Click on a letter to choose a recording act (“S” for Bruce Springsteen, “B” for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards (see more here), short bios for select acts (generally taken or adapted from Joel Whitburn’s Pop Memories 1890-1954 and Top Pop Singles: Billboard books), and links to all albums reviewed here at the DMDB.
A B C D E
F G H I J
K L M N O
P Q R S T
U V W X Y
Z VARIOUS ARTISTS
You can also check the search engine for names, albums, songs, and other content on this site:
Born: 6/6/1960 Died:
American rock guitarist with David Lee Roth and Whitesnake.
Ricky Valance
Song(s):
Tell Laura I Love Her (1960)
Born: Richard Steven Valenzeula on 5/13/1941 Died: 2/3/1959
American rock singer/songwriter. Killed in a plane crash near Mason City, IA along with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.
Song(s):
La Bamba (1958)
Donna (1958)
Born: 7/28/1901 Died: 7/3/1986
Jazz/big band leader.
Song(s):
Honey (1929)
Stein Song (University of Maine) (& His Connecticut Yankees, 1930)
As Time Goes By (1931)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (w. Yip Harburg, 1932)
Honey (& His Connecticut Yankees, 1937)
Born: Francis Stephen Castelluccio 5/3/1934 Died:
Pop singer with the 4 Seasons (“Sherry”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Walk Like a Man”). Also a solo artist (“My Eyes Adored You”, “Grease”).
Song(s):
Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (1967)
Vampire Weekend
Album(s):
Modern Vampires of the City (2013)
Song(s):
For Me and My Gal (1917)
Ain’t We Got Fun? (1921)
Carolina in the Morning (1923)
Egbert Van Alstyne
Born: 1891 Died:
American tenor singer.
The Vandellas - see Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
Van Der Graaf Generator
Album(s):
Pawn Hearts (1971)
Born: 4/20/1951 Died: 7/1/2005
R&B singer.
Song(s):
Never Too Much (1981)
Power of Love/Love Power (1991)
Dance with My Father (2003)
Album(s):
Never Too Much (1981)
Dick Van Dyke
Song(s):
Supercalifragilisticexpalidocious (1965) – see Julie Andrews
Leroy Van Dyke
Song(s):
Walk on By (1961)
Hard rock group formed in Pasadena, CA. The Van Halen brothers were born in Nijimegen, The Netherlands; moved to Pasadena in 1968.
Active: 1974-98, 2004 Members: David Lee Roth (v: 74-85,96,07-), Eddie Van Halen (g), Michael Anthony (b – Van Halen: 74-04, Chickenfoot), and Alex Van Halen (d), Sammy Hagar (v: 85-96, 04), Gary Cherone (v – Extreme: 85-95; Van Halen: 96-98), Wolfgang Van Halen (b: 07-)
Song(s):
Runnin’ with the Devil (1978)
Jump (1984)
Hot for Teacher (1984)
Right Now (1992)
Album(s):
Van Halen (1978)
Van Halen II (1979)
1984 (1984)
A Different Kind of Truth (2012)
Rock drummer with Van Halen.
Born: 1/26/1957
Rock guitarist with Van Halen.
Jimmy Van Heusen
Townes Van Zandt
Album(s):
Townes Van Zandt (1969)
Vanilla Ice
Song(s):
Ice Ice Baby (1990)
Album(s):
To the Extreme (1990)
Edgard Varese
Classical composer.
Album(s):
Poeme Electronique (1958)
Born: 3/27/1924 in Newark, NJ Died: 4/3/1990
Considered one of the greatest jazz singers of the post-war era. Nicknamed “The Divine One.” Worked with other greats including Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine before going solo in 1945.
Song(s):
S’ Wonderful (w. George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin, 1927)
If You Could See Me Now (1946)
Tenderly (1947)
Album(s):
Sarah Vaughan (1954)
The Complete Sarah Vaughan (1954-67)
Live in Japan (1973) live
Born: 10/3/1954 Died: 8/27/1990
Blues-rock guitarist and singer.
Song(s):
Pride and Joy (1983)
Album(s):
Texas Flood (1983)
Weston Vaughan
Song(s):
Charmaine! (1927) – see Guy Lombardo
Song(s):
Melody of Love (1954)
About: Grunge-rock singer with Pearl Jam (1991-). Also in one-time project Temple of the Dog (1990-91).
Born: Edward Louis Severson III on 12/23/1964 in Evanston, IL
Album(s):
Into the Wild (2007) ST
Ukulele Songs (2011)
Born: Robert Thomas Velline on 4/30/1943
American pop singer.
About: One of the most influential rock groups of all-time. Considered the predecessor to alternative rock and punk.
Active: 1965-70 Members: Lou Reed (v/g: 65-70; left in August 1970 to pursue a solo career), John Cale (v/b/viola: 65-68; solo), Sterling Morrison (g/, backing vox: 65-70), Maureen Tucker (percussion: 67-69), Nico (v: 67); Doug Yule (b/backing vox – Velvet Underground: 69-70; American Flyer), Billy Yule (d: 70)
Song(s):
Heroin (1967)
White Light/White Heat (1968)
Sister Ray (1968)
Rock and Roll (1970)
Album(s):
Velvet Underground & Nico (with Nico, 1967)
White Light/White Heat (1967)
The Velvet Underground (1969)
Loaded (1970)
Venom
Album(s):
Black Metal (1982)
The Ventures
Song(s):
Walk Don’t Run (1960)
Billy Vera
Born: 10/10/1813 in Le Roncole, Italy Died: 6/27/1901
Classical composer.
Album(s):
Aida (1872)
Requiem Mass (1874)
Otello (1887)
The Verve
Song(s):
Bittersweet Symphony (1997)
The Drugs Don’t Work (1997)
Album(s):
A Northern Soul (1995)
Urban Hymns (1997)
Bassist with the Sex Pistols.
Victor Light Orchestra Co.
Song(s):
The Yama Yama Man (with Ada Jones, 1909)
Victor Military Band
Song(s):
Poor Butterfly (1917)
Madelon (I’ll Be True to the Whole Regiment) (1919)
Victor Orchestra
Song(s):
The Glow-Worm (1908)
Victor Symphony Orchestra
Song(s):
An American in Paris (1929) – see George Gershwin
About: Producer for Garbage and Nirvana.
Heitor Villa
Song(s):
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 – Aria (with Bidu Sayao, 1945)
Village People
Song(s):
Y.M.C.A. (1978)
Album(s):
Can’t Stop the Music (1980)
Born: 2/11/1935 Died: 10/12/1971
American early rock and roll singer.
Song(s):
Be-Bop-A-Lula (& His Blue Caps, 1956)
The Vines
Album(s):
Highly Evolved (2002)
Born: Stanley Robert Vinton, Jr. on 4/16/1935
American pop singer (“Blue Velvet”).
Song(s):
Blister in the Sun (1983)
Add It Up (1983)
Album(s):
Violent Femmes (1983)
About: Producer for David Bowie, Marc Bolan, and Talking Heads.
Born: 3/4/1678 in Austria Died: 7/28/1741
Classical composer.
Album(s):
The Four Seasons (1725)
Albert Von Tilzer
Harry Von Tilzer
Click on a letter to choose a recording act (“S” for Bruce Springsteen, “B” for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards (see more here), short bios for select acts (generally taken or adapted from Joel Whitburn’s Pop Memories 1890-1954 and Top Pop Singles: Billboard books), and links to all albums reviewed here at the DMDB.
A B C D E
F G H I J
K L M N O
P Q R S T
U V W X Y
Z VARIOUS ARTISTS
You can also check the search engine for names, albums, songs, and other content on this site:
Last updated May 27, 2015. 
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