Musical Birthday Notes – June 11th
- Shelly Manne – jazz drummer – associated acts include – Duke Ellington – Johnny Hodges – (6/11/1920 – 9/26/1984)
- Thornton James “Pookie” Hudson – doo wop singer – The Spaniels – best known for the 1954 hit – Goodnite Sweetheart, Goodnite – (6/11/1934 – 1/16/2007)
- Jud Strunk – country-pop singer/songwriter/banjo/comedian – hits include 1972’s – Daisy A Day – (6/11/1936 – 10/5/1981)
- Wilma Burgess – country singer – hits include – Misty Blue – Baby – Don’t Touch Me – (6/11/1939 – 8/26/2003)
- Joey Dee (Joseph DiNicola) – singer – Joey Dee & The Starliters – group best known for 1961 million-selling hit – The Peppermint Twist – 1940
- Bernard Lee “Pretty” Purdie – innovative funk drummer – known for the “Purdie Shuffle” – 2013 Modern Drummer Hall of Fame – 1941
- Glenn Leonard – R&B/soul singer – best known with – The Temptations – associated acts include – Glenn Leonard’s Temptations Revue – 1947
- Skip Alan (Alan Skipper) – drummer – associated acts include – Them/Belfast Gypsies – Pretty Things – 1948
- Frank Beard – drummer/songwriter – ZZ Top – group hits include – Tush – Sleeping Bag – Legs – Sharp Dressed Man – 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1949
- Graham Russell – English singer/songwriter/guitarist – Air Supply – 2013 ARIA Hall of Fame – group hits include – Lost In Love – Every Woman In The World – All Out Of Love – 1950
- Donnie Van Zant – southern rock/country rock – singer/songwriter – 38 Special – group hits include – Hold On Loosely – If I’d Been The One – Caught Up In You – Van Zant – hits include – Help Somebody – Nobody Gonna Tell Me What To Do – 1952
- John Bernard Riley – jazz drummer – associated acts include – Miles Davis – Woody Herman – 1954
- Johnny Neel – singer/songwriter/keyboards/harmonica/studio musician – associated acts include – Allman Brothers Band – Dickey Betts Band – (6/11/1954 – 10/6/2024)
- Jamaaladeen Tacuma (Rudy McDaniel) – free jazz bassist – 1956
- Chris Rice – multi-award winning contemporary Christian/adult-pop singer/songwriter/guitarist/piano – 1962
- Britta Phillips – singer/songwriter/musician/producer/actress – mid 80’s known as singing voice of animated TV character – Jem – associated acts include – Luna – Dean & Britta – solo artist – 1963
- Gioia Bruno – singer/songwriter/percrussion – associated groups include – Expose – solo artist – 1963
- Bruce Robison – alt-country singer/songwriter – songwriting credits include – Travelin’ Soldier/Dixie Chicks – Angry All The Time/Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – Wrapped/George Strait – 1966
- Dan Lavery – bassist/songwriter – associated acts include – Tonic – The Fray – 1969
- Steven Drozd – drummer/singer/songwriter/actor/multi-instrumentalist – The Flaming Lips – Electric Wurms – 1969
- Samuel “Tai” Anderson – bass/backing vocals – best known with – Third Day – 1976
- Josh Ramsay – Canadian singer/songwriter/producer/actor/multi-instrumentalist – best known with – Marianas Trench – 1985
- Kyle Jahnke – folk singer – half of the duo – Penny and Sparrow – 1986
- Chris Roetter – metal singer – best known with – Like Moths to Flames – 1989
- Luke Patterson – English drummer – part of multi-award winning electro-pop group – Clean Bandit – 1992