December is a busy month in music history:
- The 89th anniversary of Little Richard’s birth was on December 6
- R.E.M.’s Peter Buck celebrated his 66th birthday on December 6
- Yasiin Bey/Mos Def celebrated his 49th birthday on December 11
- The Time’s Morris Day celebrated his 65th birthday on December 1
- R.E.M.’s Mike Mills celebrated his 64th birthday on December 17
- The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richards celebrated his 79th birthday on December 18
- The 52nd anniversary of DMX‘s birth was also on December 18
- The Black Crowes‘ and Chris Robinson Brotherhood (CRB)‘s Chris Robinsoncelebrated his 56th birthday on December 20
- Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder celebrated his 58th birthday on December 23
- The 77th anniversary of t Motörhead‘s founder, frontman — and overall badass — Lemmy Kilmister was on December 24
- Annie Lennox celebrated her 68th birthday on December 25
- Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich celebrated his 59th birthday on December 26
Roebuck “Pops” Staples, the legendary patriarch and founder of The Staple Singers, which featured his son Pervis and his daughters Mavis, Yvonne and Cleotha, was born 108 years ago today. Pops was an instrumental presence behind some of the most uplifting and beloved songs ever recorded.
Happy birthday, Pops! Happy birthday, wherever you are!