Musical Birthday Notes – December 17th
- Donnell Clyde “Spade” Cooley – western swing musician/bandleader/actor/TV personality – known as “The King of Western Swing” – (12/17/1910 – 11/23/1969)
- James Booker – New Orleans R&B singer/keyboardist – flamboyant personality – known as – “The Black Liberace” – (12/17/1939 – 11/8/1983)
- Nat Stuckey – country singer/songwriter/musician – hits include – Sweet Thang – Take Time To Love Her – (12/17/1933 – 8/24/1988)
- Art Neville – singer/songwriter/keyboards/bandleader – Neville Brothers – The Meters – The Funky Meters – (12/17/1937 – 7/22/2019)
- Carl O’Neil “Carlo” Little – drummer – Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages – Cyril Davies and the Rhythm and Blues All Stars – early Rolling Stones prior to Charlie Watts – (12/17/1938 – 8/6/2005)
- Eddie Kendricks – singer/songwriter – known for his falsetto singing style – co-founded the Motown group – The Temptations – solo artist – (12/17/1939 – 10/5/1992)
- Paul Butterfield – blues singer/musician – Paul Butterfield Blues Band – Paul Butterfield’s Better Days – 2006 Blues Hall of Fame – 2015 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – (12/17/1942 – 5/4/1987)
- Jim Bonfanti – drummer – The Raspberries – power-pop group best known for the 1972 hits – Go All The Way – I Wanna Be With You – 1948
- Paul Rodgers – British-Canadian singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist – frontman for – Bad Company – Free – The Firm – The Law – Queen + Paul Rodgers – solo artist – 1949
- Wanda Hutchinson-Vaughn – singer – part of the award winning soul/R&B group – The Emotions – group hits include – Boogie Wonderland – Best Of My Love – 1951
- Sharon White – multi-award winning singer/musician – member of the country/blue-grass family group (with father Buck and sister Cheryl) – The Whites – Sharon is married to Ricky Skaggs – 1953
- Mike Mills – bassist/multi-instrumentalist/singer/composer – founding member of alt rock band – R.E.M. – group songs include – Superman – What’s The Frequency, Kenneth? – 1958
- Sarah Dallin – English singer/songwriter/bassist – pop group – Banarama – group hits include – Cruel Summer – Venus – 1961
- Ottis Redding III – guitarist – part of funk/soul/disco group – The Reddings – son of Otis Redding – (12/17/1963 – 4/18/2023)
- Tracy Byrd – country singer/songwriter/rhythm guitar – hits include – Watermelon Crawl – The Keeper Of The Stars – Holdin’ Heaven – 1966
- Duane Propes – bass/backing vocals – country band – Little Texas – group hits include – God Blessed Texas – What Might Have Been – 1967
- Craig “DJ Homicide” Bullock – best known with – Sugar Ray – group hits include – Fly – Every Morning – 1972
- Maria Brink – singer/piano – metal group – This Moment – 1977
- Neil Sanderson – drums/harmony vocals – Three Days Grace – 1978
- Mark Heylmun – guitar – Suicide Silence – 1987
- Taylor York – guitar/keyboard/songwriter/vocals – Paramore – 1989