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, 1942 ~ Jazz trumpeter, composer Carl Saunders born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Worked with Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Bill Holman, Clare Fischer, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Paul Anka, Tony Bennett, Robert Goulet, Si Zentner, Harry James, Maynard Ferguson, Benny Goodman, Dan Terry, Charlie Barnet, Supersax, and Dave Pell
August 2, 1941 ~ Jazz, big band, easy listening trumpeter Bob Lanese born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ Active since the early 1960s, first gaining serious attention as a member of the house band at the Alpine Village, a popular nightclub in his native Cleveland, Ohio. Following a European tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1971, then under the direction of Buddy DeFranco, Lanese would become enamored with the city of Hamburg and relocate to Germany, where he became an in-demand trumpeter and flugelhornist. Best known as a longtime member of James Last's orchestra, serving as the ensemble's lead trumpeter for some three decades starting in 1972. Lanese has also worked with several other German bandleaders, including Kai Warner, Frank Valdor, Max Greger, and Bert Kaempfert, and sporadically recorded as a leader. To pop audiences, Lanese is perhaps best known for his trumpet playing on the 2000 Sing When You're Winning album by Robbie Williams ~ Lanese passed away in 2024
August 2, 1941 ~ R&B, pop, soul singer Doris Coley born in Pasaic, New Jersey, USA ~ Co-founded the Shirelles with schoolmates Addie Harris, Beverly Lee, and Shirley Owens. The girl group enjoyed popularity especially during the first half of the 1960s with songs such Tonight's The Night, Mama Said, Baby It's You, Soldier Boy, and Foolish Little Girl. Their best known, 1962's Will You Love Me Tomorrow, would be the first single by any black girl group to top the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Coley usually sang backing vocals, yet did sing lead on Dedicated To The One I Love, one of their biggest sellers, peaking at No.2 Billboard R&B, No.3 Billboard Hot 100. Coley left the group in 1968, only to return in 1975 after the departure of lead singer Owens ~ Coley passed away in 2000
August 2, 1937 ~ Organist, keyboardist, saxophonist, accordionist Garth Hudson, full name Eric Garth Hudson, born in Windsor, Canada ~ Member of the Band, known for songs such as The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. In-demand session musician. Cited as influence by Elton John. Released his The Sea To The North solo debut album in 2001 ~ Hudson passed away in 2025August 2, 1936 ~ Conductor, pianist, arranger, composer André Gagnon born in Saint-Pacôme, Canada ~ Known for fusing classical music with pop and disco influences. Acclaimed for the albums Neiges, Movements, Le Saint-Laurent and Piano. Composed the opera Nelligan, premiered in 1990. Also known as a film composer, films such as Phobia, The Hot Touch and notably The Pianist to his credit ~ Gagnon passed away in 2020
August 2, 1936 ~ Composer, music critic, musicologist Anthony Payne born in London, UK ~ Best known for completing Edward Elgar's unfinished Third Symphony. Praised as a prolific composer in his own right, having written orchestral and choral works and specifically chamber music. Well-known compositions include First Sight Of Her And After, Visions, and Journeys ~ Payne passed away in 2023
August 2, 1935 ~ Garland Perry Cochran, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Hank Cochran, born in Isola, Mississippi, USA ~ Though a formidable singer in his own right, best known for his 1962 single Sally Was A Good Old Girl, Cochran is best remembered as a songwriter perhaps most noted for writing or co-writing country classics such as I Fall To Pieces and She's Got You, both first recorded by Patsy Cline, and Make The World Go Away, first recorded by Ray Price. Others who recorded his songs include Patti Page, Willie Nelson (Undo The Right), Burl Ives, Bobby Bare, George Jones (Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)), Johnny Paycheck (A-11), Connie Smith, Lefty Frizzell, Eddy Arnold (I Want To Go With You), Waylon Jennings (I'm A Long Way From Home), Tammy Wynette (Don't Touch Me), Elvis Presley, Porter Wagoner, Merle Haggard (It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)), George Strait (The Chair), Keith Whitley (Would These Arms Be In The Way), Vern Gosdin, Gene Watson, Lee Ann Womack, and Mark Chesnutt ~ Cochran passed away in 2010
August 2, 1932 ~ Conductor, arranger Donald Hunsberger, full name Donald Ross Hunsberger, born in Souderton, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known for his association with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, serving as the group's conductor from 1965, succeeding Clyde Roller, through 2002. During his tenure with the ensemble, Hunsberger conducted numerous recordings including notably with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, and helped establish the principles of the wind ensemble concept. Hunsberger is also known for arranging transciptions of orchestral music for concert band, including works by Dmitri Shostakovich, Claudio S Grafulla, Aram Khachaturian, and John Williams' Star Wars film score ~ Hunsberger passed away in 2023
August 2, 1930 ~ Jazz drummer Eddie Locke born ~ Leader and sideman. Member of Bop & Locke alongside drummer Oliver Jackson. Also worked with Dick Wellstood, Tony Parenti, Red Allen, Willie The Lion Smith, Teddy Wilson, Jo Jones, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Tommy Flanagan, Major Holley, Ray Bryant, Kenny Burrell, and Lee Konitz ~ Locke passed away in 2009August 2, 1929 ~ Jazz trombonist, composer, arranger Roy Crimmins born in London, UK ~ Worked with Mick Mulligan, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Ray Premru, Don Lusher, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Archie Semple, Alex Welsh, Freddy Randall, Harry Gold, Lennie Hastings, Pee Wee Russell, Wild Bill Davison, and Bob Wilber ~ Crimmins passed away in 2014
August 2, 1923 ~ Classical, jazz, rock cellist Donald Whitton, full name Donald Richard Whitton, born in Ontario, Canada ~ To classical audiences best known for his association with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, serving with the ensemble from 1948 through 1960, and the CBC Radio Orchestra. To pop, rock audiences well known as a member of Lighthouse, remembered most for the One Fine Morning hit single of their 1971 album of the same name ~ Whitton passed away in 2018
August 2, 1922 ~ George Walker Nicholas, commonly known as jazz saxophonist, singer Big Nick Nicholas, born in Lansing, Michigan, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Influenced by Coleman Hawkins. Influential on John Coltrane who included his tribute, Big Nick, on the 1962 album Duke Ellington & John Coltrane. Nicholas has worked with Hank Jones, Thad Jones, Earl Hines, Tiny Bradshaw, Sabby Lewis, JC Heard, Lucky Millinder, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Sarah Vaughan, Bennie Green, Buck Clayton, and Illinois Jacquet ~ Nicholas passed away in 1997August 2, 1907 ~ Operatic mezzo-soprano singer Anne Wood born in Crawley, UK ~ Member of the BBC Singers during the 1930s. Co-founding member of the English Opera Group, also serving as its general managers. Formed the Opera Studio with Joan Cross, the first school in the UK to train opera singers. The institution would go through several name changes, and eventually would be known as the London Opera Centre ~ Wood passed away in 1998
August 2, 1900 ~ Helen Riggins, commonly known as actress, singer Helen Morgan, born in Danville, Illinois, USA ~ Enjoyed popularity as a torch singer from the 1920s onwards. Starred as Julie LaVerne in the original 1927 Broadway production of Show Boat as well as several reprises and film adaptations ~ Morgan passed away in 1941
August 2, 1891 ~ Composer, conductor Arthur Bliss, full name Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss, born in Barnes, UK ~ Influenced by Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Les Six. Enjoyed popularity especially during the interbellum between World War I and II. Perhaps best known for his symphony A Colour Symphony, premiered in 1922 ~ Bliss passed away in 1975