# Jewish Performers in Rock and Roll/R&B **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424 "2014-07-05T20:07:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/1 "2014-07-05T20:07:54Z")
The following definition, courtesy of that rigorous Talmudic site, Jewornotjew, is a helpful start, but need not be followed, unless anybody feels like it. Me, I just want to up some K numbers in unusual professions, based on whatever the remotest link or unsubstantiated guess can be made, like in sports, or even (weirdly, as some modern Jews will do), in gangster history. [The…] I Score tends to refer to birth history with some adjustments for how we imagine they see/saw themselves. The O Score is for how Jewish they look and act. The K Score stands for Kvell (pride) and is subject to the whims of the creators of this website. Each score ranges from 0 to 5. Big Zimmy is out. So far, I got: Kinky Friedman (presumably and all his Texas Jewboys) Billy Joel That guy from Kiss, who’s born in Israel, I think (doesn’t he have a Ph.D., or something?) Paul Butterfield Carole King ETA: I could scour the above mentioned site, or see what Wiki has, but that’s no fun. They can be consulted when fistfights break out. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/2 "2014-07-05T20:52:06Z")
I generally don’t keep track of such things, but I do know that for Kiss, it should be “_those guys_ from Kiss” since both Gene Simmons (Chaim Witz) and Paul Stanley (Stanley Bert Eisen) are ethnically Jewish. The only reason I know/remember this is that I’ve heard rumors that the perennial split between the members has been divided along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/3 "2014-07-05T20:53:52Z")
The lingo in your OP is a bit incomprehensible … but [here’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Mustaine#Early_life) something I just read the other day about Dave Mustaine of MegaDeth / Metallica. Also, David Lee Roth of Van Halen and I read somewhere (in a Slate article or something) that lots of early punk musicians were Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/4 "2014-07-05T21:04:26Z")
[Mike Bloomfield](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bloomfield) was Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/5 "2014-07-05T21:27:26Z")
Les Paul. Peter Green(baum) Why not Dylan/Zimmerman? Doc Pomus, the songwriter. Ellie Greenwich. Neil Diamond. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/6 "2014-07-05T21:45:57Z")
Marc Bolan Perry Farrell ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/7 "2014-07-05T21:56:38Z")
Mick Jones of the Clash Lou Reed Howard Kaylan & Mark Volman (The Turtles, Flo & Eddie) Derek, Ray, and Phil Shulman of Gentle Giant ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/8 "2014-07-05T21:57:10Z")
Lenny Kravitz And, of course, Adam Sandler ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/9 "2014-07-05T22:00:57Z")
[Here’s a lengthy list.](http://archive.chazzanut.com/jewish-music-old/msg03495.html) It’s a little TOO complete as a “rock” list (Andrew Dice Clay? Benny Goodman?). Obvious names not yet mentioned: Simon & Garfunkel Slash ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/10 "2014-07-05T22:07:41Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > That guy from Kiss, who’s born in Israel, I think (doesn’t he have a Ph.D., or something?) I don’t think so but I understand they call him Dr. Love. **Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen** and **Walter Becker** are both Jewish. If Adam Sandler is to be trusted, you can add **Sammy Davis Jr**. who evidently converted and **Bowzer** from **Sha Na Na**. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/11 "2014-07-05T22:54:18Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Why not Dylan/Zimmerman? I’m guessing because of his becoming a born-again Christian. Anyways, more Jewish rockers from “The Book of Rock Lists”: The Beastie Boys (Ad-Rock, Mike D and MCA) Leonard Cohen Billy Joel Al Kooper Manfred Mann (the keyboardist, not the whole band) Phil Ochs Joey Ramone Rick Rubin Phil Spector Chris Stein of Blondie Leslie West of Mountain Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band Zal Yanovsky of the Lovin’ Spoonful Warren Zevon ---
**Author:** ![bunyupp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@bunyupp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunyupp)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/12 "2014-07-05T23:03:37Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned **Geddy Lee** of Rush. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/13 "2014-07-05T23:05:44Z")
I would have said Al Yankovich, but apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/14 "2014-07-05T23:27:21Z")
Scott Ian of Anthrax’s real full name is Scott Ian Rosenfeld. And he’s from New York. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/15 "2014-07-05T23:28:24Z")
> [@bunyupp](#): > > I can’t believe no one has mentioned **Geddy Lee** of Rush. Seriously. Exhibit A: real name is Gary Lee Weinrib. Exhibit B: he’s so Jewish his grandma pronounced his first name “Geddy,” which is why he goes by that to this day. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/16 "2014-07-05T23:29:40Z")
I wouldn’t call her a _rock_ performer, but Paula Abdul is Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/17 "2014-07-05T23:44:55Z")
Eric Bloom, lead singer of Blue Oyster Cult ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/18 "2014-07-05T23:46:57Z")
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits Passenger ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/19 "2014-07-05T23:47:10Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Scott Ian of Anthrax’s real full name is Scott Ian Rosenfeld. And he’s from New York. How could I forget him? He was in my high school graduating class (Bronx Science)! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/20 "2014-07-05T23:47:57Z")
Elvis’ favorite songwtiters, Lieber and Stoller. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424.md?page=2)