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 7, 2023 ~ Willie Perry Jr, commonly known as DJ, hype man DJ Casper, also referred to as Mr C The Slide Man, passed away in Hazel Crest, Illinois, USA ~ Earned the moniker “Casper”, as in the fictional character Casper the Friendly Ghost from the animated cartoon series of the same name, for regularly appearing on stage in all-white attire. Best known for his 2004 single Cha Cha Slide, which became a hit in Chicago. The song would gain wider attention after Perry appeared as a DJ in an episode of Orange Is The New Black, with prisoners and guards line dancing to the song ~ Perry was born in 1965
August 7, 2023 ~ R&B singer, organist Toussaint McCall passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Known for the mid 1960s singles I'll Do It For You and its follow-up Nothing Takes The Place Of You. The latter would reach top 10 Billboard R&B, peaking at No.5, and later be covered by Asleep At The Wheel, Shovels & Rope, and by Prince Buster. McCall released several more singles and a full-length album, Nothing Takes The Place Of You named for and including his one big hit, yet would be unable to repeat his earlier success ~ McCall was born in 1939
August 7, 2022 ~ Punk rock, garage rock guitarist Gord Lewis passed away in Toronto, Canada ~ Co-founding member of Teenage Head. The band was named after the Flamin' Groovies 1971 album titled Teenage Head and debuted in 1979 with the eponymous Teenage Head. Best known for their 1980 Frantic City album, which spawned the hits Let's Shake and Somethin' On My Mind. Lewis was found killed in 2022, his son Jonathan Lewis would be arrested and charged with second-degree murder ~ Lewis was born in 1957
August 7, 2019 ~ Indie rock, country rock singer, guitarist, songwriter David Berman, full name David Craig Berman, passed away in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Sole constant member of the indie rock outfit Silver Jews, which he co-founded with Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich. Has also worked with Ectoslavia, with Purple Mountains, and guested on recordings by the Royal Trux, Will Oldham, and the Dexateens ~ Berman was born in 1967
August 7, 2009 ~ Folk singer Mike Seeger passed away in Lexington, Virginia, USA ~ Son of singer, folklorist Charles Seeger, half-brother of singer Pete Seeger. Plays a variety of instruments, including banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, guitar, mandolin, dobro, and pan pipes. Co-founded old-time string band the New Lost City Ramblers in 1958 with John Cohen and Tom Paley. Has also recorded prolifically as a solo artist, notably Solo Old Time Music released in 1962, and with the Strange Creek Singers ~ Seeger was born in 1933August 7, 2004 ~ Wilbert Granville Thodore Hogan Jr, commonly known as jazz drummer GT Hogan, passed away in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Played with Earl Bostic, Randy Weston, Kenny Drew, Kenny Dorham, Ray Charles, Elmo Hope, Bud Powell, Walter Bishop Jr, Earl Coleman, Hank Crawford, Curtis Fuller, Wilbur Harden, Cal Massey, Leo Parker, Ike Quebec, and with AK Salim ~ Hogan passed away in 1929
August 7, 2001 ~ Guitarist Billy Byrd passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Key guitarist in early country, studio musician. Helped popularize the electric lead guitar in country. Influenced by jazz players such as Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. Tutored artists such as Hank Garland and Shot Jackson. Member of Ernest Tubb's backing unit the Texas Troubadours. Also worked with artists such as the Oak Ridge Quartet, Tex Ritter, George Hamilton IV, and Jimmy Dickens ~ Byrd was born in 1920August 7, 1993 ~ Pop singer, dancer Anton Ewald, full name Anton Kim Ewald, born in Södermalm, Sweden ~ Dancer, choreographer, backing vocalist working with artists suchg as Velvet, Danny Saucedo, Andreas Lundstedt. As a solo artist best known for songs such as Begging, Natural, This Could Be Something featuring Medina and New Religion
August 7, 1993 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Roy Budd, full name Roy Frederick Budd, passed away in London, UK ~ Best known as film composer including for Get Carter and Wild Geese. Has worked with Peter McGurk, Trevor Tomkins, Chris Karan, Pete Morgan, Dave Holland, Tony Hatch, Johnny Harris, Larry Adler, Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, Charles Aznavour, and the London Symphony Orchestra ~ Budd was born in 1947
August 7, 1990 ~ Dance, hip hop, funk act Deee-lite release their World Clique debut album ~ Hailed by Spin as “the debut album of the year”, the album would quickly find appeal in the UK, and steadily rise on the American charts to eventually scratch the Billboard Hot 200 top 20, aided by the success of its lead single Groove Is In The Heart co-written by Herbie Hancock. The album featured a number of notable guest appearances from saxophonist Maceo Parker, bassist Bootsy Collins, and trombonist Fred Wesley, all of which well known for their work with both James Brown and Parliament, and A Tribe Called Quest's Q-TipAugust 7, 1984 ~ Esther Mae Jones, commonly known as singer Esther Phillips passed away in Carson, California, USA ~ Best known for her association with Johnny Otis, recording a number of 1950s hits with the Otis orchestra including Double Crossing Blues, Mistrusting Blues and Cupid's Boogie. As a solo artist scored a number of 1960s R&B hits for Release Me, And I Love Him and Try Me ~ Jones was born in 1935
August 7, 1979 ~ R&B singer, songwriter Cheri Dennis born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ Member of girl group Spoyled. Worked with Mase on the tracks No Matter What, All I Ever Wanted and If You Want To Party of his 1999 Double Up album. Debuted as a solo artist with the Ryan Leslie-produced single I Love You in 2005. Would release a full-length solo album, In And Out Of Love, in 2008. Also appears on recordings by Faith Evans, the Notorious BIG, Black Rob, Danity Kane, and Machine Gun Kelly
August 7, 1979 ~ Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, commonly known as rapper Gangsta Boo, born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Second female member of hip-hop collective Three 6 Mafia, remaining with the group through 2002. Recorded three albums as a solo artist, starting with Enquiring Minds released in 1998. Has also worked with the Prophet Posse, the Hypnotize Camp Posse, Gangsta Blac, Lil' Jon, Gucci Mane, Lord Infamous, Frayser Boy, Lil Wyte, and Clipping ~ Mitchell passed away in 2023
August 7, 1973 ~ Electronica, breakbeat, house, dub producer, DJ Adam Freeland born in Welwyn Garden City, UK ~ Became an in-demand DJ around Britain in the 1990s. Formed the duo Tsunami One with Kevin Beber. Also one third of the Acid, alongside Steve Nalepa and Ry X. Released his full-length Now & Them solo debut album in 2000August 7, 1973 ~ Pop, pop rock, symphonic rock singer Cindy Oudshoorn born in Zwolle, the Netherlands ~ As a solo artist best known for her 1996 single Soms Als Ik Je Zie. Member of Kayak from 2004 through 2014. After her departure from the band founded the symphonic rock cover band Symfo Classics with Edward Reekers and Joost Vergoossen
August 7, 1970 ~ Heavy metal outfit Black Sabbath release Paranoid, lifted off their sophomore album of the same name ~ With all four band members credited as songwriters, Paranoid became a fan favorite but never was a favorite of the band. The band's bassist Geezer Butler would later comment to Guitar World: “A lot of the Paranoid album was written around the time of our first album, Black Sabbath. We recorded the whole thing in about 2 or 3 days, live in the studio. The song Paranoid was written as an afterthought. We basically needed a 3 minute filler for the album, and Tony Iommi came up with the riff. I quickly did the lyrics, and Ozzy Osbourne was reading them as he was singing.”
August 7, 1970 ~ Alternative rock, pop, classical violinist, guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, singer, conductor, arranger, composer, producer Davide Rossi born in Turin, Italy ~ To pop audiences perhaps best known for his association with electronic music duo Goldfrapp from 2000 through 2013. Regular string arranger for Coldplay, starting on the 2008 Viva La Vida album. Rossi has also worked with Dido, Afterhours, the Proclaimers, Eros Ramazzotti, Alicia Keys, Moby, and Rihanna
August 7, 1969 ~ Singer Marvin Gaye releases his That's The Way Love Is single ~ Originally a 1967 non-charter for the Isley Brothers during their brief tenure at Motown, producer, co-writer Norman Whitfield took the Isley's up-tempo record and slowed it down for Marvin Gaye, adding elements of psychedelic soul. The single would sell a million copies, as did both of his two latest singles I Heard It Through The Grapevine and Too Busy Thinking About My Baby, and reach top 10 on both the Billboard R&B and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song would be covered by the Temptations later the same year, included on their Puzzle People album. Singers Paul Young and Alison Moyet performed the song at the Live Aid charity concert in 1985August 7, 1968 ~ Folk, pop, rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, percussionist, songwriter Geir Luedy, full name Geir Steen-Olsen Luedy, born in Bergen, Norway ~ Member of rock outfit Barbie Bones, with whom he recorded the acclaimed yet commercially unsuccessful early 1990s albums Brake For Nobody and Death In The Rocking Horse Factory. Subsequently co-founded Chocolate Overdose, best known for their 1999 Dingledoodies album. Has also worked with a host of other, mostly Bergen-based, acts including the DumDum Boys, Unge Frustrerte Menn, Kenneth Sivertsen, and Jan Eggum
August 7, 1968 ~ Southern rock, hard rock singer, keyboardist Kelly Holland, full name Kelly Dean Holland, born in Jamestown, New York, USA ~ Best known as frontman of Cry of Love from the band's inception in 1989 through 1994. Present on the band's Brother debut album, which spawned the modest hit Peace Pipe ~ Holland passed away in 2022
August 7, 1968 ~ Nu metal, funk metal, hardcore punk singer Lynn Strait, full name James Lynn Strait, born in Manhasset, New York, USA ~ Bassist in thrash metal band Lethal Dose. Would rise to notoriety as lead singer of nu metal band Snot, known for their sole album Get Some released in 1997. Strait was killed in a six-car pile-up, the band disbanding after his death. The remaining band members released Strait Up in 2000 as a tribute album to Strait, featuring guests such as System Of A Down's Serj Tarkian, Korn's Jonathan Davis, Soulfly's Max Cavalera, Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, and Slipknot's Corey Taylor ~ Strait passed away in 1998
August 7, 1968 ~ José Antonio Aguilar Jiménez, commonly known as singer, actor, songwriter Pepe Aguilar, born in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Son of Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre. Father of singers Leonardo Aguilar and Angela Aguilar. Made his stage debut at age 3, joining his father onstage at Madison Square Garden. Influenced by Pink Floyd and the Who. Member of Equs. Released his solo debut album, Pepe Aguilar Con Tambora, in 1989. Has since gone on to become one of the main forces in Latin music, merging traditional music with modern pop influences
August 7, 1967 ~ Punk rock singer, songwriter Johnny Bonnel, also known as Johnny Peebucks Bonnel, born in California, USA ~ Lead singer of long-running California outfit the Swingin' Utters. Influenced by UK punk, the band has recorded well over half a dozen albums since the mid 1990s, and is most acclaimed for their 2003 Dead Flowers Bottles Bluegrass And Bones album. Also fronted the side project the Filthy Thievin' Bastards, drawing from folk rock, country, pop and punk rock and specifically the Pogues
August 7, 1966 ~ Alternative rock singer, songwriter Kristin Hersh, full name Martha Kristin Hersh, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ First gained attention as co-lead singer of the acclaimed alternative rock, post-punk outfit Throwing Muses, the other lead singer being her stepsister Tanya Donelly. Hersh has also worked with 50 Foot Wave and recorded prolifically as a solo artist, starting with her Hips & Makers debut album released in 1994. Also known as an author, noted for her 2015 book Don't Suck Don't Die (Giving Up Vic Chesnutt) about her friendship with singer, songwriter Vic Chesnutt. Hersh has cited Chesnutt as a major influence on her songwritingAugust 7, 1966 ~ Drummer, producer Torstein Ellingsen born in Oslo, Norway ~ Worked with the Royal Rakes Jazzband, the Christiana Jazzband, the Caledonia Jazzband, Real Thing, Magnolia, his wife Majken Christiansen, Ingar Kristiansen, Paul Wagnberg, Rune Nicolaysen, Anders Aarum, Tor Einar Bekken, Sandvika Storband, Ola Kvernberg, Jan Werner, Sigurd Kohn, George Michael Reiss, Norbert Susemihl, Halvdan Sivertsen, Øystein Sunde, and the Garden Of Delight