February 8, 1994 ~ Nicole Rachel Yanofsy, commonly knowm as jazz-pop singer Nikki Yanofsky born in Montreal, Canada ~ Sang the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics theme song I Believe including at the opening and closing ceremonies. Released her full-length Ella (Of Thee I Swing) solo debut album in 2008, a live CD concert package. Would release her first studio album in 2010, namely Nikki produced by Phil Ramone and Jesse Harris. Has also collaborated with Herbie Hancock, will.i.am, Ron Sexsmith, Feist, Esperanza Spalding, Roy Hargrove, Dave Brubeck, Joshua Redman, Alfredo Rodriguez, Wyclef Jean, Quincy Jones, and others
February 8, 1991 ~ Henry Alfred Steinway, commonly known as trap, drum and bass, electro house DJ, producer RL Grime, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Also known under the moniker Clockwork. Member of electronic music collective WeDidIt. Has produced remixes for Benny Benassi, Chief Keef, Jamie Lidell, Shiohmo. Released his full-length solo debut album, Void, in 2014
February 8, 1977 ~ Bassist Dave Farrell, also known as Dave Phoenix Farrell, born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as bassist of alternative rock, nu metal band Linkin Park. The band has sold over 100 million records and is best known for songs such as In The End, What I've Done, and New Divide. Previously Farrell was a member of pop punk outfit Tasy Snax, known for the albums Run Joseph Run and Snax
February 8, 1974 ~ Producer, DJ Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France ~ Forms the house music duo Daft Punk with Thomas Bangalter, debuting in 1997 with the Homework album, spawning the singles Da Funk and Around The World both of which reached top 10 in the duo's native France. Subsequent releases would chart well internationally, especially a number of collaborations such as Get Lucky featuring Pharrell Williams and Starboy and I Feel It Coming with the Weeknd all reaching Billboard Hot 100 top 10
February 8, 1971 ~ Bassist Will Turpin, full name William Ross Turpin, born in Fairbanks, Alabama, USA ~ Member of Collective Soul, best known for their 1993 song Shine. Other well known songs include December, The World I Know, Precious Declaration, Heavy and Counting The Days. Turpin also released several solo albums, starting with 2011's The Lighthouse album
February 8, 1967 ~ Violinist Florin Niculescu born in Bucharest, Romania ~ Influenced by Stéphane Grappelli. Worked with Biréli Lagrène, Robert Alagna, Charles Aznavour, Marcel Azzola, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Patrick Bruel, Regina Carter, Angelo Debarre, Angela Gheorghiu, Johnny Hallyday, Patricia Kaas, Jon Larsen, Wynton Marsalis, John McLaughlin, Oscar Peterson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Babik Reinhardt, Jimmy Rosenberg, Henri Salvador, Tchavolo Schmitt, and others
February 8, 1961 ~ Rock, roots rock guitarist, singer Sam Llanas, full name Samuel J Llanas, born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA ~ Co-founding member of the BoDeans, remaining with the band from its inception in the early 1980s through 2011, best known for their 1996 Closer To Free single. Also co-founded Absinthe, known for their sole album 1998's A Good Day To Die, and has released a number of solo records starting in 2011 with the 4 AM album
February 8, 1961 ~ Vincent Neil Wharton, commonly known as heavy metal singer Vince Neil, born in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Lead singer, co-founding member of Mötley Crüe, known for songs such as Smokin' In The Boys Room, Girls Girls Girls, Dr Feelgood, Without You and Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away). Neil released a number of solo albums, starting with Exposed in 1993, and has acted in some small TV roles
February 8, 1959 ~ Bassist Paul Barker, full name Paul Gordon Barker, born in Palo Alto, California, USA ~ Best known as member of industrial metal outfit Ministry from 1986 through 2003 including on the band's best-known albums, The Land Of Rape And Honey, The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste, and Psalm 69. Barker has also worked with Blackouts, Pailhead, Revolting Cocks, Lard, Lead Into Gold, 1,000 Homo DJs, Acid Horse, PTP, Pigface, Pink Anvil, USSA, Flowering Blight, Bells Into Machines, and Puscifer
February 8, 1956 ~ Progressive rock bassist Dave Meros born in Salinas, California, USA ~ Infuenced by Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, James Jamerson, Marcus Miller, Chuck Rainey, and David Hungate. Worked with Spock's Beard, Iron Butterfly, Gary Myrick, Bobby Kimball, Simon Phillips, Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Glenn Hughes, Mark Lindsay, Eric Burdon, and others
February 8, 1953 ~ Punk rock, rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Art Bergmann, full name Arthur Frank Bergmann, born in Vancouver, Canada ~ Key figure in late 1970s Canadian punk. Member of the Mount Lehman Grease Band. Member of the Notorious Smog Brothers. Rose to fame as lead singer, primary songwriter for the short-lived the Young Canadians, known best for the classic punk anthem Hawaii. Would go on to work with acts soch as Los Popularos and Poisoned. Released his John Cale-produced Crawl With Me solo debut album in 1988 and has recorded to critical acclaim since
February 8, 1948 ~ Country, soft rock singer, guitarist Dan Seals, full name Danny Wayland Seals, born in McCarney, Texas, USA ~ Brother of Jim Seals. First gained attention as half of the 1970's duo England Dan & John Ford Coley with John Ford Coley, known for songs such as Simone, I'd Really Love To See You Tonight, Nights Are Forever Without You and Love Is The Answer. As a solo artist known for country hits such as Meet Me In Montana with Marie Osmond, Everything That Glitters Is Not Gold, Bop, You Still Move Me, I Will Be There, Three Time Loser, One Friend, Addicted, Big Wheels In The Moonlight, Love On Arrival, and Good Times ~ Seals passed away in 2009
February 8, 1942 ~ Terrence Paul Jorden, commonly known as rock, pop singer, songwriter, producer Terry Melcher, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Son of trombonist Al Jorden and actress, singer Doris Day. Pivotal to the development of the 1960s California sound and folk-rock. Perhaps best known for producing the Byrds' first two albums Mr Tambourine Man and Turn Turn Turn as well as most of Paul Revere & the Raiders' and Gentle Soul's best known. Member of surf group the Rip-chords. Formed the duo Bruce & Terry with Bruce Johnston ~ Jorden passed away in 2004
February 8, 1938 ~ Soul singer Bessie Banks born in New Bern, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known for her original 1964 recording of Go Now featuring backing vocals from Cissy Houston, produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and covered the same year by the Moody Blues. Also known for songs such as Do It Now, I Can't Make It Without You Baby, Try To Leave Me If You Can (I Bet You Can't Do It), and Don't You Worry Baby (The Best Is Yet To Come)
February 8, 1938 ~ R&B, rockabilly singer, guitarist, songwriter Ray Sharpe, full name Edward Ray Sharpe, born in Fort Worth, Texas, USA ~ Once described as “the greatest white-sounding black dude ever” known for songs such as That's The Way I Feel and Linda Lu, the latter featuring Duane Eddy on guitar and covered by numerous artists such as the Rolling Stones, Kingsmen, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Tom Jones, and others
February 8, 1937 ~ Pianist, singer Joe Raposo, full name Joseph Guilherme Raposo, passed away in Bronxville, New York, USA ~ Best known for his work on the children's TV series Sesame Street, for which he wrote the theme song as well as songs such as Bein' Green and C Is For Cookie. Also composed for other TV series, notably Shining Time Station, Three's Company and The Ropers ~ Raposo passed away in 1989
February 8, 1937 ~ Actor, singer, author Manfred Krug born in Duisburg, Germany ~ Best known as an actor. Also enjoyed some local popularity as a jazz singer, with about a dozen albums to his name through the 1970s. Blacklisted in 1976 by the East German government for his activism, especially protesting the government's expulsion of singer Wolf Biermann. After relocating to the West would focus primarily on his acting career, including a stint as Hauptkommissar Paul Stoever in the popular police show Tatort ~ Krug passed away in 2016
February 8, 1937 ~ Otis Leavill Cobb, commonly known as R&B singer, songwriter, producer, label executive Otis Leavill born in Dewey Rose, Georgia, USA ~ Known for a handful of reasonably successful songs such as Rise Sally Rise, the Curtis Mayfield-penned I Gotta Right To Cry, Let Her Love Me and perhaps his best-known I Love You. Also known as a songwriter for Major Lance, Tyrone Davis, Gene Chandler ~ Cobb passed away in 2002
February 8, 1928 ~ Blues guitarist, harpist, singer, songwriter Eddie Guitar Burns born in Belzoni, Mississippi, USA ~ Influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson I and Big Bill Broonzy. Guested on John Lee Hooker's 1966 The Real Folk Blues album. Released his Bottle Up & Go debut album in 1972. Had his Orange Driver covered by the J Geils Band for their 1975 Hotline album ~ Burns passed away in 2012
February 8, 1926 ~ Norwood Poindexter, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Pony Poindexter, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Tributed in the song Little Pony, written by Neal Hefti and recorded by Count Basie. Worked with Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Stan Kenton, Charlie Parker, Nat King Cole, T-Bone Walker, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Dolphy, Dexter Gordon, Lambert Hendricks & Ross, and others ~ Poindexter passed away in 1988
February 8, 1919 ~ Muni Zudekoff, commonly known as swing, R&B trombonist, bandleader Buddy Morrow, born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Sharkey Bonano, Eddy Duchin, Vincent Lopez, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Whiteman, Tony Pastor, Bob Crosby, Billy Butterfield, Red McKenzie, Count Basie, Jackie Gleason, Urbie Green, Enoch Light, Lee Wiley, Gato Barbieri, Van McCoy, Barry Manilow, Sarah Vaughan, and others ~ Zudekoff passed away in 2010
February 8, 1899 ~ Alonzo Johnson, commonly known as singer, guitarist, violinist, songwriter Lonnie Johnson, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Multi-instrumentalist, violin, piano and banjo, focused primarily on guitar. The first to play an electrically amplified violin. Pioneered the single string solo guitar styles later used in blues, rock, jazz. As a guitarist influenced Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, T-Bone Walker, and as a singer Elvis Presley. Worked the riverboats in the 1920s. Played with Charlie Creath, Fate Marable, Victoria Spivey, Alger Texas Alexander, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, the Chocolate Dandies, Eddie Lang, Roosevelt Sykes, Blind John Davis, Joshua Altheimer, and others ~ Johnson passed away in 1970
February 8, 1890 ~ Isidore Kaufman, commonly known as vaudeville singer Irving Kaufman, born in Syracuse, New York, USA ~ Member of comedy and music group the Avon Comedy Four from 1913 through 1919. Would go on to record prolifically throughout the 1920s, notably with the Broadway Bell-Hops on songs such as He's The Last Word, Don't Somebody Want Somebody To Love and The Westerners ~ Kaufman passed away in 1976