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 4, 1952 ~ Máire Philomena Ní Bhraináin, commonly known as singer Moya Brennan, born in Gweedore, Ireland ~ Regarded as “the First Lady of Celtic Music”, Brennan would rise to fame with Clannad, originally a family outfit named Clann as Dobhar. The group was founded in the early 1970s, and initially performed traditional songs in Irish, later expanding their sound to include elements from rock, new age, smooth jazz, and Gregorian chant. Clannad would rise to international fame in the early 1980s, when Theme From Harry's Game recorded as the theme song to the British television drama series became an international hit. The group is also well known for their 1984 soundtrack album Legend recorded for the television series Robin Of Sherwood, their 1985 masterpiece album Macalla, and for Landmarks which won the group a Grammy Award for Best New Age album in 1999. The internationally successful solo career of Brennan's younger sister Enya, who had sung with Clannad in the early 1980s, also helped the group expand their fanbase. Brennan was praised for the clarity of her voice, while the group has been acknowledged as one of Ireland's finest musical exports, able to bring Irish music to an international audience. U2 singer Bono has said of Brennan she has “one of the greatest voices the human ear has ever experienced”. Over the course of her career, either with Clannad, with the all-female Irish quartet T with the Maggies, as a solo artist, or as an in-demand collaborator with the likes of the Chieftains, Robert Plant, Michael McDonald, Shane MacGowan, Mick Jagger, and Bono, Brennan has sold over an estimated 30 million records. Brennan, a constant and enthusiastic ambassador for Irish culture and a native Irish Gaeilge speaker, was keen to keep her traditional arts and music in the forefront. She has been quoted as saying: “Ireland is changing rapidly but one thing that remains constant is our love of music and wanting the whole world to hear it. I love being part of that” ~ Ní Bhraináin passed away in 2026
August 4, 1950 ~ Gideon Gov, commonly known as rock, pop, jazz singer, actor, TV personality Gidi Gov, born in Rehovot, Israel ~ Co-founding member of Kaveret, one of the most successful Israeli acts during the 1970s. Internationally the band is best known for representing Israel in the 1974 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 7th place with Natati La Khayay. Following the band's disbandement in 1976 Gov has worked with Parnasa Tova, Gazoz, Doda, recorded as a solo artist and ventured into acting
August 4, 1949 ~ Reggae, ska, rocksteady trombonist Vin Gordon born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Active since the mid 1960s, starting with the quintessential Jamaica outfit the Skatalites. In-house trombonist for Studio One, working with all major Jamaican producers. Served as Bob Marley's go-to trombone player from 1965 through 1978 including on albums such as Kaya and Exodus. As a solo artist known for his 1975 Lee Scratch Perry-produced Musical Bones albumAugust 4, 1947 ~ Country singer Hank Williams records On The Banks Of The Old Ponchartrain ~ Written by Hank Williams and Ramona Vincent. Produced by Fred Rose. Paired with Rose's novelty tune Fly Trouble on the B-side, released the next September. Seen as the oddest Wiliams single
August 4, 1947 ~ Singer Larry Morris born in Auckland, New Zealand ~ Lead singer for New Zealand garage rock, pop rock outfit Larry's Rebels, present on the band's 1967 A Study In Black debut album. Well known songs include This Empty Place, Long Ago Far Away, and I Feel Good. Morris departed the band in 1969 to pursue a solo career, the remainder of the band continuing under the moniker the Rebels ~ Morris passed away in 2023
August 4, 1947 ~ Bassist, singer Paul Layton, full name Paul Martin Layton, born in Beaconsfield, UK ~ Former child actor enjoyed minor success as a solo singer with his 1969 single Mister Mister prior to joining the New Seekers in 1970. Present on some of the band's best known including I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony), Beg Steal Or Borrow, Circles and You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
August 4, 1946 ~ Keyboardist Max Middleton born in Amersham, UK ~ Classically trained. Best known for his association with Jeff Beck, present on the albums Rough And Ready, The Jeff Beck Group, Blow By Blow, and Wired. Has also worked with Brian Short, Linda Lewis, the Streetwalkers, Roy Harper, Nazareth (Hair Of The Dog), Hummingbird, Cleo Laine, Kate Bush (Never For Ever), Chris Rea, and Gary Moore
August 4, 1946 ~ Rock bassist, singer Walter Powers born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Closely associated with Willie Alexander, including in the Boston-based outfit the Lost from 1964 through 1967, and subsequently in the Grass Menagerie. Member of Listening, known for their sole eponymous Listening album released in 1968. Perhaps best known for his stint with the Velvet Underground, touring with the band in 1970 and 1971
August 4, 1944 ~ Bo Gustav Stenson, commonly known as jazz pianist Bobo Stenson, born in Vasterås, Sweden ~ Has played with Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Gary Burton, Don Cherry, Rena Rama, Palle Danielsson, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen, Jan Garbarek, Charles Lloyd, Red Mitchell, George Russell, Terje Rypdal, and Tomasz StańkoAugust 4, 1944 ~ Henri Emile Mossel, commonly known as clarinetist, saxophonist Hans Mossel, passed away in Auschwitz, Poland ~ Son of cellist Isaac Mossel and pianist Jeanette Belinfante. Worked with de Larensche Jazz Band, the Indian Jazz Band, and Marek Weber. Targeted by the Nazis Mossel passed away of starvation and exhaustion in Monowitz concentration camp, a part of Auschwitz concentration camp ~ Mossel was born in 1905
August 4, 1941 ~ Singer Cliff Nobles, full name Clifford James Nobles, born in Grove Hill, Alabama, USA ~ Fronted Cliff Nobles & Co, which also included bassist Benny Williams, guitarist Bobby Tucker and drummer Robert Marshall, best known for their 1968 single Love Is All Right b/w The Horse which peaked at No.2 Billboard mainly due to the instrumental flip side catching on ~ Nobles passed away in 2008
August 4, 1941 ~ Washboardist Pete Shotton born in Liverpool, UK ~ Member of the Quarrymen, precursor of the Beatles. Became a lifelong friend of John Lennon. Became a successful businessman in the restaurant and retail industries, known for founding the Fatty Arbuckle's chain of restaurants ~ Shotton passed away in 2017
August 4, 1941 ~ Singer Timi Yuro, full name Rosemary Victoria Yuro, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul singers. Known for songs such as early 1960s hits such as Hurt and What's A Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You). Over the course of her career Yuro has worked with producers such as Clyde Otis, Bob Johnston and Quincy Jones. Opened for Frank Sinatra. Influential on artists such as Elvis Presley, Morrissey, PJ Proby, and Elkie Brooks ~ Yuro passed away in 2004
August 4, 1940 ~ Keyboardist, bassist, guitarist, harmonica player Larry Knechtel, full name Lawrence William Knechtel, born in Bell, California, USA ~ Recorded a handful of albums as a solo artist, starting with The In Harmonica in 1965 under the monniker Larry Nelson. Member of Bread. In-demand session musician, present on albums by the likes of Johnny Rivers, the Everly Brothers, the Byrds, the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), the Doors, Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel (The Sounds Of Silence), the Mamas & the Papas, Thelma Houston, Harry Nilsson, Barbra Streisand, Solomon Burke, Emitt Rhodes, Chet Baker, Jackie DeShannon, Billy Joel (Streetlife Serenade), Albert Hammond, Jerry Garcia, Dan Hill, Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond, and Elvis Costello (Mighty Like A Rose) ~ Knechtel passed away in 2009August 4, 1938 ~ Drummer, percussionist Kenny Malone born in Denver, Colorado, USA ~ In-demand session drummer. Played on Dolly Parton's Jolene and Crystal Gayle's Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue. Has also worked with artists such as as IIIrd Tyme Out, Ray Charles, George Jones, Johnny Cash, Donna Fargo, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride, Dr Hook, Johnny Paycheck, Kenny Rogers, the Time Jumpers, the New Grass Revival, Béla Fleck, Emmylou Harris, Lacy J Dalton, and Barefoot Jerry ~ Malone passed away in 2021
August 4, 1934 ~ Classical pianist Gabriel Tacchino born in Cannes, France ~ Worked with renowned orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra de la Suisse Romande, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra ~ Tacchino passed away in 2023
August 4, 1930 ~ Opera, theater director Götz Friedrich born in Naumburg, Germany ~ Gained international attention with a controversial 1972 production of Richard Wagner's Tännhauser. Defected to the West later the same year. Principal director ar the Hamburg State Opera from 1977 to 1981. Simultaneously director of productions at the Royal Opera House from 1977 to 1981. General director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin from 1981 until his death in 2000. Married to operatic soprano Karan Armstrong since 1979 ~ Friedrich passed away in 2000
August 4, 1928 ~ Conductor, violinist, pianist, music director, orchestrator, composer Egisto Macchi born in Grosseto, Italy ~ Studied composition, piano, violin and singing as well as literature and human physiology. Editor of the magazine Orders. Founded Studio R7, an experimental electronic music laboratory in 1967. Member of the Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Di Nuova Consonanza, an avant-garde improvisation group that also included close friend Ennio Morricone. Macchi is also well known as a film composer, with over a dozen soundtracks to his name starting in the late 1960s ~ Macchi passed away in 1992
August 4, 1924 ~ Jazz pianist Tom Talbert, full name Thomas Robert Talbert, born in Crystal Bay, Minnesota, USA ~ Especially acclaimed for his Bix Fats Duke album released in 1956, consisting of reworkings of originals by Bix Beiderbecke, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington. Regarded as one of the finest arrangers of the second half of the 20th century, yet remained largely unknown due to having only recorded a handful of albums as a leader. Has served as arranger for the likes of Claude Thornhill, Tony Pastor, Johnny Smith, Oscar Pettiford, and Don Elliott ~ Talbert passed away in 2005August 4, 1919 ~ Southern gospel singer James Blackwood, full name James Webre Blackwood, born in Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA ~ The only person to have been nominated for a Grammy Award for 28 consecutive years, winning 9 times including for the 1966 album The Grand Old Gospel and its 1967 follow-up More Grand Old Gospel both of which collaborations of Porter Wagoner and the Blackwood Brothers ~ Blackwood passed away in 2002
August 4, 1915 ~ Jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, composer Mel Henke born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Worked with Mitch Todd, Frank Snyder, and Stephen Leonard. Also known as a jingle writer, notably the Ajax cleanser “stronger than dirt” and Chevrolet's “see the USA in your Chevrolet” jingles ~ Henke passed away in 1979
August 4, 1904 ~ Trumpeter Bill Coleman, full name William Johnson Coleman born in Paris, Kentucky, USA ~ Worked with Cecil Scott, Luis Russell, Lucky Millinder, Benny Carter, Teddy Hill, Fats Waller, Django Reinhardt, Leon Abbey, Teddy Wilson, Andy Kirk, Ellis Larkins, Mary Lou Williams, John Kirby, Sy Oliver, Billy Kyle, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, and Coleman Hawkins ~ Coleman passed away in 1981
August 4, 1904 ~ Helen Clare Schroeder, commonly known as singer, actress Helen Kane born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Popular 1920s and early 1930s stage and film singer and actress best known for I Wanna Be Loved By You from the 1928 stage musical Good Boy. According to some accounts the animation character Betty Boop in the Talkartoons series was based on Kane, Kane sued the Fleischer Studios but eventually lost the court case with the judge ruling there was “insufficient evidence” ~ Kane passed away in 1966
August 4, 1901 ~ Trumpeter, singer Louis Armstrong born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Among the most influential figures in jazz. Known for songs such as What A Wonderful World, Ain't Misbehaving, You Rascal You, Stomping At The Savoy, About Time, and Hello Dolly. Worked with King Oliver, the Creole Jazz Band, Kid Ory, Fletcher Henderson, Clarence Williams, Sidney Bechet, Alberta Hunter, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Johnny Dodds, Erskine Tate, Lil' Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Edmond Hall, Trummy Young, Arvell Shaw, Billy Kyle, Marty Napoleon, Big Sid Catlett, Cozy Cole, Tyree Glenn, Barrett Deems, Mort Herbert, Joe Darensbourg, Eddie Shu, and Danny Barcelona ~ Armstrong passed away in 1971
August 4, 1899 ~ Francis Luther Crow, commonly known as singer, pianist, songwriter Frank Luther, born near Lakin, Kansas, USA ~ Member of late 1920s quartet the Revelers. Closely associated with singer Carson Robison, scoring a number of influential hits through the early 1930s including When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver, Little Green Valley, I'm Alone Because I Love You, Utah Trail, and Birmingham Jail. Luther would also front his own the Frank Luther Trio, work with dance bands, record children's music, and by the mid 1940s find employment as an executive at Decca Records ~ Crow passed away in 1980