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.
April 10, 1979 ~ Electric blues singer Shemekia Copeland born in New York, New York, USA ~ Daughter of blues guitarist, singer Johnny Copeland, for whom she has also opened. Debuted in 1998 with the album Turn The Heat Up. Acclaimed for her 2000 sophomore album Wicked. Has built a steady following since with subsequent albums produced by Dr John and Steve CropperApril 10, 1979 ~ Singer, model, songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor born in London, UK ~ First gained attention as lead singer of late 1990s indie rock band Theaudience. Would reach mainstream succes as a solo artist in the early 2000s, drawing from pop, disco, nu-disco and dance-pop, debuting in 2001 with the Read My Lips album. Best known for hits such as Murder On The Dancefloor, Get Over You, Mixed Up World and Catch You
April 10, 1977 ~ Alternative rock guitarist Stuart MacLeod, full name Stuart Leslie MacLeod, born in Fremantle, Australia ~ Co-wrote and jammed with close friend Kav Temperley's band Freud's Pillow prior to forming the band Eskimo Joe with Temperley in 1997. The band would reach top 20 in their native Australia with singles such as Black Fingernails Red Wine, Sarah, and Foreign Land
April 10, 1976 ~ Jan Werner Danielsen, commonly known as pop singer Jan Werner, born in Nord Odal, Norway ~ Known for his impressive vocal range of four and a half octaves. At the time of his death one of the most popular singers in Norway. Represented Norway twice in the Eurovision Songfestival contest, with Elisabeth Andreassen in 1994 with the song Duet reaching 6th place, and as a solo artist in 2000 performing One More Time reaching 2nd place. Over the course of his career Werner has sung pop, rock and classical songs and collaborated with Karin Krog, Benedicte Adrian, the Secret Garden, Sølvguttene, Tommy Körberg, and Øivind Blunck ~ Danielsen passed away in 2006
April 10, 1976 ~ Frampton Comes Alive by rock guitarist, singer Peter Frampton hits No.1 Billboard Hot 200 ~ Peter Frampton's first major hit album, spending 10 non-consecutive weeks at the top of the American album charts, selling 8 million copies in its first year, and eventually over an estimated 20 million worldwide, making it one of the all-time best-selling live albums. Three singles were lifted off the album, Show Me The Way, Baby I Love Your Way and Do You Feel Like We Do, his first three to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and all reaching the top 20. Each of the singles would also become staples of rock radio, popular to this dayApril 10, 1975 ~ Singer, guitarist Chris Carrabba, full name Christopher Ender Carrabba, born in West Hartford, USA ~ Lead singer for emo band Dashboard Confessional, especially acclaimed for their sophomore The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most album released in 2001. Founded the folk rock group Twin Forks. Has also notably worked with Further Seems Forever, including on the band's 2001 The Moon Is Down debut album
April 10, 1974 ~ Pianist, clarinetist, guitarist, cellist, violinist, composer, film composer Helen Jane Long born in Hampshire, UK ~ Assisted Howard Shore on the film score for The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Composed the soundtracks for The Only Hotel and Surveillance 24/7. Released about half a dozen contemporary classical albums starting in the 2000s, especially acclaimed for 2007's Porcelain and 2010's Ember
April 10, 1973 ~ Singer Aidan Moffat, full name Aidan John Moffat, born in Falkirk, UK ~ Once described as “the Wild Man of Britpop”, in equal parts for his gruff appearance and his keen insights on the darker aspects of life, the Scottish Moffat began listening to indie music including the Pixies, Dinosaur Jr and Slint while in high school and would spend the early 1990s in bands such as the Angry Buddhists and Bay prior to forming Arab Strap with Malcolm Middleton in 1995. The duo would record half a dozen albums, including the acclaimed The Red Thread, through the mid 2000s. While still in Arab Strap, Moffat issued his solo debut in 2002 with Hypnogogia, issued under the moniker Lucky Pierre which he later shortened to L Pierre. Over the course of his career, Moffat has also guested on albums by Mogwai, the Reindeer Section, Arab Strap bandmate Malcolm Middleton (Into The Woods), and RM Hubbert. Arab Strap have given several reunion gigs during the 2010s and would reconvene in the studio in the early 2020s
April 10, 1972 ~ Country singer Tanya Tucker releases Delta Dawn, lead single off her debut album of the same name ~ Written by Larry Collins and Alex Harvey, the song would be recorded about the same time by Bette Midler, who included it on her The Divine Miss M debut album, and by Helen Reddy, who would take the song to No.1 Billboard Hot 100. Country producer Billy Sherrill had heard Midler perform the song before she recorded it, and planned to sign her only to find out she had just signed with Atlantic Records. So Sherrill cut the song with Tanya Tucker instead, the distinction in Tucker's version being the a capella opening. Issued as her debut single, Delta Dawn would reach No.6 Billboard Country and propel the then 13-year-old singer to fame. Tucker would go on to enjoy popularity through the remainder of the decade, and after a dry spell again from the mid-1980s through the mid 1990s, scoring over three dozen Billboard Country top 10 hits over the course of her career. Though Delta Dawn is credited exclusively to Collins and Harvey, its chorus melody is virtually identical to the traditional hymn Amazing Grace
April 10, 1971 ~ Jazz, bebop organist, trumpeter, saxophonist Joey DeFrancesco born in Springfield, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Son of organist John DeFrancesco, brother of blues guitarist Johnny DeFrancesco. Signed his first record deal at age 16. Revived the organ as a viable jazz instrument. Well over two dozen albums to his name as a leader, especially acclaimed for his 1989 All Of Me debut album and its follow-up Where Were You released a year later. In-demand sideman, both on record and tour. Has worked with Miles Davis, Houston Person, John McLaughlin. Other notable collaborations include Ray Charles, Bette Midler, Jimmy Smith and Van Morrison ~ DeFrancesco passed away in 2022April 10, 1970 ~ R&B, soul singer, songwriter Kenny Lattimore born in Washington DC, USA ~ Lead singer of Maniquin. As a solo artist best known for regularly reaching the Billboard R&B charts starting in the mid 1990s with songs such as Never Too Busy, For You and If I Lose My Woman. In-demand collaborator worked with his wife Chanté Moore, Ray J, Heather Headley, Brian Culbertson, Musiq, and Kim Waters
April 10, 1970 ~ Jonathan William Davis, commonly known as rapper, producer Q-Tip or Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-founding and key member of A Tribe Called Quest, with whom he recorded five albums through the late 1990s, and one more in the 2010s. The visionary band has been called one of the most influential in hip hop, praised for merging hip hop with a wide array of influences including bossa nova, progressive rock and jazz, quintessential in the emergence of alternative hip hop and jazz rap and helpful in the birth of neo soul. They are especially acclaimed for their first three albums, starting with People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm released in 1990, all widely regarded as landmark albums. Q-Tip has recorded several albums as a solo artist, starting with Amplified in 1999, has been an in-demand producer at times in collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest bandmate Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Slum Village's J Dilla, and has guested on numerous albums. In one capacity or another, Q-Tip has worked on albums by De La Soul (3 Feet High & Rising), Big Daddy Kane, Heavy D & the Boyz, Deee-lite, Run-DMC, Marcus Miller, Nas (Illmatic), Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, the Roots, Janet Jackson (The Velvet Rope), Common, Slick Rick, Missy Elliott, Mos Def, D'Angelo (Voodoo), Jay-Z, the Large Professor, Mark Ronson, Roy Hargrove, and NERD. In 2024, A Tribe Called Quest would be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for altering the landscape of hip hop, the Hall emphasizing how the band brought “a deep sense of community to the genre (through) spirited, thoughtful wordplay, broad perspectives and elastic textures”April 10, 1969 ~ Guitarist, songwriter, producer George Pajon born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Key member of Black Eyed Peas, wrote or co-wrote several of the band's biggest hits including the Grammy-winners Where Is The Love, Let's Get It Started, and Don't Phunk With My Heart. Pajon is also particularly known as a songwriter and producer for a host of artists including Fergie, Carlos Santana, Sting, Ricky Martin, will.i.am, Macy Gray, Candy Dulfer, the Lonely Boys, Cheryl, Kelis, Nas, Damian Marley, Sérgio Mendes, J-Period, John Legend, Jully Black, Venus Brown, Matt Pokora, Klaus Badelt, and Slim Kid Tre
April 10, 1967 ~ Blue-eyed soul group the Young Rascals release Groovin', lifted off the album of the same name ~ Reportedly Groovin' inspired Smokey Robinson to write Cruisin', a hit for Robinson in 1979, initially using the hook “I love it when we're grooving together,” later changing it to “cruising together” as he thought it was more intimate. The 1967 single by the Young Rascals, which reached No.1 Billboard Hot 100, was written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati after they realized they could see their girlfriends only on Sunday afternoons. As Cavaliere would later explain: “I met this young girl and I just fell head over heels in love. I was so gone that this joyous, wonderful emotion came into the music. Groovin' was part of that experience. If you look at the story line, it's very simple: we're groovin' on a Sunday afternoon because Friday and Saturdays are when musicians work. The simplicity of it is that Sundays you could be with your loved one”
April 10, 1965 ~ I'm Tellin' You Now by English beat group Freddie & the Dreamers hits No.1 on the American Billboard Hot 100 ~ Some 18 months after its UK release, where it had reached No.2, I'm Tellin' You Now is released in America. The single, paired with What Have I Done To You on the flip side, would knock Stop In The Name Of Love by the Supremes off the top position on the Billboard Hot 100. It would be the band's biggest hit, and their sole American top 10 hit. The same year, the English band would als score an American top 20 hit with Do The Freddie, which spawned a shortlived minor dance fad named the FreddieApril 10, 1965 ~ Jazz pianist, marimba player, composer Omar Sosa born in Carmaquey, Cuba ~ Well over two dozen albums to his name as solo pianist, leader or co-leader, starting in the mid 1990s. Merges Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz with jazz, avant-garde jazz and classical influences. Especially acclaimed for the albums Live A FIP and Afreecanos. Has collaborated with the likes of John Santos, Gustavo Ovalles, Paolo Fresu, Adam Rudolph, Greg Landau, Mark Weinstein, Seckou Keita, and Yilian Cañizares
April 10, 1965 ~ Timothy W Alexander, commonly known as drummer, guitarist Tim Herb Alexander, born in Cherry Point, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known as on-and-off drummer for alternative metal, funk metal, progressive rock outfit Primus, present on the band's best known albums including Frizzle Fry, Sailing The Seas Of Cheese, Pork Soda, and Tales From The Punchbowl. Alexander has also worked Major Lingo, with Tool-frontman Maynard James Keenan in the bands Puscifer and A Perfect Circle, with Blue Man Group, Into The Presence, and Net Of IndraApril 10, 1962 ~ Singer Lucienne Delyle passed away in Monte Carlo, Monaco ~ Broke through with the 1942 hit Mon Amant De Saint-Jean to become one of France's most popular female singers throught the 1950s. Married to trumpeter Aimé Barelli. The singer Minouche Barelli is their daughter ~ Delyle was born in 1917
April 10, 1962 ~ Bassist, painter Stuart Sutcliffe, full name Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe, passed away in Hamburg, West Germany ~ Original member of the Beatles, present in the line-up during their Hamburg period. Left the band in 1961 to focus on his career as a painter. Sutcliffe would die the following year at age 21 of cerebal hemorrhage, specifically a ruptured aneurysm. The band would go on to become one of the most important in the history of pop music ~ Sutcliffe was born in 1930April 10, 1960 ~ Progressive rock, post-punk, psychedelic rock singer, guitarist Fabio Golfetti born in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Lead singer, guitarist, sole constant member of Violeta De Outono, especially acclaimed for their eponymous 1987 Violeta De Outono debut album. Golfetti has also worked with the Invisible Opera Company, Zero, and Gong
April 10, 1959 ~ Guitarist Brian Setzer born in Massapequa, New York, USA ~ Spearheaded two revivals, first with his rockabilly outfit the Stray Cats in the 1980s scoring hits such as Rock This Town, Stray Cat Strut and She's Sexy + 17, and again in the 1990s fronting his swing revival ensemble the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Appeared as Eddie Cochran in the 1987 biopic La Bamba about the life of Chicano rock & roller Ritchie Valens. Has also worked with the Bloodless Pharaohs and guested on recordings by Twisted Sister, Bob Geldof, Warren Zevon, Dave Edmunds, Rickie Lee Jones, Los Lobos, and Dan Hicks
April 10, 1959 ~ Rock, roots rock guitarist, singer, songwriter Davy Carton born in Dundalk, Ireland ~ Co-founding, and along with Leo Moran the only other constant member of the Saw Doctors. The band is known for songs such as I Useta Lover, About You Now, and Hay Wrap, all of which topped the charts in the band's native Ireland
April 10, 1959 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer Kenneth Babyface Edmonds born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Dubbed “Babyface” by Bootsy Collins. Member of Manchild, known for the 1977 hit Especially For You. Member of the Deele alongside LA Reid. Wrote Slow Jam for Midnight Starr in 1983. Would go on to become a hugely successful producer and songwriter from the late 1980s onward, working with artists such as Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Pebbles, the Whispers, Johnny Gill, After 7, Damian Dame, Sheena Easton, TLC, Usher, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Tevin Campbell, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, Eric Clapton, Mary J Blige, Sisqó, Dru Hill, the Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Lil Wayne, Xscape, En Vogue, NSYNC, and Jordin Sparks
April 10, 1958 ~ Singer Bobby Darin records Splish Splash at Atlantic Studios, New York, New York ~ Written by Bobby Darin and Murray Kaufman after a casual remark from Kaufman's mother they could not write a song starting with the lyrics “Splish splash, I was taking a bath”. Darin accepted the challenge and the novelty tune became his first hit. Personnel on the original recording included Jesse Powell on saxophone, Al Caiola and Billy Mure on guitars, Wendell Marshall on bass and Panama Francis on drums
April 10, 1958 ~ Harold Willis, commonly known as R&B, rock & roll singer, songwriter Chuck Willis, passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Dubbed “the King of the Stroll” for his performance of the 1950s dance the stroll. Known best for his late 1950s hits CC Rider and What Am I Living For. Other well known songs include It's Too Late, Juanita, Love Me Cherry, My Story, and Don't Deceive Me. Had his songs covered by Ruth Brown, Little Richard, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, James Brown, Otis Redding, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Freddie King, Elvis Presley, Delaney & Bonnie, and Conway Twitty ~ Willis was born in 1928