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 25, 1941 ~ Drummer Christopher Augustine born in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of sunshine pop band Every Mothers Son, known for their sole hit Come On Down To My Boat which reached Billboard top 10 in 1967. The band would subsequently release a handful of follow-ups including Put Your Mind At Ease and The Pony With The Golden Mane, but would prove unable to replicate the success of their debut single
April 25, 1939 ~ Raymond Ronald Jones, commonly known as folk singer, guitarist Wizz Jones, born in Thornton Heath, UK ~ Cited as an influence by Keith Richards, Thurston Moore, Eric Clapton, and Rod Stewart, and once characterised as “the most underrated guitarist ever” by frequent collaborator Bert Jansch. In his youth, Jones was given the nickname “Wizz” by his mother for the Beano comic strip character “Wizzy the Wiz” because of his love for magic. When Jones formed his first band, the Wranglers, the name stuck. Jones would go on to record well over a dozen albums as a solo artist, collaborated with the likes of John Renbourn, Sue Draheim, Pete Stanley, and Ralph McTell, and has been acknowledged as one of the premier British folk artists. Jones is especially acclaimed for his 1972 Right Now album, considered a landmark album in British folk and folk-rock, drawing from Delta blues, early Anglo and Celtic minstrel cultures, classical Indian music, and country ~ Jones passed away in 2025
April 25, 1933 ~ Songwriter Jerry Leiber born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Noted songwriter, producer, often collaborating with Mike Stoller. Together the pair wrote hits for Big Mama Thornton (Hound Dog), the Coasters (Young Blood, Yakety Yak), Wilbert Harrison (Kansas City), the Drifters (There Goes My Baby), and Elvis Presley (Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Loving You). Other artists who recorded Leiber's songs include Peggy Lee, Charles Brown, the Robins, Ben E King, Jay & the Americans, the Exciters, the Clovers, the Dixie Cups, the Shangri-Las, Stealers Wheel, Elkie Brooks, Little Willie Littlefield, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Perry Como, the Clovers, Lavern Baker, Damita Jo, Chuck Jackson, Hank Snow, and Brook Benton ~ Leiber passed away in 2011April 25, 1932 ~ Bossa nova, rock & roll singer, songwriter Agostinho dos Santos born in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Best known for lending his voice to the score of the 1959 Black Orpheus score. It included Manhã De Carnaval and Samba De Orfeu written by Luiz Bonfá, and A Felicidade written by Antônio Carlos Jobim ~ Dos Santos passed away in 1973
April 25, 1929 ~ Choral conductor Hans-Joachim Rotzsch born in Bad Gandersheim, Germany ~ Best known as conductor of the Thomanerchor, also known as the St Thomas Choir of Leipzig, from 1972 until 1991. The choir is one of the oldest cultural identities in Europe, established in 1212, and once directed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Rotzsch has also served as guest professor at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, Salzburg, Germany, from 1992 until 2000 ~ Rotzsch passed away in 2013
April 25, 1928 ~ Fiddler Vassar Clements, full name Vassar Carlton Clements, born in Kinard, Florida, USA ~ Dubbed “the Father of Hillbilly Jazz,” drawing from swing, jazz, bluegrass, and country. Besides fiddle also masters the cello, double bass, mandolin, banjo, and guitar. Backed Bill Monroe from the late 1940s through the mid 1950s. Would go on to work with the likes of Jim & Jesse, Flatt & Scruggs, and Faron Young. Notably present on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's seminal 1972 Will The Circle Be Unbroken album. Has also worked with the Grateful Dead, Jimmy Buffett, Old & In The Way, Linda Ronstadt, and Paul McCartney. In total Clements has appeared on over an estimated 200 albums ~ Clements passed away in 2005
April 25, 1928 ~ Jazz saxophonist Willis Jackson, also known as Willis Gator Jackson, born in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Cites Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet as main influences. Joined Cootie Williams's band in 1949 after being discovered by Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. Worked as a session musician during the 1950s, mostly R&B and jazz. Toured as leader of backing band of Ruth Brown, whom he married. In 1959 signed to Prestige Records where he put out a string of jazz albums which proved to be highly influential on the soul jazz movement. Served as a mentor for Jack McDuff and Pat Martino early in their careers. Ska innovator Prince Buster named Later For The Gator as one of the first ska songs. Jackson continued to record into the 1980s ~ Jackson passed away in 1987
April 25, 1923 ~ Albert Nelson, commonly known as guitarist Albert King, born in Indianola, Mississippi, USA ~ Alongside BB King and Freddie King, considered one of the three “Kings of the Blues”, all three ranked among the all-time greatest and most influential blues guitarists. Guitarists influenced by Albert King include Otis Rush, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Robert Cray. King, who at times falsely claimed and at times was even billed as BB King's brother, is especially known for his massive tone, smooth singing and posture. King has recorded well over a dozen albums since the early 1960s, including his highly influential Born Under A Bad Sign sophomore album. The album, considered King's masterpiece and one of the most important blues albums of the 1960s, has King backed by Stax/Volt houseband Booker T & the MG's resulting in an unusually soulful sound and crossover appeal for a blues artist. King's own immediately recognizable style stems from playing left-handed without restringing the guitar from the right-handed setup. This accounts for his difference in sound from most other guitarists, since he pulls down on the same strings that most other players push up on when bending the blues notes ~ Nelson passed away in 1992April 25, 1920 ~ Label executive Esther Gordy Edwards born in Baldwin County, Alabama, USA ~ Sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. Served as staff member and associate of her younger brother. Dubbed “the Mother of Motown” for taking on a motherly role towards some of the label's younger acts. Founder and director of the Motown Historical Museum ~ Gordy passed away in 2011
April 25, 1919 ~ Musical director, composer, arranger Brian Fahey, full name Brian Michael Fahey, born in Margate, UK ~ Best known for composing At The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal, the signature tune of Alan Freeman's Pick Of The Pops radion show on BBC Radio 1. Composed for film. Principal conductor of the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra from 1972 to its disbandement in 1981. Served as musical director for Shirley Bassey ~ Fahey passed away in 2007
April 25, 1917 ~ Jazz, swing, bebop, blues singer Ella Fitzgerald, full name Ella Jane Fitzgerald born in Newport News, Virginia, USA ~ Often referred to as “the First Lady of Song” and praised for her vocal abilities, particularly in her scat singing. Rose to fame in the 1930s working with bandleader Chick Webb and his orchestra. After Webb's death in 1939 Fitzgerald initially took over the band to set out on a hugely successful solo career soon afterwards. Noted for her collaborations with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, the Ink Spots. Known for songs such as My Melancholy Baby, Goodnight My Love, A-Tisket A-Tasket, I Want The Waiter (With The Water), I'm Making Believe, and Baby It's Cold Outside ~ Fitzgerald passed away in 1996
April 25, 1915 ~ Fiddler, bandleader Cliff Bruner, full name Clifton Lafayette Bruner, born in Texas City, Texas, USA ~ Popular Western swing bandleader of the 1930s and 1940s, merging elements of traditional music, blues, folk, jazz and country. Best known for songs such as It Makes No Difference Now, Sorry, Kelly Swing, I'll Keep On Loving You, When You're Smiling and perhaps his best known Truck Driver's Blues. Many of Bruner's recordings would feature a then-unknown and future piano star Moon Mullican on vocals ~ Bruner passed away in 2000
April 25, 1914 ~ Sidney Keith Rosenthal, commonly known as songwriter, lyricist Bob Russell, born in Passaic, New Jersey, USA ~ Perhaps best known for co-writing I Didn't Know About You first recorded by Woody Herman, and Crazy He Calls Me first recorded by Billie Holiday. Others who recorded his songs include Jimmy Dorsey, Ray McKinley, Nat King Cole (Blue Gardenia), Kay Starr, and June Christy ~ Rosenthal passed away in 1970
April 25, 1913 ~ Jazz, R&B saxophonist Earl Bostic, full name Eugene Earl Bostic, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA ~ Pioneer of post-war R&B. Major influence on John Coltrane. Known for songs such as Flamingo, Harlem Nocturne, Temptation, Sleep, You Go To My Head, Cherokee, Special Delivery Stomp and Where Or When. Bostic has worked with sidemen such as Keter Betts, Jaki Byard, Benny Carter, Teddy Edwards, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Tony Scott, Cliff Smalls, and Stanley Turrentine ~ Bostic passed away in 1965
April 25, 1904 ~ Jazz, swing, dixieland singer, banjoist, guitarist Huey Long born in Sealy, Texas, USA ~ Active since the mid 1920s. Worked with the Louisiana Jazz Band Houston, Texas Guinan, Lil' Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson. Briefly a member of renowned vocal group the Ink Spots, replacing Bernie Mackey and remaining with the band for about 9 months in 1945. Long would later be involved with several Spots tribute bands during the 1960s before retiring from music ~ Long passed away in 2009