Pop Music: Singers (and Musicians, etc.)

David Bowie

Bowie had an undistinguished history of forgettable single releases, before he finally hit the charts (and indeed the No. 1 spot) with Space Oddity in 1967. You are always likely to get asked about his early efforts, so here are the details:

Year	Credit	Title
1964	Davie Jones with the King Bees		Liza Jane
1965	The Manish Boys		I Pity the Fool
1965	Davy Jones & the Lower Third		You've Got a Habit of Leaving
1966	David Bowie with the Lower Third		Can't Help Thinking About Me
1966	David Bowie		Do Anything You Say
1966	David Bowie		I Dig Everything
1966	David Bowie		Rubber Band
1967	David Bowie		The Laughing Gnome
1967	David Bowie		Love You Till Tuesday

Do Anything You Say was backed by The Buzz (uncredited), but producer Tony Hatch replaced them with session players for I Dig Everything.

Rubber Band and Love You Till Tuesday were from Bowie's self–titled 1967 debut album (produced by Mike Vernon). Bowie's second album, produced by Tony Visconti and released in 1969, was also self–titled, and opened with Space Oddity. It was re–released in 1972 as Space Oddity.

Other

American singer, dancer, actress, and model: debut album released in 1994, aged 15; multi–million selling second album One in a Million released 1996; starred (posthumously) in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned (second sequel to Interview with the Vampire); died in a plane crash in the Bahamas, 2001, aged 22; surname Haughton		Aaliyah
Straight Up (1988), Opposites Attract (1989); married to Emilio Estevez 1992–4; judge on American Idol 2002–10, and American X Factor 2011–		Paula Abdul
Won six Grammys in 2012		Adele
Leader of the Tijuana Brass (1960s)		Herb Alpert
Wrote a string of hits for Adam Faith and Sandie Shaw, including the latter's second UK No. 1 hit, Long Live Love (1965); had a No. 3 hit single himself with Yesterday Man (also 1965)		Chris Andrews
Stage name of Swedish DJ and recording artiste Tim Bergling – greatest hits Wake Me Up and Hey Brother (both 2013) – took his own life in 2018, aged 28		Avicii
At 6' 7", the tallest artist ever to top the UK singles chart (Let the Heartaches Begin, 1967 – succeeded by The Beatles' Hello Goodbye)		Long John Baldry
Founder member (lead guitarist and singer) of Pink Floyd: left 1968, died 2006		Syd Barrett
American singer: Mickey (1982) was No. 1 in the USA and No. 2 in the UK (the follow–up, Nobody, peaked at No. 52 in the UK and she was never seen again)		Toni Basil
Drummer in ZZ Top – and (ironically) the only one that's remotely clean–shaven		Frank Beard
Fifth world tour (2013–14) was named The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour		Beyoncé beyonce
Studied painting and music at the New York School of Industrial Art (now the High School of Art and Design); has had paintings exhibited in galleries all around the world, using his real name; is a close friend of David Hockney, and was official artist for the 2001 Kentucky Derby		Tony Bennett
Liverpool–born 'new wave' singer–songwriter – real name Colin Vearncombe: died in 2016, aged 53, following a car accident in Cork		Black
Real name Paul Hewson; took his stage name from the name of a hearing aid shop – which is Latin for "Good Voice"		Bono
Mick Ronson (guitars), Trevor Bolder (bass) and Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey (drums) were the most famous backing line–up for		David Bowie
Died on 10 January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of Blackstar – his final album
Singer and saxophonist with Ike Turner's band, Kings of Rhythm: credited (with "his Delta Cats") for Rocket 88 (1951) – often described as the first rock 'n' roll record – actually recorded by the Kings of Rhythm, with Turner on piano. The decision to credit him seems to have been made by producer Sam Phillips		Jackie Brenston
Stage name of Lee John Collinson, lead singer with Dr. Feelgood – died of lymphoma (cancer of the blood) in 1994, aged 41		Lee Brilleaux
Pearl's a Singer (1977) was the first and most famous hit for		Elkie Brooks
Winner of The X Factor Series 1 (2004); reached No. 1 with a cover of Against All Odds, January 2005. Accused The X Factor of "killing music to make light entertainment", August 2005, after being dropped by Sony Records. Voted "the biggest reality flop of all time" in 2010		Steve Brookstein
Jamaican singer, described by Bob Marley "the Crown Prince of Reggae" – died in 1999 aged 42		Dennis Brown
2008 X–Factor winner: daughter of Melissa Bell, lead singer of Soul II Soul; had the Christmas No. 1, and 2008's best–selling single in the UK, with a cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah; had two more No. 1s, Bad Boys (2009) and Start Without You (2010), all from the album Overcome		Alexandra Burke
Claimed to have appeared three times on one edition of Top of the Pops, 1970 (although it appears he was mistaken) – with (or as) White Plains, Edison Lighthouse and Brotherhood of Man; also sang with the Ivy League, the Flower Pot Men and the Pipkins		Tony Burrows
Toured with the Beach Boys (Dec 1964 – March 1965), filling in for Brian Wilson – on bass guitar and backing vocals; replaced by Bruce Johnston, who became a permanent Beach Boy; died in 2017, aged 81		Glen Campbell
Reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart in 1981, with The Sheffield Grinder – on the strength of the B–side, a humorous monologue inspired by Ridley Scott's famous Hovis advert		Tony Capstick
Backed by the Tennessee Two (Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant), originally and later the Tennessee Three; appeared in the 1970 film Gunfight		Johnny Cash
English music hall artiste (1865–1942): popularised the songs Boiled Beef and Carrots, Any Old Iron, I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am, and A Little Bit of Cucumber		Harry Champion
Pictured reading The Beano on the cover of the Bluesbreakers album whose title also included his name; co–founder of the Crossroads Centre for drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation, on Antigua (1998)		Eric Clapton
Also (at different times) a member of the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos
Keyboards player and songwriter: founder member of Depeche Mode (1980–1), Yazoo (1981–3) and Erasure (from 1985)		Vince Clarke
Winner of the first series of American Idol (2002): reached No. 1 in the UK with My Life Would Suck Without You (2009)		Kelly Clarkson
Leader of Nirvana: found dead from a gunshot wound in April 1994, having left a suicide note ending with "It's better to fade out than to fade away" (quoting a Neil Young lyric)		Kurt Cobain
Arrested for interrupting Michael Jackson's performance at the Brit Awards, 1996		Jarvis Cocker
Left Chiswick Grammar School in 1964, aged 13, to join the cast of Oliver! in the West End as the Artful Dodger; later joined the Barbara Speake Stage School		Phil Collins
US singer, known (according to Wikipedia) as the King of Soul: shot dead in Los Angeles in 1964, by a female motel manager who successfully claimed self–defence		Sam Cooke
The Invisible Girls were a rock band, closely related to Joy Division, formed in 1978 to provide musical backing for (punk poet or performance poet, biggest hit Gimmix! Play Loud, UK No. 39 in March 1979)		John Cooper Clarke
Replaced Ian Gillan as lead singer of Deep Purple in 1973; formed Whitesnake after Purple split in 1976		David Coverdale
US singer and songwriter (Time in a Bottle), died in a plane crash 1973 aged 30		Jim Croce
Had a hit in 1959 with Mack the Knife (from the Threepenny Opera – words Bertholt Brecht, music Kurt Weill)		Bobby Darin
Ray Davies's brother, played lead guitar for the Kinks		Dave Davies
Born Christopher John Davison in 1948 in Argentina, where his (British) father was a diplomat; took his (Irish) mother's maiden surname as his stage name; his daughter Rosanna Davison won Miss World for Ireland in 2003		Chris de Burgh
Real name believed by some to be Noah Kaminsky, after he once said in an interview that he considered changing his name to this		Neil Diamond
US country singer, 4' 11", famous for his rhinestone suits and novelty songs including May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose (1965)		Little Jimmy Dickens
Shares her name with the (legendary) founding queen of Carthage		Dido
Named in the 2004 World Music Awards as "the [all–time] best–selling female artist in the world"		Celine Dion
British singer–songwriter, died 1974 aged 26 from an overdose of prescribed amphetamines – recorded as suicide; little commercial success in his lifetime, but influence and acclaim built steadily after his death, particularly after the release of a compilation Fruit Tree, 1979. All–time record sales doubled in 2000 when Volkswagen used one of his songs in an advert		Nick Drake
American skiffle musician: greatest hit was Last Train to San Fernando (1957)		Johnny Duncan
Began his "Never Ending Tour" at Concord, Massachusetts in 1988		Bob Dylan
Most successful instrumentalist of early rock – famous 'twangy' guitar sound		Duane Eddy
Guitarist and principal lyricist of the Manic Street Preachers – disappeared 1995		Richey Edwards
Professional name inspired by a confectionery brand but derived from his initials (real name Marshal Mathers III)		Eminem
Snot Rap (UK No. 9, 1983)		Kenny Everett
Had a hit in 1964 with As Tears Go By, said to be the first song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards		Marianne Faithfull
Born in Leigh, Lancashire; leader of Billy Fury's backing group		Georgie Fame
Bernard Jewry's first stage name (before Alvin Stardust)		Shane Fenton
Boomtown Rats: Keyboards player who wore pyjamas on stage		Johnny Fingers
Reportedly won $2.5 million in damages from a motel chain after she was raped on one of its premises in New York, in 1974 (the rapist was never found)		Connie Francis
First female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987)		Aretha Franklin
Jewish country singer, songwriter and crime novelist: stood (unsuccessfully) for Governor of Texas in 2006		Kinky Friedman
Vocals on the Chemical Brothers' No. 1 hit Setting Sun (which was originally written as an instrumental, and led to the Brothers being unsuccessfully sued by lawyers representing the Beatles, accusing them of sampling Tomorrow Never Knows)		Noel Gallagher
Lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead – honoured by Ben & Jerry		Jerry Garcia
Shot dead by his father in 1984		Marvin Gaye
Honorary knighthood, 1986		Bob Geldof
American jazz saxophonist: collaborated with Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto in the Bossa Nova craze; The Girl from Ipanema, which made Gilberto's wife a star, was from their 1963 album (jointly self–titled)		Stan Getz
Replaced Syd Barrett as lead guitarist in Pink Floyd, 1968; recommended Kate Bush to EMI		David Gilmour
Performed Elton John's Your Song at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton		Ellie Goulding
Widely recognised as one of the greatest guitarists of all time: left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967 to co–found Fleetwood Mac, but left in 1970 after experiencing drug–related issues. Diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 1970s, and spent time in psychiatric hospitals; died in 2020, aged 73		Peter Green
Drummer in Nirvana; formed Foo Fighters as a solo project in 1994, becoming their front man (singer, guitarist and songwriter) after they became a bona fide group		Dave Grohl
Painted "THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS" on his guitar		Woody Guthrie
Lyrics set to music by Billy Bragg, recorded by Bragg and Wilco in the 1990s on two albums entitled Mermaid Avenue
Main pioneer, along with Buck Owens, of the Bakersfield Sound (after their home town); backing band The Strangers; most famous song Okie from Muskogie, intended as a satire against small–town America but became an anthem – featured in the Oliver Stone film Platoon		Merle Haggard
The oldest Spice Girl; famously wore a skimpy mini–dress, with a Union Jack on the front and the CND symbol on the back, to the 1997 Brit Awards ceremony		Geri Halliwell
Leader of 70s Dutch group Focus; composed the Miami Vice theme		Jan Hammer
Singer, actress and model, best known as a member of Girls Aloud: died of breast cancer in 2021, aged 39		Sarah Harding
Played guitar on The Cream's single Badge		George Harrison
Mercury Prize winner in 2001 and 2011 – the only artist (to date) to have won it twice		P. J. Harvey
The first act at Woodstock festival: US singer / songwriter / guitarist, noted for his intense and rhythmic guitar style (often in open tunings), and wide roots–orientated range of influences		Richie Havens
Sang on UK No. 1 hits with The Housemartins in 1986 and the Beautiful South in 1990		Paul Heaton
German–born singer, and protégé of record producer Joe Meek: launched on a solo career by Meek after playing bass guitar in the Tornados; his only Top 20 hit was Just Like Eddie, a tribute to Eddie Cochran (No. 5 in 1963)		Heinz
Most famous recordings include Easy Living and Strange Fruit (1939)		Billie Holiday
British–American singer–songwriter: scored a No. 1 hit in the USA, in 1980, with Escape (the Piña Colada Song); it only reached No. 23 in the UK, and his almost equally catchy follow–up Him reached No. 31		Rupert Holmes
British keyboards player, who performed with the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Who, Bowie (among many others); died in 1994, aged 50 (complications of Crohn's disease); a memorial was unveiled in 2018 near his birthplace in Perivale, Middlesex		Nicky Hopkins
Found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles, on the day of the 2012 Grammy awards		Whitney Houston
Sued Led Zeppelin for plagiarising his song Killing Floor in The Lemon Song, which appeared on their second album		Howlin' Wolf (Chester Burnett)
Began his career in music as singer with the Frantic Elevators (in the late 1970s), before finding fame with a different band		Mick Hucknall
Mother of Mick Jagger's first child (before he married Bianca)		Marsha Hunt
Played in goal for Real Madrid reserves (his career was cut short by injuries sustined on a car accident); the only one of the thirty all–time best–selling recording acts who's not from an English speaking country – apart from Abba		Julio Iglesias
Suffered an infamous "wardrobe malfunction" during the half time show at the 2004 Super Bowl		Janet Jackson
Born on the same day as Lennie Henry, died on the same day as Farrah Fawcett		Michael Jackson
Addressed the Oxford Union on 'Balancing love and family' in 2001
Best man at Uri Geller's wedding in March of the same year
Once worked as a porter at Bexley mental hospital; starred in the films Performance and Ned Kelly (both 1970)		Mick Jagger
Founder member and long–term member of the Beach Boys (rhythm guitar, backing vocals and occasional lead vocals) who wasn't related to any of the others, but was a school classmate of Brian Wilson (see also Mike Love)		Al Jardine
American singer: biggest UK hit was the theme from the US comedy–drama series Moonlighting; died in 2017, aged 76		Al Jarreau
As Buddy Holly's bass player (after the break–up of the Crickets), avoided the plane crash that killed Holly when he gave up his seat to The Big Bopper; sang the theme tune to (and also narrated) Dukes of Hazzard		Waylon Jennings
Played keyboards on Long John Baldry's Let the heartaches begin		Elton John
Attended the 1984 FA Cup Final as chairman of the runners–up (Watford)
Made a Companion of Honour in the 2020 New Year's honours list
Founder member of the Rolling Stones, fired in June 1969; found dead or dying in the swimming pool of his house in Sussex, around midnight 2/3 July 1969		Brian Jones
The British Monkee – appeared in Coronation Street		Davy Jones
Drummer for the Small Faces and Faces; replaced Keith Moon in The Who (1979), but left in 1989 because Roger Daltrey found his style too conservative		Kenney Jones
US drummer and bandleader (of the City Slickers): famous for outlandish parodies of popular songs		Spike Jones
Born 1971, real name Robert James Ritchie; once married to Pamela Anderson (2006–7); UK No. 1 in 2008 with All Summer Long		Kid Rock
Blues legend that played on U2's Rattle & Hum album; calls all his guitars Lucille		B. B. King
Started in Hear'say – went on to become a successful TV presenter and model		Myleene Klass
Leader of Dire Straits – had a dinosaur named after him (2001)		Mark Knopfler
Lead guitarist in Free – died 1976		Paul Kossoff
Real name Stefanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta; wore a dress made out of raw beef to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards		Lady Gaga
Was in The Moody Blues and Wings		Denny Laine
Lead singer of Duran Duran – owned and raced a yacht called Drum		Simon le Bon
Starred in the 1967 film How I won the War		John Lennon
Donated his psychedelic 1965 Rolls–Royce to the US government in 1977, in lieu of a $250,000 tax bill; it went on display in the Smithsonian Institution, and was sold at Sotheby's to Ripley's Believe It or Not in 1985 for $2.3 million (£1,786,462) – the most expensive car in history
It's a Bit of a Ruin that Cromwell Knocked About a Bit; The Boy I Love is Up in the Gallery; Oh! Mr. Porter; A Little of What You Fancy Does You Good; My Old Man (Said Follow the Van)		Marie Lloyd
First single, and only hit, was Cry Me a River; she sang it in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It		Julie London
Kurt Cobain's widow and leader of Hole		Courtney Love
Founder member and long–term member of the Beach Boys who was a cousin of the Wilson brothers (see also Al Jardine)		Mike Love
Became Countess of Plauen 1992 when she married Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss		Anni–Frid Lyngstad
Sang with The Pogues on Fairytale of New York (1987) – although the credit was just to the Pogues; died when hit by a powerboat while swimming in the sea off Mexico, 2000, aged 41		Kirsty MacColl
Accompanist and musical director for Bette Midler (among others), 1971–5 – released his own first album 1973		Barry Manilow
According to an urban myth, played Paul Pfeiffer, the nerdish best friend of central character Kevin Arnold, in the TV comedy series The Wonder Years (1988–93)		Marilyn Manson
Keyboard player in The Doors		Ray Manzarek
Survived an assassination attempt in December 1976 – as featured (in highly fictionalised form) in Marlon James's 2015 Booker–Prize winning novel A Brief History of Seven Killings		Bob Marley
Guitarist in The Smiths, and Morrissey's songwriting partner: took exception to David Cameron choosing one of their records on Desert Island Discs in 2006		Johnny Marr
Singer, guitarist and songwriter in the Small Faces and Humble Pie: died in 1991, aged 44, in a fire at his home after a heavy drinking session		Steve Marriott
1989 hit Toy Soldiers sampled by Eminem for Like Toy Soldiers (2004)		Martika
Original bass guitarist in the Sex Pistols: replaced by Sid Vicious 1977 – according to a well–known urban legend, "for liking the Beatles", but according to his autobiography, he left because he was "sick of all the bullshit"		Glen Matlock
Completed a PhD in astrophysics in 2007, more than 30 years after abandoning it to pursue his rock 'n' roll career; a regular collaborator with Patrick Moore, including appearances on The Sky at Night; succeeded Cherie Blair as Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, in 2008		Brian May
Founder of the Bluesbreakers – as such, the 'mentor' of John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Mick Taylor – among dozens of others		John Mayall
US singer–songwriter: first came to notice in The Impressions, writing hits such as Keep on Pushing and People Get Ready, which became anthems of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s; later wrote the soundtrack to the blaxploitation movie Super Fly, with hard–hitting commentary on the state of affairs in black, urban ghettos; paralysed from the neck down from 1990, after a lighting rig fell on him during a live performance in New York; died in 1999 (from complications of diabetes)		Curtis Mayfield
Released an unsuccessful single in 1973 as Larry Lurex		Freddie Mercury
Arrested in Will Rogers Memorial Park, Beverly Hills, 1998; first act to appear at the new Wembley stadium (9 June 2007)		George Michael
US singer: UK No. 1 hits in the 1950s with She Wears Red Feathers, Singin' the Blues, and Rock–a–Billy		Guy Mitchell
Lead guitarist with Thin Lizzy, in three separate stints; had a solo hit with Parisienne Walkways, which he co–wrote with Phil Lynott; died of a heart attack in 2011, aged 58, while on holiday in Spain		Gary Moore
Christened Genevieve, nicknamed Alf		Alison Moyet
Born in 1942 in Norfolk, Virginia; known in the USA as as The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment; theme song Danke Schoen (his first Top 20 hit, in 1963 – in the USA; up to September 2023 he has never had a hit record outside the USA and Canada); said in 2023 to have performed over 25,000 shows in Las Vegas		Wayne Newton
Ordained into an independent Catholic church as Mother Bernadette Mary, in the late '90s; changed her name to Magda Davitt in 2017 (to be "free of the patriarchal slave names [and the] parental curses"); converted to Islam in 2018, and changed her name to Shuhada Davitt		Sinead O'Connor
Played drums in a band called Scarlet Division, while at school (c. 1988); their single Sundial reached no. 42 on re–release in 2000 – 3 years after he found fame as a chef		Jamie Oliver
Left Take That in 2014, leaving them as a threesome		Jason Orange
Country singer who in the 1950s pioneered what came to be known, but not by him, as the Bakersfield Sound (after his Californian home town). Leader of the Buckaroos. Compositions include Act Naturally (covered by the Beatles). Died in 2006 aged 76		Buck Owens
Has her own theme park in Tennessee, and a charitable foundation named after it which oversees a free children's book distribution programme (the Imagination Library)		Dolly Parton
Versatile and innovative US guitarist (1915–2009): brought in by Gibson as a consultant in the development of a competitor to the Fender Telecaster, which was introduced in 1952 and named after him		Les Paul
Appeared on Top of the Pops miming the mandolin to Rod Stewart's Maggie May		John Peel
English music hall artiste: best known for the comic song The Laughing Policeman (first recorded in 1922)		Charles Penrose
Keyboard player in the British blues revivalist band Chicken Shack (label–mates of Fleetwood Mac in the late 1960s); married John McVie in 1968, and joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970; they divorced in 1976, and she left Fleetwood Mac in 2004 (subsequently making occasional guest appearances); died in 2022, aged 79		Christine Perfect
Keyboard player with the Animals – left 1965 to form his own group		Alan Price
60s singer, famous for splitting his trousers on stage		P. J. Proby
Swedish DJ, chiefly remembered for his first single Call On Me, a UK No. 1 in 2004, and its raunchy video		Eric Prydz
Founder–member of the Yardbirds (1963) and Renaissance (1969): died in 1976, aged 33, from electrocution at his home		Keith Relf
The first British pop star to be knighted (1995)		Cliff Richard
Played a Japanese drum on The Shadows' Apache (1960), to give a "tribal" sound
The other half of Wham! (with George Michael)		Andrew Ridgeley
Guitarist and vocalist – co–founder of Chic; has also produced records for David Bowie, Diana Ross, Daft Punk, Sister Sledge, Sam Smith, Duran Duran and INXS (among others)		Nile Rodgers
Stage name is an anagram of "oral sex" (real name William Bruce Rose Jr.)		W. Axl Rose
Replaced in 1970, in the vocal group in which she made her name, by Jean Terrell		Diana Ross
Member of S Club Juniors and the Saturdays: married footballer Wayne Bridge in 2014 (taking his surname), and later that year finished as runner–up (to TV presenter Caroline Flack) in Strictly Come Dancing		Frankie Sandford
German guitarist, born 1955: joined his brother Rudi in Scorpions, then formed UFO, then his own band		Michael Schenker
Legendary singer with AC/DC, 1974–80: featured on their breakthrough album, Highway to Hell, but died (following a heavy drinking session in London) and was replaced by Brian Johnson for Back in Black (which went on to become the second best–selling album of all time, after Michael Jackson's Thriller)		Bon Scott
Australian singer: collaborated with David Guetta on Titanium (2011), Flo Rida on Wild Ones (2011) and Rihanna on Diamonds (2012 – which she wrote). This is her real first name (surname Furler)		Sia
First artist to win an Oscar, a Grammy and a Golden Globe for the same song (Let the River Run, from Working Girl – 1988)		Carly Simon
Sang with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, 1940–2; starred alongside Gene Kelly in Anchors Aweigh (1945) and On the Town (1949)		Frank Sinatra
Sang the lead vocal on Black Box's Ride On Time – the UK's best–selling single of 1989 – after they were forced to re–record it due to legal issues concerning a sample; later found fame with a band formed by Mike Pickering, a former DJ at the Haçienda, Factory Records' legendary Manchester venue		Heather Small
Born Veronica Bennett, in New York; leader of a famous girl group; died in 2022, aged 78		Ronnie Spector
"Master of Ceremonies" on Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (otherwise known as lead vocalist in the Bonzo Dog Doo–Dah Band)		Vivian Stanshall
Born Charles E. Hatcher in Nashville, Tennessee; had his biggest hit in 1970 with a song that was originally recorded by the Temptations; settled in England after gaining popularity on the Northern Soul scene; suffered a fatal heart attack in 2003, aged 61, and was buried in Nottinghamshire		Edwin Starr
Born Steven Georgiou; later became Yussuf Islam		Cat Stevens
Was once a gravedigger, and had a trial with Brentford FC		Rod Stewart
Uncredited lead vocals on In a Broken Dream (Python Lee Jackson, 1972)
Background vocals on Money for Nothing (Dire Straits)		Sting
Biggest–selling female albums artist of all time (worldwide)		Barbra Streisand
English folk violinist, singer and songwriter: Fairport Convention 1969–79; obituary published in the Daily Telegraph in 1999 after he was admitted to hospital to be treated for emphysema; died in 2016, aged 75		Dave Swarbrick
Spent part of her childhood living on a Christmas tree farm (run as a hobby by her father)		Taylor Swift
Former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, replaced Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones (1969); left in 1974 and was replaced by Ron Wood		Mick Taylor
Involved in Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" (the brief exposure of her right breast) during a half time performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004)		Justin Timberlake
Marc Bolan's partner in the original Tyrannosaurus Rex (real name Stephen Ross Porter)		Steve Peregrin Took
Founder–member of Bob Marley's Wailers: murdered in 1987 by a gang who forced entry into his house with the intention of stealing money		Peter Tosh
Lead singer, guitarist and frontman of Ultravox, on all of their hit singles and albums (replaced original frontman John Foxx in November 1979)		Midge Ure
Bob Geldof's collaborator in forming Band Aid, organising Live Aid, and writing Do They Know it's Christmas?
Played a guitar solo on Michael Jackson's Beat It		Eddie Van Halen
Named after Johnny Rotten's hamster (the hamster was called Sid and he described it as vicious after it bit his finger); real name John Simon Beverley (born J. S. Ritchie)		Sid Vicious
Injured in the car crash that Eddie Cochran died in (on the A4 near Chippenham, Wiltshire, 17 April 1960)		Gene Vincent
Walk On By (UK No. 9, 1964); Do You Know the Way to San Jose? (UK No. 8, 1968), Heartbreaker (UK No. 2, 1982)		Dionne Warwick
Played lead guitar and sang backing vocals on Oasis's Champagne Supernova (former front man of The Jam)		Paul Weller
The Love Unlimited Orchestra (Love's Theme): pseudonym for		Barry White
Left Take That in 1995, leading to the group's break–up in February 1996		Robbie Williams
Sang and played keyboards with the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith, and Ginger Baker's Air Force		Stev(i)e Winwood
Re–recorded the vocal track from his song Valerie (1982) for use in Eric Prydz's UK No. 1 hit Call on Me (2004)
Led the campaign to make Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday in the USA; played harmonica on Eurythmics' There must be an angel (playing with my heart)		Stevie Wonder
Directs films (Journey through the Past 1973, Rust Never Sleeps 1979, Human Highway 1982, Greendale 2003, CSNY/Déjà vu 2008) under the pseudonym Bernard Shakey		Neil Young

© Haydn Thompson 2017–23