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, 1937 ~ Trombonist, hornist George Bohanon, full name George Roland Bohanon Jr, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Bohanon sporadically recorded as a leader, noted most for Boss (Bossa Nova) issued in 1963, yet is best known as an in-demand sideman praised for his fluid sound and ability to play in nearly any setting. Closely associated with Detroit's Workshop Jazz Ensemble, Chico Hamilton, including on the albums Man From Two Worlds and The Dealer, Ernie Wilkins, and Frank Sinatra, backing the latter for nearly a decade starting in the mid-1980s. Over the course of his lengthy career, Bohanon has appeared on albums by John Lee Hooker, Roy Brooks (Beat), the Temptations, the Doors (Soft Parade), Rita Coolidge, Ry Cooder (Into The Purple Valley), Diana Ross, Arlo Guthrie, Willie Hutch (The Mack), Bonnie Raitt (Takin' My Time), Marvin Gaye, Jesse Ed Davis, Flora Purim, Patrice Rushen, Hampton Hawes, the Four Tops, Glen Campbell (Rhinestone Cowboy), Donald Byrd, Quincy Jones, Deniece Williams (This Is Niecy), Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder (Songs In The Key Of Life), the Mighty Clouds Of Joy, Donna Summer (Bad Girls), Frank Capp, Barry White (Just For You), Everette Harp, and Milt Jackson ~ Bohanon passed away in 2024
August 7, 1937 ~ Morris Holt, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist Magic Slim, born in Torrance, Mississippi, USA ~ Worked with Magic Sam, John Primer, Billy Branch, Popa Chubby, Joe Carter, Sunnyland Slim, James Cotton, Elvin Bishop, Lil' Ed Williams, Lonnie Brooks, Otis Clay and with his son Shawn Holt. Recorded a number of singles starting in 1966 with Scuffling, recorded his first full-length solo album, Born Under A Bad Sign, in 1977 ~ Holt passed away in 2013
August 7, 1936 ~ Singer Charles Pope, full name Charles Walter Pope, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Longtime member of the Tams, known for 1960s R&B hits such as Untie Me, Hey Girl Don't Bother Me, and Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy. Their 1963 single What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am) would also cross over into the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, reaching the top 10. Pope's daughter Tameka Cottle is also a singer, known as a member of 1990s multi-platinum girl group Xscape ~ Pope passed away in 2013
August 7, 1935 ~ Classical trumpeter, cornetist Maurice Murphy, full name Maurice Harrison Murphy, born in Hammersmith, UK ~ Cornetist for brass ensemble the Black Dyke Band from 1956 through 1961. Would shift to orchestral work through stints with the Hallé, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Lemare Orchestra, Principal trumpeter with the London Symphony Orchestra for some three decades starting in 1977, including appearing with the latter on numerous soundtracks such as the first six Star Wars films, the Alien film series, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Johnny English ~ Murphy passed away in 2010
August 7, 1935 ~ Ronald Theodore Kirk, commonly known as saxophonist, flutist Rahsaan Roland Kirk, born in Columbus, Ohio, USA ~ Revered jazz, soul jazz, hard bop saxophonist, known for his vitality, improvisational skills and showmanship. Influenced by R&B, pop, jazz, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and classical music such as Camille Saint-Saëns, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Antonín Dvorák. Kirk has occasionally worked as a sideman, including on albums by Quincy Jones, Roy Haynes, and Charles Mingus ~ Kirk passed away in 1977August 7, 1931 ~ TV producer, musical theater producer, record producer Jack Good born in London, UK ~ As a TV producer responsible for early popular music shows on British TV, including Six Five Special and Wham. As a music manager represented artists such as Tommy Steele, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, Jess Conrad, and Cliff Richard ~ Good passed away in 2017
August 7, 1929 ~ Singer Reverend Julius Cheeks born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA ~ Briefly a member of the Soul Stirrers. Best known as a member of the Sensational Nightingales, popular in the early 1950s and known for songs such as Somewhere To Lay My Head and The Last Mile Of The Way. Also a member of the Mighty Clouds Of Joy ~ Cheeks passed away in 1981
August 7, 1928 ~ Singer Herb Reed born in Kansas City, Missouri, USA ~ Co-founding and last surviving member of the Platters. Came up with the band's name, as DJ's would refer to records as “platters.” Sang on all of the band's recordings, mostly backup. Sang lead on songs such as Sixteen Tons, Singing In The Rain, In A Little Spanish Town, Sleepy Town Gall, Darktown Strutter's Ball, Blues In The Night, and On The Top Of My Mind ~ Reed passed away in 2012
August 7, 1925 ~ Matlide Genevieve Scaduto, commonly known as songwriter Felice Bryant, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA ~ Songwriter, usually in partnership with her husband Boudleaux Bryant. Together they wrote some of Nashville's most enduring hits for artists such as Jimmy Dickens (Country Boy), Buddy Holly (Raining In My Heart), Gram Parsons (Love Hurts), Emmylou Harris (Like Strangers), Ricky Van Shelton (Loving Proof), Johnny O'Keefe (She Wears My Ring), and perhaps most extensively for the Everly Brothers (Bye Bye Love, Problems, Wake Up Little Susie). Other artists who have recorded their songs include Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Sonny James, Eddy Arnold, Bob Moore, Charley Pride, Nazareth, Jim Reeves, Leo Sayer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Simon & Garfunkel, Sarah Vaughan, the Grateful Dead, Elvis Costello, Count Basie, Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Joan Jett, Roy Orbison, Solomon King, Sue Thompson, Moon Mullican, and Dillard & Clarke ~ Bryant passed away in 2003August 7, 1923 ~ Leonard Graham, commonly known as bop trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, born in St Petersburg, Florida, USA ~ Played with the Carolina Cotton Pickers, Earl Hines, Mercer Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Cab Calloway, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Randy Weston, Oscar Dennard, Kenny Clarke, and Howard McGhee ~ Graham passed away in 2002
August 7, 1923 ~ Frank Boder, commonly known as drummer Uffe Baadh, born in Aarhus, Denmark ~ Emigrated to the USA in 1947 to play with big bandleaders such as Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and Claude Thornhill. Has also played with Alice Babs, Thore Ehrling, Rolf Ericson, George Vernon, Carl Henrik Norin, Stan Hasselgard, Red Callender, Benny Goodman, and Elvis Presley ~ Baadh passed away in 1980
August 7, 1921 ~ Bandleader, arranger Warren Covington born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Played with Isham Jones, Les Brown, Gene Krupa, and as staff musician for CBS Radio. Played briefly with Tommy Dorsey in 1950. Took over from Eddie Gray as leader of the Commanders in 1956. Led Tommy Dorsey Orchestra after Dorsey's death. Also backed Charles Mingus, Randy Weston, Bobby Hackett, George Benson, Yusef Lateef, and Don Sebesky ~ Covington passed away in 1999August 7, 1920 ~ Harry Arnold Persson, commonly known as jazz saxophonist, bandleader Harry Arnold, born in Helsingborg, Sweden ~ Worked with Thore Ehrling, the Swedish Radio Big Band, Arne Domnérus, Bengt Hallberg, Ake Persson, Benny Bailey, Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson, Lucky Thompson, Coleman Hawkins, Toots Thielemans, Tony Scott, and Stan Getz ~ Persson passed away in 1971
August 7, 1913 ~ Swing, jazz guitarist George van Eps born in Plainfield, New Jersey, USA ~ Renowned for his fingerpicking technique. Influenced country guitarists such as Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, jazz guitarists such as Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden. Worked with Harry Reser, Smith Ballew, Freddy Martin, Benny Goodman, Ray Noble, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Condon, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Sarah Vaughan, Jack Teagarden, Bunny Berigan, Paul Weston, Doris Day, Louis Prima, Adrian Rollini, Mel Tormé, Ella Mae Morse, Gene Krupa, Helen Ward, Jo Stafford, Red Norvo, Peggy Lee, Frankie Laine, Bob Haggart, Tony Bennett, and John Pisano ~ Van Eps passed away in 1998
August 7, 1910 ~ Swing, boogie-woogie pianist, bandleader Freddie Slack, full name Frederick Charles Slack, born in Westby, Wisconsin, USA ~ Co-wrote, recorded House Of The Blue Lights with Ella Mae Morse as lead singer, later covered by Chuck Miller, the Andrews Sisters, Chuck Berry, and by Jerry Lee Lewis. Worked with Will Bradley including the piano solo on Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar, arguably one of the first white boogie-woogie hits. Also worked with Henry Halstead, Earl Burtnett, Lennie Hayton, Ben Pollack, Jimmy Dorsey, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Johnny Mercer, Margaret Whiting, and Liza Morrow ~ Slack passed away in 1965
August 7, 1887 ~ Charles Luckyth Roberts, commonly known as jazz, ragtime, blues composer, stride pianist Luckey Roberts, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Toured with James Reese Europe during World War I. Along with James P Johnson, helped develop the stride piano style. Had unusually large reach on the keyboard. Noted compositions include Junk Man Rag, Moonlight Cocktail, Pork & Beans, Railroad Blues, and Moonlight Cocktail, the latter a huge hit for Glenn Miller in 1942. Roberts also co-wrote three Broadway musicals, 1923's Go Go and Sharlee, and 1926's My Magnolia. ~ Roberts passed away in 1968