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also happy birthday to rock bassist for snow patrol Paul Wilson
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Happy Birthday to the American singer Wanda Jackson, who is turning 88 today! She was not the only female singer on the 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll scene, but she was the most successful of them. Although she haven’t have any really big smash hits, she has charted in several countries through the years. So Wanda Jacksom has most certainly deserved her nickname “The Queen of Rockabilly”. In the 1960’s Wanda Jackson moved more towards country, and when she became a born-again christian in the early 1970’s, it was gospel. Still she had success in both of these genres too. However, let us start in the 1950’s.
Wanda Jackson - Hard Headed Woman (1958)
So Wanda Jackson’s legacy is solid. In 2009 she was inducted to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, and that is not the only Hall of Fame she’s in. Artists like Cyndi Lauper, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen and Adele have named her as one of their influences. Still, Wanda Jackson never forgot her roots, and when a secular album was announced in 2002, quite a few artists wanted to collaborate. On the album Heart Trouble performing along Wanda, we have Elvis Costello, Rosie Flores, Dave Alvin, Lee Rocker (Stray Cats)…and The Cramps.
Wanda Jackson, with The Cramps - Funnel of Love (2002)
Wanda Jackson released a few more rock albums in the 2000’s and 2010’s. In spite of health problems, she kept on performing live until 2019. She was 82 then! Her last album was recorded in that year, but not released until 2021. It was her 32th studuo album. So what’s there left to say, but to wish Wanda Jackson a happy birthday 
Wanda Jackson - You Drive Me Wild (2021, written by Joan Jett)
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Here is a cover version of the song “Shout” by Wanda Jackson, which was originally released in 1959 by the Isley Brothers and covered by Lulu in 1964.
The film that was accompanied by the song here is “Smokey and the Bandit”.
Happy Birtday, Wanda!
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Happy Birthday to the keyboardist Manfred Sepse Lubowitz, who is turning 85 today! He was born in South Africa, but because of a strong dislike for the apartheid system, he moved to the UK in 1961. There he took his stage name Manfred Mann, and soon got involved in the 1960’s music scene in London.
In 1962 Manfred Mann co-founded his first band, which simply took his stage name. The band Manfred Mann had huge success in the 1960’s, charting high in several countries, quite a few times at number one. To start, here’s one of the band’s chart toppers, number 1 in the UK, Ireland and New Zeeland.
Manfred Mann - Pretty Flamingo (1966)
When Manfred Mann (the band) broke up in 1969, Manfred Mann (the musician) formed Manfred Mann Chapter Three, a more jazz oriented band. They never did much commercially, and broke up in 1970 after two records. Manfred Mann went on to form Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, the band that he probably is best remembered for. This band was more prog rock oriented, but still had some sucess. After all, it was the first part of the 1970’s 
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Visonary Mountains (1976)
When the original Earth Band singer Mick Rogers left, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band went on to bigger success. They mixed more pop music into their prog rock, and Manfred Mann got his biggest hits since the 1960’s with this line-up of the band.
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Davy’s On the Road Again (1978)
As far as I know, Manfred Mann did not sing on his recordings. He’s never been much of a songwriter either, most of his songs are written by others. Still, it is a formidable musician who is turning 85 today. So Happy Birthday to Manfred Mann
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Happy Birthday to Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones, who is trurning 89 today. Though he has done a lot of work on his own I still think of him as “of The Rolling Stones”. Which is a little unfair of me, but I can’t help it. After all, he formed Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings as a side project when he was still a member of the Stones. After he quit the band in 1992, he’s kept it going on and on, with musicians like Mick Taylor, Gary Brooker, Albert Lee, Geraint Watkins and Georgie Fame involved..
Bill Wyman only got to sing one song during his time with the Stones. From their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request, the first single was In Another Land, written and sung by Bill. It failed to chart, but is still a fine song. So once again, Happy Birthday to Bill Wyman
The Rolling Stones - In Another Land (1967)
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings - Hole In the Wall (2000)
If I’m not mistaken, it is Gary Brooker (1945-2022) singing on the second song. I think he was the first musician to get an “obituary” after this topic opened back in February 2022.
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Happy Birthday to the English guitarist Glenn Tipton. He is one of the guitarists in Judas Priest, and along with bassist Ian Hill, the only member of of the band who’s played on every Priest album. He is officially still a member of the band, but due to health problems (Parkinson’s disease) he is no longer part of their touring line-up.
To celebrate Glenn Tipton’s birthday, here is a song written by him, including some fine guitar playing by the man. Happy Birthday to Glenn Tipton 
Judas Priest - Hell Bent For Leather (live 1986)
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Glenn Tipton made my head go wild on Kate Upton. My mind can work in strange ways. 
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Well, we all know about the mysterious mind of yours 
Don’t ever change 
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It’s jazz time tonight, because yesterday the great jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette passed away at the age of 83. This guy has played dums with many of the great names in jazz, like Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, Keith Jarrett and Alice Coltrane, just to name a few.
In 1990 he released an album and toured with a quartet consisting of himself, Pat Metheny on guitar, Dave Holland on bass and Herbie Hancock on piano. Jack wrote or co-wrote four of the seven songs on the album, and to his memory, here is one of them, written by him alone. Thank you for the music Jack, may you be remembered.
Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock & Dave Holland - Indigo Dreamscapes (live 1990)
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Happy Birthday to the English keyboard player Mick Gallagher, who is turning 80 today! He is another excellent musician who’s been there behind the more famous ones. As usual I like to give these guys their due credit. Mick Gallagher’s first step into the bigger league came in 1965, when he for a brief time replaced Alan Price in The Animals.
Mick Gallagher spent the next decade or so playing in bands, either with well known names like Alan Hull (before Lindisfarne) and Peter Frampton, or in various lesser known bands. The gig he’s best known for came in 1977, when he became a member of Ian Dury & The Blockheads. He played on all their hits.
After The Blockheads broke up in 1982, Mick Gallagher has recorded/played live with among others Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox. There’s also been reunions of The Blockheads, both before and after Ian Dury died. To celebrate Mick Gallagher’s birthday, here is the the opening track on Ian Dury’s self titled debut album, with some fine piano plaing from our birthday boy
Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Wake Up and Make Love to Me (1977)
Just to end with some trivia, Mick Gallagher also palyed keyboards on the two Clash albums London Calling (1979) and Sandinista (1980). On the latter there are three kids appearing on a couple of tracks, It’s Luke, Ben and Maria, Mick Gallagher’s children.
Maria & Mick Gallagher - Guns of Brixton
Luke & Ben Gallagher - Career Opportunities
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Happy Birthday to the Dutch guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen, who is turning 81 today! Known from Shocking Blue, who had a worldwide smash hit in 1969 with Venus. However, Shocking Blue had other fine songs too. So to celebrate Robbie’s birthday, here’s one of them, written by him. Happy Birthday
Shocking Blue - Send Me a Postcard (1968)
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Jefferson Airplane - Lather (1968)
Happy Birthday to Grace Slick, who is turning 86 today
Here’s a pic from 2022 with the only surviving members of the most classic Jefferson Airplane line-up. Together with Grace is bassist Jack Casady (left, born 1944) and lead guitarist Jorma Kaoukonen (right, born 1940).
One year ago I made this post, with a little more details about Grace Slick.
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Timothy B. Schmit - Simple Man
Happy Birthday to bassist and singer Timothy B. Schmit, who is turning 78 today. He is of course best known from The Eagles, but prior to that he played bass and sang for seven years in Poco, by some considered the first country rock band. In addition he’s done a few solo albums and session work. I found this lovely song from his latest solo record, released in 2022. To Timothy B. Schmit
Once again, a little trivia to end. The original Eagles bassist Randy Meissner was also the original bassist in Poco. When he quit Poco in 1970, he was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit. Seven years later Randy Meissner quit (or was fired) from The Eagles. Once again he was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit. So when The Eagles was inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, Timothy B. Schmit gave a special thank to Randy Meissner, saying something like “without this man I would not have been standing here tonight.”
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I have some scottish folk CDs. This one not, but thanks utube exists
Nathan Evans - Wellerman
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Whether it’s Neil Young or Neil Old, his best songs are timeless 
Now here’s Neil Young (or is it Old) from Saturday a week ago. The line “That keep me searching for a heart of gold. and I’m getting old” resonates a little different 53 years later. I guess the bottom line is, don’t give up!
Neil Young - Heart of Gold (live 2025)
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