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 6, 2023 ~ Jazz pianist Michel Sardaby passed away in Paris, France ~ After relocating to France in the mid 1960s, became a fixture on the Paris jazz scene, working alongside artists such as Errol Parker, Stuart de Silva, and Aaron Bridgers. Over a dozen albums to his name, especially noted for his 1970 Night Cap sophomore album featuring backing from Percy Heath and Connie Kay. Other notable collaborators include Billy Cobham, Ray Barretto, Rufus Reid, Ralph Moore, and Tony Reedus. To blues audiences perhaps best known for guesting on T-Bone Walker's acclaimed 1969 Good Feelin' album ~ Sardaby was born in 1935December 6, 2022 ~ Avant-garde composer, conductor Edino Krieger passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Composed over 150 pieces, including incidental music and film scores. Best known for his Canticum Naturale suite. Also well known for writing the song Fuga E Antifuga, recorded by Vinicius de Moraes ~ Krieger was born in 1928
December 6, 2022 ~ Brian John Duffy, commonly known as rock, new wave, punk rock drummer, percussionist Jet Black, passed away ~ Co-founding member of the Stranglers, known for UK top 10 hits such as Peaches, No More Heroes, Golden Brown, Strange Little Girl and the Kinks-cover All Day And All Of The Night. As of 2015 Black has retired from touring with the band ~ Duffy was born in 1958
December 6, 2018 ~ John Henry Cannon, commonly known as rock & roll, rockabilly singer, saxophonist Ace Cannon, passed away in Calhoun City, Mississippi, USA ~ Toured and recorded with labelmate Bill Black's combo in the 1950s. The combo in turn backed Cannon on his 1961 Tuff debut single, which would reach top 20 Billboard Hot 100. Cannon would record prolifically for the next three decades, but rarely released singles and would not repeat the smash success of his debut single ~ Cannon was born in 1934December 6, 2018 ~ Peter Campbell McNeish, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Pete Shelley, passed away in Tallin, Estonia ~ Formed punk, punk rock outfit the Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto, best known for their 1978 Ever Fallen In Love With Someone You Shouldn't've hit single. As a solo artist best known for Homosapien, title track of his 1981 Homosapien album ~ Shelley was born in 1955
December 6, 2013 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Stan Tracey, full name Stanley William Tracey, passed away in Tupelo, Mississippi, USA ~ Influenced by Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Best known for his 1965 album Under Milk Wood, an acclaimed landmark album in British jazz. House pianist at Ronnie Scott's famed Soho jazz club for most of the 1960s. Collaborated with Michael Horovitz and extensively with Bobby Wellins. Gravitated towards free jazz and avant-garde from the 1970s onwards, working with Mike Osborne, Keith Tippett and John Surman. Also worked with Evan Parker, his son percussionist and bandleader Clark Tracey, Art Themen, Sal Nistico, Charlie Rouse, and Gerard Presencer ~ Tracey was born in 1926
December 6, 2012 ~ Drummer Ed Cassidy passed away in San Jose, California, USA ~ Cassidy toured prolifically with show bands, dixieland, C&W bands in the late 1940s. Worked mainly jazz in the 1950s teaming up with greats such as Art Pepper, Cannonball Adderley, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Lee Konitz, and with Gerry Mulligan. Formed Rising Sons in 1964 with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. Then went on to found the Red Rooster, featuring his stepson Randy California, Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes. With the addition of John Locke they became Spirit in 1967. Cassidy would be the sole constant member throughout all line-ups over the next 30 years untill the band eventually split up following California's death ~ Cassidy was born in 1923
December 6, 2012 ~ Richard Hugh Lloyd-Langton, commonly known as hard rock, progressive rock guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton, passed away in Dorset, UK ~ A fragmented career hindered by a frail health. Best known for his association with Hawkwind, enjoying several stints with the band. Present on about a dozen of the band's albums, including the 1970 eponymous Hawkwind album. Member of mid 1970s outfit Widowmaker, present on the albums Widowmaker and Too Late To Cry. Fronted his own Lloyd-Langton Group, recording close to a dozen albums starting in the mid-1980s. Has also worked with Budgie, Leo Sayer and Meads Of Asphodel ~ Lloyd-Langton was born in 1951
December 6, 2010 ~ Classical tenor Hugues Cuénod, full name Hugues-Adhémar Cuénod, passed away in Vevey, Switzerland ~ Helpful in reviving interest in Baroque music. Active since the 1920s, initially as a concert recitalist. Would go on to enjoy an international career in opera, operetta and musical theatre, praised for his diction and technique. Has sung with La Scala, the Royal Opera House, and holds the record for the oldest person to debut at the Metropolitan Opera, appearing as Emperor Altoum in Giacomo Puccini's Turandot in 1987 at the age of 84 ~ Cuénod was born in 1902
December 6, 2006 ~ Alternative rock, punk rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Darren Brown, full name Darren Mark Brown, passed away in Tooting, UK ~ Also known as Wiz. Lead singer, guitarist for indie punk outfit the Mega City Four, enjoying popularity during the late 1980s and 1990s due to their extensive touring and critically acclaimed for their 1994 Magic Bullets album. Following the band's disbandement in 1996 Brown has worked with Serpico, which also included old bandmate Gerry Bryant, and subsequently with Ipanema ~ Brown was born in 1962
December 6, 2005 ~ Singers Alicia Keys and Bono release their Don't Give Up (Africa) collaborative charity single ~ Written and first recorded by Peter Gabriel as a duet with Kate Bush, titled Don't Give Up, for Gabriel's 1986 So album. The Bono and Alicia Keys recording came about organically, as Keys would later say of the recording session with co-producer Steve Lillywhite: “We were playing them the backing tracks and I don't know if I started singing, or (Bono) did, but something started happening and we tracked it right here on the spot, that's it, we're done. There was a crowd in here, everybody came in from the other room because they could tell there was something going on in here.” As Don't Give Up (Africa) was released as a digital download only exclusively on iTunes, not as an official physical single, the song did not chart. All proceeds benefitted the Keep A Child Alive foundation, founded by Keys, which aims to provide healthcare, housing, and other support services for HIV/AIDS-affected communities in Africa and India
December 6, 2005 ~ Singer Danny Williams passed away ~ Dubbed “Britain's Johnny Mathis” for his smooth vocal delivery. Known for songs such as his 1961 Moon River rendition and for White On White, the latter a Billboard top 10 hit in 1964 ~ Williams was born in 1942
December 6, 1995 ~ Julius Dubose, commonly known as rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Best known for the singles Look Back At It and Drowning featuring Kodak Black. His 2017 debut album Bigger Artist reached No.4 on the Hot 200. Dubose's sophomore album, 2018's Hoodie SZN, would top the American album chartDecember 6, 1995 ~ Composer, flutist Claire Pollin passed away in Marion, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Her teachers included Vincent Persichetti, Lukas Foss, Roger Sessions, and Peter Mennin. Her works were performed by the Seoul National Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Bach Society, and London Pro-Musica Antiqua ~ Polin was born in 1926
December 6, 1993 ~ Dominic Felix Amici, commonly known as actor, comedian, vaudevillian Don Ameche, passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA ~ Major radio star during the early 1930s, followed by a career in Hollywood appearing in comedies, dramas and musicals, totalling some 40 films, as well as roles in Broadway productions and for TV. To younger audiences best known as the villain Mortimer Duke in 1983's Trading Places and for his role as Art Selwyn in 1985's Cocoon, the latter earning him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ~ Amici was born in 1908
December 6, 1989 ~ Samuel E Feinberg, commonly known as singer, pianist, songwriter Sammy Fain, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best remembered for co-writing songs such as You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me (Ted Wallace, Maurice Chevalier, Benny Goodman), When I Take My Sugar To Tea (the Melotone Boys, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Milton Brown), That Old Feeling (Virginia Verrill, Shep Fields, Count Basie), Secret Love (Doris Day, Gogi Grant, Ray Anthony), April Love (Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Johnny Mathis), Tender Is The Night (Tony Bennett, Vic Damone, Billy Eckstine), and I'll Be Seeing You (Tamara, Dick Todd, Billie Holiday) ~ Feinberg was born in 1902
December 6, 1988 ~ Singer, guitarist Roy Orbison, full name Roy Kelton Orbison, passed away in Hendersonville, Tennessee, USA ~ Defined a number of rock & roll archetypes, most notably the hopeless romantic, and praised for his passionate, swooning vocal style, complex song structures and depths of his ballads. Dubbed by some “the Enrico Caruso of Rock” for his operatic style. Best known for a number of early to mid 1960s hits, mostly self-written or co-written, including Only The Lonely, Running Scared, Crying, In Dreams and his best known Oh Pretty Woman. Resurged in the 1980s shortly before his death, both as a solo artist and as co-founding member of supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, which also included George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. The single I Got You, co-penned by U2's Bono, would be released one month after Orbison's death and be a global hit, including reaching top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 ~ Orbison was born in 1936
December 6, 1986 ~ In its 12th week on the charts, The Next Time I Fall by Amy Grant and Peter Cetera hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written by Bobby Caldwell, known for the 1979 hit What You Won't Do For Love, with regular collaborator Paul Gordon. The pair had first pitched the song to Chicago, with Peter Cetera in mind, yet they were unaware that he had just left the band. However, the singer was looking for material for his solo album, so he recorded the song as a duet with Amy Grant. Like the album's lead single Glory Of Love, the The Next Time I Fall duet issued as the album's second single also reached No.1. Up to this point, Grant was immensely popular in Christian music circles with nearly every one of her albums reaching the higher echelons of the Christian music charts, and she was grateful for the exposure to secular audiences. In the early 1990s, Grant would score several Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits of her own including the charttopper Baby Baby, all lifted off Heart In Motion, her most pop-oriented albumDecember 6, 1984 ~ Emanuel Kurtz, commonly known as songwriter, lyricist Manny Curtis, passed away in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Frequent collaborator of the likes of Vic Mizzy, Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart. Over an estimated 250 songs to his name, the best known being In A Sentimental Mood originally recorded by Duke Ellington and covered by over 700 artists. Also notably known for writing the English lyrics of Let It Be Me, based on the Gilbert Bécaud-composition Je T'Appartiens, the English version would become a standard recorded by numerous artists from pop, jazz, rock, R&B including Chet Atkins, the Everly Brothers, Betty Everett & Jerry Butler, the Righteous Brothers, and Elvis Presley ~ Kurtz was born in 1911
December 6, 1979 ~ Progressive rock, alternative rock, hip hop drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, singer, rapper Josh Eppard, full name Josh Eric Eppard, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Drummer for progressive rock band Coheed & Cambria through 2006, replaced by Chris Pennie. Drummer for supergroup the Terrible Things, alongside Fred Mascherino, Andy Jackson and Steve Lucarelli. Co-founding member of 3, which also included his brother Joey Eppard and Chris Bittner. As a solo rapper also known under the monniker Weerd Science, releasing his Friends And Nervous Breakdowns debut album in 2005. Has also worked with Newborn, Mazeman, Rick Whispers, MC Lars, and Fire Deuce
December 6, 1975 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Secret Love by Freddy Fender hits No.1 Billboard Country ~ The song was originally written by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster for the 1953 musical film Calamity Jane, in which it was introduced by Doris Day. Day's original would become her fourth No.1 hit on the American pop charts and won an Academy Award for Best Original song. By the time Freddy Fender recorded the song for his Are You Ready For Freddy album, Secret Love had already been covered by dozens of artists including country singers such as Slim Whitman, Skeeter Davis, Loretta Lynn, and Eddy Arnold, yet Fender's rendition would be the first to top the Billboard Country charts, making it his third No.1 on the tally preceded by Before The Next Teardrop Falls and Wasted Days And Wasted Nights. Fender's single also crossed over to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.20. Fender would score one more Billboard Country No.1 hit, when the Barbara Lynn cover You'll Lose A Good Thing reached the top spot in 1976
December 6, 1973 ~ Pop rock guitarist Jolyon Dixon, full name Jolyon Keith Dixon, born in Salisbury, UK ~ Session and touring guitarist active since the early 1990s. Appears on albums such as Take The Leap (Toyah Willcox), Sex And Misery (Voice Of The Beehive), Naked and Chemistry (Scarlet), Under The Angels (Judie Tzuke), and Green Man (Mark Owen). Founding member and staff producer of the President Records label. Has also played with Rachel Fuller, Pete Townshend, and joined Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich for a series of concerts in 2019December 6, 1972 ~ Bassist, keyboardist Alex Callier born in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium ~ Co-founded Hooverphonic with Frank Duchène. The band is best known for Amalfi, Badaboum featuring Emilie Satt & Litlo Tinz and The Wrong Place, all of which reached top 10 in the band's native Belgium
December 6, 1971 ~ Pop, electronic singer Anne Marie Almedal born in Kristiansand, Norway ~ Lead singer of Velvet Belly from 1989 through 2003. Has released a number of solo albums since, starting with 2007's The Siren And The Sage, and has collaborated with Lars Saabeye Christensen, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, and Green Carnation
December 6, 1969 ~ Pop rock singer, songwriter Irene Grandi born in Florence, Italy ~ First gained attention at the Sanremo Music Festival with Fuori, losing the contest to Andrea Bocelli. Would release her eponymous Irene Grandi later the same year, noted for the songs Sposati Subito co-written with Eros Ramazzotti and TVB co-written with Jovanotti. Would go on to record well over a dozen albums, nine of which reached top 10 in her native Italy. Also known as an in-demand duet singer performing in several languages including German, French, Indian and African languages, notably duetting with Terence Trent d'Arby on Time Is On My Side, and with James Ried on Resist YouDecember 6, 1969 ~ Alternative rock, alternative pop singer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Kevin Ridel born in Vernon, Connecticut, USA ~ Lead singer, primary songwriter of 1990s powerpop unit Ridel High, known best for their 1997 Hi-Scores debut album produced by Lagwagon singer Joey Cape. Lead singer of alternative rock outfit AM Radio, gaining serious momentum in the early 2000s opening for the likes of Weezer, Third Eye Blind, Eve 6 and the Psychedelic Furs. Ridel's first band was 1980s hair metal band Avant Garde, which he co-founded with Rivers Cuomo of later Weezer fame
December 6, 1969 ~ Singer, guitarist Mark Gardener, full name Mark Stephen Gardener, born in Oxford, UK ~ Best known as co-founding member of shoegazing band Ride, acclaimed for their 1990 Nowhere debut album. The band scored a UK top 10 hit with their 1992 Leave Them All Behind single. Following the band's disbandement in 1995, Gardener formed the Animalhouse, blending psychedelica, Britrock and electronica. Gardener has also recorded as a solo artist, collaborated with the Morning After Girls and Molly's, and served as producer for acts such as Swervedriver, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Robin Guthrie and Dead Horse OneDecember 6, 1969 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones play at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, Tracy, California ~ Accounts vary, but certain is that it ended in tragedy with the killing of Meredith Hunter. The free festival, drawing a crowd of some 300,000 visitors, featured Santana, the Jefferson Airplane, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and is headlined by the Rolling Stones. Originally the Grateful Dead were also booked, but shortly before their scheduled appearance the band chose not to perform because of the increasing violence at the venue. As the Stones were into their third song, Sympathy For The Devil, numerous fights broke out near the stage, causing the band to pause with Mick Jagger pleading the crowd to keep it peaceful, while the Hells Angels, sort of in charge of security, restored order. At some point, Hunter who had previously been in an altercation with one of the Angels, returned to the front of the stage and drew a gun.
December 6, 1969 ~ In its 8th week on the charts, Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) by Steam hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Originally written as a throwaway B-side, Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) became one of the strangest No.1 hits in history and subsequently a cultural phenomenon, its main line of “na na hey hey kiss him goodbye” regularly used to playfully taunt a losing opponent, for instance in sports. The song was written by Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer and Paul Leka, previously bandmates in the early 1960s outfit the Chateaus. They had set out to record a number of songs for DeCarlo, then going by the moniker Garrett Scott, including Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) which they had not expected to be selected. However, when Mercury Records A&R agent Bob Reno heard the song, he loved it and it would be released attributed to the then-fictitious band Steam. When the single gained traction, a touring band was quickly assembled to support the single. None of the members of the touring band performed on the original single. Although best known for its group chant, Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) actually does tell a story, as the singer is asking the girl to kiss-off the guy's she's with and get with him instead. As DeCarlo later explained: “It was and still is about the love factor. Anyone who's been in a love triangle can identify with this. Trying make the girl realize that he's not the guy for her”