Today is the birthday of Village People vocalist David Hodo, who was born

in 1947. The Village People were a group of gay-themed disco singers who

dressed as stereotypical macho men and sang satirical tunes that became the hits of the decade. Members included Victor Willis, Hodo, Felipe Rose, Randy Junes, Glenn Hughes and Alex Briley, but the group was concocted by video producer Jacques Morali and businessmen Henri Belolo, Phil Hutt and Peter Whitehead, who wrote the songs and created the look that would make the Village People famous. The singers dressed up as a leather-clad biker, a construction worker, an Indian brave, a cowboy and a policeman.

The group's biggest hits included "Macho Man" and "Y.M.C.A.," both which served to certify their albums multi-platinum. During the late 1970s, the group sold upward of 18 million records and 20 million singles, but by 1981 the Village People had to turn in their macho duds for new romantic costumes to make a splash with Renaissance. Although the group was mostly forgotten in the 1980s (aside from Donald Duck's cover, "Macho Duck"), their hits have enjoyed a resurgence in the 1990s. In addition, U2's video for "Discotheque" was inspired by the Village People's 1970s look.

Other birthdays: Ricky Kinchen (Mint Condition), Ringo Starr, Warren Entner

(The Grass Roots), Jim Rodford (Kinks/Argent), Larry Reinhardt (Iron Maiden)

and Ricky Kinchen (Mint Condition).