Born on this day in music, February 14th

1994
Becky Hill, English singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after appearing on the first series of The Voice UK. In 2014 she became the first The Voice UK contestant to score a UK number one when the song, ‘Gecko (Overdrive)’ with Oliver Heldens topped the UK Singles Chart.

---

1972
American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rob Thomas with Matchbox Twenty who had the 2000 US No.1 single ‘Bent’ and his ‘Lonely No More’ released in 2005 became his biggest selling solo chart success. Thomas sang on the 1999 US No.1 single ‘Smooth’ by Santana and also had the 2005 US No.1 solo album Something To Be. Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, Marc Anthony, Travis Tritt and Daughtry have all covered his songs.

---

1964
Rob “The Bass Thing” Jones from British alternative rock band The Wonder Stuff who had the 1991 UK No.1 single with their version of the Tommy Roe hit ‘Dizzy’ (with Vic Reeves). He died in New York on 31 July 1993, aged 29 due to heart problems caused by drug related causes.

---

1951
American rock guitarist Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. He died from cancer on January 13, 2021, age 69.

---

1951
Scottish drummer Kenny Hyslop. As a member of Slik they had the 1976 UK No.1 single ‘Forever And Ever’. Also a member of Skids who had the 1979 UK No.10 single ‘Into The Valley’ and Simple Minds, who had the 1985 US No.1 single ‘Don’t You, Forget About Me’, and the 1989 UK No.1 single ‘Belfast Child’.

---

1950
Roger Fisher, from American rock band Heart who scored the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘Alone’. Heart has sold over 35 million records worldwide.

---

1947
American singer, songwriter Tim Buckley, who recorded the 1972 album Greetings From LA. His singer, songwriter son Jeff Buckley drowned while swimming in 1997. Tim himself died on June 29th 1975 of a heroin and morphine overdose.

---

1946
American musician Doug Simril (James Douglas Simril Jr.) from the Steve Miller Band, who had the 1974 US No.1 & 1990 UK No.1 single ‘The Joker‘. He also worked with Boz Scaggs. He died May 14, 1989, age 43.

---

1946
Gregory Hines, American dancer, actor, choreographer and singer. He was considered one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. He sang a duet with Luther Vandross ‘There’s Nothing Better Than Love’, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts. Hines died of liver cancer on 9 August 2003.

---

1945
Vic Briggs, English guitarist with Eric Burdon and The Animals during the 1966-1968 period. The Animals had the 1964 UK & US No.1 single ‘House Of The Rising Sun’. Briggs, a convert to Sikhism, currently plays classical Indian and Hawaiian music.

---

1944
Denny Zager (of Zager & Evans) is born in Wymore, Nebraska.

---

1943
Maceo Parker, American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. He has also worked with De La Soul, Jane’s Addiction, Dave Matthews Band and Prince accompanying his band, The New Power Generation.

---

1943
American folk music singer, songwriter Eric Andersen. He has written songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Linda Ronstadt, the Grateful Dead and many others. Andersen took part in the Festival Express tour across Canada in 1970 with the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Delaney Bramlett and others.

---

1940
English comic musician Bob Kerr who was a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. He later joined The New Vaudeville Band, before forming his own Bob Kerr’s Whoopee Band.

---

1939
Country singer Razzy Bailey is born in Five Points, Alabama. Mixing rhythm & blues with country in his vocal approach, he achieves 13 Top 10 hits from 1978-1982, including “Friends,” “Loving Up A Storm” and “She Left Love All Over Me”. Died August 4, 2021.

[fbplayer src=”https://youtu.be/HBEruyqqZCM?si=iY8x5Gs4r7zTPb15″]

---

1937
American Chicago blues musician Magic Sam. He had the 1963, his single ‘Feelin’ Good (We’re Gonna Boogie), but his career was cut short when he suddenly died of a heart attack in December 1969. He was 32 years old.

---