Rockin' Dopsie Jr.

Happy birthday to Rockin' Dopsie Jr., born this day in 1962! I'm pretty sure that's him playing rub-board behind his dad, Rockin' Dopsie, in this marvelous 1984 performance of "Louisiana Two-Step" and "Keep A-Knockin'."

Duane Eddy

Happy birthday to Duane Eddy, born this day in 1938! Here he is in 1986, playing "Peter Gunn" live on TV, backed up by the Art of Noise--this was the period where AoN were trying to play everything live as much as possible, with a billion samples but no tapes...

Ella Fitzgerald

Happy birthday to the late Ella Fitzgerald, born this day in 1917! Here she is in 1961, singing "'Round Midnight" and "Air Mail Special." Make sure you stick around for the latter, a scat-singing tour de force...

Andy Bell/Björn Ulvaeus

Happy birthday to Andy Bell, born this day in 1964! It's Björn Ulvaeus's birthday today, too, so here's a 1990 clip of Erasure performing ABBA's "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme." That outfit is pure Borat...

David J

Happy birthday to David J, born this day in 1957! In lieu of a Bauhaus video, here's somebody's homemade video for the Sinister Ducks' "March of the Sinister Ducks," his collaboration with Alan Moore. How many marches in 3/4 time do you know?

Doug Clifford

Happy birthday to Doug Clifford, born this day in 1945! Here he is with Creedence Clearwater Revival, playing "Midnight Special" in, I'm guessing, 1970. (And Stu Cook's birthday is tomorrow!)

David Gedge

Happy birthday to David Gedge, born this day in 1960! Here's the video for the Wedding Present's "Kennedy," from 1991. That's some awesome rhythm guitar playing there...

Roy Orbison

Happy birthday to the late Roy Orbison, born this day in 1936! Here's the video for "Wild Hearts," from 1985--not one of his best-known songs (it's from the soundtrack to Insignificance), but I like it a lot...

Charles Mingus

Happy birthday to the late Charles Mingus, born this day in 1922! Here he is playing "Flowers for a Lady" with his group in 1974.

Bull Moose Jackson

Happy birthday to the late Bull Moose Jackson, born this day in 1919! Here he is with Lucky Millinder in 1948, singing "I Love You Yes I Do."

Peter Frampton

Happy birthday to Peter Frampton, born this day in 1950! Here's the 1967 video for the Herd's "I Can Fly."

Clara Ward

Happy birthday to the late Clara Ward, born this day in 1924! Here's a ferocious little mid-'60s TV performance by the Clara Ward Singers, "We'll Soon Be Done."

Iggy Pop

Happy birthday to Iggy Pop, born this day in 1947! Here he is with the Stooges, playing "T.V. Eye" and "1970" in Cincinnati in, whaddaya know, 1970...

Robert Smith

Happy birthday to Robert Smith, born this day in 1959! Here's the Cure's video for "Close to Me," from 1985.

Lionel Hampton

Happy birthday to the late Lionel Hampton, born this day in 1908! Here he is with his band in 1957, performing "Flying Home."