Rock & Roll Birthdays

  • 1943 Keith Relf, British blues-rock singer and harmonica player (The Yardbirds - "For Your Love"; Renaissance, 1969-71), born in Richmond, England (d. 1976)

 
  • 1918 Granville "Sticks" McGhee, American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter ("Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee"), born in Knoxville, Tennesee ( d. 1961)
 
  • 1932 Louisiana Red [Iverson Minter], American blues guitarist, and singer-songwriter ("Sweet Blood Call"), born in Bessemer, Alabama (d. 2012)
 
William Larry Stewart II (March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970) was an American rhythm and blues singer and pianist who was popular during the 1960s.


Rock and roller Bo Diddley has been credited with discovering Stewart playing piano in Washington, D.C. and inviting him to be one of his backup musicians.[3]

By 1955, this led to a recording contract with Diddley's label, Chess Records and Diddley played guitar on Stewart's 1956 recording of "Billy's Blues". A strong seller in Los Angeles, "Billy's Blues" reached the sales top 25 in Variety magazine. Stewart then moved to Okeh Records and recorded "Billy's Heartache", backed by the Marquees, another D.C. area group which featured Marvin Gaye.[3]

 
  • 1924 "Boogie" Bill Webb, American Louisiana blues and R&B guitarist, singer and songwriter ("Bad Dog"), born in Jackson, Mississippi (d. 1990)
 
  • 1964 Patterson Hood, American rock singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Drive-By Truckers - Southern Rock Opera; The Unraveling), born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama
 
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