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 8, 2023 ~ Joan Rosemary Yarrow, commonly known as jazz, big band singer Rosemary Squires, passed away ~ Quintessentially English, Squires enjoyed popularity especially during the 1950s and 1960s with regular appearances on BBC shows such as Melody Time, Workers' Playtime, and especially Top Tunes. Equally at home in big bands, including ensembles led by bandleaders such as Ted Heath, Geraldo, and Cyril Stapleton, and in smaller settings, Squires has recorded about a dozen albums over the course of her career. Squires is also known as the voice of the Fairy Liquid advertisement, which ran intermittently for some four decades starting in the 1960s ~ Yarrow was born in 1928August 8, 2023 ~ Folk, folk rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, full name Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Enjoyed popularity in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Best known for Sugar Man of his 1970 Cold Fact debut album ~ Rodriguez was born in 1942
August 8, 2022 ~ Bassist, singer, songwriter Darryl Hunt, full name Darryl Gatwick Hunt, passed away in London, UK ~ Best known as bassist of the Pogues, joining in 1986 as replacement for Cait O'Riordan and remaining with the band through 1996. Wrote the track Love You Till The End of the 1996 Pogue Mahone album ~ Hunt was born in 1950
August 8, 2022 ~ Songwriter, producer Lamont Dozier passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA ~ One third of renowned Motown songwriting, production team Holland-Dozier-Holland, responsible for numerous hits by artists such as Martha & the Vandellas (Heat Wave), the Andantes, the Supremes (Stop In The Name Of Love), Mary Wells, the Four Tops, the Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye (How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)), the Elgins, and Honey Cone ~ Dozier was born in 1941
August 8, 2022 ~ Singer, actress, songwriter Olivia Newton-John passed away in Santa Ynez Valley, California, USA ~ Starred in the 1978 Grease musical film alongside John Travolta, lead singer on Hopelessly Devoted To You and dueting on You're The One That I Want and Summer Nights. As a solo artist well over two dozen albums to her name, focusing on pop and country-pop, starting with If Not For You released in 1971. Well known songs include Let Me Be There, If You Love Me Let Me Know, I Honestly Love You, Have You Never Been Mellow, A Little More Love, Magic, Physical and Xanadu, the latter a collaborative effort with the Electric Light Orchestra ~ Newton-John was born in 1948
August 8, 2022 ~ Singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter Toni Brown passed away ~ Frontwoman, and alongside guitarist Terry Garthwaite co-lead singer of Joy Of Cooking. The band was identified with the hippie culture, its lyrics often reflecting feminist themes, drew from rock & roll, folk, blues, and jazz, and is best known for their 1971 modest hit Brownsville. The band has recorded three albums in the early 1970s, Joy Of Cooking, Closer To The Ground, and Castles. Following the band's disbandement Brown released two albums, 1973's Good For You Too and 1979's Toni Brown, and formed the duo Toni & Terry with bandmate Garthwaite. Brown retired from music by the end of the 1970s and has since earned in master's degree in clinical psychology and founded Four Winds West, a non-profit organization for disadvantaged youth in Fairfax, California ~ Brown was born in 1938
August 8, 2021 ~ R&B, jazz fusion guitarist Bruce Conte, full name Bruce Anthony Conte, passed away in Cebu, Philippines ~ Influenced by Albert King, Grant Green, George Benson, and Jimmy Nolen. Best known as member of Tower Of Power from 1972 through 1979, including on the band's eponymous 1973 Tower Of Power album which spawned the band's best known, the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit So Very Hard To Go and their signature song What Is Hip ~ Conte was born in 1950
August 8, 2020 ~ Producer, engineer, guitarist Adrian Barber passed away in Otley, UK ~ Early on in his career, Barber served as lead guitarist in Cass & the Casanovas and its successor the Big Three, departing the group in 1962. However, Barber would become best known as an engineer and producer, noted especially for recording Live At The Star Club (Hamburg Germany 1962) by the Beatles, and for producing both the Allman Brothers Band's eponymous The Allman Brothers Band debut album and the Velvet Underground's 1970 Loaded album. In one capacity or another, Barber has also worked on albums by Buffalo Springfield, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Mann, Cream, Shirley Scott, Vanilla Fudge, the Bee Gees (Odessa), Freddie King, Aerosmith, and Jack Bruce ~ Barber was born in 1938August 8, 2018 ~ Tenor Arthur Davies passed away ~ Worked with with the Royal Opera London, the English National Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Cincinnati Opera, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Leipzig Opera, the Municipal theater of Santiago, the New Orleans Opera, Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos, de Vlaamse Opera, and the Teatro Colón ~ Davies was born in 1941
August 8, 2018 ~ Linda Mkhize, commonly known as rapper, producer Pro, passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa ~ Regarded as one of the pioneers of South African rap, known for rapping in a mixture of Tsotsi and English. Best known for the singles Soweto, an ode to his birthplace, and its follow-up Wozobona. Mkhize has released five albums starting with Heads & Tales in 2005 and passed away at age 37 of a seizure ~ Mkhize was born in 1981
August 8, 2017 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Glen Campbell, full name Glen Travis Campbell, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Member of the Champs, the Hondells, and the Wrecking Crew, the latter a loose collective of first-call session musicians. Campbell has appeared on albums by Jan & Dean, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, the Beach Boys, the Monkees (The Monkees), and Merle Haggard (Mama Tried). As a solo artist, Campbell enjoyed popularity especially from the late 1960s onwards, well known songs include The Universal Soldier, By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Wichita Lineman, Rhinestone Cowboy and Southern Nights, the latter two each toppping both the Billboard Country and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 charts in the mid 1970s ~ Campbell was born in 1936
August 8, 2015 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Dave Cartwright passed away in Worcestershire, UK ~ Member of rock and roll outfit the Crossfires and subsequently the Clippers, prior to venturing out on his own as a folk singer. Has recorded over half a dozen albums, starting with A Little Bit Of Glory released in 1972. Well known songs include Song For Susan, My Delicate Skin, and Spoken Word Extract From Bittersweet. Cartwright also co-wrote A Letter To Syracuse, recorded by Christy Moore for his 1972 Prosperous album ~ Cartwright was born in 1943
August 8, 2015 ~ Rapper Sean Price, full name Sean Duval Price, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of underground hip hop collective Boot Camp Clik. Formed the duo Heltah Skeltah with Jahmal Bush. Member of Random Axe. Has released four albums as a solo artist, starting with Monkey Barz in 2005. Guested on recordings by Jedi Mind Tricks, the Snowgoons, eMC, KRS One, the Wu-Tang Clan, Ill Bill, Talib Kweli, Statik Selektah, and Masta Killa ~ Price was born in 1972
August 8, 2013 ~ Jack Henderson Clement, commonly known as producer, songwriter, pianist Cowboy Jack Clement, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Producer at Sun Records. Worked with Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis. Wrote Ballad Of A Teenage Queen, Guess Things Happen That Way, The One On The Right Is On The Left and produced Ring Of Fire for Johnny Cash. Other artists who have recorded Clement's songs include Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Bobby Bare, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Cliff Richard, Charley Pride, Tom Jones, Dickey Lee, and Hank Snow. To European audiences perhaps best known for producing portions of U2's Rattle & Hum album, notably the tracks When Love Comes To Town and Angel Of Harlem ~ Clement passed away in 1931
August 8, 2010 ~ John Russell Parnell, commonly known as producer, bandleader, drummer, composer Jack Parnell, passed away in Suffolk, UK ~ The “real” conductor of The Muppet Show Orchestra. Musical director for Benny Hill Show. Composed for TV, including well known themes for shows such as Father Brown, Family Fortunes and Love Story. Worked with Kenny Baker, Don Lusher, Betty Smith, Tony Lee, Tony Archer, Johnny Griffin, Ronnie Ross, Kathy Stobart, and the London Big Band ~ Parnell was born in 1923
August 8, 2007 ~ R&B singer Clarence Tex Walker passed away in Woodstock, UK ~ Best known as member of Bill Pinkney's R&B unit the Original Drifters from 1966 through 1973, joining the band after serving a tour in the US Army in Vietnam. Walker subsequently fronted the Coasters, recorded as a solo artist, and notably worked with Big Joe Turner, including providing lead vocals on the latter's acclaimed Big Joe Turner's Memphis Blues Caravan album released in 1995 ~ Walker was born in 1946
August 8, 2006 ~ Irving Sidney Jordan, commonly known as jazz pianist Duke Jordan, passed away in Valby, Denmark ~ Best known for his stint with Charlie Parker, serving in the saxophonist's classic quintet in the mid 1940s and as a guest on later recordings. Married to jazz singer Sheila Jordan from 1952 through 1962, with whom he has one daughter. Over three dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, leader or co-leader, especially noted for 1960's Flight To Jordan, 1973's Brooklyn Brothers with regular collaborator Cecil Payne, and 1973's Two Loves. As a composer especially known for Minor Escamp, first recorded by Jordan in 1954 and covered by numerous artists including Barney Kessel, Dizzy Gillespie, Barney Wilen, Charlie Byrd, and Chet Atkins. An in-demand collaborator, over the course of his lengthy career Jordan has also appeared on albums by Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, Oscar Pettiford, Vinnie Burke, Tubby Hayes, Art Farmer, Kenny Burrell, Clifford Brown, Ramsey Lewis, Tina Brooks, Dizzy Reece, and Charles McPherson ~ Jordan was born in 1922
August 8, 2002 ~ Country singer Faith Hill releases Cry, lead single off her album of the same name ~ Written and originally recorded by Angie Aparo for his 1999 The American debut album. As a fan of Aparo's, Faith Hill immediately fell in love with the song when she first heard it, and covered the track for her 2002 album. Hill's cover would earn her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, having previously won the same award for Breathe off her previous album, and peak at No.12 Billboard Country, and at a respectable No.33 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. On naming the album, Hill has stated: “I really wanted to name the album Cry, not because of the single, but because there's so many places on this album that are full of so many kinds of emotions. For me, when I see the word ‘cry, ’ I don't necessarily think of it as being an emotion that is used from a sad moment from your life. I happen to shed tears for a lot of reasons, to be happy and lots of places in my life”
August 8, 2002 ~ Jazz drummer Ronnie Stephenson passed away in Dundee, UK ~ Initially aimed to become a tap dancer like his idol Gene Kelly but was given a drum kit at age 14 and was playing semi-professionally a year later. Frequently backed his brothers pianists Bill Stephenson and Bob Stephenson, before gaining serious attention touring with singer Lita Roza. Stephenson would go on to become one of the most in-demand British jazz drummers of the 1960s, well known for his stints with Johnny Dankworth and Stan Tracey, working with the latter in the house band at Ronnie Scott's renowned London jazz club including accompanying numerous visiting American jazz icons. Stephenson has appeared on albums by Wes Montgomery, Tubby Hayes (100% Proof), JJ Jackson, Ray Warleigh, Rolf Kühn, Victor Feldman, the NDR Bigband, Benny Golson, and Cleo Laine ~ Stephenson was born in 1937
August 8, 2002 ~ Jazz, free jazz double bassist Wilber Morris passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Brother of cornetist Butch Morris. Played drums before settling on bass. Closely associated with David Murray, including on the albums Ming, New Life, and Murray's Steps. As a leader best known for his 1981 Collective Improvisations album. Morris has also appeared on albums by Billy Bang, Frank Lowe, Denis Charles, Bob Ackerman, Andrew Lamb, Charles Gayle, Lou Grassi, Interface, Claude Lawrence, Frode Gjerstad, Yuko Fujiyama (Re-Entry), Ken McIntyre, and Steve Swell ~ Morris was born in 1937
August 8, 1998 ~ Pop, folk-pop, pop rock singer Shawn Mendes, full name Shawn Peter Raul Mendes, born in Pickering, Canada ~ After posting song covers on the video sharing platform Vine for two years, Mendes burst onto the music scene in 2015, his Handwritten debut album reaching the Billboard Hot 200 top spot in its first week, making Mendes one of the few to achieve this feat before his 18th birthday. Its second single Stitches would reach top 10 in over half a dozen countries, including the UK, America, and his native Canada. Through the end of the decade, Mendes would score about half a dozen Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits including the No.1 Senorita with Camila Cabello and Monster with Justin Bieber. In 2020, at age 22 Mendes became the youngest person to have reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 200 charts with each of his first four albums when the Wonder album debuted atop the American album charts
August 8, 1994 ~ R&B, jazz guitarist, vibraphonist Dave Hamilton, full name David Lewis Hamilton, passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of the Helen Pennington Quartet, the Noc-Tunes, the Peppers. In-demand session musician since the late 1950s, appearing on recordings by Jackie Wilson (Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet), Lonely Teardrops), John Lee Hooker (Boom Boom), Marvin Gaye (Stubborn Kind Of Fellow), Mary Wells (My Guy). Released his Blue Vibrations solo debut album in 1964 ~ Hamilton was born in 1920
August 8, 1992 ~ Conductor, violinist, pianist, music director, orchestrator, composer Egisto Macchi passed away in Montpellier, France ~ 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 was born in 1928August 8, 1986 ~ Actress, singer, model Jackie Cruz born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Best known as an actress, notably portraying the role of Marisol Gonzales in the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black. Member of girl group Krush Velvet while still in high school, though the band would fail to release any records. As a solo singer, Cruz independently released her Hollywood Gypsy debut EP and has recorded a handful of singles since
August 8, 1985 ~ David Lehre, commonly known as pop singer, actor, director Chad Future, born ~ Member of boy band Heart2Heart, a group mentored by former NSYNC member Lance Bass who also appeared in the video for the band's Facebook Official debut single. As a solo artist Lehre is best known for creating English-language covers of K-pop songs originally by EXO, BigBang, and BAP