July 07

 Ringo Starr

July 7, 1940

The steady, driving beat of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes originally featured Richard Starkey behind the drum kit before he found his true home. The Beatles transformed global pop music when he officially stepped into the lineup in 1962. He anchored the legendary rhythm section with his reliable, distinctive style and also contributed occasional lead vocals and songwriting. He powered the band through their historic studio albums and massive cultural milestones until they dissolved in 1970.

He immediately launched a successful solo career, releasing two studio albums in 1970 that showcased his versatile vocal style. He scored massive radio hits with commercial pop tracks like It Don't Come Easy and Photograph, and he also worked in the studio as a session player for his former bandmates. He assembled his first touring ensemble, the All Starr Band, in 1989 and continued to record solo albums and tour regularly well into 2020.

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Larry Reinhardt

July 7, 1948 – January 2, 2012

Emerging from the vibrant late-sixties club scene, Larry Reinhardt quickly established a reputation for his fiery guitar work. Iron Butterfly transformed their heavy psychedelic sound when he stepped into the official lineup in 1970. He played lead guitar on the album Metamorphosis, anchoring the tracks with his blistering riffs. He co-wrote several songs for the record, powering the group through major concert tours before they initially disbanded.

The hard rock world gained a powerful new supergroup when he co-founded Captain Beyond in 1972. He played guitar and wrote music for their self-titled debut album and their follow-up studio efforts, delivering a complex blend of progressive rock. He remained an official member through 1977, driving their creative direction across three studio albums. He later played guitar with the ensemble Rhino Bucket and continued to record music with various projects until 2009.

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Jim Rodford

July 7, 1941 – January 20, 2018

The swinging pop scene of the late sixties gained a driving anchor when Jim Rodford co-founded the rock outfit Argent in 1969. He played bass guitar and provided backing vocals, injecting a steady groove into their sophisticated blend of rock. He powered the band through major commercial success and six studio albums, including their massive 1972 hit anthem Hold Your Head Up. His precise rhythm work remained a centerpiece of the group until they decided to disband in 1976.

A major new chapter opened for the rock world when he stepped into the lineup of The Kinks as their official bassist in 1978. He energized their classic sound on the hit album Low Budget and anchored their global concert tours. He remained a central fixture in the band for nearly two decades, driving their rhythm section on various studio projects until 1996. He later lent his bass skills to a resurrected lineup of The Zombies, touring and recording albums from 2004 to 2015.

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