Born On This Day In Music, September 2nd

1987
Spencer James Smith, drummer, with American rock band Panic! at the Disco who scored the 2008 Australian No.1 and US & UK No.2 album Pretty.Odd.

1975
Jill Janus the lead singer of American heavy metal bands Huntress, The Starbreakers and Chelsea Girls. Janus died by suicide on 14 August 2018 age 42.

1975
Tony Thompson, Hi-Five, (1991 US No.1 & UK No.43 single, ‘I Like The Way, The Kissing Game’).

1969
R&B singer K-Ci Hailey (of Jodeci) is born in Monroe, North Carolina.

1966
Fear Factory guitarist and co-founder Dino Cazares is born in El Centro, California.

1959
Paul Deakin, drummer from the American band The Mavericks who had the 1998 UK No.4 single ‘Dance The Night Away’. The Mavericks won a Grammy Award for the song ‘Here Comes the Rain’.

1958
Fritz McIntyre, from Simply Red, who had the 1986 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘Holding Back The Years’. They have had five No.1 albums in the UK, their 1991 album, Stars, is one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history. He died on 24 August 2021 age 62.

1958
Jerry Augustyniak, from American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs that was founded in 1981. They achieved their greatest success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four albums that charted in the top 50 in the US.

1957
Steve Porcaro, American keyboardist, composer and original member of the rock band Toto who had the 1983 US No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘Africa’. Porcaro composed the music for the song ‘Human Nature’ and produced the synthesizer for ‘The Girl Is Mine’ from Michael Jackson’s album Thriller.

1953
American composer John Zorn is born in New York City. As a child, he shows an eccentric fascination with sound and avant-garde music that prompts his parents to get him psychologically evaluated.

1951
Mik Kaminski, violin, with Electric Light Orchestra, who had the 1979 UK No.3 & US No.4 single ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ plus 26 other Top 40 hits. ELO have sold over 50 million records worldwide.

1947
English drummer and percussionist Richard Coughlan. He was one of the founding members of Caravan in 1968 and remained with the band until his death. Caravan who were signed to Decca Records, blended psychedelic rock, jazz and classical influences to create a distinctive progressive rock sound. Coughlan died on 1 December 2013 age 66.

1946
Billy Preston, US singer, keyboard player. (1973 US No.1 single ‘Will It Go Round In Circles’, 1978 UK No.2 single with Syreeta ‘With You I’m Born Again’, and 1969 single ‘Get Back’ with The Beatles). During the 1960s, he backed artists such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke and Ray Charles. Preston died on June 6, 2006.

1945
American keyboardist, guitarist, and saxophonist Marty Grebb. He was a member of The Buckinghams in the late 1960s, who scored the 1967 US number one hit ‘Kind of a Drag’. Grebb later worked as a record producer and an arranger, who worked with musicians including Peter Cetera, Bill Payne, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Etta James, and Leon Russell. He died on 1 January 2020 age 74.

1943
Rosalind Ashford, The Vandellas, (1962 US No.2 & 1969 UK No.4 single with The Vandellas, ‘Dancing In The Street’).

1943
Joe Simon, singer, (1975 US No.8 single ‘Get Down, Get Down On The Floor’).

1940
Jimmy Clanton, US singer who had the 1962 US No.2 single ‘A Part Of Me’.

1939
Bobby Purify, singer from R&B duo James & Bobby Purify who had the 1976 US No.6 & UK No.12 single ‘I’m Your Puppet’.

1939
Sam Gooden, singer, The Impressions, (1965 US No.7 single ‘Lilies Of The Field’).

1933
American singer Richard “Rick” Lewis from The Silhouettes. The doo wop/R&B groups single ‘Get A Job’ was a No.1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart and pop singles chart in 1958. The doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na derived their name from the song’s lyrics. ‘Get A Job’ is included in the soundtracks of the film American Graffiti, Trading Places and Stand By Me. Lewis died on 19 April 2005.

1925
American orchestra leader and composer of film soundtracks Hugo Montenegro known for his 1968 UK No.1 & US No.2 single cover version of Ennio Morricone’s main theme from the 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He composed the musical score for the 1969 Western Charro! which starred Elvis Presley. He died 6 Feb 1981.

1925
English pianist and composer Russ Conway, who had the 1959 UK No.1 single ‘Side Saddle’. Conway had 20 piano instrumentals in the UK Singles Chart between 1957 and 1963, including two No.1 hits. Conway died on 16th November 2000 age 75.

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