January 22, 1998 ~ Richard Lamar Hawk, commonly known as rapper Silentó, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Best known for his 2015 debut single Watch Me (Whip Nae Nae). Also collaborated with Sunny, Dawin, Sophia Grace, Sicko Mobb, Samuel, ELS, Marcus & Martinus, the Vamps, and others
January 22, 1987 ~ Art pop, indie folk, indie rock, alternative country singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Angel Olsen born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Released her debut album, Half Way Home, in 2012. Best known for Windows of her sophomore Burn Your Fire For No Witness album, used in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why in 2017. Has collaborated with Bonnie Prince Billy, Tim Kinsella, Leroy Bach, Cass McCombs, Lawrence Rothman, Jeff Ament, Alex Cameron, and Mark Ronson
January 22, 1981 ~ Alternative rock, alternative metal, nu metal singer, guitarist, songwriter Ben Moody born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA ~ Co-founding member, lead guitarist of Evanescence, remaining with the band from 1995 through 2003 and present on the band's acclaimed Fallen debut album. Has subsequently recorded as a solo artist, worked with We Are The Fallen and the Halo Method, and ventured into acting. Co-wrote Avril Lavigne's Nobody's Home. Co-wrote several tracks of Kelly Clarkson's sophomore Breakaway album including Because Of You. Other notable collaborations include Anastacia, Hana, Godhead, and Céline Dion
January 22, 1981 ~ Actress, singer Beverley Mitchell born in Arcadia, California, USA ~ Best known as an actress, notably protraying the role of Lucy Camden on the TV series 7th Heaven. Released a sole eponymous album, Beverley Mitchell, in 2007 reaching the top 30 of the country charts
January 22, 1980 ~ Jazz, gospel singer Lizz Wright, full name Elizabeth LaCharla Wright, born in Hahira, Georgia, USA ~ Member of vocal quartet In The Spirit. Debuted as a solo artist in 2003 with the album Salt and has recorded steadily since. Draws from folk, gospel, jazz, pop, drawing comparisons to Norah Jones. Has guested on recordings by Joe Sample, Danilo Pérez, David Sanborn, Toots Thielemans, Jakob Dylan, Massiomo Biolcato, Meshell Ndegeocello, and others
January 22, 1979 ~ Latin pop, samba, MPB, acid jazz singer Luciana Mello, full name Luciana Mello Rodrigues de Oliveira, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Daughter of singer Jair Rodrigues, sister of singer, producer Jair Oliveira. Over half a dozen to her name, starting with the eponymous Luciana Mello released in 1995. Best known for the album Na Luz Do Samba released in 2017
January 22, 1977 ~ Mario Alberta Dominguez Zarzar, commonly known as Latin pop, soul singer, pianist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, songwriter Mario Domm, born in Torreón, Mexico ~ Founding member of Camila. Also an accomplished solo artist and has collaborated with Alejandro Sanz, Wisin, Kenny G, Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Fito Paez, Colbie Caillat, Pepe Aguilar, Thalia, Carlos Rivera, and others
January 22, 1976 ~ Indie rock, emo, sadcore singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist, songwriter David Bazan born in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Thriving force behind Pedro the Lion. Also fronted the Headphones. As a solo artist released his Fewer Moving Parts debut EP in 2006. Has also worked with Seldom, Starflyer '59, the Undertow Orchestra, Overseas, and others
January 22, 1962 ~ Singer, songwriter Andrew Cash born in Toronto, Canada ~ Founded punk band L'Étranger with Charlie Angus, best known for their anti-apartheid song One People. After the band disbanded in 1986 Cash released a number of successful solo recording, notably Time And Place, Boomtown and Smile Me Down, has worked with the shortlived band Ursula, with his brother Peter Cash recording under the moniker the Cash Brothers, and has composed soundtracks for several Canadian TV shows. Cash also served as Member of Parliament for the NDP party from 2011 to 2015 but lost a bid for reelection
January 22, 1961 ~ Singer, keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist, songwriter Daniel Johnston, full name Daniel Dale Johnston, born in Sacramento, California, USA ~ Lo-fi, outsider, avant-pop singer, songwriter propelled to cult status when Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was seen wearing a T-shirt featuring artwork from Johnston's 1983 Hi How Are You album. Has recorded extensively since the early 1980s, mostly self-released on cassettes ~ Johnston passed away in 2019
January 22, 1960 ~ Rock singer, actor Michael Hutchence, full name Michael Keiland John Hutchence, born in Sydney, Australia ~ Made his singing debut at age eight, singing in a toy commercial. Best known for fronting INXS. The band first gained attention with their third album, Shabooh Shoobah released in 1983, and shot to international fame a few years later with the 1987 Kick album. The latter spawned four American hits, the album's lead single Need You Tonight topping the Billboard Hot 100, while follow-up singles Devil Inside, New Sensation, and Tear Us Apart all reached top 10. Hutchence has been dubbed “the wild man of rock” for his public brawls, onetime open drug use, and several highly publicized romantic involvements including with singers Kylie Minogue and Belinda Carlisle ~ Hutchence passed away in 1997
January 22, 1953 ~ Classical violinist, concertmaster, conductor Jan Stanienda born ~ Joined the Polish Chamber Orchestra in 1975, becoming its concertmaster and soloist two years later. Would go on to work with numerous renowned conductors, soloists and orchestras including Yehudi Menuhin, Maurice André, Guy Touvron, Grzegorz Nowak, and others. Concertmaster of the Sinfonia Varsovia in the mid to late 1980s. Artistic director of the Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra in the early 1990s. Artist director of the Wratislavia Chamber Orchestra since 1996 ~ Stanienda passed away in 2021
January 22, 1953 ~ Pianist, conductor Myung-whun Chung born in Seoul, South Korea ~ Brother of violinist Kyung-wha Chung and cellist Myung-wha Chung with whom he also performed as the Chung Trio. As a conductor associated with the Inbal Orchestra, the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, the Teatro Comunale Florence, the Metropolitan Opera, the Paris Opera, the Opera Bastille, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and others
January 22, 1950 ~ Pub rock guitarist Graeme Douglas, full name Graeme John Douglas, born in Rochford, UK ~ Original lead guitarist for pub rock outfit the Kursaal Flyers, best known for Little Does She Know which reached top 20 in the band's native UK in 1977. Following the hit success Douglas would be concerned about the over-commercialisation of their music and leave the band to join Eddie & the Hot Rods. He was replaced by Barry Martin
January 22, 1949 ~ Roots reggae singer, songwriter Joseph Hill born in St Catherine, Jamaica ~ As a solo artist known for Behold The Land and Take Me Girl. Founded and fronted Culture, known for songs such as Two Sevens Clash, Stop Fussing And Fighting and International Herb. Also worked with the Soul Defenders, Glen Washington, C35, the Stepping Stone, and others ~ Hill passed away in 2006
January 22, 1949 ~ Jazz fusion, progressive rock guitarist Phil Miller, full name Philip Paul Miller, born in Barnet, UK ~ Central figure in the Canterbury scene. Member of Delivery. Co-founding member of Matching Mole, Hatfield & the North, National Health. Has also worked with Caravan, Short Wave, In Cahoots, Robert Wyatt, and others ~ Miller passed away in 2017
January 22, 1949 ~ Singer Steve Perry, full name Stephen Ray Perry born in Hanford, California, USA ~ Lead singer of Journey from 1977 through 1987, and again from 1995 through 1998. Sang lead on some of the band's biggest albums including 1981's Escape, which would top the album charts and spawn the band's highest charting single Open Arms which peaked at No.2 Billboard Hot 100. Perry also guested on songs by Sammy Hagar, The Iceman and Run For Your Life), duetted with Kenny Loggins on Don't Fight It, and released solo material starting with 1984's Street Talk album
January 22, 1949 ~ Vincent Lopez, commonly known as rock drummer, percussionist, pianist, trumpeter, cornetist Vini Lopez, born in Neptune Township, New Jersey, USA ~ Best known for his association with Bruce Springsteen as a member of Steel Mill and of the E Street Band, present on Springsteen's first two albums Greetings From Asbury Park NJ and The Wild The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle
January 22, 1943 ~ Bassist, composer Maarten Altena, full name Maarten van Regteren Altena, born ~ Leader and sideman. Actively recording since the late 1980s. Has worked with Willem Breuker, Theo Loevendie, het Nederlands Ballet Orkest, Orkest de Volharding, Derek Bailey, Burton Greene, Michel Waisvisz, and others
January 22, 1943 ~ Violinist, saxophonist Michal Urbaniak born in Warsaw, Poland ~ Leader and sideman. Draws from folk, R&B, hip-hop, symphonic music, jazz, pop, and other idioms. Has worked with Zbigniew Namyslowski, Andrzej Trzaskowksi, Krzysztof Komeda, Adam Makowicz, Urbanator, Billy Cobham, Buster Williams, Chick Corea, Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Joe Zawinul, Kenny Barron, Larry Coryell, Lenny White, Marcus Miller, Quincy Jones, Ron Carter, Roy Haynes, Vladyslav Sendecki, Wayne Shorter, the Weather Report, and others
January 22, 1940 ~ Jazz bassist, upright bassist, double bassist, cellist Eberhard Weber born in Stuttgart, Germany ~ Leader and sideman. Draws from chamber jazz, classical, minimalism and ambient music. Closely associated with Wolfgang Dauner. Founded Colours, which also included saxophonist Charlie Mariano, pianist Rainer Bruninghaus and drummer Jon Christensen. To pop audiences perhaps best known for backing Kate Bush on the albums The Dreaming, Hounds Of Love, The Sensual World and Aerial. Has also worked with Gary Burton, Mal Waldron, Ralph Towner, Pat Metheny, Jan Garbarek, the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble, Paraphernalia, and others
January 22, 1939 ~ Alan Lee da Silva, commonly known as jazz, free jazz, avant-garde jazz double bassist, keyboardist Alan Silva, born in Bermuda ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, Sunny Murray, Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, Dave Burrell, Leroy Jenkins, Malachi Favors, Roscoe Mitchell, Famoudou Don Moye, Alan Shorter, Albert Ayler, Jimmy Lyons, Bobby Few, and Andrew Hill
January 22, 1938 ~ Road manager, author Joe Esposito, full name Joseph Carmine Esposito, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known as road manager for Elvis Presley and consultant for several of Presley's movies, having met the singer while serving in the military with him stationed in Friedberg, West Germany. Esposito would become a lifelong friend, serve as best man at Presley's wedding, and is considered one of the premiere sources on Presley. After the singer's death in 1977, Esposito has authored several books on his time with Presley, notably Good Rockin' Tonight (20 Years On The Road With Elvis) published in 1994 ~ Esposito passed away in 2016
January 22, 1937 ~ Songwriter Al Kasha, full name Alfred Kasha, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Closely associated with songwriting partner Joel Hirschhorn, with whom he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song twice, namely with The Morning After from The Poseidon Adventure in 1972 and We May Never Love Like This Again from The Towering Inferno in 1975. Has also written for musicals, TV, and pop, rock, R&B artists including Aretha Franklin (Operation Heartbreak), Neil Diamond, Donna Summer, Charles Aznavour (Dance In The Old-fashioned Way), Bobby Darin, Jackie Wilson (My Empty Arms), and Peppermint Rainbow ~ Kasha passed away in 2020
January 22, 1937 ~ Pop, schlager singer Arie Ribbens born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands ~ Active since the late 1950s, peaking commercially in the 1980s. Known for songs such as Dat Zien We Morgen Wel Weer, Polonaise Hollandaise, Akketdoe, and probably his best-known Brabantse Nachten Zijn Lang. Retired from performing in 2015 for health reasons ~ Ribbens passed away in 2021
January 22, 1933 ~ Jazz drummer Jean Louis Viale born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France ~ Worked with Sacha Distel, René Urtreger, Jimmy Gourley, Bobby Jaspar, Henri Renaud, Clifford Brown, Frank Foster, Stan Getz, Stéphane Grappelli, Gigi Gryce, Thelonious Monk, Jimmy Raney, Django Reinhardt, Zoot Sims, Martial Solal, René Thomas, George Wallington, Barney Wilen, Lester Young, Raymond Fol, Johnny Griffin, Roger Guerin, Ivan Jullien, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Benny Bailey, Jack Dieval, Slide Hampton, and others ~ Viale passed away in 1984
January 22, 1931 ~ Samuel Cook, commonly known as R&B, gospel, soul singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter Sam Cooke born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA ~ One of the all-time most important, influential, admired R&B, soul singers, credited by some critics as the “inventor” of soul music. Paved the way for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding. Member of the Soul Stirrers. As a solo artist known for songs such as You Send Me, Cupid, Another Saturday Night, A Change Is Gonna Come, Wonderful World, Chain Gang, Twistin' The Night Away and Bring It On Home To Me ~ Cook passed away in 1964
January 22, 1929 ~ Ronald Richard Pratley, commonly known as producer, manager, promoter Ron Richards, born in London, UK ~ Best known for discovering British pop, baroque pop group the Hollies, signing them to Parlophone in 1963. Pratley would produce most of the band's output from the early 1960s through the late 1970s, including their 1969 cross-Atlantlic top 10 hit He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother ~ Pratley passed away in 2009
January 22, 1924 ~ James Louis Johnson, commonly known as trombonist JJ Johnson born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Leader and sideman. One of the earliest bebop trombonists. As a composer known for standards such as Wee Dot, Lament and Enigma. Worked with Kai Winding, Sonny Stitt, Bud Powell, Clifford Brown, Bennie Green, André Previn, Milt Jackson, Joe Pass, Al Grey, Cannonball Adderley, Count Basie, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Elvin Jones, Howard McGhee, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Stanley Turrentine, and others ~ Johnson passed away in 2001
January 22, 1921 ~ Pianist, composer Arno Babajanian born in Yerevan, Armenia ~ Child prodigy. Rooted in Armenian folk music. Influenced by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev and Béla Bartók. Admired by peers such as Dmitri Shostakovich. Composed for piano, orchestral music, ballet, chamber music, orchestral works and for film. In addition to numerous awards had a minor planet, 9017 Babadzhanyan, named after him ~ Babajanian passed away in 1983
January 22, 1908 ~ Hamie Nickerson, commonly known as country blues, blues harpist, guitarist Hammie Nixon, born in Brownsville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known for his association with Sleepy John Estes. Pioneered the use of the mouth harmonica as a rhythm instrument rather than as a novelty. Has worked with Little Buddy Doyle, Charlie Pickett, Son Bonds, and others ~ Nickerson passed away in 1984
January 22, 1895 ~ Irene Joy Gibbons, commonly known as blues singer, stage actress Eva Taylor, born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Dubbed “the Dixie Nightingale”. Child performer active since age three. Married to pianist, Okeh-producer Clarence Williams. Worked with Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, the Charleston Chasers, Paul Whiteman, and others ~ Gibbons passed away in 1977