This week’s musical birthday celebrants.
Uncle Tupelo/Son Volt singer/songwriter Jay Farrar, December 26, 1966
Other December 26 birthdays:
The Four Tops singer Abdul “Duke” Fakir, 1935
Producer/murderer Phil Spector, 1939
Jazz guitarist John Scofield, 1951
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, 1963
The Shins frontman James Mercer, 1970
Soft-rock singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff, December 27, 1952
Other December 27 birthdays:
Pianist/composer Oscar Levant, 1906
Comic singer Anna Russell, 1911
Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore, 1931
Moody Blues composer/Mellotron player Mike Pinder, 1941
King Crimson/Emerson, Lake & Palmer lyricist Peter Sinfield, 1943
Foreigner guitarist/songwriter Mick Jones, 1944
Patti Smith Band/Nuggets compiler Lenny Kaye, 1946
Jazz pianist Earl Hines, December 28, 1903
Jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani, December 28, 1962
Other December 28 birthdays:
Staple Singers guitarist Pops Staples, 1915
Rock and Roll Trio founder Dorsey Burnette, 1932
Blues-rock multi-instrumentalist Edgar Winter, 1947
The Box Tops/Big Star singer/songwriter Alex Chilton, 1950
R&B singer John Legend, 1978
Jesus & Mary Chain singer Jim Reid, December 29, 1961
Other December 29 birthdays:
Catalan cellist Pablo Casals, 1876
Jazz crossdressing pianist Billy Tipton, 1914
The Band bassist Rick Danko, 1942
British pop/rock singer Marianne Faithfull, 1946
Jeff Beck Group/Rainbow/Whitesnake/Emerson, Lake & Powell/Black Sabbath drummer Cozy Powell, 1947
Disco singer Yvonne Elliman, 1951
Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne, December 30, 1947
Other December 30 birthdays:
Blues/rock cusp Bo Diddley (born Ellas Otha Bates), 1928
Country singer Skeeter Davis (born Mary Frances Penick), 1931
Early rock singer Del Shannon, 1934
Singer/songwriter John Hartford, 1937
Peter, Paul & Mary singer Noel Paul Stookey, 1937
Mountain bassist/Cream producer Felix Pappalardi, 1939
The Monkees singer/solo artist Michael Nesmith, 1942
The Monkees singer Davy Jones, 1945
Punk icon Patti Smith, 1946
Ukrainian violinist Nathan Milstein, December 31, 1903
Other December 31 birthdays:
Broadway composer Jule Styne, 1905
Jazz trumpeter Jonah Jones, 1909
Folk singer Odetta Holmes, 1930
Guru Guru singer/drummer Manfred “Mani” Neumeier, 1940
The Police guitarist Andy Summers, 1942
‘70s pop singer/songwriter John Denver, 1943
The Kinks bassist Pete Quaife, 1043
The Guess Who singer/keyboardist Burton Cummings, 1947
Os Mutantes singer Rita Lee, 1947
Disco singer Donna Summer, 1948
The Replacements singer/songwriter Paul Westerberg, 1959
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, 1963
The Slits singer Ari Up (born Ariane Daniele Forster), January 1, 1962
Other January 1 birthdays:
Croatian conductor Artur Rodzinski, 1892
Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson, 1923
Electric Flag keyboardist Barry Goldberg, 1941
Country Joe & the Fish frontman Joe McDonald, 1942
Mott the Hoople keyboardist Morgan Fisher, 1950
Seminal turntablist Grandmaster Flash, 1958
Jazz saxophonist Chris Potter, 1971
Modern Jazz Quartet vibraphonist Milt Jackson, 1923
Seminal turntablist Grandmaster Flash, 1958
Other January 1 birthdays:
Croatian conductor Artur Rodzinski, 1892
Electric Flag keyboardist Barry Goldberg, 1941
Country Joe & the Fish frontman Joe McDonald, 1942
Mott the Hoople keyboardist Morgan Fisher, 1950
Jazz saxophonist Chris Potter, 1971
