Bettye Lavette

Happy birthday to Bettye Lavette, born this day in 1946! Here's a 1965 TV performance of "Let Me Down Easy."

Jean Knight

Happy birthday to Jean Knight, born this day in 1943! I don't usually like to post fragments of songs, but this 73-second snippet of her performing "Mr. Big Stuff" on TV in 1972 is all there is, and so be it.

Stéphane Grappelli

Happy birthday to the late Stéphane Grappelli, born this day in 1908! Here's a vintage performance with the Quintette du Hot Club du France, also including Django Reinhardt, whose birthday was the 23rd.

Etta James

Happy birthday to Etta James, born this day in 1938! Here she is, circa 1980, singing "Take It to the Limit" on TV.

Antonio Carlos Jobim

Happy birthday to the late Antonio Carlos Jobim, born this day in 1927. Here's a vintage performance with Elis Regina singing his "Aguas de Marco."

Stig Anderson

Happy birthday to the late Stikkan "Stig" Anderson, born this day in 1931. Here's ABBA's video for "Hovas Vittne," the song they recorded in his honor in 1981 (he was their manager). Note the "truck-driver's gear-change" key-change at 2:15 or so--the lyrics are apparently about that!

Klaus Nomi

Happy birthday to the late Klaus Nomi, born this day in 1944. Here's a familiar but fantastic clip of him singing "Total Eclipse" in Urgh! A Music War, 1981.

Zeke Carey

Happy birthday to the late Zeke Carey, born this day in 1933. Here he is as one of the Flamingos, singing "Jump Children" in 1959.

Anita Pointer

Happy birthday to Anita Pointer, born this day in 1948! Here she is with the Pointer Sisters doing a live-on-TV performance of "Yes We Can Can" in 1974.

Sam Cooke

Happy birthday to the late Sam Cooke, born this day in 1931! Here's a 1960 TV performance of "Mary Mary Lou"--it ain't the Harlem Square Club, but it's neat to watch him make the most of the situation.