Today is the birthday of Alison Moyet (given name: Genevieve Alison-Jane Moyet), who was born in 1961 in Basildon, Essex, England. Known for her distinctively rich alto, Moyet sang with England's Yazoo (known stateside as Yaz) before moving on to a solo career. In her teens, Moyet was first influenced by punk music, but decided her voice was better suited to pop and R&B. After fronting club bands, she met up with ex-Depeche Mode songwriter Vince Clarke and formed Yaz. Together they recorded two albums , 1982's Upstairs At Eric's and 1983's You and Me Both; both included heavy doses of British dance-pop, but Moyet's soulful voice made the group what it was.

After Moyet and Clarke went their separate ways, Moyet recorded her debut, Alf, in 1984; the album went platinum in England and hit the top 10 in several other countries. Its follow-up, 1987's Raindancing, also sold well, entering the British charts at #2. But Moyet wasn't happy with the way her albums wer e being made and promoted. She took a four-year hiatus, returning in 1991 with the experimental Hoodoo. Although the album was well-received by critics, it sold poorly. Moyet's most recent release is 1993's Essex.

Other birthd ays: Paul McCartney, Koran Daniels, Tom Bailey (Babble), film critic Roger Ebert and actress/model Isabella Rossellini.