Yeah! It’s finally here . . .Summertime! Let’s toast the birthdays of all these wonderful and talented musical gurus. It’s a big month for Washington State babies as well as our own OTW guru, Sunshine Stanfield who shares a birthday on the 20th with a summertime icon.
June 1: Singer Pat Boone (1934), Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood (1947), British singer/songwriter & gay rights activist Tom Robinson (1950), Rock singer Alanis Morissette (1974), Folk singer Brandi Carlile (1981), who hails from Ravensdale, WA — about 40 miles south of Seattle.
June 2: Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941), Composer Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012), Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet (1960)
June 3: Blues artist Memphis Minnie (1897-1973), Jazz Entertainer Josephine Baker (1906-1975), Superfly Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999)
June 4: Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas (1944), Composer Anthony Braxton (1945), Leroy Hutson (1946), Singer/songwriter El DeBarge (1961)
June 5: Pianist Martha Argerich (1941), Seattle-born saxophonist Kenny G (1956), Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs (1956), R&B Singer Brian McKnight (1969), Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy (1979)
June 6: Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops (1936-2008), Singer/Songwriter Gary “U.S.” Bonds (1939), Jazz Pianist Monty Alexander (1944), Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream (1944-2015), three-time Grammy award-winning guitarist Steve Vai (1960)
June 7: Crooner Dean Martin (1917-1995), Crooner Tom Jones (1940), Music executive L.A. Reid (1956), Prince (1958-2016), Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes (1963), Guitarist/Singer/Actor Dave Navarro (1967), Rapper Iggy Azalea (1990), English singer George Ezra (1993)
June 8: Composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856), Singer Nancy Sinatra (1940), Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night (1942), Boz Scaggs of the Steve Miller Band (1944), Singer Bonnie Tyler (1951), Entertainer Kanye West (1977)
June 9: Pianist Cole Porter (1891-1964), Guitarist Les Paul (1915-2009), “Mr. Excitement” Jackie Wilson (1934-1984), Jazz Pianist Kenny Barron (1943), Film Composer James Newton Howard (1951), Matthew Bellamy of Muse (1978)
June 10: Blues Singer Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976), Entertainer Judy Garland (1922-1969), Singer Faith Evans (1973)
June 11: Composer Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Jazz Drummer Shelly Manne (1920-1984), Pianist Hazel Scott (1920-1981), Drummer Bernard Purdie (1941), Donnie Van Zant of .38 Special (1952)
June 12: Jazz Pianist Chick Corea (1941), John Wetton of King Crimson/Asia (1949), Brad Delp of Boston (1951-2007), John Linnell of They Might Be Giants (1959)
June 13: Singer/songwriter David Gray (1968), Rivers Cuomo of Weezer (1970)
June 14: Entertainer Burl Ives (1909-1995), Saxophonist Junior Walker (1931-1995), Washington State born drummer Alan White of Yes (1949), Jazz composer Marcus Miller (1959), Singer/Entertainer Boy George (1961), Classical pianist Lang Lang (1982)
June 15: Composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), Jazz Pianist Erroll Garner (1921-1977), Country Singer Waylon Jennings (1937-2002), Noddy Holder of Slade (1946), Steve Walsh of Kansas (1951), Ice Cube (1969)
June 16: Eddie Levert of The O’Jays (1942), Canadian Singer/Composer Gino Vannelli (1952), Rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), Indie Rocker Ben Kweller (1981)
June 17: Composer Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), Pop icon Barry Manilow (1943), Seattle-born keyboardist Gregg 
Rolie of Santana and Journey (1947), Rapper Kendrick Lamar (1987)
June 18: Singer/Actress Jeanette MacDonald (1903-1965), Beatles Paul McCartney (1942), Singer/Songwriter Ray LaMontagne (1973), Country singer Blake Shelton (1976), Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol (1976)
June 19: Seattle-based singer Ann Wilson of Heart (1950), Mega Entertainer Paula Abdul (1962), Seattle-born rapper Macklemore (1983)
June 20: Country musician Chet Atkins (1924-2001), Beachboy Brian Wilson (1942), Singer/Actress Anne Murray (1945), Singer Lionel Richie (1949), Michael Anthony of Van Halen (1954), Chino Moreno of the Deftones (1973)
June 21: Ray Davies of The Kinks (1944), Rocker Nils Lofgren (1951), Producer and rapper Pete Rock (1970), Brandon Flowers of The Killers (1981), Singer/Songwriter Lana Del Rey (1985)
June 22: Country star Kris Kristofferson (1936), Producer/Musician Todd Rundgren (1948), Singer Cyndi Lauper (1953), Jimmy Somerville of the Bronski Beat (1961), Steven Page of Barenaked Ladies (1970)
June 23: Jazz bassist Milt Hinton (1910-2000), Country singer June Carter Cash (1929-2003), Singer/Songwriter Jason Mraz (1977)
June 24: Jeff Beck of the Yardbirds (1944), Colin Blunstone of The Zombies (1945), Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac (1947), Curt Smith of Tears For Fears (1961)
June 25: Singer Eddie Floyd (1935), Singer Carly Simon (1945), David Paich of Toto (1954), Singer George Michael (1963)
June 26: Academy Award winning composer Dave Grusin (1934), Mick Jones of The Clash (1955), Singer Chris Isaak (1956), Singer/Songwriter Patty Smyth (1957), Terri Nunn of Berlin (1961), Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic (1979), Singer/Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande (1993)
June 27: Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys (1942), Singer Frank Mills of “Music Box Dancer” fame (1942), Country singer Lorrie Morgan (1959), Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer (1976)
June 28: Entertainer and filmmaker Mel Brooks (1926), Jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton (1963), Pop singer Chayanne (1968), Country Singer Kellie Pickler (1986)
June 29: Singer/Actor Nelson Eddy (1901-1967), Heavy Metal singer Don Dokken (1953), Colin Hay of Men At Work (1953)
June 30: Jazz Singer Lena Horne – read our tribute (1917-2010), Jazz Pianist/composer Andrew Hill (1931-2007), Folk singer Dave Van Ronk (1936-2002), Jazz Musician Stanley Clarke (1951)
Pretty good lineup, huh? To check out the other musical birthday months that we’ve put together!
