We’ve somehow managed to survive through July so far, eh? Well, July is a busy month in music history.
- One of the most important figures of the blues, Chicago blues especially, Willie Dixonwas born 110 years ago on July 1
- James Cotton was born 90 years ago on July 1
- Syl Johnson was born 89 years ago on July 1
- The B-52s Fred Schneider celebrated his 74th birthday on July 1
- The iconic Debbie Harry celebrated her 80th birthday today on July 1
- Evelyn “Champagne” King celebrated her 65th birthday on July 1
- Depeche Mode‘s Yaz’s/Yazoo’s and Erasure‘s Vince Clarke celebrated his 64th birthday on July 3
- Dr. Lonnie Smith was born 83 years ago on July 3
- Bill Withers was born 87 years ago on July 4
- Huey Lewis and The News‘ frontman Huey Lewis celebrated his 75th birthday on July 5
- Acclaimed, Wu-Tang mastermind and producer The RZA celebrated his 56th birthday on July 5
- 50 Cent celebrated his 50th birthday on July 6
- The Beatles‘ Ringo Starr celebrated his 85th birthday on July 7
- Depeche Mode co-founder Andy “Fletch” Fletcher was born 64 years ago on July 8
- AC/DC‘s first frontman, Bon Scott was born 79 years ago on July 9
- Simple Minds‘ founder and frontman Jim Kerr celebrated his 66th birthday on July 9
- Pet Shop Boys‘ frontman Neil Tennant celebrated his 71st birthday on July 10
- The legendary and incomparable Mavis Staples celebrated her 86th birthday on July 10
- Lil’ Kim celebrated her 51st birthday on July 11
- Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy celebrated his 68th birthday on July 11
- Joy Division‘s Ian Curtis was born 69 years ago on July 15
- Linda Ronstadt, one of the greatest vocalists — and arguably one of the most commercially successful female artists — celebrated her 79th birthday on July 15
- The Police’s Stewart Copeland celebrated his 73rd birthday on July 16
- Live‘s frontman Ed Kowalczyk celebrated his 54th birthday on July 16
- Gang Starr‘s legendary G.U.R.U was born 64 years ago on July 17
- The incomparable and legendary Screamin’ Jay Hawkins was born 96 years ago on July 18
- Queen‘s Brian May celebrated his 78th birthday on July 19
- Kool G. Rap celebrates his 57th birthday today
- Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard celebrates his 60th — yes, y’all, 60th! — birthday today
- Soundgarden‘s and Audioslave’s Chris Cornell was born 61 years ago today
- Carlos Santana, celebrates his 78th birthday today
- Larry Levan house music pioneer was born 71 years ago on July 20
George Clinton‘s influence and impact on modern music have been gargantuan and towering. Clinton’s presence and work has inspired and informed hip-hop, funk, dance music, soul and gospel. Without his work I doubt we might have acts like Fishbone, Living Colour, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many others. And I’m certain that the Black Rock Coalition and the Afropunk movement wouldn’t have existed.
I’ve grown up loving and knowing Clinton’s work with Parliament Funkadelic and as a solo artist, and if you’ve been around since at least the 60s, I bet you have too. I’ve been blessed to photograph him and Parliament Funkadelic a few times — once from the crowd, the other two times with photo passes:
Today, Mr. Clinton celebrates his 84th birthday. So let’s celebrate the man and those songs we’ve all loved and danced to today, huh?
Happy birthday, Mr. Clinton! May there be many, many, many more!
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