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 9, 1942 ~ Joseph Stubbles, commonly known as R&B, soul singer Joe Stubbs, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Baby brother of Levi Stubbs. Member of the Falcons, singing lead on the million-seller You're So Fine and The Teacher. Member of the Contours, singing lead on the Stevie Wonder-penned Just A Little Understanding. Subsequently worked with the Originals and with 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) ~ Stubbles passed away in 1998
December 9, 1942 ~ Humberto Waldemar Asdrubal Baeza Fernández, commonly known as folk singer, songwriter Tito Fernández, born in Temuco, Chile ~ Over 40 albums to his name since the early 1970s. Although following the 1973 military coup his left-leaning albums would be censored, and he would be banned from performing live and even briefly detained, Fernández did have fans within the military and right-wing circles. Well-known songs include Casa Nueva, Me Gusta El Vino, Los Versos De Mi Compadre, Salud, and En Un Principio Y Siempre ~ Fernández passed away in 2023
December 9, 1941 ~ Singer, songwriter Dan Hicks, full name Daniel Ivan Hicks, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA ~ Fronted Dan Hicks & his Hot Licks. Draws from numerous genres including folk, jazz, country, swing, bluegrass, pop, rock and gypsy music, often paired with humorous lyrics. Hicks himself has referred to his blend as “folk swing” ~ Hicks passed away in 2016December 9, 1940 ~ Ska, reggae singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, talent scout Clancy Eccles born in St Mary, Jamaica ~ Worked with Coxsone Dodd, Charlie Moo, Lyndon Pottinger, Jackie Jackson, Hux Brown, Paul Douglas, Winston Wright, Gladstone Anderson, Winston Grennan, Joe Isaacs, Hugh Malcolm, Johnny Moore, Bobby Ellis, Alton Ellis, Joe Higgs, Lee Scratch Perry, Winston Niney Holmes, King Stitt, and Cynthia Richards
December 9, 1940 ~ Doo-wop, R&B singer Sam Strain, full name Samuel Strain Jr, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Member of Little Anthony & the Imperials from 1958 through 1972, present on hits such as I'm On The Outside Looking In, Goin' Out Of My Head, Hurt So Bad. Member of the O'Jays from 1975 through 1992, present on Livin' For The Weekend and Use Ta Be My Girl. Strain would rejoin the Imperials in 1992
December 9, 1937 ~ Anna Dolores Williams, commonly known as R&B, soul, gospel singer Anna King, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Touring singer for James Brown from 1963, replacing Tammi Terrell, through 1964. Simultaneously recorded as a solo singer, noted for the Brown-produced album Back To Soul, and the singles If Somebody Told You, Baby Baby Baby with Bobby Byrd and Mama's Got A Bag Of Her Own, the latter an answer song to Brown's Papa's Got A Brand New Bag. Toured with Duke Ellington during the mid 1960s, backing Ellington on his tour of sacred music. Member of gospel choir the Brocking Choral Ensemble in the late 1960s. King would retire from music by the mid 1970s to devote her life to preaching, as an ordained minister of the church ~ Williams passed away in 2002
December 9, 1935 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter David Houston, full name Charles David Houston, born in Bossier City, Louisiana, USA ~ Recorded some two dozen albums through the early 1980s, his popularity peaking in the 1960s and early 1970s. First to record Almost Persuaded in 1966, written by Billy Sherrill and Glenn Sutton. It would be Houston's first Billboard Country No.1 hit and become a country classic, covered by numerous artists including Conway Twitty, Dottie West, George Jones, and Johnny Paycheck. Houston would score well over a dozen more Billboard Country top 10 hits, including the No.1's With One Exception, You Mean The World To Me, Have A Little Faith, and Baby Baby (I Know You're A Lady). Houston has also recorded two duet albums, My Elusive Dreams with Tammy Wynette in 1967, and A Perfect Match with Barbara Mandrell in 1972 ~ Houston passed away in 1993December 9, 1935 ~ Country singer Red Foley records Old Shep at American Furniture Mart ARC Studio, Chicago, Illinois ~ Written by Red Foley. Produced by Willis Arthur. Released as a single the following year, b/w Sing Me An Old Hillbilly Ballad, it would become a country standard covered by many including Tex Morton, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Hank Snow, and Johnny Cash. Though the subject of the song was titled Shep, in reality it was about a German shepherd named “Hoover” owned by Foley as a child. The 1970 Led Zeppelin song Bron-y-aur Stomp, written about Robert Plant's dog, also references Old Shep in the lyrics “when you're old and your eyes are dim, ain't no Old Shep gonna happen again”
December 9, 1934 ~ Actress, singer Judi Dench, full name Judith Olivia Dench, born in Heworth, UK ~ One of Britain's most revered actresses with a career starting in the mid 1950s. Well-known for her role as M in over half a dozen James Bond films. To musical audiences known for starring in UK productions of the musicals Cabaret, The Good Companions, and A Little Night Music
December 9, 1934 ~ Amos Wells Blakemore Jr, commonly known as singer Junior Wells, born in West Memphis, Arkansas, USA ~ Iconic electric Chicago blues singer, blues harpist. Best known for his critically acclaimed, highly influential 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues. Worked with artists such as Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy. Gained attention with rock audiences by opening for the Rolling Stones ~ Wells passed away in 1998
December 9, 1933 ~ Ranchera, corrido singer, actress Irma Serrano, full name Irma Consuelo Cielo Serrano Castro, born in Comitá, Mexico ~ Began her career as a dancer, to become one of the most popular folk singers of the 1960s. Dubbed “la Tigressa” for her tantalizing, untamed spitfire voice. Well known for La Martina, considered a contemporary classic song of Mexican folk. Ventured into acting for film, appearing in over a dozen films, and stage, often causing controversy. Served as senator for her home state of Chiapas during the late 1990s ~ Serrano passed away in 2023
December 9, 1932 ~ Billy Edward Wheeler, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler, born in Whitesville, West Virginia, USA ~ Though he only enjoyed limited chart success, apart from the 1964 Billboard Country No.3 hit Ode To The Little Brown Shack, Wheeler has enjoyed critical success especially as a songwriter and composer, including for over half a dozen plays and musicals, the folk opera Song Of The Cumberland Gap, and dramas, and has penned several novels. To mainstream audiences, Wheeler is perhaps best known for co-penning Jackson, a Grammy Award winner as recorded by Johnny Cash & June Carter, and for penning Coward Of The County, a hit for Kenny Rogers in 1979. Others who have recorded his songs include Judy Henske, the Kingston Trio, Judy Collins, Mel Tillis, John Denver, Richie Havens (High Flying Bird), Jay & the Americans, Glen Campbell, OC Smith (I Ain't The Worryin' Kind), Elvis Presley (It's Midnight), Bob Luman (Jesus Was A Country Boy), Kathy Mattea, and Neil Young ~ Wheeler passed away in 2024
December 9, 1932 ~ Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, commonly known as jazz, bebop trumpeter Donald Byrd, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Major influence on and mentor of Herbie Hancock. First gained serious attention playing with Art Blakey, replacing Clifford Brown in the Jazz Messengers. Has also backed artists such as John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk before establishing himself as a bandleader. Known for early 1960s albums such as Royal Flush and Free Form as well as late 1960s, early 1970s albums such as Fancy Free and Black Byrd exploring jazz fusion and R&B ~ Byrd passed away in 2013
December 9, 1927 ~ Bernard Green, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Benny Green, born in Leeds, UK ~ Active since the early 1950s, working with artists such as Ralph Sharon, Ronnie Scott, Stan Kenton, Dizzy Reece, Lord Rockingham's XI, including on the latter's 1958 novelty UK hit Hoots Mon. Also known as a beloved BBC radio host. Father of guitarist Dominic Green and saxophonist Leo Green ~ Green passed away in 1998December 9, 1923 ~ Henry Oliver Jones, commonly known as singer, songwriter Ollie Jones, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Member of various doo-wop groups including the Ravens, the Blenders, the Cues. Also known as a songwriter, responsible for tracks such as Nat King Cole's Send For Me, Fabian's Tiger, Perry Como's Love Makes The World Go Round, the Crests' Step By Step, Damita Jo's I'll Be There, and Elvis Presley's Finders Keeper (Losers Weepers) ~ Jones passed away in 1990
December 9, 1919 ~ Bolero singer Johnny Albino born in Yauco, Puerto Rico ~ Lead singer of the Trio San Juan. Joined Los Panchos in 1958, replacing Julito Rodríguez, and remaining with the band until 1968. Would continue to work with numerous groups, appearing on over an estimated 300 albums ~ Albino passed away in 2011
December 9, 1909 ~ Le Moise Roosevelt Graves, commonly known as blues guitarist, singer Blind Roosevelt Graves, born in Meridian, Mississippi, USA ~ Brother of Uaroy Graves, with whom he recorded Guitar Boogie, I'll Be Rested, and Crazy About My Baby. The latter, recorded in 1929, has been cited as the first rock & roll recording ~ Graves passed away in 1962December 9, 1906 ~ Bandleader, tenor saxophonist Freddy Martin, full name Frederick Alfred Martin, born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ Pioneered the tenor-band style. Adapted several classical tunes to jazz. Worked with the Mason-Dixon Band, Arnold Johnson, Jack Albin, Merv Griffin, Buddy Clark, Sid Appleman, Terry Shand, Elmer Feldkamp, and Helen Ward ~ Martin passed away in 1983
December 9, 1903 ~ Matthew Michael Malneck, commonly known as jazz, swing violinist, bandleader, arranger, songwriter Matty Malneck, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ First gained attention working with Paul Whiteman, serving in bandleader Whiteman's orchestra for about a decade starting in 1926. Has also worked with Mildred Bailey, Annette Hanshaw, Frank Signorelli, Frankie Trumbauer. As a bandleader enjoyed popularity from the late 1930s through the 1940s, notably appearing in the 1939 film St Louis Blues and on radio shows such The Charlotte Greenwood Show and Campana Serenade. As a songwriter probably best known for co-writing I'm Thru With Love, originally recorded by Henry Busse and covered by numerous artists including Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Carmen McRae, Marilyn Monroe, Della Reese, Dinah Washington, Etta Jones, and Tony Bennett ~ Malneck passed away in 1981