Pick a Day

Music History Events: Births

May 7, 1943 Rick West (lead guitarist for The Tremeloes) is born Richard Westwood in Dagenham, Essex, England.

April 30, 1943 Pop singer Bobby Vee is born Robert Thomas Velline in Fargo, North Dakota.

April 29, 1943 Country singer Duane Allen (of The Oak Ridge Boys) is born in Taylortown, Texas.

April 28, 1943 Soul singer The Fantastic Johnny C, known for the 1967 hit "Boogaloo Down Broadway," is born Johnny Corley in Greenwood, South Carolina.

April 26, 1943 '70s rock singer Gary Wright is born in Cresskill, New Jersey.

April 24, 1943 Country singer Richard Sterban (of The Oak Ridge Boys) is born in Camden, New Jersey.

April 24, 1943 Vocalist Glen Dale (of The Fortunes) is born Richard Garforth in Deal, Kent, England.

April 19, 1943 Eve Graham of The New Seekers is born Evelyn May Beatson in Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.

April 17, 1943 Bass guitarist Roy Estrada (Captain Beefheart, Mothers of Invention, Little Feat) is born in Santa Ana, California.

April 17, 1943 Teen idol Bobby Curtola (1962's "Fortune Teller") is born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.

April 16, 1943 Blues rocker Dave Peverett (of Foghat, Savoy Brown) is born in Dulwich, London, England.

April 11, 1943 R&B singer Tony Victor (of The Classics) is born in Brooklyn, New York City.

April 9, 1943 Music producer Terry Knight (Grand Funk Railroad, Bloodrock) is born Richard Terrance Knapp in Lapeer, Michigan.

April 7, 1943 Rock guitarist Mick Abrahams (of Jethro Tull) is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

April 3, 1943 Richard Manuel (lead singer of The Band) is born in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

March 31, 1943 Al Goodman (of Ray, Goodman & Brown) is born in Jackson, Mississippi.

March 30, 1943 Love bass player Ken Forssi is born in Cleveland.

March 29, 1943 Chad Allan (original lead singer of The Guess Who) is born Allan Peter Stanley Kowbel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

March 29, 1943 The composer Vangelis (Evangelos Papathanassiou) is born in Greece. In 1982, his theme to the movie Chariots of Fire goes to #1 in America. He is also known for his collaborations with Jon Anderson of Yes - they record as Jon & Vangelis.

March 22, 1943 George Benson is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known as a jazz guitarist, he's also a singer, and in the '80s he has a string of yacht rock hits that includes "Give Me The Night" and "Turn Your Love Around."

March 22, 1943 Keith Relf (lead vocalist for The Yardbirds) is born in Richmond, Surrey, England.

March 21, 1943 Viv Stanshall of Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band is born in Oxford, England.

March 18, 1943 Country singer-songwriter Dennis Linde is born in Abilene, Texas. He pens the 1972 Elvis Presley hit "Burning Love."

March 15, 1943 Sly Stone, leader of Sly & the Family Stone, is born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas. The band bring smiles and break ground with hits like "Dance To The Music" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," but by the late '70s Stone becomes erratic and unreliable, plagued by drug addiction and mental health issues. He's offered various showcases to launch a comeback, including a Grammy tribute in 2006, but is never lucid enough to return to music.

March 14, 1943 Jim Pons (bassist for The Turtles, Mothers Of Invention) is born in Santa Monica, California.

March 8, 1943 Shel Macrae (of The Fortunes) is born Andrew Raeburn Semple in Burnbank, Scotland.

March 7, 1943 Chris White (bass guitarist for The Zombies) is born in England.

February 28, 1943 Soul singer-songwriter Barbara Acklin is born in Oakland, California, but is raised in Chicago, Illinois, where she plays the nightclub circuit as a teenager. She co-writes the Jackie Wilson hit "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" and lands a recording contract with Brunswick Records.

February 26, 1943 Paul Cotton (guitarist for Poco) is born Norman Paul Cotton in Fort Rucker, Alabama.

February 26, 1943 Bob "Bear" Hite (lead singer of Canned Heat) is born in Torrance, California.