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 25, 2024 ~ Peter Anthony Morgan, commonly known as reggae singer Peetah Morgan, passed away ~ Lead singer of sibling outfit Morgan Heritage, comprised of offspring of iconic reggae singer Denroy Morgan. The group has recorded over a dozen albums since the mid 1990s, and is perhaps best known for the Grammy Award-winning Strictly Roots album released in 2015. Morgan has also recorded as a solo artist, noted for his sole full-length album TUT (The Undeniable Truth) released in 2013, and has collaborated with Shane Brown, Irie Love, SunDub, and most recently with Jah Sun on the 2023 Return To Balance album ~ Morgan was born in 1977
February 25, 2023 ~ Walter Ferguson Byfield, commonly known as calypso singer, songwriter Walter Ferguson, passed away in Cahuita, Costa Rica ~ Revered calypso songwriter enjoying a career spanning seven decades. Self-taught on several instruments, including dulzaina, harmonica, ukulele, guitar, and clarinet. Wrote an estimated 200 songs, including A Sailing Boat, Cabin In The Wata, Callaloo, and Carnaval Day ~ Byfield was born in 1919
February 25, 2019 ~ Music publicist, talent manager Kenneth Cooper Pitt passed away in Hertfordshire, UK ~ During the 1950's British publicist working with American artists including Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Ventured into talent management managing and representing Danny Purches, Manfred Mann, Crispian St Peters, Goldie & the Gingerbreads, and David Bowie ~ Pitt was born in 1922
February 25, 2017 ~ Double bassist, electric bassist Don Payne, full name Donald Ray Payne, passed away in Plantation, Florida, USA ~ Played trumpet before switching to bass in high school. An in-demand touring and session player since the mid 1950s, initially in jazz, later also taking up the bass guitar on pop and rock recordings. Notably present on albums by Art Pepper, Ornette Coleman (Something Else), Paul Horn, Mundell Lowe, Herbie Mann, Oscar Brown Jr (Finding A New Friend), Jackie & Roy, Richie Havens, Don Sebesky, Labelle, Melanie (Gather Me), Ellen McIlwaine (We The People), Janis Ian, Roy Buchanan (Second Album), Leonard Cohen (New Skin For The Old Ceremony), Loudon Wainwright III, Tim Moore, John Tropea (Tropea), Candido, and Tom Chapin (Family Tree). From time to time, Payne has also led his own ensembles, working with a rotating cast of sidemen including Mike Abene, Joe Beck, and Gene Bertoncini ~ Payne was born in 1933
February 25, 2016 ~ Jazz trumpeter, author, biographer John Chilton, full name John James Chilton, passed away in London, UK ~ Although a talented trumpeter, Chilton is best known as an author noted most for his comprehensive Who's Who Of Jazz guide, first published in 1970. Chilton has also authored or co-authored books on Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge. Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, and Sidney Bechet. As a leader, Chilton has some half a dozen albums to his name. Chilton has also worked with the likes of Bruce Turner, Alex Welsh, Wally Fawkes, Humphrey Lyttelton, and extensively with singer George Melly, recording and touring with the latter for nearly three decades ~ Chilton was born in 1932
February 25, 2014 ~ Francisco Gustavo Sánchez Gomez, commonly known as flamenco guitarist, composer, producer Paco de Lucia, passed away in Playa del Carmen, Mexico ~ Leading figure of the new flamenco style, updating the genre branching into classical and jazz while staying true to its roots. Admired by artists such as Richard Chapman and Eric Clapton. Known for songs such as Mediterranean, Entre Dos Aguas, La Barrosa, Emeptu, Cepa Andaluza, Gloria Al Nino Ricardo. Has collaborated with John McLaughlin, Al di Meola, Larry Coryell, Chick Corea, and Ramón de Algeciras ~ Sánchez was born in 1947
February 25, 2013 ~ Guitarist Dan Toler, full name Daniel Lee Toler, passed away in Sarasota, Florida, USA ~ First gained attention as member of Dickey Betts & Great Southern, appearing on the albums Dickey Betts & Great Southern and Atlanta's Burning. Also a member of the Allman Brothers Band from 1979 through 1982, appearing on the albums Enlightened Rogues, Reach For The Sky and Brothers Of The Road. Has also worked with Gregg Allman, Mark Pettey, the Townsend Toler Band, the Renegades Of Southern Rock, and Jason Black ~ Toler was born in 1948February 25, 2012 ~ Classical trumpeter, composer Maurice André passed away in Bayonne, France ~ Appeared on over 300 recordings. Rose to international prominence in the 1960s and 1970s with a series of baroque works on piccolo trumpet, also performin transciptions of works for oboe, flute, voice and string instruments. One of André's students, Guy Touvron, wrote the biography Maurice André (A Trumpet For Fame), published in 2003 ~ André was born in 1933
February 25, 2009 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion trumpeter Ian Carr passed away in London, UK ~ Perhaps best known as member of the Rendell-Carr Quintet in the 1960s and of jazz-rock band Nucleus starting in the early 1970s. Authored several books, including biographies of Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett. Has also played with the Emcee Five, the New Jazz Orchestra, Joe Harriott, Neil Ardley, Roy Budd, and the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble ~ Carr was born in 1933
February 25, 2002 ~ Country singer Brad Paisley releases I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song), lifted off his Part II album ~ Early on in his career, having performed primarily ballads, Brad Paisley decided to add a novelty song to his repertoire. Co-writer and producer Frank Rogers agreed, and the duo wrote I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song), telling of a male whose lover threatened to leave him if he goes fishing instead of staying home with her. Having chosen to go fishing, the character then states he will miss her. Upon its first performance of the song, Paisley sollicited laughter and cheers. Intended to be recorded for his debut album, Paisley held on to the song, and although Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Alan Jackson all showed interest in recording the song, he kept it to himself, including it on his Part II sophomore album. The single would become his third Billboard Country charttopper, after He Didn't Have To Be and We Danced off his debut album
February 25, 1993 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Toy Caldwell, full name Toy Talmadge Caldwell Jr, passed away in Moore, South Carolina, USA ~ Co-founding member, lead guitarist, primary songwriter for the Marshall Tucker Band, with whom he recorded about a dozen albums since the early 1970s. Sang lead on Can't You See, one of their best known which was later notably covered by Waylon Jennings. The band, which also included his brother Tommy Caldwell on bass, is considered one of the premier 1970s Southern rock outfits, drawing from a wide array of genres including blues, country, jazz, R&B, gospel, and rock & roll. They are especially known for their 1974 Where We All Belong album. Caldwell departed the band in 1983 ~ Caldwell was born in 1947February 25, 1988 ~ John A Morrison, commonly known as jazz bassist Peck Morrison, passed away ~ Classically trained. Besides bass, his primary instrument, Morrison also played trumpet and percussion. Regarded as a valuable accompanist, Morrison has appeared on albums by King Pleasure, Thad Jones (The Magnificent Thad Jones Vol.3), Gerry Mulligan, Randy Weston, Betty Carter, Lou Donaldson (Blues Walk), Babs Gonzales, Dave Bailey, Charlie Rouse (Unsung Hero), Johnny Coles, Red Garland, Willis Jackson, Betty Carter (I Can't Help It), Eric Dolphy (Candid Dolphy), Etta Jones, JJ Johnson, Gildo Mahones, Eddie Jefferson (The Jazz Singer), Shirley Scott, and Charles McPherson ~ Morrison was born in 1919
February 25, 1987 ~ Singer Madonna releases La Isla Bonita, the fifth and final single of her True Blue album ~ Initially conceived by Patrick Leonard and Bruce Gaitsch, who played an instrumental demo for Michael Jackson. After Jackson turned it down, the song was offered to Madonna who would come up with the title, write the lyrics, and co-produce it with Leonard. Upon its release, critics would mark the song as a highlight of the album. The single would hit top 10 across the globe, including the No.1 spot in the UK, making it her fourth UK charttopper after Into The Groove, Papa Don't Preach, and True Blue
February 25, 1986 ~ At the 28th Grammy Awards, singer Bruce Springsteen wins his first Grammy, taking home the award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Dancing In The Dark ~ Lead single off his Born In The USA hit album and his highest charting single of his career, spending four consecutive weeks at No.2 Billboard Hot 100, Dancing In The Dark would also win Bruce Springsteen his first Grammy Award. Tina Turner would win Song of the Year and Record of the Year for What's Love Got To Do With It
February 25, 1986 ~ Daniel Gabriel Alessandro Saucedo Grzechowski, commonly known as pop, europop, dance-pop singer, songwriter Danny Saucedo, born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ First gained attention as contestant on the Swedish talent show Idols 2006, reaching sixth place. Member of pop trio EMD. Released his Heart Beats solo debut album in 2007, spawning the hits Tokyo, Play It For The Girls and Radio. Saucedo has also collaborated with Lazee, Swingfly, Molly Sandén, and Crashdiet
February 25, 1984 ~ In its 7th week on the charts, Jump by Van Halen hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Van Halen's first of only three singles to reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100, later followed by the No.3 hit Why Can't This Be Love in 1986 and the No.5 hit When It's Love in 1988, Jump spent five consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Not only did the single become the band's biggest hit, it was also one of the biggest hits of the year as it shared the second spot for longest run atop the charts with Prince's When Doves Cry, behind Madonna's Like A Virgin which held the top spot for six consecutive weeks. Contrary to their then-regular straight-forward guitar rock sound, the lead instrument on Jump was a synthesizer, much to the dislike of lead singer David Lee Roth who felt the band were selling out. For band member Eddie Van Halen, however, it felt natural to use a synthesizer as he was classically trained on piano growing up and didn't take up the guitar until he was a teenager. The 1984 parent album, the band's sixth studio album, would be the last album with David Lee Roth's first stint with the band. Roth would depart the band the following year, and it is rumored that the move to a more keyboards-driven melodic sound played a major part in the split. The band would go on to enjoy their commercially most successful period continuing the new direction with replacement lead singer Sammy Hagar, with whom they score four consecutive Billboard Hot 200 studio albums starting with 5150 released in 1986. Roth would rejoin the band in 2006February 25, 1981 ~ Matthew Michael Malneck, commonly known as jazz, swing violinist, bandleader, arranger, songwriter Matty Malneck, passed away in Hollywood, California, 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 was born in 1903
February 25, 1979 ~ Jazz, R&B, spoken word singer, pianist, dancer, songwriter Melanie Scholtz, full name Melanie Alice Scholtz, born in Cape Town, South Africa ~ Classically trained pianist, opera singer. Released her Thor Kvande-produced Zillion Miles debut album in 2006 and has recorded to critical acclaim since. Scholtz has also notably collaborated with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, and Hugh Masekela
February 25, 1972 ~ In its 6th week on the charts, A Horse With No Name by America hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Many thought A Horse With No Name, America's debut single, was a Neil Young song when they first heard it. Dewey Bunnell, who wrote the song and sang lead, was well aware of the similarity in style and voice, and would later comment: “I try to use a different voice so that I won't be branded as a rip-off. It's such a drag, though, to have to not sound like someone when you can't help it in the first place.” The band had originally tapped another song, I Need You, to be issued as their debut single, yet when the album was already finished opted to write a new song instead, which became A Horse With No Name. After the single reached top 10 in the UK, it would also be released in America where ironically it would bump Young's Heart Of Gold off the Billboard Hot 100 top spot. Earlier pressings of their eponymous debut album did not include the song
February 25, 1972 ~ Pop, country pop singer Glen Campbell records Manhattan Kansas ~ Written by Joe Allen. Produced by Al De Lory. Released as a single, paired with Wayfarin' Stranger on the flip side, in March 1972. Glen Campbell would take the song to top 10 Billboard Country. Later the song would also be recorded by Donna Fargo, Loretta Lynn, Jody Miller, and by Sammi SmithFebruary 25, 1968 ~ Evridiki Theokleous, mononymously known as rock, pop, electropop singer Evridiki, born in Limassol, Cyprus ~ Internationally best known for representing her native Cyprus in three editions of Eurovision Songfestival. In 1992 with the song Teriazoume, in 1994 with Eimai Anthropos Ki Ego and in 2007 with Comme Ci Comme Ça. Married to producer, songwriter Giorgos Theofanous, who also produced her first nine albums, from 1993 to 2000
February 25, 1968 ~ Pop, schlager, dance-pop, electropop producer, songwriter Thomas Gustafsson, also known under the moniker Thomas G:son, born in Skøvde, Sweden ~ Best known for his association with numerous Eurovision Songfestival acts, having written or co-written entries for Spain, Georgia, Cyprus, Norway, Malta, Denmark, and Sweden, making the latter the 2012 winner with Loreen's Euphoria which Gustafsson co-wrote with Peter Boström. He is also a member of hard rock outfit Masquerade
February 25, 1966 ~ Baroque pop group the Walker Brothers release The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, lifted off the album of the same name ~ First recorded by Frankie Valli in 1965, stylized as The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore), whose single failed to chart. The following year, however, the definitive pop version would be recorded by UK-based baroque pop trio the Walker Brothers, who gave the song an over-the-top dramatic feel. It became a signature song, their second UK No.1 hit as well as their highest-charting single in America, peaking at No.13 Billboard Hot 100, and has garnered retrospective critical acclaim. The song would later be recorded by a wide array of artists, including Neil Diamond, Cher, and Bruce Springsteen. Songwriter Bob Gaudio, who co-wrote the song with Bob Crewe, would later recollect how the despondent song about a hopeless feeling came to be: “It was a gloomy day and we were both a little depressed”
February 25, 1966 ~ Rock outfit the Yardbirds release Shapes Of Things, featuring You're A Better Man Than I on the flip side ~ Written by Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, and Paul Samwell-Smith, produced by Giorgio Gomelsky, Shapes Of Things would reach No.3 in the band's native UK, and No.11 on the American Billboard Hot 100. With Jeff Beck's Eastern-sounding feedback-laden guitar, several critics retrospectively named it one of the first psychedelic rock songs. At the suggestion of singer Rod Stewart, Beck would re-record the song for his 1968 Truth solo debut album, featuring a new arrangement “slowing it down to make it dirty and evil.”
February 25, 1965 ~ Hardcore punk, punk rock, rock guitarist, bassist, singer, songwriter Brian Baker born in Michigan, USA ~ Co-founding member of Minor Threat. Offered a touring spot with REM in 1994 yet declined in favor of joining Bad Religion as replacement for Brett Gurewitz. Has also worked with Dag Nasty, Samhain, Doggy Style, the Meatmen, Government Issue, Junkyard, Dead Fucking Last, and Fake Names
February 25, 1965 ~ Gospel, urban contemporary gospel, black gospel, house singer, songwriter Ricky Dillard, full name Ricky Rydell Dillard, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Raised in the church singing in choirs since age 5. Made his first recordings in house music, collaborating with noted producers such as Frankie Knuckles, Farley Jackmaster Funk and Larry Heard, the latter producing Dillard's 1989 Let The Music Use You full-length debut album. Dillard would release his first gospel album, Promise, the following year and has focused on sacred music to critical acclaim and commercial succes since