It’s not summertime yet…but it sure feels like it! And this month we get to celebrate the birthday of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole and his breezy, beachy ukulele tunes. Just in time to sip something with an umbrella in it and toast many awesome birthdays such as our own OTW music teachers Eugene Bazhanov (5/14), Ben Hilzinger (5/18), and Jason Cairati (5/27.)
May 1: “First Lady of Radio” Kate Smith (1907-1986), Jazz Singer/Pianist Shirley Horn (1934-2005), Grammy Award Singer Rita Coolidge (1945), Musician and “Ghostbusters” theme composer Ray Parker, Jr. (1954), Country 
Crooner Tim McGraw (1967)
May 2: Italian Composer Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725), “It’s My Party” singer Lesley Gore (1946-2015), Performer and producer Lily Allen (1985)
May 3: Tacoma-born entertainer Bing Crosby (1903-1977), Rocker Pete Seeger (1919-2014), Soul Artist James Brown (1933-2006), Singer/heartthrob Frankie Valli (1934), Pop singer Christopher Cross (1951)
May 4: Piano inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731), Surf Rocker Dick Dale (1937), Mick Mars of Motley Crue] (1951), Sharon Jones of the Dap Kings (1956), Country entertainer Randy Travis (1959)
May 5: Ragtime entertainer Blind Willie McTell (1901-1959), American saxophonist Ace Cannon (1934), Singer Tammy Wynette (1942-1998), James LaBrie of Dream Theater (1963), Singing Sensation Adele (1988)
May 6: Rocker Bob Seger (1945), John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants (1960)
May 7: Composers Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), Grammy Award Winning Motown/R&B singer Thelma Houston (1946)
May 8: Entertainer Ricky Nelson (1940-1985), Jazz Pianist Keith Jarrett (1945), Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire (1951), Drummer Alex Van Halen (1953), Singer Enrique Iglesias (1975)
May 9: Pop singer Tommy Roe (1942), Singer/Pianist Billy Joel (1949), Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode (1962)
May 10: Entertainer Fred Astaire (1899-1987), 1960s rocker Donovan (1946), Megastar Bono (1960), Rappers Young MC (1967) and Craig Mack (1971)
May 11: Composer Irving Berlin (1888-1989), Jazz composer Carla Bley (1936), Eric Burdon of the Animals (1941), Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs (1965)
May 12: Composer Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), Jazz saxophonist/clarinetist Marshal Royal (1912-1995), Composer/Songwriter Burt Bacharach (1928), Rocker Steve Winwood (1948), Guitarist Billy Squier (1950)
May 13: Composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900), Jazz pianist Gil Evans (1912-1988), British flutist Gareth Morris (1920-2007), “La Bamba” singer Ritchie Valens (1941-1959), American saxophonist Lou Marini (1945), Another megastar Stevie Wonder (1950), Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish (1966)
May 14: Jazz saxophonist/clarinetist/bandleader Sidney Bechet (1897-1959), “Beyond the Sea” singer Bobby Darin (1936-1973), Jazz saxophonist/Spyro Gyra founder Jay Beckenstein (1951), Superstar singer/songwriter David Byrne of the “Talking Heads” (1952), Mike Inez of Alice In Chains (1966)
May 15: Country Singer Eddy Arnold (1918-2008), British saxophonist/clarinetist John Barnes (1932), Producer and songwriter Brian Eno (1948)
May 16: Jazz saxophonist/clarinetist/bandleader Woody Herman (1913-1987), The Flamboyant pianist Liberace (1919-1987), Jazz singer Betty Carter (1929-1998), Jazz drummer Billy Cobham (1944), Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, (1965), Singer and performer Janet Jackson (1966)
May 17: Composer Erik Satie (1866-1925), Singer Enya (1961), Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails (1965)
May 18: Crooner Perry Como (1912-2001), “King of Country” George Strait (1952), Singer/songwriter Jack Johnson (1975)
May 19: Jazz saxophonist/clarinetist/bandleader Georgie Auld (1919-1990), Pete Townsend of The Who (1945), Singer and Entertainer Grace Jones (1948), Joey Ramone of The Ramones (1951-2001)
May 20: Rocker Joe Cocker (1944-2014), Mega Superstar Cher (1946), Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s (1958), Singer Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (1959-1997), British clarinetist Emma Johnson (1966), Hip Hop Artist Busta Rhymes (1972)
May 21: Jazz pianist Fats Waller (1904-1943), British clarinetist/bandleader Terry Lightfoot (1935-2013), Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine (1963), Rapper The Notorious B.I.G. (1972-1997)
May 22: Composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883), Bandleader Sun Ra (1914-1993), Pianist and conductor Peter Nero (1934), Singer Morrissey of The Smiths (1959)
May 23: Jazz clarinetist/bandleader Artie Shaw (1910-2004), Crooner Rosemary Clooney (1928-2002), Norwegian saxophonist Bjorn Johansen (1940-2002), Singer Jewel (1974)
May 24: German flutist Hans-Martin Linde (1930), Folk star Bob Dylan (1941), Big Singing Star Patti LaBelle (1944), Rosanne Cash (1955), Larry Blackmon of Cameo (1956)
May 25: Bengali poet/author/flutist Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976), Opera singer Beverly Sills (1929-2007), Paul Weller of The Jam and Style Council (1958)
May 26: Jazz singer Al Jolson (1886-1950), Country Singer Peggy Lee (1920-2002), Jazz artist Miles Davis (1926-1991), Singer Stevie Nicks (1948), Rocker Lenny Kravitz (1964)
May 27: Jazz Composer Ramsey Lewis (1935), Singer Siouxsie Sioux (1957), Neil Finn of Crowded House] (1958), Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC] (1971-2002), Andre Benjamin of Outkast] (1975)
M
ay 28: British oboist Neil Black (1932), Singer Gladys Knight of The Pips (1944), Rocker John Fogerty (1945), Seattle’s Chris Ballew of The Presidents Of The United States Of America (1965), Singers Kylie Minogue (1968) and Colbie Caillat (1985)
May 29: Gary Brooker of Procol Harum (1945), Composer Danny Elfman (1953), Country singer Melissa Etheridge (1961), Noel Gallagher of Oasis] (1967)
May 30: Clarinetist/bandleader Benny Goodman (1909-1986), Singer Wynonna Judd (1964), Singer and performer Idina Menzel (1971)
May 31: Entertainer and movie star Clint Eastwood (1930), Waka Flocka Flame (1986)
