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 28, 2026 ~ John Paul Hammond, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter John Hammond Jr, passed away in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA ~ Son of noted record producer, talent scout John Hammond Sr. As a solo artist recorded prolifically since the early 1960s, and though only receiving moderate commercial success Hammond is especially acclaimed for a string of mid- to late 1960s albums starting with Big City Blues helping usher in the blues revival. Admired and respected by more famous artists such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, Duane Allman, Dr John, Levon Helm, Mike Bloomfield, Charlie Musselwhite, and Tom Waits, many of whom he befriended and collaborated with ~ Hammond was born in 1942February 28, 2025 ~ Singer, songwriter, actor David Johansen, also known as Buster Poindexter, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Singer of the New York Dolls, known for their two pivotal proto-punk albums 1973's eponymous The New York Dolls and 1974's Too Much Too Soon. Johansen wrote the bulk of the band's material with bandmate, guitarist Johnny Thunders. Also scored an international hit in the 1980s with Hot Hot Hot, using the moniker Buster Poindexter ~ Johansen was born in 1950
February 28, 2022 ~ William Dermot Colleran, commonly known as bluegrass singer, mandolinist, guitarist Mac Martin, passed away in McMurray, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Playing professionaly while still in high school, starting out duetting with Ed Brozi. Formed the Pike County Boys in the late 1940s, and due to the band consisting of three “Bills” changed his stage name to Mac. Perhaps best known for founding the Dixie Travelers, active for about two decades starting in 1957 ~ Colleran was born in 1925February 28, 2021 ~ Protopunk, hard rock, synth-pop singer, guitarist, bassist Ian North passed away ~ Co-founding member of glam, power pop outfit Milk 'n Cookies, known for their 1974 eponymous Milk 'n Cookies album which initially failed to make an impact, strained by a record company unsure of how to market this band, but which later became a cult classic ~ North was born in 1952
February 28, 2020 ~ Gospel singer Billie Barrett, also known as Billie Barrett Greenbey, passed away ~ Member of gospel trio the Barrett Sisters with her sisters DeLois Barrett and Rodessa Barrett. The sibling outfit have performed and recorded for some seven decades, making them one of the longest-lasting gospel outfits, and record well over a dozen albums. The trio would especially gain attention after being notably featured in the 1982 critically acclaimed documentary Say Amen Somebody, which prompted The New Yorker to comment the siblings “brought the film an emotional pitch, and we in the audience want to go on soaring”. Singer Roberta Martin guested on the trio's 1963 Jesus Loves Me debut album ~ Barrett was born in 1928
February 28, 2020 ~ Singer Lady Gaga releases Stupid Love, lead single off her Chromatica album ~ A house-infused dance-pop and electropop song, Stupid Love tells of gathering the courage to fall in love again after a heartbreak. Lady Gaga would later comment: “When we all decide to be vulnerable, (…) it's very scary for a lot of people and there's all kinds of laws and constructs and things that have built all around us. I'd love for it to collapse as many of those walls as possible and people to be saying, ‘I want your Stupid Love. I love you.’” The single would reach top 10 in over a dozen countries, including the UK and America
February 28, 2019 ~ Andreas Ludwig Priwin, commonly known as pianist, composer, arranger, conductor André Previn, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ As an arranger and composer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer involved in the music for over 50 films. Won four Oscars for best music scoring or adaptation on the films Gigi, Porgy & Bess, Irma La Douce and My Fair Lady. Also a music director and conductor closely associated with leading classical orchestras including the Houston Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Oslo Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Worked in smaller ensembles such as jazz trios and accompanied jazz singers, mostly focusing on the American Songbook idiom ~ Previn was born in 1929
February 28, 2019 ~ Guitarist Ed Bickert passed away in Toronto, Canada ~ Started as studio musician and sideman for Ron Collier, Moe Koffman, Phil Nimmons. Has toured with Ruby Braff, Frank Rosolino, Milt Jackson, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Tate, Peter Appleyard. Also recorded with Ernestine Anderson, Benny Carter, Rosemary Clooney, Lorne Lofsky, Dave McKenna, Ken Peplowski, and with Neil Swainson. Bickert worked extensively with Canadian bandleader Rob McConnell on various projects from 1969's the Boss Brass through to 1998's Big Band Christmas. In the 1970s, at the end of Desmond's life, Bickert also worked with Paul Desmond, starting on 1974's Pure Desmond, which brought him to an international audience. The association with Desmond resulted in several live concerts as a “Canadian” quartet featuring Bickert, Desmond, bassist Don Thompson and drummer Jerry Fuller, some of which were released on LP ~ Bickert was born in 1932February 28, 2016 ~ TV producer, composer Don Battye passed away in Puerto Princesa, Philippines ~ Best known as a TV producer, script writer, script editor for a variety of Australian shows. As a composer known for co-writing a number of musicals, including several specifically for children from the early 1970s onwards, usually in partnership with Peter Pinne ~ Battye was born in 1938
February 28, 2013 ~ Pianist, conductor, film composer Armando Trovaioli passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Best known as a prolific film composer with over 300 credits to his name, including for Anna scoring the international hit El Negro Zumbon. Also wrote the music for a number of musicals, notably 1962's Rugantino and 1974's Aggiungi Un Post A Tavola ~ Trovajoli was born in 1917
February 28, 2011 ~ Actress, singer, model Jane Russell, full name Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell, passed away in Santa Maria, California, USA ~ Best known as an acclaimed actress and one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols of the 1940s and 1950s. As a singer best known for two 1947 singles backed by Kay Kyser and his orchestra, namely As Long As I Live and Boin-n-n-ng, and her 78rpm album Let's Put Out The Lights, released the same year ~ Russell was born in 1921February 28, 2010 ~ R&B pianist, singer Clayton Love passed away in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Fronted his own blues outfit the Shufflers in the early 1950s. Would go on to play with Ike Turner's the Kings Of Rhythm, singing lead vocals on songs such as Do You Mean It, She Made My Blood Run Cold and The Big Question, all considered songs helpful in defining 1950s R&B ~ Love was born in 1927
February 28, 2010 ~ Rapper Tinie Tempah releases Pass Out, lead single off his Disc-Overy debut album ~ Issued as Tinie Tempah's debut single, Pass Out would catapult the young rapper to national fame. The song would reach top 10 in Germany and Ireland, top the British charts, earn the rapper several awards including an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song, a BRIT Award for British Single of the Year, and helped land the rapper the BRIT Award for Best British Breakthrough Act. It would also be the first major hit for producer Labrinth, who would issue his own debut album two years later and formed the supergroup LSD with Sia and Diplo in 2018. In a contemporay interview with the Sun, Tempah reflected on the success of Pass Out: “It was literally just supposed to be a ‘track on the album’ influenced by all the wild and exciting times I've had. But people warmed to it”
February 28, 2008 ~ Pop, beat singer, keyboardist, songwriter Mike Smith, full name Michael George Smith, passed away in Aylesbury, UK ~ Lead singer, keyboardist of the Dave Clark Five, prior to the emergence of the Rolling Stones seen as the main rivals to the Beatles. The band is known for songs such as Glad All Over, Bits And Pieces, Can't You See That She's Mine, and Catch Us If You Can, all of which reached top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic ~ Smith was born in 1943February 28, 2006 ~ Jazz drummer Irv Kluger passed away ~ Played violin before learning drums. Mostly active during the 1940s. Worked with Georgie Auld, Bob Chester, Freddie Slack, Dizzy Gillespie, Boyd Raeburn, Bobby Byrne, Herbie Fields, Stan Kenton, Artie Shaw, Tex Beneke, the Gramercy Five, Dave Pell, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and Pete Rugolo ~ Kluger was born in 1921
February 28, 2005 ~ Christopher Crummey, commonly known as drummer, singer Chris Curtis, passed away in Liverpool, UK ~ Member of Merseybeat outfit the Searchers from 1960, replacing Norman McGarry, through 1966. Wrote or co-wrote most of the band's original material and constantly on the lookout for obscure songs. Present on recordings such as Needles And Pins, Sugar And Spice, Don't Throw Your Love Away and Ain't That Just Like Me ~ Curtis was born in 1941
February 28, 2005 ~ Gospel singer Regina McCrary passed away ~ Member of traditional black gospel, contemporary urban gospel outfit the McCrary Sisters alongside siblings Ann McCrary, Deborah McCrary and Alfreda McCrary. The group has recorded a number of albums, starting with Our Journey released in 2010, as well as provided backing vocals for artists such as Carrie Underwood (Choctaw County Affair), Margo Price (Do Right By Me), and Allison Russell (All Of The Women). Regina has also toured as backing singer with singer, guitarist Bob Dylan from the late 1970s through 1985 ~ McCrary was born in 1958
February 28, 2002 ~ Classical, swing, jazz violinist, composer Helmut Zacharias passed away in Brissago, Switzerland ~ Influenced by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Dubbed “the Magic Violinist”. Internationally best known for When The White Lilacs Bloom Again, a Billboard top 20 hit in 1956. Also known as an actor, starting in the late 1940s, usually playing the role of musicians ~ Zacharias was born in 1920
February 28, 1999 ~ Christian hip-hop rapper, songwriter Aaron Cole, full name Aaron Tyrese Cole, born in Bristol, Virginia, USA ~ Released his debut album, Jesus Is The Rock, in 2003 at age 4. Best known for his 2017 non-album single Right On Time featuring TobyMac and One More Day of his 2018 Virginia Boy EP
February 28, 1998 ~ Baritone opera singer, actor Todd Duncan, full name Robert Todd Duncan, passed away in Washington DC, USA ~ Played the role of Porgy in the original 1935 production of George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess. One of the first African-Americans to sing with a major opera company, namely the New York City Opera in 1945, performing the role of Tonio in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. Sang the first version of Unchained Melody, written by Alex North and Hy Zaret, for the 1955 film Unchained. It would be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and be covered by numerous others, perhaps most notably the Righteous Brothers in 1965 ~ Duncan was born in 1903February 28, 1994 ~ Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy, commonly known as indie singer, guitarist, bassist, pianist, songwriter Jake Bugg, born in Nottingham, UK ~ Debuted in 2012 with his eponymous Jake Bugg album, working closely with Iain Archer. The album would top the UK albums chart, two of its singles would also reach the top 30, namely Lightning Bolt and Two Fingers
February 28, 1994 ~ Organist, pianist, composer Olivier Alain, full name Olivier Georges Alain, passed away in Ferolles-Atilly, France ~ Son of Albert Alain, brother of Jehan Alain and Marie-Claire Alain, all renowned organists. Director of the Saint-Germain-en-Laye Conservatory from 1950 through 1964. Director of the Ecole Casar Franck in Paris from 1960 through 1974. Founder of Conservatoire National de Region in Paris, serving as its director from 1976 through 1985. Has composed some 170 works, most of which are still unpublished. Alain has also authored several books, including a monograph on Johann Sebastian Bach ~ Alain was born in 1918
February 28, 1993 ~ Sofiane Youssef Samir Bousaadia, commonly known as rapper, singer Boef, born in Aubersvillers, France ~ One of the most successful rappers to emerge from the mid-2010s Dutch hip-hop and rap scene. Released his full-length Gewoon Boef debut album in 2016. Sparked controversy in early 2018 for his misogynist comments, eventually resulting in a ban from most major stations. Best known for songs such as Overal featuring F1rstman & DJ Youss-F, Habiba, Come Again with Ronnie Flex, Krantenwijk with Lil' Kleine, Op Me Monnie with Frenna, Dom and Treinstation
February 28, 1988 ~ Singer, keyboardist, guitarist, mandolinist, songwriter Markéta Irglová born in Valasske Mezirici, Czechoslovakia ~ Forms the folk rock duo the Swell Season with guitarist, singer Glen Hansard. The duo rose to prominence following the success of the 2007 indie film Once, the pair starring in a dramatised version of their own musical pairing. Their song Falling Slowly, used in the film, won the Academy Award for Best Song. Subsequently the movie would be made into a Broadway stage adaption, which would win no less than eight Tony Awards
February 28, 1986 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones release Harlem Shuffle, lead single off their Dirty Work album ~ Originally an early 1960s track recorded and penned by Bob & Earl. Guitarist Keith Richards had been looking for songs to include on the upcoming album with Ronnie Wood and Bobby Womack, who sings backup on the track, while waiting for Mick Jagger to return to the studio after doing promo work on his recently released She's The Boss solo album. Jagger liked the feel of the song, and quickly completed the vocals. It would be the first time in about two decades that the Rolling Stones had a cover song as a lead single. Harlem Shuffle would reach top 10 in over half a dozen countries, including the USA and the Netherlands