… of Bo Diddley. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee is 78.
Music historian Robert Palmer has described Bo Diddley as “one of the most original and fertile rhythmic intelligences of our time.” He will forever be known as the creator of the “Bo Diddley beat,” one of the cornerstone rhythms of rock and roll. He employed it in his namesake song, “Bo Diddley,” as well as other primal rockers like “Mona.” This distinctive African-based rhythm pattern (which goes bomp bomp bomp bomp-bomp) was picked up from Diddley by other artists and has been a distinctive and recurring element in rock and roll through the decades. (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
… of Russ Tamblyn. Riff, “a Jet to his dying day,” is 72.
… of Sandy Koufax. The most dominant pitcher in the game in the early 1960s, the man who threw four no-hitters including a perfect game is 71.
… of Paul (Noel actually) Stookey. Paul of Peter, Paul & Mary is 69.
… of James Burrows. The director of “Taxi,” “Cheers” and “Will and Grace” is 66.
… of Fred Ward. The actor (Gus Grissom in “The Right Stuff”) is 64.
… of Monkees Michael Nesmith (64) and Davy Jones (61).
… of Patti Smith. Punk rock’s poet laureate is 60.
… of Meredith Viera and of Matt Lauer. The Today show hosts are 53 and 49.
… of Tracey Ullman. She’s 47.
… of Eldrick Woods. Tiger is 31.
… of LeBron James. He’s 22 today.