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 9, 1945 ~ Jazz, jazz rock, rock, pop, R&B drummer Steve Gadd, full name Stephen Kendall Gadd born in Irondequoit, New York, USA ~ One of the most renowned and in-demand session drummers. Recorded about a dozen albums as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for Continental Talk released in 2010. Drummed on Paul Simon's 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover and Steely Dan's Aja. Gadd has also appeared on albums by Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Jim Croce (I Got A Name), Herbie Mann, Bonnie Raitt (Streetlights), Aretha Franklin, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, Grover Washington Jr, Patti Austin, George Benson, Joe Cocker, Etta James, Quincy Jones, Dr John, Barbra Streisand (Guilty), Al Jarreau, the Bee Gees, Dionne Warwick, and Roberta Flack
April 9, 1944 ~ Alan Waller, commonly known as bassist, producer Wally Waller, born in Barnehurst, UK ~ Joined the Pretty Things as a bassist in 1967, taking over for John Stax. Left the band in 1971. Present on the albums SF Sorrow and Parachute. Had previously played with Bern Elliott & the Fenmen, known for their 1963 version of Money (That's What I Want). Would work as an EMI staff producer from the early 1970s forward working with artists such as Barclay James Harvest, the Malcolm Hook Roll Band, and John LeesApril 9, 1943 ~ Richard Terrence Knapp, commonly known as singer, songwriter, producer Terry Knight, born in Lapeer, Michigan, USA ~ Fronted Terry Knight & the Pack, known for songs such as Change On The Way, the Yardbirds cover You're A Better Man Than I, the Ben E King cover I (Who Have Nothing), and Love Love Love Love Love. ~ Knapp passed away in 2004
April 9, 1942 ~ Rock & roll, rockabilly singer, pianist, saxophonist, songwriter Roddy Jackson, full name George Rodrick Jackson, born in Fresno, California, USA ~ Influenced by Fats Domino and Little Richard. First gained attention with the 1957 Sonny Bono-penned I've Got My Sights On Someone New. Released as a single, b/w Love At First Sight, it would become a regional hit and lead to an appearance on American Bandstand. Despite some promising follow-ups, Hiccups and Any Old Town, Jackson would fail to break through to a larger audience. Perhaps best known for co-writing She Said Yeah with Bono, first recorded by Larry Williams in 1959 and covered by over a dozen artists including the Animals, Cliff Bennett, and the Rolling Stones ~ Jackson passed away in 2022
April 9, 1939 ~ Betty Lou Miller, commonly known as Christian, country singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Margo Smith, born in Dayton, Ohio, USA ~ Known for her yodeling, her 1970s country remakes of the pop songs Don't Break The Heart That Loves You and It Only Hurts For A Little While both of which topped the Billboard Country charts, and for a number of 1980s hits after turning to a more risque image with songs such as Still A Woman, The Shuffle Song and Cup Of Tea, the latter a duet with Rex Allen Jr ~ Smith passed away in 2024
April 9, 1932 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Carl Perkins, full name Carl Lee Perkins, born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, USA ~ Helped shape early rock & roll and rockabilly. Known for songs such as Blue Suede Shoes, Matchbox and Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby. As a songwriter had his songs covered by Elvis Presley (Blue Suede Shoes), Cliff Richard, the Beatles, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Nelson (Boppin' The Blues), Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash (Daddy Sang Bass), Jerry Lee Lewis, Patsy Cline (So Wrong), Eric Clapton, George Thorogood (Dixie Fried), the Country Gentlemen, Kitty Wells, Jason & the Scorchers (Gone Gone Gone), Pam Tillis, Wanda Jackson (Honey Don't), and Lee Rocker ~ Perkins passed away in 1998
April 9, 1928 ~ Jazz, traditional jazz clarinetist Monty Sunshine born in London, UK ~ Best known for his clarinet solo on Petite Fleur, a million-seller in 1959 for Chris Barber. The following year Sunshine would venture out on his own, forming his own ensemble the Monty Sunshine Jazz Band with whom he recorded albums such as Black Moonlight and Sunshine. Sunshine has also collaborated with the likes of Ken Colyer, Lonnie Donegan, Kenny Ball, and Joe Meek ~ Sunshine passed away in 2010April 9, 1921 ~ Songwriter, arranger, lyricist George David Weiss born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for writing or co-writing songs such as Lullabye Of Birdland (Morris Levy), Mr Wonderful (Olga James), Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley), That Sunday That Summer (Nat King Cole), Stay With me (Lorraine Ellison), and What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong) ~ Weiss passed away in 2010
April 9, 1917 ~ Blues harpist, guitarist, singer Woodrow Adams, full name Woodrow Wilson Adams, born in Tchula, Mississippi, USA ~ Reportedly, Adams was taught how to play the blues harp by Howlin' Wolf. Adams has made only made three recordings, Prety Baby Blues, Wine Head Woman and How Long, yet these recordings are highly sought after by blues aficionados ~ Adams passed away in 1988April 9, 1916 ~ Songwriter Phil Medley born ~ Co-wrote Twist And Shout with Bert Berns. The song would be first recorded by the Top Notes in 1961 but is more famous as covered by the Isley Brothers the following year and by the Beatles for their 1963 Please Please Me album. Other songs co-written by Medley include TV Is The Thing This Year (Dinah Washington), Anything You Wanna Do (Billy Eckstine), A Million To One (Jimmy Charles), and If I Didn't Have A Dime To Play The Jukebox (Gene Pitney) ~ Medley passed away in 1997
April 9, 1906 ~ Conductor, composer Antal Doráti born in Budapest, Hungary ~ Worked with the Budapest Royal Opera, the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ~ Doráti passed away in 1988
April 9, 1901 ~ Jazz trumpeter, bandleader Arthur Briggs born in St George, Grenada ~ Although Briggs got his start in music working with the 369th US Infantry Band, for which he set back his birth date as he was still underage, he would spend most of his career in Europe where he became well-respected while remaining relatively unknown to American audiences. Briggs first traveled to Europe at the turn of the 1920s as a member of the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, a Will Marion Cook-led ensemble that also included a young Sidney Bechet, before a short stint with Leslie Howard and subsequently settling in Belgium. Through the start of World War II, Briggs would lead several of his own bands, most notably the Savoy Syncopated Orchestra, and regularly collaborate with the likes of pianist Freddy Johnson, saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, and gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, including on the latter's 1935 Paris recording of Blue Moon. Briggs survived the war, playing classical music in a concentration camp band as jazz was strictly forbidden by the Nazis, and resumed his musical career after the war, recording, performing, and serving as a music teacher in France through the 1960s. Although most of his recordings as a leader are very obscure, Briggs is fondly remembered as one of the finest trumpeters of his day ~ Briggs passed away in 1991
April 9, 1898 ~ Singer, actor, activist Paul Robeson, full name Paul Leroy Robeson, born in Princeton, New Jersey, USA ~ Recorded more than 250 songs over a three decade career starting in the mid 1920s. Known for a number of film performances, notably 1925's Show Boat with his rendition of Ol' Man River becoming the benchmark for all future performers of the song. Robeson is also known as an athlete, law scholar, and social activist ~ Robeson passed away in 1976