2018

1920 Rex Allen born in Willcox, Arizona. US Country Singer/Guitarist and Actor in western films. Rex Allen died on December 17, two weeks before his 79th birthday in Tucson, Arizona, of a massive coronary.1930 Blues and folk singer Odetta is born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Alabama. Named the “Queen of American folk music” by Martin […] More

1928 Bo Diddley, (Ellas Otha Bates) born in McComb, Mississippi. American R&B and Chicago Blues vocalist and guitarist. In addition, he was a songwriter and music producer, usually as Ellas McDaniel, and had cameo appearances in movies. (R&B hits, ‘Bo Diddley’, ‘You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover’, 1963 UK No.34 single ‘Pretty Thing’). […] More

1940 Leslie Morrison better known professionally as Lucky Starr, is an Australian pop and folk singer and television presenter. Starr released the tongue-twisting “I’ve Been Everywhere” as a single in 1962, written by the singer-songwriter Geoff Mack, which name-drops numerous Australian towns. It was his biggest hit. 1942 Raymond “Ray” Thomas born in Stourport-on-Severn, England. English […] More

1915 Roebuck ‘pop’ Staples, vocals, The Staple Singers, (1975 US No.1 single ‘Let’s Do It Again’). Died 19th December 2000 aged 85 in Winona, Mississippi, after suffering a concussion in a fall at his home, just nine days short of his 86th birthday.1921 Johnny Otis born in Vallejo, California. He was an American singer, musician, […] More

1931 Scotty Moore born in Gadsden, Tennessee. Guitarist, whose first group was Doug Poindexter & the Starlite Wranglers. He played on the first Sun Studios session with Elvis Presley and went on to a lengthy career with Presley, playing on many of his most famous recordings including ‘Baby Let’s Play House’, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘MysteryTrain’, ‘That’s […] More

1935 Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir born in Detroit, Michigan. American singer. He is best known as a member of the Motown act the Four Tops, from 1954 to the present-day. A first tenor, Fakir is the group’s only surviving original member.(1965 US No.1 single ‘I Can’t Help Myself’, 1967 UK No.6 single ‘Standing In The Shadows […] More

1907 Cab Colloway born in Rochester, New York. US Singer/Drummer/Bandleader and Songwriter. On June 12, 1994, Calloway suffered a stroke. He died five months later on November 18, 1994. 1929 Chris Kenner born in Kenner, Louisiana. US Singer/Songwriter. (1961 US No.2 single ‘I Like It Like That’). Also a hit for Dave Clarke Five.1929 Bill Horton […] More