Calendar Search Results: y o u t u b e r
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 10, 1940 Bobby Hatfield (of The Righteous Brothers) is born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
August 4, 1940 Larry Knechtel (keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist for Bread) is born in Bell, California.
July 27, 1940 Billboard issues its first chart detailing what records are selling the most copies. Titled "National List of Best Selling Retail Records," it's a precursor to the Hot 100 and the first to count record sales (the existing charts are for sheet music sales, jukebox play and radio plugs). It's not an exact science, as Billboard polls record stores to find out what is selling - a practice that stays in effect until the '90s, when call-a-clerk is replaced with Soundscan technology. The first chart is dominated by big band hits, with "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey (featuring Frank Sinatra on vocals) at #1 and three songs by Glenn Miller in the Top 10.
July 7, 1940 Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is born Richard Starkey in Liverpool, England. He has a run of solo hits in the '70s that includes "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph," but he doesn't tour until 1989, when he introduces his All Starr Band.
June 29, 1940 L. Russell Brown, a lyricist and composer known for Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree" and "Knock Three Times," is born in Newark, New Jersey.
June 23, 1940 The Beatles' original bass player Stu Sutcliffe is born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He leaves the group before they hit it big so he can pursue painting.
May 26, 1940 Ray Ennis (vocalist, lead guitarist for Swinging Blue Jeans) is born in Huyton, Liverpool, England.
May 19, 1940 Mickey Newbury, who penned a record-breaking string of hits across four different charts in 1968, including The First Edition's "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)," is born in Houston, Texas.
May 10, 1940 Singer-songwriter Arthur Alexander is born in Florence, Alabama, raised in nearby Sheffield. His song "You Better Move On" is the first hit to come out of FAME studios in Florence; his song "Anna (Go to Him)" is covered by The Beatles.
April 26, 1940 Synthpop pioneer Giorgio Moroder is born in Italy. As Donna Summer's producer, he crafts a disco sound on hits like "I Feel Love" and "Bad Girls" that elevates her to queen of the genre. In the '80s he writes and produces the soundtrack hits "Flashdance... What a Feeling" and "Danger Zone."
February 28, 1940 Joe South is born Joseph Souter in Atlanta, Georgia. His most popular song as an artist is "Games People Play," but South also writes the Deep Purple hit "Hush" and Lynn Anderson's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden."
February 17, 1940 Gene Pitney is born in Hartford, Connecticut. He has a string of hits in the '60s, including "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" and "Only Love Can Break A Heart."
December 29, 1939 Country singer Ed Bruce is born William Edwin Bruce Jr. in Keiser, Arkansas, but is raised in Memphis, Tennessee.
December 17, 1939 Eddie Kendricks (of The Temptations) is born in Union Springs, Alabama. Kendricks' famous falsetto takes the lead on "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and "Just My Imagination."
December 15, 1939 Cindy Birdsong is born in Mount Holly, New Jersey. One of the original members of Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles, she quits the group in the mid-'60s to join The Supremes as a replacement for Florence Ballard. The remaining Blue Belles rebrand themselves as Labelle.
December 8, 1939 Jerry Butler (lead singer of The Impressions) is born in Sunflower, Mississippi. He moves to Chicago, where he sings in a church choir with future bandmate Curtis Mayfield.
November 26, 1939 Doo-wop singer Dave White of Danny and the Juniors is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He co-writes the group's "At the Hop" and Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me."
November 12, 1939 Ruby Nash Curtis (of Ruby & the Romantics) is born in Akron, Ohio.
October 2, 1939 Lolly Vegas (guitarist/vocalist for Redbone) is born Candido Vasquez in Coalinga, California. One of the biggest acts of Native American heritage, Redbone has a huge hit in 1974 with "Come and Get Your Love."
September 2, 1939 R&B singer Bobby Dickey (of James & Bobby Purify) is born in Tallahassee, Florida.
August 31, 1939 Jerry Allison (drummer for The Crickets) is born in Hillsboro, Texas. Co-wrote the Buddy Holly hits "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue."
August 21, 1939 Country singer Harold Reid (of The Statler Brothers) is born in Staunton, Virginia. He co-wrote many of the group's hits, including "Bed of Rose's" and "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine."
August 11, 1939 Rockabilly guitarist Ronnie Dawson is born in Dallas, Texas. He makes a name on the local scene in the '50s and '60s but becomes much more visible during the rockabilly resurgence of the '90s.
June 24, 1939 Oz Bach (guitarist for Spanky and Our Gang) is born Paul Michael Bach in Paw Paw, West Virginia.
June 22, 1939 Bobby Harrison is born in West Ham, England. The Procol Harum drummer will leave the band, along with guitarist Ray Royer, to form Freedom.
June 16, 1939 Billy "Crash" Craddock, rockabilly/country singer of the '70s known for hits like "Rub It In" and "Broken Down In Tiny Pieces," is born in Greensboro, North Carolina.
June 6, 1939 Gary U.S. Bonds is born Gary Anderson in Jacksonville, Florida. His stage name, originally just "U.S. Bonds," comes from posters advertising United States savings bonds. His big hit comes in 1961 with the #1 "Quarter To Three."
April 18, 1939 Pianist Glen Hardin is born in Wellington, Texas. In addition to playing with Buddy Holly's band The Crickets, Hardin will record with artists such as Elvis Presley, John Denver, Emmylou Harris, and Rick Nelson.
April 2, 1939 Marvin Gaye is born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. in Washington, DC.More
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