Pick a Day

Music History Events: Births

December 12, 1938 Connie Francis is born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey. A huge star in the late '50s and early '60s, she becomes the first woman to top the Hot 100 as a solo artist when "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" hits #1 in 1960. In 2025 she returns to the zeitgeist when her 1962 B-side ""Pretty Little Baby" goes viral on TikTok.

December 5, 1938 Singer-songwriter J.J. Cale, a forerunner of the Tulsa Sound, is born John Weldon Cale in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

December 1, 1938 Rock 'n roll drummer Sandy Nelson is born in Santa Monica, California. Aside from being a session drummer on such tunes as the Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is To Love Him," he releases a string of Top 40 instrumental hits, including "Teen Beat" at #4 in 1959.

November 26, 1938 Ray Brown (of The Four Freshmen) is born.

November 19, 1938 Hank Medress (of The Tokens) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

November 17, 1938 Gordon Lightfoot is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He breaks through in America with his 1970 song "If You Could Read My Mind," inspired by the breakdown of his first marriage.

November 16, 1938 Troy Seals (guitarist for James Brown) is born in Bighill, Kentucky. Also a country songwriter, his compositions will be recorded by Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, and Randy Travis. He is the older brother of Jim Seals of the soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts.

November 11, 1938 Roger Lavern (keyboardist for The Tornados) is born in Kidderminster, England.

November 7, 1938 Soul singer Dee Clark, known for the 1961 hit "Raindrops," is born in Blytheville, Arkansas.

November 6, 1938 PJ Proby is born James Marcus Smith in Houston, Texas.

November 4, 1938 R&B singer Harry Elston (of Friends Of Distinction) is born in Dallas, Texas.

November 2, 1938 Jay Black (lead singer of Jay & the Americans) is born David Blatt in New York City, where he'll grow up in the Boro Park neighborhood of Brooklyn.

November 1, 1938 Jazz saxophonist Mike Burney (of Wizzard) is born in Great Barr, Birmingham, England.

October 18, 1938 R&B singer Ronnie Bright (of The Coasters) is born in New York.

October 16, 1938 Rock singer/songwriter Nico is born Christa Päffgen in Cologne, Germany.

October 15, 1938 R&B singer Marv Johnson is born in Detroit, Michigan. His song "Come to Me" was the first record on the Tamla label, which would later become Motown.

October 14, 1938 Country singer Melba Montgomery is born Iron City, Tennessee, but would be raised in Florence, Alabama. Known for her duets with George Jones and her 1974 solo hit, "No Charge."

October 5, 1938 Doo-wop/rock singer Carlo Mastrangelo (of Dion & The Belmonts and Pulse) is born in the Bronx, New York.

October 5, 1938 Country singer Johnny Duncan is born in Dublin, Texas. Known for the '70s hits "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better," among others.

October 3, 1938 Rockabilly singer Eddie Cochran is born in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

September 28, 1938 Ben E. King, who does time in The Drifters before scoring a solo hit with "Stand By Me, is born in Henderson, North Carolina.

September 12, 1938 Soul/gospel singer Judy Clay is born Judith Grace Guions in St. Pauls, North Carolina.

August 24, 1938 Mason Williams is born in Abilene, Texas. Aside from becoming a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Saturday Night Live, he also works as a guitarist and composer.

August 24, 1938 David Freiberg (vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

August 22, 1938 Rock singer/guitarist Dale Hawkins is born in Gold Mine, Louisiana.

August 21, 1938 Kenny Rogers is born in Houston, Texas. His most famous song, "The Gambler," is released when he is 40.

August 21, 1938 Singer-songwriter Ernie Maresca, who penned several Dion hits, is born in The Bronx, New York City.

August 16, 1938 R&B/Pop singer and actress Ketty Lester is born Revoyda Frierson in Hope, Arkansas. Known for her 1962 hit "Love Letters."

August 13, 1938 Pop/R&B musician Dave "Baby" Cortez is born David Cortez Clowney in Detroit, Michigan.

August 8, 1938 Actress/singer Connie Stevens is born in Brooklyn, New York. Had a #3 hit with "Sixteen Reasons" in 1960.