Celebrating 30 December
Birthdays
​
1937 – Paul Stookey, singer/songwriter, Peter, Paul and Mary
1940 – Kenny Pentifallo, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Dukes
1942 – Mike Nesmith, guitarist, The Monkees
1946 – Clive Bunker, drummer, Jethro Tull
1946 – Patti Smith, punk poet laureate
1947 – Jeff Lynne, ELO
1959 – Tracy Ullman, comedian and singer
1969 – Jay Kay, vocalist, Jamiroquai
1971 – Sister Bliss, DJ, producer, keyboardist
1973 – Martin Slattery, multi-instrumentalist, The Mescaleros
1973 – Jon Theodore, drummer, Queens of the Stone Age
1978 – Tyrese Gibson, US rapper, songwriter
1982 – Wesley Schultz, guitarist, The Lumineers
1986 – Ellie Goulding, singer/songwriter
1988 – Leon Jackson, Scottish singer
1995 – V (Kim Tae-hyung), singer, BTS
​
Died on this day
​
1967 – Bert Berns, US songwriter and producer (born 1929)
1995 – Clarence Satchell, saxophonist, Ohio Players (born 1940)
1998 – Johnny Moore, singer, The Drifters (born 1934)
2009 – Rowland S. Howard, guitar, The Birthday Party (born 1959)
2016 – Allan Williams, first manager of The Beatles (born 1930)
2020 – Alto Reed, saxophonist, Silver Bullet Band (born 1948)
​
​
And on this day in...
​
1969 – Peter Tork quit The Monkees
1999 – George and Olivia Harrison attacked by an intruder at their Henley-on-Thames home
Page last updated 16 January 2026