Let's make this birthday one to remember.

85 years old (Born on June 17, 1939)

Happy Birthday to the legendary James Gadson—the man whose beats have kept us grooving from Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band all the way through sessions with Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and even Sir Paul McCartney. Your rhythms are timeless; your drumming is smoother than a vintage vinyl spinning on a Sunday afternoon.

Whether laying down soulful grooves or making musical magic behind countless hits, you've proven that age only makes you funkier. Here's hoping your birthday celebration has as much rhythm and joy as every beat you've gifted us over the years—keep those sticks swinging!