June 29, 1983 ~ Singer, dancer Aundrea Fimbres, full name Aundrea Aurora Fimbres, born in California, USA ~ Best known as a member of Danity Kane, known for singles such as Show Stopper, Ride For You and Damaged
June 29, 1979 ~ Richard Abidin Breen, commonly known as rapper, singer, DJ, producer, songwriter Abz Love, born in London, UK ~ Rose to prominence as member of boy band 5ive, known for UK top 10 hits such as Slam Dunk Da Funk, When The Lights Go Out, Got The Feelin', Keep On Movin', Let's Dance and Rock The Party. Debuted as a solo artist with the Abstract Theory album in 2003, which spawned the hits What You Got, Stop Sign and Miss Perfect featuring Nodesha
June 29, 1971 ~ Alternative rock, folk rock singer, guitarist, pianist, bassist, percussionist, songwriter Matthew Good, full name Matthew Frederick Robert Good, born in Burnaby, Canada ~ Fronted the Matthew Good Band, known for songs such as Everything Is Automatic, Indestructible, Apparitions, Hello Time Bomb, Load Me Up and Strange Days. Active as a solo artist since 2003, marking a stylistic change, with over a dozen albums to his name starting with the Avalanche album
June 29, 1961 ~ Songwriter, producer Wim Claes born in Leuven, Belgium ~ Internationally perhaps best known for co-writing Like The Wind for Vanessa Chinitor. The song served as the Belgian entry for the 1999 Eurovision Songfestival, where it reached twelfth place. Claes also co-wrote Oui Oh Oui and Lilali for Kim Kay, both top 10 hits in Belgium. Other artists who recorded his songs include Clouseau, Dana Winner, Günther Neefs, Sam Gooris (Ik Heb De Zon Zien Zakken In De Zee), Luc Steeno, and Salim Seghers ~ Claes passed away in 2018
June 29, 1957 ~ R&B singer Alisa Peoples, full name Alisa Delois Peoples, born ~ Half of Yarbrough & Peoples, the other half being Cavin Yarbrough, known for 1980s R&B hits song as Don't Waste Your Time, Guilty and their biggest hit Don't Stop The Music
June 29, 1953 ~ Glam metal, hard rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist Don Dokken, full name Donald Maynard Dokken, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Lead singer, founder, eponym of Dokken, known for songs such as Into The Fire, Alone Again, Just Got Lucky, The Hunter, Dream Warriors, Burning Like A Flame and Too High To Fly.
June 29, 1951 ~ Singer, guitarist, keyboardist Billy Hinsche born in Manila, Philippines ~ Formed the trio Dino Desi & Billy with Dean Paul Martin and Desi Arnaz Jr, known for mid- to late-1960s singles such as I'm A Fool, Not The Lovin' Kind and Superman. Hinsche has also regularly performed with the Beach Boys, intermittently touring with the band as a backing singer and instrumentalist from the late-1960s through the late-1970s but declined several offers to formally join the band. Hinsche can also be heard as a backing singer on recordings by America, Warren Zevon, Joan Jett, and Elton John, including on the latter's 1974 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me ~ Hinsche passed away in 2021
June 29, 1948 ~ Jazz, avant-garde jazz saxophonist, flutist Sean Bergin born in Durban, South Africa ~ During apartheid performed illegally with blacj musicians. Part of a large diaspora of South Africans to flee the country to find succes in Europe. Over a dozen albums as a leader, most acclaimed for the 1999 Copy Cat album. Sideman on recordings by the Abstract Truth, Burton Greene, Ernst Reijseger, the ICP Orchestra, Louis Moholo, Miriam Makeba, and the Dedication Orchestra ~ Bergin passed away in 2012
June 29, 1947 ~ Guitarist, mandolinist, singer Carlo Santanna, full name Carlo Paul Santanna, born in Nottingham, UK ~ Member of Paper Lace, with whom he scored the UK hits Billy Don't Be A Hero, The Black-Eyed Boys, and The Night Chicago Died. All three would reach top 20 in the band's native UK, the latter would also top the American Billboard Hot 100
June 29, 1947 ~ Producer Will Hoebee born in Hilversum, the Netherlands ~ Started in Dutch radio, assisting Joost den Draaijer on 3FM. Would go on to work for various labels, notably Phonogram working closely with Peter Koelewijn. Has produced or co-produced recordings by Saskia & Serge, Rob de Nijs, Anny Schilder, André van Duin, Nana Moskouri, Vicky Leandros Gheorghe Zamfir, and others. Best known as producer for girl pop trio Luv', later marrying the band's José Hoebee with whom he has one son ~ Houbee passed away in 2012
June 29, 1943 ~ Eva Narcissus Boyd, commonly known as singer Little Eva, born in Belhaven, North Carolina, USA ~ Babysitter for Gerry Goffin and Carole King, known for her 1962 novelty hit The Loco-motion. Boyd would then be given lesser material and only scored a handful of modest follow-up hits including Keep Your Hands Off My Baby, Let's Turkey Trot and Swinging On A Star ~ Boyd passed away in 2003
June 29, 1941 ~ Laiko singer Giannist Poulopoulos, sometimes referred to as John Poulopoulos, born in Kardamyli, Greece ~ One of the best-selling Greek artists, enjouying popularity from the 1960s onwards. Well-known songs include Mi Mu Thymponis, the Helen Kladi-duets Very Late and I Love You, and In Piraeus ~ Poulopoulos passed away in 2020
June 29, 1940 ~ Pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Alan Klein, full name Alan Charles Klein, born in Clerkenwell, UK ~ Wrote the music for the 1963 stage play and film What A Crazy World. Released his solo solo album, Well At Least It's British, in 1964. Joined the New Vaudeville Band as lead singer in 1966, present on the UK top 10 hit Peek-a-boo
June 29, 1935 ~ Trombonist Julian Priester born ~ Active since the 1950s Leader and sideman. Priester has worked with Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Sonny Stitt, Sun Ra, Lionel Hampton, Dinah Washington, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Booker Little, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Johnny Griffin, Sam Rivers, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, the Liberation Music Orchestra, Jane Ira Bloom, Anthony Braxton, Donald Byrd, Jay Clayton, Robben Ford, Andrew Hill, Clifford Jordan, Pat Metheny, Buddy Rich, Cal Tjader, and others.
June 29, 1929 ~ Classical guitarist, composer Alexandre Lagoya born in Alexandria, Egypt ~ Married to guitarist Ida Presti, with whom he regularly collaborated. Known for a number of transcriptions to guitar based on works by Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel and Niccolò Paganini. Also had a number of contemporary compositions written for him or for the Presti-Lagoya duo by composers such as Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur, André Jolivet, and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco ~ Lagoya passed away in 1999
June 29, 1926 ~ Pop, R&B songwriter, singer Lincoln Chase born in New York, New York, USA ~ Occasionally recorded as a singer. Best known as a songwriter, enjoying succes from the 1950s through the mid-1960s. Song written or co-written by Chase include Must I Cry Again (the Hilltoppers), Rain Down Rain (Big Maybelle), Salty Tears (Chuck Willis), Such A Night (the Drifters), Please Don't Freeze (Ruth Brown), Jim Dandy (Lavern Baker), and The Nitty Gritty (Shirley Ellis) ~ Chase passed away in 1980
June 29, 1910 ~ Songwriter Frank Loesser born in New York, New York, USA ~ Has written or co-written over an estimated 700 songs, many of which have become standards. Won a Tony Award for his 1950 Guys And Dolls musical. Shared a Pullitzer Prize for Drama for his 1961 How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying musical. Perhaps best remembered for penning Baby It's Cold Outside, recorded by over 400 artists including Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark, Louis Armstrong, Jo Stafford, and Ray Charles & Betty Carter. Other well known songs written or co-written by Loesser include What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (Margaret Whiting, Nancy Wilson, Patti Labelle), On A Slow Boat To China (Benny Goodman, the Platters, Gene Pitney, Jimmy Buffett), I Hear Music (Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald), The Lady's In Love With You (Gene Krupa, Sammy Davis Jr, Doris Day), and Luck Be A Lady (Robert Alda, Frank Sinatra) ~ Loesser passed away in 1969
June 29, 1908 ~ Composer, conductor Leroy Anderson born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA ~ Known for his light orchestral pieces, many of which premiered by the Boston Pops Orchestra. Described by renowned conductor, film composer John Williams as “one of the great American masters of light orchestral music.” ~ Anderson passed away in 1975
June 29, 1901 ~ Singer, actor Nelson Eddy, full name Nelson Ackerman Eddy, born in Providence, Rhode Island, USA ~ Enjoyed popularity during the 1930s and 1940s, performing in concert, opera, radio, TV, and appearing in well over a dozen films. Has made close to 300 recordings, including duets with Risë Stevens, Nadine Connor, Doretta Morrow, Eleanor Steber, and Jo Stafford. Well known for songs such as Song Of The Mounties, Indian Love Call, Rose Marie, Lover Come Back To Me, Wanting You, I'll See You Again, and Spring Is Here ~ Eddy passed away in 1967