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 3, 1978 ~ Raymond Stanley Noble, commonly known as bandleader, composer, arranger, actor Ray Noble, passed away in London, UK ~ English bandleader and composer who authored or co-authored and first recorded many jazz standards including Love Is The Sweetest Thing, Cherokee, The Touch Of Your Lips, I Hadn't Anyone Till You, and The Very Thought Of You ~ Noble was born in 1903
April 3, 1976 ~ Drummer Ali Jackson born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Worked with Wynton Marsalis, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, James Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Harry Connick Jr, KRS One, Marcus Roberts, Cyrus Chestnut, Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Diana Krall, Craig Handy, Rodney Kendrick, Omer Avital, and Bobby McFerrinApril 3, 1976 ~ Pop, blue-eyed soul group Brotherhood Of Man win the 21st edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Representing the UK, Brotherhood Of Man win with their performance of Save Your Kisses For Me written by producer Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden and lead singer Martin Lee. France's Catherine Ferry reached 2nd place with Un Deux Trois, while Luxembourg-born singer Mary Christy representing Monaco ended in 3rd place with La Musique Et Moi. Following their win, Save Your Kisses For Me would be a hit across Europe including reaching the No.1 spot in over half a dozen countries. Over the next few years, Brotherhood Of Man would score two more UK No.1 hits, namely Angelo and Figaro, before their popularity waned
April 3, 1976 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Disco Lady by Johnnie Taylor hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Issued as Johnnie Taylor's first single for Columbia Records after his previous label Stax/Volt bankrupted, Disco Lady would become his biggest hit and actually the first Billboard Hot 100 charttopper with the word “disco” in the title. The song was produced by Taylor's long-time producer Don Davis, who co-wrote the track with Harvey Scales and Albert Vance, and featured four guests from George Clinton's Parliament- Funkadelic line-up, namely bassist Bootsy Collins, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, guitarist Glenn Goins, and drummer Tiki Fulwood. The song would also earn Taylor a Grammy Award-nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The Eargasm parent album reached No.5 on the Billboard Hot 200 album charts
April 3, 1971 ~ Pop, surf outfit the Beach Boys record Long Promised Road ~ Written by Carl Wilson and Jack Rieley. Included on the 1971 Surf's Up. Released as a single, b/w Deirdre, in May 1971. The single did not chart. A re-release later the same year, featuring Til I Die, would stall in the low 80s on the Billboard Hot 100
April 3, 1971 ~ Singer Séverine wins the 16th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Dublin, Ireland ~ Representing Monaco Séverine wins with the song Un Banc Une Arbre Une Rue written by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and Yves Dessca. Spain's entry Karina reached 2nd place with En Un Mundo Nuevo, while Germany's Katja Ebstein reached 3rd place with Diese Welt
April 3, 1971 ~ Guitarist Wes Berggren born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Co-founding member of Tripping Daisy, best known for their 1995 single I Got A Girl. Following the unexpected death of Berggren, who died of an overdose, the band would finish a few remaining tapes with Berggren's father playing piano on the unfinished song Soothing Jubilee for their eponymous 2000 Tripping Daisy album, before disbanding ~ Berggren passed away in 1999
April 3, 1970 ~ Guitarist Rusty Zinn born in Long Beach, California, USA ~ Toured with blues artists such as Snooky Pryor, Jimmy Rogers, Luther Tucker, and Mark Hummel before venturing out on his own. Over half a dozen albums to his name, especially noted for his acclaimed 1996 Sittin' And Waitin' debut album and its follow-up Confessin'. Guested on albums by Kim Wilson, Little Charlie & the Nightcats, Bob Corritore, Pinetop Perkins, and Rod PiazzaApril 3, 1968 ~ Sebastian Philip Bierk, commonly known as singer Sebastian Bach born in Freeport, the Bahamas ~ Fronted rock band Skid Row from 1987, replacing original lead singer Matt Fallon, through 1996. Subsequently co-founded the Last Hard Men, known for their 1998 eponymous The Last Hard Men album
April 3, 1966 ~ Singer, songwriter, actor Lambis Livieratos born in Athens, Greece ~ Released his As Eixa Ti Dinami debut album in 1993. Broke through with his 1996 hit Bam Kai Kato. Has collaborated with Thanos Kalliris, Alexis Papadimitriou, Anna Vissi, Yiannis Parios, and Giorgos Mazonakis
April 3, 1965 ~ Walter Henry Heath, commonly known as songwriter Hy Heath, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Frequent songwriting partner of the likes of Johnny Lange and Fred Rose. Co-wrote Mule Train, used in the 1950 film Singing Guns where it was sung by Vaughn Monroe. It would earn Heath an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, losing out to Mona Lisa from Captain Carey USA. Heath also co-wrote Take These Chains From My Heart with Fred Rose, originally recorded by Hank Williams and covered by well over a hundred artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, Don Gibson, and Glen Campbell. Others who recorded songs co-written by Heath include Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan, Kitty Wells, and Joni James ~ Heath was born in 1890
April 3, 1963 ~ Singer Bobby Vinton records Blue On Blue ~ Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the former also leading the orchestra. Produced by Bob Morgan. Released later the same month as a single, paired with Those Little Things on the flip side. It would be a top 10 hit for Bobby Vinton, as the single peaked at No.3 Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song would also be used as the title track of Blue On Blue, an entire album of blue-themed songs
April 3, 1963 ~ Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer Gene Sedric, full name Eugene Hall Cedric, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Acquired the nickname “Honey Bear” for his camelhair coat. Closely associated with Fats Waller, a member of Fats Waller's Rhythm from 1934 through 1942. Also worked with the Kentucky Jazz Band, Charlie Creath, Fate Marable, Dewey Jackson, Ed Allen, Julian Arthur, Sam Wooding, Alex Hyde, Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Don Redman, Phil Moore, Hazel Scott, Pat Flowers, Bobby Hackett, Jimmy McPartland, Conrad Janis, and Dick Wellstood ~ Sedric was born in 1907
April 3, 1962 ~ Jazz drummer Dennis Mackrel born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA ~ Worked with Count Basie, New York Swing, Hank Jones, Randy Sandke, George Shearing, Howard Alden, the American Jazz Orchestra, Keter Betts, the Canadian Brass, Carla Bley, Joey DeFrancesco, Clare Fischer, Dizzy Gillespie, Viktor Lazlo, John Pizzarelli, Diane Schuur, and Don Sebesky
April 3, 1962 ~ Punk rock singer, guitarist Mike Ness, full name Michael James Ness, born in Stoneham, Massachusetts, USA ~ Influenced by the Sex Pistols. Co-founding member, lead guitarist, lead singer of punk rock outfit Social Distortion, known best for their pivotal 1996 White Light White Heat White Trash album. Has also recorded as a solo artist, noted for the 1999 album Cheating At Solitaire which payed hommage to Ness's favorite country artists and featured guest appearances from Bruce Springsteen, the Stray Cats guitarist Brian Setzer, Billy Zoom and Josh Freese
April 3, 1962 ~ Simon Philip Pomerance, commonly known as bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, violinist Simon Raymonde born in Lewisham, UK ~ Son of composer, arranger Ivor Raymonde. Best known as bassist and keyboardist for dream pop, post-punk outfit the Cocteau Twins from 1983 until its disbandement in 1997. The group is credited with pioneering 1980s dream pop and would help define the genre later known as shoegaze. Most acclaimed for their 1990 Heaven Or Las Vegas album, considere a classic of its genre to this day. Following the band's disbandement Raymonde has recorded as a solo artist, founded the Bella Union record label with Twins bandmate Robin Guthrie and has served as producer and remixer
April 3, 1961 ~ Actor, comedian, singer Eddie Murphy, full name Edward Regan Murphy, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known as a comedian and actor though has occasionaly sung including on soundtracks. Duetted with Shabba Ranks on I Was A King. Did a number of notably covers for the Shrek films, including the Monkees (I'm A Believer), Ricky Martin (Livin' La Vida Loca) and Sly & the Family Stone (Thank You Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Agan)
April 3, 1960 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal guitarist Arjen Lucassen, full name Arjen Anthony Lucassen, born in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Member of 1980s hard rock unit Vengeance, known best for the 1987 Take It Or Leave It album. Released a number of solo singles in the early to mid 1990s and Strange Hobby, a full-length album consisting of rock covers, under the moniker Anthony. Formed Ambeon with then 14-year-old singer Astrid van der Veen, resulting in the album Ambeon. Worked with Anneke van Giersbergen on the 2015 The Diary album, released under the moniker Guilt Machine. Has also worked with Ayreon, Bodine, Kingdom Come and Stream Of Passion
April 3, 1960 ~ Singer Elvis Presley records Such A Night at RCA Studios, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Originally recorded by the Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter in 1954. Written by Lincoln Chase. Included on Elvis Presley's 1960 Elvis Is Back album. Released as a single, b/w Never Ending, four years later in July 1964 it would reach top 20 on both sides of the AtlanticApril 3, 1960 ~ Jazz trumpeter Erik Truffaz born in Chene Bougeries, Switzerland ~ Hip-hop, rock and roll and dance-infused jazz. Worked with Patrick Muller, Marcello Giuliani, Mark Erbetta, Ed Harcourt, Murcof, Matt Penman, and Thor Madsen
April 3, 1960 ~ Joe Bennie Pugh, commonly known as blues harpist, singer Forest City Joe or Forrest City Joe, passed away in Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas, USA ~ Influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson I, Pugh initially emulated Williamson's style, yet over time he developed his own unique sound. Though he is largely forgotten today and his recording career was brief due to his untimely death at age 33 in a car accident, Pugh was considered one of the prime blues harpists of his day, and has played with Big Joe Williams, Otis Spann, and Muddy Waters. Pugh is known by blues aficionados for his sole single Memory Of Sonny Boy b/w A Woman On Every Street, released to little success in 1949. Had Waters sessioned on Pugh's sole Chess Records record, as was intended, chances are more of his recordings would have seen the light of day, yet the sole single remains the only recording released during Pugh's lifetime ~ Pugh was born in 1926
April 3, 1960 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter John Thomas Griffith born in Lubbock, Texas, USA ~ Lead singer, guitarist of new wave outfit Red Rockers, known for their 1983 hit China. Would go on to front alternative rock band Cowboy Mouth, reaching mainstream success in the 1990s with songs such as Jenny Says. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with the Son Of An Engineer album released in 1987April 3, 1957 ~ New wave, rock, alternative rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist Michalis Rakintzis born in Athens, Greece ~ Member of UK rock group Scraptown until its disbandement in 1985. Would go on to record as a solo artist and collaborate with the likes of Ian Gillan, Bonnie Tyler, and the Wee Papa Girl Rappers
April 3, 1956 ~ Pop, new wave singer, actor Miguel Bosé, full name Luis Miguel González Bosé, born in Panama City, Panama ~ Initially an actor but turned to singing by the mid 1970s due to a lagging acting career. Debuted in 1977 with the Linda and quickly became a teen idol. Has recorded to commercial succes since with well over a dozen albums to his name
April 3, 1956 ~ Jazz, pop singer, songwriter Tessa Souter born in London, UK ~ Active as a solo artist since the mid 2000s. Has collaborated with artists such as Lynne Arriale, Joel Frahm, Nikki Iles, David Gilmore, Steve Kuhn, Dana Leong, Joe Locke, Lew Soloff, Kenny Werner, Jay Leonhart, and Luis Perdomo