Today in Rock History – 10th MAY:

BIRTHDAYS
1899: Fred Astaire
1921: Bert Weedon
1946: Dave Mason (Traffic / Fleetwood Mac)
1946: Graham Gouldman (10cc)
1946: Donovan Leitch
1947: Jay Ferguson (Spirit)
1952: Lowell “Sly” Dunbar
1952: Lee Brilleaux (Dr Feelgood)
A great singer / harmonica player, Lee Brilleaux was born on this day in 1952 and died quite young, on 7 April 1994 [aged 41].

1957: John Ritchie a.k.a. Sid Vicious
1960: Paul Hewson a.k.a. Bono (U2)

EVENTS
1971: Free disbanded.
1999: Death of multi-instrumentalist / songwriter / author / poet / cartoonist, Shel Silverstein [aged 57].
2003: Steven Tyler of Aerosmith) was given an honorary doctorate degree in music by the Berklee College of Music.
2004: Death of David Wayne, singer for Metal Church [aged 47].
2020: Death of soul singer, Bessie Norris a.k.a. Betty Wright [aged 66].

Happy Birthday to Graham Gouldman, bassist / singer / songwriter in 10cc, who is 78 today! I finally got to see 10cc live, on 8 February, 2013, in Taupo and again on 14th November, 2015, at Municipal Theatre in Napier (photo above taken by me). What a great live band! Probably my favourite 10cc song is “Feel the Benefit”. If there was ever any doubt that Graham was influenced by Chris Squire of YES, check out his bass solo at the 9 minute mark. Sounds a little bit like “Starship Trooper”. 😉