Click on a letter to choose an act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts (generally adapted from Joel Whitburn’s Pop Memories 1890-1954 and Top Pop Singles: Billboard books), and links to albums and songs reviewed by 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:
Steve Vai 
Born 6/6/1960. Died
American rock guitarist with David Lee Roth and Whitesnake (89-90).
Ricky Valance
Song(s): Tell Laura I Love Her (1960) 
Ritchie Valens    
Rock singer/songwriter born Richard Steven Valenzeula on 5/13/1941 in Pacoima, CA. Killed in a plane crash near Mason City, IA along with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper on 2/3/1959.
Song(s): La Bamba (1958) Donna (1958) 
Rudy Vallee   
Jazz/big band leader born Hubert Prior Vallée on 7/28/1901 in Island Pond, VT. Died 7/3/1986.
Song(s): Honey (1929) Stein Song (University of Maine) (& His Connecticut Yankees, 1930) As Time Goes By (1931) Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1932) Honey (& His Connecticut Yankees, 1937) 
Frankie Valli
Pop singer born Francis Stephen Castelluccio 5/3/1934. 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) 
Ross Valory
Rock bassist with Journey (1973-83, 96, 08-) and the Storm (91-92).
Vampire Weekend
Song(s): Harmony Hall (2019) 
Album(s): Vampire Weekend (2008) Modern Vampires of the City (2013) Father of the Bride (2019) 
Van & Schenck
Song(s): For Me and My Gal (1917) Mandy (1919) Ain’t We Got Fun? (1921) Carolina in the Morning (1923) 
Egbert Van Alstyne 
Walter Van Brunt  
Tenor singer born 4/22/1892 in the United States. Died 411/1971.
Song(s): Sympathy (1913) And the Green Grass Grew All Around (1913) 
The Vandellas
- see Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
Van Der Graaf Generator
Album(s): Pawn Hearts (1971) 
Luther Vandross     
R&B singer born Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. on 4/20/1951 in New York City, NY. Died 7/1/2005.
Song(s): Never Too Much (1981) Here and Now (1989) Power of Love/Love Power (1991) Dance with My Father (2003) 
Album(s): Never Too Much (1981) Power of Love (1991) Dance with My Father (2003) 
Dick Van Dyke
Song(s): Put on a Happy Face (from Bye Bye Birdie, cast: with Chita Rivera, 1960; soundtrack: with Janet Leigh, 1963) Supercalifragilisticexpalidocious (from Mary Poppins, 1965) – see Julie Andrews Chim Chim Cher-ee (from Mary Poppins, 1965) – see Julie Andrews
Rudy Van Gelder 
Vangelis
Song(s): Chariots of Fire – Titles (1981) 
Van Halen      
Hard rock group formed in Pasadena, CA (1974-98, 2004-). Members: David Lee Roth (v: 74-85,96,07-), Eddie Van Halen (g), Michael Anthony (b: 74-04), and Alex Van Halen (d), Sammy Hagar (v: 85-96, 04), Gary Cherone (v: 96-98), Wolfgang Van Halen (b: 07-)
Song(s): Runnin’ with the Devil (1978) Ice Cream Man (1978) Happy Trails (1982) Jump (1984) Hot for Teacher (1984) Panama (1984) I’ll Wait (1984) Love Walks In (1986) When It’s Love (1988) Right Now (1992) Me Wise Magic (1996) Without You (1998) 
Album(s): Van Halen (1978) Van Halen II (1979) Diver Down (1982) 1984 (1984) A Different Kind of Truth (2012)
Alex Van Halen 
Rock drummer with Van Halen.
Eddie Van Halen   
Rock guitarist with Van Halen. Born Edward Lodewijk van Halen on 1/26/1957 in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Died 10/6/2020.
Jimmy Van Heusen 
Vanilla Fudge
Song(s): You Keep Me Hangin’ On (1967) 
Amy Van Singel 
Blues magazine founder.
Townes Van Zandt
Album(s): Townes Van Zandt (1969) 
Vanilla Ice
Song(s): Ice Ice Baby (1990) 
Album(s): To the Extreme (1990) 
The Vapors
Song(s): Turning Japanese (1980) 
Edgard Varese
Classical composer.
Album(s): Poeme Electronique (1958) 
Sarah Vaughan 
Jazz singer born Sarah Lois Vaughan on 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 (1927) If You Could See Me Now (1946) Tenderly (1947) 
Album(s): Sarah Vaughan (1954) The Complete Sarah Vaughan (1954-67) Live in Japan (live, 1973) 
Stevie Ray Vaughan (& Double Trouble) 
Blues-rock guitarist and singer born Stephen Ray Vaughan on 10/3/1954 in Dallas, TX. Died 8/27/1990.
Song(s): Pride and Joy (1983) Texas Flood (1983) 
Album(s): Texas Flood (1983) Couldn’t Stand the Weather (1984) In Step (1989) 
Weston Vaughan
Song(s): Charmaine! (1927) – see Guy Lombardo
Billy Vaughn  
Pop musician born 4/12/1919 in Glasgow, KY. Died 9/26/1991.
Song(s): Melody of Love (1954) 
Eddie Vedder  
Grunge-rock singer born Edward Louis Severson III on 12/23/1964 in Evanston, IL. With Pearl Jam (1991-). Also in one-time project Temple of the Dog (1990-91).
Song(s): Masters of War (live with Mike McCready, 1992) Hard Sun (2007) Guaranteed (2007) Long Nights (2007) All the Way (2008) My City of Ruins (live, 2009) 
Album(s): Into the Wild (soundtrack, 2007) Ukulele Songs (2011)
Bobby Vee  
Pop singer born Robert Thomas Velline on 4/30/1943 in Fargo, ND. Died 10/24/2016.
Suzanne Vega
Song(s): Luka 1987) 
Album(s): Solitude Standing (1987) 
Velvet Revolver
Rock supergroup (2004-08) featuring Scott Weiland (v) with Guns N’ Roses alums Slash (g), Duff McKagan (b), and Matt Sorum (d), as well as Dave Kushner (rhythm g) from punk band Wasted Youth.
Song(s): Slither (2004) Fall to Pieces (2004) The Last Fight (2007) 
Velvet Underground        
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): Lou Reed/Velvet Underground: Top 50 Songs Heroin (1967) Venus in Furs (1967) White Light/White Heat (1968) Rock and Roll (1970) 
Album(s): Velvet Underground/Lou Reed: Top 10 Albums Velvet Underground & Nico (with Nico, 1967) White Light/White Heat (1967) The Velvet Underground (1969) Loaded (1970) Peel Slowly and See (box: 1965-70, released 1995) 
Venom
Album(s): Black Metal (1982) 
The Ventures 
Song(s): Walk Don’t Run (1960) 
Billy Vera 
Giuseppe Verdi  
Classical composer born Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi on 10/10/1813 in Le Roncole, Italy. Died 6/27/1901.
Album(s): Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar) (opera: 1842) Rigoletto: La Donna È Mobile (opera: 1851) La Traviata (The Woman) (opera: 1853) Il Trovatore (The Troubador) (opera: 1853) Don Carlos (opera: 1867) Aida (opera: 1871) Requiem Mass (Messa Da Requiem) (1874) Otello (opera: 1887) Falstaff (opera: 1893) 
Ben Vereen
Song(s): Superstar (from Jesus Christ Superstar, 1971) 
Tom Verlaine 
Vertical Horizon
Song(s): Everything You Want (1999) 
Veruca Salt
Song(s): Seether (1994) 
The Verve 
Song(s): History (1995) Bittersweet Symphony (1997) The Drugs Don’t Work (1997) Lucky Man (1997) Sonnet (1998) 
Album(s): A Northern Soul (1995) Urban Hymns (1997) 
The Verve Pipe
Song(s): The Freshmen (1996) 
V.I.C.
Song(s): Wobble (2012) 
Sid Vicious 
Bassist with the Sex Pistols.
Victor Light Orchestra Co.
Song(s): The Yama Yama Man (1909) – see Ada Jones, 1909)
Victor Military Band
Song(s): Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1912) The Memphis Blues (1914) Poor Butterfly (1917) Madelon (I’ll Be True to the Whole Regiment) (with Marcel Journet, 1919) 
Victor Orchestra
Song(s): The Glow-Worm (1908) Cuddle Up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine (1908) 
Victor Symphony Orchestra
Song(s): An American in Paris (1929) – see George Gershwin
Butch Vig  
Producer for Garbage and Nirvana born Bryan David Vig on 8/2/1955 in Voroqua, WI.
Kurt Vile
Song(s): Over Everything (with Courtney Barnett, 2017) 
Heitor Villa
Song(s): Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 – Aria (with Bidu Sayao, 1945) 
Village People 
Song(s): Y.M.C.A. (1978) Macho Man (1978) 
Album(s): Can’t Stop the Music (1980) 
Gene Vincent   
Early rock and roll singer born Vincent Eugene Craddock on 2/11/1935 in Norfolk, VA. Died 10/12/1971.
Song(s): Be-Bop-A-Lula (& His Blue Caps, 1956) 
The Vines
Album(s): Highly Evolved (2002)
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson 
Bobby Vinton     
Pop singer ("Blue Velvet") born Stanley Robert Vinton, Jr. on 4/16/1935 in Canonsburg, PA.
Song(s): Roses Are Red My Love (1962) Blue Velvet (1963) 
Violent Femmes 
Song(s): Blister in the Sun (1983) Add It Up (1983) 
Album(s): Violent Femmes (1983) 3 (1989) 
Tony Visconti  
Producer born Anthony Edward Visconti on 4/2/1944 in Brooklyn, NY. Worked with David Bowie, Marc Bolan, and Talking Heads.
Antonio Vivaldi  
Classical composer born 3/4/1678 in Venice, Italy. Died 7/28/1741.
Album(s): The Four Seasons (1725) 
Carlos Vives
Song(s): La Bicicleta (with Shakira, 2016) 
Vixen
Song(s): Edge of a Broken Heart (1988) 
Volbeat
Song(s): The Devil’s Bleeding Crown (2016) 
Hildegard Von Bingen
Album(s): A Feather on the Breath of God (1982) 
Herbert Von Karajan 
Albert Von Tilzer 
Harry Von Tilzer  
Songwriter and vaudevillian performer born Aaron Gumbinsky on 7/8/1872 in Detroit, Michigan. Also known as Harry Gumm. Died on 1/10/1946.
Song(s): Top 30 Songs A Bird in a Gilded Cage (1900) – see Steve Porter On a Sunday Afternoon (1902) – see J.W. Myers Down Where the Wurzburger Flows (1902) – see Arthur Collins Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1906) – see Byron G. Harlan I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad (1911) – see Peerless Quartet
Carl Maria von Weber
Album(s): Der Freishchutz (The Marksman) (opera: 1821) 
Voss’ 1st Regiment Band
Song(s): One Minute Too Late (1891) 
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, short bios for select acts (generally adapted from Joel Whitburn’s Pop Memories 1890-1954 and Top Pop Singles: Billboard books), and links to albums and songs reviewed by 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 January 28, 2021.

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