Cecil Taylor

Happy birthday to Cecil Taylor, born this day in 1929! Here's a jaw-dropping 1981 piano improvisation by him. Keep watching for a few minutes, as he starts doing things that are basically impossible around 3:20...

Sly Stone

Happy birthday to Sly Stone, born this day in 1944! Here's Sly & the Family Stone ripping it up with "M'Lady" on stage in 1968.

Terence Trent D'Arby

Happy birthday to Terence Trent D'Arby, born this day in 1962! Here's a 1987 live performance of "Sign Your Name."

Lightnin' Hopkins

Happy birthday to the late Lightnin' Hopkins, born this day in 1912! Here's a 1962 live-on-TV performance of "Mojo Hand." That's some impressive guitar technique there...

Chris Redburn

Happy birthday to Chris Redburn, born this day in 1957! Here's a 1975 performance by his band Kenny of their British hit "The Bump," a glam-rock song about bumping butts.

Jona Lewie

Happy birthday to Jona Lewie, born this day in 1947! Here's a TV performance of his 1980 song "You'll Always Find Me In the Kitchen at Parties."

Ina Ray Hutton

Happy birthday to the late Ina Ray Hutton, born this day in 1916! Here's a late-30s performance by Ina Ray and her Melodears, an all-female big band--she's the one leading the band, singing, and tapdancing!

Bob Haggart

Happy birthday to the late Bob Haggart, born this day in 1914! Here's a 1986 performance (with drummer Nick Fatool) of his greatest hit, "Big Noise from Winnetka."

Jesse Fuller

Happy birthday to the late Jesse Fuller, born this day in 1896! Here's a 1963 film of one of his great one-man-band performances, "San Francisco Bay Blues."

Liza Minnelli

Happy birthday to Liza Minnelli, born this day in 1946! Here's a 1989 TV performance of "Losing My Mind," on which she's backed up by the Pet Shop Boys.

Brian O'Hara

Happy birthday to the late Brian O'Hara, born this day in 1942! Here's a 1964 performance by the Fourmost of their biggest hit, "A Little Lovin'."

Nina Hagen

Happy birthday to Nina Hagen, born this day in 1959! Here's a live 1980 performance of "Ziggy Stardust," in her own inimitable fashion...

George Kooymans

Happy birthday to George Kooymans, born this day in 1949! Here's Golden Earrings (before they were singular) playing their 1969 Dutch hit "Dong Dong Diki Diki Dong."

Neneh Cherry

Happy birthday to Neneh Cherry, born this day in 1964! Here's her 1990-ish video for "Buffalo Stance."

Susie Q

Happy birthday to Susie "Susie Q" Banfiel, born this day in 1967! Here's the 1989 video for Cookie Crew's "Born This Way."

Marianne Rosenberg

Happy birthday to Marianne Rosenberg, born this day in 1955! Here's a 1977 performance of her German Philly-soul-style hit "Marleen."

Ornette Coleman

Happy birthday to Ornette Coleman, born this day in 1930! Here's what I think is an '80s-vintage performance of "Theme from a Symphony": can anyone pinpoint it more precisely?

Keely Smith

Happy birthday to Keely Smith, born this day in 1932! Here's a 1956 performance of "All Night Long" with Louis Prima.

Martin Fry

Happy birthday to Martin Fry, born this day in 1958! Here's the animated video for ABC's 1984 song "How To Be a Millionaire."

Robert Calvert

Happy birthday to Robert Calvert, born this day in 1945! Here's a 1977 performance by Hawkwind (on the Marc Bolan TV show!): their big new wave move, "Quark, Strangeness and Charm." Wow.