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 2, 2021 ~ Cellist, conductor, composer Allan Stephenson passed away ~ Cellist with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra for nearly 25 years starting in 1973. Prolific composer with over a 100 works to his name, perhaps best known for writing one act of the three act opera The Mandela Trilogy, depicting the life of Nelson Mandela ~ Stephenson was born in 1949
August 2, 2020 ~ Jazz pianist, conductor, arranger Larry Novak, full name Lawrence R Novak, passed away ~ Leader and sideman. Father of drummer Gary Novak. Worked with Cleveland Eaton, Pearl Bailey, Mel Tormé, Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Carmen McRae, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Bellson, Herb Ellis, Butch Miles, Rufus Reid, Ray Brown, Carl Fontana, Kenny Burrell, Chick Corea, Al Hirt, Charlie Shavers, Barney Kessel, Scott LaFaro, Sonny Stitt, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Phil Woods, and Scott Hamilton ~ Novak was born in 1933August 2, 2015 ~ Kenneth Alan James Hawker, commonly known as pop singer, songwriter, producer Ken Lewis, passed away in Cherry Hinton, UK ~ Closely associated with John Carter, the duo serving as songwriters and producers for a host of mostly UK artists from the early 1960s through the mid 1970s. Well-known songs penned or co-penned by the duo include That's What I Want (the Marauders), Is It True (Brenda Lee), Funny How Love Can Be (the Ivy League), Can't You Hear My Heartbeat (Herman's Hermits), Peek-a-boo (the New Vaudeville Band), Let's Go To San Francisco (the Flower Pot Men), and Knock Knock Who's There (Mary Hopkin) ~ Hawker was born in 1940
August 2, 2012 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer Tomasz Szukalski passed away in Plaseczno, Poland ~ Leader and sideman. As sideman best known for his work with Tomasz Stańko, Edward Vesala, and Zbigniew Namyslowski. Also collaborated with Janusz Muniak, Michal Urbaniak, Arild Andersen, Palle Mikkelborg, Terje Rypdal, Antti Hytti, Janusz Stefanski, Pawel Jarzebeski, Józef Skrzek, Jan Patyn Wróblewski, Artur Dutkiewicz, Alain Brunet, Tadeusz Nalepa, Apostolis Anthimos, Janus Skowron, and Karin Krog ~ Szukalski was born in 1948
August 2, 2011 ~ Gospel singer DeLois Barrett, also known as Delois Barrett Campbell, passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Started her career while still in high school, joining the renowned the Roberta Martin Singers as lead singer, remaining with the group from the 1940s through the early 1960s and present on key recordings such as Only A Look. Barrett would go on to form the gospel trio the Barrett Sisters with younger sisters Billie Barrett and Rodessa Barrett. The sibling outfit would go on to perform and record for some seven decades, making them one of the longest-lasting gospel outfits, and record well over a dozen albums. The trio would especially gain attention after being notably featured in the 1982 critically acclaimed documentary Say Amen Somebody, which prompted The New Yorker to comment the siblings “brought the film an emotional pitch, and we in the audience want to go on soaring”. Singer Roberta Martin guested on the trio's 1963 Jesus Loves Me debut album ~ Barrett was born in 1926August 2, 2010 ~ Bassist, singer Mitch Jayne, full name Mitchell Franklin Jayne, passed away in Columbia, Missouri, USA ~ Member of the Dillards. Co-wrote a number of the band's songs nowadays considered bluegrass classics including Dooley, There Is A Time, The Old Home Place and The Whole World Round ~ Jayne was born in 1928
August 2, 2010 ~ Country outfit Rascal Flatts release Why Wait, lead single off their Nothing Like This album ~ When Lyric Street Records closed up shop, Big Machine Records was quick to sign the popular country outfit. The investment paid off as their first release on the new label, the infectious and just on the right side of cheesy single Why Wait became their tenth Billboard Country No.1 hit. The song, telling of a quickie wedding, was written by Tom Shapiro, Neil Thrasher, and Jimmy Yeary, with the latter two drawing from personal experience for inspiration as both had married quickly. The song immediately appealed to Rascal Flatts and bassist Jay Demarcus told the Boot selecting the song as the lead single became a no-brainer, recalling how he told bandmate singer Gary LeVox: “Man, Why Wait is really, really different for us and really catchy, and I think it could really showcase our harmonies”
August 2, 2009 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer Billy Lee Riley passed away in Jonesboro, Kansas, USA ~ Rockabilly singer best known for his rendition of Red Hot, named one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll, as well for other lost classics such as Rock With Me Baby and Flying Saucers Rock & Roll. The latter featured labelmate Jerry Lee Lewis on piano. Known for his wild stage antics Riley enjoyed a brief career but feeling underpromoted by his label he left Sun Records in 1960. He would continue to record throughout most of the 1960s and work as a session musician for artists such as Dean Martin, the Beach Boys, Herb Alpert, and Sammy Davis Jr. He would retire from the music business in the early 1970s. Was covered by Robert Gordon and Link Wray in the late 1970s. Was rediscovered in 1992 by Bob Dylan, a fan since 1956, which eventually led to the Grammy-nominated album Hot Damns in 1997 ~ Riley was born in 1933August 2, 2003 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Paulinho Nogueira passed away in São Paulo, Brazil ~ With influences ranging from bossa nova to Johann Sebastian Bach Noguiera has well over two dozen albums to his name and is especially acclaimed for his 1994 eponymous Paulinho Noguiera album and Tons E Semitons released in 1997 ~ Noguiera was born in 1929
August 2, 2002 ~ Country songwriter, radio DJ, label executive, producer Joe Allison, full name Joe Marion Allison, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Revered songwriter. Regarded as one of the most influential figures in the rise of modern country music. Wrote or co-wrote songs such as Tex Ritter's hit When You Leave Don't Slam The Door, Faron Young's Live Fast Love Hard Die Young, Tommy Sands' Teen-age Crush, and Jim Reeves' He'll Have To Stay. Label executive at Liberty Records, Dot Records, Capitol Records. Has worked, in one capacity or another, with artists such as Willie Nelson, Hank Cochran, Roy Clark, Joe Stampley, Tommy Overstreet, and Red Steagall ~ Allison was born in 1924August 2, 2002 ~ Jazz pianist, singer Roy Kral passed away in Montclair, New Jersey, USA ~ Brother of singer Irene Kral. Best known for forming the duo Jackie & Roy with his wife singer Jackie Cain. The duo had met working with Charlie Ventura in the late 1940s. Shortly after leaving Ventura they married and would record and perform as a duo until Kral's death some five decades later, their music characterised by an unusual yet attractive pairing of harmony vocals ~ Kral was born in 1921
August 2, 1999 ~ Lee Mi-hyung, commonly known as K-pop, hip-hop rapper, singer, songwriter Mark Lee, born in Toronto, Canada ~ Best known as a member of South Korean boy band NCT and several associated acts. Also a member of supergroup SuperM, known for their 2020 Super One debut album
August 2, 1997 ~ Afrobeat, highlife singer, saxophonist, keyboardist, trumpeter, guitarist, percussionist, songwriter Fela Kuti, full name Fela Anikulapo Kuti, passed away in Lagos, Nigeria ~ Regarded as one the most influential musicians to come out of Nigeria. Pioneered Afrobeat, merging traditional Yoruba with funk and jazz. Staunch critic of Nigeria's military junta. Rose to fame with his Africa '70 ensemble in the 1970s, reaching a worldwide audience ~ Kuti was born in 1938
August 2, 1994 ~ Singer, producer, songwriter, arranger Jacob Collier born in North London, UK ~ Gained attention in the early-2010s through his split-screen Youtube videos covering well known pop songs. Released his full-length In My Room debut album in 2016, recorded entirely in a small back room of his family home. Collier is the first British artist to receive Grammy Awards for his first four albums. Has guested on recordings by Snarky Puppy, Becca Stevens, Daniel Caesar and Coldplay, notably on the latter's track Cry Cry Cy co-written by Collier
August 2, 1992 ~ Charlotte Emma Aitchison, commonly known as singer Charli XCX, born in London, UK ~ Rose to fame in 2013 with the Icona Pop collaboration I Love It. Aitchison would go on to become a regular guest vocalist on many R&B, hip-hop hits the coming years notably with Iggy Azalea (Fancy) as well as in-demand songwriter for the likes of Selena Gomez (Same Old Love) and Blondie (Tonight). As a solo artist she debuted in 2013 with the album True Romance, critically well received but charted poorly. Her solo breakthrough came the following year with the single Boom Clap which reached No.6 in the USAAugust 2, 1990 ~ Amanda Christian Amaya-Shaw, commonly known as fiddler, singer, actress Amanda Shaw, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Recorded half a dozen albums starting with her indie release Little Black Dog in 2001
August 2, 1989 ~ Singer, accordionist, songwriter Luiz Gonzaga, full name Luiz Gonzaga Do Nascimento Sr, passed away in Recife, Brazil ~ Regarded as one of the most important figures of the 20th century in Brazilian music. Credited as founder of the balão genre. Hailed as a “revolutionary” by Antônio Carlos Jobim and as “the first significant cultural icon with mass appeal” by Caetano Veloso ~ Gonzaga was born in 1912
August 2, 1988 ~ Singer Paula Abdul releases (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me, lifted off her Forever Your Girl debut album ~ Written by the then-unknown Oliver Leiber, son of noted songwriter Jerry Leiber. When producer Russ Titelman heard the demo, he wanted to cut the song with Chaka Khan, however, Leiber chose to go with Paula Abdul. As he would later explain to Songfacts: “Chaka Khan was one of my favorite singers, but I got a bit of great advice, and I'm glad I followed it. It was very counter-intuitive, but the advice was, if you have a hit with this unknown artist, people are going to be more apt to look and say, who did this?” Issued as the second single off Abdul's debut album, initially the song stalled at No.88 Billboard Hot 100. Yet, when Abdul's next three singles became hits, it was re-released. This time, (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me reached No.3 Billboard Hot 100
August 2, 1984 ~ Brittany Nicole Waddell, commonly known as Christian pop, R&B, hip hop singer, songwriter Britt Nicole, born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA ~ Charted primarily as a Christian pop singer active since the mid 2000s. Well-known songs include You, Set The World On Fire, The Lost Get Found, All This Time, and Ready Or Not featuring Lecrae. To mainstream pop audiences known for Gold, a modest 2012 crossover hit
August 2, 1983 ~ Bassist James Jamerson passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Considered one of the most influential bassists in modern music history. Influenced by Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Percy Heath. Played with Washboard Willie and toured with Jackie Wilson prior to starting at Motown where Jamerson, as a member of house band the Funk Brothers, would appear on an estimated just-about-every Motown recording from 1963 through 1968 including You Can't Hurry Love (the Supremes), My Girl (the Temptations), Shotgun (Junior Walker & the All-Stars), For Once In My Life and I Was Made To Love Her (Stevie Wonder), Going To A Go-Go (the Miracles), Dancing In the Street (Martha & the Vandellas), What's Going On (Marvin Gaye), and Bernadette and Reach Out I'll Be There (the Four Tops) ~ Jamerson was born in 1936
August 2, 1980 ~ In its 11th week on the charts, Magic by Olivia Newton-John hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written by Olivia Newton-John's longtime producer John Farrar, who had previously written Have You Never Been Mellow, You're The One That I Want and Hopelessly Devoted To You for the Australian singer, the song would be used for the soundtrack of Xanadu, in which Newton-John starred alongside Gene Kelly. The single would do far better than the film. Magic, issued as the soundtrack's lead single, would spend four consecutive weeks atop the American Billboard Hot 100 charts. Subsequently, most of the singles from the soundtrack would also reach top 20 Billboard Hot 100, with the parent album reaching top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. The film, however, was considerably less of a success, as it was critically poor received and failed to make the studio a profitAugust 2, 1979 ~ Hip-hop, R&B DJ, producer, label executive, songwriter Don Cannon born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known for co-founding Atlantic Records imprint Generation Now with Drama, carrying artists such as Lil' Uzi Vert, Jack Harlow and Skeme. As a DJ best known as member of the Aphilliates collective, another team effort with DJ Drama
August 2, 1969 ~ In its 8th week on the charts, Tell All The People by the Doors peaks at No.57 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written by guitarist Robby Krieger, he thought it would be perfect for Jim Morrison to sing. Morrison, however, did not want to be associated with it, due to the negative lyrics, and would since insist on individual writing credits. He did not want anyone to think he wrote it. The single failed to make the top half of the Billboard Hot 100, stalling at No.57
August 2, 1968 ~ Alternative rock, alternative metal, experimental rock drummer John Stanier born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Influenced by John Bonham, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Lenny White, and specifically Neil Peart, citing the latter as his biggest influence. Rose to fame as a member of alternative metal outfit Helmet, with whom he recorded half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Strap It On and Meantime. Stanier remained with the band until its initial disbandement in 1998, and has been a member of Mark Of Cain, Tomahawk, and Battles, and guested on albums by Primer 55, Melissa Auf Der Maur, and Rone
August 2, 1966 ~ Bandleader, bass saxophonist Boyd Raeburn, full name Boyd Albert Raeburn, passed away in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA ~ Has led a number of swing and big band ensembles since the 1930s, which at times included sidemen such as Serge Chaloff, Trummy Young, Lucky Thompson, Buddy DeFranco, and pianist George Handy. Raeburn would make considerable contributions to the development of jazz for a brief period during the mid 1940s, the ensemble noted for its daring and at the time considered avant-garde arrangements by pianist Handy. Reportedly, they were also the first to record the Dizzy Gillespie-classic Night In Tunisia. Raeburn would mostly retire from music by the mid 1950s ~ Raeburn was born in 1913