I know I can’t speak for everyone but 2026 has been a very odd and very disappointing year so far. But we’ve survived to July. And that means we have five months left for the year. May the rest of 2026 get better for me — and if you’ve been struggling with things this year, may it get better for you, too. But even in struggle, there’s music, friends and community that can sustain us.
Of course, July is a busy month of music birthdays. So, as always, let’s celebrate our legends and favorites, eh?
- Missy Elliott, celebrates her 55th birthday on July 1
- Evelyn “Champagne” King celebrates her 66th birthday on July 1
- The B-52s Fred Schneider celebrates his 75th birthday on July 1
- The iconic Debbie Harry celebrated her 81st birthday on July 1
- Syl Johnson, who wrote some of the most moving, most lived-in songs full of novelistic attention to details was born 90 years ago on July 1
- Legendary bluesman, James Cotton was born 91 years ago on July 1
- One of the most important figures of the blues, Chicago blues especially, Willie Dixon was born 111 years ago on July 1
- Depeche Mode‘s Yaz’s/Yazoo’s and Erasure‘s Vince Clarke celebrated his 65th birthday on July 1
- The great jazz organist Dr. Lonnie Smith was born 84 years ago on July 3
- Bill Withers was born on 88 years ago on July 4
- Huey Lewis and The News‘ frontman Huey Lewis celebrated his 76th birthday on July 5
- Wu-Tang mastermind and acclaimed producer The RZA celebrated his 57th birthday on July 5
- Wu-Tang‘s and Czarface‘s Inspectah Deck celebrated his 56th birthday on July 6
- 50 Cent celebrated his 51st birthday on July 6
- The Beatles‘ Ringo Starr celebrated his 86th birthday on July 7
- Depeche Mode co-founder Andy “Fletch” Fletcher was born 65 years ago on July 8
- Beck, one of the most forward-thinking, boundary pushing artists of the past generation — if not more — celebrated his 56th birthday on July 8
- AC/DC‘s first frontman, Bon Scott was born 80 years ago on July 9
- Simple Minds‘ founder and frontman Jim Kerr celebrated his 67th birthday on July 9
- Pet Shop Boys‘ frontman Neil Tennant celebrated his 72nd birthday on July 10
- The legendary and incomparable Mavis Staples celebrated her 86th birthday on July 10
- Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy celebrated his 69th birthday on July 11
- Lil’ Kim celebrated her 52nd birthday on July 11
- Fleetwood Mac‘s Christine McVie was born 83 years ago on July 12
- English singer/songwriter, musician and producer Trevor Horn celebrates his 77th birthday today
Psych rock pioneer Roky Erickson was born on this day 79 years ago.
Born Roger Kynard Erickson, the Austin-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Roky Erikson is a legendary pioneer of psych rock, best known as a co- founding member of The 13th Floor Elevators.
The 13th Floor Elevators’ full-length debut, 1966’s The Psychedelic Sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators, which featured their only charting single “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” a stinging breakup song that was a major hit across the Southwestern US and appeared on national singles charts. The band’s 1967 sophomore effort, Easter Everywhere is considered one of the band’s more focused efforts — and the album features “Slip Inside This House,” and a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” With the band being known as vocal proponents of the use of LSD, mescaline, DMT and marijuana, they received extra attention from law enforcement.
Most of Erickson’s life and career was plagued by legal and mental health issues. But his work has been towering and deeply influential for countless artists across psych rock and other genres.
Happy birthday, Roky! Happy birthday, wherever you are!
I managed to catch the legend play a headlining set at the New York Night Train Haunted Hop on Halloween back in 2018, a few months before he died.
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