Singer Babe Faves

Just looking at my music collection the other day, I discovered that most of my favorite musicians were women, or bands with women in them – from Jefferson Airplane to Stevie Nicks to Kim Gordon to Wolf Alice. 

I also noticed that most of those musicians were also very attractive, but also with very strong characters. Anyhoo, here are some of my particular faves. Note that there’s a real emphasis on “particular” here:

• Rock/pop only – no country, R&B, hip-hop, Latin, jazz
• Nothing too poppy – J Lo, Britany, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne …
• Nothing too recent – Anastacia, Zara Larsson, Bebe Rexha, Ellie Goulding, Natalie Imbruglia …

#36 - Shirley Manson (Garbage) 

First performance at age 4

#35 - Chrissy Hynde (Pretenders)

Well, she was a model (for Malcolm McClaren’s boutique SEX)

#34 - Courtney Love (Hole)

Not her usual look …

#33 - Cindy Wilson (B-52s)

She and brother Ricky (who would pass away from AIDS) started the band

#32 - Melissa Auf Der Wahr (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins)

Talented photographer, with an exhibition at Sotheby’s and work appearing in American Photo, Nylon, and National Geographic

#31 - Neko Case (New Pornographers)

Her voice has been described as a “flamethrower," "powerhouse [which] seems like it might level buildings," "120-mph fastball," and "vocal tornado" (Wikipedia)

#30 - Bat for Lashes 

Born Natasha Kahn

#29 - Aimee Mann (Til Tuesday)

Til Tuesday was made up of former Berklee College of Music students 

#28 - Toni Halliday (Curve)

Hey, I love shoegaze

#27 - Dido 

Born Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong

#26 - Florence Welch (Florence & the Machine)

Harvard grad

#25 - Liz Phair 

Just released an autobiography, Horror Stories

#24 - Lana Del Rey 

Born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

#23 - Suzi Quatro 

From Detroit, she was much more popular in the UK and Europe

#22 - Miki Berenyi (Lush)

More shoegaze

#21 - Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)

Dream pop too

#20 - Bilinda Butcher (My Bloody Valentine)

About as shoegaze as it gets

#19 - Rachel Goswell (Slowdive)

Final shoegaze, I promise

#18 - Sherryl Crow

Started out as an elementary school music teacher

#17 - Joan Baez 

Has recorded in 8 different languages

#16 - Nico (Velvet Underground)

Real name Christa Paffgen

#15 - Susanna Hoffs (Bangles)

Performed in the parody band Ming Tea (with comedian Mike Myers) as Gillian Shagwell

#14 - Jewell

Real last name is Kilcher

#13 - Cat Power

Well, she was a model

#12 - Francoise Hardy

Sacre bleu!  Une vraie francaise!

#11 - Belinda Carlisle (Go-Go’s)

The Go-Go’s are the only all-female band (who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments) to ever have a #1 album in the US

#10 - Michelle Phillips (Mamas & the Papas)

Well, she was a model

#9 - Linda Ronstadt

Has sung rock, pop, folk, country, Latin, mariachi, and light opera

#8 - Nancy & Ann Wilson (Heart)

Heart was the first hard rock band fronted by women

#7 - The Corrs

Forget the guy in the back (even though he is their brother)

#6 - Carly Simon

Had a serious stammer as a child

#5 - Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac)

At 5’1’’, not quite a foot and a half shorter than bandmate Mick Fleetwood

#4 - Debbi Harry (Blondie)

Well, she was a Playboy bunny

#3 - Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane / Starship)

Well, she was a professional model

#2 - Ellie Rowsell (Wolf Alice)

The band has been described as folk-tinged pop, alternative rock, indie rock, shoegaze, dream pop, folk, grunge, pop, electronic, and “rocky pop.”

#1 - Kate Bush

Now Kate Bush CBE

Presidential One-Offs

I’m not sure why this occurred to me, but I thought it would be cool to swap out one letter of each presidents name and see if there’s anyone out there actually called that. You know, Ronald Trump, Sean F Kennedy, Alvin Coolidge …  Here’s hoping you know enough American history to figure out the actual president. I’ll start from most recent and go back.

Moe Biden

Chief executive officer at Sky Packing Material Trd: LLC

Ronald Trump

“Man Named Trump tells the story of Ronald, a man with a drive for success. Raised on the Olympic Peninsula of the Pacific Northwest, he grows up exploring the wilds of the mountains, rafting raging rivers, patrolling the backcountry on skis and horses, lifeguarding and crabbing. Thriving in sports, Ron becomes an accomplished sprinter and an All-American in high school football.

A strong head for success and a steady drive for accomplishments lead him into many adventures in business, all the while facing chronic pain. Man Named Trump is the story of a full life, well lived.” [amazon.com]

Phil Clinton

“Dr. Philip Hall Clinton, 105, was born February 13, 1917 in Saginaw, Michigan to Ellen (Medalie) Clinkston and Benjamin Franklin Clinkston, the oldest of four children. Philip had a very strong love of the outdoors and from an early age enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, and took pride in providing fish and game for family meals. Philip continued to walk several miles most days.

Philip graduated in 1942 from the University of Michigan with a degree in Science, and was inducted into military service in 1942, serving as a lab technician at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC during World War II. Encouraged by doctors Philip worked with at Walter Reed, he pursued a medical degree from George Washington University, graduating in 1952. After an internship at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA, he worked from 1954-1976 at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Vallejo, CA, taking a 3 year leave of absence to treat South Vietnamese civilian families during the Vietnam War. This led to a strong affinity with Asian culture and a number of return visits.

In 1976 Philip purchased a beautiful piece of property in the hillside community of Surrey Village outside Red Bluff, CA surrounded by oak trees and wildlife that he loved. Philip kept his medical license in California active for 63 years from 1953-2016. After retiring from Kaiser Permanente he continued practicing medicine informally as a contribution to the Red Bluff community, developing many lasting friendships.

Philip is predeceased by younger siblings Norman Clinkston and Elayne Bloom. He is survived by his brother Bertram Clinkston, 100 years old and living in Seattle, his two adopted daughters Kimy Urwin and Teresa Zalcman, nieces and nephews, and dedicated Red Bluff friends David and Rebecca Whatley.” [obit]

Timmy Carter

“Timmy ‘Tim’ Carter is a teenage boy that lives in Indianapolis. Around 2018, Tim and his friends were playing basketball when Jaco Enilwen and Chammy Tinker came to Earth, causing them to run away in terror. Months later, Tim was turned to ashes when Thanos completed the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe 50% of life in the universe. In 2023, Tim and every other victim of the Decimation were resurrected by Hulk. [Marvel Cinematic Universe Fanon Wiki]

Donald Regan

“Donald Thomas Regan was the 66th United States secretary of the treasury from 1981 to 1985 and the White House chief of staff from 1985 to 1987 under Ronald Reagan” [Wikipedia]

Terry Ford

Program Director/ Host 107.5 The Game, Columbia, SC

Mick Nixon

Tutor, Essex, England

Sean F Kennedy

Judge, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, 1st Judicial District

Barrie Truman

Football (soccer) coach, managed New Zealand national team

Alvin Coolidge

Worked at Pizza Dungeon / Studied at Oak Haven / Went to Oakdale High School 

Eddie Roosevelt

Went to Kelseyville High / From Irvine, California / Widowed

Lester Arthur

Maintenance Technician / SBM Management Services, SG / Union County College / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Don Tyler

Contributor, Beef Magazine

Don Adams

"Donald James Yarmy, known professionally as Don Adams, was an American actor and stand-up comedian. In his five decades on television, he was best known as bumbling Maxwell Smart in the television situation comedy Get Smart, which he also sometimes directed and wrote." [Wikipedia]

If Only …

Babe / Gabe Lincoln

Norton / Morton Van Buren

Doppelnamers – Actors Division

Many moons ago, I came up with a post listing well-known celebs who have someone out there with the exact same name, famous (or, more likely, semi-famous) in another field. That time, I did musicians. This time, I’m doing actors.

Jimmy Stewart

American actor (Philadelphia Story, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, It’s a Wonderful Life, 

Vertigo, Rear Window), Princeton grad, brigadier general in Air Force Reserve

Amercan musician across multiple genres, studio muscician on over 1,200 recordings, author of 28 books on music

Will Smith

Rapper; actor; producer; starred in Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Men in Black, I Am Legend; Oscar winner & pugilist

Catcher, LA Dodgers, World Series winner

Eddie Murphy

Comedian (Saturday Night Live) turned actor, known for Coming to America, Shrek, Beverly Hills Cop; Oscar nominee

Outfielder; played for 11 years, on 3 World Series teams

Robin Williams

Comedian turned actor, known for his improv skills in both; known for Mork and Mindy, Patch Adams, Mrs Doubtfire; winner of Oscar, multiple Grammys

Rower & rowing coach, multiple medals at World Rowing Championship, Olympic coach for the UK

He’s the one in the middle

Julia Roberts

Known for her smile (insured at $30M), as well as Pretty Woman, Steel Magnolias, Erin Brockovich; Oscar winner; highest grossing actress of all time

American Soccer player, played for the University of Virginia, the US Women’s Team, and in the National Women’s Soccer League

Michael Caine

CBE; acted in 160 films, including Zulu, Alfie, The Man Who Would be King; multiple Oscars; born Maurice Micklewhite 

British race car driver

Steve Martin

Comedian turned actor; known for The Jerk, Parenthood, Father of the Bride; author; screenwriter; Emmy & Grammy winner; accomplished banjo player

Australian motorcyclist

Richard Burton

Welsh leading man; 7 Oscar nominations; starred in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Becket, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold; married to Elizabeth Taylor (twice); born Richard Jenkins, the son of a Welsh coal miner

Victorian explorer, write & translator (The Arabian Nights) 

Kurt Russell

Teen actor, known for Disney movies (The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, anyone?), married to actress Goldie Hawn, played minor league baseball

US Teacher of the Year, Oberlin High School, Oberlin OH

Jack Nicholson

3 Oscars; most nominated male actor; known for Easy Rider, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Chinatown; known for playing rebels; avid Lakers fan

Brigadier General (Ret), Trustee for the Institute of World Politics

Paul Newman

‘60s heartthrob; Oscar winner; known for Hud, Cool Hand Luke, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; race car driver; philanthropist; salad dressing tycoon

Chief Scientist for Earth Sciences & Senior Fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

Andy Griffith

Lovable small-town sheriff & detective on Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry RFD, Matlock; spokesman for crisp Ritz crackers

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition at the Department of Energy

Ron Howard

Director, producer, screenwriter, and actor; 2-time Oscar winner; known for The Andy Griffith Show & Happy Days

Basketball player for the Ft Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA’s D League, MVP, all-time league scoring leader