2026 has gotten off to a terrible and uneasy start for most of us. But we’re here in February. Of course, February is a super busy month: It’s Black History Month, which I’ve made sure to celebrate in some way on this site for much of its history. But there are also a number of important birthdays in music history that we must celebrate. So let’s get to it.
- Big Boi celebrated his 51st birthday on February 1
- Rick James was born 78 years ago on February 1
- Stan Getz was born 99 years ago on February 2
- Stone Temple Pilots‘ Robert DeLeo celebrated his 60th — yes, 60th y’all! –birthday on February 2
- LCD Soundsystem frontman and DFA Records founder James Murphy celebrated his 56th birthday on February 2
- The legendary Graham Nash, known for his work with Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Hollies and as a solo artist, celebrated his 84th birthday on February 2
- The Temptations‘ second and longest tenured lead vocalist Dennis Edwards was born 83 years ago on February 3
- The Offspring‘s guitarist Noodles — born, Kevin John Wasserman — celebrated his 63rd birthday on February 4
- Guns N’ Roses‘ Duff McKagan celebrated his 62nd birthday on February 5
- Bobby Brown celebrated his 57th birthday on February 5
- The legendary Bob Marley was born 81 years ago on February 6
- Natalie Cole, the daughter of the legendary jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole was born 76 years ago on February 6
- James Dewit Yancey, best known to the entire world as J. Dilla, one of the most influential and important hip-hop producers and beatmakers was born 52 years ago on February 7
- Motley Crüe‘s Vince Neil celebrated his 65th — yes, y’all, 65th! — birthday on February 8
- French touch pioneer and one-half of acclaimed electronic outfit Daft Punk, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, celebrated his 52nd birthday on February 8
- Singer/songwriter and musician Carole King celebrated her 84th birthday on February 9
- The legendary Roberta Flack was born 89 years ago on February 10
- Sheryl Crow celebrated her 64th birthday on February 11
- D’Angelo was born 52 years ago on February 11
- Bad Brains‘ founder and frontman H.R. celebrated his 70th birthday on February 11
- Acclaimed singer/songwriter, pop star and actor Brandy celebrated her 47th birthday on February 11
- The Doors‘ Ray Manzarek was born 87 years ago on February 12
- Joy Division and New Order co-founder Peter Hook celebrates his 70th –yeah, y’all, 70th! — birthday today
- The Monkees‘ Peter Tork was born 84 years ago today. Happy birthday, Peter! Happy birthday, wherever you are!
Michael McDonald, one of the kings of blue-eyed soul and yacht rock celebrated his 74th birthday yesterday. He was a backing vocalist and keyboardist in Steely Dan between 1973-1980 and may be best known for his stints as the frontman of The Doobie Brothers and as a solo artist. If you’re a hip-hop head, you’re intimately familiar with his 1982 smash hit “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).”
To me, McDonald is essentially the voice of the mid 1970s-mid 1980s.
Happy belated, birthday, sir!
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