Pick a Day

Music History Events: Births

May 13, 1943 Motown singer Mary Wells is born in Detroit, Michigan.

May 11, 1943 Arnie Silver, aka Arnie Satin (of the '60s vocal group The Dovells), is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

May 11, 1943 Les Chadwick (bassist for Gerry and the Pacemakers) is born in Liverpool, England.

May 9, 1943 Rocker Bruce Milner (pianist for Every Mother's Son) is born.

May 8, 1943 Danny Whitten, guitarist in Neil Young's band Crazy Horse, is born in Columbus, Georgia. The song "The Needle And The Damage Done" is about Whitten, who dies of a drug overdose at 29.

May 8, 1943 Paul Samwell-Smith (bassist for The Yardbirds) is born in Richmond, Surrey, England.

May 7, 1943 Rick West (lead guitarist for The Tremeloes) is born Richard Westwood in Dagenham, Essex, England.

April 30, 1943 Pop singer Bobby Vee is born Robert Thomas Velline in Fargo, North Dakota.

April 29, 1943 Country singer Duane Allen (of The Oak Ridge Boys) is born in Taylortown, Texas.

April 28, 1943 Soul singer The Fantastic Johnny C, known for the 1967 hit "Boogaloo Down Broadway," is born Johnny Corley in Greenwood, South Carolina.

April 26, 1943 '70s rock singer Gary Wright is born in Cresskill, New Jersey.

April 24, 1943 Country singer Richard Sterban (of The Oak Ridge Boys) is born in Camden, New Jersey.

April 24, 1943 Vocalist Glen Dale (of The Fortunes) is born Richard Garforth in Deal, Kent, England.

April 19, 1943 Eve Graham of The New Seekers is born Evelyn May Beatson in Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.

April 17, 1943 Bass guitarist Roy Estrada (Captain Beefheart, Mothers of Invention, Little Feat) is born in Santa Ana, California.

April 17, 1943 Teen idol Bobby Curtola (1962's "Fortune Teller") is born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.

April 16, 1943 Blues rocker Dave Peverett (of Foghat, Savoy Brown) is born in Dulwich, London, England.

April 11, 1943 R&B singer Tony Victor (of The Classics) is born in Brooklyn, New York City.

April 9, 1943 Music producer Terry Knight (Grand Funk Railroad, Bloodrock) is born Richard Terrance Knapp in Lapeer, Michigan.

April 7, 1943 Rock guitarist Mick Abrahams (of Jethro Tull) is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

April 3, 1943 Richard Manuel (lead singer of The Band) is born in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

March 31, 1943 Al Goodman (of Ray, Goodman & Brown) is born in Jackson, Mississippi.

March 30, 1943 Love bass player Ken Forssi is born in Cleveland.

March 29, 1943 Chad Allan (original lead singer of The Guess Who) is born Allan Peter Stanley Kowbel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

March 29, 1943 The composer Vangelis (Evangelos Papathanassiou) is born in Greece. In 1982, his theme to the movie Chariots of Fire goes to #1 in America. He is also known for his collaborations with Jon Anderson of Yes - they record as Jon & Vangelis.

March 22, 1943 George Benson is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known as a jazz guitarist, he's also a singer, and in the '80s he has a string of yacht rock hits that includes "Give Me The Night" and "Turn Your Love Around."

March 22, 1943 Keith Relf (lead vocalist for The Yardbirds) is born in Richmond, Surrey, England.

March 21, 1943 Viv Stanshall of Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band is born in Oxford, England.

March 18, 1943 Country singer-songwriter Dennis Linde is born in Abilene, Texas. He pens the 1972 Elvis Presley hit "Burning Love."

March 15, 1943 Sly Stone, leader of Sly & the Family Stone, is born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas. The band bring smiles and break ground with hits like "Dance To The Music" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," but by the late '70s Stone becomes erratic and unreliable, plagued by drug addiction and mental health issues. He's offered various showcases to launch a comeback, including a Grammy tribute in 2006, but is never lucid enough to return to music.