Guitarist/singer/songwriter Dave Alvin first became known as co-founder of the Blasters, the '80s roots-rock band in which he played with his singer/guitarist brother, Phil.

Dave Alvin was born Nov. 11, 1955, in Los Angeles. Dave and his brother Phil, raised in Los Angeles' Downey suburb, were the sons of a labor organizer father. The Alvin boys loved the music of such bluesmen as Big Joe Turner and such rockers as Elvis Presley.

The Alvin brothers began playing guitar in several rock bands before forming the Blasters in 1979. They named the group after blues pianist Jimmy McCracklin's Blues Blasters. At the time the band started gigging, punk rock was the rage in big U.S. cities. John Doe, bassist of L.A. punk rockers X, befriended the Blasters and got them gigs opening for his band.

In 1980, the Blasters, which also included Bill Bateman on drums and John Bazz on bass, issued their debut, American Music, a mix of covers and original rootsy numbers. It included "Flat Top Joint," "Real Rock Drive" and "So Glad." After signing with the punk label Slash, the Blasters released an eponymous 1981 LP with additional members including baritone saxophone player Steve Berlin (now with Los Lobos).

Dave Alvin began to dominate the Blasters' songwriting on such albums as Non-Fiction (1983), while John Mellencamp contributed to the Blasters' The Hard Line (1985). Alvin then quit, but the remaining Blasters continued to tour without him.

Alvin briefly played guitar with X and their acoustic side project the Knitters, before embarking on a solo career in which he focused lyrically on blue-collar issues and musically on roots rock and country. Alvin's solo debut, Romeo's Escape — originally issued in the UK as Every Night About This Time — featured remakes of "Fourth of July," the one song he contributed to X, and the Blasters' "Long White Cadillac" (later covered by Dwight Yoakam).

Alvin's other LPs include Blue Blvd. (1991), Museum of Heart (1993), King of California (1994), including "Blue Wing" and the Blasters' "Border Radio," and Interstate City (1996).

In 1997 Alvin contributed "Seeds" to the Bruce Springsteen tribute LP One Step Up, Two Steps Back. He also co-produced Tulare Dust: A Songwriters' Tribute to Merle Haggard.

Last year, Alvin issued Blackjack David (RealAudio excerpt of title cut) and mounted a supporting tour. The album also included "Abilene," "New Highway" and "Tall Trees." He also has recorded with an "all-star" band including Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana under the name the Pleasure Barons. They issued an LP, Live in Las Vegas.

Other birthdays on Thursday: Roger Lavern Jackson (Tornadoes), 61; Jesse Colin Young (Youngbloods), 55; Vince Martell (Vanilla Fudge), 54; Chris Dreja (Yardbirds), 53; Pat Daugherty (Black Oak Arkansas), 52; Paul Cowsill (Cowsills), 47; Marshall Crenshaw, 46; Ian Craig-Marsh (Human League, Heaven 17), 43; Scott Mercado (Candlebox), 35; Jo Kittsee (Fuzzbox), 31; Wyatt "Riot" Pauley (Linear), 31; and LaVern Baker, 1929–1997.