About maketodayrock.com: We celebrate musicians' birthdays, remember those we've lost, and highlight key moments in music such a release dates, chart peak dates, or anything else tied to a specific date. Pick any day from the menu in the top right. The front page shows recent obituaries.
May 13, 2026 ~ Blues, soul singer, guitarist, songwriter Clarence Carter, full name Clarence George Carter, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Probably best known for his 1970 rendition of Patches, which reached top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic and earned Carter a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song. Over the course of his career, Carter has recorded well over a dozen albums, enjoying popularity especially through the early 1970s. Well known songs include Slip Away, Snatching It Back, Doin' Our Thing, and I Can't Leave Your Love Alone, all of which reached top 10 Billboard R&B. Carter was married to singer Candi Staton from 1970 through 1973 ~ Carter was born in 1936
May 1, 2026 ~ Jazz, pop, rock guitarist Georg Wadenius, also known as Georg Jojje Wadenius, passed away ~ Co-founding member of Made In Sweden and Solar Plexus. After relocating to America, Wadenius would rise to international fame as lead guitarist of Blood Sweat & Tears from 1972 through 1975, present on the albums New Blood, No Sweat, Mirror Image, New City, and In Concert. To American audiences, Wadenius is also well known as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band from 1979 through 1985. Wadenius has recorded over a dozen albums as a leader, starting with Goda Goda in 1969, and was an in-demand touring and session guitarist prior to, during and after his tenure with Blood Sweat & Tears. Over the course of his career, Wadenius has appeared on albums by the likes of Pugh Rogefeldt, Joe Henderson, Dexter Gordon, Pekka Pohjola, Grace Slick, Luther Vandross (Never Too Much), Steely Dan (Gold), Fonzi Thornton, the Weather Girls, Dionne Warwick, Michael Franks, Jeffrey Osborne, Johnny Gill, Lisa Fischer, Keith Washington, Tom Chapin (Billy The Squid), Ronnie Cuber (The Scene Is Clean), Donald Fagen, Dr John, Eric Bibb, Jon Lucien, the Backstreet Boys (Millenium), and Jason Miles ~ Wadenius was born in 1945
April 30, 2026 ~ Singer, guitarist, drummer Alex Ligertwood, full name Alexander John Ligertwood, passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Ligertwood, especially praised for his four-octave vocal range, had been singing from an early age onwards, drawing inspiration from the likes of Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Curtis Mayfield. Ligertwood first gained serious attention in the late 1960s as a member of white soul cover band the Senate, which also included Robbie McIntosh of future the Average White Band fame. Throughout the 1970s, Ligertwood was a member of jazz-rock unit the Oblivion Express, including on the acclaimed albums Second Wind and Closer To It. Ligertwood would also appear on albums by André Ceccarelli, Lenny White, and Carly Simon. Internationally, however, Ligertwood would become best known as on-and-off lead singer of Santana from 1979 through 1994, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums, singing lead on songs such as All I Ever Wanted, You Know That I Love You, and the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hits Winning and Hold On, and performed with the band at their 1985 Live Aid appearance in Philadelphia. Ligertwood also co-wrote several Santana songs during his various stints with the band, most notably Brightest Star, The Nile, and Somewhere In Heaven. Upon hearing of Ligertwood's passing, Brian Auger, Ligertwood's bandmate in the Oblivion Express, stated: “To me, Alex aka ‘Wee Eck’ was simply the best singer to ever do it. In all my years of music, I never heard anyone who possessed that kind of range or that effortless, carefree ability to soar through a melody. He didn't just sing songs, he lived them” ~ Ligertwood was born in 1946
April 30, 2026 ~ Electric blues guitarist, songwriter, producer Bobby Murray passed away ~ Influenced by Albert Collins and BB King. Best known for his association with Etta James, a member of James' backing unit for over two decades starting in 1988. Recorded a number of solo albums, starting with The Blues Is Now in 1996. Has also worked with Albert King, Johnny Guitar Watson, Taj Mahal, Percy Mayfield, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Lowell Fulson ~ Murray was born in 1953
April 29, 2026 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter David Allan Coe passed away ~ Transitioned from blues to country, becoming a major force in 1970s outlaw country. Known for his rebellious attitude and wild image, hindering mainstream success. Well known songs include You Never Even Called Me By My Name, Longhaired Redneck, The Ride, Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile, She Used To Love Me A Lot. Wrote Would You Lay With Me In A Field Of Stone and Take This Job And Shove It, hits for respectively Tanya Tucker and Johnny Paycheck. Also noted as a member of Rebel Meets Rebel, which also included Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown, critically acclaimed for their pioneering eponymous Rebel Meets Rebel country metal album released two years after Darrell's death ~ Coe was born in 1939
April 27, 2026 ~ Beverley Kutner, commonly known as folk, folk rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Beverley Martyn, passed away ~ Fronted jug band the Levee Breakers, with whom she played the folk circuit in south east England during the mid 1960s. Subsequently, she has released several singles as a solo artist, including notably Happy New Year, which featured Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, I Love My Dog, and the Donovan produced Museum. In 1969, Martyn would marry John Martyn. The couple have released two duo albums, Stormbringer and The Road To Ruin, before John Martyn's record label urged him to resume his solo career as they believed there was more public interest in solo acts. However, Beverley Martyn would continue to contribute to her husband's solo records until their divorce in 1980. Following her divorce, Martyn has toured with Loudon Wainwright III, released the albums No Frills and The Phoenix And The Turtle, the latter of which featured the Counting Crows bassist Matt Malley and Los Lobos drummer Victor Bisetti ~ Kutner was born in 1947
April 25, 2026 ~ Jazz trombonist, saxophonist, singer Daniel Huck passed away ~ Worked with the Famous Melody Boys, Jean-Pierre Morel, the Jazzomaniacs, Gilbert Leroux, the Anachronic Jazz Band, Olivier Franc, Raymond Fonseque, Cat Anderson, Bill Coleman, Philippe Baudoin, Emmanuel Hussenot, the Hot Antic Jazz Band, Slapscat, Slim Gaillard, and Eddy Louiss ~ Huck was born in 1948
April 25, 2026 ~ Saxophonist, clarinetist Jesper Thilo passed away ~ Classically trained on the clarinet, yet persuaded by Arnved Meyer to switch to saxophone. Critically compared to Zoot Sims. Considered one of the premier European straight-ahead jazz musicians from 1970 onward. Has recorded about a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, including the acclaimed Tribute To Frog, the Harry Sweets Edison collaboration Featuring Harry Edison, and A Little Bit Of Duke. Closely associated with Arnved Meyer, with whom he played for most of the 1960s, the DR Big Band, and Ernie Wilkins. As a sideman, Thilo has appeared on albums by the likes of Ben Webster (Plays Ballads), Oliver Nelson, Wild Bill Davison, Richard Boone, Miles Davis (Aurra), Roland Hanna (This Time It's Real), Finn Savery, Tommy Flanagan, Sigurd Barrett, Ib Glindemann, Cirkeline, Clark Terry, Randy Reinhardts, Niels Jørgen Steen, Ken Peplowski (Happy Together), Gunhild Carling, Ralph Sutton, and Scott Hamilton ~ Thilo was born in 1941
April 22, 2026 ~ Evelyne Verrechia, commonly known as singer Evelyne Lenton, passed away in Pordenone, Italy ~ Rose to fame as lead singer and sole constant member of Paris-based female vocal trio Belle Epoque, with whom she recorded three albums. The trio are best known for their disco version of Black Is Black, lifted off their 1977 Miss Broadway debut album. Originally the song had been a hit for Spanish outfit Los Bravos a little over a decade earlier, which reached top 10 in over a dozen countries including the UK and America. At least in Europe, Belle Epoque's cover version, their biggest hit, would do equally well and reach top 10 in the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK. The song would also top the charts in Australia. In their native France, Belle Epoque's hit would fall just short of the top 10, peaking at No.11. In America, the trio enjoyed considerably less success, their sole charting single Miss Broadway only barely making it to the Billboard Hot 100 where it stalled at No.92. Prior to her success with Belle Epoque, Lenton had recorded as a solo artist under the moniker Evy. Lenton's baby brother is keyboardist, songwriter and producer Albert Verrecchia ~ Verrecchia was born in 1945
April 20, 2026 ~ Singer, guitarist Alan Osmond, full name Alan Ralph Osmond, passed away in Lehi, Utah, USA ~ Eldest member of the Osmonds sibling outfit. Osmond was also helpful in advancing the solo careers of Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond, and was one of the producers for the Donny & Marie Show, which aired on ABC from 1976 through 1979. Yet, he is best remembered as creative leader, although he rarely sang lead, and producer of the family-friendly sibling outfit especially popular during the first half of the 1970s. Osmond has co-written several of the band's best known including Down By The Lazy River, Hold Her Tight, and Crazy Horses. Upon Osmond's passing, Marie Osmond commented how her brother had always been a natural leader: “Alan became our leader at age 12. How daunting that must have felt to have that immense responsibility, to lead at such a young age. But he never complained. He told me many times, ‘It felt like a mission, a long one, but I loved doing it’. And he did it for us and for all of you” ~ Osmond was born in 1949
April 20, 2026 ~ Guitarist, bassist, engineer, producer, studio owner Wayne Moss passed away in Madison, Tennessee, USA ~ Taking up the guitar at age 8, Moss would go on to become one of the most in-demand Nashville session musicians. Moss is also known as co-owner, alongside lifelong compadre Charlie McCoy, of Cinderella Sound, the oldest independent Nashville recording studio. Co-founder of Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry, two groups consisting of Nashville studio musicians. Moss is notably present on classic tracks such as Sheila (Tommy Roe), Oh Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison), I Want You and Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob Dylan), Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line (Waylon Jennings), Stand By Your Man (Tammy Wynette), The Chokin' Kind (Joe Simon), and Coat Of Many Colors, Jolene, and I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton). Over the course of his lengthy career, Moss has also appeared on albums by Bob Luman, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Chet Atkins, Patsy Cline, Eddy Arnold, Loretta Lynn, Peter Paul & Mary, the Monkees, Porter Wagoner (The Cold Hard Facts Of Life), Nancy Sinatra (Country My Way), Buffy Sainte-Marie, Al Kooper (I Stand Alone), Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Mickey Newbury (Looks Like Rain), Jerry Jeff Walker, Leo Kottke, the Oak Ridge Boys, Kris Kristofferson, and Billy Walker. Upon hearing of his passing, Kyle Young, the chief executive of the Country Music Hall of Fame, stated: “Wayne was a musical torchbearer and a creative pathfinder who left his own resounding stamp on music history.” Moss had been inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009 ~ Moss was born in 1938
April 19, 2026 ~ Guitarist, bassist, singer Dave Mason, full name David Thomas Mason, passed away ~ Rose to fame as member of rock outfit Traffic, present on the albums Mr Fantasy and its follow-up Traffic. Also notably played with Jimi Hendrix, including 12-string acoustic guitar on the Bob Dylan-cover All Along The Watchtower and backing vocals on Crosstown Traffic. Present on the Rolling Stones album Beggars' Banquet. Present on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. Other collaborations include Cass Elliott, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, David Crosby, Fleetwood Mac, Leon Russell, and Deep Feeling. As a solo artist known for the moderate 1970 Only You Know And I Know hit, the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit We Just Disagree, and the Michael Jackson-duet Save Me of his 1980 Old Crest On A New Wave album ~ Mason was born in 1946
April 16, 2026 ~ Country singer, songwriter Don Schlitz, full name Donald Alan Schlitz Jr, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known for penning The Gambler. Schlitz shopped the song around Nashville for two years, but few took notice. Bobby Bare would be the first to record it, followed by Charlie Tango, Hugh Moffatt, Johnny Cash, and Schlitz himself. However, when Kenny Rogers picked up the song, it rose to the top of the Billboard Country charts, crossed over to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 where it reached No.16, at the time a rare occurence for a country song, and earned Rogers a Grammy Award. For Rogers, it became a signature song, one of his best known, while for Schlitz The Gambler proved to be his breakout hit. Schlitz has since gone on to write or co-write numerous country hits, some two dozen of which reached the top of the Billboard Country charts. Included among his best known are several hits for Randy Travis including On The Other Hand, Forever And Ever Amen and Point Of Light, the latter of which written on commission by then-President George HW Bush as the theme song for his Points of Light program, Reba McEntire's One Promise Too Late, and Keith Whitley's signature song When You Say Nothing At All, the latter later also a hit for Alison Krauss, Frank Black, and the first solo hit for Boyzone singer Ronan Keating used for the soundtrack of the romantic comedy Notting Hill. Others who have recorded songs written or co-written by Schlitz include the Kendalls, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Alabama (40 Hour Week (Workin' For A Livin')), Holly Dunn, Lynn Anderson, the Judds (Rockin' With The Rhythm Of The Rain), the Sweethearts Of The Rodeo, Janie Fricke, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Van Shelton, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks (Learning To Live Again), Mary Chapin Carpenter (He Thinks He'll Keep Her), the Forester Sisters, George Strait, Lee Ann Womack (Why They Call It Falling), and Sara Evans. Schlitz, acknowledged as one of country music's finest story-tellers of his generation, is inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame ~ Schlitz was born in 1952
April 15, 2026 ~ Barbara Jean Crosby, commonly known as blues, soul blues singer Barbara Carr, passed away ~ Although at times she enjoyed some regional popularity, intermittently recording a handful of solo singles starting in the mid 1960s and singing with a string of Missouri based groups, Barbara Carr would toil around in relative obscurity for decades prior to receiving wider acknowledgment in the late 1980s and 1990s, her full-length Good Woman Go Bad debut album issued over three decades after her professional start in music. Carr started singing at a young age, starting in the church choir, and continuing on with sibling gospel outfit the Crosby Sisters, as well as through grade and high school. While still in her teens, Carr co-founded the vocal cover band the Comets, and was a member of girl group the Petites, with whom she opened for the Miracles. Her break came when she joined Oliver Sain's ensemble, succeeding Fontella Bass, and through his connections landed a record deal with Chess Records. Carr would intermittently release a handful of singles, notably Good Woman Go Bad, yet as she was poorly promoted left the music industry to raise a family ~ Crosby was born in 1941
April 14, 2026 ~ Jazz organist, pianist Dan Wall, full name Daniel Lee Wall Jr, passed away ~ Recorded over half a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, particularly noted for his 1981 album Song For The Night which featured backing from saxophonist Steve Grossman, bassist Mike Richmond, and drummer Jimmy Madison. Wall started playing semi-professionally while still in his teens, leading a combo which regularly performed at the Carousel Club in his native Atlanta, Georgia. Wall would go on to study at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, on a scholarship from Down Beat, and become an in-demand sideman and collaborator most noted for his associations with Karl Ratzer, Ike Isaacs, Maxine Sullivan, Eddie Gomez, Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, Eddie Harris, Al Cohn, Jerry Bergonzi (Lost In The Shuffle), Ernie Krivda, and Buddy DeFranco. Wall is especially noted as a member of John Abercrombie's early 1990s trio, which also included drummer Adam Nussbaum, highly acclaimed for the albums While We Were Young and Speak Of The Devil. Wall is also well known as a professor at the Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, from 2001 until his retirement in 2025. Upon hearing of his passing, close friend and fellow Oberlin College professor Bobby Ferrazza stated: “He was a humble, generous, warm person. He was a musician so special that he inspired almost everyone who heard him play. All of these attributes changed lives for the better for so many of us who had the privilege to know him, students and colleagues alike. We called each other ‘brother’ and I feel a great loss. All we can do is try to carry forward all the beautiful life and music lessons that he taught all of us” ~ Wall was born in 1953
April 13, 2026 ~ Máire Philomena Ní Bhraináin, commonly known as singer Moya Brennan, passed away in Gweedore, Ireland ~ Regarded as “the First Lady of Celtic Music”, Brennan would rise to fame with Clannad, originally a family outfit named Clann as Dobhar. The group was founded in the early 1970s, and initially performed traditional songs in Irish, later expanding their sound to include elements from rock, new age, smooth jazz, and Gregorian chant. Clannad would rise to international fame in the early 1980s, when Theme From Harry's Game recorded as the theme song to the British television drama series became an international hit. The group is also well known for their 1984 soundtrack album Legend recorded for the television series Robin Of Sherwood, their 1985 masterpiece album Macalla, and for Landmarks which won the group a Grammy Award for Best New Age album in 1999. The internationally successful solo career of Brennan's younger sister Enya, who had sung with Clannad in the early 1980s, also helped the group expand their fanbase. Brennan was praised for the clarity of her voice, while the group has been acknowledged as one of Ireland's finest musical exports, able to bring Irish music to an international audience. U2 singer Bono has said of Brennan she has “one of the greatest voices the human ear has ever experienced”. Over the course of her career, either with Clannad, with the all-female Irish quartet T with the Maggies, as a solo artist, or as an in-demand collaborator with the likes of the Chieftains, Robert Plant, Michael McDonald, Shane MacGowan, Mick Jagger, and Bono, Brennan has sold over an estimated 30 million records. Brennan, a constant and enthusiastic ambassador for Irish culture and a native Irish Gaeilge speaker, was keen to keep her traditional arts and music in the forefront. She has been quoted as saying: “Ireland is changing rapidly but one thing that remains constant is our love of music and wanting the whole world to hear it. I love being part of that” ~ Ní Bhraináin was born in 1952
April 10, 2026 ~ R&B, pop, funk, jazz trumpeter Harry Kim, full name Harry Dixon Kim, passed away ~ Best known for his association with Phil Collins, backing the singer on tour and record for decades starting in the mid 1980s including on albums such as No Jacket Required and But Seriously. Kim is also especially noted for founding and leading the Vine Street Horns, with whom he toured with Collins for the extensive Both Sides world tour, and as bandleader, arranger, and music director of the Phil Collins Big Band performing jazzified versions of Collins' and Genesis's best known. Prior to teaming up with Phil Collins, Kim has appeared on albums by Sérgio Mendes, Le Pamplemousse (Le Spank), Luis Conte, Syl Johnson, Edwin Starr, Gil Scott-Heron, Bobby Womack, and David Byrne, and was a member of the Phenix Horns with whom he backed Earth Wind & Fire. Other notable associations include Brian Wilson, Rodney Friend, José Feliciano, David Benoit, Candi Sosa, Zachary Breaux, Herb Alpert, and Johnny Hallyday. Kim has also led and arranged horn sections for TV shows such as American Idol, America's Got Talent, and Celebrity Duets ~ Kim was born in 1951
April 2, 2026 ~ Drummer James Gadson, full name James Edward Gadson, passed away ~ One of the most-recorded drummers in history. Member of Charles Wright's Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, with whom he recorded three albums during the late 1960s. Along with other members of Wright's band, Gadson would appear on several hit records of Dyke & the Blazers. However, Gadson would come truly into his own, becoming an in-demand session drummer over the following decade. In the early 1970s, Gadson may have been most closely associated with Bill Withers, notably present on hits such as Ain't No Sunshine, Lean On Me, and Use Me, and co-producing Withers' highly acclaimed Still Bill breakout album. Gadson has played on several of the 1970s most memorable R&B hits, including Dancing Machine (the Jackson 5), Don't Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston), I Want You (Marvin Gaye), Love Hangover (Diana Ross), and I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor), and remained a highly sought-after session drummer for decades. Over the course of his lengthy career, Gadson has played on albums by the likes of Tavares, the Temptations, Quincy Jones (Body Heat), Yvonne Fair (The Bitch Is Black), Herbie Hancock, Kenny Rankin (Inside), Sonny Criss, Albert King, Leon Ware (Musical Massage), Phoebe Snow, Gene Harris, Randy Crawford, Natalie Cole, Rose Royce, the Emotions (Rejoice), Gary Bartz, the Pointer Sisters, Lenny Williams (Choosing You), Jimmy Smith, Sylvester, Yvonne Elliman (Night Flight), Pharoah Sanders, Smokey Robinson, Melissa Manchester, Aretha Franklin, the Gap Band, Patrice Rushen, Paulinho Da Costa, Donna Summer (Bad Girls), Bobby Womack (The Poet), Teena Marie, Leonard Cohen, BB King, Paul McCartney, and Justin Timberlake. In a 2007 interview with Modern Drummer, Gadson stated most grooves, especially for dance music, are very simple, however the trick is to slow them down: “A lot of times we do all these rudimental things to see how fast we can play. I think you have to slow it all down and simplify it. Then you can kind of feel whether it's danceable or not” ~ Gadson was born in 1939
April 1, 2026 ~ Tzruya Lahav, commonly known as violinist, singer, actress Suki Lahav, passed away in Jerusalem, Israel ~ Best known for briefly playing with Bruce Springsteen in the mid 1970s. Lahav's husband Louis Lahav was a sound engineer working with Springsteen, and when the New Jersey singer was looking for a violinist Lahav was hired. Only a few of Lahav's cuts made it onto vinyl, yet with her frail appearance a sharp but cherished contrast to Springsteen and the rest of the band her on-stage presence was a focal point during concerts, especially during slower songs. On record, Lahav sang on the tracks Incident On 57th Street and 4th Of July Asbury Park (Sandy), overdubbing herself to form a one-woman choir on the latter when a booked children's choir failed to show up for the session. Lahav's violin playing is prominently featured in the opening of Jungleland, one of Springsteen's most cherished songs. Lahav played with Springsteen until resettling to Israel in 1975. Little is heard from Lahav through the late 1980s, as she chose to focus on raising her children, yet she reemerged in the 1990s as a successful lyricist, and later playwright and author. Lahav co-wrote Shara Barkhovot, the Israel entry for the 1990 Eurovision Songfestival performed by Rita. She also notably translated Leonard Cohen's Famous Blue Raincoat to Hebrew for Sharon Lipshitz, retitled to Meil Hageshem Ha-kahol Vemefursam. Others who have recorded songs co-written or translated by Lahav include Yehudit Ravitz, Mei Banai, and Yehuda Poliker ~ Lahav was born in 1951
March 30, 2026 ~ Progressive rock, soft rock, art rock keyboardist, organist Christopher North, full name Christopher Reed North, passed away ~ Co-founding and key member of Ambrosia, providing the aural landscapes that balanced his virtuosity on the keyboards with soulful, radio-friendly hooks. Known for his stage presence and the intensity and depth of his performance, North's playing helped define the sound of the band which started in progressive rock only to venture into soft rock with the band scoring several romantic hits popular to this day. North would be hired by the band's bassist Joe Puerta after he saw him perform in a dimly lit room one night. Puerta would later recall that night: “There was a coffin with speakers in it. And at the end of the room, Chris was there, playing the organ with a bottle of wine on the top, smoking a cigarette, and there was a girl massaging his shoulders as he played, so I go, We gotta get this guy in the band.” North is especially noted for his organ playing on the hits Holdin' On To Yesterday, Biggest Part Of Me and You're The Only Woman (You & I), all three generally acknowledged as among the all-time finest organ solos in pop. North also guested on Chuck Girard's eponymous 1974 album, and along with his Ambrosia bandmates on Tales Of Mystery And Imagination, a 1976 album by the Alan Parsons Project. Ambrosia recorded five albums through the early 1980s before disbanding, yet have reconvened since from time to time. They are most acclaimed for their eponymous 1975 debut album, which at the time would be slightly overlooked, and its Alan Parsons produced Somewhere I've Never Travelled follow-up album a year later ~ North was born in 1951
March 27, 2026 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Jon Dee Graham passed away ~ In 1978, Graham dropped out of college to join the Skunks, replacing original member Eddie Munoz, yet frustrated by having only minimal input in the band's creative direction he departed the band the following year. Stints with blues singer Lou Ann Barton, Five Spot, and the Lift followed until he joined Alejandro Escovedo in the True Believers in 1984. Although the roots-rock outfit quickly became a critics darling and captivated audiences across Texas, they were dropped by their label with their already recorded sophomore album never released. Shortly thereafter, the band disbanded and Graham relocated to Los Angeles to find emply as a sideman for the likes of X frontman John Doe, Michelle Shocked, and Patty Smyth. Following a European tour with blues-rocker Calvin Russell, Graham found his way back to Austin where he accepted a job in construction, disillusioned with the music industry. However, singer Kelly Willis persuaded Graham to return to the stage. Although Graham never became a household name, not outside Texas anyway, in his native Austin he eventually reached legendary status for his membership of two pivotal bands, the Skunks and the True Believers, and for over half a dozen solo albums starting with Escape From Monster Island in 1997, drawing from punk, rock and country, and noted for his distinctive narrative songwriting. Although Graham's stint with the Skunks, considered pioneers of cowpunk, was short, and the True Believers only released the one album, it was his time with the former which gave Graham his punk cred while with the latter Graham developed his skill as a songwriter. As a sideman and collaborator, Graham has appeared on albums by Exene Cervenka, Susan Voelz (13 Ribs), the Silos, Kacy Crowley, the Gourds (Stadium Blitzer), Jim Roll, Toni Price, Jack Ingram, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Eliza Gilkyson, Omar & the Howlers, Robyn Ludwyck, James McMurtry, and Ry Cooder. Graham would be inducted in the Austin Music Hall of Fame thrice, as a solo artist in 2000, as a member of the Skunks in 2008, and finally as a member of roots-rock outfit the True Believers in 2009 ~ Graham was born in 1959
March 26, 2026 ~ Ross Friedman, commonly known as punk, proto-punk, heavy metal guitarist, keyboardist Ross Funicello or Ross the Boss, passed away ~ Co-founding member of punk outfit the Dictators. Although the punk rock outfit, predating the Ramones, initially had little success outside New York, especially their first three albums, Go Girl Crazy, Manifest Destiny, and Bloodbrothers, all of which included Friedman, over time have found a larger audience and have retrospectively been acknowledged as key recordings in the development of punk rock. The band has been described as epitomizing punk rock, embracing the junk culture and lifestyle associated with the genre, before punk rock became a musical and cultural phenomen. Following his departure from the Dictators, Friedman briefly played with Fabienne Shine in Shakin' Street, including as a support act for Black Sabbath on their 1980 Heaven & Hell tour. It was here he was introduced to bassist Joey DeMaio, with whom he founded Manowar later the same year. Friedman recorded half a dozen albums with the band, , a no frills outfit known for their melodic riffs tapping into the primal power of rock & roll, including 1984's Hail To England widely regarded as a landmark album in power metal. In 1984 Manowar would also make the Guinness Book Of World Records for delivering the loudest performance ever. Friedman continued to record well into the 2020s with a wide array of groups, including Manitoba's Wild Kingdom, the Hellacopters, and the Brain Surgeons, and a handful of albums as a solo artist, starting with New Metal Leader issued in 2008. Upon hearing of his passing at age 72, the Metal Hall of Fame issued a statement which in part read: “Ross will always be the Metal Hall of Fame's ‘Global Metal Ambassador’ to the world. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world” ~ Friedman was born in 1954
March 25, 2026 ~ Darrel George Crofts, commonly known as folk pop, soft rock, pop rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Dash Crofts, passed away ~ Crofts got his nickname as a baby, when their mother entered him and his twin sister Dorothy Crofts in a baby beauty contest, thinking the pair would look even cuter when using the names “Dot & Dash”. Crofts would take up the piano at age five and switch to drums five years later. Crofts would first team up with saxophonist Jim Seals while still in high school. Following graduation, Crofts' father landed him a job but the teen would quit after one day and along with Seals move to California where the pair joined the Champs. Following a stint with the Champs bandmate Glen Campbell as Glen Campbell & the GC's, each went their own way. However, by the end of the decade, Crofts and Seals would team up as a duo, both on vocals and guitars, to score some of the most memorable soft rock hits of the 1970s. The pair would issue about a dozen albums, and provide vocals for the Charles Fox-composed soundtrack of the 1977 sports drama film One On One, before disbanding in 1983. Especially Summer Breeze and Diamond Girl, both of which reached No.6 Billboard Hot 100, endured well beyond the Seventies, the laidback tunes widely considered to have kickstarted the soft rock genre, and remain radio staples to this day. Although the pair were not overly religious, themes such as unity and love stood at the basis of their sound, a sound once described by noted music critic Robert Christgau as “classic folk-schlock”. Crofts himself has been known to comment to Record Mirror: “About the same time as people like Crosby Stills & Nash, we realized that we had to get out of the money-making aspect of loud rock & roll into some music which we really believed in” ~ Crofts was born in 1938
March 24, 2026 ~ Singer, songwriter Gino Paoli passed away in Genoa, Italy ~ An icon of Italian pop music, Paoli would rise to fame in the early 1960s as the leading voice of a generation of musicians inspired by Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens. Alongside artists such as Luigi Tenco, Bruno Lauzi, Umberto Bindi, and Giorgio Calabrese, Paoli is known as a key member of what would become known as “the Genovese school” of Italian songwriting. Numerous songs written or co-written by Paoli have become classics of Italian pop, recorded by dozens of artists, with some also finding their way to audiences outside Italy. Early successes include Paoli's own recordings of La Gatta, Senza Fine and Sapore Di Sale, Mina's rendition of Il Cielo In Una Stanza, and Umberto Bindi's Il Mio Mondo, the latter written by Paoli and Bindi and first recorded by the latter. Il Mio Mondo would also become well known abroad, translated to You're My World, as a career defining hit for Cilla Black and later recorded by dozens of artists including Dionne Warwick and Tom Jones. Artists such as Dean Martin and Connie Francis have recorded Italian-language versions of Paoli's songs. As a singer, Paoli has recorded well over two dozen albums ~ Paoli was born in 1934
March 23, 2026 ~ James Wesley Voight, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Chip Taylor, passed away ~ Although initialy Taylor set out to make it as a singer, he would become best known as a songwriter, enjoying popularity especially during the 1960s. Taylor is perhaps best remembered for penning Wild Thing, a hit for the Troggs, Angel Of The Morning, originally recorded by Evie Sands yet better known as a 1968 hit for Merrilee Rush and later PP Arnold, and Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) recorded by Janis Joplin. Others songs written or co-written by Taylor include He Sits At My Table (Bobby Goldsboro), Worry (Johnny Tillotson), Lonely Is As Lonely Does (the Fleetwoods), I Can't Let Go (Evie Sands, Linda Ronstadt), Make Me Belong To You (Barbara Lewis), I Can Make It With You (Jackie DeShannon, Pozo Seco Singers), You're Takin' Hold Of Me (José Feliciano), Any Way That You Want Me (Tina Mason, the Troggs, HP Lovecraft), Step Out Of Your Mind (the American Breed), A Strange Song (Harry Belafonte), and I See You (the Pretty Things). In a 2023 interview with the Independent, Taylor recalled a memory from childhood, visiting a Broadway show with his family: “We sat in the fourth row, where I could see the orchestra and when they started play? Chills! I felt them all over, like my body was on fire. I remember not wanting to talk to anybody afterwards. We got into the car at night, and I made my parents believe I was asleep so the conversation wouldn’t stop me from having that feeling. I knew right then. I knew: this, I want to do something to do with this.” Voight is the brother of actor Jon Voight and uncle of actress Angelina Jolie ~ Voight was born in 1940
March 22, 2026 ~ William Franklin Bowman, commonly known as singer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter Ronnie Bowman, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Sang gospel music from age three until his late teens alongside his siblings. Member of bluegrass outfit the Lost And Found during the late 1980s. Member of the Lonesome River Band from 1990 through 2001, with whom he recorded four albums including their acclaimed Old Country Town. During his tenure with the band, Bowman won the International Bluegrass Music Association's prestigious Male Vocalist of the Year Award three times, in 1995, 1998, and 1999. Bowman has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with the album Cold Virginia Night in 1994, which featured guests such as Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, and Tony Rice, two albums with Band Of Rukhs which included former bandmates Don Rigsby and Kenny Smith of the Lonesome River Band, and has guested on albums by Petticoat Junction (Lonely Old Depot), Butch Robbins, Wyatt Rice (Picture In A Tear), Sammy Shelor, John Fogerty (Blue Moon Swamp), Suzanne Thomas, Aubrey Haynie, Rickie Simpkins, Melonie Cannon, Phil Leadbetter (Slide Effects), and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Bowman has also penned or co-penned songs recorded by Sammy Shelor, Lee Ann Womack (The Healing Kind), Brooks & Dunn (It's Getting Better All The Time), Kenny Chesney (Never Wanted Nothing More), Jake Owen, Ralph Stanley, the Grascals (Life Finds A Way), Chris Stapleton (Nobody To Blame), Curtis Wright, Josh Williams (Modern Day Man), and Irene Kelley. Upon hearing of his unexpected passing in a motorcycle accident, singer Rhonda Vincent stated: “He was one of the kindest people I've met. An incredible vocalist, prolific award-winning songwriter, but most of all just a beautiful person” ~ Bowman was born in 1961
March 13, 2026 ~ Heavy metal, hard rock guitarist Phil Campbell, full name Philip Anthony Campbell, born in Pontypridd, UK ~ Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Jan Akkerman. Founded Persian Risk in 1979, and appeared on the band's Calling For You and Ridin' High singles. Best known as member of Motörhead from 1984, replacing Brian Robertson, until its disbandement in 2015 after the death of frontman Lemmy Kilmister. The band is considered to have been extremely influential in re-energising heavy metal and a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal. Campbell founded Phil Campbell & the Bastard Sons in 2016, which actually includes his sons Todd Campbell, Dane Campbell and Tyla Campbell. Released his Old Lions Still Roar solo debut album in 2019 ~ Campbell was born in 1961
March 7, 2026 ~ August Edmond George Meyer Jr, commonly known as keyboardist, organist, accordionist, guitarist, singer Augie Meyers, passed away in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Co-founding and alongside lead singer Doug Sahm a key member of the Sir Douglas Quintet, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Mendocino released in 1969. The band would be one of the most influential in Texas, with Meyers' distinctive organ a pivotal element of the band's sound, especially notable on tracks such as She's About A Mover, Mendocino, and Nuevo Laredo. Other than on solo albums, Meyers and Sahm would team up again in the supergroup the Texas Tornados, which also included Flaco Jiménez and Freddy Fender. The supergroup released a string of albums in the 1990s, and are perhaps best known for (Hey Baby) Que Paso, co-written by Meyers, a love song in both English and Spanish which at some point became somewhat of an unofficial anthem of the city of San Antonio. Meyers has recorded nearly two dozen albums of his own starting with Western Head Music Co in 1973, and has guested on albums by Willie Nelson (Shotgun Willie), Jerry Lee Lewis, Yusef Lateef, Katie Trickett, Beausoleil, Bob Dylan (Time Out Of Mind), JR Chatwell, John Hammond Jr (Wicked Grin). Jim Barile, Joe Forlini, the Krayolas, Raul Malo, and Tom Waits. Jerry Dale McFadden, keyboardist of the Mavericks, has praised Meyers' playing, once stating to Rolling Stone: “There's something to be said about simplicity. Augie had a way of reducing his organ fills to just the right part, whether soloing or that pulsing rhythm with minimalist note changes in the chord. When you heard it in a song, you knew instantly that it was Augie Meyers” ~ Meyer was born in 1940
March 7, 2026 ~ Joseph Allen McDonald, commonly known as rock singer Country Joe McDonald passed away in Berkeley, California, USA ~ Lead singer, frontman of psychedelic rock band Country Joe & the Fish, known best for songs such as I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag, The Fish Cheer and Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine, and especially for the 1967 Electric Music For The Mind And Body album which stands as one of the most enduring works of the counterculture era ~ McDonald was born in 1942
March 7, 2026 ~ Singer David Brigati passed away ~ Started as a member of doo-wop outfit the Hi-Fives, known for their 1958 regional hit Dorothy. Member of Joey Dee & the Starliters, scoring a 1961 Billboard Hot 100 charttopper with The Peppermint Twist. Best known as “the Fifth Rascal”, singing backup with the Rascals and occasionaly singing lead such as on Once Upon A Dream ~ Brigati was born in 1940
March 3, 2026 ~ Roy Alan Bookbinder, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Roy Book Binder, passed away ~ Influenced by close friend Dave Van Ronk. Toured with Arthur Crudup and Homesick James. Over a dozen albums to his name, including a number of collaborations with fiddler Fats Kaplin notably Git Fiddle Shuffle released in 1975 ~ Bookbinder was born in 1943
March 1, 2026 ~ Gary Leeds, commonly known as drummer, singer Gary Walker, passed away in Essex, UK ~ Active since the early 1960s, notably working with the Standells, and with PJ Proby. Best known as member of the Walker Brothers, taking the stage name Gary Walker. The trio also included John Walker and Scott Walker, none of them actual siblings or even related, are best known for a series of 1960s recordings, enjoying popularity especially in the UK. Well-known songs include Make It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, both of which topped the UK charts. Walker has also recorded as a solo artist, and with his backing unit Gary Walker & the Rain, the latter including Joey Molland who would later rise to fame as a member of Badfinger. In 2009, Gary and the Walker Brothers-bandmate John Walker published their joint autobiography The Walker Brothers (No Regrets, Our Story), named after the band's 1975 No Regrets album ~ Leeds was born in 1942Page 1 ~ Page 2