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.
February 10, 2026 ~ Drummer, singer, songwriter Andrew Ranken passed away ~ Constant member of the Pogues. The band merged the raw energy of punk with the structures of Irish folk and has recorded about half a dozen albums before disbanding in the late 1990s. They are especially acclaimed for their 1985 Rum Sodomy & The Lash sophomore albums and its 1988 follow-up If I Should Fall From Grace With God. Ranken has also appeared on albums by Steve Earle (Copperhead Road), Kirsty MacColl, and Joe Strummer ~ Ranken was born in 1953
February 10, 2023 ~ Toni Dunlap, commonly known as singer, dancer Toni Harper, passed away near Palm Springs, California, USA ~ Child singer known for her 1946 recording Candy Store Blues, which reached Platinum status. Would record a handful of album as an adult, starting with 1956's Toni backed by Oscar Peterson, and retire from music at age 29 ~ Harper was born in 1937
February 10, 2022 ~ Flutist Brian Dunning passed away ~ Among the first to fuse jazz and Irish traditional music. Especially acclaimed for the Alone Together album, a collaborative effort with guitarist Louis Stewart recorded live at the Peacock Theatre, Dublin, Ireland in 1979. Co-founding member of the trio Puck Fair. Best known as member of Nightnoise, with whom he recorded half a dozen albums starting with the band's 1987 Something Of Time sophomore album. Dunning also collaborated extensively with keyboardist Jeff Johnson, including on Vows off Johnson's 2000 Byzantium album, the song prominently featured in the Martin Scorcese Gangs Of New York film ~ Dunning was born in 1951
February 10, 2021 ~ Jorge Scibona, commonly known as classical guitarist, composer Jorge Morel, passed away in Orlando, Florida, USA ~ Actively recording and performing from the late 1950s until his death in 2021. Best known for his composition Suite Del Sur, dedicated to his wife Olga, premiered as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Admired by peers from both the classical and jazz worlds including Pepe Romero, David Starobin, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Ricardo Iznaola, and Chet Atkins with whom he would establish a lifelong friendship and mutual admiration, many of whom have performed or recorded his compositions ~ Scibona was born in 1931
February 10, 2020 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion pianist, songwriter Lyle Mays, full name Lyle David Mays, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known for his close association with Pat Metheny, longtime member of the Pat Metheny Group, co-writer and arranger on nearly of all the band's music. Has also led small ensembles backed by sidemen such as Marc Johnson, Peter Erskine, Eric Hochberg, Mark Walker, and Bob Sheppard. Also worked with Pedro Aznar, Betty Buckley, Igor Butman, Woody Herman, Mark Isham, Rickie Lee Jones, Nando Lauria, Bobby McFerrin, Joni Mitchell, Bob Moses, Steve Swallow, Toots Thielemans, and Eberhard Weber ~ Mays was born in 1953
February 10, 2018 ~ Talent agent, label executive Troy Blakely passed away ~ Worked as tour manager for Mitch Ryder, and as assistant tour manager for Johnny Winter. As a talent agent Blakely has signed or represented artists such as Ted Nugent, Bob Seger, the Stooges, MC5, Nazareth, the Golden Earring, Canned Heat, Birtha, Lighthouse, the Raspberries, Blackfoot, Tim Buckley, Sammy Hagar, the Scorpions, Triumph, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Poison, Boston, Faith No More, Alice In Chains, King's X, the Black Crowes, Y&T, Rush, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Robert Plant, Bret Michaels, Fleetwood Mac, the Go-Go's, Lenny Kravitz, Judas Priest, Zakk Wylde, Whitesnake, Black Label Society, RATT, Cinderella, Dokken, Sebastian Bach, and Lita Ford ~ Blakely was born in 1949
February 10, 2017 ~ Singer Katy Perry releases Chained To The Rhythm featuring Skip Marley, lifted off her Witness album ~ In Chained To The Rhythm, Katy Perry sings a sociopolitical message, imploring her audience to free themselves from the “chains of conformity”. Katy Perry had been a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential election. The day after Donald Trump's inauguration she joined various other female celebrities at the Women's March on Washington DC. The reggae-tinged Chained To The Rhythm notably featured Skip Marley, grandson of iconic reggae singer Bob Marley, who later told Billboard: “My manager called and told me that Lions, which I made around election time, was being played at the studio in Los Angeles with Max Martin, and Katy heard it and said, ‘I want him to be a part of the song.’ She reached out in January, and I went to the studio and delivered the message that I had to deliver. I had free rein lyrically. Katy said, ‘Just do you.’” Chained To The Rhythm would reach top 10 in over two dozen countries, including No.6 in the Netherlands, No.5 in the UK, and No.4 on the American Billboard Hot 100February 10, 2014 ~ Shakuhachi player, composer Hozan Yamamoto passed away in Tokyo, Japan ~ Considered a virtuoso on the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo flute. Rose to fame in the mid 1960s as one third of the Shakuhachi Sanbon Kai trio, alongside Reibo Aoki and Katsuya Yokoyama. Would go on to collaborate with a wide array of internationally known artists including Ravi Shankar, Helen Merrill, Gary Peacock, Karl Berger, Jean-Pierre Rampal, and Chris Hinze ~ Yamamoto was born in 1937
February 10, 2008 ~ Singer Amy Winehouse is the big winner at the 50th Grammy Awards, with six nominations and five wins including for Best New Artist and for Record of the Year for Rehab ~ Rehab, Winehouse's signature song and a top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic, would win Amy Winehouse Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Winehouse also won the Grammy for Best New Artist, and Best Pop Vocal Album for Back To Black. The singer's sophomore album was also nominated for Album of the Year, but lost to Herbie Hancock's River (The Joni Letters). Producer Mark Ronson would also win two Grammy Awards for his work with Winehouse
February 10, 2008 ~ Rock drummer Chris Townson passed away in London, UK ~ Co-founding member of John's Children, named by the band's manager Simon Napier-Bell for their bass player John Hewlett so they wouldn't fire Hewlett. The band recorded one album, Orgasm, and earned a cult status for their wild stage antics. In fact, they were so wild they would be kicked off a tour opening for the Who, after their performance caused a riot in the crowd. Despite this incident, the Who would later call on Townson to fill in for an injured Keith Moon for four concerts. Following his tenure with John's Children, Townson played with several groups including Jook, Jet, and Radio Stars, before retiring from music altogether to pursue a career as an illustrator, and later social worker ~ Townson was born in 1947February 10, 2007 ~ Pop singer Céline Dion records On S'Est Aimé à Cause ~ Written by Françoise Dorin, Marc Dupré, Jean-François Breau. Produced by Tino Izzo. Released as the third single of Céline Dion's 2007 D'Elles album, it would reach top 30 on the Canada AC charts in her native Canada
February 10, 2006 ~ James Dewitt Yancey, commonly known as producer, rapper J Dilla, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Also known under the moniker Jay Dee. Emerged in the 1990s. Remixed for Janet Jackson, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest. One third of rap group Slum Village. Member of producers collective Ummah, which also consisted of Tribe members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad and later Raphael Saadiq. Founding member of production collective the Soulquarians. Debuted as a solo artist in 2001 with the single F-ck The Police. During his lifetime his solo career never really took off but highly regarded within the industry for his behind the scenes work, remixing and producing, and for his role in various collectives. Seen by some as “the Godfather of lo-fi hip-hop” ~ Yancey was born in 1974
February 10, 2005 ~ Pianist, songwriter Jack Segal passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-writing Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair with Evelyn Danzig, first recorded by Jo Stafford in 1949, and covered by over 100 artists including Dinah Shore, Harry Belafonte, Eddy Arnold, the Lennon Sisters, Perry Como, the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Patti Page, Roy Orbison, and Sinéad O'Connor. Other artists who recorded songs written or co-written by Segal include Buddy Stewart, Bobby Troup, Nat King Cole (Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You), Johnny Mathis, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra (Here's To The Losers), Tony Bennett, and Al Jarreau ~ Segal was born in 1918
February 10, 2002 ~ Singer, guitarist, pianist Dave Van Ronk, full name David Kenneth Ritz Van Ronk, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Important figure in 1960s folk music revival. Nicknamed “the Mayor of MacDougal Street”, a street located in New York's Greenwich Village. Drew from blues, gospel, rock, jazz, swing, and ragtime. Held in the highest regards by peers including Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and Joni Mitchell. Has recorded prolifically since the late 1950s, and is especially acclaimed for the albums Black Mountain Blues, Dave Van Ronk Folksinger, and Sunday Street ~ Van Ronk was born in 1936
February 10, 2001 ~ George Holmes Tate, commonly known as jazz, big band, swing saxophonist, clarinetist Buddy Tate, passed away in Chandler, Arizona, USA ~ Over half a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, noted specifically for 1960's Tate A Tate and 1975's The Texas Twister. Played with Count Basie for nearly a decade starting in the late 1930s. Collaborated with Hot Lips Page, and Jimmy Rushing prior to forming his own band by the early 1950s, marking the start of a 17-year residency at the Celebrity Club, Harlem, New York. Tate has also worked with the likes of Slim Gaillard, Roy Eldridge, Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman, Claude Hopkins, Coleman Hawkins, Herb Ellis, Milt Buckner, Ruby Braff (Ruby Braff With Buddy Tate & The Newport All Stars), and Jay McShann ~ Tate was born in 1913
February 10, 1998 ~ Songwriter, pianist Alex Kramer passed away in Westport, Connecticut, USA ~ Vocal coach to Joan Whitney, whom he eventually married. As a husband-wife songwriting team they would become known for penning a number of hits, notably the 1947 Jimmy Dorsey-hit High On A Windy Hill. Other successes would include Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens for Louis Jordan, Deep As The River for Harry Belafonte and Love Somebody for Buddy Clark and Doris Day ~ Kramer was born in 1903
February 10, 1997 ~ Jazz organist Lou Bennett passed away in Paris, France ~ Started on be-bop piano, but was inspired to switch to organ after hearing Jimmy Smith. Recorded prolifically as a leader during the 1960s. Has guested on albums by the likes of René Thomas, Leo Wright, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Johnny Griffin, and King Curtis ~ Bennett was born in 1926
February 10, 1992 ~ Singer Bryan Adams releases Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven, lifted off his Waking Up The Neighbours album ~ Warmly welcomed by critics, with Billboard pointing out the anthemic chorus of Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven “sounds like it was penned to be chanted in arenas”. The arena sound might not sound as a surprise, as like all hits off the same album the song was co-written and produced by Robert John Mutt Lange, a noted producer and songwriter who had previously worked with acts such as AC/DC, Bon Jovi, and Foreigner, to name just a few of many. In Bryan Adams's native Canada, Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven would become his third No.1 hit, preceded by (Everything I Do) I Do It For You and Can't Stop This Thing We Started, both of which lifted off the same parent album. Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven also reached No.13 in America, and No.8 in the UK
February 10, 1992 ~ Saxophonist, flutist Jim Pepper, full name Jim Gilbert Pepper II, passed away in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Rose to fame in the late 1960s as member of the Free Spirits, a pioneering jazz-rock outfit that also included Larry Coryell and Bob Moses. Pepper would go on to merge jazz and Native American influences. Has collaborated with Don Cherry, Naná Vasconcelos, Collin Walcott, Kenner Erner, John Scofield, Ed Schuller, Hamid Drake, the Liberation Music Orchestra, Paul Motian, Marty Cook, Mal Waldron, David Friesen, Tony Hymas, and Amina Claudine Myers ~ Pepper was born in 1941
February 10, 1988 ~ Reggae fusion outfit Aswad release Don't Turn Around, lifted off their Distant Thunder album ~ Written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren, the song was first recorded by Tina Turner who featured the song as the B-side to the 1986 single Typical Male yet did not include it on any album. The song would become better known as recorded by Aswad two years later, for whom it became a top 10 hit across Europe and their sole charttopper in their native UK. The song would also be notably covered by Swedish Eurodisco outfit Ace Of Base in the mid 1990s
February 10, 1988 ~ Jazz pianist, organist Don Patterson passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Influenced by Erroll Garner and Jimmy Smith. Well over a dozen albums to his name as a leader or co-leader, especially noted for the mid 1960s albums Holiday Soul and The Exciting New Organ Of Don Patterson, the latter featuring Booker Ervin. Regularly collaborated with Sonny Stitt, including on the highly acclaimed Soul People album. Other notable collaborations include Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Eric Kloss, and Lou Donaldson. His struggles with substance addiction would seriously hinder his career in the 1970s, yet Patterson continued to record from time to time ~ Patterson was born in 1936
February 10, 1986 ~ Producer, A&R scout Art Satherley, full name Arthur Edward Satherley, passed away in Fountain Valley, California, USA ~ Active as a talent scout since the early 1920s, starting with early blues artists such as Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Blake. Joined American Record Corporation by the end of the decade where he oversaw Leadbelly's first commercial recordings. Would go on to head country and blues A&R departments when the company was taken over by Columbia Records, where he would be helpful in advancing the careers of acts like the Carter Family, Vernon Dalhart, Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell, Marty Robbins, Alberta Hunter, Big Bill Broonzy, Josh White, Leroy Carr, and Memphis Minnie. Satherley semi-retired from music in 1952, producing only occasionally thereafter ~ Satherley was born in 1889
February 10, 1986 ~ Synth-pop, new wave, alternative rock outfit Depeche Mode release Stripped, lead single off their Black Celebration album ~ A top 10 hit in Ireland, top 20 in the band's native UK. Lead singer David Gahan has commented on the song: “It's not about sex. It's to do with having nothing except yourself. The people in the song could strip off if they wanted to though. The song is also a bit chancy. It doesn't capture you immediately. Some people hear it and say ‘Is that it?’. Others go ‘Brilliant!’.”
February 10, 1983 ~ Pop rock, alternative rock, folk rock singer, bassist, producer Jimmy Stofer born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Closely associated with rock outfit the Fray, serving as their touring bassist from 2004 through 2007. Member of indie folk group Hello Kavita, including co-writing a vast amount of the band's To A Loved One sophomore album. Member of Rose Hill Drive. Other notable collaborations include Ryan Bingham, Scars On 45, the Weather Maps, Cary Brothers, Meese, VAN STEE, and the Dualistics
February 10, 1983 ~ Post-hardcore, emo, post-punk singer, guitarist, songwriter Vic Fuentes, full name Victor Vincent Fuentes, born in San Diego, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of post-hardcore outfit Pierce The Veil, known best for their 2016 Misadventures album. Fuentes has also worked with Before Today, Isles & Glaciers, and guested on recordings by Lower Definition, Chiodos, All-Time Low, Slaves, and Cavetown