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, 1952 ~ Southern rock, hard rock, boogie rock, jam rock guitarist Duane Roland born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, USA ~ Key member of Molly Hatchet from its inception in the mid 1970s until the band's initial breakup in 1990, and the only member of the band's classic line-up to appear on all of the band's first seven albums including the acclaimed eponymous Molly Hatchet debut album and its follow-up Flirtin' With Disaster. Roland has also co-written a number of the band's best known including Bloody Reunion and Boogie No More. Roland has been quoted as saying it was a specific concert that triggered his decision to become a professional musician: “I was at the West Palm Beach Music Festival (West Palm Beach, Florida) and the line up was Johnny Winter, Vanilla Fudge, Janis Joplin, King Crimson, and the Rolling Stones. It had rained and I was laying on a piece of plastic. King Crimson was late so Johnny Winter, Janis Joplin and Vanilla Fudge got up and jammed and I came straight up off that plastic and said, ‘That’s what I wanna do!’ I watched Johnny play and that was it for me” ~ Roland passed away in 2006
December 3, 1951 ~ Jazz guitarist, keyboardist, singer, songwriter Barry Finnerty, full name Michael Barry Finnerty, born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Active since the late 1960s, starting out as a member of Beefy Red for a number of years before establishing himself as an in-demand touring and session musician. Present on albums by Chico Hamilton, Hubert Laws, the Funk Factory, Ray Barretto, Taj Mahal, Joe Sample, the Crusaders (Street Life), Miles Davis (The Man With The Horn), the Brecker Brothers, Vital Information, and Eliane Elias. Finnerty has also recorded a handful of albums as a solo artist, and authored two jazz education books, The Serious Jazz Practice Book in 2006 and The Serious Jazz Book II two years later, as well as a semi-autobiographical novel loosely based on his life in New York in the mid 1990s
December 3, 1951 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Kimberley Rew born in Bristol, UK ~ Best known as a member of Katrina & the Waves for which he also wrote the band's biggest hits Walking On Sunshine and 1997 Eurovision Songfestival winning tune Love Shine A Light. Member of Robyn Hitchcock-fronted outfit the Soft Boys from 1978 to 1981, for which he wrote Going Down To Liverpool later famously covered by the Bangles. In 2007 Céline Dion would record Rew's composition That's Just The Woman In Me. Rew also worked with Lonely starting in the late 1980s and Jack starting in 2004December 3, 1950 ~ Singer Roberta Peters appears on The Toast Of The Town for the first time, predecessor to The Ed Sullivan Show, aired on CBS ~ Barely out of her teens, Roberta Peters makes her first appearance on the show. She would go on to become one of America's best known opera stars, noted for her three-decade run with the Metropolitan Opera Company. During this time Peters made over three dozen appearances on the show, including performances with other singers such as Cesare Siepi, Risë Stevens, and Robert Merrill to whom she was briefly married
December 3, 1949 ~ Pop, jazz singer Patti Page records With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming in New York, New York, USA ~ Written by Harry Revel and Mack Gordon. First recorded by Jack Oakie and Dorothy Dell in the 1934 movie Shoot The Works. Page's version would have Patti Page singing as a “one-woman quartet” using overdubbing, backed by Jack Rael's orchestra. It would become her first million-seller. She would later also record the song style in a rock & roll arrangement
December 3, 1948 ~ Rock, folk rock, blues rock violinist, bassist Jan Hruby born in Prague, Czechoslovakia ~ Member of Reprocity through the 1960s. Member Etc through the early 1980s. Member of Framus Five, notably present on the album Kolej Yesterday. Member of Cundrgrund. Has also worked with Dagma Andrtova-Vonkoca, Jazz Q, C&K Vocal, Hana Hegerová, and Kukulin
December 3, 1948 ~ John Michael Osbourne, commonly known as hard rock singer, songwriter Ozzy Osbourne born in Marston Green, UK ~ Rose to fame as lead vocalist of Black Sabbath, remaining with the band from its inception in 1970 until 1979, fired for alcohol abuse. Would go on to release over a dozen solo albums, many of them reaching multiple Platinum status. Known for songs such as Crazy Train, Flying High Again, Bark At The Moon, Shot In The Dark, No More Tears, Perry Mason, and Changes with daughter Kelly Osbourne ~ Osbourne passed away in 2025December 3, 1948 ~ Christian rock singer, bassist Rick Cua born in Syracuse, New York, USA ~ Member of Southern rock band the Outlaws from 1980 through 1983, leaving the band to pursue a career in Christian rock. Best known for the 1985 album You're My Road and the 1988 album Can't Stand Too Tall
December 3, 1947 ~ Drummer John Wilson born in Belfast, Northern Ireland ~ Briefly a member of Them, present on the band's Them Again sophomore album released in 1966. Has also worked with the Taste alongside Rory Gallagher, Stud, the Misfits, and Skid Row
December 3, 1947 ~ Pop, jazz singer Patti Page records Confess ~ Written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss. Paired with Twelve O'Clock Flight on the B-side, it would be one of the first records to use multi-tracking. With a low budget they couldn't hire a second singer, so Patti Page also recorded the second part with the tracks mixed together. Multi-tracking would become a Page trademark. The single made it to the top 20. Around the same time Doris Day would also have a hit with the song
December 3, 1944 ~ Paul Oscar Beuselinck, commonly known as actor, singer Paul Nicholas, born in Peterborough, UK ~ Played in productions of Hair, Fresh Hair and Cats. As a solo artist best known for a number of mid 1970s UK hits, namely Reggae Like It Used To Be, Dancing With The Captain and Grandma's Party. His single Heaven On The 7th Floor would reach the Billboard top 10 in 1977
December 3, 1944 ~ Ralph May, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Ralph McTell, born in Farnborough, UK ~ Influenced by Blind Blake, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell. Best known for songs such as From Clare To Here and The Streets Of London, the latter covered by over two hundred artists
December 3, 1944 ~ Country songwriter Roger Bowling, full name Roger Dale Bowling, born in Helton, Kentucky, USA ~ Perhaps best known for co-writing Lucille, a Billboard Country No.1 hit, Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit and the first UK charttopper for Kenny Rogers in 1977. Rogers had previously recorded The Coward Of The County and The Ghost Of Another Man, both co-written by Bowling. Bowling also wrote or co-wrote several songs for Billie Jo Spears including There's More To A Tear Than Meets The Eye, '57 Chevrolet and her biggest hit Blanket On The Ground. Others who recorded his songs include the Oak Ridge Boys (Dig A Little Deeper In The Well), Hank Thompson, Dottie West (The Lovin' Kind), Del Reeves, Freddie Hart, George Jones & Tammy Wynette (Southern California), and Charlie Rich. Sadly Bowling committed suicide at age 38, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer a year earlier ~ Bowling passed away in 1982
December 3, 1943 ~ Singer, guitarist, saxophonist, poet, songwriter Mike Hart, full name Michael William Hart, born in Bebington, UK ~ Founded early 1960s R&B band the Roadrunners. Departed the band in 1965 to join poetry and music collective the Liverpool Scene. Released his Mike Hart Bleeds solo debut album in 1969, produced by John Peel ~ Hart passed away in 2016
December 3, 1942 ~ Pianist, conductor, arranger, film composer Michel Rubini born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Producer, conductor, arranger for Motown. In-demand session musician. In-demand touring musician for the likes of Ray Charles, Frank Zappa, Barbra Streisand. Organist on Frank Sinatra's That's Life, pianist on Strangers In The Night. Arranger, conductor on Sonny & Cher's A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done, arranged Cher's Don't Hide Your Love, arranged Maureen McGovern's I Won't Last A Day Without You. Along with Howard Blake and Danny Jaeger wrote the soundtrack to the 1983 erotic horror movie The Hunger. Other notable film and TV credits include films such as Manhunter, Nemesis and TV shows such as The Hitchhiker, the soap opera Capitol and Tales From The CryptDecember 3, 1940 ~ Kenneth Alan James Hawker, commonly known as pop singer, songwriter, producer Ken Lewis, born in Small Heath, UK ~ Closely associated with John Carter, the duo serving as songwriters and producers for a host of mostly UK artists from the early 1960s through the mid 1970s. Well-known songs penned or co-penned by the duo include That's What I Want (the Marauders), Is It True (Brenda Lee), Funny How Love Can Be (the Ivy League), Can't You Hear My Heartbeat (Herman's Hermits), Peek-a-boo (the New Vaudeville Band), Let's Go To San Francisco (the Flower Pot Men), and Knock Knock Who's There (Mary Hopkin) ~ Hawker passed away in 2015
December 3, 1936 ~ Nikolas Kostantinos Venetoulis, commonly known as producer, A&R executive Nick Venet, born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for signing the Beach Boys to Capitol Records and producing the band's early material such as Surfin' Safari. In one capacity or another has also worked with a wide array of others including Glen Campbell, Jim Croce, Bobby Darin, the Hondells, the Kingston Trio, the Lettermen, Ricky Nelson, Lou Rawls, the Stone Poneys, Linda Ronstadt, the Walker Brothers, and Timi Yuro ~ Venetoulis passed away in 1998
December 3, 1932 ~ Jazz bassist Bob Cranshaw, full name Melboure Robert Cranshaw, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Though never a household name, revered among jazz aficionados for his consistent excellence, timing, and versatility. Best known for his longtime association with Sonny Rollins, including on albums such as The Sound Of Sonny, The Bridge, and What's New. Cranshaw can also be heard on albums by the likes of Cy Touff, Sonny Criss, Wayne Shorter (Second Genesis), Sonny Red, Carmen McRae, Lee Morgan, Junior Mance (Junior's Blues), Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, Charlie Rouse, Lee Morgan (The Sidewinder), Pepper Adams, Ben Webster, Grant Green (Solid), Shirley Scott, Joe Henderson (Inner Urge), Milt Jackson, Johnny Lytle, Betty Carter, Wes Montgomery (Bumpin'), Jackie McLean, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley (A Slice Of The Top), Grady Tate, Yusef Lateef, Horace Silver (Serenade To A Soul Sister), Duke Pearson (Now Hear This), and George Benson ~ Cranshaw passed away in 2016
December 3, 1932 ~ Singer, radio, TV personality Corry Brokken, full name Cornelia Maria Brokken, born in Breda, the Netherlands ~ Debuted in 1952 with the song I Apoligize. Internationally best known for winning the 1958 Eurovision Songfestival with Net Als Toen. Brokken also represented the Netherlands in the 1957 edition with Voorgoed Voorbij and in the 1959 edition with Heel De Wereld. Following her musical career, Brokken would go on to become a well known radio and TV presenter, study law, and later still become a lawyer and eventually a judge ~ Brokken passed away in 2016December 3, 1932 ~ Ralph Joseph Reynolds, commonly known as singer Jody Reynolds, born in Denver, Colorado, USA ~ Best known for The Endless Sleep, a top 10 hit in 1958. Its follow-up, Fire Of Love, would chart significantly less but eventually become a blues-punk classic and later be covered by MC5 and the Gun Club ~ Reynolds passed away in 2007
December 3, 1932 ~ Jazz trumpeter, cornetist Webster Young born in Columbia, South Carolina, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Known for his lyrical style. Has worked with John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Hampton Hawes, Jackie McLean, Ike Turner, Lester Young, Bud Powell, Paul Quinichette, Joe Puma, Mal Waldron, Ed Thigpen, Earl May, and Ray Draper ~ Young passed away in 2003December 3, 1931 ~ Mary Margaret Morgan, commonly known as singer, actress Jaye P Morgan born in Mancos, Colorado, USA ~ Known for 1950s hits such as Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries, The Longest Walk, Pepper Hot Baby, That's All I Want From You, and Two Lost Souls with Perry Como
December 3, 1925 ~ Singer, actor, guitarist Ferlin Husky, full name Ferlin Eugene Husky, born in Cantwell, Missouri, USA ~ Traditional honky-tonk, weeping country ballads, rockabilly, with some humorous novelty songs thrown in for good measure. Popular from the early 1950s forward. Had a then-unknown Elvis Presley open for him. Known for songs such as I Feel Better All Over (More Than Anywheres Else), I'll Baby Sit With You, Gone, The Wings Of A Dove, The Waltz You Saved For Me, Once, and Just For You ~ Husky passed away in 2011December 3, 1921 ~ Phyllis Smith, commonly known as soprano singer Phyllis Curtin, born in Clarksburg, Virginia, USA ~ Worked with the New England Opera Theatre, the New York City Opera, the NBC Opera Company, the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestra ~ Smith passed away in 2016
December 3, 1921 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer, label executive Quinton Claunch, full name Quinton Mavis Claunch, born in Tishomingo, Mississippi, USA ~ Befriended Sam Phillips in the late 1940s and sessioned on several of early Sun Records recordings, backing artists such as Carl Perkins, Charlie Feathers and Wanda Jackson. Co-wrote Daydreamin' for Bud Deckelman, later a hit for country singer Jimmy C Newman. Co-founded Hi-Records in the 1950s. Co-founded Goldwax Records in the 1960s, specializing in Southern soul and gospel ~ Claunch passed away in 2021