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 6, 1983 ~ Rock, experimental rock, free jazz, noise rock, avant-garde, punk jazz, trip hop drummer, accordionist Balázs Pándi born in Budapest, Hungary ~ In-demand collaborator. Has worked with Venetian Snares, Otto von Schirach, To Live And Shave In LA, the Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Zu, Marco Eneidi, Merzbow, Ivo Perelman, Lee Ranaldo, Wadada Leo Smith, and Roswell RuddAugust 6, 1978 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer Andreas Oberg born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Describes his music as a mix of jazz, funk, soul, Latin and Brazilian music. Has worked with Viktoria Tolstoy, Svante Thuresson, the Resonance Big Band, Barbara Hendricks, Hank Jones, Les Paul, Eros Ramazzotti, Toots Thielemans, and Namie Amuro
August 6, 1978 ~ Leslie Edward Pridgen, commonly known as rapper Freeway, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Rose to prominence in the 2000s as member of rap group State Property led by Beanie Sigel and known for their 2003 Can't Stop Won't Stop, Billboard Hot 100 top 20 single. As a solo artist best known for his Philadelphia Freeway debut album released the same year. Has collaborated with Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Jermaine Dupri, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, LL Cool J, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, DJ Drama, Kool G Rap, and Ghostface KillahAugust 6, 1977 ~ Rock, country rock singer Terry McDermott born in Aberdeen, UK ~ As a solo artist reached 2nd place, behind singer Cassadee Pope, in the third season of NBC's talent show The Voice aired in 2012. Was a member of Driveblind and of Lotus Crush
August 6, 1976 ~ Bassist Bob Fairfoull, full name Robert James Fairfoull, born ~ Member of indie rock outfit Idlewild from 1997 through 2002, appearing on the albums Hope Is Important, 100 Broken Windows, and The Remote Part. Following his departure from the band Fairfoull joined rock band Degrassi
August 6, 1974 ~ Eugene Ammons, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Gene Ammons, passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons. Leader and sideman. Heavily influenced by R&B. Has worked with Billy Eckstine, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt, Woody Herman, Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Mal Waldron, Art Farmer, Duke Jordan, Charles Mingus, Richard Groove Holmes, and Jack McDuff ~ Ammons was born in 1925August 6, 1973 ~ Pop, dream pop, dance pop, folk singer, keyboardist, songwriter Donna Lewis born in Cardiff, UK ~ Best known for her 1996 I Love You Always Forever hit single, an international hit including top 10 positions in America and her native UK. Also worked with Art Of Noise, Dino Lenny, Ryan Farish, Chute, David Baron
August 6, 1973 ~ Lizzie Douglas, commonly known as blues guitarist, singer, songwriter Memphis Minnie, passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Influenced artists such as Big Mama Thornton, Jo-Ann Kelly, Erin Harpe. Known for songs such as Nothing In Rambling, Me And My Chauffeur Blues and Bumble Bee, the latter with her then-husband Kansas Joe McCoy ~ Douglas was born in 1897
August 6, 1973 ~ Singer, keyboardist Stevie Wonder injured in serious traffic accident ~ The car Stevie Wonder is in hits the back of a logging truck, a log hitting him in the face. Wonder would temporarily lose smell and taste and be in a coma for several days. Wonder would fully recover, returning to the studio in just a few weeks
August 6, 1972 ~ Singer Geri Halliwell, full name Geraldine Estelle Halliwell, born in Watford, UK ~ Member of 1990s girl group the Spice Girls, dubbed Ginger Spice, known for songs such as Wannabe, Who Do You Think You Are, Spice Up Your Life and Viva Forever. Halliwell has also recorded a number of albums as a solo artist. Her 1999 Schizophonic solo debut album spawned three UK No.1 hits, Mi Chico Latino, Lift Me Up and Bag It Up
August 6, 1971 ~ Isaac Freeman III, commonly known as rapper, hype man, promoter, radio and TV personality Fatman Scoop, born in New York, New York, USA ~ As a solo artist best known for Be Faithful released in 2003. The track heavily sampled from Chic and Faith Evans, would become a club favorite and topped the charts in the UK and Ireland. Freeman has also notably guested on Missy Elliott's Lose Control and Mariah Carey's It's Like That, which respectively reached top 10 and top 20 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Freeman has also guested on tracks by Bone Thugs 'n Harmony, Chingy, David Guetta, B'witched, Kat DeLuna, Skrillex, Ciara (Level Up), Hardwell, and Lil' Mo. Freeman passed away at age 53 after collapsing on stage during a performance in Hamden, Connecticut ~ Freeman passed away in 2024August 6, 1969 ~ Steven Paul Smith, commonly known as singer, songwriter Elliott Smith, born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA ~ Member of Heatmiser. Gained attention with the song Miss Misery, included on the soundtrack for Good Will Hunting, was nominated for an Oscar. Primarily a guitarist, Smith also plays piano, clarinet, bass, harmonica, drums and percussion ~ Smith passed away in 2003
August 6, 1966 ~ Jazz, classical violinist Regina Carter born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Classically trained since an early age. Studied piano, violin, viola, oboe. Has worked with the youth division of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Civic Orchestra, Brainstorm, Straight Ahead, String Trio Of New York, Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Mary J Blige, Billy Joel, Dolly Parton, Max Roach, Oliver Lake, Kenny Barron, Elliott Sharp, Cassandra Wilson, Eddie Palmieri, and Wynton Marsalis
August 6, 1965 ~ Jazz saxophonist, producer Ravi Coltrane born in Long Island, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Son of saxophonist John Coltrane and harpist Alice Coltrane. Has worked with the Blue Note 7, Ralph Alessi, Cindy Blackman, Terence Blanchard, Billy Childs, Steve Coleman, Scott Colley, Jack DeJohnette, Flying Lotus, Elvin Jones, Ryan Kisor, Tisziji Muñoz, Luis Perdomo, Bob Thiele, and Yosuke Yamashita
August 6, 1961 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Victor Goines born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Worked with Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Green, Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, BB King, Lenny Kravitz, Branford Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis Jr, James Moody, Dianne Reeves, Marcus Roberts, Diana Ross, Eric Clapton, Wycliffe Gordon, and Stevie WonderAugust 6, 1960 ~ Singer Chubby Checker performs The Twist for the first time on national TV ~ Performing on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show, Chubby Checker plays his new single The Twist. The song would start a dance craze and become a career-defining hit for Checker. Originally a B-side for Hank Ballard & the Midnighters back in 1958, Checker's cover would make Billboard history for reaching the Billboard Hot 100 top spot during two separate runs, first in 1960 and again in 1962. Checker would hold the record for nearly six decades until Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You regained the No.1 spot during a second chart run in 2020
August 6, 1959 ~ Singer, pianist, songwriter Joyce Sims, full name Joyce Elizabeth Sims, born in Rochester, New York, USA ~ Best known for her 1988 self-penned hit Come Into My Life, produced by Kurtis Mantronik. The single, lifted off her debut album of the same name, would be a notable hit, reaching top 10 on the American Billboard R&B charts, as well as top 10 in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK. Especially in Europe, the song remained a staple of pop radio, popular to this day. The singer would record one more reasonably successful album in 1989, All About Love, but was unable to repeat her earlier success. Lifetime Love and Love Makes A Woman, both lifted off her debut album, had both reached top 40 Billboard R&B. Sims would do better abroad as several other singles also reached top 40 in the UK, including All And All, Walk Away, and Looking For A Love. Both Jaki Graham and Randy Crawford would cover Come Into My Life, respectively on the 1994 Real Life and the 1995 Naked And True albums ~ Sims passed away in 2022
August 6, 1958 ~ R&B, soul bassist, singer Randy DeBarge, full name William Randall DeBarge, born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ~ Member of family outfit DeBarge. Sang co-lead on the band's first hit, the Billboard R&B No.2 I Like It released in 1982 and co-written with brother El DeBarge. The band would record five albums through the mid-1980s and score about half a dozen Billboard R&B top 10 hits including the charttoppers Time Will Reveal and Rhythm Of The Night. Randy remained with the band until its disbandement in the early 1990s
August 6, 1957 ~ Dennis Smith, commonly known as reggae DJ, producer Dennis Alcapon, born in Clarendon, Jamaica ~ Known for recordings such as Marker Version, Spanish Amigo, Shades Of Hudson, Revelation Version, Maca Version, and The Sky's The Limit. As a producer, Alcapone has worked with Dennis Brown, Augustus Pablo, and Delroy Wilson
August 6, 1955 ~ Earl Smith, commonly known as reggae, dub guitarist, bassist, percussionist, singer Earl Chinna Smith, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Best known for his work with the Soul Syndicate. In-demand collaborator and sideman, appeared on over an estimated 500 albums. Notable collaborations include Augustus Pablo, Horace Andy, King Tubby, Max Romeo (Revelation Time), John Holt, Dillinger (Bionic Dread), Burning Spear (Man In The Hills), Bob Marley, Inner Circle, Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Cliff, Mikey Dread (Dread At The Controls), Black Uhuru, Sugar Minott, Alpha Blondy, Lauryn Hill (The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill), and Amy Winehouse
August 6, 1954 ~ Blues guitarist Corey Stevens born in Centralia, Illinois, USA ~ Early on in his career would be critically compared to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Recorded about a dozen albums, best known for his 1995 Blue Drops Of Rain debut album and its 1997 The Road To Zen follow-up
August 6, 1953 ~ Pop singer Stella Maessen born in Zandvoort, the Netherlands ~ Formed Hearts Of Soul with siblings Bianca Maessen and Patricia Maessen, known for their 1970 Eurovision Songfestival entry Waterman which reached 7th place for the Netherlands. Sang backup for Belgian singer Sharif Dean, including on the ballad Do You Love Me. The siblings would also work together in the Dream Express, with whom she reached 7th place at the 1977 Eurovision Songfestival with A Million In 1 2 3 representing Belgium. Maessen would again represent Belgium at the 1982 Eurovision Songfestival, this time as a solo artist, and reach 4th place with Si Tu Aimes Ma Musique. Subsequent solo singles included Can't Live On Memories and FlashlightAugust 6, 1952 ~ Singer Patti Page records I Went To Your Wedding ~ Written by Jessie Mae Robinson. Patti Page released the song as a 1952 Mercury Records single, paired with You Belong To Me on the flip side. Also recorded by others, notably Sammy Kaye, Hank Snow, and Lys Assia who would record a French language version titled Ton Mariage, but Page would have the biggest hit with the song
August 6, 1952 ~ Guitarist, producer Tony Gilkyson, full name Anthony Gilkyson, born in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Member of Lone Justice. Member of X, joining the band in 1986 as replacement for Billy Zoom. As a producer worked with Exene Cervenka, Eleni Mandell, Chuck E Weiss and with Dave Alvin
August 6, 1952 ~ Vincent John Kusano, commonly known as glam metal, heavy metal, hard rock guitarist Vinnie Vincent born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA ~ Member of Kiss during the early 1980s, appearing on the albums Creatures Of The Night and Lick It Up. Vincent would have some minor hits in the late 1980s fronting his own Vinnie Vincent Invasion, and has guested on albums by Laura Nyro, Was (Not Was), and the Bangles