Born on this day in music, November 7th

Born on this day in music, November 7

1996

New Zealand singer-songwriter, Ella Yelich-O’Connor, known by her stage name Lorde who had the 2013 worldwide hit ‘Royals’, making her the first New Zealand solo artist to have a No.1 song in the United States. Her second studio album Melodrama topped charts in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada.

1988
English rapper, Tinie Tempah, (born Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu). Scored the 2010 UK No.1 ‘Pass Out’, and ‘Written in the Stars’

1978

Mark Daniel Read, vocals, A1, (2000 UK No.1 single, ‘Same Old Brand New You’).

1971

Robin Finck, American guitarist with Nine Inch Nails and Guns N’ Roses

1970

Neil Hannon, singer, Divine Comedy, (1999 UK No. 8 single ‘National Express’).

1967

David Guetta, French DJ. He produced the Black Eyed Peas song ‘I Gotta Feeling’, and scored the 2009 Australian No.1 single ‘Sexy Bitch’ featuring Akon.

1967

Sharleen Spiteri, singer, songwriter from Scottish pop rock band Texas who had the 1997 UK No.3 single ‘Say What You Want’, and the 1997 UK No.1 album White On Blonde which has been certified six-times platinum in the UK.

1964

Liam O’Maonlai, vocals, guitar, piano, from Irish rock group Hothouse Flowers who scored the 1988 UK No.11 single ‘Don’t Go’. Their first album, People, released in 1988 became the most successful debut album in Irish history. It reached the No.1 slot in Ireland within a week and eventually reached No.2 in the UK Albums Chart.

1963

Clint Mansell, guitarist, from English alternative rock band, Pop Will Eat Itself who scored the 1991 UK No.15 single ‘X Y & Zee’ and the 1993 top ten hit, ‘Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!’

1960

Tommy Thayer, lead guitarist, took over from Ace Frehley in American hard rock band Kiss. Thayer became the lead guitarist for Kiss in 2002.

1957
John “Jellybean” Benitez, producer, club DJ and remixer, who had the 1987 UK No.10 single ‘Who Found Who’. He has also produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and the Pointer Sisters

1954
Robin Beck, singer, (1988 UK No.1 single ‘First Time’). The song was taken from a TV advertisement for Coca-Cola. As a backing singer Beck worked with Melissa Manchester, Chaka Khan and Leo Sayer.

1951
Kevin Scott MacDonald, guitarist, with English rock band Cutting Crew, who scored the 1987 US No.1 & 1986 UK No.4 single ‘I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight’.

1948
American musician Stephen Bruton. He worked with such artists and musicians as T Bone Burnett, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Elvis Costello and Carly Simon. He was also a member of Kris Kristofferson’s band. Bruton died of complications of throat cancer in Los Angeles on 9 May 2009, aged 60.

1944
English bass guitarist Ray Randall. He was a member of The Tornados, their instrumental the 1962 ‘Telstar’, reached No.1 all over the world and was the first British rock song to be a No.1 single in the United States.

1943

Joni Mitchell (Roberta Anderson), Canadian singer, songwriter, 1970 UK No.11 single ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, 1974 US No.7 single ‘Help Me’. She wrote ‘Both Sides Now’ a hit for Judy Collins and ‘Woodstock’ a hit for Crosby, Stills Nash & Young and Matthews Southern Comfort. Mitchell’s work is highly respected by critics, and she has deeply influenced fellow musicians in a diverse range of genres.

1942

Johnny Rivers, US singer, songwriter, (1966 US No.1 single ‘Poor Side Of Town’ plus over 15 other US Top 40 hits).

1937
Mary Travers, singer-songwriter from American folk group Peter Paul and Mary, who had the 1969 US No.1 & 1970 UK No.2 single ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’. The Bob Dylan song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ was one of their biggest hit singles. They also sang other Dylan songs, such as ‘The Times They Are a-Changin” and ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right’. She died on 16th Sept 2009 aged 72.