Born on March 15th in music

Born On This Day In Music, March 15th

1977 – Joe Hahn
DJ Joseph Hahn,is born in Dallas, Texas, but grows up in Glendale, California. In college, he met Mike Shinoda and joined his band Xero, which would release its self-titled demo album in 1997. The band later became known as Hybrid Theory in 1999 with the EP release of the same name as the band, then was changed again into Linkin Park during the recording sessions of Hybrid Theory. Linkin Park had the 2002 US No.2 & UK No.4 single ‘In The End’, and the 2002 US No.2 & 2001 UK No.4 album Hybrid Theory.

1975 – Will.i.am
American recording artist, songwriter, entrepreneur, voice actor, DJ, record producer, Will.i.am who was a member of Black Eyed Peas, (2003 US & UK No.1 single ‘Where Is The Love’). He has produced with other artists including Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Eazy-E, Britney Spears, David Guetta, U2, Rihanna, Usher, Justin Timberlake, and Earth, Wind & Fire.

1974 – Matt Thomas
Matt Thomas is born in Greenville, North Carolina. He comes to prominence as a vocalist and guitar player with Parmalee, singing lead on the hits “Carolina” and “Close Your Eyes”.

1972 – Mark Hoppus
Mark Hoppus, American musician, record producer, and television host, and bassist and singer with Blink 182, who had the 2000 UK No.2 single ‘All The Small Things’ and the 2001 US No.1 album ‘Take Off Your…’.

1968 – Jon Schaffer
Jon Schaffer (guitarist for Iced Earth) is born in Franklin, Indiana.

1968 – Mark McGrath
American singer Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray, who had the 1999 UK No. 10 single ‘Every Morning’. Also a TV host on US Show Extra.

1964 – Rockwell
Rockwell, (Kennedy Gordy), 1984 US No 2 & UK No.6 single, ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’. Rockwell is the son of Motown records boss Berry Gordy.

1963 – Bret Michaels
American singer-songwriter Bret Michaels with the glam metal band Poison who have sold over 40 million records worldwide. They scored the late 80’s UK No.13 & US No.1 single ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’.

1962 – Steve Coy
Steve Coy, from English pop band, Dead Or Alive, who scored the 1985 UK No.1 single ‘You Spin Me Round, Like A Record’.

1962 – Terence Trent D’arby
American singer and songwriter Terence Trent D’arby, who came to fame with his debut studio album, Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby, released in July 1987, which included the singles ‘If You Let Me Stay’, ‘Wishing Well’, ‘Dance Little Sister’ and ‘Sign Your Name‘. He adopted a new name, Sananda Maitreya, which he has said relates to a series of dreams he had in 1995. He legally changed his name six years later on October 4, 2001.

1955 – Dee Snider
American singer-songwriter Dee Snider, lead singer of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister, (1983 UK No.18 single ‘I Am, I’m Me’, 1984 album Stay Hungry).

1952 – Howard Devoto
Howard Devoto, English singer-songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for the punk rock band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, one of the first post-punk bands.

1948 – Stephen Nisbett
Stephen Nisbett, drummer for the British reggae group, Steel Pulse. He later owned his own record company, Grizzly Records. Nisbett died on 18 January 2018, at the age of 69.

1947 – Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder, guitarist, member of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, worked with Gordon Lightfoot, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Randy Newman, John Lee Hooker. He released the 1979 solo album Bop Till You Drop’ and the 1985 film soundtrack album Paris Texas. Cooder produced the Buena Vista Social Club album (1997), which became a worldwide hit.

1947 – Hernandez Lugo
Hernandez Lugo, ? & The Mysterians, (1966 US No. 1 & UK No.37 single 96 Tears). The song was a UK No.17 hit for The Stranglers in 1990.

1946 – Howard Scott
American guitarist Howard Scott with American funk band War. Their album The World Is a Ghetto was the best-selling US album of 1973. They also scored the 1973 US No.2 single ‘Cisco Kid’.

1944 – Sly Stone
American musician, songwriter, and record producer Sly Stone, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. Stones scored the 1968 UK No.7 & US No.8 single ‘Dance To The Music’, and the 1969 US No.1 single ‘Everyday People’.

1944 – David Costell
David Costell, from American 1960s era pop and rock group Gary Lewis and the Playboys who scored the 1965 US No.1 single ‘This Diamond Ring’ and 11 other US Top 40 hits.

1942 – Hughie Flint
English drummer Hughie Flint, known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, (on their albums John Mayall Plays John Mayall (1965) and Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966), also known as The Beano Album and for his group McGuinness Flint (1970 UK No.2 ‘When I’m Dead And Gone’) and for his subsequent association with The Blues Band.

1941 – Mike Love
Mike Love, American singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded The Beach Boys. Love collaborated with Brian Wilson and was a lyricist on singles including ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ (1964), ‘California Girls’ (1965), and ‘Good Vibrations. (1966). The Beach Boys released the 1966 classic album Pet Sounds.

1940 – Phil Lesh
American musician Phil Lesh who was a founding member and bassist with the Grateful Dead. They released over 140 albums, the majority of them recorded live in concert. After the band’s disbanding in 1995, Lesh continued the tradition of Grateful Dead family music with side project Phil Lesh and Friends.

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Live at Shrine Auditorium, August 23-24,1968)

1936 – Howard Greenfield
Howard Greenfield, American lyricist and songwriter, who for several years in the 1960s worked out of the famous Brill Building. With Neil Sedaka he co-wrote many hits including ‘Calendar Girl’, ‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’, and ‘Crying In The Rain’ with Carol King and ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’, by Captain & Tennille. In 2005, ‘Is This The Way To Amarillo’, a song Greenfield had written with Sedaka in the early 1970s, reached No. 1 on the UK charts in the original 1971 version by Tony Christie. He died on 4 March 4 1986 from complications from AIDS, eleven days before his 50th birthday.

1932 – Arif Mardin
Producer and arranger Arif Mardin is born in Istanbul, Turkey. In 1969, he became Vice President of Atlantic Records and later served as Senior Vice President until 2001. He worked with Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Wilson Pickett, Average White Band, The Bee Gees, Barbra Streisand and more recently Norah Jones. Mardin died on June 25th 2006 following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.

1931 – D.J. Fontana
Elvis Presley drummer D.J. Fontana. Before joining guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black in Presley’s backing band the Blue Moon Boys, Dominic Joseph Fontana worked as the house drummer for his hometown of Shreveport’s Louisiana Hayride working with the likes of Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Steve Young, Melba Montgomery, Norma Jean, Vassar Clements, Carl Butler and other country artists. He died on 13 June 2018.

1931 – James Mitchell
James Mitchell, tenor saxophone, The Memphis Horns. Worked with Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Sam And Dave, Elvis Presley, The Doobie Brothers, Otis Redding. Mitchell died on December 18th 2000.

1922 – Eddie Calvert
British solo trumpeter Eddie Calvert. He had the 1953 UK No.1 ‘Oh, Mein Papa’ and the 1955 UK No.1 with ‘Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White’. In spite of being an instrumental, his theme music for the film The Man with the Golden Arm was banned by the BBC ‘due to its connection with a film about drugs. He died on 7 August 1978 aged 56..

1912 – Sam Lightnin Hopkins
American blues guitarist and singer Sam ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins. He was a major influence on Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. R.E.M. included the song ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins’ on their 1987 album Document. He died 30th January 1982 aged 69.