This week’s birthday celebrants.
Jazz/blues singer Joe Williams, December 12, 1918
Other December 12 birthdays:
Saloon singer Frank Sinatra, 1915
Jazz smartass singer/songwriter Bob Dorough, 1923
Jazz pianist Dodo Marmarosa, 1925
Japanese jazz pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi, 1929
Pop singer Connie Francis, 1938
Pop singer Dionne Warwick, 1940
Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts, 1943
Jazz saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., 1943
Jazz drummer Tony Williams, 1945
Singer/percussionist Sheila E. (born Sheila Escovedo), 1957
The Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins, 1976
Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, December 13, 1948
Television frontman and solo singer/guitarist Tom Verlaine, December 13, 1949
Other December 13 birthdays:
Russian pianist Josef Lhevinne, 1874
Spanish guitarist Carlos Montoya, 1903
Avant-garde composer Alvin Curran, 1938
Critic and singer Lester Bangs, 1948
The Time frontman Morris Day, 1957
Franz Ferdinand guitarist Nicholas McCarthy, 1974
Comic musician Lindley Armstrong “Spike” Jones, December 14, 1911
Jazz trumpeter Clark Terry, December 14, 1920
Other December 14 birthdays:
Country singer Charlie Rich, 1932
Classical guitarist Christopher Parkening, 1947
The Pogues singer/tin whistle player Peter “Spider” Stacy, 1958
Dave Clark Five leader/drummer Dave Clark, December 15, 1942
Other December 15 birthdays:
Progressive jazz bandleader Stan Kenton, 1911
Jazz pianist Barry Harris, 1929
Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice, 1946
The Clash bassist Paul Simonon, 1955
Electronica producer William Orbit (born William Mark Wainwright), 1956
German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, December 16, 1770
Other December 16 birthdays:
Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly, 1882
Beaux Arts Trio pianist Menahem Pressler, 1923
The Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks, 1943
ABBA singer/songwriter Benny Andersson, 1946
ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons, 1949
Blues singer/harmonica player Paul Butterfield, December 17, 1942
Other December 17 birthdays:
Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler, 1894
Jazz arranger Sy Oliver, 1910
Neville Brothers singer/keyboardist Art Neville, 1937
Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks, 1939
Free/Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers, 1949
Rolling Stones guitarist/songwriter Keith Richards, December 18, 1943
Be-bop Deluxe leader Bill Nelson, December 18, 1948
Other December 18 birthdays:
Pianist/composer Edward MacDowell, 1860
Jazz composer/arranger/bandleader Fletcher Henderson, 1897
Notorious thieving manager Allen Klein, 1931
Blues singer/guitarist Lonnie Brooks, 1933
The Animals bassist Bryan James “Chas” Chandler, 1938
Avant-jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, December 18, 1941
The Cars guitarist Elliot Easton, 1953
The Gories/Dirtbombs guitarist Mick Collins, 1965
