BIRTHDAYS Andy “Thunderclap” Newman (1942) Thunderclap Newman pianist/multi-instrumentalist [“Something in the Air”] (died 2016) age 73 – unknown causes Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan (1948) War keyboardist/singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/co-founder [current] John “Rabbit” Bundrick (1948) Free keyboardist/pianist Randy Z [born Randy Zehringer] (1949) The McCoys drummer/co-founder [“Hang on Sloopy”] Gary Pihl (1950) Sammy Hagar guitarist/keyboardist and Boston guitarist/keyboardist [current] David… Continue reading November 21 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Tony Butala (1940) The Lettermen lead singer/co-founder [current] Dr. John [born Malcolm John Rebennack] (1941) singer/songwriter/keyboardist/guitarist [“Right Place Wrong Time”] (died 2019) age 77 – heart attack Norman Greenbaum (1942) singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Spirit in the Sky”] Ray Stiles (1946) The Hollies bassist [current] Duane Allman (1946) Allman Brothers Band guitarist/songwriter/dobroist/co-founder (died 1971) age 24 –… Continue reading November 20 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Tommy Dorsey Jr. (1905) jazz trombonist/composer/conductor/bandleader [“I’ll Never Smile Again”/”I’m Getting Sentimental Over You”/”Marie”] (died 1956) age 51 – asphyxiation Ray Collins (1936) The Mothers of Invention lead singer/harmonica player/co-founder (died 2012) age 76 – cardiac arrest Hank Medress (1938) The Tokens singer/co-founder [“The Lions Sleeps Tonight”/”Tonight I Fell in Love”] (died 2007) age… Continue reading November 19 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Johnny Mercer (1909) lyricist/singer/songwriter [“Hooray for Hollywood”/”Moon River”/”That Old Black Magic”/”Days of Wine and Roses”], also co-founded Capitol Records (died 1976) age 66 – brain tumor Hank Ballard [born John Kendricks] (1927) Hank Ballard and The Midnighters lead singer/songwriter/co-founder [“Work With Me, Annie”/”Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go”] (died 2003) age 75 – throat… Continue reading November 18 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Gerry McGee (1937) The Ventures lead guitarist/co-founder [“Walk Don’t Run”/”‘Hawaii Five-O’ Theme”] (died 2019) age 81 – heart attack Gordon Lightfoot Jr. (1938) singer/songwriter/guitarist/pianist (died 2023) age 84 – unknown causes Bob Gaudio (1942) The Four Seasons keyboardist/singer/songwriter/co-founder Harold “Gene” Clark (1944) the Byrds guitarist/songwriter/co-founder and solo singer/guitarist/songwriter (died 1991) age 46 – bleeding… Continue reading November 17 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS John Ryanes (1940) The Monotones bass singer/co-founder [“The Book of Love”] (died 1972) age 31 – unknown causes Winfred “Blue” Lovett (1943) The Manhattans bass singer/songwriter/co-founder [“Kiss and Say Goodbye”/”Shining Star”] (died 2014) age 78 – unknown causes Patricia “Pattie” Santos (1949) It’s A Beautiful Day singer/cofounder [“White Bird”] (died 1989) age 40 –… Continue reading November 16 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Montovani [born Annuzio Montovani] (1905) conductor/composer (died 1980) age 74 – natural causes C.W. McCall [born William Fries Jr.] (1928) country singer/songwriter [“Convoy”] (died 2022) age 93 – cancer complications Petula Clark [born Sally Clark] (1932) singer/composer, also actress [“Downtown”/”I Know a Place”/”Don’t Sleep in the Subway”] Clyde McPhatter (1932) Billy Ward & His… Continue reading November 15 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Johnny Desmond [born Giovanni De Simone] (1919) singer [“The Yellow Rose of Texas”] (died 1985) age 65 – cancer Ellis Marsalis Jr. (1934) jazz pianist (died 2020) age 85 – COVID-19 complications Cornell Gunter (1936) The Platters tenor singer/co-founder and The Coasters tenor singer (died 1990) age 53 – murder Freddie Garrity (1936) Freddie… Continue reading November 14 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Toy Caldwell Jr. (1947) The Marshall Tucker Band lead guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“Can’t You See”] (died 1993) age 45 – cocaine-related cardio-respiratory failure Roger Steen (1949) The Tubes guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [current] [“Talk to Ya Later”/”She’s a Beauty”] Andrew Ranken (1953) The Pogues drummer/songwriter [current] [“The Irish Rover” (featuring The Dubliners)] “Dirty” Walter Kibby II (1964) Fishbone trumpeter/singer/songwriter/co-founder… Continue reading November 13 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Jo Stafford (1917) singer [“Candy” (with Johnny Mercer)/ “Temptation (Tim-tayshun)” with Red Ingle & the Natural Seven/”You Belong to Me”/”Make Love to Me!”], also actress (died 2008) age 90 – congestive heart failure Bob Crewe (1930) Four Seasons singer, also songwriter [“Big Girls Don’t Cry”/”Rag Doll”/”Silence is Golden”/”Lady Marmalade”/”Devil With a Blue Dress On”]… Continue reading November 12 Music History Report