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August is a very busy month in music history:
- MTV was launched 43 years ago on August 1
- Coolio was born on this day 61 years ago on August 1
- Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott celebrated his 65th birthday on August 1
- Public Enemy‘s Chuck D. celebrated his 64th birthday on August 1
- Butch Vig celebrated his 69th birthday on August 1
- Echo and the Bunnymen‘s first dummer Pete de Freitas was born 63 years ago on August 2
- Metallica‘s James Hetfield celebrated his 61st birthday on August 3
- Collective Soul‘s frontman Ed Roland celebrated his 61st birthday on August 3
- The iconic Louis Armstrong was born 123 years ago on August 4
- Beastie Boys‘ MCA, a.k.a. Adan Yauch was born 60 years ago on August 5
- U2′s The Edge celebrated his 63rd birthday today on August 8
- The incomparable, ebullient and legendary Whitney Houston was born 61 years ago on August 9
- Hip-hop was born at a house party DJ’ed by the pioneering Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgewick Avenue 51 years ago on August 11
- Mark Knopfler celebrated his 75th birthday on August 12
- The legendary and iconic Madonna celebrated her 66th birthday on August 16
- Acclaimed JOVM mainstay Genesis Owusu celebrated his 26th birthday on August 17
- Belinda Carlisle, the frontwoman of The Go-Gos and an acclaimed solo artist in her own right celebrated her 66th birthday on August 17
- The Isley Brothers‘ Marvin Isley was born 71 years ago on August 18
- Nate Dogg, the undisputed king of hip-hop hooks was born 55 years ago on August 19
- Fat Joe, celebrated his 54th birthday on August 19
- The legendary Isaac Hayes was born 82 years ago on August 20
- The pioneering and legendary KRS One celebrated his 59th birthday on August 20
- Arguably one of the greatest rock vocalists ever, and one of the most recognizable and influential vocalists ever, Robert Plant celebrated his 76th birthday on August 20
- Thin Lizzy frontman and overall pioneer, Phil Lynott was born 75 years ago on August 20
- Punk icon and frontman of The Clash, Joe Strummer was born 71 years ago on August 21
- The legendary composer, band leader and jazz pianist Count Basie was 120 years ago on August 21
- The legendary Kenny Rogers was also born on August 21, 88 years ago
- The legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker was born on this date back in 1917
Living Colour’s founder, lead guitarist and pioneer, Vernon Reid celebrates his 66th birthday today. Reid is one of the greatest living guitarists — and his work with Living Colour was transformative for me, as a young Black boy from Queens.
Happy birthday, Vernon! Thank you for being part of music that meant the world for me and changed my life.