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 22, 1927 ~ Bassist, percussionist Malachi Favors born in Lexington, Mississippi, USA ~ Protégé of Wilbur Ware. Especially acclaimed for the 1975 Sightsong album collaborating with Muhal Richard Abrams and his 1978 Natural & Spiritual solo album. Backed Paul Bascomb, Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard early on in his career. Best known as a member of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Co-founded the Association For The Advancement Of Creative Musicians. Has also worked with Sunny Murray, Archie Shepp, Dewey Redman, Charles Brackeen, Andrew Hill, and Wadada Leo Smith ~ Favors passed away in 2004
August 22, 1926 ~ Jazz, traditional pop singer, trombonist, double bassist Bob Flanigan, full name Robert Lee Flanagan, born in Greencastle, Indiana, USA ~ Longtime member of vocal group the Four Freshmen, known for 1950s hits such as Mood Indigo, Day By Day, Graduation Day and perhaps their best known It's A Blue World. Flannigan retired from performing in 1992 but would remain involved with the group ~ Flanigan passed away in 2011August 22, 1925 ~ Composer, viola player Miroslav Miletić born in Sisak, Croatia ~ Founder of the Pro Arte Zagreb Quartet, who performed at over 2000 concerts. As a composer known for his devotion to Croatian folklore and his vast oeuvre, notable for works such as Concerto Fo Viola And Orchestre, Diptych For Cello And Piano and Suite In Modo Antico For Flute And Piano ~ Miletić passed away in 2018
August 22, 1923 ~ Conductor, cellist Lawrence Leonard born ~ Started as cellist with the London Symphony Orchestra at age 16. Would go on to become a renowned conductor, noted for conducting the UK premiere of West Side Story at the request of composer Leonard Bernstein. Has worked with the BBC Northern Orchestra, the Hallé Orchestra, and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. To pop audiences, Leonard is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Procol Harum recording the Procol Harum Live (In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra) album released in 1972 ~ Leonard passed away in 2001August 22, 1923 ~ Alfonso Thompson, commonly known as pianist, bandleader Sonny Thompson, born in Centreville, Mississippi, USA ~ Known for a number of late 1940s, early 1950s R&B hits including Long Gone (Parts I & II), Late Freight, Blue Dreams, Still Gone and I'll Drown In My Own Tears ~ Thompson passed away in 1989
August 22, 1917 ~ Singer, songwriter Fred Stobaugh born in Peoria, Illinois, USA ~ One hit wonder, retired truck driver Stobaugh became a viral sensation in 2013 with the song Oh Sweet Lorraine, written for his then recently departed wife of 73 years ~ Stobaugh passed away in 2016
August 22, 1917 ~ Blues singer, guitarist, songwriter John Lee Hooker born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA ~ Hugely influential and iconic blues guitarist, singer managed to stay relevant throughout the decades and appeal to younger generations while staying rooted in traditional blues idioms particularly boogie-woogie, Delta blues and Hill country blues. Hooker has recorded prolifically since the late 1950s, and is especially acclaimed for early 1960s albums such as I'm John Lee Hooker, Plays And Sings The Blues, Burnin', and the 1964 live album John Lee Hooker At Newport. Hooker managed to find appeal with younger audiences after appearing in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers and through a series of 1990s albums featuring renowned guests including Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, and Van Morrison. Two of his songs, Boogie Chillen and Boom Boom, are included on the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. Other well known songs include Crawling King Snake, Dimples, One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer, I'm In The Mood, and The Healer ~ Hooker passed away in 2001August 22, 1912 ~ Hubert Maxwell Myers, commonly known as jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Bumps Myers, born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, USA ~ Influenced by Coleman Hawkins. Fixture on the Los Angeles jazz scene from the late 1920s onwards. An in-demand sideman, Myers is best known for his associations with Lionel Hampton, Les Hite, Benny Carter, Jimmie Lunceford, Sid Catlett, T-Bone Walker, and Benny Goodman. Notably present on BB King's 1955 Singin' The Blues album. Maxwell retired from music by the early 1960s for health reasons ~ Myers passed away in 1968
August 22, 1899 ~ John Wesley Vivian Payne, commonly known as dance bandleader Jack Payne, born in Warwickshire, UK ~ Rose to prominence during the British band dance era of the late 1920s and 1930s. Bandleader of the first BBC dance band starting in 1928. Known for songs such as Blue Pacific Moonlight, Underneath The Spanish Stars, Pagan Serenade and his signature tune Say It With Music ~ Payne passed away in 1969
August 22, 1897 ~ Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucinese, commonly known as jazz, traditional pop guitarist, singer Nick Lucas, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ First jazz guitarist to record as a soloist. Known for songs such as Pickin' The Guitar, Teasin' The Frets and perhaps his best known Tiptoe Through The Tulips ~ Lucinese passed away in 1982
August 22, 1847 ~ Conductor, composer Alexander Mackenzie, full name Alexander Campbell Mackenzie, born in Edinburgh, UK ~ Regarded as one of the fathers of the British musical renaissance in the late 19th century. Conductor of the Royal Choral Society and the Philharmonic Society Orchestra for most of the 1890s, premiering works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Alexander Borodin. Mackenzie was also a prolific composer with close to a hundred works to his name, best known for his oratorios, violin and piano pieces, folk music and works for the stage ~ Mackenzie passed away in 1935