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 16, 1991 ~ Rayshawn Lamar Bennett, commonly known as rapper, singer, songwriter YFN Lucci, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Released a number of mixtapes and EPs starting in the mid-2010s, leading up to his full-length Ray Ray From Summerhill debut album in 2018. Best known for the single Key To The Streets featuring Migos and Trouble released in 2016. Has also worked with Meek Mill, PnB Rock, and Rick Ross
February 16, 1990 ~ Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, commonly known as singer, producer, songwriter the Weeknd, born in Toronto, Canada ~ Released his full-length Kiss Land debut album in 2013 and has recorded to commercial success becoming one of the best-selling artists of the 2010s. Known best for songs such as Love Me Harder featuring Ariana Grande, Earned It, The Hills, Can't Feel My Face, Starboy featuring Daft Punk, Pray For Me, Heartless, Blinding Lights, and Smile
February 16, 1989 ~ Rock, pop rock, soft rock singer, guitarist, percussionist Danielle Haim, full name Danielle Sari Haim, born in San Fernando Valley, California, USA ~ Member of sibling outfit Haim alongside Alana Haim and Este Haim, drawing critical comparison to Fleetwood Mac and the Bangles. The band debuted in 2013 with the album Days Are Gone and has recorded consistently since. They are best known for songs such as Forever, The Wire, Want You Back, A Little Of Your Love, Now I'm In It, and Gasoline featuring Taylor Swift
February 16, 1985 ~ In its 13th week on the charts, Neutron Dance by the Pointer Sisters peaks at No.6 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Songwriter Allee Willis, who had previously written hits such as September and Boogie Wonderland for Earth Wind & Fire, had hoped to place Neutron Dance in the 1984 Streets Of Fire film, but it would be used for the soundtrack of the Eddie Murphy action comedy Beverly Hills Cop instead. Being prominently featured in a key car chase scene helped propel the song to the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, making it the band's fourth top 10 hit off their Break Out album, and their final American top 10 hit. In 1987, the sequel Beverly Hill Cop II would also feature a song by the Pointer Sisters, Be There, but that one didn't make as much of an impact, stalling at No.42
February 16, 1982 ~ Post-hardcore, pop-punk guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, singer Brian Southall, full name Brian Michael Southall, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of fordirelifesake, Boys Night Out, the Receiving End Of Sirens, Isles & Glaciers, and the Company We Keep. Tour manager for Motion City Soundtrack, and All-Time Low. Southall ventured into band management by the late-2010s, representing acts such as Billie Eilish and Pharrell Williams
February 16, 1975 ~ Samuel Salter, commonly known as R&B singer, songwriter Sam Salter, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Influenced by Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Discovered by LA Reid. Had his 1997 It's On Tonight debut album produced by a team which included Tricky Stewart, Tony Rich and Robin Thicke, spawning the Billboard R&B top 20 hit After 12 Before 6. Would continue to record to mixed succes. Has written songs for 98°, Aaron Skyy, Xscape's Kandi Burruss, B2K, the Isley Brothers, and Tyrese ~ Salter passed away in 2021
February 16, 1974 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Love Song by Anne Murray peaks at No.5 Billboard Country ~ The previous year, Anne Murray had scored a massive hit with Danny's Song, written by Kenny Loggins. Loggins, apparently impressed with the Canadian singer, had subsequently written Love Song with Dona Lyn George specifically with Murray in mind, even though the two had yet to meet. The song ended up on a Loggins & Messina album, Full Sail, and would be recorded later the same year by Murray. Issued as a single off her album of the same name, it would become the highest-charting Billboard Country single of her career up to this point. Love Song also earned Murray a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, beating Dolly Parton's Jolene and Tammy Wynette's Woman To Woman
February 16, 1971 ~ Alternative rock, alternative metal, hip-hop, punk rock keyboardist, songwriter Zac Baird, full name Zachary Baird, born in Orange County, California, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his association with nu metal outfit Korn, touring with the band on the See You On The Other Side and Family Values tours, and appearing on the albums MTV Unplugged, The Paradigm Shift, and The Serenity Of Suffering. Produced Billy Goat's 1995 Black & White sophomore album. Has also worked with Whitey, Hairy Apes BMX, Evanescence, Monster In The Machine, Wavves, Tom Freund, Jonathan Davis, and Florence + the MachineFebruary 16, 1970 ~ DJ, producer, remixer, songwriter Armand van Helden born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Considered one of the premier house DJs with a career spanning three decades and especially popular in Europe. Best known for releases such as You Don't Know Me, I Want Your Soul, and My My My featuring Tara McDonald
February 16, 1969 ~ R&B outfit the Isley Brothers release It's Your Thing, sole single off their It's Our Thing album ~ The first release on the brothers' restarted T-Neck label. The sibling outfit had a brief tenure at Motown, recording the albums This Old Heart Of Mine and Soul On The Rocks, but felt typecast in the role as a second-tier act while acts such as the Temptations, the Miracles, and the Four Tops got more promotion from the label. It's Your Thing was their artistic response to Motown's Berry Gordy Jr demanding hold on his artists after they left the label. The single would reach top 10 on both the Billboard R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts
February 16, 1967 ~ Alternative rock, trip hop drummer Damon Reece born in London, UK ~ Following the death of Pete de Freitas in 1989 joined the re-formed Echo & the Bunnymen, appearing on the 1990 Reverberation album. Subsequently a member of Spiritualized departing the band after the release of the 1997 album Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space to form Lupine Howl. Has also worked with Massive Attack and Goldfrapp. Romantically involved with the Cocteau Twins singer Elizabeth Fraser, with whom he has a daughterFebruary 16, 1967 ~ Gerald Rydel Simpson, commonly known as acid house, jungle, drum and bass, electronica DJ, producer A Guy Called Gerald, born in Manchester, UK ~ Early member of 808 State. As a solo artist best known for his work in the Manchester scene during the late 1980s, especially with the track Voodoo Ray released in 1988
February 16, 1967 ~ Trumpeter Miles Davis releases his Miles Smiles album ~ The second studio album in a series recorded with a line-up known as Miles Davis' second great quintet, the trumpeter backed by saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams, Miles Smiles showcases Davis's deeper exploration of modal performance, neither following the conventions of bop nor the formlessness of free jazz. The album would be widely acclaimed, Stereo Review praising the trumpeter's “persistent brilliance”, while Saturday Review called it “Davis's best album in some time, and clear evidence of his continuing dedication as an improvising musician.”
February 16, 1966 ~ British pop, rock group the Beatles record Yes It Is at EMI Studios, London, UK ~ Credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, written primarily Lennon. Produced by George Martin. Noted for its complex three-part vocal harmonies and George Harrison's use of volume pedal guitar. Used for the flip side of Ticket To Ride, released the following April
February 16, 1966 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Bob Dylan records Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again at Columbia Recording Studios, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Penned by Bob Dylan. Produced by Bob Johnston. Included on the Blonde On Blonde. The song's refrain is said to reference the WC Handy-song Memphis Blues. Dylan would record a live version for the Hard Rain album ten years later
February 16, 1964 ~ Rock bassist Pete Garner born in Manchester, UK ~ Original bassist for the Stone Roses. Garner remained with the band from 1983 through 1987, appearing on several of the band's early singles including So Young, Tell Me, and the UK top 10 hit Elephant Stone, prior to the band's rise to fame, sans Garner, in the late 1980s. Upon hearing of his death the band's lead singer Ian Brown commented: “Few loved music as much as Pete. He had been bathing in music since Anarchy In The UK came out. Pete was off the scale nice, an old nice that you just don't get no more.” ~ Garner passed away in 2023February 16, 1963 ~ Blues-rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Chris Duarte born in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Describes his style as a combination of rockin' blues and punk blues. Influenced by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Well over a dozen albums to his name, starting in the mid-1980s. Especially acclaimed for the 1990s albums Texas Sugar (Strat Magik) and its follow-up Tailspin Headwhack
February 16, 1962 ~ Pop singer Bobby Vinton records Mr Lonely ~ Written by Bobby Vinton and Gene Allan. Produced by Bob Morgan. Arranged and conducted by Robert Mersey. First released on the 1962 Roses Are Red album. As a single, paired with It's Better To Have Loved on the flip side, the 1964 single would top the Billboard Hot 100. The song would be covered by Johnny Hallyday as Quand Revient La Nuit in 1965
February 16, 1961 ~ Guitarist Andy Taylor, full name Andrew Arthur Taylor, born in Dover-Hampton, UK ~ Member of pop outfit Duran Duran from 1980 through 1986, present on UK top 10 hits such as Girls On Film, Hungry Like The Wolf, Save A Prayer, Is There Something I Should Know, The Reflex, The Wild Boys, and A View To A Kill. Also worked with Power Station on the 1985 The Power Station album. Notably present on Rod Stewart's 1988 Out Of Order album. Other credits include Robert Palmer, the Almighty, Thunder, Love & Money, Mark Shaw, Then Jericho, CC Catch, and Belinda CarlisleFebruary 16, 1960 ~ Country singer, bassist Doug Phelps born in Leachville, Arkansas, USA ~ Formed the duo Brother Phelps with his brother guitarist, singer Ricky Lee Phelps. The duo would score a number a early 1990s country hits, their highest charting being Let Go reaching top 10 Billboard Country in 1993. Prior both brothers had played with the Kentucky Headhunters, leaving the band after the successful 1989 Pickin' On Nashville debut album
February 16, 1960 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Pete Willis born in Sheffield, UK ~ Founding member of metal, hard rock band Def Leppard. Present on the band's first three albums, On Through The Night, High 'n Dry and Pyromania, replaced in 1982 by Phil Collen. Also worked with Atomic Mass, Gogmagog, Nightrun and Roadhouse
February 16, 1958 ~ Tracy Lauren Marrow, commonly known as hip-hop, heavy metal rapper, actor Ice-T, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Helped shape gangsta rap and especially paved the way for rock-influenced rap. Would sollicit controversy early in his career. His 1987 solo debut album Rhyme Pays being the second hip-hop album to carry an explicit content sticker. With his heavy metal band Body Count drew criticism over the lyrics of the 1992 song Cop Killer. Ventured into acting for film and TV, most notably in the role of detective Odafin Tutuola in the crime series Law & Order SVU since 2000
February 16, 1958 ~ Giacomo Pontoriero, commonly known as rock, hard rock guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, talent manager, songwriter, producer Jack Ponti, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Got his start in music playing guitar in 1970s band the Rest, which also included a young and then-unknown Jon Bon Jovi as lead singer. Though the band never landed a major record deal, they enjoyed popularity in their native New Jersey, opening for the likes of Southside Johnny and Bruce Springsteen. After the band disbanded, Jon Bon Jovi would rise to fame with the glam metal-infused Bon Jovi, with Ponti co-writing several of the band's earliest songs including Shot Through The Heart, while Ponti would primarily focus on his work as a songwriter, producer, and later talent manager, working with artists such as Bonfire, Babylon AD, Eric Gales, Nelson, and Melvin Taylor. In Europe, Ponti is perhaps best known for his work with Alice Cooper, co-writing half the tracks off Cooper's 1991 Hey Stoopid album, which though poorly received in America did reasonably well in Europe, and for his work with German hard rock outfit Doro, for whom he co-produced the albums Angels Never Die and its follow-up Machine II Machine. Ponti has also served as manager for neo-soul singer India Arie ~ Pontoriero passed away in 2024February 16, 1957 ~ Guitarist, bassist, mandolonist, dobroist Jeff Pevar born ~ Forms the trio CPR with David Crosby and Crosby's son James Raymond. In-demand collaborator and sidemand, worked with Donald Fagen, James Taylor, Marc Cohn, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Rickie Lee Jones, Dr John, Carly Simon, Kenny Loggins, Jazz Is Dead, Phil Lesh, Phil Collins, Jonatha Brooke, and Willy DeVille
February 16, 1957 ~ Pianist, composer Josef Hofmann, full name Josef Casimir Hofmann, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Son of pianist, conductor, composer Kazimierz Hofmann and singer Matylda Pindelska. Child prodigy, his series of concerts in his early teens drawing critical comparison to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn. Would go on to compose well over a hundred works, many under the pseudonym Michel Dvorsky ~ Hofmann was born in 1876