Birth events
- The prominent Baroque composer Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber was born.
- Baroque composer Nicola Antonio Porpora was born.
- English composer Maurice Greene was born.
- Composer Antonio Salieri was born.
- French composer Francois de Paule Jacques Raymond de Fossa was born.
- German composer Heinrich August Marschner was born.
- Composer Josef Strauss was born.
- Italian composer Amilcare Ponchielli was born.
- Composer Benjamin Louis Paul Godard was born.
- Composer and pianist Cécile Chaminade was born in Paris, France.
- Composer Achille-Claude Debussy was born.
- French composer Henri-Constant-Gabriel Pierné was born.
- Composer Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was born.
- Composer Reynaldo Hahn was born.
- English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was born.
- Composer John Ireland was born.
- Composer and violinist Clarence Cameron White was born in Clarksville, Tennessee.
- Composer Georges Enesco was born.
- French composer Jacques Ibert was born.
- English poet and composer Ivor Gurney was born in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England.
- Composer Marie-Juliette Olga Lili Boulanger was born.
- Leon Theremin, inventor of the theremin, one of the first electronic musical instruments, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Russian inventor Leon Theremin was born in St. Petersburg. He became best known for inventing one of the first electronic musical instruments, the theremin.
- American singer and actress Helen Morgan, best known for her portrayal of Julie La Verne in the musical “Show Boat,” was born on August 2, 1900, in Danville, Illinois.
- Louis Armstrong, jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Composer and lyricist Ned Washington was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He wrote lyrics for the songs “Wild Is The Wind” and “Theme From The Unforgiven”.
- Ray Bloch, arranger and orchestra conductor best known in part for his work on The Ed Sullivan Show, was born in Alsace-Lorraine.
- Austrian musicologist Leopold Nowak was born.
- American jazz pianist, composer, organist and bandleader William James “Count” Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. He became famous as the founder and leader of the Count Basie Orchestra.
- American swing and jazz musician Ernie Fields was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. He grew up in Oklahoma and became known as the bandleader of the Royal Entertainers of Tulsa.
- American Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist Arthur „Big Boy“ Crudup was born in Forest, Mississippi. He became known for songs including „That's All Right (Mama)“ and „My Baby Left Me“; „That's All Right (Mama)“ was later made famous by Elvis Presley.
- Greta Kraus, who later became a prominent Canadian harpsichordist, was born in Vienna.
- Folk music documentarian Roger Tory Peterson was born.
- Composer and arranger Hugo Winterhalter was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
- American trumpeter, bandleader and arranger Larry Clinton was born in Brooklyn, New York.
- American jazz saxophonist Lester Young was born.
- Scottish playwright, screenwriter, and director Roger MacDougall was born on August 2, 1910, in Glasgow.
- Singer, dancer and actor Gene Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Harry Mills of The Mills Brothers was born. The group made more than 2,000 recordings and sold over 50 million copies. In 1943, they reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart with “Paper Doll.”
- Bandleader of the dixieland and swing group Bob-Cats and singer Bob Crosby was born in Spokane, Washington. He was one of seven siblings; one of them was another famous artist, Bing Crosby. He founded the Bob-Cats and was Bing Crosby's younger brother.
- American baritone singer Al Hibbler, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra and later had success as a solo artist, was born.
- R&B singer and rock and roll pioneer Wynonie Harris was born in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1945 he scored his first No. 1 R&B hit with „Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well“.
- American singer and actress Martha Raye was born.
- Canadian bassist Denis Harbour was born in Oka, Quebec.
- Jazz trumpeter and bandleader Les Elgart was born in New Haven, Connecticut.
- American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist John Lee Hooker was born in Coahoma County, Mississippi. He later became known for the songs “I'm in the Mood” and “Dimples” and a series of successful albums, including “The Healer” (1989), “Mr. Lucky” (1991), “Chill Out” (1995) and “Don't Look Back” (1997). He died on June 21, 2001, at the age of 83.
- John Lee Hooker, the legendary blues singer, songwriter and guitarist, was born.
- Country and Western swing musician Tex Williams, born Sollie Paul Williams, was born in Ramsey, Illinois. He became particularly famous for the song “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)”, which reached number one on the chart.
- Composer, conductor and pianist Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He became known for his Broadway work, particularly the musical “West Side Story”, and at the age of 25 conducted the New York Philharmonic. During his career he received numerous major awards.
- George Shearing was born in the Battersea district of London. He later became a British jazz pianist and composer, known among other works for the jazz compositions “Lullaby of Birdland” and “Conception”.
- Jazz singer Frieda Lipschitz, known professionally as Georgia Gibbs, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. She became famous for hits such as “Kiss of Fire”, “Dance With Me Henry (Wallflower)” and “If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake”.
- Jazz saxophonist Irv Williams was born.
- American country singer and songwriter Ellen Muriel Deason, known as Kitty Wells and the “Queen of Country Music”, was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Her 1952 hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” made her the first female country singer to reach No. 1 on the US country chart and the first female country star. Wells died on July 16, 2012, at the age of 92.
- American jazz trumpeter, arranger, and composer Charlie Shavers was born in New York City. Early in his career, he gave 1917 as his birth year to circumvent child labor laws, which led to the incorrect year appearing in some older biographies.
- Rhythm and blues singer and songwriter Percy Mayfield was born, known for the songs “Please Send Me Someone to Love” and “Hit the Road Jack.”
- Influential jazz saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Charlie Parker, nicknamed Bird, was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He developed the innovative style known as bebop, which influenced musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.
- Richard Adler, Broadway lyricist and composer, was born in New York City.
- Herb Ellis, acclaimed jazz guitarist and member of the Oscar Peterson Trio, was born in Farmersville, Texas.
- Jazz and blues musician Buddy Collette, a tenor saxophonist, flutist and clarinetist and a founding member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet, was born in Los Angeles, California.
- Baskytarista, aranžér a kapelník big bandu Warren Covington se narodil ve Filadelfii v Pensylvánii.
- Country singer Webb Pierce was born in West Monroe, Louisiana. He became known, among other things, for his popular version of “In the Jailhouse Now” from 1955.
- Jimmy McCracklin was born in St. Louis, Missouri, although some sources list Helena, Arkansas, as his birthplace. He became known as an American pianist, songwriter, and singer, with hits including “The Walk” and “Just Got To Know”.
- American actress Nancy Kulp, who also had experience in musical theater, was born.
- Composer Ron Grainer was born in Queensland, Australia. He is known, among other things, as the composer of the famous Doctor Who theme.
- Ernie Freeman, bandleader and pianist, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He also worked as a session musician and contributed to recordings including Dean Martin's "Everybody Loves Somebody" and Frank Sinatra's "That's Life".
- Blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas.
- American country and pop singer and songwriter Jim Reeves was born in Galloway, Texas. He was among the first country artists to achieve significant success in pop as well. He became known for the 1957 hit “Four Walls”; in 1960 he had the U.S. No. 2 hit “He'll Have To Go”, and in 1966 the UK No. 1 hit “Distant Drums”. He died on July 31, 1964, in a single-engine aircraft crash in dense fog.
- Roland Janes, an American rockabilly guitarist and music producer, was born. From 1956 to 1963 he worked with Sun Records and became a regular session guitarist on recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Sonny Burgess and others. He died on October 18, 2013, aged 80.
- Hugh Gordon Stoker, singer with The Jordanaires, who among others backed Elvis Presley, was born in Gleason, Tennessee.
- Jazz singer Joya Sherrill was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. She became known, among other things, for the song “I'm Beginning to See the Light” with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
- Louis Teicher of the piano duo Ferrante & Teicher was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
- American singer and pianist Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones, was born in Chicago. In 1959, she had the US single "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes" at No. 8, and in 1960 she recorded two successful duets with Brook Benton, "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)". She died on December 14, 1963, at the age of 39.
- Skladatelka Felice Bryant, vlastním jménem Matilda Genevieve Scaduto, se narodila v Milwaukee ve Wisconsinu. Se svým manželem Boudleauxem Bryantem napsala několik hitů pro The Everly Brothers, včetně „All I Have to Do Is Dream“, „Wake Up Little Susie“ a „Bye Bye Love“, dále skladbu „Love Hurts“ a píseň „Raining in My Heart“ pro Buddyho Hollyho.
- Singer and talk-show host Mike Douglas was born in Chicago.
- Jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson was born in Montreal, Canada. He later became a seven-time Grammy Award winner.
- American country singer, songwriter, and guitarist Billy Grammer was born in Benton, Illinois. He became particularly known for his million-selling 1959 hit “Gotta Travel On”.
- Singer, dancer, and actor Donald O'Connor was born in Chicago, Illinois. He became famous for his role in the film “Singin' in the Rain” alongside Gene Kelly.
- Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, was born in Astoria, Queens, New York City.
- American jazz singer and pianist Jeri Southern, born Genevieve Lillian Hering, was born in Royal, Nebraska.
- Hlasový herec a nahrávací umělec Stan Freberg se narodil v Pasadeně v Kalifornii.
- Jazz trombonist Urbie Green was born in Mobile, Alabama.
- R&B singer and songwriter Joe Jones was born, best known for the hit “You Talk Too Much.”
- Jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino was born in Detroit, Michigan.
- Country singer and television host Porter Wagoner was born; he later introduced Dolly Parton on his television show.
- Country singer Jimmy C. Newman was born near Big Mamou, Louisiana. He became known for the 1957 hit "A Fallen Star".
- American artist, film director and producer Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He worked as a producer and manager for The Velvet Underground and designed the cover of “The Velvet Underground & Nico” and the cover of “Sticky Fingers” by The Rolling Stones.
- Herbert „Herb“ Reed, baskytarový zpěvák a zakládající člen vokální skupiny The Platters, se narodil v Kansas City v Missouri.
- American singer and entertainer Eddie Fisher was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Country singer and musician Jimmy Dean was born in Plainview, Texas.
- American singer Earlington Carl Tilghman, known as Sonny Til, was born. He became famous as the lead singer of the vocal group The Orioles.
- Singer of The Flamingos and later a member of The Dells was born.
- German avant-garde composer Karlheinz Stockhausen was born.
- American singer, songwriter and conductor Johnny Mann was born.
- Arthur Wood, keyboardist for The Climax Blues Band, was born in Staffordshire, England.
- Saxophonist Mike Elliott of The Foundations was born in Jamaica. He became known as a founding member of the soul group The Foundations, which had the 1967 UK No. 1 hit “Baby Now That I've Found You.”
- Country singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. was born, later becoming known as Buck Owens and as a pioneer of the Bakersfield sound.
- Jazz pianist Bill Evans, a major figure in post-bop jazz, was born.
- Broadway lyricist Ira Levin was born. His work included the musical “Hot Spot”.
- R&B singer and saxophonist Jackie Brenston was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He sang lead vocals on Ike Turner's song “Rocket 88”.
- Americký skladatel, zpěvák a hudební producent Luther Dixon se narodil v Brooklynu v New Yorku.
- American saxophonist, studio musician and bandleader Floyd Newman was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was closely associated with Stax Records and the groups The Mar-Keys and Memphis Horns and also worked with B. B. King.
- Jazz drummer Francis Cappuccio, known as Frank Capp, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts.
- Paul Robi, a member of the American vocal group The Platters, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Platters had the UK and U.S. No. 1 hit “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” in 1959 and were among the first African-American groups to establish themselves as major chart artists. Robi died of cancer on February 1, 1989.
- Country singer Mel Tillis was born in Dover, Florida. He became famous for hits including “I Ain't Never”, “Good Woman Blues” and “Coca-Cola Cowboy”.
- R&B and pop singer Gil Hamilton, known as Johnny Thunder, was born in Leesburg, Florida.
- Country singer and guitarist Bobby Helms was born in Bloomington, Indiana. He achieved two No. 1 hits on the country chart but became best known for the Christmas hit “Jingle Bell Rock”.
- Pop singer Max Dinning, known professionally as Mark Dinning, was born in Manchester, Oklahoma. He became famous for the hit “Teen Angel”, which reached No. 1 on the chart.
- American jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter was born in Newark, New Jersey. He became known for his work with Art Blakey and Miles Davis and as co-founder of jazz-fusion group Weather Report. He wrote several notable compositions, including “Prince of Darkness”, “Footprints” and “Sanctuary”. He won ten Grammy Awards and received the Polar Music Prize in 2017.
- American singer, songwriter and manager Merle Kilgore was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma. He co-wrote the song “Ring of Fire” with June Carter Cash.
- Country-rock musician, songwriter and steel guitarist Peter “Sneaky Pete” Kleinow was born in South Bend, Indiana. He was one of the original members of The Flying Burrito Brothers, alongside The Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. He also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell. He died on January 6, 2007, aged 72.
- Hank Cochran, an influential country singer and songwriter and co-writer of the hit “I Fall to Pieces,” was born on August 2, 1935, in Isola, Mississippi.
- Country singer and songwriter Justin Tubb, son of Texas Troubadour Ernest Tubb, was born in San Antonio, Texas.
- Singer Bob Markley, controversial co-founder of the West Coast Pop Experimental Art Band, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
- American singer, songwriter and guitarist “Papa” John Phillips was born on Parris Island, South Carolina. He was best known as the leading figure of the folk-rock group The Mamas & The Papas. The group had the 1965 hit “California Dreamin'”, the US No. 1 single “Monday Monday” in 1966 and the 1967 hit “Dedicated to the One I Love”. Phillips died of heart failure on March 18, 2001, at the age of 65.
- Singer and songwriter John Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas was born.
- Kenny Hodges, bassist and singer with Spanky and Our Gang, was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
- Elsbeary Hobbs, bassist and vocalist with The Drifters, was born in New York City.
- Charles Pope ze skupiny The Tams se narodil v Atlantě ve státě Georgia.
- “Godfather of go-go” Chuck Brown was born in Gaston, North Carolina. He later moved to Washington, D.C., and became a pioneer of the go-go style, best represented by his hit “Bustin' Loose”.
- R&B singer Rudy Lewis of The Drifters, born Charles Rudolph Harrell, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Garth Hudson, the Canadian multi-instrumentalist, keyboardist, and saxophonist and one of the key members of The Band, was born on August 2, 1937, in Windsor, Ontario.
- American producer, songwriter and arranger Shel Talmy was born in Chicago. He produced The Who's first album and many early recordings by The Kinks, including the hit “You Really Got Me.” He also produced “My Generation” by The Who and “Friday on My Mind” by The Easybeats. He died on November 13, 2024, aged 87.
- Blues guitarist Roy Gaines was born; he later worked as a session musician and collaborated with numerous prominent artists.
- English drummer Clemente “Clem” Cattini was born in north London. He became known as a member of The Tornados and later as a sought-after session musician who played on a record 44 different UK No. 1 singles, including recordings by Tom Jones, T. Rex, The Seekers, Bay City Rollers, Rolf Harris and Hot Chocolate. Jimmy Page originally considered him as the drummer for the emerging Led Zeppelin before choosing John Bonham.
- American blues guitarist Luther Allison was born.
- Scottish multi-instrumentalist Phil Shulman was born in the Gorbals district of Glasgow, Scotland. He was the eldest brother of Derek and Ray Shulman, and all three performed in the psychedelic group Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. Phil Shulman later became a member of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant, in which he performed during the 1970s.
- Bassist and session musician Joe Osborn was born in Mound, Louisiana. As a member of The Wrecking Crew, he played on recordings by The Mamas & the Papas, The Carpenters, The Association, and The 5th Dimension. He also played on “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by The 5th Dimension and was also known for his work with the studio musicians’ group known as the A-Team.
- Singer John Perkins of The Crew-Cuts was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The group was known for their 1954 hit “Sh-Boom”, a cover of the song by The Chords.
- Actress and singer Connie Stevens was born in Brooklyn, New York. In 1960, she had the hit "Sixteen Reasons", which reached No. 3.
- David Cortez Clowney was born in Detroit, Michigan, later becoming known as Dave “Baby” Cortez.
- R&B and pop singer and actress Ketty Lester, best known for the 1962 hit "Love Letters", was born in Hope, Arkansas.
- Singer and songwriter Ernie Maresca, the writer of several hits by Dion, was born in the Bronx, New York.
- Country and pop singer, songwriter and producer Kenny Rogers was born in Houston, Texas. His best-known song “The Gambler” was released when he was 40 years old.
- Dale Hawkins, the American rockabilly guitarist and singer known for the song “Susie-Q”, was born.
- Lyricist and producer Roger Greenaway was born in Fishponds, Bristol, Gloucestershire. He was a member of David & Jonathan and The Kestrels and became known for his songwriting partnership with Roger Cook on songs including “My Baby Loves Lovin'”, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”, “Gasoline Alley Bred”, “You've Got Your Troubles”, “Melting Pot”, “Good Morning Freedom”, “Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart” and “I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)”, which originally originated as a Coca-Cola advertising slogan.
- American multi-instrumentalist and singer David Freiberg was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He became known as a bassist and member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.
- Mason Williams was born in Abilene, Texas. In addition to working as a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Saturday Night Live, he also worked as a guitarist and composer.
- Jimmie Nicol, the English drummer best known for temporarily replacing Ringo Starr during The Beatles’ 1964 world tour, was born in London.
- Frankie Ford, the American rock 'n' roll and R&B singer best known for the hit “Sea Cruise,” was born in Gretna, Louisiana.
- Americký R&B a popový zpěvák Rolan Webster Holden se narodil v Seattlu ve Washingtonu. Proslavil se hitem „Love You So“ z roku 1960.
- Phil Balsley, baritone singer with The Statler Brothers, was born in Staunton, Virginia.
- Billy Henderson, a founding member and vocalist of the American rhythm and blues vocal group The Spinners, was born in Detroit, Michigan.
- Rockabilly guitarist Ronnie Dawson was born in Dallas, Texas. He made a name for himself on the local scene in the 1950s and 1960s and gained wider attention during the rockabilly revival of the 1990s.
- English-Australian drummer Snowy Fleet, a member of The Easybeats, was born in Liverpool.
- Rock'n'roll singer Johnny Preston was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He was best known for his hit “Running Bear.”
- American soul and R&B singer, songwriter and producer Maxine Brown was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. She became known for the hits “All in My Mind” and “Funny.”
- English drummer, singer, songwriter and music producer Peter Edward “Ginger” Baker was born in Lewisham, South London, England. He became famous as co-founder of the rock group Cream, which had the UK number 11 single “I Feel Free” in 1966. He was also a member of Graham Bond Organisation, Blind Faith and Ginger Baker’s Airforce and became known for working with world music musicians, particularly for incorporating African influences. He also worked with Gary Moore, Hawkwind and Public Image Ltd.
- Country singer Harold Reid of The Statler Brothers was 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”.
- American doo-wop singer Fred Milano was born in the Bronx, New York. He became best known as a member of the vocal trio Dion and the Belmonts.
- Doo-wop singer Fred Milano of The Belmonts was born in New York City. The group's name was inspired by Belmont Avenue in the Bronx, where he grew up.
- John Peel, British radio DJ, journalist and television presenter, was born John Robert Parker Ravenscroft. He was the longest-serving presenter on BBC Radio 1 and one of the most influential British DJs. He was among the first presenters to play psychedelic and progressive rock on British radio and was known for supporting artists from many genres including pop, reggae, indie rock, alternative rock, punk, hardcore punk, breakcore, grindcore, death metal, British hip hop and dance music. Peel died of a heart attack in Cusco, Peru, on October 25, 2004, at the age of 65.
- Jerry Allison, drummer of American rock and roll band The Crickets, was born in Hillsboro, Texas. He co-wrote Buddy Holly's hits "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue". The group had the U.S. No. 1 single "That'll Be the Day" in 1957 and the British No. 1 single "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" in 1959.
- Larry Knechtel, American keyboardist, bassist, and multi-instrumentalist best known as a member of The Wrecking Crew and later Bread, was born in Bell, California.
- American singer Bobby Hatfield, a member of The Righteous Brothers, was born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
- American singer Rod Bernard was born; he was a pioneer of the swamp pop genre.
- Jim Sullivan was born in San Diego, California. His 1969 album U.F.O. later became a cult recording after he disappeared in the New Mexico desert in 1975.
- John Stokes was born. He became the singer and bassist of The Bachelors, who had the UK No. 1 hit “Diane” in 1964.
- He was born Darrell Crofts in Cisco, Texas, and became known as one half of Seals and Crofts.
- English pop singer Donald Arthur Fardon, known as Don Fardon, was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. Before his solo career, he was the singer of The Sorrows. He was best known for his version of “Indian Reservation”.
- American singer, songwriter and composer Johnny Nash was born in Houston, Texas. As a teenager, he regularly appeared on Arthur Godfrey’s variety show and had several minor hits, but achieved his greatest success in the 1970s with the reggae hits “I Can See Clearly Now” and “Stir It Up”, written by Bob Marley, who later also recorded it. “I Can See Clearly Now” reached number one on the US singles chart in 1972, and “Tears on My Pillow” reached number one on the UK singles chart in 1975.
- Singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer Roger Cook, a member and co-lead vocalist of Blue Mink, was born in Fishponds in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. He was best known for his songwriting partnership with Roger Greenaway, with whom he wrote hits including “You’ve Got Your Troubles”, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”, “Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart” and “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”. Blue Mink had the UK No. 3 single “Melting Pot” in 1970. Cook was involved in more than 80 hits that reached the UK Top 30.
- John Lantree, bassist and drummer with The Honeycombs, was born in Newbury, Berkshire, England. The Honeycombs had the UK No. 1 hit “Have I The Right” in 1964.
- Blues musician and son of John Lee Hooker was born.
- English pop and rock singer Vicki Brown was born in Liverpool. She was a member of The Vernons Girls and The Breakaways and was one of Britain's longest-serving backing singers. She appeared on recordings by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Petula Clark, The Who and George Harrison. She was the first wife of singer and musician Joe Brown and the mother of singer Sam Brown.
- American drummer Dickie Harrell was born. He became known for his work with Gene Vincent's Blue Caps, who had the 1956 hit “Be-Bop-a-Lula”. He died on May 31, 2023.
- American songwriter, music producer, and singer Ivy Jo Hunter, whose real name was George Ivy Hunter, was born in Detroit, Michigan. Together with Marvin Gaye and William “Mickey” Stevenson, he wrote the hit “Dancing in the Street” by Martha and the Vandellas and also contributed to songs for The Temptations, the Isley Brothers, and The Four Tops.
- American saxophonist and bassist Wilton Felder, a founding member of jazz group The Crusaders, was born in Houston, Texas. He played bass on The Jackson 5's hits "I Want You Back" and "ABC", as well as Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On".
- Andrew Steele, drummer with The Herd, was born on August 2, 1941, in Hendon, northwest London.
- Doris Coley, singer with the American girl group The Shirelles, was born on August 2, 1941, in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
- Beverly Lee, a member of The Shirelles, was born in Passaic, New Jersey.
- Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist Airto Moreira was born in Itaiópolis, Brazil. He became known as a member of Quarteto Novo and also worked with Miles Davis and Return to Forever.
- Pop singer Terence Perkins, known as Craig Douglas, was born; he became famous for his successful cover version of “Only Sixteen.”
- English pop singer Terence Perkins, known as Craig Douglas, was born. He became famous for the hit “Only Sixteen”.
- The country singer and songwriter, known for the 1964 hit “Once A Day”, was born Constance June Meador in Elkhart, Indiana.
- He was born in Los Angeles. He was a singer, songwriter and founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, with whom, and sometimes with Neil Young, he achieved great success. With The Byrds, he took folk-rock to a new level, while with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young he helped establish new standards for vocal harmonies. Throughout his life, he had numerous problems, mostly drug-related, and in 1986 he spent five months in prison.
- American country musician Don Rich was born, a member of Buck Owens' backing group The Buckaroos.
- American singer and songwriter Jackie DeShannon, born Sharon Lee Myers, was born in Hazel, Kentucky. She became known for songs including “What the World Needs Now Is Love” and “Put a Little Love in Your Heart”.
- Keyboardist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Tom Coster was born in Detroit, Michigan. He became known for his long collaboration with Carlos Santana, with whom he co-wrote the song “Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)”.
- Pete Shannon, bassist with The Nashville Teens, was born in Antrim, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
- Elliot Ingber, an American guitarist known as a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, founder of Fraternity of Man and later a member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, was born.
- Ernest Wright, doo-wop singer of Little Anthony & the Imperials, was born in Brooklyn, New York.
- Christopher Augustine, drummer of Every Mother's Son, was born in New York City. The group is known for the 1967 hit “Come on Down to My Boat”.
- English drummer and singer Christopher Crummey, known as Chris Curtis, was born in Liverpool. He became known as a member of The Searchers in the 1960s.
- English drummer John Marshall was born. He was a founding member of the jazz-rock group Nucleus and served as the drummer of Soft Machine from 1972 to 1978. He also worked with Allan Holdsworth, Alexis Korner, Jack Bruce, and John McLaughlin.
- English guitarist and singer John McNally was born in Walton, Liverpool. He was a founding member of The Searchers, with whom he remained for more than 60 years. The group had the UK No. 1 single “Needles And Pins” in 1964 and the US No. 3 single “Love Potion Number Nine”.
- Countryový a popový zpěvák B.J. Thomas se narodil v Hugu v Oklahomě. Proslavil se hity „Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head“, „Don’t Worry Baby“, „Hooked on a Feeling“ a „(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song“, které v USA dosáhly prvního místa.
- British bassist and singer Johnny Gustafson was born in Liverpool, England. He performed with groups including The Big Three, The Merseybeats, Roxy Music, Quatermass and Ian Gillan Band.
- Guy Villari of The Regents, the original performers of “Barbara Ann,” was born in The Bronx, New York.
- Drummer and founding member of Manfred Mann Mike Hugg was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England. Manfred Mann had the UK and US No. 1 hit “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” in 1964. Hugg later became a member of Manfred Mann Chapter Three.
- British rock drummer Pete York, a founding member of The Spencer Davis Group, was born.
- R&B singer and songwriter Barbara George, known for the 1961 hit "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)", was born in Smithridge, Louisiana.
- Robert "Squirrel" Lester, founding member and second tenor of the vocal group The Chi-Lites, was born in McComb, Mississippi.
- American singer, songwriter, composer and actor Isaac Hayes was born in Covington, Tennessee. He became known, among other things, for the songs “Soul Man” and “Theme from Shaft”, which reached No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 4 in the UK in 1971. In 1998, as Chef, he reached No. 2 on the British chart with “Chocolate Salty Balls”. He died on August 10, 2008, aged 65.
- Doo-wop singer Tony “Spaghetti” Micale, frontman of The Reflections, was born in the Bronx, New York. He became known for the 1964 hit “(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet”.
- Carl Mann, known for his rockabilly versions of songs including Nat King Cole's „Mona Lisa“ and The Platters' „Twilight Time“, was born in Huntingdon, Tennessee.
- Jimmy Soul, whose real name was James Louis McCleese, was born in Weldon, North Carolina. He became famous for the 1963 hit „If You Wanna Be Happy“, which reached No. 1 on the chart.
- Marshall Thompson, American singer, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of The Chi-Lites, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
- American musician and songwriter Keith Allison was born. He became best known as a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1968 to 1975. He also played guitar and harmonica on the Sonny & Cher song “The Beat Goes On”.
- American singer and dancer Samuel Mendola, known as Vic Dana, was born in Buffalo, New York. He became known for 1960s hits such as “Little Altar Boy”, “I Will” and the popular cover version of “Red Roses for a Blue Lady”.
- Singer B.J. Thomas was born.
- Musician, songwriter and producer Daryl Dragon, known as “Captain” from the husband-and-wife duo Captain & Tennille, was born in Los Angeles. His father was conductor Carmen Dragon. Captain & Tennille had several hits on the US chart, including “Love Will Keep Us Together”, “Do That to Me One More Time” and “Muskrat Love”. Dragon also worked with The Beach Boys. He died on January 2, 2019, from kidney failure.
- American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Douglas Hatlelid, known as Chip Douglas, was born in San Francisco. He became known as a member of The Turtles and as a producer of The Monkees, for whom he produced hits including “Daydream Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday”. The Turtles had the US No. 1 hit “Happy Together” in 1967.
- Ken Andrew, the original drummer of the Scottish pop group Middle of the Road, was born in Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland. In 1971, the group had the UK No. 1 single “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”; the song was among the few singles to sell more than 10 million physical copies.
- American guitarist Sterling Morrison, one of the founding members of the rock group Velvet Underground, was born. The group’s debut album “The Velvet Underground & Nico” was released in 1967.
- Sterling Morrison, guitarist and founding member of the rock group The Velvet Underground, was born as Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. in East Meadow, New York.
- Kathy Lennon, a member of The Lennon Sisters, was born on August 2, 1943, in Los Angeles.
- David Carr, keyboardist with the British group The Fortunes, was born in Leyton, London.
- Country singer and songwriter Sammi Smith, born Jewel Faye Smith, was born in Orange County, California.
- Popová zpěvačka Lana Cantrell se narodila v Sydney v Austrálii.
- American singer Wanda LaFaye Young, also known as Wanda Rogers, was born in Inkster, Michigan. She was a member of The Marvelettes and became their lead singer in 1965.
- Ronnie Spector, singer, co-founder and frontwoman of the girl group The Ronettes, was born Veronica Bennett in New York City.
- American singer, guitarist and songwriter James Griffin, a member of Bread, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Jim Kale, born Michael James Kale, bassist for The Guess Who, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Guess Who had the US No. 1 hit “American Woman” in 1970. Jim Kale also frequently performed with The Who.
- American singer and songwriter Kin Vassy was born. In addition to his solo work, he also recorded with Kenny Rogers, Frank Zappa and Elvis Presley.
- Carl Wayne, singer with The Move, whose real name was Colin David Tooley, was born in Winson Green, Birmingham, England.
- English pop singer William Howard Ashton, known as Billy J. Kramer, was born in Bootle, Lancashire, England. He became famous as the singer of Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, who were managed by Brian Epstein in the 1960s. In 1963, he had the UK number one hit “Bad to Me”, one of several Lennon–McCartney songs that The Beatles themselves did not record. In 1964, “Little Children” reached number one on the UK singles chart and number 7 in the US.
- Gospel singer, songwriter, pianist, producer, arranger and choir leader Edwin Hawkins was born in Oakland, California. With his choir, he recorded “Oh Happy Day”, the first traditional gospel song to break into the pop charts.
- John Cipollina, founder and lead guitarist of the psychedelic rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service, was born.
- Walter Lee Williams, founding member of R&B group The O'Jays, was born in Canton, Ohio. The group had, among others, the US hit “Back Stabbers” and the 1973 US number-one single “Love Train”. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1983, he became a spokesperson for the condition.
- Ann “Honey” Lantree, drummer and singer of the English beat and pop group The Honeycombs, was born in Hayes, Middlesex, England. In 1964, the group had the UK No. 1 single “Have I the Right”, produced by Joe Meek.
- American-British actor and singer David Richard Solberg, known as David Soul, was born in Chicago, Illinois. He became famous for playing Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the television series Starsky & Hutch from 1975 to 1979, and as a singer he had the UK No. 1 single “Silver Lady” in 1976 and “Don't Give Up On Us”, which reached No. 1 in both the UK and US in 1977.
- American musician, composer, and arranger Richard "Dick" Halligan, a founding member of Blood, Sweat & Tears, was born in Troy, New York. Halligan was a keyboardist, flutist, and singer. In 1969, the group had the US single "Spinning Wheel" at No. 2 and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" at No. 12, while its 1968 album "Blood, Sweat & Tears" reached No. 1 in the US. In the 1970s and 1980s, Halligan composed and arranged music for a number of films. He died on January 18, 2022, in Rome at the age of 78.
- Jazz bassist Albert Stinson was born on August 2, 1944, in Cleveland, Ohio.
- Jim Capaldi, the English drummer, singer, and songwriter, co-founder and member of Traffic and later a solo artist, was born on August 2, 1944, in Evesham, Worcestershire. His birth name was Nicola James Capaldi.
- Mark Naftalin, the American blues keyboardist, songwriter, and producer and a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Quicksilver Messenger Service, was born on August 2, 1944.
- English guitarist and songwriter John Renbourn was born. He became known for his work with Bert Jansch and as a member of the folk-rock group Pentangle.
- American singer, songwriter and guitarist Michael Johnson was born in Alamosa, Colorado. He became famous for hits including “Bluer Than Blue”, “The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder” and “Give Me Wings”.
- Vivian “Viv” Prince, drummer with The Pretty Things, was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. He later played with The Jeff Beck Group and The Denny Laine String Band and occasionally filled in on drums for concerts by The Honeycombs and The Who.
- Kevin Ayers, singer, songwriter and founding member of Soft Machine, was born in Herne Bay, Kent, England.
- American musician and drummer John Seiter was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He became known as a member of Spanky and Our Gang and The Turtles.
- Jon Povey, keyboard player with The Pretty Things, was born in London, England.
- Michael B. Tretow, a Swedish music producer, sound engineer and musician best known for his work with the Swedish group ABBA, was born. He worked as a studio manager at Polar Studios. He died on May 20, 2025, aged 80.
- Blues drummer “Uncle John” Turner, who performed with Johnny Winter's backing band, was born in Beaumont, Texas.
- Jim Brady, folk-rock singer of The Sandpipers, was born in Los Angeles, California.
- Jim Capaldi was born.
- English guitarist Alan Parker was born. From the late 1960s onward, he worked as a session guitarist and played with David Bowie, Blue Mink, The Walker Brothers, CCS and Serge Gainsbourg, among others.
- American multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Maureen “Moe” Tucker was born in New York City, USA. She became known as the drummer of The Velvet Underground, and her music is associated with the genres experimental rock, proto-punk, rock and roll, art rock, avant-garde and folk rock.
- American musician John Voorhis “Tim” Bogert III was born in New York City, New York. He became known as the bassist and singer of Vanilla Fudge and Cactus and as a member of the trio Beck, Bogert & Appice. He died on January 13, 2021, from cancer.
- Charles Colbert of American Breed was born. In 1967, the group had the US No. 5 single “Bend Me, Shape Me”, which became a hit for Amen Corner in the UK chart. American Breed also recorded radio advertising jingles for Coca-Cola, the United States Navy and Bell Telephone, and their television commercial for American Airlines, “Fly the American Way”, was highly successful and reached the Top 20.
- English artist Roger Dean was born. He designed album covers for groups and artists including Yes, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep, Gentle Giant, Greenslade, Steve Howe and Asia.
- Baskytarista, skladatel a kanadský hudebník Kerry Chater, člen skupiny Gary Puckett & The Union Gap a skladatel nominovaný na Grammy, se narodil ve Vancouveru v Britské Kolumbii v Kanadě.
- Keyboardist, songwriter and co-founder of Sparks Ron Mael was born.
- The comedian and actor was born in Waco, Texas. He is best known as a comedian and actor, but is also an acclaimed banjo player and frequently performs with the Steep Canyon Rangers.
- Gary Loizzo, frontman and member of The American Breed, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
- R&B singer Barbara Harris of The Toys was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
- Nona Hendryx, a member of Labelle, was born.
- Sarah Dash was born in Trenton, New Jersey. She became known as a member of the R&B vocal group Labelle and later pursued a solo career with the 1978 disco hit “Sinner Man.” She also became a sought-after session singer, particularly for The Rolling Stones and Keith Richards.
- English singer and songwriter Ian Gillan was born in Chiswick, London, England. He is best known as the lead singer of Deep Purple and also briefly performed with Black Sabbath. He was also a member of Episode Six, Ian Gillan Band, Gillan, Gillan & Glover and WhoCares. Deep Purple had the UK number 2 single “Black Night” in 1970 and the US number 4 single “Smoke on the Water” in 1973.
- Singer, songwriter, and producer Carmine John Granito, professionally known as Ron Dante, was born in New York. He became known as the lead singer of The Archies, and his voice was also featured in the studio group The Cuff Links. The Archies had the 1969 U.S. and UK No. 1 hit “Sugar Sugar”, while The Cuff Links reached No. 4 on the British chart that same year with “Tracy”. Dante was rarely seen as a member of these studio projects.
- English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Ken Hensley, best known as a member of Uriah Heep, was born.
- Malcolm “Duke” Allured, drummer of Showaddywaddy, was born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England. The band had a UK No. 1 single in 1976 with their version of “Under The Moon Of Love” and a total of ten Top 10 singles.
- English multi-instrumentalist and singer Chris Copping was born in Middleton, Lancashire. He became known as a member of Procol Harum. In 1967, the group had the UK No. 1 single "A Whiter Shade Of Pale", which reached No. 5 in the US, and also had the hits "Homburg" and "Conquistador".
- American musician Robert "Bob" Welch was born in California. From 1971 to 1974 he was a member of Fleetwood Mac and later became a successful solo artist with songs including "Hot Love", "Cold World", "Ebony Eyes", "Precious Love", "Sentimental Lady" and "Hypnotized".
- Violinist Itzhak Perlman was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, then part of the British Mandate of Palestine.
- Van Morrison, born George Ivan Morrison, was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With Them, he had the British No. 2 single "Here Comes The Night" in 1965, and as a solo artist he released the album "Moondance" in 1970. His classic albums also include "Astral Weeks" and "Tupelo Honey".
- John York Foley, bassist and guitarist known for his work with The Byrds, was born in White Plains, New York.
- American bassist Walter Powers III, who later played with The Velvet Underground, was born.
- Greg Leskiw, guitarist for The Guess Who, was born in Manitoba, Canada.
- British jazz and rock guitarist and composer Allan Holdsworth was born in Bradford, England. His work influenced, among others, Eddie Van Halen, Frank Zappa, Tom Morello and Joe Satriani.
- John Parry, trombonist with The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, was born.
- Mick Clarke, bassist and singer of The Rubettes, was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England.
- Michal Prokop was born. He became a singer and member of the band Framus Five.
- The bassist from Sly and the Family Stone was born in Beaumont, Texas.
- American composer, singer and lyricist Jimmy Webb was born.
- Gordon Fleet, drummer for The Easybeats, was born in Merseyside, England.
- Ralf Hütter, German musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer and co-founder of the electronic group Kraftwerk, was born in Krefeld, Germany. Kraftwerk are regarded as pioneers of electronic music, with major albums including “Autobahn”, “Trans-Europe Express”, “The Man-Machine” and “Computer World”. Their music combined electronic sounds with pop melodies, sparse arrangements and repetitive rhythms.
- Rock singer Jim Sohns of The Shadows Of Knight was born in Chicago, Illinois. The group was known for their popular 1966 cover version of “Gloria” by Them.
- English drummer Keith Moon was born in Wembley, London. After playing with the local group Beachcombers, he joined The Who in 1964 before their first single. With the group, he had the hit “My Generation” and more than 20 other Top 40 hits, as well as the US hit “I Can See For Miles” and the rock operas “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia”. He became famous for his wild lifestyle and died on September 7, 1978 after overdosing on Heminevrin, a drug intended to alleviate alcohol dependence.
- American singer and songwriter Valerie Simpson, one half of the songwriting and singing duo Ashford & Simpson, was born in New York. Together with Nick Ashford, she wrote songs including “Ain't No Mountain High Enough”, “You're All I Need To Get By”, “Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)”.
- John Victory, a studio guitarist, was born.
- German electronic musician Klaus Schulze, formerly the drummer of Tangerine Dream, was born in Berlin.
- Paul Layton, singer and bassist with The New Seekers, was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England.
- Larry Morris, vocalist with the New Zealand garage rock group Larry's Rebels, was born in New Zealand.
- Guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of The McCoys Rick Derringer, born Richard Zehringer, was born in Fort Recovery, Ohio.
- American bassist and session musician Willie Weeks was born in Salemburg, North Carolina.
- Hudební historička a příležitostná skladatelka Julie Nathanson se narodila na Manhattanu v New Yorku.
- American soul and R&B singer Barbara Mason was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She became known, among other things, for the hit “Yes, I'm Ready.”
- American singer, songwriter and actress Amanda McBroom was born in Woodland Hills, California.
- British musician, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, best known as the frontman of Jethro Tull, was born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.
- American guitarist, singer and songwriter Gary Talley was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He became known as a founding member and lead guitarist of The Box Tops and also performed with Big Star.
- George Newsome, the original drummer of The Climax Blues Band, was born in Stafford, Staffordshire, England.
- David Lasley, an American session singer, songwriter and musician, was known for his work as a backing vocalist and songwriter for artists including Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Chic, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs. He died on December 9, 2021, aged 74.
- Trombonist, songwriter and co-founder of the rock band Chicago James Pankow was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Chicago was formed in Chicago in 1967 as The Chicago Transit Authority and shortened its name in 1970. In 1976, the band had the UK and U.S. No. 1 hit “If You Leave Me Now”.
- Carl Giammarese, lead singer and guitarist of The Buckinghams, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
- American singer and songwriter Donna Jean Godchaux, née Donna Jean Thatcher, was born in Florence, Alabama. She became best known as a member of Grateful Dead from 1972–1979, where she was the only woman in the lineup. Before that, she worked as a session singer in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and later sang with the group Southern Comfort. Her backing vocals appeared on at least two songs that reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart: Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” in 1966 and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” in 1969. She also sang on recordings by Boz Scaggs, Duane Allman, Cher, Joe Tex, Neil Diamond, and others. In 1970, she married keyboardist Keith Godchaux, who later also joined Grateful Dead. She died on November 2, 2025, at a hospice in Nashville from cancer at the age of 78.
- Folk-rock singer Linda Thompson was born in London. She became best known for her work with her then-husband, British folk-rock guitarist Richard Thompson, and later worked as a solo artist.
- Percussionist David Leon “Billy” Knight, brother of Gladys Knight, was born. He played, among other recordings, on “Midnight Train To Georgia” and on more than twenty other UK Top 40 hits. He died on December 6, 2002.
- British racing driver James Hunt was born. He also took part in musical collaborations.
- Andy Fairweather Low, the Welsh singer, songwriter, and guitarist, founding member and frontman of Amen Corner, known also for his work with Eric Clapton and other prominent musicians, was born on August 2, 1948, in Ystrad Mynach, Wales.
- English singer, songwriter and guitarist Peter Beckett was born in Liverpool. He later became famous as the frontman of the soft rock band Player.
- American R&B, pop and jazz singer Patti Austin was born in Harlem, New York City.
- The English bassist known for his work with Elvis Costello and the Attractions was born.
- Founder and frontman of The Doobie Brothers Tom Johnston was born.
- Barry Hay, singer and frontman of the Dutch rock band Golden Earring, was born.
- American guitarist, singer and songwriter Elliot Lurie was born in Brooklyn, New York. He became known as the lead guitarist and singer of the pop-rock group Looking Glass, in which he performed from 1969 to 1974.
- Country and pop singer Susan Jacks of The Poppy Family was born Susan Pesklevits in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Robert Plant, founding member and frontman of Led Zeppelin, was born in West Bromwich, England. After discovering the music of Elvis Presley, he became deeply involved in rock'n'roll and went on to become one of rock's most distinctive singers. Led Zeppelin had the No. 4 U.S. single “Whole Lotta Love” in 1969, and their fourth album “Led Zeppelin IV” from 1971 included “Stairway to Heaven” and sold more than 37 million copies. Plant had the 1983 solo hit “Big Log” and also performed with The Honeydrippers. With Alison Krauss, he won a Grammy for the 2007 album “Raising Sand”, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year.
- American guitarist and singer David Lee Marks was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania. At the age of seven, he moved with his family to Hawthorne, California, where they lived across the street from the Wilson family. He became known with The Beach Boys in 1962, when he joined the group as rhythm guitarist following Al Jardine’s departure; he remained with the group until 1963 and contributed to their first four studio albums.
- French composer, performer and producer of electronic and ambient music Jean-Michel Jarre was born in Lyon, France. His breakthrough album was „Oxygène“ in 1976.
- American drummer and founding member of The Box Tops Danny Smythe was born. With The Box Tops he had, among others, the hit “The Letter”, which reached number one in the US in 1967.
- American musician Danny Seraphine was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was the original drummer and a founding member of the rock band Chicago, remaining with the group from its formation in 1967 until 1990.
- English composer, classically trained violinist, and keyboardist Simon House was born. He became known as a member of Hawkwind and the backing band of David Bowie.
- Guitarist and founding member of rock band The Flamin' Groovies, Cyril Jordan was born in San Francisco, California.
- Scottish guitarist and songwriter Ricky Gardiner was born. He was a member of Kingbees and The System, with whom he formed Beggars Opera in 1969. He played lead guitar on David Bowie's 1977 album "Low" and worked with Iggy Pop on "Lust for Life" that same year, co-writing the song "The Passenger" with him.
- Guitarist, founder and leading figure of hard rock band Scorpions, Rudolf Schenker was born in Hildesheim, Germany. He founded the band in 1965 at the age of 17, and their power ballad "Wind of Change" topped European charts in 1990 and reached No. 4 in the United States.
- Morris “B.B.” Dickerson, bassist for War, was born in Torrance, California.
- Carlo Novi, člen skupiny Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, se narodil.
- Airrion Love, singer with The Stylistics, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Keith Carradine, known for his leading role in the 1975 film Nashville, where he sang his song “I'm Easy”, was born in San Mateo, California. In 1984, he portrayed a director in Madonna's “Material Girl” music video.
- Andy Cresswell-Davis, guitarist, singer, keyboard player and drummer of the British group The Korgis, was born.
- American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Eric Carmen was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the singer of The Raspberries, with whom he had the hit “Go All The Way,” and as a solo artist became known for “All By Myself,” “She Did It,” “Hungry Eyes” and “Make Me Lose Control.” He died on March 11, 2024, aged 74.
- Mark Knopfler, guitarist, singer and frontman of Dire Straits, was born; he later became known for film music and collaborations with numerous prominent musicians.
- Cliff Fish was born in Ripley, Derbyshire, England. He later became the bassist for Paper Lace.
- Scott Asheton, founding member and drummer of the American rock band The Stooges, was born in Washington, D.C.
- Drummer Thomas “Sib” Hashian was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He became known as a member of the rock band Boston.
- American musician, composer and producer Greg Leisz was born. His playing appeared on recordings by artists including Alison Krauss, Beck, Black Crowes, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, Haim, Jackson Browne and Joni Mitchell.
- Nigel Griggs, bassist with New Zealand group Split Enz, was born.
- Irish singer, songwriter, bassist and producer Phil Lynott, founding member and frontman of the hard rock band Thin Lizzy, was born in West Bromwich, England. With the group, he had the No. 6 UK hit “Whiskey in the Jar” in 1973, and under his leadership Thin Lizzy became one of Ireland's most important rock bands. Lynott contributed to major songs including “Whiskey in the Jar”, “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “Jailbreak”. He died on January 4, 1986, from heart failure and pneumonia after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose. In 2005, a life-size bronze statue of him was unveiled in Dublin.
- Rick Springfield, born Richard Lewis Springthorpe, was born in Guildford, New South Wales, Australia. He became known as an Australian-American musician, producer and actor. In 1981 he had the US number-one hit “Jessie's Girl”, for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. Before becoming a pop star, he played Dr. Noah Drake on the TV series “General Hospital”.
- Israeli-American musician Chaim Witz, known by his stage name Gene Simmons, was born in Haifa, Israel. He became famous as co-founder, bassist and singer of the rock band KISS.
- Singer Bob Cowsill of The Cowsills was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, although the family group was later formed in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor Dickran Gobalian, known as Leon Redbone, was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He became known on the folk scene of the 1970s and performed music in the style of vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley.
- Swedish actor and musician Peter Stormare was born. He also performed with the band Blonde From Fargo.
- English musician, singer, and songwriter Hugh Cornwell, co-founder, singer, and guitarist of the punk rock and new wave group The Stranglers, was born in North London. He served as the group’s lead singer and guitarist from 1974 to 1990. The Stranglers had the No. 2 UK single “Golden Brown” in 1982 and more than 20 other Top 40 hits.
- English drummer Martin Lamble, a member of the folk-rock group Fairport Convention, was born in St John's Wood, London. He played on the group’s first three albums. In 1969, he died at the age of 19 in a van accident on the M1 motorway.
- Ted Turner, guitarist with Wishbone Ash, was born on August 2, 1950, in Sheldon, Birmingham.
- Pete Way, zakládající baskytarista hardrockové skupiny UFO, se narodil v Enfieldu v Anglii.
- Americký countryový zpěvák, skladatel, kytarista a producent Rodney Crowell se narodil v Jacinto City v Texasu.
- Andy Fairweather Low, singer and guitarist with Amen Corner, was born in Ystrad Mynach, Wales. He also performed as a backing vocalist on The Who's album "Who Are You".
- Pop and rock drummer Liberatori “Liberty” DeVitto was born in New York City. He became best known as Billy Joel's drummer.
- Erik Braunn, born Rick Davis, guitarist for Iron Butterfly, was born in Pekin, Illinois. The group was known for “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” and the 1968 album of the same name is listed by the source among the world's 40 best-selling albums, with more than 30 million copies sold. Erik Braunn died on July 25, 2003, aged 52.
- Singer, songwriter and bandleader August Darnell, known as Kid Creole, was born.
- American singer and songwriter Billy Griffin, who later became the lead singer of The Miracles, was born.
- American drummer Tommy Aldridge was born, known among other things for his work with Whitesnake, the Ozzy Osbourne Band and Thin Lizzy.
- Dennis Elliott, drummer of Foreigner, was born in Peckham, London, England.
- American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist William Borsey, known as Willy DeVille, was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He became known as frontman of Mink DeVille, which was associated with New York's CBGB and had the UK hit “Spanish Stroll” in 1977. His song “Storybook Love”, on which he collaborated with Mark Knopfler, became the theme song of the 1987 film “The Princess Bride”.
- Bill Cowsill of The Cowsills was born. The group had the US hit “The Rain, The Park & Other Things” in 1967 and a hit with the title song from “Hair” in 1969.
- Dick Cowsill of The Cowsills was born. The group had the US hit “The Rain, The Park & Other Things” in 1967 and a hit with the title song from “Hair” in 1969.
- Scottish folk musician John Alexander was born.
- English guitarist and songwriter Michael “Micky” Moody was born in Middlesbrough. He was best known as a member of Whitesnake, Juicy Lucy and Snafu. Juicy Lucy had the UK No. 14 single “Who Do You Love” in 1970, while Whitesnake had the US No. 1 single “Here I Go Again” in 1987 and reached No. 9 in the UK.
- Andrew Gold, the American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer best known for hits such as “Lonely Boy” and “Thank You for Being a Friend,” was born on August 2, 1951, in Burbank, California.
- Joe Lynn Turner, the American singer known for his work with Rainbow and Deep Purple, was born on August 2, 1951, in Hackensack, New Jersey.
- Johnny Graham, multi-instrumentalist with Earth, Wind & Fire, was born in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Roy Flowers, drummer with Sweet Sensation, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
- Samantha Sang, born Cheryl Lau Sang, was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Northern Irish drummer Les Binks was born. He is best known as the drummer of Judas Priest from 1977 to 1979.
- Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dan Fogelberg was born in Peoria, Illinois.
- Rock drummer Ric Parnell was born. He became known for his work with Atomic Rooster and for playing Mick Shrimpton in the film This Is Spinal Tap.
- Jazz and soul singer Bobby Caldwell was born.
- John Rees, bassist with Men at Work, was born.
- English musician and songwriter John Deacon was born in Oadby, Leicester, England. He became famous as the bassist of the rock group Queen. He was the last member to join the group and also its youngest member; he was only 19 when he joined. He wrote a number of Queen’s hit singles, including “You're My Best Friend”, “Spread Your Wings”, “I Want to Break Free” and the group’s best-selling single in the US, “Another One Bites the Dust”.
- English rock bassist and singer Glenn Hughes was born in Cannock, Staffordshire. He became known for his work with the bands Trapeze and Deep Purple and also briefly as the singer of Black Sabbath.
- American rock singer Jimi Jamison was born in Durant, Mississippi. He became famous as the frontman of Survivor, Target and Cobra. With Survivor, he had the 1982 US and UK number-one single “Eye of the Tiger” and was also the voice and co-writer of the title song for the “Baywatch” TV series.
- Mark Hudson, a founding member of the sibling musical group The Hudson Brothers, was born in Portland, Oregon. He also co-wrote several songs for Aerosmith, including the 1993 hit “Livin' On The Edge”.
- Danny Joe Brown, singer, multi-instrumentalist and lead vocalist of Molly Hatchet, was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
- Michael Derosier, Canadian drummer and former member of the American rock band Heart, was born.
- James Warren, bassist, singer, guitarist and keyboardist of British group The Korgis, was born. The group had the 1980 hit “Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime”, which reached number five in the UK and number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- English singer and songwriter Robert “Rob” Halford was born in Sutton Coldfield, England. He became known as frontman and lead singer of heavy metal band Judas Priest and also performed with the projects Fight, 2wo and Halford.
- Kevin Kavanaugh, a member of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, was born. The band released the album “Hearts Of Stone” in 1978 and later more than ten other albums.
- American musician and songwriter David “Dave” Hlubek was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He was a founding member and lead guitarist of the rock band Molly Hatchet.
- American drummer and session musician Dennis Davis was born. He became best known for his work with David Bowie, with whom he recorded ten albums, including seven consecutive studio albums from Bowie’s classic mid-to-late 1970s period, and contributed to a number of hit singles including “Fame”. He also recorded with Stevie Wonder and Iggy Pop.
- Wayne Osmond, singer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist, was born in Ogden, Utah. He became famous as a member of the American family music group The Osmonds, which had the US No. 1 single “One Bad Apple” in 1971, the 1974 hit “Crazy Horses”, and the UK No. 1 single “Love Me for a Reason” in the same year. The Osmonds sold more than 75 million records worldwide.
- Dana Rosemary Scallon, born Rosemary Brown, was born in London, England. In 1970, she won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with “All Kinds of Everything”, which reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart.
- Les Dudek, the American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who worked with the Steve Miller Band, Stevie Nicks, Cher, Boz Scaggs, and The Allman Brothers Band, was born on August 2, 1952.
- Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin, singer, songwriter, and harpist with Clannad, was born in Dublin, Ireland.
- Irish music manager Louis Walsh, known for his work with Westlife, Boyzone and Girls Aloud, was born in Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland.
- Singer, songwriter and musician Pat MacDonald, co-founder of Timbuk3, was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
- American guitarist Vinnie Vincent was born. He was a member of KISS from 1982 to 1984 and later formed his own band, Vinnie Vincent Invasion.
- Hughie Thomasson was born in Tampa, Florida. He later became a guitarist, singer, and founding member of the Outlaws and also performed with Lynyrd Skynyrd.
- Patrick Swayze, actor and singer, was born.
- American singer, songwriter and guitarist Douglas “Doug” Fieger was born in Oak Park, Michigan. He became known as a member of the rock band The Knack. Their first single, “My Sharona”, became an international No. 1 hit in 1979; Fieger wrote the song for Sharona Alperin, who later became his girlfriend. He died of cancer on February 14, 2010, aged 57.
- American singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist and multi-genre musician John Hiatt was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His songs were recorded by artists including Bob Dylan, The Searchers, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Joan Baez and Iggy Pop.
- Country singer and guitarist Rudy Gatlin of The Gatlin Brothers was born in Olney, Texas.
- English musician and co-founder of the punk rock band The Clash John Mellor, known by his stage name Joe Strummer, was born in Ankara, Turkey. He was born John Graham Mellor.
- English keyboardist, songwriter and producer Geoffrey Downes was born in Stockport, Cheshire, England. He became known for his work with The Buggles, Yes and Asia.
- American guitarist Jack Holder of Black Oak Arkansas was born. The group achieved its greatest fame in the 1970s and had a hit with “Jim Dandy (To The Rescue)”.
- Dave Malone, singer, songwriter, and guitarist of The Radiators, was born.
- Kenny Andrews of the British doo-wop revival group Darts was born. In 1978, the group had the UK No. 2 single “Boy From New York City”.
- Donnie Munro, lead singer of the Scottish band Runrig, was born on August 2, 1953.
- Ian Bairnson, Scottish multi-instrumentalist and member of Pilot and The Alan Parsons Project, was born in Lerwick in the Shetland Islands.
- Randy Scruggs, American producer, songwriter, and guitarist and a four-time Grammy Award winner, was born in Nashville.
- Vini Reilly, English multi-instrumentalist and founder of The Durutti Column, was born in Manchester.
- Jerry Speiser, a founding member and drummer of Men at Work, was born.
- James "J.T." Taylor, singer and later lead vocalist of Kool & the Gang, was born in Laurens, South Carolina.
- British singer, musician, co-founder and frontman of Dexys Midnight Runners Kevin Rowland was born in Wednesfield, England.
- Bassist Marvin Isley was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He became famous as a member of the musical family group The Isley Brothers.
- American singer Evelyn Thomas, known primarily for the 1980s hi-NRG dance hits “High Energy”, “Masquerade”, “Standing at the Crossroads”, “Reflections” and “Weak Spot”. Thomas died on July 21, 2024, at the age of 70.
- American singer, songwriter and bassist John Cowan was born in Minerva, Ohio. He became known as the singer and bassist of New Grass Revival and also performed with The Doobie Brothers and other projects.
- Alex Lifeson, born Aleksandar Zivojinovic (Zhivojinovic), was born in Fernie, British Columbia, Canada, to parents of Serbian origin. He grew up in Toronto, Ontario. He became known as the co-founding guitarist of the progressive rock band Rush, which had, among others, the British hit “Spirit of Radio” and the US hit “New World Man”. In 1996, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
- Rick Downey, drummer of the American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, was born. In 1976, the group had the US single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" at No. 12, and in 1978 it had a UK single at No. 16. Blue Öyster Cult have sold more than 24 million records worldwide.
- Bassist Horace Panter, also known as Sir Horace Gentleman, was born in Croydon, England. He became known as a member of 2 Tone and ska band The Specials. In 1981, the group had the UK No. 1 single “Ghost Town”.
- English drummer Pete Thomas was born in Hillsborough, Sheffield. He became known for his work with Elvis Costello and The Attractions, with whom he had, among other hits, the UK hit “Oliver's Army”. He also worked as a session drummer with Suzanne Vega, Neil Finn and other artists.
- Guitarist and singer Bryan Bassett of Wild Cherry was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The group was known for the hit “Play That Funky Music,” which reached No. 1 in the US and No. 7 in the UK in 1976.
- British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Jackson, born David Ian Jackson, was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. He became known for experiments with new wave, jazz and pop. In 1980 he had the UK No. 5 hit “It's Different For Girls” and in 1982 the US No. 6 hit “Steppin' Out.”
- Jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny was born.
- Drummer Steve Smith of Focus and Journey was born in Whitman, Massachusetts.
- Mark Avsec, keyboardist and songwriter of Wild Cherry, was born. Wild Cherry had the 1976 US number-one hit and UK number-seven hit “Play That Funky Music”.
- English singer, songwriter and producer Declan Patrick MacManus, known as Elvis Costello, was born in Paddington, London. His stage surname came from his father, who performed as Day Costello. In 1979 he had the UK hit “Oliver's Army” with The Attractions, and the album “Armed Forces” spent 28 weeks on the chart.
- Michael Chetwood, keyboardist with T'Pau, was born. T'Pau had the UK No. 1 single “China In Your Hand” in 1987 and the song “Heart And Soul”, which reached No. 4 in both the US and UK.
- Ronald Beitle, drummer with the American funk rock group Wild Cherry, was born. In 1976, the group had the US No. 1 single “Play That Funky Music”, which reached No. 7 in the UK.
- English drummer and percussionist Charlie Morgan was born in London. He worked with Tom Robinson Band, Kate Bush, Elton John, Orleans, Paul McCartney and Tina Turner, among others.
- English multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Colin Moulding was born in Swindon. He became known as a member of XTC.
- Saxophonist and composer Alan Wilkinson was born in Ilford, England.
- Jeffrey Daniel, R&B singer of Shalamar, was born in Los Angeles, California. The group became known for songs including „The Second Time Around“ and „A Night to Remember“ and helped introduce body-popping to the U.K.
- Kirk Brandon, English singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for his work with Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny, was born in London.
- Alister "Ali" Score, drummer with A Flock Of Seagulls, was born in Beverley, Yorkshire, England.
- English singer, guitarist and songwriter Christopher Foreman, also known as Chrissy Boy, was born in London. He became famous as the guitarist of the ska band Madness.
- Bassist and keyboard player Tony Garnier was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is best known as Bob Dylan's longtime sideman, having played with him since 1989.
- Chris Biondo, a guitarist and producer who worked with Eva Cassidy. Eva Cassidy is described as the only performer to have three posthumous UK No. 1 albums: Songbird (2001), Imagine (2002) and American Tune (2003). In 2001, she also had the UK No. 42 single “Over The Rainbow”.
- English songwriter and producer Matt Aitken was born in Coventry, England. He was part of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman production team, one of the most successful songwriting and production teams, which created more than 100 UK Top 40 hits, including Rick Astley's “Never Gonna Give You Up”.
- English musician and bassist Glen Matlock, the original bassist and founding member of the punk band Sex Pistols, was born in Paddington, London. He is credited as the writer of ten of the twelve songs on their only official studio album, “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols”. He later played with the band Rich Kids.
- Jazz saxophonist Elton Dean, a member of Soft Machine, was born.
- Steve Jones, guitarist with the Sex Pistols, was born.
- Mojo Nixon, the American singer and guitarist best known for the song “Elvis Is Everywhere,” was born on August 2, 1957.
- Dennis Drew, founding member and keyboardist of alternative rock group 10,000 Maniacs, was born in Jamestown, New York.
- Tim Farriss, guitarist for the Australian rock band INXS, was born in Perth, Western Australia.
- Budgie, drummer of Siouxsie and the Banshees, was born.
- Kim Sledge of Sister Sledge was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Country singer and songwriter Holly Dunn was born in San Antonio, Texas. She became best known for her No. 1 singles “You Really Had Me Going” and “Are You Ever Gonna Love Me”.
- Founding member, rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter of the punk rock band The Undertones, John O'Neill was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. He wrote songs including “Teenage Kicks”, “Jimmy Jimmy”, “Here Comes the Summer” and “You've Got My Number”.
- Drummer and singer Regina "Gina" Schock was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She became known as a member of the all-female rock band The Go-Go's. In 1982, the group had the U.S. single "We Got The Beat" at No. 2 and the British hit "Our Lips Are Sealed".
- English singer, songwriter and guitarist Glenn Tilbrook was born in Woolwich, London. He became best known as the frontman and founding member of Squeeze. The group's well-known songs include "Tempted", "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)", "Cool for Cats" and "Up the Junction".
- Ian Broudie, English singer, songwriter, musician, and producer best known for The Lightning Seeds, was born in Liverpool.
- Bruce Dickinson, anglický zpěvák, skladatel a frontman heavy metalové skupiny Iron Maiden, se narodil ve Worksopu v Nottinghamshire v Anglii. V roce 1981 se stal zpěvákem Iron Maiden.
- Chris Foreman, guitarist for Madness, was born in London, England.
- Northern Irish singer and frontman of The Undertones Feargal Sharkey was born. As a solo artist, he later reached No. 1 on the UK chart with “A Good Heart”.
- Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan.
- Belinda Carlisle, co-founder and lead singer of The Go-Go's, was born in Los Angeles, California. She also became famous for solo hits such as “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”.
- Guitarist Ian Mitchell of the Bay City Rollers was born in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. In 1976, he joined the group at the age of just 17. Bay City Rollers had the 1975 UK No. 1 hit “Bye Bye Baby”, 11 more UK Top 20 singles, and the 1976 U.S. No. 1 hit “Saturday Night”.
- British-American guitarist and songwriter Vernon Reid was born in London, England. He grew up in Brooklyn and later founded the rock band Living Colour, in which he serves as guitarist and principal songwriter. The group became famous for its 1988 debut album “Vivid” and the song “Cult of Personality”, which won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1990. In 1991, they had the UK No. 12 hit “Love Rears Its Ugly Head”.
- Ian Mitchell, a member of the Bay City Rollers, was born.
- Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, and was later known as the "King of Pop". He was a singer, songwriter, and member of Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, as well as a successful solo artist. Guinness World Records recognized him as the most successful entertainer of all time. His music videos for "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" helped break down racial barriers and transformed the music video into an art and promotional form. His 1982 album "Thriller" is the best-selling studio album of all time. Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Beverly Hills.
- English drummer and keyboard player Martin Jackson was born. He became known as a member of Magazine and Swing Out Sister. Magazine had the UK No. 41 single “Shot By Both Sides” in 1978, while Swing Out Sister had the UK No. 4 single “Breakout” in 1986.
- Martin Atkins, English drummer known for his work with Public Image Ltd, Ministry, and Nine Inch Nails, was born in Coventry.
- Robbin Crosby, guitarist with Ratt, was born in La Jolla, California.
- Pat Smear, born Georg Albert Ruthenberg, co-founder and lead guitarist of the punk band The Germs and later a member of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, was born in Los Angeles, California.
- Pete Burns, born Peter Burns, founder and frontman of Dead or Alive, was born in Port Sunlight, England.
- American singer and songwriter Joyce Sims was born. Her biggest hit, “Come into My Life,” reached the Top 10 on both the U.S. R&B chart and the UK singles chart in 1987 and 1988.
- American rap pioneer, songwriter, DJ and producer Kurtis Walker, known professionally as Kurtis Blow, was born in New York City. He became known for hits such as “The Breaks” and “Basketball”.
- Singer Aleš Brichta was born.
- Mark Price, drummer of All About Eve, was born.
- Danny Bonaduce was born in Broomall, Pennsylvania. He later became famous as a member of The Partridge Family.
- Mark Nevin was born. He became the singer and songwriter of Fairground Attraction, who had the 1988 UK No. 1 hit “Perfect”.
- Scottish singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and music publisher Edwyn Collins was born in Edinburgh. He became known as co-founder and singer of the post-punk band Orange Juice. With the band, he had the 1983 UK hit “Rip It Up”, and as a solo artist he had the internationally successful 1995 single “A Girl Like You”. He co-founded the indie label Postcard Records and in 2011 also co-founded Analogue Enhanced Digital.