August 02

 Jim Capaldi

August 2, 1944 – January 28, 2005

The driving beat of Traffic got its power from founding member Jim Capaldi, who kept time behind the drums and co-wrote their biggest tracks. He teamed up with Steve Winwood to write a huge string of hits that mixed rock, folk, and jazz flavors into a totally unique sound. His steady rhythm fueled classic albums like John Barleycorn Must Die and The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, helping the group fill arenas across the globe.

When the group took breaks, he jumped right into a successful solo career as a singer and songwriter. He landed a major solo hit with his version of Love Hurts and rolled out a steady stream of individual albums, including Short Cut Draw Blood and Electric Nights. He even kept busy as a sought-after session player, helping out massive guitar stars like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix on their own projects. He stayed active with various musical reunions and solo releases from 1967 all the way until 2004.

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Les Dudek

August 2, 1952

Guitarist Les Dudek became a highly requested studio collaborator because of his incredibly smooth playing style. He contributed beautiful dual guitar lines to the classic Brothers and Sisters album by The Allman Brothers Band. He also recorded with Boz Scaggs on the massive hit Silk Degrees and worked in the studio with Steve Miller on several of his biggest tracks.

He later launched a successful solo career, releasing several albums from 1976 to 2013 that blended rock, blues, and jazz elements. He also teamed up with other notable players to form the band DFK and collaborated with Cher on her rock project Black Rose. He continued writing songs and touring with his own band for decades, keeping his signature guitar sound alive for audiences.

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Garth Hudson

August 2, 1937

Eric Garth Hudson brought a unique wall of sound to rock music with his incredible keyboard playing. He anchoring the classic lineup of The Band as an official member, weaving together a rich mix of rock, country, and gospel styles. His massive setup included the lowrey organ, synthesizers, and accordion, which gave the group its signature texture. He also played saxophone for the band, creating a full horn sound without needing outside players. His swirling melodies fueled iconic records like Stage Fright and Northern Lights-Southern Cross.

His brilliant keyboard skills made him a highly requested session player for other major artists. He worked in the studio to elevate classic albums for musicians like Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris. He stayed with The Band through their famous farewell concert in 1976 and returned for their later studio albums, recording and touring with the group from 1965 to 1999.

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