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 21, 1948 ~ Robert Rimato, commonly known as singer, songwriter Robert Hazard, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Started as a Dylan-era folkie, turned to country for a number of years, followed by a reggae stint. Fronted Robert Hazard & the Heroes, scoring modest hits in the early MTV days with Escalator Of Life and Change Reaction. Best known for writing Cyndi Lauper's 1983 hit Girls Just Want To Have Fun. Would continue to record from time to time, his last recordings a return to country music ~ Rimato passed away in 2008
August 21, 1943 ~ Singer Clydie King, occasionally known as Brown Sugar, born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Discovered by songwriter Richard Berry. Active since the mid 1950s starting fronting Little Clydie & the Teens, as a member of Ray Charles' backup singers Raelettes, and working as a session singer for Phil Spector in the early 1960s. Also recorded solo singles before becoming an in-demand session singer from the late 1960s onwards providing backing vocals for artists such as Humble Pie, BB King, the Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, Barbra Streisand, Crabby Appleton, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker, Dickey Betts, Joe Walsh, Neil Diamond, Les Dudek, Martha Reeves, Diana Ross, Dusty Springfield, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, notably present on the latter's Sweet Home Alabama ~ King passed away in 2019
August 21, 1941 ~ Sharon Lee Myers, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Jackie DeShannon, born in Hazel, Kentucky, USA ~ One of the first female singer, songwriters of the rock & roll age. Recorded since the late 1950s with her commercially most successful perios in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Best known for songs such as What The World Needs Now Is Love, Put A Little Love In Your Heart, When You Walk In The Room and Bette Davis Eyes. The latter, written by DeShannon and Donna Weiss, was notably covered by Kim Carnes who would take the song to the top of the charts in over half a dozen countries including America in 1981
August 21, 1941 ~ Rock, jazz fusion, classical keyboardist Tom Coster born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of Santana from 1972 through 1978, first appearing on the acclaimed Caravanserai album. Coster also co-wrote Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile), Flor D'Luna, and Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana), all recorded by the band, and has appeared on several of Carlos Santana's solo albums. Coster recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, including the acclaimed Let's Set The Record Straight and Cause And Effect, and appeared on albums by Gato Barbieri, Labelle, Geoff Muldaur, Bunky Green, Pete Escovedo, Vital Information, Candlemass, and Joe Satriani
August 21, 1941 ~ Bassist, arranger, engineer, producer Tony Clarke, full name Anthony Ralph Clarke, born in Coventry, UK ~ Active since the early 1960s, Clarke served as bassist and session musician for a succession of bands, though to little commercial success. Clarke would, however, become well known as a producer, starting with Mirror Mirror, a 1966 UK top 10 hit for Pinkerton's Assorted Colours. Clarke is most closely associated with the Moody Blues, producing over half a dozen of the band's albums starting with Days Of Future Passed in 1967, as well as several of the band members' solo albums including Justin Hayward's Songwriter and John Lodge's Natural Avenue, both released in 1977. Clarke is also noted for engineering Tea For The Tillerman, arguably Cat Stevens's best known album, and has produced albums for Mahogany, Gonzalez, Camel (Nude), Clannad (Pastpresent), and Spiritualized ~ Clarke passed away in 2010
August 21, 1939 ~ Country, gospel, southern gospel singer Harold Reid born in Staunton, Virginia, USA ~ Bass singer, one of only two actual brothers in the band called the Statler Brothers, the other being lead singer Don Reid. No band member actually has the surname Statler. Started out singing gospel, at one point named themselves the Kingsmen and changed the name when the garage rock band Kingsmen became well known with their 1963 Louie Louie. The group gravitated towards more secular country throughout the years but would include at least one gospel song on each album. They would reach the top 10 of the country charts regularly from the mid 1960s through the late 1980s with songs such as Flowers On The Wall, You Can't Have Your Cake And Edith Too, Do You Remember These, I'll Go To My Grave Loving You, Do You Know You Are My Sunshine, You'll Be Back Every Night In My Dreams, Elizabeth, and More Than A Name On The Wall ~ Reid passed away in 2020
August 21, 1939 ~ Guitarist James Burton born in Dubberly, Louisiana, USA ~ Renowned session, touring, backing guitarist. Has worked with numerous artists including Bob Luman, Dale Hawkins (including on the quintessential 1957 recording Susie Q), Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley (led Presley's backing unit the TCB Band from 1969 up to Presley's death in 1977), John Denver, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Judy Collins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Claude King, Elvis Costello (on tour and in the studio for about a decade, starting with 1986's King Of America), Joe Osborn, John Denver, Roy Orbison, Joni Mitchell, Hoyt Axton, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Young, Vince Gill, Suzi Quatro, Allen Harris, Rodney Crowell, and Steve Wariner
August 21, 1938 ~ Ernest Peter Maresca, commonly known as singer, songwriter, label executive Ernie Maresca, born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ As a singer known for the 1962 hit Shout Shout (Knock Yourself Out) which he co-wrote with Thomas F Bogdany. Best known for his association with Dion, writing or co-writing some of his biggest hits including Runaround Sue, Donna The Prima Donna and The Wanderer. Other artists who recorded his songs include the Regents, Dean & Jean, Bernadette Carroll, and Jimmie Rodgers ~ Maresca passed away in 2015
August 21, 1938 ~ Singer, actor Kenny Rogers, full name Kenneth Donald Rogers, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Hugely successful cross-over singer, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. Sold over 100 million records during his lifetime. Known for songs such as Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In, Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town, Love Lifted Me, The Gambler, Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got), and Lucille. Worked with the Scholars, Bobby Doyle, Mickey Gilley, Eddy Arnold, the New Christy Minstrels, Larry Butler, extensively with Dottie West, with Kim Carnes (Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer), Lynda Carter, Dolly Parton (You Can't Make Old Friends, Islands In The Stream), Sheena Easton, Lionel Richie (who wrote Rogers' Lady), David Foster, Barry Gibb, Ronnie Milsap, Whitney Duncan, and Bloodline Rogers ~ Rogers passed away in 2020August 21, 1935 ~ Flutist Felix Skowronek born ~ Student of William Kincaid. Leading figure in the revival of wooden Boehm-style flutes. Expert in the use of various hardwoods in flute manufacturing. . Founding member of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet. Skowronek has also played with the Seattle Symphony, the Seventh Army Symphony, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and the St Louis Symphony ~ Skowronek passed away in 2006
August 21, 1935 ~ Kentrick Patrick, commonly known as calypso, rocksteady, ska singer Lord Creator, born in San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago ~ Influential on the early development of the Jamaican music scene. Active since the late 1950s, noted for hits such as The Cockhead, Evening News, Big Bamboo, and specifically Kingston Town. The latter would be covered by UB40 in 1989, which helped revive Patrick's career ~ Patrick passed away in 2023
August 21, 1933 ~ Mezzo-soprana opera, concert, lieder singer Janet Baker, full name Janet Abbott Baker, born in Hatfield, UK ~ Best known as n interpreter of baroque and early Italian opera as well as the works of Benjamin Britten, notably premiering the latter's Phaedra in 1976 written especially for her. Has worked with the English Opera Group, the Royal Opera House, and the English Opera House
August 21, 1916 ~ Pianist, songwriter Consuelo Velázquez, full name Consuelo Velázquez Torres, born in Ciudad Guzman, Mexico ~ Best known as a songwriter, noted for penning Besame Mucho originally by Emilio Tuero and covered by over 500 artists including Xavier Cugat, Frankie Laine, Trini López, João Gilberto, and José Carreras. Other well known songs written by Velázquez include Amar Y Vivir (Fernando Fernández, Antonio Machín, Daniel Santos), Cachito (Gloria Lasso, Nat King Cole), and Que Seas Feliz (Miguel Aceves Mejía, Pedro Infante, Albert Hammond) ~ Velázquez passed away in 2005
August 21, 1907 ~ Songwriter Hy Zaret, full name Hyman Harry Zaritsky, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-authoring Unchained Melody with Alex North, originally sung by Todd Duncan for the 1955 film Unchained. It would be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Three versions of the song would hit the charts the same year, Les Baxter, Al Hibbler and Roy Hamilton. It would be covered by numerous artist throughout the years including Jimmy Young, Liberace, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison, Donny Osmond and perhaps most notably by the Righteous Brothers in 1965 with lush production by Phil Spector ~ Zaret passed away in 2007
August 21, 1904 ~ William James Basie, commonly known as pianist, bandleader Count Basie, born in Red Bank, New Jersey, USA ~ Iconic figure in jazz. Originally wanted to play the drums, but disillusioned others were better switched to piano at age 15. Gigged extensively as a young pianist, hanging with the likes of Sonny Greer, Willie The Lion Smith, James P Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller. Would get his first experience as bandleader temporarily taking over for Bennie Moten, who was voted out. By the mid 1930s Basie would start his own orchestra. Mentored many future stars in the Count Basie Orchestra. At times his sidemen included Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Freddie Green, Buck Clayton, Harry Sweets Edison, Al Grey, Helen Humes, and Thelma Carpenter. His orchestra would often accompany noted jazz and blues singers of the day, Basie preferred blues, such as Billie Holiday, blues shouter Jimmy Rushing, and Big Joe Turner. Basie would lead the orchestra for nearly five decades ~ Basie passed away in 1986
August 21, 1895 ~ Vaudeville entertainer, songwriter Benny Davis born ~ Remembered for co-penning songs such as Margie (the Rega Dance Orchestra, the Modernaires, Tommy Dorsey, Fats Domino), I'm Nobodys Child (Aileen Stanley, Ruth Etting, Judy Garland, Mildred Bailey, Connie Francis), Oh How I Miss You tonight (the California Melodie Syncopators, Perry Como, Kay Starr, Frank Sinatra), Lonesome And Sorry (Jean Goldkette, Joni James, Nat King Cole), Baby Face (Jan Garber, Ben Selvin, Roberta Sherwood, Little Richard, the Kinks), Carolina Moon (Gene Austin, Guy Lombardo, the Chordettes, Jim Reeves), and With These Hands (Dick Brown, Shirley Bassey, Sarah Vaughan, the Temptations) ~ Davis passed away in 1979
August 21, 1895 ~ Bandleader Bob Haring born ~ Popular swing, dance, foxtrot bandleader of the 1920s and 1930s. Staff musician, bandleader at the Cameo Records and Brunswick Records labels, using a multitude of monnikers making his discography difficult to trace. Most closely associated with the Colonial Club Orchestrea and the Regent Club Orchestra ~ Haring passed away in 1975