Pick a Day

Music History Events: Births

July 9, 1954 Debbie Sledge (of Sister Sledge) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

July 2, 1954 Pete Briquette (bassist for The Boomtown Rats) is born Patrick Martin Cusack in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, Ireland. His stage name is a nod to his homeland, where peat briquettes were burned for heat.

June 25, 1954 David Paich (keyboardist for Toto) is born in Los Angeles, California.

June 20, 1954 Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony is born in Chicago, Illinois.

June 16, 1954 Garry Roberts (lead guitarist for The Boomtown Rats) is born in Dublin, Ireland.

June 15, 1954 Country singer Terri Gibbs is born in Miami, Florida, but raised in Grovetown, Georgia. Known for the hit 1980 single "Somebody's Knockin'."

June 13, 1954 Bo Donaldson (of Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods) is born Robert Walter Donaldson in Cincinnati, Ohio.

June 5, 1954 Jazz drummer Pete Erskine (of Weather Report) is born in Somers Point, New Jersey.

June 3, 1954 Dan Hill, known for the 1977 ballad "Sometimes When We Touch," is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

May 31, 1954 Vicki Sue Robinson ("Turn The Beat Around") is born in New York.

May 20, 1954 Jimmy Henderson (guitarist for Black Oak Arkansas) is born in Mississippi.

May 19, 1954 Phil Rudd (drummer for AC/DC) is born Phillip Hugh Norman Witschke Rudzevecuis in Melbourne, Australia.

May 2, 1954 Prescott Niles (bassist for The Knack) is born in New York City.

May 1, 1954 Guitarist and songwriter Ray Parker, Jr., writer and performer of the Ghostbusters theme, is born in Detroit, Michigan.

April 17, 1954 Songwriter and musician Michael Sembello is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

April 13, 1954 Jimmy Destri (keyboardist for Blondie) is born James Mollica in Brooklyn, New York.

April 1, 1954 Rock drummer Jeff Porcaro (of Toto) is born in South Windsor, Connecticut.

March 31, 1954 Tony Brock (drummer for The Tubes, The Babys) is born in Poole, Dorset, England.

March 16, 1954 Nancy Wilson of Heart is born in San Francisco, California, to a family that includes older sister (and future bandmate) Ann.

March 10, 1954 Disco singer Tina Charles, known for the 1976 hit "I Love to Love (But My Baby Loves to Dance)," is born Tina Hoskins in Whitechapel, London, England. Her dad is actor Charles Hoskins.

March 4, 1954 St Clair L. Palmer (of Sweet Sensation) is born in Saint Kitts.

February 19, 1954 Francis Buchholz (bass guitarist for Scorpions) is born in Hannover, Germany.

January 23, 1954 Richard Finch (composer and former bass guitarist for KC & The Sunshine Band) is born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but is raised in Hialeah, Florida.

January 13, 1954 Trevor Rabin (guitarist for Yes) is born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Rabin is also a noted film composer with over 40 scores to his credit, including Remember the Titans (2002) and National Treasure (2004).

January 12, 1954 Felipe Rose (The Indian from The Village People) is born in New York City. An original member, he's with the group until 2017, when Victor Willis (the cop) assumes control and brings in a new lineup.

January 2, 1954 Glenn Goins (singer, guitarist for Parliament, Funkadelic) is born in Plainfield, New Jersey.

December 26, 1953 Steve Witherington (drummer for Ace) is born in Enfield, Middlesex, England.

December 21, 1953 Soul singer-songwriter Betty Wright is born Bessie Regina Norris in Miami, Florida. Known for '70s hits like "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight is the Night."

December 18, 1953 Elliot Easton (lead guitarist for The Cars) is born Elliot Steinberg in Brooklyn, New York.

December 13, 1953 Berton Averre (lead guitarist, keyboardist for The Knack) is born in Van Nuys, Los Angeles.