BIRTHDAYS Leonard Cohen (1934) singer/songwriter/guitarist/keyboardist [“Hallelujah”/”Everybody Knows”/Waiting for the Miracle”] (died 2016) age 82 – injuries sustained from a fall Dickey Lee [born Royden Lipscomb] (1936) singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Patches”] David Hood (1943) Traffic and Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section bassist/trombonist Don Felder (1947) Eagles lead guitarist/songwriter and solo singer/guitarist/songwriter [“Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride)”] Otis Day [born… Continue reading September 21 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Gogi Grant [born Myrtle Arinsberg] (1924) singer [“The Wayward Wind”] (died 2016) age 91 – unknown causes Hillard “Sweet Pea” Atkinson (1945) Was (Not Was) co-lead singer/co-founder [“Walk the Dinosaur”] and solo singer (died 2020) age 74 – heart attack Mick Rogers [born Michael Oldroyd] (1946) Manfred Mann’s Earth Band co-lead singer/guitarist/co-founder [current] [“Spirit… Continue reading September 20 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Billy Ward [born Robert Williams] (1921) Bill Ward and his Dominoes pianist/arranger/co-founder [“Sixty-Minute Man”/”Rags to Riches”] (died 2002) age 80 – unknown causes Nick Massi [born Nicholas Macioci] (1927) The Four Season bass singer/co-founder (died 2000) age 73 – cancer Brook Benton [born Benjamin Peay] (1931) singer/songwriter [“Rainy Night in Georgia”/”It’s Just a Matter… Continue reading September 19 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Jimmie Rodgers (1933) pop and folk singer/guitarist/pianist [“Honeycomb”/”Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”/”Secretly”] (died 2021) age 87 – COVID-19 complications Frankie Avalon [born Francis Avallone] (1940) singer/trumpeter [“Venus”/”Why”], also actor Michael Franks (1944) jazz singer/songwriter Alan “Bam” King (1946) Ace lead guitarist/co-founder [“How Long?”] Kerry Livgren (1949) Kansas guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter/co-founder Dee Dee Ramone [born Douglas Colvin] (1951)… Continue reading September 18 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Hiram “Hank” Williams Sr. (1923) country singer/songwriter/guitarist/fiddler (died 1953) age 29 – heart failure Bill Black Jr. (1926) The Blue Moon Boys bassist/co-founder (died 1965) age 39 – brain tumor Lamonte McLemore (1939) The 5th Dimension singer/co-founder [“Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In”/Wedding Bell Blues”/”Stoned Soul Picnic”] John “Fee” Waybill (1950) The Tubes lead singer/songwriter [“She’s… Continue reading September 17 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Riley “Beale Street Blues Boy” or “B.B.” King (1925) blues guitarist/singer/songwriter [“The Thrill is Gone”] (died 2015) age 89 – congestive heart failure Joseph “Ronnie” Drew (1934) The Dubliners lead singer/songwriter/co-founder [“The Irish Rover”] (died 2008) age 73 – throat cancer Joe Butler (1941) The Lovin’ Spoonful drummer/co-founder [current] Bernie Calvert (1942) The Hollies… Continue reading September 16 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Roy Acuff (1903) country singer/songwriter [“King of Country Music”] (died 1992) age 89 – congestive heart failure Julian “Cannonball” Adderly (1928) jazz saxophonist [“Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”] (died 1975) age 46 – cerebral hemorrhage Pat Barrett (1933) The Crew-Cuts lead tenor singer [“Sh-Boom”] (died 2016) age 82 – natural causes Jimmy Gilmer (1940) Jimmy Gilmer… Continue reading September 15 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Pete Agnew (1946) Nazareth bassist/co-founder [current] Jon “Bowzer” Bauman (1947) Sha Na Na bass singer Steve Gaines (1949) Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist (died 1977) age 28 – plane crash Ed King (1949) Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“Incense and Peppermints”] and Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist/songwriter (died 2018) – cancer Fred “Sonic” Smith (1948) MC5 guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“Kick Out… Continue reading September 14 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS Bill Monroe (1911) mandolinist/singer/songwriter [“Father of Bluegrass”] [“Blue Moon of Kentucky”] (died 1996) age 84 – stroke Tony “Charles” Brown (1922) blues singer [“Please Come Home for Christmas”] (died 1999) age 76 – congestive heart failure Maurice Jarre (1924) composer/conductor (died 2009) age 84 – cancer Mel “The Velvet Fog” Tormé (1925) jazz singer/composer/arranger/songwriter… Continue reading September 13 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS George Jones (1931) country singer/guitarist/songwriter [“He Stopped Loving Her Today”/”White Lightning”] (died 2013) age 81 – hypoxic respiratory failure Maria Muldaur (1943) folk-blues singer [“Midnight at the Oasis”] Colin Young (1944) The Foundations lead singer [“Build Me Up Buttercup”] Barry White [born Barry Carter] (1944) The Love Unlimited Orchestra singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/arranger/co-founder and solo singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist (died… Continue reading September 12 Music History Report