BORN ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC, JUNE 19TH

1983
American rapper, Ben Haggerty, known by his stage name Macklemore. The Macklemore’s and Lewis single ‘Thrift Shop’ reached No.1 on the US singles chart in 2013 and their second single, ‘Can’t Hold Us’ also peaked at No.1, making Macklemore and Lewis the first duo in the chart’s history to have their first two singles both reach the top of the US charts.

1976
Scott Avett, lead singer and founding member of the folk-rock band The Avett Brothers. Had the 2013 US No.5 album ‘Magpie And The Dandelion’.

1970
Brian Welch, guitarist from American nu metal band Korn who scored the 1998 US No.1 album, Follow The Leader. Twelve of the band’s official releases have peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Chart.

1969
The singer Gabrielle, who scores UK #1 hits with “Dreams” and “Rise,” is born Louise Gabrielle Bobb in Hackney, East London. Her date of birth is often erroneously stated as April 16, 1970.

1966
Brian Vander Ark (lead singer of The Verve Pipe) is born in Holland, Michigan.

1963
Simon Wright is born in Oldham, Lancashire, England. AC/DC drummer, joined in 1983. Joined Dio in 1989.

1962
Paula Abdul, American singer, songwriter, voice actress, dancer, choreographer who had the 1990 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘Opposites Attract’ plus five other US No.1 singles. Her 1989 album Forever Your Girl spent ten weeks as US No.1. Became a judge on American Idol TV show.

1960
Dennis Fuller, from German-based English dance-pop duo The London Boys who had the UK No.2 single ‘London Nights’. He was killed in a car crash with London Boy partner Edem Ephraim on January 21st 1996.

1959
Mark DeBarge singer from American family group DeBarge who had the 1983 US No.17 single ‘All This Love’, and the 1985 UK No.4 single ‘Rhythm Of The Night’.

1957
Maxi Jazz (Maxwell Fraser), rapper, from British electronica band Faithless who had the 1996 UK No.3 album Insomnia. He died on 23 December 2022 aged 65.

1950
Ann Wilson, 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.

1948
English singer-songwriter and musician, Nick Drake. He signed to Island Records when he was 20 years old and released his debut album, Five Leaves Left, in 1969. By 1972, he had recorded two more albums, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon. Drake took his own life on November 25th, 1974, aged 26.

1944
Robin Box, from British pop group White Plains who had the 1970 UK No.8 single ‘Julie Do Ya Love Me’ and four other hit singles.

1944
English keyboardist Peter Bardens a founder member of the British progressive rock group Camel. During his career, Bardens worked alongside Rod Stewart, Mick Fleetwood and Van Morrison, and recorded solo albums. Bardens died aged 57 on 22 January 2002.

1942
Elaine McFarlane, from American 1960s sunshine pop band Spanky And Our Gang, who had the 1967 US No.9 single ‘Sunday Will Never Be The Same Again’. She joined the re- formed Mama and the Papas in 1982.

1939
American soul singer Al Wilson who had the 1974 US No.1 single ‘Show And Tell’ and the Northern soul anthem, ‘The Snake’. Wilson died on April 21, 2008, of kidney failure, at the age of 68.

1936
Shirley Goodman (of Shirley & Lee, Shirley & Company) is born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She died July 5, 2005.