January
Tom Ardolino, drummer and vocalist (NRBQ)
Dave Alexander, blues singer and pianist
Jimmy Castor, funk saxophonist and bandleader
Johnny Otis, R&B drummer, singer-songwriter and bandleader
Larry Butler, record producer and songwriter
Etta James, R&B, blues, jazz, soul and gospel vocalist
February
Don Cornelius, television host and producer
Al Delory, record producer and arranger
Joe Moretti, rock ‘n’ roll guitarist (Johnny Kidd & The Pirates)
Whitney Houston, vocalist
Dory Previn, vocalist and songwriter
Michael Davis, rock bassist (MC5)
Mike Melvoin, jazz pianist, composer and arranger
Billy Strange, guitarist, songwriter and arranger
Davy Jones, vocalist and actor
March
Ronnie Montrose, rock guitarist
Robert B. Sherman, songwriter
Peter Bergman, comedian
Tom Lodge, radio DJ
Earl Scruggs, banjo player and bluegrass pioneer
April
Andrew Love, saxophonist (The Memphis Horns)
Levon Helm, drummer and vocalist
Chris Ethridge, bassist (Flying Burrito Brothers)
Pete Fornatale, radio DJ
Dick Clark, television personality
Jim Marshall, guitar amplification pioneer
May
Charles Pitts, soul, R&B and funk guitarist (Isaac Hayes band)
Adam Yauch, rapper and hip-hop musician
Everett Lilly, bluegrass musician (Lilly Brothers)
Donald “Duck†Dunn, bassist (Booker T & The MGs)
Doug Dillard, bluegrass musician (The Dillards)
Donna Summer, vocalist and queen of disco
Robin Gibb, vocalist and songwriter
Doc Watson, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter
June
Herb Reed, vocalist (The Platters)
Bob Welch, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter
Don Grady, actor and drummer
July
Andy Griffith, actor, producer, comedian, writer and vocalist
Bob Babbitt, bassist (The Funk Brothers)
Kitty Wells, vocalist
Tony Martin, vocalist and actor
August
Jimmy Jones, vocalist
Marvin Hamlisch, composer and arranger
Carl Davis, record producer
Scott McKenzie, vocalist and songwriter
September
Hal David, lyricist
Joe South, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter
Dorothy McGuire, vocalist (The McGuire Sisters)
Andy Williams, vocalist and entertainer
R.B. Greaves, soul vocalist
October
Bill Dees, songwriter (“Oh Pretty Womanâ€)
November
Martin Fay, fiddler (The Chieftans)
Peter Bennett, music promoter (The Beatles)
Earl “Speedo†Carroll, vocalist (The Cadillacs)
Mickey “Guitar†Baker, guitarist and songwriter
December
Dave Brubek, jazz pianist
Ravi Shankar, sitarist
Jimmy McCacklin, pianist, vocalist and songwriter
Ray Collins, vocalist (Mothers of Invention)
Fontella Bass, vocalist
Mike Auldridge, dobro player and vocalist (The Seldom Scene)
Five-time Oscar-winning composer John Barry has passed away at the age of 77. Barry is best known for his scores for numerous James Bond films, including the contested authorship of the series’ theme. Though a court awarded credit for the iconic theme to Monty Norman, Barry remained associated with the work throughout his life. More impressively, he authored signature music for dozens of films, including Born Free, Midnight Cowboy, The Lion in Winter, Somewhere in Time, Out of Africa, Body Heat, and Chaplin. Starting in the late ’50s he also wrote pop-jazz for his own John Barry Seven, producing singles and albums, such as Stringbeat, and teaming with vocalist Adam Faith for songs in the film Beat Girl. Many of 
