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 18, 2025 ~ Pop singer Clodagh Rodgers, occasionally credited as Cloda Rogers, passed away in Cobham, UK ~ Internationally best known for representing the UK at the 1971 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 4th place with Jack In The Box. Her participation in the event, however, would lead to threats from the IRA who regarded the Catholic Rodgers as a traitor to her native Northern Ireland. Besides her Eurovision Songfestival success, Rodgers would be known for hits such as Come Back And Shake Me, Goodnight Midnight, Biljo, and Everybody Go Home (The Party's Over), as well as for participating in musical films such as Just For Fun and It's All Over Town and her own West End stage show Talk Of The Town. Clodagh's 1977 hit Save Me would be notably covered by Louise Mandrell, whose cover reached No.6 on the American Billboard Country charts, and by Merrilee Rush and Helen Reddy. Rodgers has been acknowledged as an influence on peers such as Cilla Black ~ Rodgers was born in 1947
April 18, 2024 ~ Forrest Richard Betts, commonly known as guitarist, singer Dickey Betts, passed away in Saratosa, Florida, USA ~ Co-founding and longtime member of pivotal Southern rock outfit the Allman Brothers Band, assuming sole lead guitar duties after the death of Duane Allman in 1971. Wrote and sang lead on one of the band's best known, Ramblin' Man. Betts also penned most of the band's instrumentals, including In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed and Jessica. Betts has also recorded as a solo artist, notably with his backing unit Great Southern, and guested on albums by Derek & the Dominos, Elvin Bishop, Kitty Wells, Bobby Whitlock, Charlie Daniels, Bonnie Bramlett, Buddy Miles, Katy Moffatt, George Jones, Michael Martin Murphey, and Hank Williams Jr ~ Betts was born in 1943April 18, 2023 ~ Jazz trumpeter Don Rader, full name Donald Arthur Rader, passed away ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Louie Bellson, Harry James, Terry Gibbs, Frank Foster, Henry Mancini, Les Brown, Stan Kenton, Della Reese, Frank Sinatra, Lanny Morgan, Lew Tabackin, and Toshiko Akiyoshi ~ Rader was born in 1935
April 18, 2022 ~ Film composer Andrzej Korzynski, full name Andrzej Waldemar Korzynski, passed away in Warsaw, Poland ~ Best known for scoring the soundtracks for The Birch Wood, The Devil, Man Of Marble and Possession ~ Korzynski was born in 1940
April 18, 2022 ~ Composer Harrison Birtwistle passed away in Mere, UK ~ Prolific contemporary classical composer known best for The Triumph Of Time and the operas The Mask Of Orpheus, Gawain and The Minotaur. The latter would be named as one of the most important 21st-century pieces by the Guardian in 2019. Also known for co-founding the Pierrot Players ensemble with composer, conductor Peter Maxwell Davies ~ Birtwistle was born in 1934
April 18, 2022 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Jerry Doucette, full name Jerry Victor Doucette, passed away in Delta, Canada ~ Known for a number of 1970s singles, notably Mama Let Him Play and Nobody. The former, taken of his 1977 album of the same name, would reach Platinum status in Doucette's native Canada and become a minor hit in the USA. Member of the Seeds Of Time. Has also collaborated with Lindsay Mitchell and Rocket Norton, both of whom later members of Prism ~ Doucette was born in 1951April 18, 2022 ~ Flutist, music director, songwriter José Luis Cortés passed away in Havana, Cuba ~ Birthed and named timba, the most important popular dance and music genre to come out of Cuba since the 1980s merging son with salsa, Afro-Cuban folk, as well as American funk and R&B. Best known for founding NG La Banda in the late 1980s. Has also played with jazz fusion supergroup Irakere and with songo band Los Van Van ~ Cortés was born in 1951
April 18, 2022 ~ Classical pianist Nicholas Angelich, full name Nicholas Michael Angelich, passed away in Paris, France ~ Started learning the piano from his mother, a piano teacher, at age 5. Gave his first public performance, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No.21 K-467, two years later. Noted for his recordings of Johannes Brahms trios with violinist Renaud Capuçon and cellist Gautier Capuçon. Has also worked with conducturs such as Myung-whun Chung and David Robertson, and with renowned orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic ~ Angelich was born in 1970April 18, 2021 ~ Blues harpist, singer, songwriter Paul Oscher passed away in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his association with Muddy Waters, backing Waters during the late 1960s and early 1970 including on the acclaimed 1971 Live At Mr Kelly's album. Other notable associations include Louisiana Red, Big Bill Morganfield, Hubert Sumlin, Mos Def, and Keb' Mo ~ Oscher was born in 1947
April 18, 2019 ~ Ed Tigner Jr, commonly known as traditional pop, blues pianist, keyboardist, vibraphonist, singer Eddie Tigner, passed away in Lithonia, Georgia, USA ~ Worked with the Ink Spots. Backed Elmore James. Would be an in-demand solo performer for most of his life, yet would not release any albums until well into his seventies. Released his Route 66 debut album in 2003, its follow-up Slippin' In released in 2009 ~ Tigner was born in 1926
April 18, 2016 ~ Julia Liane Stanbridge, commonly known as doom metal, progressive metal, gothic metal singer, songwriter Aleah Stanbridge, passed away in Örebro, Sweden ~ After relocating to Sweden, Stanbridge would become known on the Scandinavian metal scene, perhaps most for co-founding death metal, doom metal outfit Trees Of Eternity with guitarist Juha Raivio, with whom she recorded the Hour Of The Nightingale album released in 2016. Previously, she has guested on recordings by Krister Linder, Swallow The Sun, and Amorphis. Stanbridge's sole solo full-length album Aleah was released posthumously in 2020, containing newly mastered songs as well as previously unreleased material ~ Stanbridge was born in 1976
April 18, 2013 ~ Bassist Cordell Boogie Mosson passed away in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA ~ Member of United Soul alongside Garry Shider, known for several early 1970s George Clinton-produced tracks including I Miss My Baby and Baby I Owe You Something Good. Cordell continued to work with Clinton as a member of both Parliament and Funkadelic ~ Mosson was born in 1952April 18, 2013 ~ Hip hop outfit Public Enemy inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, becoming the fourth hip hop act to achieve this feat ~ Known especially for a number of quintessential late 1980s, early 1990s albums, specifically the band's first four albums including It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and Fear Of A Black Planet, the groundbreaking hip hop act Public Enemy is inducted, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame stating “Whether we're taling hip hop or politics, Public Enemy was revolutionary”, making the New York-based outfit the fourth hip hop act inducted, preceded by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Run-DMC, and the Beastie Boys. Other acts inducted in this year's class include blues guitarist Albert King, disco singer Donna Summer, rock, hard rock outfit Heart, singer Randy Newman, and Canadian progressive rockers Rush
April 18, 2008 ~ Howard Weiss, commonly known as conductor, pianist, arranger Peter Howard, passed away in Englewood, New Jersey, USA ~ Rose to prominence in the 1960s, conducting and arranging the original Broadway productions of Hello Dolly, 1776, and Annie. Other notable credits include arranging for productions of musicals such as Chicago, The Tap Dance Kid, and Crazy For You ~ Weiss was born in 1927April 18, 2006 ~ John Alexander Burchell, commonly known as pianist, bandleader, composer John Burch, passed away ~ Wrote Preach And Teach, recorded by Georgie Fame in 1966, later covered by Buddy Rich. Led early 1960s ensembles which included future UK rock stars such as Dick Heckstall-Smith, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce. Also worked with Allan Ganley, Jeff Clyne, Bobby Wellins, Freddie Hubbard, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Red Rodney ~ Burchell was born in 1932
April 18, 2003 ~ Blues singer Etta James awarded a star on the the Hollywood Walk Of Fame ~ A powerful blues belter, Etta James is known for songs such as The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry), Tell Mama, and I'd Rather Go Blind. Over the course of her lengthy career, she has been acknowledged as one of the premier female blues vocalists, inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, the Blues Hall Of Fame, and Grammy Hall of Fame. Perhaps her best known song and signature song, At Last, has remained popular since its release in the early 1960s, and has been used in numerous films and TV series
April 18, 2003 ~ Singer, actress Sophia Grace Browlee born in Essex, UK ~ Half of Sophia Grace & Rosie, the other half being her cousin Rosie McClelland, becoming a Youtube sensation after posting a cover of Nicki Minaj's Super Bass. The pair would also become regular guests on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, eventually hosting their own segment, primarily interviewing musicians, and serving as red carpet events correspondents
April 18, 2001 ~ Tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell, full name William Melvin Mitchell, passed away in Rockville Centre, New York, USA ~ Worked with Thad Jones, Oliver Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Kenny Clarke, Stevie Wonder, Al Cohn, Al Grey, Milt Jackson, Ernestine Anderson, Tony Bennett, Paul Chambers, Sammy Davis Jr, Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, Jimmy McGriff, Pony Poindexter, Mel Tormé, Bernard Pretty Purdie, Frank Vignola, Frank Wess, and Xanadu All-Stars ~ Mitchell was born in 1926
April 18, 1996 ~ R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, rock bassist, producer Bernard Edwards passed away in Tokyo, Japan ~ Rose to fame with the disco outfit Chic, which he co-founded with guitarist Nile Rodgers. From 1976 through 1983 the band would create genre- and era-defining classics including Le Freak, Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah), Everybody Dance, I Want Your Love, and Good Times. Edwards & Rodger would also work as a production and songwriting team with a host of artists, parralel to their time with the band as well as far beyond the disco years. As a duo they worked with Norma Jean Wright, Sister Sledge, Sheila & B Devotion, Johnny Mathis, Debbie Harry, and Fonzi Thornton. Edwards released a solo album, Glad To Be Here, in 1983 and was instrumental in the formation of supergroup Power Station. Edwards passed away while on tour in Japan ~ Edwards was born in 1952
April 18, 1996 ~ Michael George Farr, commonly known as arranger, songwriter, producer Mike Leander, passed away in London, UK ~ In-house arranger for Decca Records during the 1960s, and for Bell Records starting in the early 1970s. Arranged the Beatles' She's Leaving Home of the Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as their staple producer, arranger, George Martin, was unavailable. Executive producer for the original Jesus Christ Superstar album. Has also worked with artists such as Marianne Faithfull, Marc Bolan, Joe Cocker, the Small Faces, Shirley Bassey, Lulu, Jimmy Page, Roy Orbison, the Rolling Stones, Gene Pitney, and Gary Glitter ~ Farr was born in 1941
April 18, 1994 ~ Adam Aminé Daniel, mononymously known as alternative hip hop, trap, R&B rapper, singer Aminé, born in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Left-of-center rapper, known especially for his wit, influenced by Young Thug, Lil' B, and Lil Wayne. Started rapping while still in high school, but didn't take it seriously until years later, eventually dropping out of college to pursue a full-time career in music. To mainstream audiences, Aminé is best known for his Caroline debut single issued in 2016, which reached No.11 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and earned platinum or multi-platinum certification in Canada, New Zealand, and his native America. The rapper issued his full-length Good For You debut album the following year and has recorded to critical acclaim since, noted specifically for the albums Limbo issued in 2020 and Kaytraminé three years later, the latter with regulator collaborator producer Kaytranada. Over the course of his career, the rapper has also guested on recordings by Rejjie Snow, Snakehips, Lykke Li, Injury Reserve, Bea Miller, and Rico Nasty. In a contemporary interview with Genius, Aminé has eloborated on Caroline, his best known single: “I wrote this song with the intentions of hopefully making a modern day Billie Jean. Caroline represents the handful of women I've met in my life that I would put genuine effort in”
April 18, 1993 ~ Bernard Weitzner, commonly known as songwriter Bernie Wayne, passed away in Marina Del Rey, California, USA ~ Perhaps best known for co-writing Blue Velvet with Lee Morris, first recorded by Tony Bennett in 1951 and covered by numerous artists including Arthur Prysock, the Moonglows, Bobby Vinton, Johnny Tillotson, Brenda Lee, and Don Cherry. Others who recorded his songs include Dinah Shore (Laughing On The Outside), the Orioles, the Fontane Sisters, the Crew Cuts, Nelson Riddle, Johnny Cymbal (Dum Dum Dee Dum), and Nat King Cole ~ Weitzner was born in 1919
April 18, 1991 ~ Jazz, pop, salsa trombonist Barry Rogers passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Influenced by Jack Teagarden, Lawrence Brown, JC Higginbotham. First gained attention working with Latin jazz musicians such as Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colón, Bobby Valentín, Marvin Santiago. Also noted for his association with pivotal jazz-rock outfit Dreams. Has also collaborated with Cachao, Machito, Manny Oquendo, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, Pucho & his Latin Soul Brothers, White Elephant, the Fania All-Stars, George Benson, David Byrne, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, Carly Simon, and Grover Washington Jr ~ Rogers was born in 1935April 18, 1991 ~ Producer Martin Hannett, full name James Martin Hannett, passed away in Manchester, UK ~ Director, staff producer at Factory Records. Has worked with artists such as Joy Division, Durutti Column, Magazine, John Cooper Clarke, New Order, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, the Happy Mondays, and the Invisible Girls ~ Hannett was born in 1948
April 18, 1989 ~ Singer, actress, fashion designer Jessica Jung born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Rose to fame as member of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation. Has also released a number of solo EPs and singles, starting with her 2016 EP With Love J which included the Korean top 10 hit Fly featuring Fabolous. Also known as an actress, novelist and fashion designer establishing her own Blanc & Eclare brand