Born On March 19th in music

Born On This Day In Music, March 19th

1971 – Jack Bessant
Jack Bessant, bassist with English band Reef who had the 1996 UK No. 6 single ‘Place Your Hands’ and the 1997 UK No.1 album ‘Glow’.

1959 – Terry Hall
Terry Hall, English musician and the lead singer of The Specials, and formerly of Fun Boy Three. The Specials, had the 1981 UK No.1 single ‘Ghost Town’ and with Fun Boy Three had the 1982 UK No.4 single ‘It Ain’t What You Do It’s The Way That You Do It’ with Bananarama. Hall was also a member of Colour Field who had the 1985 UK No.12 single ‘Thinking Of You’. Hall died on 18 December 2022 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.

1959 – Anthony Marinelli
American pianist, musician, composer Anthony Marinelli who performed on the synthesizer for albums including Michael Jackson’s Thriller and has also worked with Lionel Richie, Kenny Loggins, Herb Alpert, Supertramp, The Crystal Method, Billy Childs and James Brown. Marinelli has also scored many film soundtracks.

1955 – Bruce Willis
American actor, producer, and singer Bruce Willis who scored the 1987 hit single with his versions of ‘Under The Boardwalk’ and ‘Respect Yourself,’ (a duet with June Pointer), both of which were taken from his debut album The Return of Bruno.

1953 – Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson, guitarist, with the American new wave band The B-52’s. Best known for their 1978 debut single ‘Rock Lobster and the 1990 UK No.2 & US No.3 single ‘Love Shack’. Wilson died on October 12th 1985 aged 32.

1953 – Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan, bass guitarist, with American hard rock supergroup Mr. Big, who had the 1992 US No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘To Be With You’. Also worked with Steve Vai and David Lee Roth.

1951 – Derek Longmuir
Derek Longmuir, Scottish drummer and a founding member of the 1970s pop group, Bay City Rollers who had the 1975 UK No.1 single ‘Bye Bye Baby‘ plus 11 other UK Top 20 singles’ and the 1976 US No.1 single ‘Saturday Night’.

1946 – Paul Atkinson
Paul Atkinson, guitarist with The Zombies who had four US hits, ‘She’s Not There’, ‘Tell Her No’, ‘She’s Coming Home’, and ‘Time of the Season’. He later became an A&R executive, working for Columbia and RCA, discovering and signing such bands as ABBA, Bruce Hornsby, Mr. Mister, Judas Priest, and Michael Penn. Atkinson died on 1st April 2004 aged 58.

1946 – Ruth Pointer
Ruth Pointer with American R&B singing group The Pointer Sisters who had the 1981 US No.2 single, ‘Slow Hand’ and the 1984 UK No.2 single ‘Automatic’. The Pointer Sisters have won three Grammy Awards and had 13 US top 20 hits between 1973 and 1985.

1944 – Tom Constanten
American keyboardist Tom Constanten who is best known for playing with the Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970.

1937 – Clarence “Frogman” Henry
R&B singer Clarence “Frogman” Henry, known for the 1961 hit “(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do,” is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1928 – Clarence Paul
American songwriter, record producer and singer Clarence Paul best known for his career with Motown Records. He was Stevie Wonder’s mentor and main producer during Wonder’s teenage years and also produced early Temptations records. Died May 6, 1995

1921 – Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper is born in Caerphilly, Wales. Has a No. 40 in UK single charts in 1961, “Don’t Jump Off the Roof Dad”. He died April 15, 1984.