This week’s musical birthday celebrants.
Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander, January 23, 1953
Other January 23 birthdays:
Belgian jazz guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt, 1910
Country singer/songwriter Johnny Russell, 1940
Jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton, 1943
Pointer Sisters singer Anita Pointer, 1948
E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici, 1950
Classical composer John Luther Adams, 1953
Acid-tongued singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, January 24, 1947
Other January 24 birthdays:
Italian castrato singer and movie inspiration Farinelli (born Carlo Maria Broschi), 1705
German flutist/composer Frederick the Great (day job: emperor), 1712
Italian composer/pianist Muzio Clementi, 1752
Classical composer Norman Dello Joio, 1913
Pop singer/songwriter Neil Diamond, 1941
New Orleans singer Aaron Neville, 1941
German conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, January 25, 1886
Country guitarist Wesley Webb “Speedy” West, January 25, 1924
Other January 25 birthdays:
Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski, 1913
Brazilian songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim, 1927
Jazz saxophonist Benny Golson, 1929
R&B singer Etta James, 1938
The Clash drummer Terry Chimes, 1956
The (English) Beat/Fine Young Cannibals guitarist Andy Cox, 1956
J-pop singer/songwriter Hitomi, January 26, 1976
Other January 26 birthdays:
German conductor Karl Ristenpart, 1900
Trapp Family Singers matriarch/The Sound of Music inspiration Maria von Trapp, 1905
French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, 1908
Songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, 1913
English cellist Jacqueline du Pré, 1945
Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, 1955
R&B singer Anita Baker, 1958
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, 1981
Blues/R&B singer Bobby “Blue” Bland, January 27, 1930
Other January 27 birthdays:
Austrian composer/pianist/child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756
French composer Edouard Lalo, 1823
Songwriter Jerome Kern, 1885
Songwriter Harry Ruby, 1895
Jazz trumpeter Oran “Hot Lips” Page, 1908
Blues singer/guitarist/songwriter Elmore James, 1918
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, 1944
Thin Lizzy drummer Brian Downey, 1951
New Order guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Gillian Gilbert, 1961
Faith No More/Mr. Bungle/Tomahawk/Fantomas/Dillenger Escape Plan/Peeping Tom singer Mike Patton, 1968
English rapper Tricky (born Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws), 1968
Japanese avant-rocker Cornelius (born Keigo Oyamada), 1969
Berlin Philharmonic principal flutist Emmanuel Pahud, 1970
Soft Machine/Matching Mole and solo drummer/singer Robert Wyatt, January 28, 1945
Eric B. & Rakim rapper Rakim (born William Michael Griffin, Jr.), January 28, 1968
Other January 28 birthdays:
Polish pianist Arthur Rubinstein, 1887
Rolling Stones co-founder/Pretty Things/Mekons guitarist Dick Taylor, 1943
Throbbing Gristle/Chris & Cosey synthesizer player Chris Carter, 1953
Singer/songwriter Sam Phillips, 1962
Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz, 1963
Gap Band singer Charlie Wilson, January 29, 1953
Dictators/Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom/MC5 singer “Handsome Dick” Manitoba (born Richard Blum), January 29, 1954
Other January 29 birthdays:
English composer Frederick Delius, 1862
Avant-garde guitarist Derek Bailey, 1930
Motown bassist James Jamerson, 1936
Uriah Heep singer David Byron, 1947
Ramones drummer/producer/last living original member Tommy Ramone (born Tamás Erdélyi), 1949
Tangerine Dream keyboardist Peter Baumann, 1953
