Pick a Day

Music History Events: Births

October 31, 1940 Eric Griffiths (original guitarist for The Quarrymen, a pre-Beatles rock 'n roll group founded by John Lennon) is born in Denbigh, North Wales.

October 28, 1940 Jay Proctor (of Jay & the Techniques) is born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Known for the 1967 hit "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie."

October 21, 1940 Doo-wopper Jimmy Beaumont (of The Skyliners) is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

October 21, 1940 Manfred Mann is born Manfred Sepse Lubowitz in Johannesburg, Transvaal, Union of South Africa.

October 19, 1940 Larry Chance (lead singer of The Earls) is born Larry Figueiredo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

October 18, 1940 Songwriter Cynthia Weil is born in New York. Known for her work with husband Barry Mann, including "On Broadway," "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," to name a few.

October 14, 1940 Pop singer Cliff Richard is born Harold Rodger Webb in Imperial India.

October 8, 1940 Soul singer Fred Cash (of The Impressions) is born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

October 3, 1940 Pop rocker Alan O'Day is born in Hollywood, California.

September 30, 1940 Dewey Martin (drummer for Buffalo Springfield) is born Walter Milton Dwayne Midkiff in Chesterville, Ontario, Canada.

September 24, 1940 Barbara Allbut (of The Angels) is born in Orange, New Jersey.

September 19, 1940 Singer/songwriter Paul Williams is born in Omaha, Nebraska. A TV fixture in the '70s and '80s, he also writes many popular songs, including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song," the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun," and David Bowie's "Fill Your Heart."

September 19, 1940 Blue-eyed soul singer Bill Medley (of The Righteous Brothers) is born in Los Angeles, California.

September 18, 1940 Singer/actor Frankie Avalon is born Francis Thomas Avallone in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

September 17, 1940 R&B singer LaMonte McLemore (of The 5th Dimension) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

September 15, 1940 Rock 'n Roller Jimmy Gilmer (of Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) is born in Chicago, Illinois, but would be raised in Amarillo, Texas. Known for the 1963 hit "Sugar Shack."

September 9, 1940 Joe Negroni (of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is born in New York City, New York.

September 4, 1940 Soul singer Sonny Charles (of Sonny Charles & The Checkmates, Ltd.) is born Charles Hemphill in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

September 2, 1940 Teen idol Jimmy Clanton is born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Known for the swamp pop/R&B hits "Just a Dream" (1958) and "Venus in Blue Jeans" (1962).

August 26, 1940 Rocker Nik Turner (of Hawkwind) is born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

August 20, 1940 John Lantree (bass guitarist for The Honeycombs) is born in Newbury, Berkshire, England.

August 19, 1940 Roger Cook (co-lead vocalist of Blue Mink) is born in Fishponds, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England.

August 19, 1940 Johnny Nash is born in Houston, Texas. As a teen, he performs regularly on Arthur Godfrey's variety show and lands a series of minor hits, but he makes his biggest mark in the '70s with the reggae hits "I Can See Clearly Now" and "Stir It Up" (written and later recorded by Bob Marley).

August 14, 1940 Dash Crofts (of Seals and Crofts) is born Darrell Crofts in Cisco, Texas.

August 13, 1940 John Stokes (bass player for The Bachelors) is born in Dublin, Ireland.

August 12, 1940 Country/Rockabilly singer Rod Bernard is born in Opelousas, Louisiana.

August 10, 1940 Bobby Hatfield (of The Righteous Brothers) is born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

August 5, 1940 Singer/actress Damita Jo is born in Austin, Texas. Had a minor hit with a cover of "If You Go Away."

August 4, 1940 Larry Knechtel (keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist for Bread) is born in Bell, California.

July 26, 1940 Singer Dobie Gray is born in Simonton, Texas.