| 1915 | Flip Phillips, He was an excellent tenor saxophonist who played clarinet regularly in a Brooklyn restaurant during 1934-1939, was in Frankie Newton's group (1940-1941), and spent time in the bands of Benny Goodman, Wingy Manone, and Red Norvo. He died in 2001.
(110) |
| 1917 | Rufus Thomas, Singer who personified Memphis music. He made a cameo appearance in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train, a film which satirizes and enshrines the city's role in popular culture. He died in 2001.
(108) |
| 1924 | Brew Moore, He once said that "Anyone who doesn't play like Lester Young is wrong." In the early '50s, he recorded on a session with fellow tenors Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, and Allan Eager; at the time, they all sounded identical. He died in 1973.
(101) |
| 1925 | James Moody, He's been an institution in jazz since the late '40s. He's played tenor, flute and occasional alto. After serving in the Air Force (1943-1946), he joined Dizzy Gillespie's bebop orchestra and began a lifelong friendship with the trumpeter. He toured Europe with Gillespie and then stayed overseas for several years, working with Miles Davis, Max Roach, and top European players.
(100) |
| 1925 | Pierre Boulez, He entered the Paris Conservatoire as a student in theory and harmony (he failed the pianists' entrance examination). His principal teacher was Messiaen, and he also studied counterpoint privately with Andrée Vaurabourg. (100) |
| 1944 | Diana Ross, Grammy winning singer with the popular group 'The Supremes'. She's also had a wonderful solo career.
(81) |
| 1948 | Steven Tyler, Singer for the very successful rock group named 'Aerosmith' - "Walk This Way".
(77) |
| 1949 | Vicki Lawrence, Singer and actress - "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia".
(76) |
| 1950 | Ronnie McDowell, Best known for his visual and vocal resemblance to Elvis Presley, he enjoyed a series of Top Ten hits on the country charts during the first half of the '80s.
(75) |
| 1955 | Dean Dillon, Country Singer who went to Nashville and as soon as he arrived in Music City, he was on his way. He met songwriter Frank Dycus, who introduced him to idol and honky tonk legend Merle Haggard. He also worked with ex-Porter Wagoner fiddler Mac McGahey's combo at the Opryland theme park.
(70) |
| 1956 | Charly McClain, Singer who was originally named Charlotte, Charly McClain was given her masculine moniker by neighborhood friends in Memphis, and she also used it when she started playing hotel lounges. When Epic Records decided it sounded catchier than Charlotte, it became a permanent professional banner.
(69) |
| 1968 | James Iha, Behind Billy Corgan, Iha, guitarist co-founding member of Smashing Pumpkins, contributed the most in the songwriting department.
(57) |
| 1968 | Kenny Chesney, Country Singer
(57) |
