Born On This Day

March 6th

1893 - Walter Lewis

Memphis blues artist Walter ‘Furry’ Lewis. He was the first guitarist to play with a bottleneck. He lost a leg in a railroad accident and once supported The Rolling Stones. Joni Mitchell wrote the song ‘Furry Sings The Blues’ after him. Lewis died on September 14th 1981, aged 88.

1905 - Bob Wills

Bob Wills, American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western swing, he was universally known as the King of Western Swing. Wills died on 13th May 1975.

1936 - Sylvia Robinson

Singer Sylvia Robinson who had the 1973 US No.3 & UK No. 14 single 'Pillow Talk' and as Mickey & Sylvia the 1957 US No.11 single 'Love Is Strange'.

1944 - Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson, vocals, The Supremes who had the 1964 UK & US No.1 single 'Baby Love' plus 11 other US No.1 singles. 

1945 - Hugh Grundy

English musician Hugh Grundy who is the drummer with The Zombies who had four US hits, 'She's Not There', 'Tell Her No', 'She's Coming Home', and 'Time of the Season'.

1946 - David Gilmour

David Gilmour: guitarist, singer and songwriter, who joined Pink Floyd in 1968. After Roger Waters' departure in 1985, David created two further Floyd albums, A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell, with Nick Mason and Richard Wright. He was appointed a CBE in 2003 for his services to music. He released his first solo album, David Gilmour, in 1978, followed by About Face in 1984 and 2006's On An Island, which charted at No.1 in the UK and No.6 in the US.

1946 - Murray Head

Murray Head, UK singer who had the 1984 UK No.12 & 1985 US No.3 single, 'One Night In Bangkok'.

1947 - Kiki Dee

Kiki Dee, (Pauline Matthews), singer and actress who had the 1976 UK & US No.1 single Don't Go Breaking My Heart' with Elton John. As a session singer she worked with Dusty Springfield and also became the first white British artist to be signed by Motown Records, releasing her first Motown single in 1970. Dee now performs with guitarist Carmelo Luggeri.

1964 - Stephen Bier

Stephen Bier, (Wayne Gacy), keyboards with American rock band Marilyn Manson who had the 1998 US No.1 album, Mechanical Animals.

1970 - Betty Boo

Betty Boo, (Alison Moira Clarkson), singer who had the 1990 UK No.3 single 'Where Are You Baby'. Now a songwriter who wrote 'Pure and Simple' for Hear'Say as well as hits for Girls Aloud.

1974 - Dwight Grant

Dwight Grant, (Beanie Sigel), American rapper. Beanie founded the group and label State Property, as well as the clothing company of the same name.

1974 - Guy Garvey

Guy Garvey singer/guitarist with Manchester based group Elbow. Elbow won the Mercury Music Prize for their 2008 album The Seldom Seen Kid and in 2009 they won the Brit Award for Best British Group. Garvey also presents a radio show on BBC 6Music.

1984 - Chris Tomson

Chris Tomson, drummer from Vampire Weekend who had the 2010 US & UK No.1 album, ‘Contra’ and the 2013 US No.1 album 'Modern Vampires of the City'.