January 1
Births
1937 Neville Dickie
1938 Erma Franklin
1939 Gary Shearston
1946 Karen Young
1948 David Christie
1948 Oliver Cheatham
1954 F. R. David
1956 Diane Warren
1957 Grandmaster Flash
1962 Ari-Up – Slits
1968 Rick Jordan – vocals Scooter
1975 Robin Denburger – vocals Vengaboys
1985 Naughty Boy
Deaths
1953 Hank Williams
1984 Alexis Korner
2013 Patti Page
2019 Dean Ford – vocals Marmalade
January 2
Births
1936 Roger Miller
1942 Chick Churchill – keyboards Ten Years After
1942 Ray Moore – UK Radio DJ
1952 Graeme Strachan – vocals Skyhooks
1962 Stan Campbell – vocals Special A.K.A
1963 Keith Gregory – bass Wedding Present
1967 Tia Carrera
1969 Robert Gregory – drums Babybird
1974 Scott Underwood – drums Train
Deaths
1972 Tex Ritter
1973 Errol Garner
1981 David Lynch – vocals Platters
1983 Dick Emery – UK comedian/singer
1997 Randy California – vocals/guitar Spirit
2015 Little Jimmy Dickens – US country singer
2019 Captain (b: Daryl Dragon) – vocals/piano Captain and Tennille
January 3
Births
1909 Victor Borge – Danish comedian/pianist
1918 Maxene Andrew – Andrew Sisters
1926 George Martin – producer
1937 Glen Larson – vocals Four Preps
1942 Michael Zager
1945 Philip Goodhand-Tait – UK singer
1945 Stephen Stills
1946 Robert John
1946 John Paul Jones – bass Led Zeppelin
1954 Ross Funicello – guitar Dictators
1964 Raymond McGinley – guitar Teenage Fanclub
1974 Thomas Bangaltar – keyboards Daft Punk
Deaths
1980 Amos Milburn – blues singer/pianist
2002 Zac Foley – bass EMF
2014 Phil Everly
2020 Bo Winberg – guitar Spotnicks
2021 Gerry Marsden
January 4
Births
1936 John Gorman – vocals Scaffold
1940 Lance Fortune
1955 Mark Hollis – vocals Talk Talk
1956 Bernard Sumner – guitar Joy Division/New Order
1957 Patti Lovelace – US country singer
1958 Marcel King – vocals Sweet Sensation
1960 Michael Stipe – vocals REM
1962 Martin McAloon – bass Prefab Sprout
1962 Peter Steele – vocals/bass Type O Negative
1962 Robin Guthrie – guitar/bass/drums Cocteau Twins
1963 Till Lindemann – vocals Rammstein
1965 Beth Gibbons – vocals Portishead
1965 Caitlin O’Riordan – bass Pogues
1965 Dick Glasper – vocals Breathe
1976 Tina Peacock – vocals Supersister
1977 Tim Wheeler – vocals/guitar Ash
Deaths
1979 Charles Mingus – jazz pianist
1986 Philip Lynott
2005 Sue Wilkinson
2008 Keith Baxter – drums 3 Colours Red
2010 Neil Christian
2011 Mick Karn – bass/saxophone Japan
2011 Gerry Rafferty
2016 Robert Stigwood
2018 Ray Thomas – flute/saxophone Moody Blues
2019 Diana Decker
January 5
Births
1923 Sam Phillips – owner of Sun Records
1940 Athol Guy – bass Seekers
1949 George Brown – drummer Kool and The Gang
1950 Chris Stein – guitar Blondie
1951 Biff Byford – vocals Saxon
1964 Grant Young – drums Soul Asylum
1964 Phil Thornally – vocals/guitar Johnny Hates Jazz `
1969 Marilyn Manson
1970 Gianfranco Randone – keyboards Eiffel 65
1978 Emilia
1979 Steve Scott-Lee – vocals 3SL
1981 Deadmau5
1981 Zal Lichman – vocals Northern Line
1982 Tyler James
1983 Marlon Roudette
Deaths
1991 Billie Anthony
2010 Willie Mitchell
2016 Nick Caldwell – vocals Whispers
2019 Eric Haydock – bass Hollies
January 6
Births
1924 Earl Scruggs – US banjo player
1929 Wilbert Harrison – US singer/songwriter
1935 Paul Wilson – vocals Flamingos
1935 Nino Tempo
1937 Doris Troy – US soul singer
1944 Van McCoy
1946 Syd Barrett – vocals Pink Floyd
1947 Sandy Denny – vocals Fairport Convention
1947 Shirley Brown – US soul singer
1953 Malcolm Young – guitar AC/DC
1959 Kathy Sledge – vocals Sister Sledge
1964 Mark O’Toole – bass Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1969 Tim Garbutt – DJ Utah Saints
1985 Ben Haenow
1986 Alex Turner – Arctic Monkeys
Deaths
1993 Dizzy Gillespie
1998 Sonny Bono
2006 Alex St. Clair – guitar Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band
2006 Johnny Lange – composer ‘Mule Train’
2006 Lou Rawls
2014 Lance Percival
January 7
Births
1928 Emilio Pericoli
1938 Rory Storm
1938 Paul Revere
1942 Danny Williams
1944 Mike McGear – vocals Scaffold
1945 Dave Cousins – guitar/banjo/piano Strawbs
1948 Kenny Loggins
1959 Kathy Valentine – bass Go-Go’s
1962 Taja Sevelle
1971 DJ Otzi
1985 Ben Haenow
Deaths
1980 Larry Williams
2002 Jon Lee – drums Feeder
2011 Phil Kennemore – bass Y&T
2016 Troy Shondell
2016 Kitty Kallen
2020 Neil Peart – drums Rush
January 8
Births
1935 Elvis Presley
1937 Shirley Bassey
1940 Little Anthony
1941 Graham Chapman – Monty Python
1942 John Peterson – drums Harpers Bizarre
1943 Lee Jackson – vocals/bass The Nice
1943 Marcus Hutson – vocals Whispers
1945 Chris Hill – DJ
1945 Terry Sylvester – vocals Swinging Blue Jeans/Hollies
1946 Robert Krieger – guitar The Doors
1947 David Bowie
1948 Mel Pritchard – drummer Barclay James Harvest
1959 Paul Hester – drummer Crowded House
1967 R.Kelly
1971 Karen Poole – Alisha’s Attic
1975 Sean Paul
1975 Steve King – bass Mansun
Deaths
1991 Steve Clark – Def Leppard
2002 David McWilliams
2003 Ron Goodwin
2015 Curtis Lee
2016 Otis Clay
2017 Peter Sarstedt
2018 Denise Lasalle
January 9
Births
1898 Gracie Fields
1920 Clive Dunn
1925 Diana Decker
1941 Roy Head
1941 Joan Baez
1943 Scott Walker
1944 Jimmy Page
1948 Cassie Gaines – Lynyrd Skynyrd
1950 David Johansen – New York Dolls
1951 Crystal Gayle
1965 Haddaway
1978 Alex McLean – Backstreet Boys
1987 Paolo Nutini
Deaths
1995 Peter Co
2009 Dave Dee
2016 Ed Stewart
January 10
Births
1927 Johnnie Ray
1937 Bob Relf (Bob & Earl)
1937 Scott English
1943 Jim Croce
1945 Rod Stewart
1948 Donald Fagen
1953 Pat Benatar
1958 Shawn Colvin
1964 Brad Roberts – Crash Test Dummies
1965 Nathan Moore – Brother Beyond
Deaths
1976 Howlin Wolf
1997 Kenny Pickett – Creation
2008 Rod Allen – Fortunes
2013 Trevor Gordon – Marbles
2016 David Bowie
2017 Buddy Greco
2018 Eddie Clarke – guitar Motorhead
January 11
Births
1942 Clarence Clemons – E-Street Band
1946 Naomi Judd
1949 Daryl Braithwaite – Sherbet
1956 Big Bank Hank – rapper Sugarhill Gang
1958 Vicki Petersen – Bangles
1969 Charmayne Maxwell – vocals Brownstone
1971 Mary J. Blige
1971 Tom Rowlands – Chemical Brothers
1973 Tom Gladwin – Shed 7
1985 Newton Faulkner
Deaths
1989 Ray Moore
1999 Toni Fisher
2000 Mickey Finn – T.Rex
2017 Tommy Allsup
January 12
Births
1905 Tex Ritter
1926 Ray Price
1932 Des O’Connor
1941 Long John Baldry
1945 Maggie Bell
1946 George Duke
1949 Abraham Tilmon – Detroit Emeralds
1954 Felipe Rose – Village People
1959 Per Gessle – Roxette
1965 Mark Moore – S-Express
1966 Rob Zombie
1970 Zack De La Rocha – Rage Against The Machine
1974 Mel C
1977 Brad Delson – Linkin Park
1991 Pixie Lott
Deaths
2003 Maurice Gibb
2004 Randy Vanwarmer
January 13
Births
1938 Daevid Allen – vocals Soft Machine/Gong
1938 Richard Anthony
1941 Carl Dobkins Jr
1946 Al James – bass Showaddywaddy
1946 Boris Gardiner – Jamaican singer
1948 John Lees – guitarist Barclay James Harvest
1949 Thom Pace
1955 Trevor Rabin – guitar/keyboard Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
1955 Fred White – drummer Earth Wind and Fire
1961 Suggs
1964 David McClusky – drums Bluebells
Deaths
1979 Donny Hathaway
1999 Hammy Howell – vocals Darts
2007 Michael Brecker – saxophone Brecker Brothers
2010 Teddy Pendergrass
2015 Dozy – bass Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich
January 14
Births
1937 Billie Jo Spears
1938 Jack Jones
1950 George Currie – lead guitar Darts
1955 Michael Cooper – keyboards Third World
1956 Bob Bradbury – vocals/guitar Hello
1959 Chas Smash – Madness
1959 Geoff Tate – vocals Queensryche
1962 Patricia Morrison – bass Sisters Of Mercy
1965 Slick Rick
1969 Dave Grohl – Nirvana / Foo Fighters
1982 Caleb Followill – vocals/rhythm guitar Kings Of Leon
1989 Franchesca Sandford – vocals The Saturdays
Deaths
1994 Harry Nilsson
January 15
Births
1909 Gene Krupa
1936 Edward Bivins – vocals Manhattans
1941 Captain Beefheart
1944 Joan Johnson – vocals Dixie Cups
1947 Pete Waterman
1948 Ronnie Van Zandt – vocals Lynyrd Skynyrd
1952 Ray Simpson – vocals Village People (policeman)
1952 Melvyn Gale – cello Electric Light Orchestra
1953 Boris Blank – vocals Yello
1957 Nigel Trubridge – saxophone Darts
1959 Peter Trawavas – bass Marillion
1965 Derek B
1967 Lisa Velez – vocals Lisa Lisa
1975 Belinda Chapple – vocals Bardot
1981 Pitbull
1988 Skrillex
1989 Flux Pavilion
Deaths
1980 David Whitfield
1996 Les Baxter
1999 Marion Ryan
2009 Leroy Smith – piano Sweet Sensation
2011 Harvey James – guitar Sherbet
2015 Kim Fowley – US singer/songwriter/producer
2018 Edwin Hawkins
2018 Delores O’Riordan – vocals Cranberries
January 16
Births
1937 Bob Bogle – bass Ventures
1944 Ray Phillips – vocals Nashville Teens
1944 Jim Stafford
1955 Yan Style – guitar Kenny
1959 Sade
1961 Paul Raven – bass Killing Joke
1962 Paul Webb – bass Talk Talk
1965 Maxine Jones – vocals En Vogue
1968 Whitfield Crane – vocals Ugly Kid Joe
1970 Brendan O’Hare – drummer Teenage Fanclub
1976 Stuart Fletcher – bass Seahorses
1979 Aaliyah
Deaths
1972 David Seville
2000 Will Jones – vocals Coasters
2018 Dave Holland – drums Judas Priest
2021 Phil Spector – US producer
January 17
Births
1927 Eartha Kitt
1941 Dave Ballinger – drums Barron Knights
1943 Chris Montez
1944 Francois Hardy
1945 William Hart – vocals Delfonics
1948 Mick Taylor – guitar Rolling Stones
1952 Ryuchi Sakamoto
1954 Cheryl Bentyne – vocals Manhattan Transfer
1955 Steve Earle
1956 Paul Young
1958 Janet Kay
1960 John Crawford – bass Berlin
1961 Susanna Hoffs – vocals Bangles
1961 Dave Collard – keyboards Jo boxers
1966 Shabba Ranks
1971 Kid Rock
1978 Ricky Wilson – vocals Kaiser Chiefs
1981 Ray-J
1984 Calvin Harris
Deaths
1970 Billy Stewart
1989 Patti McCabe – vocals Poni-tails
2012 Johnny Otis
January 18
Births
1892 Oliver Hardy
1911 Danny Kaye
1941 Bobby Goldsboro
1941 David Ruffin
1944 ‘Legs’ Larry Smith – drums Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
1951 Adrian Baker
1954 Tom Bailey – vocals/keyboards Thompson Twins
1955 Frankie Knuckles
1956 Bob Rosenberg – vocals/keyboards Will To Power
1962 Jeremy Healy – Haysi Fantaysee
1973 Crispian Mills – vocals Kula Shaker
1980 Estelle
1983 Samantha Mumba
Deaths
1990 Mel Appleby
1998 Phyllis Nelson
1999 Brad Newman – UK singer
2010 Kate McGarrigle
2016 Dale Griffin – drums Mott The Hoople
2016 Glenn Frey
January 19
Births
1925 Don Lang
1928 Joan Regan
1929 Shirley Ellis
1932 Russ Hamilton – UK singer
1935 Bob Engemann – vocals Lettermen
1935 John Schroeder
1939 Phil Everly
1940 Mike Reid
1942 Michael Crawford
1943 Janis Joplin
1944 Shelley Fabares
1944 Laurie London
1945 Rod Evans – Deep Purple
1946 Dolly Parton
1949 Robert Palmer
1951 Dewey Bunnell – vocals/guitar America
1951 Martha Davis – vocals Motels
1956 Booker Newberry III
1963 Caron Wheeler – vocals Soul II Soul
1975 Kule-T – vocals MN8
1979 Wiley
Deaths
1998 Carl Perkins
2006 Wilson Pickett – US soul singer
2007 Dennis Doherty – vocals Mama’s and The Papa’s
2008 John Stewart – guitar Kingston Trio
2017 Loalwa Braz Vieira – vocals Kaoma
2019 Ted McKenna – drums Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2019 Windsor Davies
2020 Robert Parker
January 20
Births
1924 Slim Whitman
1933 Ron Townson – vocals Fifth Dimension
1933 Gerry Monroe
1937 Dorothy Provine
1942 Billy Powell – vocals O’Jays
1943 Rick Evans – vocals/guitar Zager And Evans
1945 Eric Stewart – vocals 10cc
1946 Jimmy Chambers – vocals Londonbeat
1948 Melvyn Pritchard – drummer Barclay James Harvest
1950 Paul Stanley – guitar Kiss
1952 Ian Hill – bass Judas Priest
1960 Paul King – vocals King
1965 Heather Small – vocals M People
1965 John Michael Montgomery
1969 Nicky Wire – bass Manic Street Preachers
1971 Gary Barlow
1977 Wayne Williams – vocals Another Level
1979 Will Young – UK Pop Idol singer
1979 Rob Bourdon – drums Linkin Park
Deaths
2000 Ray Jones – bass Dakotas
2005 Solomon King
2012 Etta James
2013 Bob Engemann – vocals Lettermen
2018 Jim Rodford – bass Argent
January 21
Births
1924 Benny Hill
1924 Telly Savalas
1941 Placido Domingo
1941 Richie Havens – US soul singer
1942 Edwin Starr
1942 Mac Davis
1944 Dave Wright – guitar Troggs
1944 Robin Sarstedt
1948 Peter Kirchner – drums Honeybus
1950 Billy Ocean
1959 Vic Reeves
1965 3-D – rapper Massive Attack
1965 Jam Master Jay – DJ Run DMC
1965 Cordell Crockett – bass Ugly Kid Joe
1966 Wendy James – vocals Transvision Vamp
1976 Emma Bunton
Deaths
1984 Jackie Wilson
1997 Col Tom Parker – Elvis Presley’s manager
1998 Antoine Lundy – vocals Force MD’s
1999 Charles Brown – US R&B singer/pianist
2002 Peggy Lee
2020 Terry Jones – vocals Monty Python
January 22
Births
1935 Sam Cooke
1940 Adie Harris – vocals Shirelles
1946 Malcolm McLaren
1949 Steve Perry – vocals Journey
1950 Graham Douglas – guitar Kursaal Flyers
1960 Michael Hutchence – vocals INXS
1965 DJ Jazzy Jeff
1965 Roachford
1965 Steve Adler – drums Guns ‘N Roses
1969 Craig Scott – tour keyboards Elastica
1971 Wildchild
Deaths
1982 Tommy Tucker
1996 Edem Ephraim – vocals London Boys
1996 Dennis Fuller – vocals London Boys
1997 Billy McKenzie – vocals Associates
1999 Sherrick
2017 Overend Watts – bass Mott The Hoople
January 23
Births
1948 Anita Pointer – vocals Pointer Sisters
1949 Noel Duggan – vocals/guitar Clannad
1949 Padraig Duggan – mandolion Clannad
1950 Billy Cunningham – bass Box Tops
1950 Patrick Simmons – vocals/guitar Doobie Brothers
1952 Robin Zander – vocals/guitar Cheap Trick
1955 Miki Zone – vocals Man 2 Man
1959 Earl Falconer – bass UB40
Deaths
1976 Paul Robeson
1978 Terry Kath – guitar Chicago
2018 Hugh Masekela
January 24
Births
1936 Jack Scott
1941 Ray Stevens
1941 Neil Diamond
1941 Aaron Neville
1946 Tammi Terrell
1947 Warren Zevon
1949 John Belushi
1953 Matthew Wilder
1958 Jools Holland
1959 Ian Donaldson – vocals H2O
1963 Keech Rainwater – drums Lonestar
1975 Paul Marazzi – vocals A1
1979 Tatyana Ali
Deaths
1995 David Cole – C and C Music Factory
2018 Mark E. Smith – The Fall
January 25
Births
1908 Stephan Grappelli – classical violinist
1938 Etta James
1946 Ronnie Brandon – keyboards McCoys
1949 John Cooper Clarke
1950 Michael Cotton – synthesizer Tubes
1954 Richard Finch – bass KC and The Sunshine Band
1956 Andy Cox – guitar The Beat/Fine Young Cannibals
1958 Gary Tibbs – bass Adam and The Ants
1962 Peter Coyle – vocals Lotus Eaters
1963 Carl Fysh – vocals Brother Beyond
1969 Kina Cosper – vocals Brownstone
1977 Christian Ingebrigtsen – vocals A1
1981 Alicia Keys – US singer
1992 Jordan Stephens – vocals Rizzle Kicks
Deaths
2005 Ray Peterson
2015 Edgar Froese – Edgar Froese – keyboards, guitar, bass, harmonica – Tangerine Dream
January 26
Births
1922 Michael Bentine – Goons
1926 Ronnie Hilton
1932 Coxone Dodd – reggae producer
1934 Huey ‘Piano’ Smith
1939 Marshall Leib – vocals the Teddy Bears
1943 Jean Knight
1951 David Briggs – guitar Little River Band
1952 Maurice Bacon – drums Love Affair
1955 Eddie Van Halen – guitar Van Halen
1958 Aron Strober – guitar Freiheit
1963 Andrew Ridgeley – Wham
1964 Wendy Melvoin – Wendy & Lisa
1972 Ya Kid K
Deaths
1989 Donnie Elbert
1991 Karen Young – US singer (hit – Hot Shot)
2011 Gladys Horton – vocals Marvelletes
2013 Leroy ‘Sugarfoot’ Bonner – vocals/guitar Ohio Players
2016 Colin Vearncombe
2018 Buzz Clifford
2019 Michel Legrand
2020 Bob Shane – vocals Kingston Trio
January 27
Births
1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1919 David Seville
1920 Helmut Zackarias
1930 Bobby Bland
1931 Rudy Mauger – vocals Crew Cuts
1944 Nick Mason – drums Pink Floyd
1946 Nedra Talley – vocals Ronettes
1948 Kim Gardner – bass Ashton Gardner and Dyke
1951 Seth Justman – keyboards J Geils Band
1951 Brian Downey – drums Thin Lizzy
1961 Gillian Gilbert – keyboards New Order
1961 Martin Degville – vocals Sigue Sigue Sputnik
1964 Miguel Drummond – drums Curiosity Killed The Cat
1967 Phillipe Zdar – DJ Cassius
1968 Mike Patton – vocals Faith No More
1968 Tricky
1971 Lil Jon – US rapper
1972 Mark Owen – vocals Take That
Deaths
1901 Giuseppe Verdi
2006 Gene McFadden – McFadden & Whitehead
2009 Billy Powell – piano Lynyrd Skynyrd
2014 Pete Seeger
January 28
Births
1929 Acker Bilk
1943 Dick Taylor – guitar Pretty Things
1944 Achim Reichel – vocals/guitar Rattles
1945 Robert Wyatt
1946 Rick Allen – keyboards Box Tops
1961 Mike Holoway – drums Flintlock
1963 Dan Spitz – guitar Anthrax
1965 DJ Muggs – vocals Cypress Hill
1968 Sarah McLachlan
1968 Rakim – US rapper
1975 Lee Latchford Evans – vocals Steps
1976 Rick Ross – US rapper
1977 Joey Fatone – vocals N’Sync
1980 Brian Fallon – vocals/guitar Gaslight Anthem
Deaths
1983 Billy Fury
1990 Puma Jones – vocals Black Uhuru
2005 Jim Capaldi – drums Traffic
2015 Louise Lopez – vocals Odyssey
2016 Paul Kantner – vocals/guitar Jefferson Airplane
2017 Bobby Freeman
January 29
Births
1889 Leadbelly
1908 Jimmy Shand
1933 Sacha Distel
1934 Noel Harrison
1943 Tony Blackburn
1943 Mark Wynter
1947 David Byron – vocals Uriah Heep
1948 Felice Taylor
1952 Tommy Ramone – drums Ramones
1956 Amii Stewart
1960 Rob Manzoli – guitar Right Said Fred
1961 Eddie Jackson – bass Queensryche
1961 Pauline Henry – vocals Chimes
1961 Dave Baynton-Power – drums James
1962 Marcus Vere – keyboards Living In A Box
1964 Roddy Frame – vocals Aztec Camera
1980 Nick Carter – vocals Backstreet Boys
Deaths
1980 Jimmy Durante
1992 Willie Dixon
2009 John Martyn
2019 James Ingram
January 30
Births
1936 Horst Jankowski
1939 Norma Tanega
1942 Marty Balin – vocals Jefferson Airplane
1947 Steve Marriott – vocals/guitar Small Faces
1949 William King – trumpet Commodores
1951 Phil Collins
1959 Jody Watley
Deaths
2011 John Barry
2013 Patti Andrews – vocals Andrews Sisters
2015 Don Covay
January 31
Births
1921 Mario Lanza
1937 Tony King – vocals King Brothers
1946 Terry Kath – vocals/guitar Chicago
1951 KC – vocals KC and the Sunshine Band
1951 Phil Manzanera
1956 Johnny Rotten
1961 Lloyd Cole
1964 Jeff Hanneman – guitar Slayer
1966 Al Jaworski – bass Jesus Jones
1981 Justin Timberlake
Deaths
1983 Lorraine Ellison – US soul singer
2010 Paul Fuemana – vocals OMC
2016 Terry Wogan
2017 John Schroeder
2017 John Wetton – bass Asia