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 4, 1978 ~ Marcelo de Souza Camelo, commonly known as folk rock, alternative rock, samba, bossa nova, contemporary classical singer, guitarist, bassist Marcelo Camelo, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Lead guitarist, primary songwriter of Los Hermanos, known for among others Samba A Dois and Anna Julia, the latter notably covered by Jim Capaldi. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with Sou released in 2008. Married to singer Mallu Magalhães, his bandmate in Banda Do MarFebruary 4, 1977 ~ Glam punk, indie pop, indie rock, noise pop, noise rock, shoegazing bassist, drummer, guitarist, singer Emil Nikolaisen born in Moi, Norway ~ Lead singer, guitarist of alternative rock outfit Serena-Maneesh. Has also worked with Silver, Loch Ness Mouse, Royal, and Extol. Has served as producer for artists such as Arabrot, Carmen Villain, Okkultokrati, Elvira Nikolaisen, and Maria Solheim
February 4, 1977 ~ Singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter Gavin Degraw born in South Fallsburg, New York, USA ~ Rose to fame in the early 2000s, especially noted for I Don't Want To Be of his 2003 Chariot debut album. Other well known songs include Follow Through, In Love With A Girl, Not Over You, Soldier and Sweeter. Nominated for a Grammy Award for the Colbie Caillat-duet We Both Know used in the 2013 Safe Haven film
February 4, 1976 ~ Country singer Stacie Roper born in Edmonton, Canada ~ Lead singer of Canadian country trio Hey Romeo, which also included guitarist Darren Gusnowsky and keyboardist Rob Shapiro. The band released their eponymous Hey Romeo debut album in 2007 and is known for songs such as the Fleetwood Mac-cover Second-Hand News, Searchin' For You, That's What I Am, Jump Back In, and Maybe You Remember Me Now ~ Roper passed away in 2023
February 4, 1975 ~ Saxophonist, bandleader Louis Jordan, full name Louis Thomas Jordan, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ One of the all-time most successful African-American artists. Leading jump-blues innovator, known for his highly energetic hybrid of jazz, blues, and boogie-woogie, and considered a major influence on 1950s rock & roll and R&B. Known for songs such as Caldonia, Choo Choo Ch'boogie, Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens, Let The Good Times Roll, Beans And Corn Bread, and Saturday Night Fish Fry Parts 1 & 2 ~ Jordan was born in 1908February 4, 1975 ~ Dennis Rink, commonly known as rap, hip-hop DJ, producer Man!ak, born in Zaandam, the Netherlands ~ Best known for producing Dansplaat, a 2001 hit in the Netherlands and Belgium for Brainpower. Also collaborated with the latter in the rap, hip-hop quartet ADHD. Has also released several singles under the moniker Man!e and worked as a producer with Skate The Great, Lexay, and Lex Boogie
February 4, 1975 ~ Singer, model, songwriter, actress Natalie Imbruglia born in Sydney, Australia ~ Actress, notably featured in the Australian soap Neighbours in the early 1990s. As a singer released her debut album, Left Of The Middle, in 1997. It would spawn the international hit Torn. Imbruglia has been recording to critical acclaim and commercial success since
February 4, 1974 ~ Guitarist Jeff Schroeder, full name Jeffrey Kim Schroeder, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Influenced by Ace Frehley, Jeff Beck, Slash, Pete Townshend, Brad Laner, Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore, Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Carrie Brownstein, J Mascis. Best known as member of the Smashing Pumpkins, joining as touring member in 2007 becoming a full-pledged member later on. Also worked with the Lassie Foundation, the Violet Burning, and with the Night Dreamer
February 4, 1971 ~ Singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist, songwriter David Garza born in Irving, Texas, USA ~ Debuted in 1991 with his Just Say Love album and has recorded extensively ever since. Has collaborated with Juliana Hatfield, Rhett Miller, Fiona Apple, Revolting Cocks, John Legend (Sun Comes Up), and Watkins Family Hour
February 4, 1970 ~ Producer, label founder James Murphy born in Princeton, New Jersey, USA ~ Best known as the man behind LCD Soundsystem. Has recorded and collaborated under numerous monnikers. Influenced by Liquid Liquid, the B52's, Talking Heads, the Fall, Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Velvet Underground, Yes, David Bowie, Daft Punk, and Can. Has worked with Britney Spears, Arcade Fire, Gorillaz, André 3000, Pulp, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pony, and Speedking
February 4, 1970 ~ Singer, guitarist, bassist, percussionist Keller Williams born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA ~ Described by some as a one-man jam band drawing from bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, dance, jazz, funk, and other idioms. Well over a dozen albums to his name starting in the mid 1990s, especially acclaimed for the albums Spun and its follow-up Breathe. Has collaborated with artists such as the String Cheese Incident, Jeff Austin, Keith Moseley, the Travelin' McCourys, Julian Casellas, and the Rhythm Devils
February 4, 1969 ~ Bassist, guitarist, cellist, keyboardist, singer Duncan Coutts, full name Robert Duncan Coutts, born in St Catharines, Canada ~ Longtime member of Our Lady Peace, with whom he recorded well over half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Clumsy. Coutts joined the band in 1995 as replacement for Chris Eacrett right after their Naveed debut album was recorded. The band is acknowledged as one of the most succesful Canadian post-grunge outfits, with a string of multi-platinum albums through the early 2010s. Well known songs include Clumsy, Somewhere Out There, Innocent, and Angels Losing Sleep, all of which reached top 10 on the Canadian charts. When asked about his favorite memories from playing with Our Lady Peace, Coutts recollected playing his hometown, as he stated in a 2021 interview with Cleverock: “We were playing our hometown arena, where at the age of 10, I told my mother that I would play there one day. That was absurd that I even said that. But somehow, it came true. That kind of always sticks out as a highlight”
February 4, 1969 ~ Barbara Augustine Nederhorst commonly known as actress, singer Guusje Nederhorst, born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Best known as actress. As a singer known for Ademnood, released under the moniker Linda Roos & Jessica with her Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden co-stars Babette van Veen and Katja Schuurman. The 1995 single was intended as a gimmick but would reach No.1 on the Dutch charts, featured backing vocals by Trijntje Oosterhuis and was produced by Fluitsma & Van Tijn. Nederhorst was married to singer Dinand Woesthoff from 2003 until her death the following year, the couple have one son ~ Nederhorst passed away in 2004February 4, 1968 ~ Bass guitarist Tim Lefebvre born in Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA ~ Has worked with a wide range of musicians in rock, jazz, fusion, electronica and R&B including Sting, Elvis Costello, David Bowie (including on 2016's Blackstar released two days before Bowie's death), Empire Of The Sun, Sleepy Jackson, Wayne Krantz, Patti Austin, John Mayer, Jovanotti, Chuck Loeb, Mark Giuliana, Jamie Cullum, Chris Botti, Knower, and the Tedeschi-Trucks Band
February 4, 1964 ~ Tim Ryan Rouillier, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Tim Ryan, born in St Ignatius, Montana, USA ~ As a solo artist known for a number of 1990s albums, starting with the eponymous 1990 Tim Ryan album which spawned the modest country hit Dance In Circles. Also known as a songwriter, wrote or co-wrote songs recorded by George Strait, Randy Travis, Phil Vassar (Last Day Of My Life), Deana Carter, and Ty Herndon
February 4, 1963 ~ Rock drummer Bryan Mantia, full name Bryan Kei Mantia, born in Cupertino, California, USA ~ Influenced by James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix. First gained attention in the early 1990s as member of Praxis, playing alongside Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins and Buckethead. Developed a continuing relationship with the latter, playing on a number of his solo albums including Monsters And Robots, Colma and The Cuckoo Clocks Of Hell. Has also worked with Primus, Godflesh, Tom Waits (Mule Variations), Serj Tarkian, Guns 'n Roses, Science Faxtion, and Travis Dickerson
February 4, 1963 ~ Kevin John Wasserman, commonly known as punk rock, skate punk, alternative rock guitarist Noodles, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Lead guitarist for the Offspring. Allegedly in the band because at the time he was the only one old enough to provide alcohol for the others. The band is known for songs such as Come Out And Play, Self Esteem, Gone Away, Pretty Fly (For A White Guy), Why Don't You Get A Job, Original Prankster, Hit That, Hammerhead, and You're Gonna Go Far Kid
February 4, 1962 ~ Singer Clint Black born in Long Branch, New Jersey, USA ~ Debuted in 1989 with the album Killin' Time. All four of the album's singles, namely A Better Man, Killin' Time, Nobody's Home and Walkin' Away, would top the country charts both in America and Canada. Black would continue to regularly reach the higher echelons of the charts up till the turn of the century with songs such as Loving Blind, When My Ship Comes In, the Wynonna Judd-duet A Bad Goodbye, A Good Run Of Bad Luck, Summer's Comin', Like The Rain, Nothin' But The Taillights, and the endearing love duet When I Said I Do with his wife Lisa Hartman-BlackFebruary 4, 1961 ~ Jazz clarinetist, composer, arranger Alphonse Picou passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Important early figure in New Orleans jazz. Worked with Manuel Perez, Freddie Keppard, Bunk Johnson, the Excelsior Brass Band, the Olympia Brass Band, Papa Jack Laine, Buddy Bolden, King Oliver, and Papa Celestin ~ Picou was born in 1878
February 4, 1960 ~ Singer, songwriter Tim Booth, full name Timothy John Booth, born in Bradford, UK ~ Lead singer for James, with whom he has recorded over a dozen albums since its inception in the mid-1980s. In their early days the band would be critically compared to the Smiths, strengthened by Morrissey's endorsement of the group, but by the mid 1990s the band would come into their own, known for their ringing guitar pop, reflective lyrics, and Booth's dramatic stylings. They are especially acclaimed for albums such as Seven, Laid, and their 2001 masterpiece Pleased To Meet You
February 4, 1955 ~ Guitarist, keyboardist, singer, songwriter, engineer, producer Tim Thorney born in Winnipeg, Canada ~ Co-wrote most of Lisa Dal Bello's 1981 Drastic Measures album. Singer, keyboardist for the Front, known for the early 1980s albums Gina's At A Party and Underworld. Has recorded as a solo artist, most notably the 1993 Fortunate Home single which reached top 20 of the Canadian country charts. Co-produced Jimmy Rankin's 2001 Song Dog debut album and its follow-up Handmade. Co-produced Alanis Morissette's 2004 So-Called Chaos album ~ Thorney passed away in 2021
February 4, 1954 ~ Blues harpist, singer Curtis Salgado born in Everett, Washington, USA ~ Reportedly one of the artists, along with Charlie Musselwhite, used as inspiration for the Blues Brothers' characters. Got his start in music with the Oregon based blues outfit the Nighthawks, before teaming up with Robert Cray, backing Cray for half a dozen years as a singer and blues harpist, including on Cray's acclaimed 1980 Who's Been Talkin' debut album. Salgado would go on to front Roomful Of Blues through the mid 1980s, including on the somewhat underappreciated Glazed album, before venturing out on his own. Salgado has released about a dozen albums as a leader starting with Curtis Salgado & The Stilettos in 1991, an album once described as “falling half between gritty Chicago blues and sweaty Stax soul”, and has been an in-demand sideman and collaborator throughout his career appearing on albums by Ronnie Earl, David Frizzell, Otis Grand, Terry Robb, Too Slim & the Taildraggers (Blues For EB), Sheila Wilcoxson (Backwater Blues), RL Burnside, Jim Mesi, Tommy Castro, Lloyd Jones, the Holmes Brothers (Brotherhood), Joe Louis Walker, and Michael KaeshammerFebruary 4, 1953 ~ Jazz trombonist John Rapson born in Gary, Indiana, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Vinny Golia, Tim Berne, Walter Thompson, Bobby Bradford, John Carter, Wayne Peet, Alex Cline, Roberto Miguel Miranda, Ken Filiano, John Fumo, Kim Richmond, Steve Fowler, Bill Roper, Anthony Braxton, Ed Blackwell, Jay Hoggard, and Allen Lowe
February 4, 1953 ~ Masanori Takahashi, commonly known as electronic, world, new age keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, flutist, percussionist, songwriter Kitaro, born in Toyohashi, Japan ~ About two albums to his name since the late 1970s. Regarded as one of the premier new-age artists. Best known for his 1999 album Thinking Of You. Also noted for composing the soundtrack for the 1993 Heaven & Earth film. Has worked with the Far East Family Band, Klaus Schulze, Mickey Hart, and Jon Anderson
February 4, 1953 ~ Rock, pop, soul singer, songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita born in Toshima, Japan ~ Considered one of the premier artists in Japanese soft rock. Best known for Christmas Eve, which has returned to the charts each year for over 35 consecutive years. Frequently worked with his wife, singer Mariya Takeuchi, notably on Plastic Love