August 12th: Born On This Day In Music

1991 – Lauren Duski
Singer/songwriter Lauren Duski is born in Limestone, Maine. Raised in Michigan, she joins Blake Shelton’s team on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2017, earning a Top 10 country album with “The Voice: The Complete Season 12 Collection” and a Top 5 country single with an original song, “Deja Vu”.

1969 – Tanita Tikaram
British pop/folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram. Her debut album, Ancient Heart, produced by Rod Argent and Peter Van Hooke, was released in 1988 when she was 19 years old. The album’s first two singles, ‘Good Tradition’ and ‘Twist In My Sobriety’, became top 10 hits around Europe and the album sold around 4 million copies worldwide.

1968 – Paul Tucker
Paul Tucker, Keyboards, Lighthouse Family, (1996 UK No.4 single ‘Lifted’ plus 9 other UK Top 40 singles).

1963 – Sir Mix-A-Lot
Sir Mix-A-Lot, US rapper, (1992 US No.1 single ‘Baby Got Back’, a No.56 hit in the UK).

1962 – Bragi Olaffson
Bragi Olaffson, bass, The Sugarcubes, (1992 UK No.17 single ‘Hit’).

1961 – Roy Hay
Roy Hay guitar, vocals, Culture Club, (1983 UK No.1 & 1984 US No.1 single ‘Karma Chameleon’ plus seven other UK top 10 singles’).

1958 – Jurgen Dehmel
Jurgen Dehmel, from German group Nena who had the 1984 UK No.1 & US No.2 single ’99 Red Balloons’. The track made them UK One Hit Wonder.

1956 – Danny Shirley
Danny Shirley is born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He fronts Confederate Railroad, whose mix of country and Southern rock gives them a biker image and a handful of 1990s hits, including “Trashy Women,” “Daddy Never Was The Cadillac Kind” and “Queen Of Memphis”.

1954 – Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny, jazz rock guitarist, worked with David Bowie and Gary Burton. Recorded film soundtrack albums

1953 – Jerry Speiser
Jerry Speiser, Men At Work, (1983 UK & US No.1 single ‘Down Under’).

1951 – August Darnell
August Darnell, singer, Kid Creole And The Coconuts, (1982 UK No.2 single ‘Annie I’m Not Your Daddy’).

1950 – Ronald David Mael
Ronald David Mael, Sparks, (1974 UK No.2 single ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us’).

1949 – Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler British songwriter, guitarist, singer with Dire Straits who had the 1985 US No.1 single ‘Money For Nothing’, the 1986 UK No.2 single ‘Walk Of Life’, and the 1985 world-wide No.1 album Brothers In Arms, is born in London. Knopfler has recorded and performed with many prominent musicians, including Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Sting, and James Taylor.

1941 – Craig Douglas
English pop singer Craig Douglas, who had the 1959 UK No.1 single whith his version of the Sam Cooke hit ‘Only Sixteen ‘plus nine other UK Top 40 hits.

1937 – Roy Gaines
American guitarist, Roy Gaines. He was a backing musician in sessions with the Everly Brothers, the Supremes, Bobby Darin, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight. Gaines co-wrote the song ‘No Use Crying’, which was recorded by both George Jones and Ray Charles. He died a day before his 84th birthday on 11 August 2021.

1929 – Buck Owens
Buck Owens, American singer and guitarist, who scored twenty number-one hits on the Billboard country music charts, and pioneered what has come to be called the Bakersfield sound’a reference to Bakersfield, California. Died March 25th 2006.

1927 – Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner, Country singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced a then little known Dolly Parton on his long-running television show. Also known as Mr. Grand Ole Opry, Wagoner has scored over 80 US Country singles from 1954–1983. He died from lung cancer on October 28, 2007.

1920 – Percy Mayfield
American rhythm and blues singer Percy Mayfield, known for the songs ‘Please Send Me Someone to Love’ and ‘Hit the Road Jack’, the latter being a song popularized by Ray Charles, (Charles recorded at least 15 of his songs). He died on 11 August 1984 age 63.