Born On This Day In Music, June 5th

1981 – Sebastien Lefebvre
Sebastien Lefebvre, rhythm guitarist for Simple Plan, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1979 – Pete Wentz
Pete Wentz, bassist, with American rock band Fall Out Boy, who had the 2007 US No.1 album Infinity on High. The group’s sixth studio album, American Beauty/American Psycho (2015) peaked at No.1, making it the band’s third No.1 album and the group’s fifth consecutive top 10 album.

1970 – Claus Norreen
Claus Norreen, from Danish eurodance group Aqua, who scored the 1997 UK No.1 single ‘Barbie Girl’ a song that topped the charts worldwide.

1965 – Stefan Schnfeldt
Stefan Schnfeldt, bassist with alternative Swedish rock band The Wannadies who had the 1996 UK No. 18 single, ‘You And Me Song’.

1964 – Maggie Dunne
Maggie Dunne, vocals, guitar from English alternative rock group We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna Use It who had the 1989 UK No.11 single ‘International Rescue’.

1956 – Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce “Kenny G” Gorelick, American saxophonist. He is the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era with global sales totaling more than 75 million records.

1956 – Richard Butler
Richard Butler, singer with English rock band The Psychedelic Furs. Film director John Hughes used their song ‘Pretty in Pink’ for his 1986 movie of the same name.

1952 – Nicko McBrain
Nicko McBrain, drummer with English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, who had the 1982 UK No.1 album The Number Of The Beast, and the 1991 UK No.1 single ‘Bring Your Daughter …To The Slaughter’. Iron Maiden have sold over 100 million copies of their albums worldwide.

1948 – Frank Eslersmith
Frank Eslersmith, keyboards for the Australian soft rock band Air Supply in the 1970s and during the 1980s. Air Supply scored the 1980 UK No.11 single ‘All Out Of Love’ and the 1981 US No.1 single ‘The One That You Love’. Eslersmith died of pneumonia on March 1st 1991.

1947 – Laurie Anderson
American avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson, who scored the 1981 UK No.2 single ‘O Superman’, after it was championed by British DJ John Peel.

1947 – Tom Evans
English musician and songwriter Tom Evans, from Badfinger, who scored the 1970 UK No.4 and US No.7 single ‘Come And Get It’. In November 1969, the Iveys changed their name to Badfinger, and Paul McCartney gave the group a boost by offering them his song ‘Come and Get It’, which he produced for the band. With Pete Ham he wrote ‘Without You’ first released on their 1970 album No Dice. The song has been recorded by over 180 artists and versions released as singles by Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey became international best-sellers. Evans committed suicide on 19th November 1983.

1946 – Freddie Stone
Freddie Stone, guitar, Sly and the Family Stone who had the 1968 US No.1 singles ‘Everyday People’, the 1971 US No.1 ‘Family Affair’ and the 1971 US No.1 album There’s a Riot Goin’ On.

1945 – Don Reid
Don Reid is born in Staunton, Virginia. In 1961, he joins a gospel harmony group that becomes The Statler Brothers, netting more than 30 hits from 1965-1989 on its way into the Country Music Hall of Fame

1943 – Michael Davis
American bass guitarist, singer, songwriter Michael Davis, from American rock band MC5 (Motor City 5) who formed in 1964. Best known for their energetic live performances, one of which was recorded as their 1969 debut album Kick Out the Jams. Davis died of liver failure at the age of 68 on Feb 17th 2012.

1937 – Floyd Butler
Floyd Butler, vocalist with The Friends Of Distinction, who had a 1969 US No.3 single with ‘Grazing In The Grass’. Died of a heart attack on 29 April 1990.

1925 – Bill Hayes
Singer/actor Bill Hayes is born in Harvey, Illinois. Known for his long-running role as Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives and his chart-topping rendition of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.” Hayes died in Studio City, Los Angeles on January 12, 2024, at age 98.

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