Born this day in music, December 31st

1979 – Bob Bryar
Bob Bryar, drummer, with American rock band My Chemical Romance who had the 2006 UK No.1 single ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, and the 2006 US No.2 album The Black Parade.

1977 – Psy
South Korean singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, record producer and television personality, PSY, (born Park Jae-sang), who had the 2012 internationally hit single ‘Gangnam Style.’

1972 – Joey McIntrye
Joey McIntrye, from American boy band New Kids On The Block, who had the 1989 UK No.1 single ‘You Got It, The Right Stuff’, and the 1990 US No.1 single ‘Step By Step’. They enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold more than 80 million records worldwide

1970 – Danny McNamara
Danny McNamara, singer from English alternative rock band Embrace, who had the 2006 UK No. 2 single ‘Natures Law’, the 2006 UK No.1 album This New Day and two other UK No.1 albums.

1963 – Scott Ian
Scott Ian, Anthrax, (1991 UK No.16 single ‘Got The Time’).

1961 – Scott Taylor
Scott Taylor, guitarist with English rock band Then Jerico who had the 1989 UK No.13 single ‘Big Area’. He died on 27 April 2020 at the age of 58 from a brain tumour.

1959 – Paul Westerberg
Paul Westerberg is born in Minnesota, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter from American rock band The Replacements, who released the 1984 album Let It Be. Initially a punk rock band, they are considered pioneers of alternative rock.

1951 – Tom Hamilton
Tom Hamilton is born in Colorado Springs, bassist with Aerosmith who scored the 1989 UK No.13 single ‘Love In An Elevator’, and their 1989 album Pump spent 53 weeks on the US charts They had the 1993 US No.1 & UK No.2 album Get A Grip and the 1998 US No.1 & UK No.4 single ‘I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’. Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.

1951 – Fermin Goytisolo
Fermin Goytisolo, singer with American disco and funk group KC and the Sunshine Band who had the 1975 US No.1 single ‘That’s The Way, I Like It’, and the 1983 UK No.1 single ‘Give It Up’.

1948 – Donna Summer
US singer Donna Summer is born in Boston, Massachusetts, (1977 UK No.1 single ‘I Feel Love‘ 1979 US No.1 & UK No.11 single ‘Hot Stuff, over 25 other top 40 hits). Heralded as “The Queen Of Disco,” she also writes Dolly Parton’s 1980 hit “Starting Over Again”. Summer became the first act to be signed by David Geffen to his new Geffen record label. She died on May 17, 2012, at her home in Naples, Florida at the age of 63. She was diagnosed with lung cancer not related to smoking.

1947 – Burton Cummings
Burton Cummings singer and songwriter from Canadian rock band Guess Who who had the 1970 US No.1 & UK No.19 single ‘American Woman’.

1943 – John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, (John Denver), singer, songwriter, is born in Roswell, New Mexico. 1974 UK & US No.1 single ‘Annie’s Song’. Killed in a plane crash on 12th October 1997.

1943 – Pete Quaife
English musician Pete Quaife, the original bass guitarist for The Kinks from 1963 until 1969. Known for the 1964 UK No.1 & US No.7 single ‘You Really Got Me’, the 1967 UK No.2 single ‘Waterloo Sunset’.

1942 – Andy Summers
English guitarist Andy Summers, The Police who scored the 1983 UK & US No.1 single ‘Every Breath You Take’, plus four other UK No.1 singles. Their second album Reggatta de Blanc became the first of five consecutive UK No. 1 albums and The Police won six Grammy Awards and two Brit Awards. Summers has composed music for films including 2010, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, The Wild Life and Weekend at Bernie’s.

1930 – Odetta
American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a civil and human rights activist Odetta. She influenced many of the key figures of the folk-revival of that time, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, and Janis Joplin. Time magazine included her song ‘Take This Hammer’ on its list of the 100 Greatest Popular Songs. Martin Luther King Jr. called her the queen of American folk music. Odetta died on 2 December 2008 age 77.

1920 – Rex Allen
Actor Rex Allen is born in Willcox, Arizona. Considered the last of the singing cowboys, the western performer enjoys a handful of hits, including 1953’s “Crying In The Chapel” and 1962’s “Don’t Go Near The Indians” Died December 19, 1999.

1917 – Evelyn Knight
Evelyn Knight is born in Reedville, Virginia. With a handful of pop hits in her pocket, she scores a country Top 10 by teaming with Red Foley on the 1951 release “My Heart Cries For You”. Died, September 28, 2007.

1914 – Rose Carter
Rose Carter is born in Snyder, Oklahoma. She joins the family gospel group The Chuck Wagon Gang, whose “After The Sunrise” is named among country’s 500 greatest singles in the Country Music Foundation’s “Heartaches By The Number”. Died March 13, 1997.

1885 – Edgar Leslie
Pop songwriter Edgar Leslie is born in Stamford, Connecticut. Noted for such titles as “Moon Over Miami” and “For Me And My Gal,” he also authors “Among My Souvenirs,” retooled for the country charts by Marty Robbins in 1976. Died January 22.1976

 

 

Views: 2