Born on this day in music, January 29th

1985
English singer-songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man. His first hit single, ‘Human’, was released in 2016, and his debut album of the same name was released in February 2017 and peaked at number one on the UK chart. At the 2017 Brit Awards, he was named British Breakthrough Act and received the Critics’ Choice Award.

1982
Adam Lambert is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. After making his mark on American Idol, he goes on to a successful solo career and becomes the frontman for Queen.

1981
Blues guitar prodigy Jonny Lang is born Jon Langseth, Jr. in Fargo, North Dakota.

1964
Roddy Frame, guitarist, singer, songwriter with British group Aztec Camera, who had the 1988 UK No.3 single ‘Somewhere In My Heart’.

1962
Marcus Verne from British group Living In A Box, who had the 1987 UK No.5 single ‘Living In A Box’.

1961
Dave Baynton-Power, drummer from English rock band James who scored the 1991 UK No.2 single ‘Sit Down’ and the hits ‘Laid’ and ‘Come Home’.

1961
Eddie Jackson bassist with American progressive heavy metal band Queensryche. Their 1994 album ‘Promised Land’ went top 3 in the US.

1961
Pauline Henry, singer. who had the 1993 UK solo No.12 single with the Bad Company song ‘Feel Like Making Love’, and the 1990 UK No.6 single with The Chimes, ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’.

1954
Rob Manzoli singer from Right Said Fred who had the 1991 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘I’m Too Sexy’, 1993 UK No.1 album ‘Up’.

1953
Louie Perez, American songwriter, percussionist and guitarist with from Los Lobos (Spanish for “the Wolves”), who had the 1987 UK & US No.1 single with their cover version of ‘La Bamba’, which was a 1958 hit for Ritchie Valens and one of early rock and roll’s best-known songs.

1953
Peter Baumann who formed the core line-up of the pioneering German electronic group Tangerine Dream with Edgar Froese and Christopher Franke in 1971.

1950
Max Carl Gronenthal, American rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He is the co-lead singer of the classic rock band Grand Funk Railroad and spent several years as the keyboardist and lead singer for the southern rock band 38 Special.

1949
Thomas Erdelyi, (Tommy Ramone), Hungarian drummer with the Ramones who had the 1977 UK No.22 single ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’. Erdelyi also worked as a record producer and was an assistant engineer for the production of the Jimi Hendrix album Band of Gypsys. He died on July 11, 2014 following unsuccessful treatment for bile duct cancer.

1947
David Byron, singer, from English rock band Uriah Heep who had the 1975 UK No.7 album Return To Fantasy. They have sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Byron died on 28th February 1985.

1944
Andrew Loog Oldham, producer, manager and the first Rolling Stones manager. Oldham launched the Immediate label in 1965 which enjoyed 24 UK Top 50 hits. Also worked with Small Faces, John Mayall, Rod Stewart, The Nice, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and the Amen Corner.

1943
Tony Blackburn, DJ on Radio Caroline and the first D.J. on BBC Radio 1 (The first song played was ‘Flowers In The Rain by The Move’). Blackburn was crowned ‘King of the jungle’ in 2003 after winning on the UK TV show ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here’ set in the Australian outback.

1942
Claudine Longet is born in Paris. The French singer is the subject of the Rolling Stones song “Claudine.”

1936
James Jamerson bassist played with The Funk Brothers on many Motown hits by The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Martha And The Vandellas and others. Jamerson died of a heart attack on 2nd August 1983 aged 45.

1933
R&B singer Ron Townson (of The 5th Dimension) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1933
French singer and guitarist Sacha Distel who had the 1970 UK No.10 single ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.’ Distel died after a long battle with deteriorating health on 22nd July 2004.

1920
American R&B pianist, songwriter, producer, Paul Gayten. He played piano on the Chuck Berry hit ‘Carol’. In 1956 he the biggest hits of his own career with ‘The Music Goes Round and Round’. He worked for Chess Records as a talent scout, producer, promotion man, songwriter and recording artist. He died age 71 on March 26, 1991.

1917
Singer/actor John Raitt, known for his roles in the stage musicals Carousel and Oklahoma!, among others, is born in Santa Ana, California. Died February 20, 2005.

1908
Piano player Al Stricklin is born in Antioch, Texas. A member of the Texas Playboys from 1935-1941, he appears on such Bob Wills standards as “Right Or Wrong,” “Cherokee Maiden,” “Take Me Back To Tulsa” and “San Antonio Rose”. Died October 15, 1986.

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