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 6, 2025 ~ Hardcore punk, heavy metal guitarist, songwriter Al Barile, full name Alan Scott Barile, passed away in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ One of the 1980s hardcore most energetic guitarists. Co-founding member of SSD, the band name an abbreviation of Society System Decontrol. Formed in the early 1980s, the band is considered one of the most important hardcore bands to emerge from New England. They have recorded three albums, gravitating towards heavy metal by their sophomore How We Rock album, which is considered their best. Barile, considered an icon of the straight-edge lifestyle, commented in a 2023 interview with punk newsletter Former Clarity: “When we met the Washington DC people, I saw how they were all X'd up and not drinking, I found a lot of strength in that. I came home and said, ‘You know, I'm not going to drink anymore.’ That's kind of my story of how I decided not to drink, but what really went into that is me getting my voice. I was leaving that life behind. It took a lot of courage to just walk away from all your friends and find new friends, you know?” ~ Barile was born in 1961
April 6, 2025 ~ Clement Anthony Bozewski, commonly known as drummer Clem Burke, passed away ~ Influenced by Earl Palmer, Hal Blaine, Ringo Starr, and Keith Moon. Best known as longtime member of Blondie, scoring hits such as Denis, I'm Always Touched By Your Presence Dear, Heart Of Glass, One Way Or Another, The Tide Is High, Atomic, and Rapture. An in-demand collaborator, Burke is present on albums by Joan Jett, Chequered Past, Eurythmics (Revenge), Bob Dylan, Dramarama, Thom MacFarlane (Longtime), Gilby Clarke, John Easdale (Bright Side), Nancy Sinatra, Wayne Kramer, Iggy Pop, and Carla Olson. Going by the moniker Elvis Ramone, Burke has also on occasion gigged with the Ramones ~ Bozewski was born in 1954April 6, 2023 ~ Pop, dance-pop singer, actor Paul Cattermole, full name Paul Gerald Cattermole, passed away in Dorset, UK ~ Member of S Club 7 from 1998 through 2002, present on songs such as Bring It All Back, S Club Party, Never Had A Dream Come True and Don't Stop Movin' ~ Cattermole was born in 1977
April 6, 2019 ~ Country singer, guitarist Jim Glaser, full name James William Glaser, passed away in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA ~ Member of sibling outfit the Glaser Brothers, known for songs such as California Girl (And The Tennessee Square), Rings, Ain't It All Worth Living For, and Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again), all of which reached top 20 Billboard Country top 20. Glaser has also recorded a handful of solo albums, his most successful being his Man In The Mirror 1983 debut album which spawned the Billboard Country charttopper You're Gettin' To Me Again. Glaser was also the first to record Who Were You Thinkin' Of in 1979, notably covered by the Sir Douglas Quintet, the Texas Tornados, and Billy Bacon & the Forbidden Pigs ~ Glaser was born in 1937
April 6, 2019 ~ Singer Molly Hocking wins The Voice UK ~ Molly Hocking wins the 8th season of talent show The Voice UK aired on ITV. The other finalists were Deana Walmsley, Jimmy Balto, and Bethzienna Williams. Despite her success on the show, landing a record deal with Polydor Records, and opening for Olly Murs on a 2021 tour, Hocking has rarely charted any singles. Hocking's highest-charting single would be her coronation single I'll Never Love Again, which reached No.73 on the UK chartsApril 6, 2018 ~ Pop singer Jacques Higelin, full name Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin, passed away in Paris, France ~ Actively recording since the early 1970s. Would grow to become one of France's most popular artists due to his incessive touring, usually in smaller, intimate venues. Has collaborated with Brigitte Fontaine, and Areski Belkacem ~ Higelin was born in 1940
April 6, 2016 ~ Country, outlaw country singer, guitarist, songwriter Merle Haggard, full name Merle Ronald Haggard, passed away in Palo Cedro, California, USA ~ Influenced by Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Williams. Known for songs such as My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers, The Fugitive, Branded Man, and The Fightin' Side Of Me. Has collaborated with the Strangers, Bonnie Owens, Johnnie Lee Willis, Eldon Shamblin, Tiny Moore, Joe Holly, Johnny Gimble, Alex Brashear, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Paycheck, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Clint Eastwood, Gram Parsons, Ray Price, Leona Williams, and Albert E Brumley ~ Haggard was born in 1937
April 6, 2015 ~ Jazz, pop pianist, accordionist, songwriter, arranger Milton Delugg passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Active since the 1940s. Musical director, bandleader, accordionist on Broadway Open House aired on NBC, considered a forerunner to The Tonight Show. Co-wrote and first recorded Orange Colored Sky featuring singer Janet Brace, best known as a hit for Nat King Cole. Other songs written or co-written by Delugg include Shanghai (Doris Day), Be My Life's Companion (the Mills Brothers), Shake Hands With Santa Claus (Louis Prima), A Poor Man's Roses Or A Rich Man's Gold (Patsy Cline). Also notably remembered for producing Buddy Holly's iconic Rave On rock & roll classic ~ Delugg was born in 1918April 6, 2013 ~ Classical, jazz pianist, composer, arranger Don Shirley, full name Donald Walbridge Shirley, passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Actively recording since the mid 1950s. Composed organ symphonies, works for piano, strings, cello, and opera. Worked with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the NBC Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestra ~ Shirley was born in 1927
April 6, 2010 ~ Vincent Charles Pusateri, commonly known as hard rock, glam metal bassist, singer Vinnie Chas, passed away in Vancouver, Washington, USA ~ Co-founding member of Pretty Boy Floyd, a glam metal outfit given their name by Kim Fowley. They are best known for Rock And Roll (Is Gonna Set The Night On Fire) and I Wanna Be With You, both lifted off their 1989 Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz debut album, one of the earliest albums produced by Howard Benson. On forming Pretty Boy Floyd, Chas would later recall on first meeting the band's lead singer Steve Summers and immediately knowing they would be in a band together. As Chas told Music Mayhem in a 2003 interview: “We had the same goals, tastes in music and the determination to succeed.” Prior to forming Pretty Boy Floyd, Chas had played in several bands, notably Sinister and Raze, alongside childhood friend Jerry Cantrell of future Alice In Chains fame ~ Pusateri was born in 1963April 6, 2009 ~ Pop singer, songwriter Jacques Hustin passed away in Liège, Belgium ~ Active since the mid 1960s enjoying popularity with songs such as Camelias. Internationally perhaps best known for representing his native Belgium at the 1974 Eurovision Songfestival with his self-penned Fleur De Liberté, reaching 9th place. Hustin would continue to record and perform throughout the 1980s, eventually retiring from music to focus on his painting career ~ Hustin was born in 1940
April 6, 2003 ~ Drummer, social activist Babatunde Olatunji passed away in Salinas, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Admired by peers, especially John Coltrane who wrote and recorded the song Tunji as a tribute to Olatunji. Referenced by Bob Dylan in I Shall Be Free. Covered by Carlos Santana (Jing-go-la-ba). Worked with Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Quincy Jones, Pee Wee Ellis, Stevie Wonder, Randy Weston, Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, Mickey Hart, Airto Moreira, Muruga Booker, Sikiru Adepoju, Halim El-Dabh, Randy Weston, Max Roach, Kai Winding, Herbie Mann, Serge Gainsbourg, Richie Havens, Taj Mahal, and Tupac Shakur ~ Olatunji was born in 1927
April 6, 2002 ~ Drummer Kevin Kelley, full name Kevin Daniel Kelley, passed away in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Member of Rising Sons, joining the band in 1965 as replacement for original drummer Ed Cassidy. The band is known for including both Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal and broke up soon after their 1966 Candy Man single. Briefly a member of the Byrds, present on the pivotal country rock album The Sweethearts Of The Rodeo. Following his departure in 1968 has been a member of Fever Tree and Gas Food & Lodging, and sessioned for the like of John Fahey, Phil Ochs, Jerry Jeff Walker, Judee Sill, and Michael Cohen ~ Kelley was born in 1943
April 6, 1999 ~ Kenneth Norville, commonly known as vibraphonist, composer Red Norvo, passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ One of jazz's early vibraphonists. Leader and sideman. Worked with the Collegians, Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, his wife Mildred Bailey, Billie Holiday, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Charles Mingus, and Red Mitchell ~ Norvo was born in 1908
April 6, 1998 ~ Virginia Wynette Pugh, commonly known as country singer, songwriter Tammy Wynette passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ One of country's best known and best-selling female artists. Dubbed “the First Lady of Country Music” and along with Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Lynn Anderson and Dolly Parton credited with having defined the role of women in country. Best known for her late 1960s recording Stand By Your Man. Married to country singer George Jones from 1969 to 1975, with whom she recorded a number of well-charting duets. ~ Wynette was born in 1942April 6, 1994 ~ Jazz, swing, dixieland trumpeter Dick Cary, full name Richard Durant Cary, passed away in Glendale, California, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his late 1940's stint with Louis Armstrong. First gained attention at the beginning of the decade, working with Joe Marsala, to go on work with Joe Marsala, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Brad Gowans, and Billy Butterfield, prior to his tenure with Armstrong. Cary was also closely associated with Jimmy Dorsey, and notably with Eddie Condon during the 1950s. An in-demand arranger and freelancer, Cary has also appeared on recordings by Hot Lips Page, Jack Teagarden (Jazz Great), Pee Wee Russell, Barbara Lea (Lea In Love), Lee Castle, Jimmy McPartland, and Barney Bigard. Cary has recorded over half a dozen albums as a leader, noted specifically for Hot And Cool released in 1958 ~ Cary was born in 1916
April 6, 1992 ~ Pop rock outfit Genesis release Hold On My Heart, lifted off their We Can't Dance album ~ Somewhat to the discontent of keyboardist Tony Banks, many thought Hold On My Heart was a solo hit of Phil Collins, who at this time enjoyed a successful parallel solo career, rather than a group effort. As Banks would later explain: “I can understand why people say that, but in a way I resent it because it's very much my chord sequence. The reason why it sounds like Phil a bit is because there are certain kind of chords that I went to because his voice sounds good over them. I put them together in a particular kind of way that I thought was quite attractive.” Hold On My Heart would reach top 20 in the Netherlands, Ireland, the UK, and America, and top the Canadian charts
April 6, 1991 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Two Of A Kind Workin' On A Full House by Garth Brooks hits No.1 Billboard Country ~ First recorded in 1987 by Dennis Robbins, who co-wrote the song with Warren Haynes and Bobby Boyd. While Robbins' original was only a minor hit, stalling in the low 60s, the Garth Brooks rendition rose to No.1 Billboard Country. The moderate-up tempo song uses poker metaphors to describe how well a couple complement each other, and that they plan to have children. Critics welcomed the Brooks single, which had the singer return to a more traditional country music style. The song has been a concert favorite since its release, as according to the singer “people just seem to connect with this song”
April 6, 1984 ~ Songwriter, lyricist Jimmy Kennedy passed away in Cheltenham, UK ~ Co-wrote over an estimated 2,000 songs, adding lyrics to traditional songs or collaborating on original songs by composers such as Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz, and Nat Simon. Well known songs include Red Sails In The Sunset (Lew Stone, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong), Did Your Mother Come From Ireland (Roy Fox, Rudy Vallée, Guy Lombardo), South Of The Border (Billy Cotton, Gene Autry, Frank Sinatra), Istanbul Not Constantinopel (the Four Lads, Joe Fingers Carr, Caterina Valente), Write To Me From Naples (Dean Martin, Elvis Presley) ~ Kennedy was born in 1902April 6, 1984 ~ Pop punk, indie rock, emo singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Max Bemis, full name Max Adam Bemis, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Lead singer, primary songwriter for Say Anything through 2018, known for songs such as Alive With The Glory Of Love, Baby Girl I'm A Blur and Hate Everyone. Member of supergroup Two Tongues, sharing lead vocals with Chris Conley. Forms Perma with his wife Sherri DuPree
April 6, 1983 ~ Post-hardcore singer Jeremy Bolm born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known as lead singer of Touché Amoré. Has also worked with Thriller, Dead Head, and Hesitation Wounds. Produced Gouge Away's 2018 Burnt Sugar album. Has guested on recordings by Loma Prieta, O'Brother, Drug Church, Circa Survive, and Say Anything
April 6, 1982 ~ Guitarist, pianist, songwriter Michael Guy Chislett born in Skipton, Australia ~ Lead guitarist, co-founding member of Christian worship band Hillsong United, present on most of the band's best known including Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) and Touch The Sky. Lead guitarist for rock outfit the Academy Is from 2006 through 2011
April 6, 1981 ~ Producer, DJ, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Alex Suarez born in Stamford, Connecticut, USA ~ Co-founding member of dance-pop, house, disco act Cobra Starship, best known for the Billboard top 10 hits Good Girls Go Bad featuring Leighton Meester and You Make Me Feel featuring Sabi. Suarez remained with the band from its inception in 2006 until 2014. Also co-founded This Is Ivy League with fellow Starship member Ryland Blackinton
April 6, 1978 ~ Singer, pianist, model Myleene Klass, full name Myleene Angela Klass, born in Norfolk, UK ~ First gained attention as member of pop group Hear'say, a group created through the ITV reality show Popstars in 2001 and known for a handful of subsequent UK top 10 hits, namely Pure & Simple, The Way To Your Love, Everybody and Lovin' Is Easy. As a solo singer released two classical crossover albums, notably her 2003 Moving On debut album. Has since gone to become a TV personality hosting and appearing on several TV shows
April 6, 1978 ~ Jazz, hip-hop, R&B, neo soul, jazz fusion pianist, keyboardist Robert Glasper born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ About a dozen albums to his name starting with Mood released in 2004. Critically acclaimed for his 2012 Grammy Award-winning Black Radio crossover album, featuring guests such as Erykah Badu, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Mos Def, and Musiq Soulchild. In-demand collaborator, appearing on albums by Marcus Strickland, Carmen Lundy, Q-Tip, Norah Jones, Bilal, Gretchen Parlato, Lionel Loueke, Marcus Miller, Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp A Butterfly), Common, Talib Kweli, and Avant