October 12, 1989 ~ Singer, songwriter Sinéad Harnett, full name Sinéad Monica Harnett, born in Finchley, UK ~ Influenced by Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, and Amy Winehouse. First gained attention in 2011 guesting on Wiley's Walk Away. Would also guest on recordings by Rudimental, Ryan Hemsworth, and Kidnap Kid prior to releasing her NOW debut EP in 2014. Would continue to release several more EPS and singles, leading up to a full-length album, Lessons In Love, in 2019
October 12, 1983 ~ Guitarist, steel guitarist, arranger, composer Chris Combs, full name Christopher Kyle Combs, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA ~ Best known as a member of progressive jazz unit Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, joining the band in 2008. Combs is sole composer of The Race Riot Suite released in 2011, a conceptual piece that tells of the infamous 1921 Tulsa race riots. The album is considered a masterpiece. As a solo artist Combs is best known for his 2017 COMBSY album, drawing from influences as diverse as Charles Mingus, George Harrison, Radiohead, and Marc Ribot
October 12, 1977 ~ Rock guitarist Scott Metzger born in Trenton, New Jersey, USA ~ In-demand collaborator and sideman in a wide array of genres including rock, soul, country, jazz and surf. Member of Joe Russo's Almost Dead. Has also worked with Phil Lesh, John Scofield, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Shooter Jennings, Trixie Whitley, Anders Osborne, Dean Ween, Stanton Moore, Circles Around The Sun, Particle, Marco Benevento, Frank Bango, and American Babies
October 12, 1976 ~ Alternative rock, indie pop, trip hop, electronic singer, guitarist, songwriter Dave Okumu born in Vienna, Austria ~ Frontman of Invisible, known best for their 2009 eponymous The Invisible debut album. Okumu released his Knopperz solo debut album in 2021. In-demand producer, songwriter, collaborator, working with acts such as Robert Miles, Amy Winehouse, Rosie Lowe, Jane Birkin, King Sunny Adé, and Anna Calvi. Okumu is also specifically noted for co-writing and co-producing Jessie Ware's 2010 Devotion debut album
October 12, 1972 ~ Jazz trumpeter Eugene Ball born ~ As a composer known for Fool Poet's Portion first performed by the Bennetts Lane Big Band which included Ball. Has also worked with Paul Grabowsky, Mike Nock, Tony Gould, Graeme Lyall, Don Burrows, Jamie Cullum, the Hoodangers, the Andrea Keller Quartet, the Allan Browne Quintet, and the Australian Art Orchestra
October 12, 1969 ~ Alternative country, country, country rock, bluegrass, folk violist, violinist, fiddler, mandolinist, bassist, singer Martie Maguire, full name Martha Elenor Maguire, born in York, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Dixie Chicks, with whom she recorded over half a dozen albums, including the acclaimed Wide Open Spaces and its follow-up Fly. The band has scored the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Long Time Gone, Landslide, and Not Ready To Make Nice. Formed the country, folk duo the Court Yard Hounds with her sister and Chicks bandmate Emily Robison, releasing their eponymous Court Yard Hounds debut album in 2010
October 12, 1967 ~ Ray David Grammont, commonly known as reggae singer Tonton David, born in Paris, France ~ Soul-influenced raggamuffin singer, actively recording since his 1991 Le Blues De La Racaille debut album. Touching on social subjects, including unemployment, poverty and racism, he became a figurehead for a generation of disenchanted French youth. Well known songs include Peuples Du Monde, Sur Et Certain, Chacun Sa Route, Pour Tout Le Monde Pareil, and Fugitifs with rai singer Cheb Mami ~ Grammont passed away in 2021
October 12, 1965 ~ Pop, rock, folk, country singer, songwriter Bob Schneider born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA ~ Sang lead for Ugly Americans in the mid-90s, including as an opening act for the Dave Matthews Band. Co-founded funk outfit the Scabs in the late-1990s. Recording as a solo act since 1999, initially under the moniker Lonelyland, earning acclaim for his 2001 Lonelyland album and his 2004 I'm Good Now album
October 12, 1965 ~ Jazz trombonist Luis Bonilla born ~ Sideman and leader. Moved to New York in the late-1980s in hope of playing with Art Blakey. Has aided artists as diverse as Lester Bowie, McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Astrud Gilberto, Willie Colón, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Tito Nieves, Phil Collins, Tony Bennett, Alejandro Sanz, Diana Ross, Marc Anthony, La India, Mary J Blige, Paquito d'Rivera, the Garcia Brothers, Donny McCaslin, Bebo Valdes, and Gerald Wilson. Recorded his first album as a leader in the early-1990s
October 12, 1964 ~ Gospel singer, pianist, songwriter Kurt Carr born in Hartford, Connecticut, USA ~ Accompanied Andráe Crouch, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Yolanda Adams, and Kirk Franklin. Started his own gospel ensemble in the late-1980s. Best known for a number of mid-2000s albums, notably 2005's One Church Project and 2008's Just The Beginning
October 12, 1962 ~ Christopher Stephen Botti, commonly known as jazz, smooth jazz, pop trumpeter Chris Botti, born in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Debuted as a solo artist with the album First Wish in 1995. Worked with Paul Simon, Michael Brecker, Incognito, Sting, Bobby Colomby, Aretha Franklin, Marc Cohn, Bette Midler, Renee Olstead, James Taylor, Michael Bublé, Toni Braxton, Aaron Neville, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Natalie Cole, and Vince Gill
October 12, 1959 ~ Hard bop jazz trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Early in his career toured with Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell. Sessioned with Styx. Played with Lionel Hampton, Art Blakey and Machito before joining Out Of The Blue in 1985. Has since worked as leader, co-leader and as sideman, collaborating with artists such as Toshiko Akiyoshi, Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Slide Hampton, Michel Camilo, Mario Bauzá, Eddie Palmieri, the Philip Morris Superband, Benny Carter, Antonio Hart, Joe Zawinul, and Roscoe Mitchell
October 12, 1955 ~ Rock, power pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Pat DiNizio, full name Patrick Michael DiNozio, born in Plainfield, New Jersey, USA ~ Co-founded the Smithereens in 1980, known for songs such as Behind The Wall Of Sleep, In A Lonely Place, A Girl Like You, and Too Much Passion. The band has also collaborated with artists such as Belinda Carlisle, Julian Lennon, Lou Reed, and Suzanne Vega ~ DiNizio passed away in 2017
October 12, 1954 ~ Jazz guitarist Ed Cherry born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA ~ Studio musician best known for his long association with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Cherry has also collaborated with Paquito d'Rivera, Jon Faddis, Hamiet Bluiett, Henry Threadgill, John Patton, Charles Williams, and Paula West. Cherry has released albums as a leader since the mid-1990s
October 12, 1954 ~ Singer, songwriter José Guadalupe Esparza born in Durango, Mexico ~ Lead singer of Bronco. As a songwriter had his songs covered by Antonio Aguilar, Dulce, Lupita Piñeda, Alejandro Fernández, Los Humildes, Mandingo, the Banda Machos, the Guardianes Del Amor, Los Rieleros Del Norte, and Pesado
October 12, 1954 ~ Leval Alphonso Thompson, commonly known as reggae singer, producer Linval Thompson, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ As a singer known for his 1970s recordings working with producers such as Lee Scratch Perry and Bunny Lee. As a producer played a key role in the 1980s, facilitating in the early dancehall days working with artists such as Dennis Brown, Cornell Campbell, the Wailing Souls, Barrington Levy, and Trinity
October 12, 1948 ~ Singer, guitarist Rick Parfitt, full name Richard john Parfitt, born in Woking, UK ~ Rhythm guitarist of Status Quo, with whom he recorded well over two dozen albums from the band's inception in 1967 until shortly before his death some five decades later. The band, one of the longest-running British acts, managed to stay relevant through the ages, and are considered one of the most energetic live acts. Some have dismissed the band for repeating the same formula again and again, an argument to which Parfitt has been known to once have replied: “People try to dismiss what we do but they can’t. People have terrible goes at us about the music being simple when it’s not really. It appears simple perhaps in its chording but generally, to actually play what we play and how we play it, it’s not simple. It’s bloody hard work.” Over the course of their career, the band has scored close to two dozen UK top 10 hits ~ Parfitt passed away in 2016
October 12, 1946 ~ Bassist, composer, arranger, producer Daryl Runswick born in Leicester, UK ~ Worked with Dick Morrisey, Johnny Dankworth, Lionel Grigson, Pete Burden, Ian Hamer, Tubby Hayes, the London Jazz Four, the Alan Parsons Project, Elton John, the London Sinfonietta, the Nash Ensemble, the King's Singers, Pierre Boulez, Ornette Coleman, Simon Rattle, Sarah Vaughan, Blossom Dearie, Ray Russell, Barbara Dickson, and Georgie Fame
October 12, 1942 ~ Bassist, singer James Dewar born in Glasgow, UK ~ Influenced by Ray Charles and Otis Redding. Best known as bassist for Stone The Crows and as lead singer and bassist for the Robin Trower Band. Has recorded one solo album, Stumbledown Romancer which notably featured organist Matthew Fisher, recorded in the 1970s but not released until 1998 ~ Dewar passed away in 2002
October 12, 1942 ~ David Melvin English, commonly known as R&B singer Melvin Franklin, born in Montgomery, Alabama, USA ~ Bass singer, founding member of Motown group the Temptations, remaining with the band until 1994. Along with Otis Williams the only one to never leave the group. Sang lead on songs such as I Truly Truly Believe, Silent Night, The Prophet and Ol' Man River ~ English passed away in 1995
October 12, 1935 ~ Margaret Louise Ebey, commonly known as country singer, songwriter Margie Singleton, born in Coushatta, Louisiana, USA ~ Enjoyed popularity on the country charts from the late-1950s through the late-1960s. Best known for songs such Eyes Of Love, Old Records, the George Jones-duets Did I Ever Tell You and The Waltz Of The Angels, and the Faron Young-duet Keeping Up With Joneses
October 12, 1934 ~ Singer, songwriter James Sugarboy Crawford born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known as author and original recording artist of Iko Iko, originally titled Jock-a-mo later covered by a host of artists including the Dixie Cups, Dr John, the Neville Brothers, James Booker, Belle Stars, the Grateful Dead, Cowboy Mouth, Warren Zevon, Long John Baldry, Aaron Carter, and Cyndi Lauper. The song stands as a classic of New Orleans R&B and remains popular to this day ~ Crawford passed away in 2012
October 12, 1933 ~ Salvatore Zito, commonly known as pianist, conductor Torrie Zito, born ~ Married to singer Helen Merrill, with whom he also worked. Stepfather of singer, songwriter Alan Merrill. Brother of drummer Ronnie Zito. Acclaimed for conducting and arranging on the pivotal Morgana King Miss Morgana King album. To pop audiences, Zito is perhaps best remembered for arranging the strings on John Lennon's 1971 Imagine album ~ Zito passed away in 2009
October 12, 1932 ~ Concert, Lieder soprano singer Adele Stolte born in Sperenburg, Germany ~ Known as a fine interpreter of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Co-founded the the Leipziger Bachsolisten quartet. Has worked with the Bern Symphony Orchestra, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra ~ Stolte passed away in 2020
October 12, 1929 ~ Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp, commonly known as R&B singer Nappy Brown, born in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA ~ Among the first wave of African-American artists to appeal to white audiences. Known for songs such as Little By Little, Night Time Is The Right Time, It Don't Hurt No More and perhaps his best known Don't Be Angry ~ Culp passed away in 2008
October 12, 1926 ~ Jazz saxophonist, bandleader Hidehiko Matsumoto born in Okayama, Japan ~ Bebop saxophonist active since the late-1940s. Leader and sideman. Member of CB Nine, the Six José's, and of the Big Four which also included George Kawaguchi, Hachidai Nakamura, and Mitsuru Ono. Has also collaborated with Hideo Shiraki, Gerald Wilson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Takeshi Inomata, Akira Miyazawa, George Otsuka, and Isao Suzuki ~ Matsumoto passed away in 2000
October 12, 1919 ~ Composer André Casanova, full name André Marcel Charles Casanova, born in Paris, France ~ Merged romantic spirit with modernity of style. Composed operas, orchestral, chamber and choral music ~ Casanova passed away in 2009
October 12, 1895 ~ Alfred Hall, commonly known as jazz drummer Tubby Hall, born in Sellers, Louisiana, USA ~ Brother of drummer Minor Hall. Tubby has worked with Buddy Petit, Carroll Dickerson, King Oliver, Jimmie Noone, Tiny Parham, Johnny Dodds, and Louis Armstrong ~ Hall passed away in 1945
October 12, 1872 ~ Composer Ralph Vaughan Williams born in Down Ampney, UK ~ One of Britain's most popular symphonists, noted for his wide range of moods. Has also composed operas, ballets, chamber music, orchestral works and hymns. Best known for works such as 1910's Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis, 1914's The Lark Ascending and 1930's Job A Masque For Dancing ~ Vaughan Williams passed away in 1958