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 17, 2025 ~ Pop singer Nuno Guerreiro passed away in Lisbon, Portugal ~ Rose to fame as lead singer of Ala Dos Namorados, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums. The band is best known for the late 1990s hit Solta-se O Beijo, on which Guerreiro duetted with Sara Tavares. Guerreiro, a countertenor, is praised for his vocal range and has recorded two albums as a solo artist, Carta De Amor containing Anglo-American classics released in 1999, and his 2002 follow-up Tento Saber containing acoustic songs in an intimate setting ~ Guerreiro was born in 1972
April 17, 2025 ~ Rock bassist Roger McLachlan passed away in Melbourne, Australia ~ Early member of the Little River Band, present on the band's eponymous Little River Band debut album and its After Hours follow-up. During McLachlan's tenure with the band, Curriosity (Killed The Cat), Emma, and Everyday Of My Life would all reach top 30 in the band's native Australia. In later years, McLachlan would occasionally briefly rejoin a reformed line-up of the band. McLachlan has also worked with country-rock outfit Stars in the 1970s, with jazz-rock group Pyramid in the 1980s, and was an in-demand session bassist for several artists, perhaps most notably appearing on the international John Farnham hit You're The Voice which reached No.1 in Australia and did well across Europe. McLachlan has recorded one album as a solo artist, Roger This Roger That released in 2012 ~ McLachlan was born in 1954April 17, 2024 ~ Singer Arthur Tavares, full name Arthur Lee Tavares, passed away ~ Member of sibling R&B, disco outfit Tavares, known best for She's Gone, It Only Takes A Minute, Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel, Don't Take Away The Music and More Than A Woman, the latter notably featured on 1977 Saturday Night Fever soundtrack ~ Tavares was born in 1942
April 17, 2023 ~ Caroline Vincinetti LoTempio, commonly known as singer April Stevens, passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Known for the early 1950s hits I'm In Love Again and Gimme Me A Little Kiss (Will Ya Huh), as well as for her 1959 recording Teach Me Tiger which was banned from radio for its sexual innuendo. Perhaps best known for her collaborations with her brother Nino Tempo, including the 1963 recording Deep Purple which reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts ~ LoTempio was born in 1936
April 17, 2022 ~ Actress, singer Catherine Spaak passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Actress, starring in a dozen films as lead actress before age 18. Notable film credits include Circle Of Love directed by Roger Vadim and The Man The Woman & The Money alongside Marcello Mastroianni. As a singer critically compared to French chanteuse Françoise Hardy and best known for a number of early 1960s recordings including some of Hardy's songs under the direction of Ezio Leoni ~ Spaak was born in 1945
April 17, 2022 ~ Keith Grayson, commonly known as hip-hop DJ, rapper DJ Kay Slay, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Dubbed “Hip-hop's One-man Ministry of Insults” by the New York Times. Debuted in 2003 with the album Streetsweeper Vol.1 and has recorded consistently since. Collaborated with Nas, Foxxy Brown, Fat Joe, Joe Budden, Joe, Three 6 Mafia, Papoose, Busta Rhymes, Layzie Bone, Twista, Fabolous, T-Pain, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie ~ Grayson was born in 1966April 17, 2022 ~ Musical actress, singer Hollis Resnik passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Appeared in productions of stage musicals such as Wings, Les Miserables, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Man Of La Mancha. Released her Make Someone Happy album in 2002, consisting of show tunes, pop, jazz and original songs ~ Resnik was born ca.1955
April 17, 2022 ~ Warwick Lancelot Armstrong Turner III, commonly known as luthier Rick Turner, passed away ~ As a guitarist worked with Ian & Sylvia including on the duo's 1966 Play One More album. Founded psychedelic band Autosalvage. Following the band's disbandement in 1968 turned to guitar design and building, starting with the company Alembic Inc co-founded by Turner. Has run his own guitar shops and worked for the renowned Gibson company. Designed and build guitars for players such as Lindsey Buckingham, Ry Cooder, and David Lindley ~ Turner was born in 1943
April 17, 2022 ~ R&B singer Roderick Clark, also known as Roderick Pooh Clark, passed away in Waco, Texas, USA ~ Member of Hi-Five best known for their 1990 eponymous Hi-Five debut album produced by Teddy Riley, which reached Platinum status and spawned the Billboard R&B top 10 hits I Just Can't Handle It, I Can't Wait Another Minute and I Like The Way (The Kissing Game). The latter would also top the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 ~ Clark was born in 1973
April 17, 2021 ~ Robert Ross, commonly known as MC Black Rob, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Influenced by Spoonie Gee, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick. As a solo artist best known for his 2000 Whoa single. Has collaborated with the Schizophrenics, Lil' Kim, Breyan Isaac, and Sean Combs ~ Ross was born in 1968April 17, 2020 ~ Jazz, free jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, pianist Giuseppi Logan passed away in Queens, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Earl Bostic, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Bill Dixon, Don Pullen, Eddie Gomez, Milford Graves, Dave Burrell, Byard Lancaster, Patty Waters, and Roswell Rudd ~ Logan was born in 1935
April 17, 2020 ~ Bassist Matthew Seligman passed away in London, UK ~ Influenced by Paul McCartney, Andy Fraser, and Tina Weymouth. Worked with the Soft Boys, Thompson Twins, Thomas Dolby, Fallout Club, Local Heroes SW9, the Dolphin Brothers, the Stereo MC's, the Waterboys, Sinéad O'Connor, Transvision Vamp, Van Morrison, Nan Vernon, Tori Amos, Kimberley Rew, Alex Chilton, David Bowie (including on Absolute Beginners), and the Fire Escapes ~ Seligman was born in 1955
April 17, 2015 ~ Producer, songwriter, music manager Jack Rieley, full name John Frank Rieley III, passed away in Berlin, Germany ~ Managed the Beach Boys from 1970 through 1973, guiding them back to popular acclaim. Co-wrote a number of the band's best known songs from this period, including Sail On Sailor. Subsequently worked with artists such as Kool & the Gang, Ride, and Jaye Muller ~ Rieley was born in 1942
April 17, 2014 ~ José Luis Feliciano Vega, commonly known as salsa, bolero percussionist, singer Cheo Feliciano, passed away in San Juan, Puerto Rico ~ Salsa pioneer, influential on Gilberto Santo Rosa, Rubén Blades, Alex d'Castro, and Jerry Rivas. After relocating to New York, Feliciano would find employ with Tito Rodriguez, Luis Cruz, and notably Joe Cuba, making his debut as a singer with Cuba. During his decade-long tenure with Cuba's sextet, Feliciano established himself as a prime singer, a rare baritone among salsa singers. Feliciano subsequently sang with Eddie Palmieri, before kicking a nasty drug habit which nearly killed him and his career, only to make a remarkable comeback as a solo artist by the early 1970s. Feliciano would record over two dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Cheo in 1971, and is well known for songs such as Anacaona, Mi Trista Problema, Canta, Amada Mia, and Sobre Una Tumba Humilde ~ Feliciano was born in 1935
April 17, 2013 ~ Bassist Yngve Moe passed away in Bergen, Norway ~ Member of Erter Kjøtt & Flesk until its disbandement in 1975. Touring member of Nøkken. Co-founding member of Dance With A Stranger, remaining with the band until his death. Has also worked with Oofotr, Marius Müller, Terje Nilsen, Nathalie Nordnes, and with Øivind Elgenes ~ Moe was born in 1957April 17, 2012 ~ Laiko singer Dimitris Mitropanos passed away in Athens, Greece ~ Active since the late 1960s. Mentored by Giorgos Zampetas. Has worked with some of the most renowned Greek composers including Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis, and Thanos Mikroutsikos. Known for songs such as Thessaloniki, Agios Fevrouarios, The Road To Kythera, Ta Sinaxaria, Roza, Ta Ladadika, and Alimono ~ Mitropanos was born in [artist-dimitris-mitropanos]
April 17, 2009 ~ Jazz saxophonist Carmen Leggio passed away in Tarrytown, New York, USA ~ Over half a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, noted specifically for Carmen Leggio Quartet released in 2007. Closely associated with Maynard Ferguson from the late 1950s through the early 1960s, notably present on the acclaimed A Message From Birdland album released in 1960. Leggio has also appeared on albums by Jake Hanna, Eddie Bert, Bill Crow, Woody Herman, and Donnie O'Brien. Leggio was self-taught on clarinet, imitating Artie Shaw on the radio, and switched to tenor saxophone at age 14. Leggio's choice for a career in music was initially frowned upon by his father, as Leggio would later comment: “I quit high school, because I knew I was meant to be a musician. But my father was so angry that he didn't speak to me for years. On his deathbed, he admitted I was right to leave school” ~ Leggio was born in 1927
April 17, 2008 ~ Country, alternative country, rock, rockabilly singer, guitarist, accordionist, songwriter Chris Gaffney passed away in Newport, California, USA ~ Debuted as a solo artist in 1986 with the album Road To Indio. Continued releasing solo albums through 2000 working with producers such as Wyman Reese and Dave Alvin and guest musicians including Lucinda Williams and Jim Lauderdale. Formed the Hacienda Brothers in the early 2000s, teaming up with guitarist, songwriter Dave Gonzalez. In addition to his solo and band work Gaffney has collaborated, toured and recorded with artists such as Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men, the Iguanas, Tom Russell, Christy McWilson, Lonesome Strangers, and Billy Bacon ~ Gaffney was born in 1950
April 17, 2008 ~ Rock, pop rock keyboardist, organist, accordionist Danny Federici, full name Daniel Paul Federici, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Closely associated with Bruce Springsteen throughout his career, serving in Child and Steel Mill, both of which featured Springsteen, prior to becoming a founding member of Springsteen's longtime backing unit the E Street Band. Present on several of Springsteen's key albums including Born To Run, The River, and Born In The USA. Federici has also appeared on albums by Graham Parker, Joan Armatrading (Me Myself I), Garland Jeffreys, Gary US Bonds, Little Steven, Carla Olson, Joe Esposito, and Kevin Gordon ~ Federici was born in 1950April 17, 2007 ~ Heavy metal unit Arcturus officially announce they're breaking up, the band would reform in the early-2010s ~ The band had recorded some half dozen albums since the mid 1990s, and is especially acclaimed for their 2002 The Sham Mirrors album. Following rumours after the band's last concert of their Australian tour, a concert opened with the words “Welcome to the last Arcturus show, ever”, the band issued an official statement on their website officially announcing their split because of ongoing “things” in the band members' careers and lives, before thanking the fans. The band would later reform, playing their first reunion show in 2011 at the KICK Nattklubb & Scene, Kristiansand, Norway, and issued a full-length album, Arcturian, in 2015
April 17, 2007 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer Glenn Sutton, full name Royce Glenn Sutton, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Probably best remembered for co-writing Almost Persuaded with Billy Sherrill, a song first recorded by David Houston in 1966 and covered by numerous artists including Conway Twitty, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Etta James and perhaps most notably Freddy Fender. Produced I Never Promised You A Rose Garden for then-wife Lynn Anderson. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Sutton include Faron Young, Jerry Lee Lewis (What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me)), Bob Luman, Patti Page, Red Steagall, Ronnie Milsap, and Ricky Skaggs ~ Sutton was born in 1937April 17, 2006 ~ Flutist Felix Skowronek passed away ~ Student of William Kincaid. Leading figure in the revival of wooden Boehm-style flutes. Expert in the use of various hardwoods in flute manufacturing. . Founding member of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet. Skowronek has also played with the Seattle Symphony, the Seventh Army Symphony, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and the St Louis Symphony ~ Skowronek was born in 1935
April 17, 2005 ~ Trombonist, bandleader, arranger, producer Juan Pablo Torres, full name Juan Pablo Torres Morell, passed away in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Regarded as one of the finest trombonists in Afro-Cuban jazz. Director of Algo Nuevo. Member of seminal Cuban outfit Irakere since the mid-1980s, led by Chucho Valdes ~ Torres was born in 1946
April 17, 2003 ~ Earl Silas Johnson IV, commonly known as blues, New Orleans R&B singer, guitarist, songwriter Earl King, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best remembered for penning blues classics such as Big Chief (covered by Professor Longhair), Trick Bag (covered by the Meters, and by Robert Palmer), and for Come On (covered by Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan). ~ King was born in 1934April 17, 1993 ~ Singer, guitarist Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles marries screenwriter Jay Roach in Los Angeles, California ~ Susanna Hoffs, who rose to fame as a member of all-female outfit the Bangles, known for Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits such as Manic Monday, Walk Like An Egyptian, Hazy Shade Of Winter, and Eternal Flame, marries screenwriter Jay Roach. Roach converted to Judaism when they married. The couple have two sons