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.
August 1, 1976 ~ Symphony Taylor, commonly known as producer, DJ, turntablist DJ Symphony, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Best known for his association with several the Wu-Tang Clan members, notably serving as touring DJ for Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and GZA. Taylor has also collaborated with Digital Underground, DJ Scratch, Nas, the Alchemist, Mobb Deep, KRS One, 2 Chainz, Snoop Dogg, and Yelawolf
August 1, 1975 ~ Jazz drummer, composer Håkon Mjåset Johansen born in Trondheim, Norway ~ Worked with Come Shine, the Urban Connection, Motif, the Svein Olav Herstad Trio, Excess Luggage, Håvard Stubø, IPA, Hegge, the Oddbjorn Blindheim Trio, the Håvard Wilk Trio, Jon Larsen, Kjersti Stubø, and Steinar Raknes
August 1, 1971 ~ Singer, songwriter George Ducas born in Texas City, Texas, USA ~ Known for recordings such as 1994's Lipstick Promises, 1997's Where I Stand and 2013's 4340. Has also written or co-written songs for others including Garth Brooks, Randy Travis (Just Call Me Lonesome), the Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Gary Allan, the Randy Rogers Band (Kiss Me In The Dark), George Jones, the Eli Young Band, Josh Thompson (Won't Be Lonely Long), and Sara Evans (Real Fine Place To Start)August 1, 1970 ~ Jazz pianist Kishon Khan born in Bangladesh ~ Formed Afro-Cuban funk jazz outfit Motimba, known for their 2003 Monkey Vibrations album. Khan also founded the acclaimed London-based collective Lokkhi Terra, merging jazz, funk, and world music. The collective is a regular guest at world music festivals and is best known for their 2010 No Visa Required debut album. Khan has also appeared on albums by Inemo, Bukky Leo, Os Ritmistas, and the Soothsayers
August 1, 1968 ~ Heavy metal guitarist, keyboardist Dan Donegan, full name Daniel Joseph Donegan, born in Oak Lawn, Illinois, USA ~ Co-founding member of nu-metal outfit the Disturbed, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Believe released in 2002. Well known songs include Prayer, Stricken, and the Genesis cover Land Of Confusion
August 1, 1965 ~ Isidore Levkowitz, commonly known as vaudeville singer Eugene Howard, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Formed the sibling duo the Howard Brothers with his older brother Willie Howard. The duo were among the earliest openly Jewish performers and known for their burlesque and vaudeville performances and appeared in several Broadway revues, most notably The Passing Show series starting in the early-1910s and the George Gershwin-penned Girl Crazy musical in 1930 ~ Levkowitz was born in 1880
August 1, 1964 ~ Singer, songwriter Adam Duritz born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Best known as co-founding singer, frontman, main songwriter of rock band the Counting Crows. Debuted in 1993 with August & Everything After which hit the US top 5 and spawned a number of successful singles including Round Here and Mr Jones. The band would record to both critical acclaim and commercial success ever since. Duritz has also released records as a solo artist as well as guested on albums by the Wallflowers, Ryan Adams, Peter Stuart, Live, Dashboard Confessional, and Nanci Griffith
August 1, 1964 ~ Alternative rock, post-rock, slowcore guitarist, drummer Chris Brokaw born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for his associations with Come and Codeine. Has also recorded as a solo artist as well as with Pullman, Snares & Kites, the New Year, the Empty House Cooperative, Consonant, Dirtmusic, Wrekmeister Harmonies, Geoff Farina, Martha's Vineyard Ferries, and David Michael Curry
August 1, 1964 ~ Singer Roy Orbison records Pretty Woman ~ Written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees. Produced by Fred Foster. Released later the same month. Would become Roy's signature song, arguably one of the songs that defined rock & roll, and a highlight of his career. Would sell seven million copies. Musicians appearing on the original version included, besides Orbison, Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy and Wayne Moss on guitars, Floyd Cramer piano, Henry Strzelecki upright bass, Buddy Harman and Paul Garrison drums and percussion, and Boots Randolph and Charlie McCoy on saxophones
August 1, 1963 ~ Artis Leon Ivey Jr, commonly known as pop-rap, G-funk, hip-hop rapper, singer, songwriter Coolio born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, USA ~ First gained attention as a member of gangsta rap outfit WC & the Maad Circle alongside WC and Crazy Toones. Would become a household name as a solo artist, best known for his 1995 hit Gangsta's Paradise, a No.1 hit in over a dozen countries including the USA, the UK and the Netherlands. Stevie Wonder was credited as co-writer as the song drew heavily from Wonder's Pastime Paradise. Other well known songs include Fantastic Voyage, 1-2-3-4 (Sumpin' New) and C U When U Get There ~ Ivey passed away in 2022August 1, 1962 ~ R&B girl group Martha & the Vandellas record I'll Have To Let Him Go at Hitsville USA, Detroit, Michigan ~ Written and produced by William Mickey Stevenson. Girl group Martha & the Vandellas were backed by Joe Hunter piano, James Jamerson bass, Benny Benjamin drums, Eddie Willis guitar, Mike Terry baritone sax, and Ray Singleton on the organ. Released as a single the following September, the B-side featuring My Baby Won't Come Back
August 1, 1960 ~ Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, commonly known as Chuck D, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member, leader of Public Enemy, pivotal in developing socially conscious, politcally motivated hip-hop. Member of Confrontation Camp. Member of Prophets Of Rage. Has also collaborated with a wide array of artists including Rage Against The Machine, Anthrax and Sonic YouthAugust 1, 1959 ~ Glam metal, hard rock, heavy metal singer, guitarist, keyboardist Joe Elliott, full name Joseph Thomas Elliott, born in Sheffield, UK ~ Lead singer for Def Leppard, with whom he recorded about a dozen albums. The band is best known for the acclaimed 1983 Pyromania album and its 1984 follow-up Hysteria. The latter would spawn the UK top 10 hit Animal. Elliott has also worked with Down 'n Outz, Kings Of Chaos, and the Cybernauts
August 1, 1959 ~ Guitarist, turntablist Otomo Yoshihide born in Yokohama, Japan ~ Rose to prominence as leader of experimental rock group Ground Zero. Would go on to become an in-demand collaborator, renowned film composer and pioneer in live electronic music. Has worked with Junji Hirose, Yuji Katsui, Carl Stone, Yasuhiro Otani, Tetuzi Akiyama, Cathode, ISO, Filament, and the New Jazz Quintet
August 1, 1958 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Robert Buck, full name Robert Norman Buck, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Guitarist, co-founding member of 10,000 Maniacs, and as songwriter wrote or co-wrote some of the band's best known songs including What's The Matter Here, Hey Jack Kerouac, You Happy Puppet, and These Are Days ~ Buck passed away in 2000
August 1, 1957 ~ Blues, soul, gospel singer, songwriter Deitra Farr born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Sang lead on Mill Street Depo's 1976 single You Won't Support Me. Member of Mississippi Heat during the early to mid 1990s. Debuted as a solo artist in 1997 with the acclaimed The Search Is Over album
August 1, 1953 ~ Blues, soul blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Robert Cray, full name Robert William Cray, born in Columbus, Ohio, USA ~ Best known for his crossover hit Smoking Gun of his 1986 Strong Persuader album. Backed Chuck Berry in the Hail Hail Rock 'n Roll. Backed Tina Turner in her Break Every Rule TV special. Opened for Eric Clapton. Worked with John Lee Hooker on the 1992 Boom Boom album, notably the guitar solo on the track Baby Lee. Has also worked with Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland
August 1, 1951 ~ Jeff Tkazyik, commonly known as jazz, pop, classical conductor, trumpeter, arranger Jeff Tyzik, born in Hyde Park, New York, USA ~ Has recorded about half a dozen albums as a solo trumpeter, and led his own big band during the late 1980s and 1990s. Well known for his association with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, serving as the orchestra's principal pops conductor since 1994. Tyzik has since established himself as one of America's premier pops conductors and arranger, working with orchestras such as the Dallas Symphony, the Oregon Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony. Tyzik is also well known for his association with Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band, serving as arranger and producer for the ensemble including on the Grammy Award-winning The Tonight Show Band With Doc Severinsen album released in 1986
August 1, 1951 ~ Rock, indie rock, alternative rock producer, engineer, keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, singer Mark Hallman born in Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA ~ First gained attention as singer of Navarro, with whom he recorded the albums Listen and Straight From The Heart. The band would go on to serve as backing band for Carole King, with Hallman in particular remaining with King as a producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist on half a dozen of her albums including the acclaimed Pearls (Songs Of Goffin And King) album released in 1980. Hallman is also known as a member of Omar & the Howlers, including on the acclaimed Muddy Springs Road album, and has worked in one capacity or another on albums by Jerry Jeff Walker, Joe Ely, Eliza Gilkyson, Christine Albert, Michael Fracasso, Plainsong, David Halley (Stray Dog Talk), Sara Hickman, Ray Wylie Hubbard (Loco Gringos Lament), Eric Taylor, Kris McKay, the Derailers, and Ani DiFrancoAugust 1, 1951 ~ Rock guitarist, singer Tim Bachman, full name Timothy Gregg Bachman, born in Winnipeg, Canada ~ Co-founding member of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, present on the band's first two albums Bachman Turner Overdrive and Bachman Turner Overdrive II. The latter would spawn the singles Let It Ride and Takin' Care Of Business, both of which reached top 10 in the band's native Canada ~ Bachman passed away in 2023
August 1, 1951 ~ Rock, hard rock, heavy metal, blues rock, funk rock, jazz fusion guitarist Tommy Bolin, full name Thomas Richard Bolin, born in Sioux City, Iowa, USA ~ Member of Zephyr from 1969 through 1971. Member of the James Gang, present on and writing or co-writing most of the material on the albums Bang and Miami. Guested on Billy Cobham's Spectrum. Member of Deep Purple, replacing Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 until the band's disbandement the next year. As a solo artist known for the pivotal 1970s albums Teaser and Private Eyes ~ Bolin passed away in 1976August 1, 1950 ~ Swing jazz drummer Alvin Burroughs passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Played with Walter Page and Alphonso Trent before heading to Chicago around 1930. Played with Hal Draper, Horace Henderson, and extensively with Earl Hines. In the 1940s Burroughs backed greats such as Milt Larkin, Benny Carter, Red Allen, and George Dixon ~ Burroughs was born in 1911
August 1, 1950 ~ Percussionist, drummer Mamady Keïta born in Balandougou, Guinea ~ Guinea-born master of the djembe. Appeared in the 1967 Africa Dance film alongside Harry Belafonte. Key member, lead soloist of the Djoliba National Ballet for nearly two decades, serving as artistic director from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. Has taught internationally and published an impressive amount of instructional material for djembe players ~ Keita passed away in 2021August 1, 1949 ~ James Dennis Carroll, commonly known as author, poet, singer, songwriter, songwriter Jim Carroll born in New York, New York, USA ~ Author, poet, punk musician. Frontman and eponym of the Jim Carroll Band. Best known for his autobiography Basketball Diaries, which inspired a 1995 film of the same name featuring Leonardio Dicaprio as Carroll. Collaborated with the Velvet Underground, the Blue Öyster Cult, Lou Reed, Boz Scaggs, and Pearl Jam ~ Carroll passed away in 2009
August 1, 1947 ~ Pop, pop rock, disco singer, conductor, arranger, songwriter, composer Luc Smets, full name Luc Jan Frans Smets, born in Leuven, Belgium ~ Member of 1960s pop group Pebbles, for whom he co-wrote their biggest hit Seven Horses In The Sky. Co-founded Shampoo. Member of disco unit the Dream Express, with whom he reached 7th place at the 1977 Eurovision Songfestival representing Belgium with the song A Million In 1 2 3. Smets has also composed for film and TV ~ Smets passed away in 2023