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 17, 1952 ~ Composer, music director Heiner Goebbels born in Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse, Germany ~ Closely associated with Alfred Harth, with whom he co-founded wind band the Sogenanntes Linksradikales Blasorchester and avant-rock group Cassiber. As a composer best known for Surrogate Cities, Hashirigaki, and Stifters Dinge
August 17, 1949 ~ John Thomas Hashian, commonly known as drummer Sib Hashian, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Early member of Boston. Present on the band's first two albums, 1976's eponymous Boston and its 1978 Don't Look Back follow-up. Hashian would leave the band upon the return of original drummer Jim Masdea ~ Hashian passed away in 2017
August 17, 1947 ~ Guitarist Gary Talley born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Lead guitarist for 1960s pop rock outfit the Box Tops, known for the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits The Letter and Cry Like A Baby. Starting in the early 1970s Talley has worked with artists such as Pat Boone, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dobie Gray, Billy Joe Royal, Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, and Waylon JenningsAugust 17, 1946 ~ Trombonist, bandleader, arranger, producer Juan Pablo Torres, full name Juan Pablo Torres Morell, born in Puerto Padre, Cuba ~ Regarded as one of the finest trombonists in Afro-Cuban jazz. Director of Algo Nuevo. Member of seminal Cuban outfit Irakere since the mid-1980s, led by Chucho Valdes ~ Torres passed away in 2005
August 17, 1944 ~ Folk, rock, pop drummer John Seiter born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Brother of drummer Jimmi Seiter. First gained attention as member of Spanky & Our Gang, joining the band in 1967 and present on the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hits Lazy Day and Like To Get To Know You. Following the band's disbandement in 1968 Seiter joined the Turtles, appearing on their final Turtle Soup released in 1969. Has also worked with Rosebud, Aztec Two-Step, Jane Getz, Tom Waits, and the Conception Corporation
August 17, 1943 ~ Blues singer, guitarist Dave Ray, full name James David Ray, born in St Paul, Minnesota, USA ~ Closely associated with John Koerner and Tony Glover, the trio recording and performing in various configurations, in solo turns and duets, but rarely as a trio. Ray suggested that it would be more accurate to refer to them not as Koerner Ray & Gloever, but rather Koerner and/or Ray and/or Glover. As a trio noted for appearing at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, captured on the Newport Folk Festival 1964 (Evening Concerts III) album. In later years they would occasionally perform together, until Ray's death in the early 2000s ~ Ray passed away in 2002
August 17, 1939 ~ Blues, Chicago blues, electric blues singer, guitarist Luther Allison, full name Luther Sylvester Allison, born in Widener, Arkansas, USA ~ Member of family gospel group the Southern Travellers. Member of 1950s band the Rolling Stones, which also included his brothers Ollie Allison and Grant Allison, later renamed to the Four Jivers. Backed blues singers such as Howlin' Wolf and Freddie King. Has also worked with Jimmy Dawkins, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, James Cotton, Shakey Jake Harris, Sunnyland Slim. As a solo artist actively recording since his 1969 acclaimed Love Me Mama solo debut album ~ Allison passed away in 1997
August 17, 1934 ~ James Ellis, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist Jimmy Preacher Ellis, born in Foreman, Arkansas, USA ~ Member of the Travelling Four during the mid 1950s. As a solo artist known for a number of singles starting in the mid 1960s, including I'm Gonna Do It By Myself, Can't Work And Watch You, and Work With What You Got ~ Ellis passed away in 2022
August 17, 1934 ~ João Donato de Oliveira Neto, commonly known as pianist, accordionist, composer João Donato, born in Rio Branco, Brazil ~ Leader and sideman. Helped shape Brazilian jazz and bossa nova. Active since the early 1950s. Well-known songs include Sambou Sambou, Vento Do Canavial (Sugarcane Breeze), Amazonas (Amazon), and Até Quem Sabe. Especially acclaimed for his 1965 The New Sound Of Brazil album. Has guested on albums by Mongo Santamaria, Astrud Gilberto (The Astrud Gilberto Album), Sérgio Mendes, Nana Caymmi, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Eddie Palmieri (Eddie's Concerto), and Milton Nascimento ~ De Oliveira passed away in 2023August 17, 1931 ~ Pianist Derek Smith born in London, UK ~ Leader and sideman. Influenced by Art Tatum. Member of Johnny Dankworth's orchestra before relocating to America. Would go on to work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Benny Goodman, the Tonight Show Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy DeFranco, Louie Bellson, Ben E King, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Hinton, and Clark Terry
August 17, 1931 ~ Saxophonist, bandleader Floyd Newman born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ In-demand session musician closely associated with Stax/Volt, the Mar-keys, and the Memphis Horns. As a leader known for his 1963 single Frog Stomp b/w Sassy. Present on albums by the likes of BB King, Otis Redding (Otis Blue), Wilson Pickett, Etta James (Tell Mama), Aretha Franklin (Aretha Now), and Boz Scaggs ~ Newman passed away in 2023
August 17, 1924 ~ R&B guitarist, bandleader Edgar Blanchard, full name Edgar Vernon Blanchard, born in Grosse Tête, Louisiana, USA ~ Following his stint in the Army during World War II, Blanchard formed the Gondeliers named for his time in Italy. The band, notably featuring Roy Brown, would become well known in New Orleans for their gigs at the Down Beat Club and the Dew Drop Inn. Blanchard would also perform and record with others including Big Joe Turner, Ray Charles, Professor Longhair, Lloyd Price, Little Richard, Eddie Bo, and Clarence Frogman Henry. Blanchard is also known for appearing on the Ric-recordings of Johnny Adams during the late 1950s. Blanchard recorded a sole poorly-received album with the Gondeliers, Let's Have A Blast With The Gondeliers released in 1961, but would continue to perform with the band in New Orleans clubs through the mid 1960s ~ Blanchard passed away in 1972
August 17, 1922 ~ Jazz drummer Jack Sperling born ~ Worked with Bunny Berigan, Henry Mancini, Glenn Miller, Tex Beneke, Les Brown, Bob Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jr, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, the Four Freshmen, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Scatman Crothers, Pete Fountain, Abe Most, Dinah Washington, Teresa Brewer, Harry Belafonte, Chet Atkins, Wynona Carr, James Brown, Carmen McRae, Bob Florence, John Sheridan, and Don Fagerquist ~ Sperling passed away in 2004
August 17, 1921 ~ Country singer, harmonica player Wayne Raney born in Wolf Bayou, Arkansas, USA ~ Worked with the Delmore Brothers. As a solo artist best known for songs such as Lost John Boogie, The Jack & Jill Boogie, the 1949 hit Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me, and for the 1959 Christian revival song We Need A Whole Lot More Jesus And A Lot Less Rock & Roll ~ Raney passed away in 1993
August 17, 1920 ~ Jazz bassist, double bassist George Duvivier born in New York, New York, USA ~ Classically trained on violin, Duvivier's first professional steps in music were in classical musicwhen he landed the position of assistant concertmaster with the Central Manhattan Symphony Orchestra at a mere age of 16 years. However, Duvivier would soon switch to double bass and become one of the most in-demand double bassists of his day in swing, bop, and cool jazz. In the 1940s, Duvivier honed his skills backing the likes of Coleman Hawkins, Lucky Millinder, and Eddie Barefield. Following a stint in the Army, Duvivier resumed his career in the 1950s touring with Lena Horne, to go on to frequently work with Bud Powell, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Etta Jones, and Shirley Scott. Other notable associations include Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Thad Jones, Ben Webster, Pepper Adams, Jim Hall, Gloria Lynne, Lester Young, Randy Weston (Uhuru Afrika), Eric Dolphy (Out There), Gene Ammons, Tubby Hayes, Oliver Nelson, Paul Desmond, Art Farmer, Johnny Lytle, Wild Bill Davis, Sonny Stitt (Goin' Down Slow), and Joe Venuti. Outside jazz circles, Duvivier is perhaps best known for appearing on Ben E King's Spanish Harlem debut album, Sam Cooke's My Kind Of Blues, John Lennon's sophomore Imagine album, Don McLean's Homeless Brother, Janis Ian's Stars, and Barry Manilow's 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe ~ Duvivier passed away in 1985August 17, 1919 ~ Jazz, swing, blues saxophonist, composer Irv Williams born ~ Backed artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Fletcher Henderson, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Eckstine. Turned down offers to tour with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, preferring to play locally in the Twin Cities area and teach in public schools. Would continue to play at every local venue, backing visiting artists including Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Hodges. Would release a string of albums in his eighties, notably 2006's Duo with regular collaborator pianist Peter Schimke ~ Williams passed away in 2019
August 17, 1918 ~ Frieda Lipschitz, commonly known as singer Georgia Gibbs, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA ~ Versatile pop, pop-jazz singer enjoying her biggest success in the early to mid 1950s with songs such as If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake, While You Danced Danced Danced, Kiss Of Fire and Seven Lonely Days. Worked with Frankie Trumbauer, Tommy Dorsey, Hal Kemp, Artie Shaw, Earle Hagen, Bob Crosby, and Glenn Osser ~ Lipschitz passed away in 2006August 17, 1918 ~ Jazz saxophonist Ike Quebec, full name Ike Abrams Quebec, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Worked with the Barons Of Rhythm, Frankie Newton, Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, Trummy Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Cab Calloway, Sonny Clark, Grant Green, Jimmy Smith, and Dodo Greene ~ Quebec passed away in 1963
August 17, 1917 ~ Frank Windsol Culley, commonly known as R&B saxophonist, bandleader Frank Culley or Frank Floorshow Culley, born in Petsworth, Virginia, USA ~ Recorded prolifically from the 1930s onwards, notably the late 1940s hits Cole Slaw, Floorshow and After Hour Session. Leader of the first houseband at Atlantic Records, a position he held from 1948 through 1951 ~ Culley passed away in 1991
August 17, 1917 ~ Blues shouter Walter Brown born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Best known as lead singer with Jay McShann's band in the 1940s, including on some of their best known including Confessing The Blues, which Brown co-wrote, and Hootie Blues. Left McShann to be replaced by Jimmy Witherspoon. Brown later also recorded with Tiny Grimes, to lesser succes ~ Brown passed away in [artist-walter-brown]
August 17, 1916 ~ Folk singer, banjoist, songwriter Ola Belle Reed born in Lansing, North Carolina, USA ~ Formed the New River Boys & Girls with her brother Alex Campbell, known for songs such as Indecision, I Threw Away The Key, and You Led Me To The Wrong. Several songs written by Reed would become classics of the genre, perhaps most notably High On A Mountain recorded by Del McCoury, Hot Rize, Tim O'Brien, and Marty Stuart ~ Reed passed away in 2002
August 17, 1909 ~ Trumpeter, bandleader, arranger Larry Clinton born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Early on, while in his twenties, a popular arranger for dance orchestras including those led by Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Glen Gray, Louis Armstrong, and Bunny Berigan. As a bandleader recorded hits for the Victor Label label ranging from pop tunes and instrumentals penned by Clinton to swing adaptions of classical compositions (notably his 1938 hit My Reverie, an adaptation of Claude Debussy's Reverie with added pop lyrics sung by Bea Wain). Clinton served in the US Air Force during World War II as a pilot and resumed his career after the war, mostly leading studio bands up to the early 1960s ~ Clinton passed away in 1985August 17, 1908 ~ Pianist, arranger Jimmy Sherman, full name James Benjamin Sherman, born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Started in dance bands in the late 1920s. Worked with Jimmy Gorham, Alphonso Trent, Peanuts Holland, Al Sears, Stuff Smith, Lil' Armstrong, Putney Dandridge, Mildred Bailey, Billie Holiday, and notably with the Charioteers as a full member from 1938 to 1952 ~ Sherman passed away in 1975
August 17, 1893 ~ Mary Jane West, commonly known as actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter Mae West, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Active as a vaudeville and stage entertainer before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Would go on to become one of the most popular, as well as one of the most controversial, sex symbols of her day. Following her career as a movie actress would return to performing on stage, write plays, and record a number of rock & roll albums ~ West passed away in 1980