THE YEAR IN ROCK - WEEK SIX

February 5 - 11

 

FEBRUARY 5

 

Born today in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1935 was Alex Harvey, leader of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Harvey died the day before his 47th birthday of 2 massive heart attacks in Zeebruge, Belgium after a gig with his new band The Electric Cowboys

 

Happy birthdays go out to Corey Wells, one of three lead singers in the psychjedelic rock band Three Dog Night. Born Emil Lewandawski in Buffalo, New York in 1942

 

... Al Kooper Blues Project/Blood, Sweat & Tears, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1944. Kooper also played with Bob Dylan (that's him playing the hammond organ on 'Like A Rolling Stone') and featred on hundreds of albums by artists as diverse as Hendrix, The Stones, B.B. King, The Who and Alice Cooper.

 

Also on February 5, in 1983, Toto’s 'Africa' topped the US Billboard chart

 

February 6

 

Born today in Nine Mile, Saint Ann, Jamaica in 1945, was Bob Marley (born Robert Nesta Marley), who would go on the revolutionise reggae music, taking it out of Jamaica and bringing it to not only a white audience around the world, but also to the mainstream. Marley died of cancer in Miami on May 11, 1981.

 

Happy birthday also to William Bailey, aka W Axl Rose of Guns n' Roses, born February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana.

 

 

February 7

 

Birthday greetings to Bon Jovi's keyboard player David Bryan - born David Bryan Rashbaum in New Jersey, USA in 1962

 

... and to Jimmy Greenspoon, keyboard player for Three Dog Night, born 1948 in Los Angeles

 

... and, born 1949, Alan Lancaster - bass player with Status Quo from their formation in 1962 up until their gig opening Live Aid on 13th July 1985. Lancaster was born in London, England, now lives in Australia, and has also played with The Party Boys and The Bombers.

 

February 8

 

Happy birthday to Mexican drummer Adolfo De La Parra, longtime member of Canned Heat, born in 1946 in Mexico City

 

and to Vincent Neil Wharton, aka Motley Crue's singer Vince Neil, born in Hollywood in 1961

 

February 9

 

Happy birthday country rocker Joe Ely, born Amarillo, Texas on this day in 1947.

 

 

 

February 10

 

Born today in 1937 was Don Wilson, guitarist and one of the founder members of the biggest selling instrumental band of all time (and Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame inductees) The Ventures.

 

 

February 11

 

Happy birthday today to Gene Vincent, born 1935 in Virginia, USA. Vincent died in 1971 aged on 36 after a brief but incendiary career forging new ground in the early days of rock n' roll and rockabilly

 

... and in Missouri, USA in 1962, Sheryl Crow - solo artist and serial duetter

 

THE YEAR IN ROCK - WEEK FIVE

 

THE YEAR IN ROCK - WEEK SEVEN

 

Shane Pinnegar