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.
June 2, 2026 ~ Robert Peapo Bryson, commonly known as R&B, soul, smooth jazz singer Peabo Bryson, passed away in Marietta, Georgia, USA ~ While still in his teens, Bryson started as a backup singer and as several of the artists he worked with had trouble pronouncing the name ‘Peapo’, the singer adopted the stagename ‘Peabo’ with a ‘b’. As a solo artist, Bryson has recorded well over a dozen albums, including the acclaimed Reaching For The Sky, Crosswings and Straight From The Heart. Although Bryson, consistently critically regarded as a superb balladeer with an impressive range and smooth delivery, enjoyed a devoted fanbase and had half a dozen of his albums reach top 10 Billboard R&B, to the general public he is best known for a number of romantic duets with female singers. Notable duets include Gimme Some Time and What You Won't Do For Love (Natalie Cole), Here We Go (Minnie Riperton), Make The World Stand Still and Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack), Lovers After All (Melissa Manchester), and Without You (Regina Belle). The duet singles Beauty And The Beast (Céline Dion) and A Whole New World (Regina Belle), used respectively in the soundtracks of the animated feature films Beauty & The Beast and Alladin, each won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. As a solo artist, Bryson has scored about a dozen Billboard R&B top 20 hits from the mid 1970s through the 1990s, including Reaching For The Sky, I'm So Into You, Let The Feeling Flow, and If Ever You're In My Arms Again. At the turn of the 1990s, two of Bryson's singles would top the Billboard R&B charts as both the Al Wilson cover Show And Tell and the original Can You Stop The Rain reached No.1. Upon hearing of Bryson's passing, Céline Dion, who scored her first UK and USA top 10 hit with their 1991 Beauty And The Beast duet, stated she was heartbroken, adding Bryson's “incredible voice and kind spirit embodied the beauty of song and performance” ~ Bryson was born in 1951
May 30, 2026 ~ R&B, disco, funk bassist, singer Foster Sylvers, full name Foster Emerson Sylvers, passed away ~ Sylvers first gained attention just before he reached his teen years, scoring a Billboard R&B No.7, Billboard Hot 100 No.22 hit in 1971 with Misdemeanor written by his older brother Leon Sylvers III. Over the next few years, he released two albums and made regular appearances on shows such as American Bandstand and Soul Train. However, his biggest successes would come after joining his siblings in the family outfit the Sylvers in the mid 1970s. The group would score about half a dozen Billboard R&B top 20 hits, including the 1976 Billboard R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charttopper Boogie Fever produced by Freddie Perren who had previously worked with the Jackson 5, Edwin Starr, the Miracles, and GC Cameron. Other well known songs by the siblings featuring Foster Sylvers include Hot Line and High School Dance. When the sibling outfit's popularity faded, Sylvers assumed a more behind the scenes role, serving as session musician, producer or songwriter for several acts. Among his noteworthy credits are co-writing Your Piece Of The Rock for Dynasty and the Billboard R&B No.12 hit Shake Down for Evelyn Champagne King, and producing Janet Jackson's Come Give Your Love To Me sophomore single. Later still, Sylvers recorded several more solo albums under the monniker Foster Sylvers & Hy-Tech, yet he was unable to repeat his earlier success. Several of Sylvers' solo outings have been sampled in later hip hop recordings by the likes of Black Milk, Madvillain, Knxwledge, Skyzoo & Pete Rock, and Cash Wednesday. Sylvers' Misdemeanor solo debut single, originally issued when Sylvers was just nine years old, has been sampled by several artists including notably by the DOC in his Dr Dre produced It's Funky Enough 1989 debut single ~ Sylvers was born in 1962
May 25, 2026 ~ Walter Theodore Rollins, commonly known as saxophonist Sonny Rollins, passed away in Woodstock, New York, USA ~ Regarded as one of the most important figures in jazz on par with the likes of John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Coleman Hawkins, and arguably the all-time most influential tenor saxophonist. Wrote a number of jazz standards including St Thomas, Oleo, Doxy and Pent-up House. Especially acclaimed for his 1956 breakthrough album Saxophone Colossus, widely acknowledged as one of the all-time greatest jazz albums. Rollins is praised for his powerful tone, improvisational skills, innovative approach while still maintaining an easily accessible sound, and his emotionally intense performances, while his music often reflected on social issues, spirituality and personal growth. Rollins has been a major influence on a wide array of artists including Joe Lovano, Joshua Redman, Steve Grossman, John Surman, Kenny Garrett, and Donald Fagen. Over the course of his seven-decade career, Rollins has recorded over an estimated sixty albums as a leader, and guested on landmark albums by Art Farmer, Miles Davis (Bags Groove), Thelonious Monk (Brilliant Corners), Abbey Lincoln, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Gary Burton, and JJ Johnson (Looking Back). Rollins remained active well into his eighties, stating in a 2016 interview: “I'm still alive because I'm still learning” ~ Rollins was born in 1930
May 22, 2026 ~ Robert Ginyard, commonly known as hip hop rapper Rob Base, passed away ~ Began performing while in fifth grade with an outfit dubbed the Sureshot Seven. By the time of their high school graduation, the only members left were Ginyard and Rodney Skip Bryce who issued their debut album in 1988 going by the monniker Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. Initially, its title track and lead single It Takes Two barely dented the charts, however, it became a club favorite and eventually reached No.17 on the Billboard R&B charts and top 40 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.36. The song is built around a sample of the 1972 Lyn Collins single Think (About It) written, produced by and featuring James Brown. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock's debut album spawned two more noteworthy singles, Get On The Dance Floor and Joy & Pain both of which reached No.11 Billboard R&B. Despite their rapid ascent to fame, the duo were unable to maintain momentum and split up a year later. Base released his The Incredible Base solo album in 1989, and reunited with E-Z Rock for the duo's second and final album Break Of Dawn in 1994 which despite warm critical acclaim sold poorly. Although Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock only briefly enjoyed chart success, the duo are considered icons in hip hop for their million-seller landmark single It Takes Two. The song is widely acknowledged as one of the all-time best hip hop party anthems, and is one of the first hip hop tracks to cross over to mainstream audiences, thus paving the way for later hip hop acts. A contemporary Melody Maker review of their debut single read in part: “Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock take a shriek of James Brown at his most histrionic, and turn what is on the original record a singular peak of ecstasy into a jackknifing rhythmic copula that just goes on and on and on, like a locked groove. Climax after climax after climax” ~ Ginyard was born in 1967
May 16, 2026 ~ Jazz, funk, R&B, hip hop trombonist Ryan Porter passed away ~ Inspired by his grandfather's love of jazz, Porter took up the trombone at age ten to eventually escape his humble beginnings in the gang-infested South Central Los Angeles area. While in his teens, Porter played in his high school jazz ensemble alongside schoolmate Kamasi Washington, attended workshops by legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins, and earned a scholarship to study at the Manhattan School of Music. Following his return to Los Angeles, Porter and close friend Kamasi Washington would become especially known for co-founding the energetic collective West Coast Get Down, an in-demand live act drawing from jazz, funk, and hip hop. Porter has released several albums as a solo artist, starting with Spangle-Lang Lane in 2017, appeared on nearly half a dozen of Kamasi Washington's albums including the acclaimed The Epic, and guested on albums by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bublé (It's Time), John Pizzarelli (Dear Mr Sinatra), Foreign Born, Quincy Jones, Stix Hooper, Anthony Hamilton (Back To Love), Nick Cave, Leon Russell, Brandon Coleman, and Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp A Butterfly). Other notable credits include work with Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, and Kanye West. Upon hearing of Porter's passing at age 46 following an automobile accident, West Coast Get Down bandmate Tony Austin stated: “We have been in each other’s lives since we were kids. Ryan’s love for music and his overall compassion for humanity was infectious and truly inspiring. He enriched my life in a way that I will carry with me forever. I can imagine that holds true for many of his friends, loved ones, and family” ~ Porter was born in 1979
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 11, 2026 ~ John Anthony Douglas, commonly known as engineer, producer Jack Douglas, passed away in Paramus, New Jersey, USA ~ Douglas started in music in the mid 1960s, performing as a folk singer and playing with a number of bands while in the UK. Upon returning to New York, he studied at the Institute of Audio Research, after which he landed a job as a janitor at the Record Plant studios, then newly-opened. Soon he would be at the desk, working as an assistant engineer on albums by the likes of Miles Davis, the James Gang, and Mountain. Early on in his career, Douglas has worked on landmark albums such as Lou Reed's Berlin and the New York Dolls eponymous debut album. Douglas is especially closely associated with John Lennon, with whom he formed a close friendship after co-engineering Lennon's acclaimed Imagine album, and with Aerosmith, for whom he produced and engineered several of their early albums including Get Your Wings and Toys In The Attic. At some point, Douglas would become regarded as Aerosmith's “sixth member” as his relationship with the band exceeded merely serving as their engineer and producer, on occasion mentoring the band or helping write new material when they came up short a song or two for their albums. Over the course of his career, Douglas has worked in one capacity or another on albums by the likes of Crowbar, Alice Cooper (Billion Dollar Babies), Yoko Ono, Sha Na Na, the Blue Öyster Cult, Patti Smith, Montrose, Moxy, Cheap Trick (Cheap Trick At Budokan), Harlequin, Joe Perry, the Knack, Zebra, Allen Ginsberg (First Blues), the Jacobites (The Ragged School), Supertramp, and Clutch. Upon hearing of his death, fellow producer Warren Huart who was mentored by Douglas, stated: “Jack carried decades of success with humility and grace. He never acted like a legend, even though he absolutely was one. He treated people with respect. He listened. He cared. He gave so much of himself to the artists, musicians, friends, and family around him. There are producers who make hit records. Then there are producers who leave a lasting mark on people's hearts and lives. Jack did both” ~ Douglas was born in 1945
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 1951Page 1 ~ Page 2