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 26, 2025 ~ Jazz singer, pianist Andy Bey, full name Andrew Wideman Bey Jr, passed away in Englewood, New Jersey, USA ~ Known for his four-octave vocal range. First performed in front of local audiences at age 8. Recorded his first solo album, Mama's Little Boy's Got The Blues, at age 13. Formed Andy & the Bey Sisters with siblings Salome Bey and Geraldine Bey at age 17, with whom he recorded three albums and toured Europe. As a leader or solo artist, Bey has recorded close to a dozen albums well into the 2010s, especially acclaimed for his 1998 Shades Of Bey album. Bey was also an in-demand collaborator, notably working with Horace Silver on several religious-themed albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s including That Healin' Feelin', and has appeared on albums by Howard McGhee, Duke Pearson (Now Hear This), Max Roach (Members Don't Get Weary), Gary Bartz, Stanley Clarke, Archie Shepp (Kwanza), and Pharoah Sanders ~ Bey was born in 1939
April 26, 2024 ~ Country, bluegrass mandolinist Frank Wakefield, full name Franklin Delano Roosevelt Wakefield, passed away in Saratoga Springs, New York, USA ~ Learned the harmonica, guitar, and bass as a child, switching to mandolin in his mid-teens, Wakefield would eventually become one of the most acclaimed and innovative mandolinists, expanding the range of the instrument. Has recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artist, most noted for Frank Wakefield With Country Cooking released in 1972. An in-demand collaborator and sideman, Wakefield is especially known for his work with Red Allen, Jimmy Martin, the Greenbriar Boys, and Ralph Stanley. In the 1960s, Wakefield has also made strides in the classical world, composing classical mandolin sonatas and arranging classical pieces for traditional bluegrass instruments, leading to performances with the New York Philharmonic, then led by Leonard Bernstein, and guest appearances with the Boston Pops. To rock audiences, Wakefield is well known for touring with Jerry Garcia, as well as with the New Riders Of The Purple Sage, and for opening for the Grateful Dead. Wakefield has also recorded with Don McLean, David Grisman (Early Dawg), the all-star outfit the Bluegrass Mandolin Ensemble (Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza), and Bill Jorgenson ~ Wakefield was born in 1934April 26, 2022 ~ Country singer, songwriter Julie Daraîche passed away in Terrebonne, Canada ~ Considered Quebec's “Queen of Country Music,” actively performing and recording since the mid 1960s. Known for songs such as Noël Dans Mon Village, Un Verre Sur La Table, and Mon Hommage. Has worked with Paul Brunelle, Marcel Martel, and Willie Lamothe ~ Daraîche was born in 1938
April 26, 2022 ~ Randall Schuchart, commonly known as glam metal, hard rock bassist Randy Rand, passed away ~ Co-founding member of Los Angeles-based glam metal outfit Autograph, remaining with the band through its initial disbandement in 1989 and rejoining a reformed incarnation in 2013. The band is best known for their 1984 Sign In Please debut album, which spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top 30 hit Turn Up The Radio ~ Schuchart was born ca.1960
April 26, 2021 ~ Engineer, producer Al Schmitt, full name Albert Harry Schmitt, passed away in Bell Canyon, California, USA ~ Multiple Grammy Awards to his name over a career starting in the 1960s as an apprentice of Tom Dowd. Has engineered and or produced albums by Henry Mancini, Cal Tjader, Sam Cooke, Hot Tuna, the Jefferson Airplane (Volunteers), Glenn Yarbrough, Steely Dan, Jackson Browne (Late For The Sky), Neil Young (On The Beach), George Benson, Dr John, Frank Sinatra, Thelonious Monk, Toto, Natalie Cole, Quincy Jones, Madonna, and Michael Jackson ~ Schmitt was born in 1930
April 26, 2019 ~ Surf producer, label founder, label executive Anthony J Hilder passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Surf producer turned conspiracy theorist author and film and radio maker. Musically known for producing records such as Jim Waller's Surfing Wild, the Original Surfaris' LP Bombora, supervising recordings of the Revels Surf, for founding several labels including CT Records, and for working at a number of others including Kent Records, Modern Records, and Impact Records. Hilder later turned conspiracy theorist around subjects involving 9/11, the Illuminati and NWO ~ Hilder was born in 1934
April 26, 2018 ~ R&B, jazz, funk, pop saxophonist Charles Neville passed away in Huntington, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as member of sibling outfit the Neville Brothers. Father of jazz, funk singer Charmaine Neville. Has also worked with the Rabbit's Foot Minstrel Show, Larry Williams, the Wild Tchoupitoulas led by his maternal uncle George Landry, Johnnie Taylor, Clarence Carter, and OV Wright ~ Neville was born in 1938
April 26, 2018 ~ Classical, jazz, rock cellist Donald Whitton, full name Donald Richard Whitton, passed away in Ottawa, Canada ~ To classical audiences best known for his association with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, serving with the ensemble from 1948 through 1960, and the CBC Radio Orchestra. To pop, rock audiences well known as a member of Lighthouse, remembered most for the One Fine Morning hit single of their 1971 album of the same name ~ Whitton was born in 1923
April 26, 2013 ~ Singer George Jones, full name George Glenn Jones, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Iconic country singer active since the 1950s. Known for songs such as Why Baby Why, White Lightning, The Window Up Above, Seasons Of My Heart, Just One More, The Love Bug, The Race Is On, A Good Year For The Roses, He Stopped Loving Her Today, The Grand Tour, as well as for several duets with his then-wife Tammy Wynette such as Golden Ring ~ Jones was born in 1931
April 26, 2012 ~ James Edward Bond Jr, commonly known as jazz double bassist, composer, arranger Jimmy Bond, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Worked with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Gene Ammons, Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Art Pepper, Jim Hall, Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Horn, Phil Spector, Randy Newman, Frank Zappa, Tim Buckley, the Jazz Crusaders, Nina Simone, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jimmy Witherspoon, Linda Ronstadt, Henry Mancini, Lou Rawls, Tony Bennett, BB King, Curtis Amy, Earl Anderza, Louie Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Joe Gordon, Irene Kral, Julie London, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, Frank Morgan, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Sullivan, Gerald Wilson, and Jimmy Woods ~ Bond was born in 1933
April 26, 2011 ~ Phoebe Ann Laub, commonly known as singer, guitarist Phoebe Snow, passed away in Edison, New Jersey, USA ~ Jazzy soft-rock singer, songwriter with about a dozen albums to her name, especially acclaimed for her eponymous Phoebe Snow debut album and its follow-up Second Childhood. Best known for her 1974 Billboard Hot 100 No.5 hit Poetry Man, covered by over a dozen artists including Zap Mama and Queen Latifah. Other songs written by Snow have been covered by Bette Midler (I Don't Want The Night To End), Dianne Brooks, Renée Tannenbaum (Harpo's Blues), and Polly Gibbons. Snow also appeared on albums by Paul Simon (Still Crazy After All These Years), Janis Ian, David Sanborn, David Bromberg, Garland Jeffreys, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Grusin, Laurie Anderson (Mister Heartbreak), and Joe Cocker ~ Laub was born in 1950
April 26, 2008 ~ Jazz, R&B singer Byrdie Green passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Protégé of Ruth Brown. Known for a string of mid- to late 1960s albums, backed by artists such as Johnny Hammond Smith, Thornel Schwartz and Jimmy Lewis. The track Return Of The Prodigal Son of her 1968 Sister Byrdie album would later be sampled by Grand Puba for his 1992 Lickshot recording ~ Green was born ca.1936April 26, 2005 ~ Singer, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, songwriter Hasil Adkins passed away in Boone County, West Virginia, USA ~ Encompasses rock & roll, country, blues, rockabilly. Foreshadowed psychobilly with songs such as She Said, later covered by the Cramps, and Let Me Come In, covered by Flat Duo Jets ~ Adkins was born in 1937
April 26, 1997 ~ Gene Urick, commonly known as traditional pop singer Gene Ames, passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA ~ Member of family outfit the Ames Brothers, known for a number of 1950s hits including Rag Mop, Sentimental Me, Can Anyone Explain (No No No), Undecided, The Man With The Banjo, The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane and Tammy ~ Urick was born in 1924
April 26, 1993 ~ Country singer Garth Brooks releases That Summer, lifted off his The Chase album ~ The song started as a tale of an encounter between a single guy and married woman, meeting up at a party and sneaking off together. However, producer Allen Reynolds hated the song and simply didn't feel for the song's characters. The reworked final version told of a teenage boy losing his virginity to an older woman, the third verse portraying the boy as a man looking back on the experience “that summer” long ago. The paradox is that such tales of an older man and young girl are considered taboo, while a young man seduced by an older woman is simply undergoing a rite of passage. Issued as the fourth and final single off Garth Brooks' The Chase, the song would reach No.1 Billboard CountryApril 26, 1991 ~ Elizabeth Anne Locher, commonly known as folk singer Anne Warner, passed away ~ Folklorist, song collector known to have preserved and recorded some 1,000 traditional folk songs with her husband Frank Warner, including Tom Dooley, He's Got The Whole World In His Hands and Days Of Forty-nine ~ Locher was born in 1905
April 26, 1991 ~ Film composer Leo Arnaud, full name Noël Léon Marius Arnaud, passed away in Hamptonville, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known for composing Bugler's Dream, used as theme music for the Olympic games by networls ABC and NBC starting in 1964. Has worked as a film composer, arranger, orchestrator for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1936 through 1966 ~ Arnaud was born in 1904
April 26, 1990 ~ Producer, music executive Wesley Rose passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Son of songwriter Fred Rose. Followed in his father's footsteps joining music publishers Acuff/Rose Music in 1945, a publishing company founded by his father and Roy Acuff. Incremental in the creation of the Country Music Association. First publisher to serve on the Board of Directors of the ASCAP ~ Rose was born in 1918
April 26, 1986 ~ Drummer Cliff Leeman passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Performed with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at age 13. Toured vaudeville in late 1920s. From 1930s onwards worked with artists such as Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, Johnny Long, Woody Herman, Don Byas, John Kirby, Raymond Scott, Jimmy Dorsey, Ben Webster, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Bob Chester, Eddie Condon, Bobby Hackett, Pee Wee Erwin, Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart, the Lawson-Haggart Band, Ralph Sutton, Billy Butterfield, Bob Crosby, Wild Bill Davison, the Dukes Of Dixieland, Peanuts Hucko, Joe Venuti, the Kings Of Jazz, Bud Freeman, Don Ewell, the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and Jimmy McPartland ~ Leeman was born in 1913
April 26, 1986 ~ In its 3rd week on the charts, the album 5150 by Van Halen hits No.1 Billboard Hot 200 ~ The band prove there is life after David Lee Roth, lead singer and co-founding member, as their first album with Roth's successor Sammy Hagar, hits No.1 on the American album charts, a position it would hold for three consecutive weeks. Peaking at No.3, its lead single Why Can't This Be Love would become their second-highest charting single and one of only three American top 10 hits over their career. The album title 5150 was named after Eddie Van Halen's home studio, 5150, which in turn was named after a California law enforcement term for a mentally disturbed person, a reference to Section 5150 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code. The album showed a shift in style towards a more mature, melodic sound, and was noted for a number of ballads and bigger emphasis on keyboard-driven songs, a contrast to their earlier straight-forward rock, while still maintaining their signature guitar licks. With their change in sound and Hagar as their new lead singer, many called the new line-up “Van Hagar”, either derisively or affectionately, and the debate Roth versus Hagar took off among longtime fans of the band. Either way, commercially the change in style proved to be succesful as all four studio albums with Hagar would top the American album charts and Live Right Here Right Now, their first live album, peaked at No.5 Billboard Hot 200. Hagar would depart the band in the mid 1990s and briefly rejoined in the early 2000sApril 26, 1984 ~ Jazz singer, pianist, autoharp player Andrea Rydin Berge born in Oslo, Norway ~ Fronts the Andrea Kvintett, which also includes Svein Magnus Furu, Harald Lassen, Kim-Erik Pedersen, and Christian Meaas Svendsen. The ensemble is known for their 2012 eponymous Anrea Kvintett and its follow-up Russian Dream released the following year
April 26, 1984 ~ Lilian Alice Hiatt, commonly known as rock, country singer, guitarist, songwriter Lilly Hiatt, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Daughter of singer John Hiatt. Member of Shake Go Home before venturing out on her own. Released her full-length Let Down solo debut in 2012, produced by Doug Lancio, and has recorded consistently since
April 26, 1981 ~ Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw, commonly known as jazz, pop singer Caro Emerald, born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Broke through with her A Night Like This single of the Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor. The song was originally written for a Martini commercial and was inspired by a scene from the Bond-film Casino Royale. Other well known songs include Back It Up, Tangled Up, Liquid Lunch and Stuck
April 26, 1981 ~ Niomi Arleen McLean-Daley, commonly known as singer, rapper, songwriter, producer Ms Dynamite, born in Crawley, UK ~ First appeared as featured vocalist on DJ, producer Sticky's Ms Dynamite single, a 2001 single which reached the UK top 20 and is considered one of the best UK garage tracks by critics. Would subsequently release her full-length A Little Deeper which spawned the hit singles It Takes More and Dy-Na-Mi-Tee. Has recorded throughtout the 2000s to critical acclaim and international commercial succesApril 26, 1979 ~ Jamal Phillips, mononymously known as rapper, producer Jamal, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Formed the early 1990s rap duo Illegal with Dallas Austin. As a solo artist known for his sole album, 1995's Last Chance No Breaks spawning the modest hit Fades 'Em All. Has also collaborated with Shyheim, Coolio, MC Breed, Method Man, Busta Rhymes, and the DOC