BIRTHDAYS Isaac Stern (1920) violinist/conductor (died 2001) age 81 – heart failure Kay Starr (1922) jazz singer [“Wheel of Fortune”/”The Rock and Roll Waltz”] (died 2016) age 94 – Alzheimer’s disease Plas Johnson (1931) Wrecking Crew/session tenor saxophonist [“The Pink Panther Theme”/”The Great Pretender”/My Special Angel”] Kim Fowley (1939) The Hollywood Argyles co-lead singer/songwriter/co-founder [“Alley… Continue reading July 21 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Buddy Knox (1933) singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Party Doll”] (died 1999) age 65 – lung cancer Dennis Yost (1943) Classics IV lead singer/co-founder [“Stormy”/”Traces”/”Spooky”] (died 2008) age 65 – respiratory failure T.G. Sheppard [born William Browder] (1944) country singer/songwriter [“I Loved ‘Em Every One”/”Slow Burn “] John Lodge (1945) The Moody Blues bassist/songwriter/co-founder [current] Kim Carnes (1945)… Continue reading July 20 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS George Hamilton IV (1937) country singer/guitarist [“Abilene”] (died 2014) age 77 – heart attack Commander Cody [born George Frayne IV] (1944) Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen lead singer/keyboardist/songwriter/founder [“Hot Rod Lincoln”/”Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!  (That Cigarette)”] (died 2021) age 77 – esophageal cancer Alan Gorrie (1946) Average White Band lead singer/multi-instrumentalist/co-founder [current] Brian… Continue reading July 19 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Jalacy “Screamin Jay” Hawkins (1929) singer [“I Put a Spell on You”] (died 2000) age 70 – aneurysm surgery Thomas “Papa Dee” Allen (1931) War pianist/saxophonist/co-founder [“Low Rider”/”Spill the Wine”] (died 1988) age 57 – heart attack Johnny Funches (1935) The Dells lead singer (first tenor) [“Oh What a Night”] (died 1998) age 62… Continue reading July 18 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Woodrow “Red” Sovine (1917) country singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Teddy Bear”/”Phantom 309”] (died 1980) age 62 – heart attack Vince Guaraldi (1928) jazz pianist/guitarist/singer [“Linus and Lucy”] (died 1976) age 47 – heart attack or aortic aneurysm Spencer Davis [born Spencer Davies] (1939) The Spencer Davis Group guitarist/harmonica player/founder [current] [“Gimme Some Lovin’”/”I’m a Man”] (died 2020)… Continue reading July 17 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Tony Jackson (1938 or 1940) Searchers bassist/co-lead singer [“Love Potion No. 9”] (died 2003) age 65 or 63 – diabetes/heart disease/cirrhosis of the liver Thomas Boggs (1944) The Box Tops drummer (died 2008) age 63 – cancer Alan Fitzgerald (1949) Montrose bassist and Night Ranger keyboardist/pianist/co-founder Stewart Copeland (1952) The Police drummer/multi-instrumentalist/co-founder Fatboy Slim… Continue reading July 16 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Millie Jackson (1944) singer/songwriter [“(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Wanna Be Right”/Hurts So Good”] Peter Lewis (1945) Moby Grape guitarist/co-founder [current] Linda Ronstadt (1946) Stone Poneys and solo singer/guitarist/songwriter Peter Banks [born Peter Brockbanks] (1947) Yes guitarist/songwriter/co-founder (died 2013) age 65 – heart failure Roger “Roky” Erickson (1947) 13th Floor Elevators singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/co-founder… Continue reading July 15 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Woodrow “Woody” Guthrie (1912) folk singer/guitarist/songwriter [“This Land is Your Land”] (died 1967) age 55 – Huntington’s disease Franklin “Del” Reeves (1932) country singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Girl on the Billboard”] (died 2007) age 74 – emphysema Jim Gordon (1945) Derek and the Dominos drummer/songwriter/co-founder [“Layla”] and session drummer [“Wichita Lineman”/”Classical Gas”/”God Only Knows”/”My Sweet Lord”/”Sundown”/”Rikki Don’t… Continue reading July 14 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Pete Escovedo (1935) Santana drummer and session drummer Stephen Bladd (1942) The J. Geils Band drummer/co-founder Roger McGuinn [born James McGuinn III] (1942) The Byrds lead singer/lead guitarist/songwriter Diane Renay (1945) singer [“Navy Blue”/”Kiss Me Sailor”] Louise Mandrell (1954) country singer Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (1955) Twisted Sister and Blackfoot bassist/songwriter Gerald Levert (1966)… Continue reading July 13 Music History Report