Look who's turning 65 this month
Find out which celebrities are turning 65 this month!
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| Image Source: Wikipedia |
May 4 - Randy Travis, country and gospel singer, actor
Born Randy Traywick, Travis changed his name for the music industry. The singer won a slew of awards over his career, recording more than 20 studio albums, with 16 singles that got to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The star won seven Grammy Awards, eleven ACM Awards, eight Dove Awards for gospel songs and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
You may remember some of his hits, including “On the Other Hand”, “Forever and Ever, Amen”, “I Told You So”, “Digging Up Bones” and “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart”. His style, dubbed neotraditional, harkened back to traditional country greats like Merle Haggard rather than adopting to the then-popular country pop crossover. His baritone voice was roundly praised throughout his career. "He generally remains tried and true to his roots dishing out ballads with his usual great vocal phrasing” noted reviewer Jeffrey B. Remz regarding the You and You Alone album. “Travis doesn't rush through the songs, delivering them in a passionate, understated singing style.”
Travis dropped out of school in the ninth grade and proceeded to amass a rap sheet that included reckless driving, driving under the influence, stealing knives and watches, and breaking into a local church in order to have a party. However, he had solid bona fides throughout his career and apparently kept clean until several public intoxication incidents in the early 2010s. Then, in July of 2013, he was hospitalized for a heart condition. During treatment the singer suffered a stroke and he was given a 1% chance of survival. While he largely lost his ability to sing or even speak, he survived and relearned how to walk short distances.
In 2019 Travis announced a return to touring, featuring James Dupré as lead vocalist with Travis’ band and Travis himself in attendance.
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| Image Source: Wikipedia |
May 8 - Ronnie Lott, NFL player, businessman
Ronnie Lott played 14 seasons in the NFL over the 80s and 90s after starring on the University of Southern California (USC) team. He was very athletic in childhood and played football, baseball and basketball for his high school, as well as being on the wrestling team. In college, he was on a Dream Team that featured All-American quarterback Paul McDonald, Heisman winner Charles White, future Heisman winner Marcus Allen, and four future NFL first-round picks in the offensive line. Lott himself went All-American his senior year while topping the nation in return yards and interceptions (8).
Lott was good enough to get drafted in the first round in 1981 by the San Francisco 49ers to play left cornerback. He became a starter and helped the team to victory in Super Bowl XVI, finishing second to Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor for rookie of the year honors. In 1985, he switched to playing safety and led the league with 77 tackles, three forced fumbles, two quarterback sacks, and 10 interceptions the next year. In his decade with the Giants, Lott was there to help them win four Super Bowls and eight division titles.
He signed as a free agent with the Raiders in 1991, the Jets in 1993 and the Chiefs in 1995, suffering more injuries as he aged. He attempted a comeback with the 49ers in 1995 but retired due to injury before the season started. He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his first year of eligibility.
Lott is known for his prowess in the business world and advises young NFL players on their post-NFL careers. He is a founder and managing partner at HRJ Capital and owns a string of car dealerships. You can read his autobiography, “Total Impact”, and check out winners of the Lott IMPACT Trophy, bestowed on college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year since 2004. Lott participates in numerous other philanthropic endeavors.
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| Image Source: Wikipedia |
May 16 - Mare Winningham, actor and singer-songwriter
Wouldn’t it be cool if your high school boyfriend was Val Kilmer, you could play guitar and drums, and you graduated co-valedictorian of your class with Kevin Spacey? That’s the real life of actor and singer Mare Winningham, the winner of two primetime Emmys, and nominee for an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a pair of Tonys.
She’s played in a host of memorable TV and film roles, including on “The Thornbirds”, “St. Elmo’s Fire”, “Amber Waves” and “American Horror Story”. Believe it or not, her big break came after singing “Here, There and Everywhere” on “The Gong Show”. She wasn’t hired to sing, but she was signed for Hollywood and began appearing in TV shows. She’s combined singing and acting in several of her films, including a trio of songs in the film “Georgia”, and has recorded four albums.
Winningham is married to her fourth husband, actor Anthony Edwards. She has five children from a previous marriage to TV producer William Maple. She converted to Judaism in her forties.
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