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 31, 1920 ~ Actor, singer, songwriter Rex Allen, full name Rex Elvie, born in Willcox, Arizona, USA ~ Popular actor starting in the late 1940s, early 1950s. Dubbed “the Arizona Cowboy”. As a recording artist known for songs such as Afraid, The Roving Kind, Crying In The Chapel and the 1961 Billboard top 20 hit Don't Go Near The Indians ~ Allen passed away in 1999
December 31, 1914 ~ Jazz pianist Cedric Haywood born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ As a teenager, still in high school, played with Arnett Cobb. His first professional gig was with Chester Boone's band in 1934. Went on to play with Milt Larkin, whose line-up at the time included Illinois Jacquet, Tom Archia and Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. Haywood also played with Floyd Ray, Lionel Hampton, Sidney Bechet, Saunders King, Cal Tjader, Kid Ory, Brew Moore, and with Lightnin' Hopkins ~ Haywood passed away in 1969
December 31, 1908 ~ John Kirk, commonly known as jazz bassist, trombonist, tuba player John Kirby, born in Winchester, Virginia, USA ~ Led a popular chamber jazz sextet in the late 1930s and early 1940s known for songs such as Loch Lomond and the first recorded version of Undecided, the latter becoming a jazz standard covered by Chick Webb, the Dandridge Sisters, Django Reinhardt's the Quintette du Hot Club, and the Ames Brothers ~ Kirk passed away in 1952
December 31, 1905 ~ Julius Kerwin Stein, commonly known as songwriter, composer Jule Styne, born in London, UK ~ Best known for a series of Broadway musicals including Gypsy, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Funny Girl. Well known songs written or co-written by Styne include Let Me Entertain You (Sandra Church, Bob Crewe, Ann-Margret), I Don't Want To Walk Without You (Kate Smith, Guy Lombardo, Dinah Shore), It's You Or No One (Harry James, Doris Day, Sarah Vaughan), Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week (Frank Sinatra, Woody Herman, Cootie Williams), Everything's Coming Up Roses (Ethel Merman, Diahann Carroll, Johnny Mathis), Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend (Carol Channing, Marilyn Monroe, Lena Horne), Don't Rain On My Parade (Barbra Streisand, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Darin), and Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow (Vaughn Monroe, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby) ~ Stein passed away in 1994December 31, 1885 ~ Lyricist Edgar Leslie born in Stamford, Connecticut, USA ~ Founding member of ASCAP. Has co-written songs such as Among My Souvenirs (the Kit-Cat Band, Jack Hylton, Paul Whiteman, Louis Armstrong), Getting Some Fun Out Of Life (Billie Holiday, Maxine Sullivan), For Me & My Gal (MJ O'Connell, Abe Lyman, Vera Lynn), By The River St Marie (Guy Lombardo, Jimmie Lunceford, the Platters), Moon Over Miami (Roy Smeck, Eddy Duchin, Connee Boswell), and A Little Bit Independent (Jimmy Carr, Fats Waller, Nat King Cole) ~ Leslie passed away in 1976