BIRTHDAYS Stephen Sondheim (1930) composer/lyricist (died 2021) age 91 – cardiovascular disease William Shatner (1931) singer [“Rocket Man”], also actor Roger Whittaker (1936) singer/guitarist/songwriter (died 2023) age 87 – cardiovascular disease Michael “Jeremy” Clyde (1941) Chad & Jeremy singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder George Benson (1943) singer/guitarist/songwriter Keith Relf (1943) The Yardbirds lead singer/harmonica player/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder (died 1976) age 33… Continue reading March 22 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Johann Sebastian Bach (1685) composer/musician (died 1750) age 65 – stroke Eddie “Son” House (1902) blues singer/guitarist [“Preachin’ the Blues”] (died 1988) age 86 – cancer of the larynx Solomon Burke [born James McDonald] (1940) R&B and soul singer/guitarist [the “King of Rock ‘n’ Soul”] (died 2010) age 70 – pulmonary embolism David Lindley… Continue reading March 21 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Ozzie Nelson (1906) Ozzie Nelson Band bandleader [“And Then Some”], also actor (died 1975) age 69 – liver cancer Dame Vera Lynn [born Vera Welch] (1917) singer/songwriter [“Auf Weiderseh’n Sweetheart”/”We’ll Meet Again”/”(There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover”], also referenced on Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” album [“Vera”] (died 2020) age 103 –… Continue reading March 20 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Paul Atkinson (1946) The Zombies guitarist/co-founder (died 2004) age 58 – liver and kidney disease Ruth Pointer (1946) The Pointer Sisters singer/songwriter/co-founder Derek Longmuir (1951) Bay City Rollers drummer/songwriter/co-founder Billy Sheehan (1953) Mr. Big bassist/songwriter/co-founder [current] and David Lee Roth guitarist Ricky Wilson (1953) B-52’s guitarist/songwriter/co-founder (died 1985) age 32 – AIDS complications Bruce… Continue reading March 19 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Charley Pride (1934) country singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Kiss an Angel Good Morning”] (died 2020) age 86 – COVID-19 complications Wilson Pickett (1941) R&B and soul singer/songwriter (died 2006) age 64 – heart attack Eric Woolfson (1945) The Alan Parsons Project songwriter/keyboardist/co-founder (died 2009) age 64 – kidney cancer B.J. Wilson (1947) Procol Harum drummer/co-founder (died 1990)… Continue reading March 18 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Nat King Cole [born Nathaniel Coles] (1919) singer/pianist (died 1965) age 45 – lung cancer Zola Taylor (1938) The Platters singer (died 2007) age 69 – pneumonia Paul Kantner (1941) Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder (died 2016) age 74 – septic shock/organ failure Clarence Collins (1942) Little Anthony and the Imperials baritone singer/co-founder John… Continue reading March 17 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Jerry Jeff Walker [born Ronald Crosby] (1942) singer/guitarist/harmonica player/songwriter [“Mr. Bojangles”/”Up Against the Wall Red Neck Mother”/”London Homesick Blues”] (died 2020) age 78 – throat cancer Michael Bruce (1948) Alice Cooper guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter/co-founder Ray Benson (1951) Asleep at the Wheel lead singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [current] Nancy Wilson (1954) Heart guitarist/singer/songwriter [current] Flavor Flav [born William Drayton Jr.]… Continue reading March 16 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins (1912) country and blues guitarist/singer (died 1982) age 69 – esophageal cancer Harry James (1916) trumpeter/bandleader (died 1983) age 67 – lymphatic cancer Phil Lesh (1940) The Grateful Dead bass guitarist/songwriter/co-founder Mike Love (1941) The Beach Boys singer/songwriter/co-founder [current] Sly Stone [born Sylvester Stewart] (1943) Sly and the Family Stone singer/co-founder… Continue reading March 15 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Lester “Les” Brown Sr. (1912) Les Brown and His Band of Renown multi-instrumentalist/bandleader/composer (died 2001) age 88 – lung cancer Lee Hays (1914) The Weavers bass singer/songwriter/co-founder [“If I Had a Hammer”/”Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”] (died 1981) age 67 – diabetic cardiovascular disease Phil Phillips [born Philip Baptiste] (1931) singer/songwriter [“Sea of Love”] (died… Continue reading March 14 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Mike Stoller (1933) songwriter/composer (with Jerry Leiber) [more than 70 charted singles, including “Hound Dog,” “Kansas City,” “There Goes My Baby,” “Stand By Me,” “Down in Mexico,” “Love Potion No. 9,” and “Jailhouse Rock”] Neil Sedaka (1939) singer/pianist/songwriter Donny York (1949) Sha Na Na singer/co-founder Charo [born María del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martínez Molina… Continue reading March 13 Music History Report