Born on March 2nd in music

Born Today In Music, March 2nd

1988 – James Arthur
British singer and songwriter James Arthur who won the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012. He scored the 2016 UK No.1 hit ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’.

1985 – Luke Pritchard
Luke Pritchard, lead vocalist and guitarist with British group The Kooks, who had the 2008 UK No.1 album ‘Konk’. They took their name from the David Bowie song with the same title.

1977 – Chris Martin
Chris Martin, English singer-songwriter, pianist, guitarist, and the lead vocalist and co-founder of Coldplay. The band had the 2000 UK No.4 single ‘Yellow’, and the 2000 UK No.1 album Parachutes and the 2005 worldwide No.1 album X&Y. In December 2009, Rolling Stone readers voted the group the fourth-best artist of the 2000s.

1965 – Martin Gilks
Martin Gilks 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). Gilks died, aged 41, on 3 April 2006, after losing control of his motorbike in London, England.

1962 – Jon Bon Jovi
American singer-songwriter Jon Bon Jovi, who had the 1990 solo UK No.13 single ‘Blaze Of Glory’, and with Bon Jovi, the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.4 single ‘Livin’ On A Prayer‘. Their 1986 US & UK No.1 album Slippery When Wet spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. He has had various movie roles, including: Moonlight and Valentino and U-571 and made several TV appearances including: Sex and the City and Ally McBeal.

1962 – Ty Herndon
Ty Herndon began his music career in the 1980s as a member of the Tennessee River Boys. Herndon made his debut in 1995 with his number one single, “What Mattered Most”. This was followed that same year by the release of his first album, also titled What Mattered Most.

1959 – Larry Stewart
Restless Heart’s Larry Stewart is born in Paducah, Kentucky. He sings lead on the band’s singles in the 1980s before going solo in 1992. He scores one hit on his own with “Alright Already,” then returns to the band when it re-forms in 1998

1956 – Mark Evans
Mark Evans, bass, AC/DC. He quit in 1977 after becoming tired of touring.

1956 – John Cowsill
John Cowsill, from American singing group The Cowsills, who had the 1967 US No.2 single ‘The Rain, The Park & Other Things’, and the 1969 US No.2 single the theme from ‘Hair’. TV’s Partridge Family was based on The Cowsills family.

1955 – Jay Osmond
Jay Osmond is born in Ogden, Utah. With four brothers, he forms The Osmonds. They had the 1971 US No.1 single ‘One Bad Apple’, the 1974 hit ‘Crazy Horses’ and the 1974 UK No.1 single ‘Love Me For A Reason’. They had their own 1972–1973 Saturday morning cartoon series, The Osmonds, on ABC-TV. The Osmonds have sold over 75 million records world wide.

1950 – Karen Carpenter
American singer and drummer Karen Carpenter, who with The Carpenters had the 1973 UK No.2 single ‘Yesterday Once More’ plus 3 US No.1’s including the 1975 US No.1 single ‘Please Mr Postman’. Their 1974 UK & US No.1 album ‘The Singles 1969-1973 spent 125 weeks on the UK chart. The Carpenters album and single sales total more than 90 million making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She died on 4 February 1983 of anorexia nervosa.

1948 – Larry Carlton
American guitarist Larry Carlton who built his career as a studio musician in the 1970s and ’80s for acts such as Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Herb Alpert, Christopher Cross, Dolly Parton, Andy Williams, and the Partridge Family.

1948 – Rory Gallagher
Rory Gallagher, Irish blues guitarist. Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste during the late 1960s. His albums have sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Gallagher died on June 14th 1995.

1946 – Bobby Eli
Bobby Eli, American musician, arranger, composer and record producer from Philadelphia. He is a founding member and lead guitarist of Philadelphia studio band MFSB. Eli’s contributions can be heard on many recordings including, The Jacksons, David Bowie, Hall and Oates, Elton John, The Temptations, The Stylistics and Curtis Mayfield.

1943 – Tony Meehan
Tony Meehan, English drummer. A founder member of the British group The Drifters which would evolve into The Shadows. They scored the 1963 UK No.1 single ‘Foot Tapper’ plus 28 other UK Top 40 singles. Meehan quit the music industry in the 1990s for a major career change as a psychologist. He died on 28 November 2005 aged 62 from head injuries sustained in a fall.

1942 – Lou Reed
American musician, singer and songwriter Lou Reed from the Velvet Underground. After leaving the band in 1970, Reed released twenty solo studio albums. His second, Transformer (1972), was produced by David Bowie and arranged by Mick Ronson, and brought mainstream recognition. Reed scored the 1973 solo hit 1 ‘Walk On The Wildside’, and the 1997 UK No.1 charity single ‘Perfect Day’. Reed died from liver disease on 27th Oct 2013 aged 71.

1938 – Lawrence Payton
Lawrence Payton, American singer with The The Four Tops, who had the 1965 US No.1 single with ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ and a 1967 UK No.6 single with ‘Standing In The Shadows of Love’. Payton died on June 20th 1997. Founded as the Four Aims they helped established the Motown Sound heard around the world during the 1960s.

1923 – Doc Watson
Doc Watson is born in Deep Gap, North Carolina. A blind acoustic guitarist, he joins The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on its album “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” and collects seven Grammy awards. Died May 29, 2012