October 17, 1988 ~ Im Da-mi, commonly known as pop, gospel singer, pianist, violinist, flutist, songwriter Dami Im, born in Seoul, South Korea ~ Released her Dreams debut album in 2010. First gained serious attention winning the 5th season of the Australian talent contest The X-Factor Australia in 2013. Internationally known for representing her adopted homeland Australia in the 2016 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 2nd place with Sound Of Silence
October 17, 1984 ~ Jazz singer, bandleader, composer Anja Eline Skybakmoen born in Trondheim, Norway ~ Sister of guitarist Jonas Skybakmoen, married to guitarist David Aleksander Sjølie. Has worked with Eplemoya Songtag and Aphrodisiac. Joined Pitsj replacing Tore Augestad, first appearing on the 2009 Gjenfortellinger album. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with We're The Houses released in 2014
October 17, 1972 ~ Marshall Bruce Mathers III, commonly known as rapper Eminem, born in Joseph, Missouri, USA ~ One of the first white rappers to achieve mainstream success. Rose to fame in the late 1990s, especially acclaimed for the 1999 The Slim Shady LP and its 2000 follow-up The Marshall Mathers LP. Known for songs such as The Real Slim Shady, Stan featuring Dido, Lose Yourself, Crack A Bottle, The Monster featuring Rihanna and others
October 17, 1972 ~ Tarkan Tevetoghu, mononymously known as pop-dance singer, songwriter Tarkan, born in Alzey, Germany ~ Dubbed “the Prince of the Bosporus” considered one of Turkey's most popular pop singers active since the early 1990s. Known for songs such as Kil Oldum, Simarik, Kuzu Kuzu and Bounce. Has collaborated with Sezen Aksu, Ozan Colakoglu, Nazan Oncel, Wyclef Jean, Tiësto, and others
October 17, 1971 ~ Skate punk, punk rock, pop punk drummer, guitarist Derrick Plourde, full name Derrick William Plourde, born in Goleta, California, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member of Lagwagon from 1990 through 1996. Present on the albums Duh, Trashed and Hoss, succeeded by Dave Raun. Has also worked with Bad Astronaut, Jaws, the Ataris, Mad Caddies, Rich Kids On LSD, and others ~ Plourde passed away in 2005
October 17, 1969 ~ Christian rock singer, songwriter Ian Eskelin born in Springfield, Missouri, USA ~ Best known as founding member, lead singer of Christian rock band All Star United. Also an in-demand producer and songwriter, having worked with artists such as the Sidewalk Prophets, Francesca Battistelli (Holy Spirit), Chris August, Hawk Nelson, 7eventh Time Down (God Is On The Move), and others
October 17, 1969 ~ Rapper, producer Wyclef Jean born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti ~ Rose to fame as member of the Fugees alongside Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel, known especially for their 1996 The Score sophomore album. Released his solo debut album, Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival, the following year spawning the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Gone Till November. Also known for songs such as 911 featuring Mary J Blige, Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) featuring Akon, Niia & Lil' Wayne, for writing and producing Santana's Maria Maria and for appearing on Destiny's Child's No No No
October 17, 1968 ~ David Nesta Marley, commonly known as singer, guitarist, drummer, producer, songwriter, actor Ziggy Marley, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. Fronted sibling outfit Melody Makers, known best for their 1988 Conscious Party which included the hit single Tomorrow People. Has also recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist and served as producer or collaborator for the likes of Cheb Mami, Angélique Kidjo, Donna Summer, Stephen Marley, Carlos Santana, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny Chesney, and others
October 17, 1965 ~ Singer, pianist, guitarist, actress, songwriter Alejandra Avalos, full name Alejandra Margarita Avalos Rodriguez, born in Mexico City, Mexico ~ Leading roles in theater productions of The Rocky Horror Show and Jesus Christ Superstar. TV host. Released het debut album Ser O No Ser in 1988. Would go on to record several acclaimed and commercially successful albums, drawing from a wide array of genres including mariachi, bolero, pop, dance and others
October 17, 1960 ~ Singer Angéla Kramers, full name Angelina Maria Kramers, born in Haarlem, the Netherlands ~ Best known as member of pop girl group the Dolly Dots. The band would score numerous top 10 hits in the Netherlands, starting in the late 1970s, including Tell It All About Boys, Hela-do-ladi-do, STOP, Do You Wanna Wanna, She's A Liar, Dreaming Of You, and What A Night. Kramers would retire from music, apart from the occasional Dots reunion concert, after the band disbanded. She is a yoga instructor and founded the charity organization Stichting SAM aiming to offer therapy to autistic children and children suffering from Down syndrome. The foundation is named after her son Sam, who himself has Down syndrome
October 17, 1960 ~ Punk rock, pop punk guitarist John Haggerty born ~ Influenced by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore, UFO's Michael Schenker and the Band's Robbie Robertson. Best known as member of Naked Raygun from 1983 through 1989. After his departure from the band formed Pegboy which also included his brother Joe Haggerty. Toured with Stiff Little Fingers in 2011 substituting for Ian McCallum who fell ill
October 17, 1958 ~ Country singer, songwriter Alan Jackson, full name Alan Eugene Jackson, born in Newnan, Georgia, USA ~ Blends traditional honky-tonk with country-pop, both keeping the flame alive and updating the genre to a mass appeal. Has sold over 75 million records. Debuted in 1989 with the single Blue Blooded Woman to little success. Its follow-up, Here In The Real World would the top 5 of Billboard Country chart. Well known Jackson songs include I'd Love You All Over Again, Don't Rock The Jukebox, She's Got The Rhythm And I Got The Blues, Livin' On Love, Tall Tall Trees, Little Bitty, Right On The Money, Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning, Drive (For Daddy Gene), and Small Town Southern Man
October 17, 1958 ~ Jazz, swing guitarist, banjoist Howard Alden born in Newport, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Well over two dozen albums to his name as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for the albums Swing Street with Don Barrett, Plays The Music Of Harry Reser, Thirteen Strings and My Shining Hour. Has collaborated with the likes of Kenny Davern, Ruby Braff, Ken Peplowski, Bucky Pizzarelli, Warren Vaché Jr, New Jazz Wizards, Charlie Byrd, Milt Hinton, Butch Miles, Doug Munro, Loren Schoenberg, and others
October 17, 1957 ~ Giuseppe Henry Palladino, commonly known as bassist, producer Pino Palladino, born in Cardiff, UK ~ Prolific session bassist. Took over as the Who bassist after the death of founding member John Entwistle. Member of the Soultronics. Closely associated with John Mayer. Sessioned, sometimes produced, for a host of internationally known stars including Gary Numan, Paul Young, Joan Armatrading, Go West, David Gilmour, the Law, Melissa Etheridge, Richard Wright, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Mike Lindup, Richard Ashcroft, Steve Jordan, David Knopfler, Don Henley, Jeff Beck, d'Angelo, the Gaddabouts, Chris Eaton, Chris De Burgh, Phil Collins, Tears For Fears, the Christians, Julia Fordham, David Crosby, Michael McDonald, Bryan Ferry, Carly Simon, Peter Cetera, Jimmy Nail, BB King, Nikka Costa, Rod Stewart, Edie Brickell, Ronan Keating, Charlotte Church, Daniel Bedingfield, Alain Clark, Ed Sheeran, Kimbra, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Richards, Keith Urban, Nine Inch Nails, Josh Groban, Jacob Collier, and others
October 17, 1953 ~ Jazz trombonist, singer Joseph Bowie born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Brother of trumpeter Lester Bowie. Leader and sideman. Best known for leading jazz-punk outfit Defunkt and as a member of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Worked with Alan Silva, Frank Wright, Bobby Few, Dr John, Cecil Taylor, the Human Arts Ensemble, Nona Hendryx, Leroy Jenkins, Vernon Reid, Stanley Cowell, Sam Rivers, Ornette Coleman, James Chance, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Hans Dulfer, Candy Dulfer, Saskia Laroo, Naked Ears, the Emergency Room, Funkateer, Yuri Honing, Oliver Lake, Don Pullen, Luther Thomas, Yusef Lateef, Kahil El-Zabar, and others
October 17, 1951 ~ Sharon Ulrich, commonly known as folk, pop violinist, guitarist, pianist, mandolinist Shari Ulrich, born in San Rafael, California, USA ~ Formed Pied Pumpkin in the early 1970s with Rick Scott and Joe Mock. Touring member of the Hometown Band. As a solo artist especially acclaimed for her 1980 Long Nights debut album and its follow-up One Step Ahead released the next year
October 17, 1950 ~ Barbara Alexandra Reemer, commonly known as singer, TV personality Sandra Reemer, born in Bandung, Indonesia ~ Half of Sandra & Andres, the other half being Andres Holten. The duo, representing the Netherlands would reach 4th place at the 1972 Eurovision Songfestival with Als Het Om De Liefde Gaat. As a solo artist Reemer would also compete in the 1976 edition with The Party's Over, which reached ninth place, and the 1979 edition with Colorado, which reached 12th place ~ Reemer passed away in 2017
October 17, 1949 ~ Jazz, free jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Kazutoki Umezu born ~ Fronted 1980s quartet the Doctor Umezu Band. As a solo artist, leader also known for the acclaimed albums Eclecticism released in 1993 and its follow-up Ahiru released in 1996. As sideman present on albums by Kazumi Watanabe, the East Asia Orchestra, Third Person, Yannick Rieu, Butch Morris, Leonid Soybelman, and Dorado
October 17, 1947 ~ Rock, country rock, folk singer, guitarist, fiddler Scott Boyer, full name Charles Scott Boyer II, born in Chenango, New York, USA ~ Member of 31st of February. Co-founded Cowboy with Tommy Talton in 1969, best known for Please Be With Me which was later notably covered by Eric Clapton. Member of the Decoys from 1988 until his death in 2018 ~ Boyer passed away in 2018
October 17, 1942 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Jim Seals, full name James Eugene Seals, born in Sidney, Texas, USA ~ Member of the Champs. Wrote It's Never Too Late, recorded by Brenda Lee as the B-side of her 1961 You Can Depend On Me single. Best known as half of the duo Seals & Crofts, the other being Dash Crofts, scoring 1970s Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits with Summer Breeze, Diamond Girl and Get Closer ~ Seals passed away in 2022
October 17, 1941 ~ Singer, songwriter Earl Thomas Conley born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ One of the most popular country artists of the 1980s, scoring more hits than Alabama or Ronnie Milsap. Throughout the 1970s Conley recorded but to little success. Did write hits for others though, including Conway Twitty and Mel Street. Conley scored his first Country Top 40 single, Dreamin's All I Do, in 1979 and would start entering the Top 10 within two years, starting with Silent Treatment in 1980 and Fire & Smoke in 1981. For the remainder of the decade nearly every Conley single would top the US Country charts. All but one, namely Too Many Times, a duet with the Pointer Sisters member Anita Pointer which peaked at No.2. Over the course of his career Conley worked extensively with producer Nelson Larkin, songwriter Randy Scruggs, and has collaborated with Emmylou Harris, Keith Whitley and Blake Shelton ~ Conley passed away in 2019
October 17, 1936 ~ Beatrice Bertha Benjamin, commonly known as jazz, vocal jazz, soul jazz singer Sathima Bea Benjamin, born in Claremont, South Africa ~ Active since the 1950s. Influenced by Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald. Closely associated with Duke Ellington. Worked with Arthur Klugman, Kippie Moeketski, Carlos Ward, Stephen Scott, Kenny Barron, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Ben Riley, and with her husband Dollar Brand ~ Benjamin passed away in 2013
October 17, 1934 ~ Emmanuel Rodriguez, commonly known as ska and reggae trombonist Rico Rodriguez, born in Havana, Cuba ~ One of the first ska musicians. Worked with Count Ossie, Karl Pitterson, Prince Buster, Lloyd Daley, Dada uari, Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, Vincent Chin, Harry Mudie, the Members, the Specials (including on Message To You Rudy and Ghost Town), Jools Holland, Paul Young, and others ~ Rodriguez passed away in 2015
October 17, 1933 ~ Jeanne-Paule Marie Deckers, commonly known as singer the Singing Nun, born in Laeken, Belgium ~ Nun and member of the Dominican Order in Belgium. As a singer known for the 1963 novelty hit Dominique which became an international hit topping the charts in several countries including America. Besides English Deckers has recorded and released French, Dutch, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese versions of the song ~ Deckers passed away in 1985
October 17, 1925 ~ Songwriter, producer Ted Jarrett, full name Theodore Roosevelt Jarrett Jr, born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ A&R scout for Tennessee Records. Wrote It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day), a hit for Louis Brooks and later recorded by Hank Ballard and Ruth Brown. Wrote Love Love Love, a 1955 hit for Webb Pierce. Wrote and produced You Can Make It If You Try, a hit for Gene Allison and notably covered by the Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy and Gene Vincent. Has also produced artists such as Christine Kittrell, the Fairfield Four, Larry Birdsong, Roscoe Shelton, the Avons, and others ~ Jarrett passed away in 2009
October 17, 1923 ~ Jazz, pop, rock, R&B guitarist Barney Kessel born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA ~ Active since the early 1940s, initially working with artists such as Charlie Barnet, Artie Shaw, and Charlie Parker. Over 40 albums to his name as leader or co-leader since the mid-1950s, especially acclaimed for Some Like It Hot released in 1959. Noted for his guitar play on Julie London's Cry Me A River of her 1955 Julie Is Her Name album. Present on over half a dozen of Billie Holiday's albums including Lady Sings The Blues. Other notable collaborations include Sonny Rollins, Art Tatum, Buddy DeFranco, Charlie Byrd, and Herb Ellis. To non-jazz audiences known for his extensive studio work in the 1960s, appearing on albums by Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, Sonny & Cher, the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), the Righteous Brothers, and Ike & Tina Turner ~ Kessel passed away in 2004
October 17, 1909 ~ William Randolph Cole, commonly known as jazz drummer Cozy Cole, born in East Orange, New Jersey, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known for the hits Topsy I and its follow-up Topsy II. Renowned rock drummer Cozy Powell chose his stage name in honor of Cole. Cole worked with Wilbur Sweatman, Jelly Roll Morton, Blanche Calloway, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Stuff Smith, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Earl Bostic, Nat King Cole, Shorty Rogers, Wingy Manone, Jimmy McPartland, Rex Stewart, and others ~ Cole passed away in 1981
October 17, 1901 ~ Leeds Collins, commonly known as trumpeter Lee Collins, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Worked with the Young Eagles, the Columbia Band, the Tuxedo Brass Band, Louis Armstrong, Papa Celestin, Zutty Singleton, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, the Astoria Hot Eight, Luis Russell, Dave Peyton, the Chicago Rambler, Johnny Dodds, Baby Dodds, Mezz Mezzrow, Lovie Austin, Jimmy Bertrand, Bertha Hill, Kid Ory, Art Hodes, Joe Sullivan, and others ~ Collins passed away in 1960