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 3, 1989 ~ Indie rock, indie pop bassist, guitarist Garron DuPree born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Joined indie pop outfit Eisley in 2005 at the age of 15, then consisting of his cousins Chauntelle DuPree, Stacy DuPree, Weston DuPree and Sherri DuPree. Present on all of the band's recordings since their 2007 Combinations sophomore album. Joined Say Anything in 2013. DuPree has also served as recording engineer for Anberlin, Perma, David Upp, and Crimson Arrow
December 3, 1988 ~ In its 13th week on the charts, Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird (Medley) by Will To Power hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Neither Peter Frampton nor Lynyrd Skynyrd had ever reached the top of the American charts, but Will To Power, a project conceived by Miami-based producer Bob Rosenberg, scored a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 with a medley of Frampton's Baby I Love Your Way and Skynyrd's Free Bird. Initially, Rosenberg's Epic Records label didn't think highly of the medley, but once Miami radio station Power 96 started playing it, it was issued as a single. Apparently the medley, reworked into a soft rock style, appealed to audiences who had been familiar with the original songs. Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird (Medley) would also reach top 10 in Canada, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, and the UK
December 3, 1984 ~ Hind Laroussi Tahiri, mononymously known as pop, R&B singer Hind, born in Gouda, the Netherlands ~ First gained attention in the 2003 edition of the talent show Idols, reaching third place behind Jamai Loman and runner-up Jim Bakkum. Subsequently released her Around The World debut album later the same year. Best known for songs such as All Over Again, Weak and Give Me A Sign. Represented the Netherlands in the 2008 edition of the Eurovision Songfestival with Your Heart Belongs To Me, but failed to reach the finals
December 3, 1984 ~ British pop group Wham release Last Christmas, lead single off their Music From The Edge Of Heaven album ~ On its initial release, the single would spend five weeks at No.2 on the UK charts, held off the top spot by Band Aid's charity single Do They Know It's Christmas. The single has re-entered the British charts numerous times during the Holiday season, and has become both one of the most beloved Christmas songs in the UK, despite it not being a “true” Christmas-themed single as it only references Christmas on a side note. On New Years Day 2021, Last Christmas finally reached the No.1 position, more than 36 years after its initial release
December 3, 1983 ~ Pop rock, country pop singer, guitarist, pianist, trumpeter Andy Grammer, full name Andrew Charles Grammer, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Cites influences as diverse as Jason Mraz, Coldplay, OneRepublic, Common, Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z. Released his eponymous Andy Grammer debut album in 2011, and has recorded steadily since. The single Honey I'm Good taken off his Magazines Or Novels sophomore album reached top 10 Billboard Hot 100. Other well known songs include Fine By Me, Miss Me, Good To Be Alive, and Fresh Eyes
December 3, 1983 ~ In its 12th week on the charts, A Little Good News by Anne Murray hits No.1 Billboard Country ~ Inflation, recession, a surge in crime, and a renewed Cold War, many were simply tired of all the news. As Rory Bourke, who co-wrote the song with Charlie Black and Tommy Rocco, later voiced the prevailing sentiment of the day: “It was one of those periods where every story was worse than the one before. We were sitting there with that first cup of coffee and I was saying, ‘Golly, have you been listening to the news? I just can't stand it anymore. It hurts to turn on the TV’.” Issued as the lead single off Anne Murray's album of the same name, in these troubled times A Little Good News definitely struck a chord with audiences. It would become her sixth Billboard Country charttopper and earn the singer a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance. The parent album won her a CMA Award for Album of the YearDecember 3, 1983 ~ Irving Goldberg, commonly known as songwriter, lyricist, screenwriter Irving Taylor, passed away in Westlake Village, California, USA ~ Best known for co-penning Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes with Sam Coslow and Ken Lane. The song would first be recorded by Peggy Lee in 1947 and covered by well over a hundred artists, including Frank Sinatra, Dinah Washington, Brenda Lee, and Sarah Vaughan. Other songs co-written by Taylor have been recorded by the Merry Macs, Vaughn Monroe (Three Little Sisters), Guy Lombardo, Paula Watson, Doris Day (Quicksilver), Kay Starr (The Man With The Bag), and Tennessee Ernie Ford ~ Goldberg was born in 1914
December 3, 1979 ~ Country singer Barbara Mandrell releases Years, lifted off her Just For The Record album ~ Mandrell was on a roll during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her 1978 Moods album spawned two Billboard Country charttoppers, her first two, with Sleeping Single In A Double Bed and (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right both reaching the No.1 spot. Barbara Mandrell had won ACM Top Female Vocalist in 1978, the following year she would be nominated for the same award and win the CMT award for Female Artist of the Year. Years continued the streak, and would become her third No.1. The song is arguably one of her all-time best performances, telling the sad tale of a woman running into an old flame for whom she has been carrying a torch ever since they broke up, all the while longing for her lover to return, only to eventually realize it has already been years and it is never going to happenDecember 3, 1975 ~ Alternative metal, groove metal, experimental rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Todd Smith born in Rockville, Maryland, USA ~ Best known for fronting Dog Fashion Disco. Has also recorded as a solo artist going by the moniker El Creepo, starting with the eponymous El Creepo album released in 2009, and worked with the Alter Boys, Polkadot Cadaver, and Knives Out
December 3, 1974 ~ R&B, soul, pop singer Trina Braxton, full name Trina Evette Braxton, born in Severn, Maryland, USA ~ Member of sibling outfit the Braxtons, releasing their sole album So Many Ways in 1996. The So Many Ways title single would be the only single charting on the Billboard Hot 100, stalling in the high 80s, yet the band would attract enough attention to launch the solo career of Toni Braxton
December 3, 1973 ~ Indie rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist Amy Millan born in Toronto, Canada ~ Member of Stars, joining the band in 1999 when most of their Nightsongs debut album was already recorded limiting Millan's involvement to singing lead on Toxic Holiday. The band would breakthrough with their Set Yourself On Fire album released in 2004, Millan notably present on the album's single Ageless Beauty. Married to Stars bandmate Evan Cranley, with whom she has two children. Touring member for Broken Social Scene. Has also recorded as a solo artist, releasing her Honey From The Tombs debut album in 2006
December 3, 1972 ~ Jazz banjoist, bassist William Manuel Johnson passed away in New Braunfels, Texas, USA ~ Brother of pianist, clarinetist, drummer Dink Johnson. Considered the father of the “slap” style of double bass playing. Mentored Milt Hinton. Played with the Eagle Band and the Excelsior Brass Band before founding the Original Creole Orchestra, the first jazz band to leave New Orleans, Louisiana, and tour widely in the 1910s ~ Johnson was born in 1872
December 3, 1970 ~ Singer, mandolinist, songwriter Amy Helm born in Woodstock, New York, USA ~ Daughter of singer Libby Titus and the Band drummer Levon Helm. Has also played in her father's bands the Midnight Ramble Band and Ollabelle. Debuted as a solo artist with the album Didn't It Rain in 2015, backed by artists such as John Medeski, Bill Payne and Catherine Russell. Has also collaborated with Donald Fagen, Mercury Rev, Christine Lavin, Kenny White, Sean Costello, the Holmes Brothers, Ben Sidran, Matt Andersen, Ninni Poijarvi, Rosanne Cash, Tracy Bonham, Colin Linden, Doyle Bramhall II, Tyler Chester, Jennifer Condos, Jay Bellerose, Allison Russell, JT Nero, and Adam Minkoff
December 3, 1968 ~ Aretha Now, the 1968 Billboard Hot 200 top 10 album by R&B singer Aretha Franklin, reaches gold status ~ Issued the previous June, the album would reach gold status within half a year of its release. The album spawned two Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits, Think and I Say A Little Prayer. The former, penned by Aretha Franklin with her then-husband Ted White, built on the feel of her previous Otis Redding cover RESPECT, an assertive woman telling her man not to mess with her. The latter was originally a hit for Dionne Warwick, but over time would become more associated with Franklin. The album featured backing musicians such as Tommy Cogbill, Spooner Oldham, and King Curtis. A young Bobby Womack played guitar on the tracks You're A Sweet Sweet Man, Hello Sunshine, and A ChangeDecember 3, 1967 ~ Jazz trumpeter, violinist Peter Bocage, full name Peter Edwin Bocage, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Pivotal figure in early New Orleans jazz. Led the Superior Orchestra in his early 20s, a ragtime band that also included Bunk Johnson. Also worked with the Tuxedo Orchestra, the Excelsior Brass Band, King Oliver, Fate Marable, AJ Piron, and Sidney Bechet ~ Bocage was born in 1887
December 3, 1965 ~ Latin rock, hard rock, rock guitarist, keyboardist Juan Valdivia born in Segovia, Spain ~ Dubbed “El Maestro” by his fans. Rose to fame as a member of Héroes del Silencio, a band considered pivotal to 1990s Spanish rock. Present on albums such as El Mar No Cesa, Senderos De Traición, El Espíritu Del Vino, and Avalancha. Following the band's disbandement in the late 1990s has recorded his solo artist, releasing his Trigonometralia debut album in 2001
December 3, 1963 ~ Bassist, singer Joe Lally, full name Joseph Francis Lally, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA ~ Best known as bassist, co-founding member of post-hardcore outfit Fugazi. Has also recorded as a solo artist, formed the instrumental trio the Messthetics with guitarist Anthony Pirog and drummer Brendan Canty, and toured with Capillary Action and the Melvins
December 3, 1963 ~ Singer, trumpeter Louis Armstrong records Hello Dolly ~ Written by Jerry Herman for the 1964 musical of the same name, in which it was introduced by Carol Channing. Louis Armstrong was asked to record a version to promote the musical. Released as a single in January 1964, shortly after the musical premiered, Armstrong's version would reach top of the Billboard Hot 100 and win a Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Armstrong would reprise the song with Barbra Streisand in the 1964 film version of Hello Dolly. A slightly altered version, retitled Hello Lyndon, would be used for Lyndon B Johnson's 1964 Presidential campaign. Channing first performed it at that year's Democratic National Convention, a recording would be made by Ed AmesDecember 3, 1961 ~ Rock guitarist Marcelo Fromer born in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Co-founding member of Titas, one of the most popular Brazilian rock bands. Passed away hit by a motorcyclist while jogging, one day before recording of the band's thirteenth album A Melhor Banda De Todos Os Tempos Da Ultima Semana were set to begin ~ Fromer passed away in 2001
December 3, 1960 ~ Guitarist, producer Rolf Ellmer, full name Rolf Johannes Ellmer, born in Karlsruhe, Germany ~ Trance pioneer. Regular collaborator of Markus Löffel, the duo releasing records under several monikers including Tokyo Ghetto Pussy, Storm and most successfully as Jam & Spoon. Well known songs include dance tracks such as Right In The Night (Fall In Love With Music), Kaleidoscope Skies, and Be Angeled. Ellmer also formed the dance, techno duo Dance 2 Trance with DJ Dag Lerner, and served as producer for the likes of Enigma, Moby, and Frankie Goes To HollywoodDecember 3, 1959 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Maarten Peters born in Nijmegen, the Netherlands ~ Fingerpicking guitarist. Fronted Maarten Peters & the Dream. Member of Frank Boeijen Groep from 1984 through 1986. Backed Margriet Eshuijs. Wrote songs for Rob de Nijs, Liesbeth List, Manuela Kemp, and for Willeke Alberti
December 3, 1959 ~ Singer Nol Havens, full name Arnoldus Ignatius Maria Josephus Havens, born in Tilburg, the Netherlands ~ Frontman, lead singer of VOF De Kunst, known for the 1980s hits Suzanne and Eén Kopje Koffie
December 3, 1957 ~ Singer Don Gibson records Oh Lonesome Me at RCA Studios, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Written by Don Gibson. Produced by Chet Atkins. Backing vocals by the Jordanaires. Released later the same month, b/w I Can't Stop Loving You recorded the same day, it would become one of Gibson's best known, a signature song, and be covered by numerous artists including Bob Luman, Johnny Cash, Connie Francis, Ray Charles, Skeeter Davis, the Beau Brummels, Nancy Sinatra, Neil Young, and the Kentucky HeadhuntersDecember 3, 1956 ~ Composer, drummer, vibraphonist Rob Waring born in Yonkers, New York, USA ~ A resident of Oslo since the early 1980s, Waring has played with the finest of Norway's thriving jazz scene, including Frank Jacobsen, Carl Morten Iversen, Søyr, Erik Wøllo, Espen Rud, Torgrim Sollid, Rune Klakegg, Tone Hulbækmo, Arve Moen Bergset, Kjell Samkopf, Morten Halle, SKRUK, and Jon Larsen
December 3, 1954 ~ Bassist, singer Paul Gregg born ~ Co-founding and constant member of country outfit Restless Heart, known for a string of Billboard Country hits from the mid-1980s through the 1990s. Have topped the country charts with That Rock Won't Roll, Why Does It Have To Be (Wrong Or Right), Wheels, The Bluest Eyes In Texas, and A Tender Lie. 1987's country charttopper I'll Still Be Loving You and 1992's When She Cries have also crossed over to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 peaking at respectively No.33 and No.11