If your birthday falls during the month of March - the month the Romans named after Mars, the god of war, because this month signaled the beginning of their annual season of waging war - then you're in good company. There must be something about making babies in the middle of summer, nine months earlier. Plenty of our most beloved musical celebrities were born in March over the years.
There's Shaquille O'Neal, for example, who you may not immediately think of as a musician. The man called Shaq was born on March 6. He grew up, went to Louisiana State University, and then became a famous and beloved professional basketball player. He was so loved that Hollywood gave him a chance at movie stardom. Remember Kazaam? Shaq also recorded as a rap artist, including his album "Rap Diesel."
Justin Bieber, international heartthrob and pop star, barely made it out of February; he was born on March 1. Speaking of Bieber and birthdays, there's a company that makes custom birthday greeting cards with a twist, like inserting your face into a clip from the music video for the Justin Bieber/Ed Sheeran song, "I Don't Care." Sadly, Ed Sheeran was born in February; otherwise, this would be the most meta idea for a March birthday card ever.
Superstar of superstars Lady Gaga has a March birthday. She was born on the other end of the month from Bieber: March 28. Lady Gaga's real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. In addition to a wildly successful music career with hits like "Bad Romance" and "Alejandro," she rocked the role of a struggling singer in Bradley Cooper's remake of A Star is Born. (Bradley Cooper was born in January.)
Elton John is another music star with a march birthday. He was born on March 25 with the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight on his birth certificate. He was named a Disney Legend in 2006 in recognition of his work on the music for such films as The Lion King (who can forget "The Circle of Life"?). Other famous recipients of the Disney Legend Award include Steve Martin, born in August; Robin Williams, born in July; and Betty White, born in January.
Don't forget Mariah Carey, named by Billboard as the top female musical artist of all time. She was born on March 27. The Guiness World Book of Records calls her the "Songbird Supreme," an honorific nickname in the same vein as Erykah Badu's "Godmother of Soul," Elvis Presley's "King of Rock 'n' Roll", or Joan Baez's "Queen of Folk." (Erykah was born in February, Elvis and Joan were born in January).
It wouldn't be possible to talk about musicians with March birthdays without mentioning Celine Dion, born on March 30. Billboard namd her "Queen of Adult Contemporary," and during her career she shattered all kinds of records for music sales. You may remember her involvement with the movie Titanic: "My Heart Will Go On," written and composed by James Horner, born in August, and Will Jennings, born in June. Among the many accomplishments of her career, Celine sang a duet with Frank Sinatra, born in December, and performed "God Bless America" in a post-9/11 tribute to the first responders.
Another pop star with a March birthday is the artist known as Fergie. She was born on March 27 with the name Stacy Ann Ferguson. Her start in show business came in the form of a TV show for children on the Disney channel called Kids Incorporated. Jennifer Love Hewitt was another member of the cast of that show whose career blossomed; her birthday is in February. Fergie was in a band called The Black Eyed Peas with another famous musical artist with a March birthday, however: will.i.am. His birthday is on March 15th of the same year as Fergie.
