July is a very busy month in music history:
- The iconic Debbie Harry celebrated her 79th birthday on July 1
- The B-52s Fred Schneider celebrated his 73rd birthday on July 1
- Missy Elliott, one of the most forward thinking artists of her generation — and perhaps of any generation, really — celebrated her 53rd birthday on July 1
- Evelyn “Champagne” King celebrated her 64th birthday on July 1
- Depeche Mode‘s Yaz’s/Yazoo’s and Erasure‘s Vince Clarke celebrated his 63rd birthday on July 3
- The great jazz organist Dr. Lonnie Smith was born 82 years ago on July 3
- Bill Withers was born 86 years ago on July 4
- Huey Lewis and The News‘ frontman Huey Lewis celebrated his 74th birthday on July 5
- 50 Cent celebrated his 49th birthday on July 6
- The Beatles‘ Ringo Starr celebrated his 84th birthday on July 7
- Depeche Mode co-founder
- Andy “Fletch” Fletcher was born 63 years ago on July 8
- Beck celebrated his 54th birthday on July 8
- AC/DC‘s first frontman, Bon Scott was born 78 years ago on July 9
- The legendary and incomparable Mavis Staples celebrated her 85th birthday on July 10
- Pet Shop Boys‘ frontman Neil Tennant celebrated his 70th — yes, 70th! — birthday on July 10
- Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy celebrates his 67th birthday today
- Lil’ Kim celebrated her 50th — yes, 50th! — birthday on July 11
- MF DOOM was born 53 years ago on July 13
- Joy Division‘s Ian Curtis was born on this day 68 on July 14
- Linda Ronstadt, one of the greatest vocalists — and arguably one of the most commercially successful female artists ever — celebrated her 77th birthday on July 15
- The Police‘s Stewart Copeland celebrated his 72nd birthday on July 16
- Gang Starr‘s G.U.R.U., one of the greatest emcees to ever spit bars on wax was born 63 years ago on July 17
- Queen‘s Brian May celebrated his 77th birthday back on July 19th
- Carlos Santana, one of the greatest guitarists to ever do it celebrated his 77th birthday on July 20
- Soundgarden‘s Chris Cornell was born 60 years ago on July 20
- Pearl Jam‘s Stone Gossard celebrated his 59th birthday on July 20
- Kool G. Rap celebrated his 56th birthday on July 20
- George Clinton celebrated his 83rd birthday on July 22
- Slash celebrated his 59th birthday on July 23
- Queen‘s Roger Taylor celebrated his 75th birthday on July 26
- The legendary Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger celebrated his 81st birthday on July 26
- Rush‘s Geddy Lee celebrated his 71st birthday on July 29
- Boyz II Men‘s Wanya Morris celebrated his 51st birthday on July 29
- David Sanborn was born on this day 79 years on July 30
- The legendary Buddy Guy celebrates his 88th birthday on July 30
- Daniel Ash, best known for his work with Bauhaus and Love and Rockets, celebrates his 67th birthday today
R.E.M.’s Bill Berry celebrates his 66th birthday today. I’ve been a huge R.E.M. fan — going back to the mid 80s. Unsurprisingly, much of their music has been a part of my life’s soundtrack.
Happy birthday, Bill! And thank you for being part of music that has meant so very much to me.
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