Born on this day in music, January 26th

1964
Susannah Melvoin, American vocalist, songwriter. Worked with Prince, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton and Mike Oldfield. As a songwriter, has co-written songs performed by Madonna, Eric Clapton and Prince.

1963
Andrew Ridgeley, singer and one half of Wham! with George Michael, who had the 1984 UK & US No.1 single ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go‘ plus 10 other UK Top 20 hit singles. Ridgeley became a prominent environmentalist in the cause of British surfing beaches and riverways, working with the UK charity, Surfers Against Sewage. He lives with his girlfriend Keren Woodward of the pop group Bananarama.

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03:54

1963
Jazzie B, British DJ, music producer, and entrepreneur and founding member of British group Soul II Soul who had the 1989 UK No.1 single ‘Back To Life’.

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03:53

1961
American vocalist and guitarist Tom Keifer from the band Cinderella.

1958
Anita Baker, US soul singer who had the 1986 UK No.13 single ‘Sweet Love’ and the 1998 US No.1 album ‘Giving You The Best That I Got’.

1957
Norman Hassan, percussion with UB40 who had the 1983 UK No.1 & 1988 US No.1 single ‘Red Red Wine’ and over 30 other Top 40 hit singles.

1955
Eddie Van Halen, Dutch guitarist with Van Halen who had the 1984 US No.1 & UK No. 7 single ‘Jump’. His guitar solo in the track ‘Eruption’ was voted No.2 on Guitar World magazine’s readers poll of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. Halen also played the guitar solo on Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’. Van Halen died on 6 October 2020 at the age of 65, the Dutch-American musician had been receiving treatment for throat cancer. Van Halen have sold more than 80 million worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups of all time.

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04:02

1953
Lucinda Williams, rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter who wrote ‘Passionate Kisses’ the Grammy winning song made famous by the 1993 single version by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

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04:02

1952
American musician, singer and songwriter Billy Greer bass guitarist for Kansas.

1951
David Briggs, from Australian group, Little River Band who scored the 1978 US No.3 single ‘Reminiscing’ plus 12 other US Top 40 singles selling more than 30 million records.

1951
American bassist and singer-songwriter Andy Hummel best known as the bass player of Big Star. He died from cancer on July 19, 2010.

1949
Derek Holt, from British blues rock group Climax Blues Band, who had the 1977 US No.3 & 1976 UK No.10 single ‘Couldn’t Get It Right’.

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03:21

1948
Corky Laing, drummer with heavy rock group Mountain who had the 1971 album ‘Nantucket Sleighride’. Also worked with Jack Bruce.

1945
Ashley Hutchings, bassist with UK folk group Fairport Convention who had the 1969 UK No.21 single ‘Si Tu Dois Partir’.

1943
American singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer Thom Bell. He was known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer and songwriter for the Delfonics, Stylistics, and Spinners. Bell died on December 22, 2022, aged 79.

1934
Huey ‘Piano’ Smith, US R&B pianist who had the 1958 US No.9 single ‘Don’t You Just Know It’. Smith also played played on Frankie Ford’s hit ‘Sea Cruise’.

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02:29

1932
Country singer Claude Gray, dubbed The Tall Texan, is born in Henderson, Texas. Known for the 1960 hit “Family Bible.”

1922
Pianist/vocalist Page Cavanaugh is born in Cherokee, Kansas. He notches a number of hits in the 1940s, including “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home,” as part of The Page Cavanaugh Trio with guitarist Al Viola and bassist Lloyd Pratt. Died December 19, 2008, in Los Angeles.

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