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 7, 1983 ~ Kalen Chase Musmecci, commonly known as heavy metal singer, guitarist Kalen Chase, born ~ Best known as lead singer of Vimic, co-founded with Joey Jordison whom he befriended while touring with Korn in 2007. After a successful run in metal Chase would return to his singer-songwriter roots releasing a number of solo singles, starting with the acoustic single When The Sun Comes Up in early 2020December 7, 1982 ~ Singer, actor, comedian, songwriter Sam Theard, full name Samuel F Theard, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Active since the 1920s, going by various monikers. Regularly backed by pianist Albert Ammons on his mid 1930s recordings. Best known for I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (You Rascal You), covered by numerous artists. Co-wrote Let The Good Times Roll, an oft-covered hit and signature song for Louis Jordan ~ Theard was born in 1904
December 7, 1980 ~ Jan Paul Breahm, commonly known as singer Darby Crash, passed away in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Co-founded punk rock outfit the Germs with Pat Smear. Drummer Belinda Carlisle was briefly an early member of the band but never played a show with them, she would go on to world fame as lead vocalist of all-female outfit the Go-Go's and achieve major stardom in the 1980s as a solo artist. Breahm committed suicide by way of intentional overdose, his death overshadowed by John Lennon's murder the very next day ~ Breahm was born in 1958December 7, 1979 ~ Southern gospel singer Ryan Seaton born in Cynthiana, Indiana, USA ~ Best known as lead singer of Ernie Haase's gospel quartet the Signature Sound from 2003 through 2009. Following his departure from the band would release a solo album, 2010's The Stage Is Bare, before founding the Union Street Quartet. Also sang with the Canton Junction Quartet from 2014 through 2016
December 7, 1979 ~ Singer, songwriter Sara Bareilles born in Eureka, California, USA ~ Singer with strong mezzo-soprano vocal range often compared to Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple and Billy Joel. She has herself described her souns as piano-based pop soul. Became a household name following the success of Love Song in 2007
December 7, 1978 ~ Denaun Montez Porter, commonly known as rapper, producer, songwriter Mr Porter, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of hip-hop group D-12. In-demand producer associated with Eminem, 50 Cent, Royce da 5'9", the Game, Method Man, Snoop Dogg, and Jadakiss
December 7, 1977 ~ Western style singer, guitarist Bill Boyd, full name William Lemuel Boyd, passed away in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Founded and fronted renowned western swing outfit the Cowboy Ramblers, known for 1930s, 1940s hits such as Under The Double Eagles, I've Got Those Oklahoma Blues, Fan It and Beaumont Rag ~ Boyd was born in 1910December 7, 1977 ~ Rock drummer, percussionist Dominic Howard, full name Dominic James Howard, born in Stockport, UK ~ Drummer of Muse, known for songs such as Plug-in Baby, Time Is Running Out, Hysteria, Butterflies & Hurricanes, Supermassive Black Hole, Knights Of Cydonia and Uprising, all of which reached the UK top 20. Also a member of the Beatles tribute band the Jaded Hearts Club which also includes Miles Kane, Nine Inch Nails drummer Lian Rubin and Sean Payne
December 7, 1977 ~ Heavy metal guitarist James McIlroy mborn in Norfolk, UK ~ Best known as member of extreme metal band Cradle Of Filth from 2003 through 2005, appearing on the Nymphetamine album. Has also worked with Chaosanct, the Order Of Apollyon, and NFD
December 7, 1975 ~ Jazz organist Pat Bianchi born in Rochester, New York, USA ~ Actively recording as a leader since the early 2000s, epecially acclaimed for his 2006 East Coast Roots album. In-demand sideman, notably with Lou Donaldson and mentor Pat Martino. Has also collaborated with Tim Warfield, Joey DeFrancesco, Ralph Peterson, Chuck Loeb, JC Stylles, Ed Cherry, and Joe Locke
December 7, 1974 ~ Pop, R&B singer Nicole Appleton, full name Nicole Marie Appleton, born in Hamilton, Canada ~ Married to Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher from 2008 through 2014. Along with her sister Natalie Appleton member of UK girl group All Saints, known for a string of late 1990s, early 2000s UK hits including the charttoppers Never Ever, Under The Bridge, Bootie Call, Pure Shores, and Black Coffee. Nicole and Natalie have also briefly recorded as a duo under the moniker Appleton, scoring the UK top 10 hits Fantasy and Don't Worry of their sole Everything's Eventual album released in 2003
December 7, 1974 ~ Synth-pop, new wave guitarist, keyboardist Phil Cunningham born in Macclesfield, UK ~ Member of Britpop outfit Marion from 1993 until its disbandement by the end of the decade, credited as co-writer on all the band's songs including the 1996 UK top 20 hit Sleep. Touring guitarist for Electronic, which also included Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner. Member of New Order, joining the band in 2001. Has subsequently worked with Bad Lieutenant, ShadowParty, and Sea Fever
December 7, 1973 ~ Folk, indie rock, folk rock singer, guitarist, pianist, bassist, drummer, clarinetist Damien Rice, full name Damien George Rice, born in Dublin, Ireland ~ First gained attention as member of Juniper in the 1990s, finding some succes in Ireland with the singles The World Is Dead and Weatherman before the band's anticipated debut album was scrapped due to record company politics. Released his well-received O solo debut album in 2001, which reached top 10 on the British album charts and spawned the singles The Blower's Daughter, Cannonball and Volcano. Subsequent hits would include Lonely Soldier with Christy Moore, Unplayed Piano with Lisa Hannigan and 9 Crimes. Rice's songs have been used in a number of TV shows including True Blood, Bones, Lost and Criminal Minds and films such as Reservation Road, The Girl In The Cafe and Shrek The ThirdDecember 7, 1972 ~ Jazz drummer, composer Thomas Stronen born in Oslo, Norway ~ Co-founded Food. Has worked with Arve Henriksen, Christian Fennesz, Nils Petter Molvær, Bobo Stenson, John Taylor, Tore Brunborg, Morten Qvenild, Ingebrigt Håker Flatan, Sidsel Endresen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Tomasz Stańko, Kolchi Makigami, Ernst Reijseger, Nils-Olav Johansen, and Stian Carstensen
December 7, 1971 ~ Cellist Hans Münch-Holland, full name Hans Rudolph Münch-Holland, passed away in Lemgo, West Germany ~ Active since the 1920s. Longtime member of the Strub Quartet, remaining with the quartet from 1939 through 1953. Has also worked with the Stuttgart Chamber Trio, the Staatstheater Stuttgart, the Gewandhausorchestrer, and the Leipzig Trio ~ Münch-Holland was born in 1899
December 7, 1971 ~ Singer Tammy Choat born in London, UK ~ Latter day member of British pop group and former Eurovision Songfestival-winner Bucks Fizz, remaining with the band from 2004 until its disbandement in 2018
December 7, 1968 ~ Jazz guitarist Noël Akchoté born in Paris, France ~ Leader and sideman in free improvisation, classical, experimental, free jazz, pop and avant-garde. Has worked with Joey Baron, Lol Coxhill, Glenn Ferris, Daniel Humair, Michel Portal, Sam Rivers, Aldo Romano, Louis Sclavis, Henri Texler, Derek Bailey, Han Bennink, Tim Berne, Eugene Chadbourne, Marc Ducret, Christian Escoudé, Fred Frith, Ingrid Jensen, Adam Levy, George Lewis, Phil Minton, Evan Parker, Marc Ribot, Herb Robertson, David Grubbs, Tony Hymas, and Philippe Katerine
December 7, 1966 ~ Colin Murray Archer, commonly known as Britpop, glam rock, alternative rock, indie rock guitarist, singer Gem Archer, born in Durham, UK ~ Co-founded Heavy Stereo, known for their sole album Deja Voodoo released in 1996. Member of Oasis from 1999 until the band's disbandement in 2009, first appearing on the 2002 Heathen Chemistry album. Has worked with both Gallagher siblings in post-Oasis projects, namely with Liam Gallagher in Beady Eye and with Noel Gallagher in Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
December 7, 1966 ~ Alternative rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Louise Post, full name Louise Lightner Post, born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Best known as sole constant member of Veruca Salt, which she co-founded with Nina Gordon. The band is known for songs such as Shutterbug, Straight and perhaps their best known the 1994 debut single Seether. In the 1990s Post was romantically involved with Dave Grohl, who has said the Foo Fighters-song Everlong is about her. Post's Disconnected is said to be about Grohl's cheating on her. Post has been in a relationship with Brontosaur-frontman Tony Parks since 2001, married since 2008, with a daugher born in 2010
December 7, 1964 ~ Joseph Thomas Fine, commonly known as world music, reggae, funk bassist, guitarist Yossi Fine, born in Paris, France ~ Active as a session musician since his mid-teens. Wrote Always Knows, recorded by Stanley Jordan for his 1990 Cornucopia album earning Fine a Grammy Award nomination. Formed the critically acclaimed the Ex-Centric Sound System in 1997, merging authentic African sounds with dub, techno and hip-hop. Has recorded prolifically as a solo artist and collaborated with a wide array of pop rock, jazz and world music artists including Vieux Farka Touré, Naughty By Nature, John Scofield, Kenny Kirkland, Lou Reed, Rubén Blades, Meshell Ndegeocello, David Bowie, Brian Eno, Antibalas, and Ofra HazaDecember 7, 1963 ~ Singer Claudia Brücken born in Berching, Germany ~ Fronted synth-pop groups Propaganda, present on the hits Dr Mabuse and Duel. Fronted synth-pop outfit Act. Has also worked with Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark's co-founder Paul Humphreys under the moniker Onetwo
December 7, 1963 ~ In its 5th week on the charts, Dominique by the Singing Nun hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Jeanine Deckers commonly known as the Singing Nun, a nun from Belgium had written several songs regularly winning prizes at religious youth retreats. At some point one of the order's elders asked her to record a full-length album of her songs, of which the convent could make a few hundred copies to distribute as gifts. However, when label executives heard the songs, a commercial album was released. The album didn't make much of an impact though, until Dominique was released. The song told of Saint Dominic, the Spanish-born priest and founder of the Dominican Order of which Deckers was a member. Both the single and its parent album would reach top of the American charts, the French-language song being only the second non-English song in history to top the Billboard Hot 100, after Kyu Sakamoto's Sukiyaki some two years earlier. Dominique would reach top 10 in about a dozen countries. Deckers would later leave the order, and has attempted to continue her recording career, to considerably less success thoughDecember 7, 1960 ~ Pianist, composer Matthew Shipp born in Wilmington, Delaware, USA ~ Vanguard jazz pianist who has redefined the parameters of jazz. Well over 50 albums as a leader or co-leader starting in the late 1980s, especially acclaimed for the albums Symbol Systems, Multiplication Table, Magnetisms, and Pastoral Composure. Notable collaborations include David S Ware, Ivo Perelman, Mat Maneri, Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Joe McPhee, and Evan Parker
December 7, 1960 ~ Drummer, bandleader, composer Robby Ameen born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA ~ One of the premier Latin Jazz drummers known for his powerful Afro-Cuban style. Has worked with Rubén Blades (Escenas), Dave Valentin, Conrad Herwig, Eddie Palmieri, Paul Simon, Kip Hanrahan, Carly Simon, Mongo Santamaria, Jack Bruce, Brian Lynch (Simpático), Dizzy Gillespie, Hilton Ruiz, Kirsty MacColl, Steve Swallow, and Earl Klugh
December 7, 1958 ~ Bassist, singer Richard Campbell born in Van Nuys, California, USA ~ Toured with Natalie Cole for most of the 1980s, including an appearance at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute, Wembley, UK. Toured with Three Dog Night during the 1990s. Member of America since the early 2000s, including on the albums Live At The Ventura Theatre, Here & Now, and Ventura Highway
December 7, 1958 ~ Bassist Tim Butler, full name Timothy George Butler, born in Teddington, UK ~ Co-founded the Psychedelic Furs with his older brother lead singer Richard Butler. The band is acclaimed especially for their first three albums, starting with their eponymous Psychedelic Furs debut album released in 1980. Its follow-up, 1981's Talk Talk Talk, would include the single Pretty In Pink. The classic 1986 coming of age film of the same name was named after the song and included a re-recorded version of the song on its soundtrack. The single would subsequently reach top 20 in the band's native UK. Both brothers would also found Love Spit Love in 1992 during a Furs hiatus