naina " for Chaandi Ki Deewar. In 1949 Talat moved to Bombay, to sing for the Bombay film industry. His name and fame had already preceded him and soon he was flooded with offers. His big break came with the song "Ae dil mujhe aisi jagha le chal jahan koi na ho" composed by music-composer Anil Biswas for the soundtrack of the movie "Arzoo". Talat also acted in over a dozen films with top actresses of the time like Nutan, Mala Sinha, Suraiya and others. Later he decided to give up acting to concentrate on singing (?) b. February 24th 1924.
2001: James E. Myers (81) American songwriter, actor, producer, and raconteur; maybe best known as the credited co-writer of "Rock Around the Clock" for which he used the pseudonym "Jimmy DeKnight". After his work with Billy Haley, he began providing songs to The Jodimars, a group made up of former Comets. In later years, James turned to acting, appearing in small roles in a number of films such as The China Syndrome; he also directed at least two films under his Jimmy DeKnight nom de plume. He also wrote an autobiography based upon his experiences in World War II entitled Hell in a Foxhole, and opened a museum in his home dedicated to "Rock Around the Clock" (leukemia) b. October 26th 1919.
2009: Stephen Bruton (60) American songwriter and guitarist; born in Wilmington, Delaware and moved to Texas at the age of two. After graduating from Texas Christian University he mixed with the Fort Worth music scene and was soon playing in Kris Kristofferson's band just as Kris's career was about to take off. Stephen and Kris's collaboration and friendship lasted more than 40 years. Throughout his long career he has also worked with such artists and musicians as NRBQ, T Bone Burnett, Bonnie Raitt, Sonny Landreth, Rita Coolidge, Christine McVie, Elvis Costello, Delbert McClinton and Carly Simon and produced albums for Alejandro Escovedo, Marcia Ball, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Hal Ketchum, Storyville and Chris Smither (throat cancer) b. November 7th 1948
2009: Travis Edmonson (76) American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist who performed both as a soloist and in the group Bud and Travis. At the age of 5, he briefly played the role of Curley on the TV show Our Gang. He began his singing career at age seven as a member of the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church choir, where he sang with his three older brothers. In the early 1950s, he served in the US Army, before beginning his musical career in San Francisco. After singing solo, he joined a quartet, the Gateway Singers with Louis Gottlieb. In 1958, he formed Bud and Travis along with Bud Dashiell, they recorded eight albums in seven years and appeared at many top nightclubs and on television, including a guest appearance on the show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. He was considered a folk music "pioneer" and influencing groups such as the Kingston Trio and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Tucson Area Music Awards in 1995 for his musical accomplishments (heart failure) b. September 23rd 1932.
2009: Eugene Smith (88) American gospel singer known for his distinct baritone/tenor voice; he met Roberta Martin at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church when he joined the junior chorus led by Martin. That same year, 1933, he became one of the original Roberta Martin Singers. Some of their most popular releases included "Old Ship of Zion", "He Knows How Much You Can Bear", "Yield Not To Temptation", "Only a Look" and "The Lord Will Make a Way". In the early 1940s, Eugene composed the gospel blues song "I Know the Lord Will Make a Way, Oh Yes He Will", which is still popular among congregations today, and in 1949, he also became the business manager and booking agent for the Roberta Martin Singers. After he group disbanded, in 1969 when Roberta Martin died, Eugene still sang in and around the Chicago area, and participated in various programs honoring The Roberta Martin Singers and other singers and musicians from the "Golden Era" of gospel until his death (died in his sleep at his apartment in Chicago, Illinois) b. April 22nd 1921.
2010: Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (92) American jazz singer and actress born in Brooklyn, New York, Lena joined the mike chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and in 1934 she landed a small role in an all-black Broadway show Dance with Your Gods. In 1935 she became the featured singer with the Noble Sissle Society Orchestra, which performed at many first-rate hotel ballrooms and nightclubs. She left Sissle in 1936 to perform as a solo singer in a variety of New York City clubs before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the films Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather. Due to the Red Scare and her left-leaning political views, she found herself blacklisted and unable to get work in Hollywood. Returning to her roots as a nightclub performer, she headlined clubs and hotels throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. From the late 1950s through the 1960s, Lena was a staple of TV variety shows, appearing multiple times on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall, The Ed Sullivan Show...>>> READ MORE <<< (sadly passed away in the New York–Presbyterian Hospital in New York City) b. June 30th 1917.