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.
December 14, 1952 ~ Saxophonist, songwriter, actor John Lurie born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Co-founded the jazz ensemble the Lounge Lizards with his brother pianist Evan Lurie, the brothers being the only constant members throughout the band's existence. Acted in well over a dozen films including the Jim Jarmusch-directed Stranger Than Paradise and Down By Law, also composing the soundtracks for both films as well as for other feature films
December 14, 1949 ~ Progressive rock, rock, hard rock, heavy metal bassist, singer Cliff Williams, full name Clifford Williams, born in Romford, UK ~ Not to be confused with his namesake bassist Cliff Williams of Christian rock band 7eventh Time Down. Best known as longtime member of iconic hard rock outfit AC/DC, first appearing on the 1978 Powerage album. Prior to joining the band has worked with progressive rock band Home and with rockers Bandit. In 2016 Williams announced his retirement from the band yet returned for the 2020 Power Up comeback album
December 14, 1946 ~ Keyboardist, guitarist, mandolinist, songwriter Jackie McAuley born in Derry, Northern Ireland ~ Member of Them, backing Van Morrison on tracks such as Baby Please Don't Go, Gloria and Here Comes The Night. Member of the Kult alongside Paul Brady. Member of the Belfast Gypsies, known for their sole yet highly acclaimed Them Belfast Gypsies album released in 1967. Formed the psychedelic folk duo Trader Horne with Fairport Convention singer Judy Dyble. Has subsequently worked with Vivian Stanshall, the Heptones, Rick Wakeman, Lonnie Donegan, and recorded as a solo artist. McAuley also co-wrote Status Quo's Dear John with John Gustafson, a top 10 hit in the UK and Ireland
December 14, 1946 ~ Actress, singer, songwriter, model Jane Birkin, full name Jane Mallory Birkin, born in London, UK ~ Best known as an actress emerging from the mid 1960s London counterculture scene with roles in Blowup and Kaleidoscope. To pop audiences best known for the 1969 duet Je T'Aime (Moi Non Plus) with Serge Gainsbourg. The song would be banned from radio for its sexual innuendo, including in the UK, yet would make it to the No.1 spot on the British charts. Known for a number of longterm high-profile romances, married to film composer John Barry and later romantically involved with singer, actor Gainsbourg and subsequently with film director Jacques Doillon. Two of her three daughters, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon, have followed in their mother's footsteps acting and singing ~ Birkin passed away in 2023
December 14, 1946 ~ Free jazz drummer, percussionist Jerome Cooper born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Active since the late 1960s. In addition to drums Cooper played balafon, chirimia and various electronic instruments referring to himself as a “multi-dimensional drummer.” Has worked with artists such as Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Steve Lacy, Lou Bennett, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Alan Silva, Noah Howard, the Revolutionary Ensemble, Sam Rivers, George Adams, Karl Berger, Andrew Hill, Anthony Braxton, and Cecil Taylor ~ Cooper passed away in 2015
December 14, 1946 ~ Trevor Jones, commonly known as trumpeter, conductor, composer John du Prez, born in Sheffield, UK ~ Member of 1980s salsa-influenced pop band Modern Romance, known for songs such as Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey, The Best Years Of Our Lives, High Life and Walking In The Rain. Also known as an in-demand film composer, with scores for films such as Oxford Blues, Once Bitten, A Fish Called Wanda, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Carry On Columbus and The Wild to his name
December 14, 1946 ~ Anna Marie Duke, commonly known as singer, actress Patty Duke, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known as an actress, notably in the 1962 film The Miracle Worker for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and for playing the role of “identical cousins” in her own The Patty Duke Show TV show which aired from 1963 through 1966. As a singer recorded occasionally, noted for the 1965 Billboard top 10 hit Don't Just Stand There ~ Duke passed away in 2016
December 14, 1944 ~ Singer, songwriter Richard Kerr, full name Richard Buchanan Kerr, born in Bedford, UK ~ Though a fine singer in his own right, recording some half dozen albums starting in the early 1970s, best known as a songwriter, notably co-writing several of Barry Manilow's most endearing tracks including Mandy, Looks Like We Made It, and Where Are They Now. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Kerr include Millie Jackson (A Fool's Affair), Natalie Cole, Don Partridge, the Glass Bottle (Follow Me), Jennifer Warnes, Roy Orbison, Dionne Warwick (I'll Never Love This Way Again), Helen Reddy, Bonnie Raitt, John Denver (Don't Close Your Eyes Tonight), and Tyrone Davis ~ Kerr passed away in 2023
December 14, 1943 ~ Robert Livingstone Thompson, commonly kown as reggae, rocksteady singer, songwriter Dandy Livingstone, born in St Andrews, Jamaica ~ Recorded under the moniker Dandy & Sugar early on in his career, double-tracking his own voice as the Carnival Records was looking for a duo. It would give Livingstone his first hit with What A Life in 1964. Would go on to score two quintessential ska, reggae hits, namely Suzanne Beware Of The Devil and Rudy A Message To You. The former would reach the UK top 20, the latter would be notably covered by the Specials in 1979December 14, 1943 ~ Pop, pop rock bassist, singer Frank Allen born in Hayes, UK ~ Member of Cliff Bennett's beat group the Rebel Rousers from 1961 through 1964. Joined the Searchers in 1964, replacing original bassis Tony Jackson, and remained with the band through 2019. First appeared on the Jackie DeShannon-cover When You Walk In The Room, singing co-lead alongside Mike Pinder, which reached top 10 in the UK and Ireland
December 14, 1942 ~ Rock, hard rock, acid rock, shock rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Dick Wagner, full name Richard Allen Wagner, born in Oelwein, Iowa, USA ~ Fronted the Frost. Fronted the Bossmen. Closely associated with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Kiss. Co-wrote a number of Cooper's best known including Only Women Bleed, You And Me and How You Gonna See Me Now. Also co-wrote Shine Silently with Nils Lofgren, recorded by the latter on his 1979 Nils album ~ Wagner passed away in 2014
December 14, 1941 ~ Operatic soprano Karan Armstrong born in Havre, Montana, USA ~ Active since the mid 1960s, performing minor roles with the Metropolitan Opera and leading roles with the New York City Opera including in La Traviata and La Fanciualla Del Est. Relocated to Europe by the mid 1970s. Acclaimed for her 1975 performance in Salomé with the Opera Du Rhin. Perhaps most closely associated with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, performing in two dozen roles over four decades. Married to opera, theater director Götz Friedrich from 1979 until his death in 2000 ~ Armstrong passed away in 2021
December 14, 1938 ~ Pop singer, songwriter Don Addrisi born in Winthrop, Massachusetts, USA ~ Formed the sibling duo the Addrisi Brothers with Dick Addrisi. Both brothers auditioned for Mickey Mouse Club, but were rejected. As a duo the brothers scored hits with songs such as Cherrystone, We've Got To Get It On Again and Slow Dancin' Don't Turn Me On. The pair also wrote Never My Love, a 1967 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit for the Association ~ Addrisi passed away in 1984
December 14, 1938 ~ Producer, songwriter Gary Usher, full name Gary Lee Usher, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known for his 1960s work with a number of mostly Californian rock & roll and surf acts including with fictitious groups consisting of session musicians such as the Super Stocks and the Kickstands. Notable production credits include Go Little Honda (the Hondells), Hit City '65 (the Surfaris), and My World Fell Down (Sagittarius). Songs written or co-written by Usher include 409, Lonely Sea and In My Room recorded by the Beach Boys, Frankie Avalon's Beach Party, Dick Dale's Mag Wheels, Wayne Newton's Comin' On Too Strong, and Gary Puckett & the Union Gap's Don't Give In To Him ~ Usher passed away in 1990December 14, 1937 ~ Actress, singer Anita Lindblom born in Gavle, Sweden ~ Best known as an actress, appearing in over a dozen films starting in 1957. As a singer best known for Sant Ar Livet, a No.1 hit in her native Norway in 1962. The song was a translation of Roy Hamilton's You Can Have Her ~ Lindblom passed away in 2020
December 14, 1936 ~ Violinist Arve Tellefsen born in Trondheim, Norway ~ Founded the Oslo Chamber Music Festival, annualy held since 1989. Has worked with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmony Orchestra, the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Liverpool Philharmonic
December 14, 1934 ~ Singer, guitarist, pianist Charlie Hodge, full name Charles Franklin Hodge, born in Decatur, Alabama, USA ~ Member of 1950s gospel group the Foggy River Boys. Best known as confidante, advisor, stage manager and friend of Elvis Presley, whom he befriended during the latter's Army service. Hodge lived at Presley's Graceland home for over 15 years, starting in the early 1960s and play an important role in Presley's career, advising him on which songs to record and who to hire for his backing band ~ Hodge passed away in 2006
December 14, 1933 ~ Alto saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist Leo Wright born in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA ~ Considered one of the finest jazz flutists, active since the late 1950s backing artists such as Charles Mingus and Dizzy Gillespie early on in his career. Over half a dozen albums as a leader, noted specifically for his 1960 Blues Shout debut album featuring an all-star backing unit consisting of pianist Junior Mance, drummer Charlie Persip, bassist Art Davis, and trumpeter Richard Williams. Wright relocated to Europe by the early 1960s and has spent most of his career based in either Berlin or Vienna working with European musicians and fellow American patriates. Over the course of his career, Wright has appeared on albums by Virgil Gonsalves, Richard Gene Williams (New Horn In Town), Tadd Dameron (The Magic Touch Of Tadd Dameron), Brother Jack McDuff, Dave Pike, Kenny Burrell, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Blue Mitchell (Step Lightly), Bob Brookmeyer, Johnny Coles (Little Johnny C), Luiz Bonfá, Jimmy Witherspoon, Gildo Mahones, Lee Konitz, and Jean-Luc Ponty ~ Wright passed away in 1991
December 14, 1932 ~ Singer, pianist Charlie Rich, full name Charles Allan Rich, born in Colt, Arkansas, USA ~ Prolific singer, songwriter capable in rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, soul and gospel, widely credited with helping define the Countrypolitan sound. Dubbed “the Silver Fox”, as his hair turned white in his early 20s, Rich would become one of the most soulful country singers of the 1970s. Best known for Behind Closed Doors and its follow-up The Most Beautiful Girl. The former earned the singer an ACM Award, AMA Award, CMA Award, and a Grammy Award, the song would later also be inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. The latter became a major cross-over hit, topped both the Billboard Country and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 charts, and reached top 10 on the pop charts in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the UK. Other well known songs include There Won't Be Anymore, A Very Special Love Song, I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore, I Love My Friend, She Called Me Baby, and Rollin' With The Flow, all of which would top the Billboard Country charts. Prior to his rise to fame as a solo artist, Rich served as a session musician and occasional songwriter for Sun Records. Songs written by Rich early on in his career have been recorded by Ray Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis (Break-Up), Johnny Cash (The Ways Of A Woman In Love), Thomas Wayne, and Carl Mann ~ Rich passed away in 1995
December 14, 1931 ~ Jazz pianist Phineas Newborn Jr born in Whiteville, Tennessee, USA ~ Revered pianist influenced by Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and by Bud Powell. Studied piano as well as trumpet and saxophone. First played R&B in the family band consisting of Phineas Newborn Sr, Calvin Newborn, Tuff Green, Ben Branch and future Hi-Records label executive Willie Mitchell. The band served as the house band at Plantation Inn Club, backed BB King on King's first recordings and toured with Jackie Brenston in support of Rocket '88 in 1951. Phineas would go on to back musicians such as Big Walter Horton, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus. Phineas released his debut as a leader, Here Is Phineas, on Atlantic Records in 1956. He would continue to lead several piano trios and quartets, including sidemen such as Oscar Pettiford, Kenny Clarke, Jamil Nasser, Philly Joe Jones, Ernie Royal, Sahib Shihab, Les Spann, George Duvivier, Denzil Best, Roy Haynes, and Elvin Jones. Throughout his career he would at times be underrated and underrecorded and later be plagued by mental and physical illness, hindering his career. Despite setbacks he would eventually be seen as one of the most brilliant pianists in jazz, especially by peers and critics, and perform and record until his untimely death at 57 ~ Newborn passed away in 1989December 14, 1930 ~ Operatic soprano Rosanna Carteri born in Verona, Italy ~ Enjoyed popularity from the 1950s through the mid 1960s. Debuted as Elsa in Richard Wagner's Lohengrin in Rome at age 19. Would go on to portray leading roles with renowned orchestras including La Scala, the San Francisco Opera, and the Royal Opera House ~ Carteri passed away in 2020
December 14, 1922 ~ Jazz baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Sideman and leader. Played with Dizzy Gillespie, Randy Weston, JJ Johnson, Roy Eldridge, Tadd Dameron, Illinois Jacquet, Cannonball Adderley, Count Basie, Nick Brignola, Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Cleveland, Ray Charles, Kenny Clarke, Ernie Wilkins, John Coltrane, Kenny Dorham, Matthew Gee, Benny Golson, Al Grey, Gigi Gryce, Johnny Hammond Smith, Ernie Henry, Quincy Jones, Duke Jordan, James Moody, Archie Shepp, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Stitt, Idrees Sulieman, Clark Terry, Randy Weston, and with Ernie Wilkins ~ Payne passed away in 2007
December 14, 1920 ~ Swing, bebop trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer Clark Terry, full name Clark Virgil Terry Jr, born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Pioneered flugelhorn in jazz. Appeared on over an estimated 900 recordings, over 50 as leader or co-leader. Especially acclaimed for the albums In Orbit, Color Changes and Tread Ye Lightly. Has backed artists such as Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington, Charlie Barnet, Quincy Jones (The Birth Of A Band), Ray Charles (The Genius of Ray Charles), Charles Mingus, Buddy Tate, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Tubby Hayes, Art Farmer, Gene Roland, Willie Bobo, Herbie Mann, Cal Tjader (Soul Sauce), Wilson Pickett (In The Midnight Hour), the Modern Jazz Quartet, Thelonious Monk, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Rushing, Sarah Vaughan, George Benson (Blue Benson), Bunky Green, and Freddie Hubbard ~ Terry passed away in 2015December 14, 1917 ~ R&B singer, pianist Martha Davis born in Wichita, Kansas, USA ~ Enjoyed popularity throughout the 1950s. Influenced by Fats Waller. Married to bassist Calvin Ponder, with whom she regularly worked. Known for Little White Lies, originally recorded by Dick Haymes, and for the Louis Jordan-duet Daddy-O, the latter a Billboard R&B top 10 hit in 1948 ~ Davis passed away in 1960
December 14, 1911 ~ Lindsey Armstrong Jones, commonly known as bandleader Spike Jones, born in Long Beach, California, USA ~ Known for spoof arrangements of popular songs and classical music, using a variety of odd instruments and sound effects including gunshots, whistles and comedic vocals. Influenced artists such as the Marx Brothers, Stan Freberg, Joe Raposo, Mr Bungle, Frank Zappa, and Weird Al Yankovic. Known for songs such as Der Fuehrer's Face, Cocktails For Two, and All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth ~ Jones passed away in 1965