# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/21 "2014-07-06T00:46:01Z")
Isn’t Drake Jewish? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/22 "2014-07-06T01:03:23Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > 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. While he’s of Jewish descent, he apparently became rather anti-Semitic after becoming born again, so he’s an…interesting example. His former bandmate, Marty Friedman, is a less problematic example. ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/23 "2014-07-06T01:12:03Z")
[Lesley Gore](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQmBXEZEYtg), the former [Lesley](http://www.biography.com/people/lesley-gore-16606845) [Sue](http://www.thejewishweek.com/blogs/yad/jewish-feminism-chai) [Goldstein](http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/127395/jewish-feminist-singer-lesley-gore-from-the-/). ---
**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 6, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/24 "2014-07-06T01:41:02Z")
[Barry Goldberg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Goldberg), who put out an album with Mike Bloomfield called “Two Jew Blues.” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/25 "2014-07-06T03:41:16Z")
Despite having the name Saul, I don’t think Slash is actually Jewish. ---
**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 6, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/26 "2014-07-06T03:54:54Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > … > Big Zimmy is out… > [@WordMan](#): > > …Why not Dylan/Zimmerman?.. > [@42fish](#): > > I’m guessing because of his becoming a born-again Christian… OP here. I slotted Big Bob thinking he wasn’t a rocker, not because of whoseaJewness. You have to remember, to play Jewish Geography (aka Jew of the Week) the slightest, most remote connection unto the umpteenth descendant and religious conversion is enough for a quotient of pride multiplied by surprise value. Eg, I think that weird actress from Fight Club and The King’s Speech, with the fancy sounding name I can’t remember now, is one gajillionth Jewish, and that was almost worth a phone call to my friend. Then there’s cases like NYC’s Cardinal O’Connor, which was Jew of the Year, at least. I forgot to start the list with someone who made me think of posting to begin with: Phillip Kohn, Curved Air. I never heard of him or his band but I enjoy his cigar posts with tales of sex and drugs appended; he’s a good writer and a Jew with 'tude. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/27 "2014-07-06T05:36:52Z")
**Dylan** not a rocker? As Lazlo Toth would say, it’s a mandate! You can call it anything you want, you’re the President! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/28 "2014-07-06T05:51:09Z")
Shalom Hanoch, Shlomno Artzi, Gidi Gov, Danny Sanderson, Alon Oliarchik, Hemi Rodner, Rami Fortis, Boris Sakharov, David Broza, Aviv Geffen… ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/29 "2014-07-06T13:38:51Z")
Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. Punk rocker Richard Hell (ne Klein) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/30 "2014-07-06T13:57:31Z")
Guitarist Trevor Rabin, the main songwriter of the Eighties version of Yes, is a Jewish South African. There’s also Gavin Rossdale of Bush. ---
**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 6, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/31 "2014-07-06T14:11:56Z")
Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead Linda McCartney ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/32 "2014-07-06T19:04:28Z")
Jorma Kaukonen of the Jefferson Airplane had a Finnish Dad and a Jewish Mom… which makes him Jewish by traditional Judaic standards. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/33 "2014-07-06T19:06:49Z")
Sadly, the Jews have to take “Credit” for some real duds, too. Like Michael Bolton ---
**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 6, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/34 "2014-07-06T19:40:20Z")
Steven Seagal? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/35 "2014-07-06T19:46:26Z")
Jeff Tweedy of Wilco just recently converted to Judaism. His wife and children already are and now he is as well. My cite is that I belong to the same temple as they do. Steven Page, formerly of Barenaked Ladies, is also Jewish. And no mention of Matisyahu yet? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/36 "2014-07-06T21:01:55Z")
Paul Kossoff, lead guitarist of Free 9"All Right Now"). I THINK Jethro Tull’s original lead guitarist, Mick Abrahams, was Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/37 "2014-07-06T22:06:47Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Sadly, the Jews have to take “Credit” for some real duds, too. > > Like Michael Bolton Yes, but when you pair him with two more Jews (Akiva Schaffer and Andy Samberg), [**you get pure magic**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY&feature=kp). ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/38 "2014-07-06T22:40:18Z")
She’s not exactly rock 'n roll - more folk/anti-folk - but Regina Spektor came to mind. ---
**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 7, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/39 "2014-07-07T01:08:08Z")
Max Wein-something (gotta be, right?) Springsteen drummer, talk-show bandleader Whoever did Spirit in the Sky, also European-Jewish name, I think I love that song. Told my wife (but haven’t put it in writing…yet) that at my funeral service, even with a Rabbi of any sorts, at the very beginning, all stand, all dead quiet, then that song. _Especially_ the more Orthodoxyish the service. ---
**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 7, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424/40 "2014-07-07T01:14:19Z")
Missed edit window: Beastie Boys. Go Stuyvesant! Boo Science! Boo Tech also, if you’re out there! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-performers-in-rock-and-roll-r-b/692424.md?page=3)