Linda LaFlamme (1939–2024), keyboardist, co-writer of White Bird

Linda LaFlamme was a musician and founding member of It’s a Beautiful Day, the San Francisco band with which she performed the 1960s anthem, “White Bird.”

Margo Smith (1939–2024), 1970s country music star 

Margo Smith was a country singer and songwriter who had No. 1 hits with “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You” and “It Only Hurts a Little While.” 

Rudolph Isley (1939–2023), founding member of the Isley Brothers

Rudolph Isley was a singer and songwriter who was a founding member of the Isley brothers, known for hit songs like “Shout,” “It’s Your Thing,” and “Twist and Shout.”

Paul Sorvino (1939–2022), actor known for “Law & Order,” “Goodfellas”

Paul Sorvino was an actor known for his performances as Paulie Cicero in “Goodfellas” and NYPD Sergeant Phil Ceretta in “Law & Order.”

David Birney (1939–2022), star of “Bridget Loves Bernie”

David Birney was an actor known for roles on TV shows including “Bridget Loves Bernie” and “St. Elsewhere.”

Barbara-Rose Collins (1939–2021), Michigan’s first Black U.S. Congresswoman

Barbara-Rose Collins was the first Black woman from Michigan elected to the U.S. Congress, serving as a Democrat in the House of Representatives from 1991 to 1997.

Phil Niekro (1939–2020), legendary knuckleball pitcher

Phil Niekro was a legendary Hall of Fame pitcher known for his knuckleball pitch, who played for the Braves most of his career.

Beverly “Guitar” Watkins (1939–2019), unsung blues guitar legend

Beverly “Guitar” Watkins was an unsung blues guitar legend known for her attacking playing style. She was said to play like Jimi Hendrix (playing behind her head) and Pete Townsend, and influenced many musicians including John Lennon. Though she started playing the guitar at a young age and played with and , she achieved greater recognition much later. After some down years in music, she was working various odd jobs, until she became a regular on Atlanta’s blues scene in the 1980s. The Music Maker Relief Foundation set her up on tour with in 1998 and released her first album at the age of 60. She continued playing live until she suffered a stroke in July2019.

Penny Vincenzi (1939 – 2018), best-selling author

Her books featured romance and family secrets…

Hugh Masekela (1939–2018), father of South African jazz

Anti-apartheid activist authored the protest song “Soweto Blues.”

Jerry Krause (1939 - 2017), former Chicago Bulls GM

Jerry Krause, the former general manager of the Chicago Bulls during their championship years, died Tuesday, March 21, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 77.

Dusty in Memphis

When Dusty Springfield's career was lagging in 1968, she traveled across the ocean to record one of the most critically-acclaimed albums of all time...

Marvin Gaye: What's Going On

Marvin Gaye personified the changing landscape of R&B in a career that spanned not just the tumultuous 1960s, but 26 years that saw the art form go from innocent street corner doo-wop to the sexually charged soul music of the 1980s. No mere dabbler or genre-hopper, with each reinvention Gaye broke new ground and created classic records still in heavy rotation around the world. He scored 41 Billboard Top 40 hits in all—including reworked material released nearly two decades after his death. According to Forbes , in 2008 he ranked 13th in posthumous performer earnings, pulling in $3.5 million in royalties, a tribute to how much his music remains with us.