Music History Events: Births
June 8, 1944 Boz Scaggs is born William Royce Scaggs in Canton, Ohio.
June 7, 1944 Country rocker Clarence White (guitarist for The Byrds) is born Clarence Joseph LeBlanc in Lewiston, Maine.
June 6, 1944 Peter Albin (bassist for Big Brother & the Holding Company) is born in San Francisco, California.
June 6, 1944 Electronic musician Edgar Froese (founder of Tangerine Dream) is born in Tilsit, East Prussia. After World War II, he would settle in West Berlin with his mother and surviving family members (his father and other relatives having been killed by Nazis).
June 6, 1944 Jazz pianist Monty Alexander is born in Kingston, Jamaica.
June 4, 1944 Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas is born Holly Michelle Gilliam in Long Beach, California. After the group disbands, she launches a successful acting career that includes a regular role on the TV series Knots Landing.
June 4, 1944 Roger Ball (keyboardist, saxophonist for The Average White Band) is born in Broughty Ferry, Scotland.
May 30, 1944 Lenny Davidson (guitarist for The Dave Clark Five) is born in Enfield, Middlesex, England.
May 28, 1944 Country musician Gary Stewart, known for '70s hits like "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)," is born in Jenkins, Kentucky.
May 28, 1944 Gladys Knight is born in Atlanta, Georgia.
May 28, 1944 Billy Vera (of Billy Vera & the Beaters) is born William Patrick McCord in Riverside, California.
May 26, 1944 Verden Allen (organist for Mott The Hoople) is born Terence Allen in Crynant, Neath, Wales.
May 24, 1944 Patti LaBelle is born Patricia Louise Holt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She leads the vocal group Patti LaBelle And The Blue Belles, which evolves into the R&B trio Labelle of "Lady Marmalade" fame. Her solo career takes off in the '80s with hit singles like "New Attitude" and "On My Own."
May 23, 1944 Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (drummer for Parliament, Funkadelic) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
May 21, 1944 Marcie Blane, known for the '60s pop hit "Bobby's Girl," is born Marcia Blank in Brooklyn, New York.
May 20, 1944 Joe Cocker is born John Robert Cocker in Sheffield, England.
May 18, 1944 Singer-songwriter Albert Hammond is born in London after his family evacuates from Gibraltar during World War II.
May 17, 1944 Country musician and singer Jesse Winchester is born near Bossier City, Louisiana.
May 16, 1944 Jazz drummer Billy Cobham is born in Panama.
May 12, 1944 R&B singer James Purify (of James & Bobby Purify) is born in Pensacola, Florida.
May 9, 1944 Don Dannemann (singer, guitarist for The Cyrkle) is born in Brooklyn, New York City. Dannemann will also become a jingle writer, penning the original 7Up "Uncola" song.
May 9, 1944 Rock guitarist Richie Furay (of Buffalo Springfield, Poco) is born in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
May 8, 1944 Glam rocker Gary Glitter is born Paul Francis Gadd in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.
May 4, 1944 '60s pop singer Peggy Santiglia (of The Angels, Dusk) is born in Belleville, New Jersey.
May 3, 1944 Pete Staples (bass guitarist for The Troggs) is born in Andover, Hampshire, England.
May 2, 1944 English drummer Bob Henrit (of The Kinks, Argent) is born in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England.
April 30, 1944 Folk rock singer Richard Shoff (of The Sandpipers) is born in Seattle, Washington.
April 27, 1944 Cuba Gooding Sr. (lead singer for The Main Ingredient) is born in New York City. Known for the early-'70s hits "Everybody Plays the Fool" and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely." Of course, he also becomes the father to actor Cuba Gooding Jr.
April 25, 1944 Michael Kogel (lead singer of Los Bravos) is born in Berlin, Germany.
April 15, 1944 Dave Edmunds is born in Cardiff, Wales. He forms the band Rockpile with Nick Lowe and has a number of hits as a solo artist, including a #1 UK cover of "I Hear You Knocking."
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