| Name | Occupation | Birth | Death | Known for |
|---|
| Herb Alpert |
Musician |
31-Mar-1935 |
|
Tijuana Brass and the "A" in A&M Records |
| Chet Atkins |
Country Musician |
20-Jun-1924 |
30-Jun-2001 |
Prominent country picker |
| Florence Ballard |
Musician |
30-Jun-1943 |
22-Feb-1976 |
The Supremes |
| Hank Ballard |
Musician |
18-Nov-1927 |
2-Mar-2003 |
The Twist |
| Walter Becker |
Musician |
20-Feb-1950 |
|
Co-founder of Steely Dan |
| Chuck Berry |
Singer |
18-Oct-1926 |
|
My Ding-A-Ling |
| Bobby Bland |
Singer |
27-Jan-1930 |
|
Turn on Your Lovelight |
| Bono |
Musician |
10-May-1960 |
|
Lead singer of Irish band U2 |
| David Bowie |
Musician |
8-Jan-1947 |
|
Ziggy Stardust |
| Charles Brown |
Musician |
13-Sep-1922 |
21-Jan-1999 |
Merry Christmas Baby |
| James Brown |
Singer |
3-May-1933 |
25-Dec-2006 |
Purportedly felt good |
| Ruth Brown |
Singer |
12-Jan-1928 |
17-Nov-2006 |
Miss Rhythm |
| Jackson Browne |
Singer/Songwriter |
9-Oct-1948 |
|
Running on Empty |
| Solomon Burke |
Singer/Songwriter |
21-Mar-1936 |
|
Self-styled King of Rock and Soul |
| David Byrne |
Musician |
14-May-1952 |
|
Frontman for Talking Heads |
| Johnny Cash |
Country Musician |
26-Feb-1932 |
12-Sep-2003 |
The Man in Black |
| Ray Charles |
Musician |
23-Sep-1930 |
10-Jun-2004 |
Georgia On My Mind |
| Charlie Christian |
Guitarist |
29-Jul-1916 |
2-Mar-1942 |
The original guitar hero |
| Eric Clapton |
Musician |
30-Mar-1945 |
|
Slowhand |
| Dave Clark |
Musician |
15-Dec-1942 |
|
Lead and drummer, Dave Clark 5 |
| Dick Clark |
TV Personality |
30-Nov-1929 |
|
Preserved host of American Bandstand |
| Gene Clark |
Singer/Songwriter |
17-Nov-1944 |
24-May-1991 |
The Byrds, No Other |
| Adam Clayton |
Bassist |
13-Mar-1960 |
|
Bassist for U2 |
| George Clinton |
Singer |
22-Jul-1940 |
|
Funkadelic |
| Eddie Cochran |
Musician |
3-Oct-1938 |
17-Apr-1960 |
Summertime Blues |
| Leonard Cohen |
Singer/Songwriter |
21-Sep-1934 |
|
Everybody Knows |
| Nat King Cole |
Singer |
17-Mar-1917 |
15-Feb-1965 |
Unforgettable |
| Bootsy Collins |
Musician |
26-Oct-1951 |
|
This Boot Is Made For Fonk-N |
| Stewart Copeland |
Drummer |
16-Jul-1952 |
|
Drummer for The Police |
| Elvis Costello |
Musician |
25-Aug-1954 |
|
The other Elvis |
| Floyd Cramer |
Country Musician |
27-Oct-1933 |
31-Dec-1997 |
Country music pianist |
| Bobby Darin |
Musician |
14-May-1936 |
20-Dec-1973 |
Splish, Splash and Mack the Knife |
| Dave Davies |
Musician |
3-Feb-1947 |
|
The Kinks |
| Ray Davies |
Musician |
21-Jun-1944 |
|
Frontman for The Kinks |
| Clive Davis |
Business |
4-Apr-1932 |
|
Founder of Arista Records |
| Miles Davis |
Jazz Musician |
25-May-1926 |
28-Sep-1991 |
Jazz trumpeter, Kind of Blue |
| John Densmore |
Drummer |
1-Dec-1944 |
|
Drummer for The Doors |
| Bo Diddley |
Musician |
30-Dec-1928 |
|
Blues diddler and rectangular guitarist |
| Fats Domino |
Singer/Songwriter |
26-Feb-1928 |
|
Ain't That A Shame |
| Spencer Dryden |
Drummer |
7-Apr-1938 |
11-Jan-2005 |
Jefferson Airplane drummer |
| Bob Dylan |
Musician |
24-May-1941 |
|
The Times They Are A-Changin' |
| Duane Eddy |
Guitarist |
26-Apr-1936 |
|
Rebel Rouser |
| The Edge |
Guitarist |
8-Aug-1961 |
|
Guitarist for U2 |
| Ahmet Ertegün |
Business |
21-Jul-1923 |
14-Dec-2006 |
Atlantic Records co-founder |
| Don Everly |
Musician |
1-Feb-1937 |
|
The Everly Brothers |
| Phil Everly |
Musician |
19-Jan-1939 |
|
The Everly Brothers |
| Donald Fagen |
Musician |
10-Jan-1948 |
|
Keyboards and vocals for Steely Dan |
| Leo Fender |
Inventor |
10-Aug-1909 |
21-Mar-1991 |
Electric guitarmaker |
| Aretha Franklin |
Singer |
25-Mar-1942 |
|
R-E-S-P-E-C-T |
| Melvin Franklin |
Singer |
12-Oct-1942 |
23-Feb-1995 |
Bass vocals for The Temptations |
| Chris Frantz |
Drummer |
8-May-1951 |
|
Drummer for Talking Heads |
| Alan Freed |
Disc Jockey |
15-Dec-1922 |
20-Jan-1965 |
Legendary rock-and-roll DJ |
| Glenn Frey |
Musician |
6-Nov-1948 |
|
Lead vocals and guitar, Eagles |
| Art Garfunkel |
Singer/Songwriter |
5-Nov-1941 |
|
Simon and Garfunkel |
| Maurice Gibb |
Bassist |
22-Dec-1949 |
12-Jan-2003 |
Bassist and vocalist of Bee Gees |
| Berry Gordy |
Business |
28-Nov-1929 |
|
Founder of Motown Records |
| Al Green |
Singer |
13-Apr-1946 |
|
Let's Stay Together |
| Woody Guthrie |
Musician |
14-Jul-1912 |
3-Oct-1967 |
Folk legend |
| Buddy Guy |
Musician |
30-Jul-1936 |
|
Damn Right, I've Got the Blues |
| Bill Haley |
Musician |
6-Jul-1925 |
9-Feb-1981 |
Rock Around the Clock |
| George Harrison |
Musician |
25-Feb-1943 |
29-Nov-2001 |
Beatle |
| Jerry Harrison |
Musician |
21-Feb-1949 |
|
Guitar and keyboard player for Talking Heads |
| Isaac Hayes |
Musician |
20-Aug-1942 |
|
Black Moses, formerly Chef on South Park |
| Jimi Hendrix |
Guitarist |
27-Nov-1942 |
18-Sep-1970 |
Purple Haze |
| Billie Holiday |
Singer |
7-Apr-1915 |
17-Jul-1959 |
Singer with a haunting voice |
| Eddie Holland |
Musician |
30-Oct-1939 |
|
R&B songwriter, producer and performer |
| John Lee Hooker |
Musician |
22-Aug-1917 |
21-Jun-2001 |
Prominent blues musician |
| Chrissie Hynde |
Musician |
7-Sep-1951 |
|
Lead singer, The Pretenders |
| Ronald Isley |
Musician |
21-May-1941 |
|
An Isley brother |
| Jermaine Jackson |
Musician |
11-Dec-1954 |
|
The Jackson Five |
| Mahalia Jackson |
Singer |
26-Oct-1911 |
27-Jan-1972 |
Queen of Gospel Music |
| Marlon Jackson |
Musician |
12-Mar-1957 |
|
The Jackson Five |
| Etta James |
Singer |
25-Jan-1938 |
|
Soul Diva |
| Al Jardine |
Musician |
3-Sep-1942 |
|
Beach Boy |
| Elton John |
Singer/Songwriter |
25-Mar-1947 |
|
Bennie and the Jets |
| Little Willie John |
Musician |
15-Oct-1937 |
26-May-1968 |
Volatile but influential R&B writer and performer |
| Robert Johnson |
Guitarist |
8-May-1911 |
16-Aug-1938 |
Influential blues guitarist |
| B. B. King |
Musician |
16-Sep-1925 |
|
King of the Blues |
| Carole King |
Singer/Songwriter |
9-Feb-1942 |
|
It Might As Well Rain Until September |
| Gladys Knight |
Singer |
28-May-1944 |
|
Lords dominion over The Pips |
| Robby Krieger |
Guitarist |
8-Jan-1946 |
|
Guitarist for The Doors |
| Leadbelly |
Guitarist |
29-Jan-1885 |
6-Dec-1949 |
Goodnight Irene |
| Brenda Lee |
Country Musician |
11-Dec-1944 |
|
Little Miss Dynamite, I'm Sorry |
| Jerry Leiber |
Songwriter |
25-Apr-1933 |
|
Hitmaker for Elvis |
| John Lennon |
Musician |
9-Oct-1940 |
8-Dec-1980 |
Beatle |
| Jerry Lee Lewis |
Musician |
29-Sep-1935 |
|
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire |
| Frankie Lymon |
Singer/Songwriter |
30-Sep-1942 |
28-Feb-1968 |
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers |
| Madonna |
Singer/Songwriter |
16-Aug-1958 |
|
Truth or Dare |
| Ray Manzarek |
Musician |
12-Feb-1939 |
|
Keyboardist for The Doors |
| Bob Marley |
Singer/Songwriter |
6-Feb-1945 |
11-May-1981 |
No Woman No Cry |
| George Martin |
Music Producer |
3-Jan-1926 |
|
Beatles producer |
| Curtis Mayfield |
Musician |
3-Jun-1942 |
26-Dec-1999 |
Superfly soundtrack |
| Paul McCartney |
Musician |
18-Jun-1942 |
|
Beatle |
| Roger McGuinn |
Musician |
13-Jul-1942 |
|
Singer/guitarist for The Byrds |
| John Cougar Mellencamp |
Singer/Songwriter |
7-Oct-1951 |
|
Jack and Diane |
| Joni Mitchell |
Singer/Songwriter |
7-Nov-1943 |
|
Big Yellow Taxi |
| Scotty Moore |
Guitarist |
27-Dec-1931 |
|
Elvis Presley's first guitarist |
| Van Morrison |
Musician |
31-Aug-1945 |
|
Central figure of the Belfast blues scene |
| Jelly Roll Morton |
Jazz Musician |
20-Oct-1890 |
10-Jul-1941 |
Jazz composer, pianist |
| Jerry Moss |
Business |
8-May-1935 |
|
The "M" in A&M Records |
| Ricky Nelson |
Musician |
8-May-1940 |
31-Dec-1985 |
I'm Walkin' |
| Roy Orbison |
Singer/Songwriter |
23-Apr-1936 |
6-Dec-1988 |
Bespectacled rockstar recorded Pretty Woman |
| Ozzy Osbourne |
Musician |
3-Dec-1948 |
|
The Prince of Fucking Darkness |
| Johnny Otis |
Musician |
28-Dec-1921 |
|
Harlem Nocturne |
| Jimmy Page |
Guitarist |
9-Jan-1944 |
|
Led Zeppelin Guitarist |
| Bruce Palmer |
Bassist |
9-Sep-1946 |
1-Oct-2004 |
Bassist for Buffalo Springfield |
| Les Paul |
Guitarist |
9-Jun-1915 |
|
Electric guitar/multitrack recording pioneer |
| Carl Perkins |
Musician |
9-Apr-1932 |
19-Jan-1998 |
Wrote Blue Suede Shoes |
| Tom Petty |
Musician |
20-Oct-1950 |
|
Don't Come Around Here No More |
| Michelle Phillips |
Singer/Songwriter |
4-Jun-1944 |
|
The Mamas and the Papas |
| Wilson Pickett |
Singer/Songwriter |
18-Mar-1941 |
19-Jan-2006 |
In the Midnight Hour |
| Gene Pitney |
Singer/Songwriter |
17-Feb-1940 |
5-Apr-2006 |
60s teen idol and songwriter |
| Elvis Presley |
Singer |
8-Jan-1935 |
16-Aug-1977 |
Rock and roll icon |
| Prince |
Musician |
7-Jun-1958 |
|
Purple Rain |
| Ma Rainey |
Singer |
26-Apr-1886 |
22-Dec-1939 |
The mother of the blues |
| Bonnie Raitt |
Singer |
8-Nov-1949 |
|
Redhaired blueswoman |
| Dee Dee Ramone |
Bassist |
18-Sep-1952 |
5-Jun-2002 |
Former bassist, The Ramones |
| Johnny Ramone |
Musician |
8-Oct-1951 |
15-Sep-2004 |
The Ramones |
| Otis Redding |
Singer/Songwriter |
9-Sep-1941 |
10-Dec-1967 |
Dock of the Bay |
| Lou Reed |
Musician |
2-Mar-1942 |
|
Velvet Underground frontman |
| Martha Reeves |
Singer |
18-Jul-1941 |
|
Martha and the Vandellas |
| Little Richard |
Musician |
5-Dec-1932 |
|
Tutti Frutti |
| Smokey Robinson |
Singer/Songwriter |
19-Feb-1940 |
|
Motown singer, A Quiet Storm |
| Jimmie Rodgers |
Country Musician |
8-Sep-1897 |
26-May-1933 |
Pioneering country singer/songwriter/yodeller |
| Diana Ross |
Singer |
26-Mar-1944 |
|
Dominion over The Supremes |
| Carlos Santana |
Musician |
20-Jul-1947 |
|
House is dark, pots are cold |
| Bob Seger |
Musician |
6-May-1945 |
|
And the Silver Bullet Band |
| Del Shannon |
Musician |
30-Dec-1934 |
8-Feb-1990 |
1960s songwriter, Runaway |
| Paul Simon |
Singer/Songwriter |
13-Oct-1941 |
|
Simon and Garfunkel |
| Percy Sledge |
Singer |
25-Nov-1941 |
|
When a Man Loves a Woman |
| Bessie Smith |
Singer |
15-Apr-1894 |
26-Sep-1937 |
Empress of the Blues |
| Phil Spector |
Music Producer |
26-Dec-1940 |
|
Creator of the Wall of Sound |
| Dusty Springfield |
Singer |
16-Apr-1939 |
2-Mar-1999 |
Son of a Preacher Man |
| Ringo Starr |
Musician |
7-Jul-1940 |
|
Beatle |
| Chris Stein |
Musician |
5-Jan-1950 |
|
Blondie guitarist and co-founder |
| Rod Stewart |
Musician |
10-Jan-1945 |
|
Do Ya Think I'm Old |
| Sting |
Singer/Songwriter |
2-Oct-1951 |
|
Lead singer of The Police |
| Mike Stoller |
Songwriter |
13-Mar-1933 |
|
Hitmaker for Elvis |
| Joe Strummer |
Musician |
21-Aug-1952 |
22-Dec-2002 |
Lead singer of The Clash |
| Andy Summers |
Guitarist |
31-Dec-1942 |
|
Guitarist for The Police |
| James Taylor |
Singer/Songwriter |
12-Mar-1948 |
|
Seen fire, rain |
| Allen Toussaint |
Musician |
14-Jan-1938 |
|
Influential New Orleans composer/producer |
| Moe Tucker |
Drummer |
26-Aug-1944 |
|
Drummer for The Velvet Underground |
| Big Joe Turner |
Musician |
18-May-1911 |
24-Nov-1985 |
The Boss of the Blues |
| Ike Turner |
Musician |
5-Nov-1931 |
12-Dec-2007 |
Kept Tina in her place |
| Ritchie Valens |
Musician |
13-May-1941 |
3-Feb-1959 |
La Bamba |
| Gene Vincent |
Musician |
11-Feb-1935 |
12-Oct-1971 |
Be-Bop-A-Lula |
| T-Bone Walker |
Guitarist |
28-May-1910 |
16-Mar-1975 |
Highly influential blues guitarist |
| Joe Walsh |
Musician |
20-Nov-1947 |
|
Life's Been Good To Me |
| Dinah Washington |
Singer |
29-Aug-1924 |
14-Dec-1963 |
Queen of the Blues |
| Muddy Waters |
Musician |
4-Apr-1915 |
30-Apr-1983 |
Hoochie Coochie Man |
| Jann Wenner |
Business |
7-Jan-1946 |
|
Publisher of Rolling Stone magazine |
| Tina Weymouth |
Bassist |
22-Nov-1950 |
|
Bassist for Talking Heads |
| Hank Williams, Sr. |
Country Musician |
17-Sep-1923 |
1-Jan-1953 |
Take These Chains From My Heart |
| Jackie Wilson |
Singer |
9-Jun-1934 |
21-Jan-1984 |
Lonely Teardrops |
| Mary Wilson |
Singer |
6-Mar-1944 |
|
The Supremes |
| Bernie Worrell |
Musician |
19-Apr-1944 |
|
Blacktronic Scientist |
| Neil Young |
Musician |
12-Nov-1945 |
|
Crazy Horse |
