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, 1952 ~ Drummer Jerry Shirley born in London, UK ~ Perhaps best known as member of Humble Pie, present on the band's best known including the albums As Safe As Yesterday Is, Smokin' and Eat It. Has also worked with Natural Gas, Fastway, Waysted, Syd Barrett, John Entwistle, Sammy Hagar, and Benny Mardones
February 4, 1950 ~ Rock drummer Mick Woodmansey, also known as Michael Woody Woodmansey, born in Driffield, UK ~ Closely associated with David Bowie, present on the albums The Man Who Sold The World, Hunky Dory, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars and Aladdin Sane. Has also worked with Art Garfunkel, the Cybernauts, 3-D, and Holy Holy. Woodmansey published his autobiography, Spider From Mars (My Life With David Bowie), in 2016
February 4, 1949 ~ Drummer Roy Yeager born in Greenwood, Mississippi, USA ~ Best known as a member of the Atlanta Rhythm Section from 1979 through 1983. Had previously worked with the Out Of Its, the Crackerjacks, Lobo, and with singer Joe South. Would resettle to Nashville in the 1980s, found his own recording studio and venture into producing
February 4, 1948 ~ Vincent Furnier, commonly known as singer Alice Cooper, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Dubbed “the Father of Shock-Rock” emerged in the late 1960s, early 1970s pioneering a macabre and theatrical brand of rock drawing from horror films, hard rock, heavy metal, glam rock, garage rock. Would adopt the original band name, Alice Cooper, for his own on-stage persona. Known for songs such as I'm Eighteen, Under My Wheels, School's Out, No More Mr Nice Guy, Halo Of Flies, Only Women Bleed, Welcome To My Nightmare, How You Gonna See Me Now, Poison and Hey Stoopid
February 4, 1947 ~ Dwight David Turner, commonly known as soul singer Spyder Turner, born in Beckley, West Virginia, USA ~ Sang backup for R&B outfits such as the Stereophonics and for the Fabulous Counts. Scored a 1967 R&B hit with Stand By me, a tongue-in-cheek cover of the Ben E King tune imitating not only King, but Smokey Robinson, Chuck Jackson and other soul singers as well. The single would cross over to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, reaching the top 20. Also co-wrote Do Your Dance, a hit for Rose Royce in 1977February 4, 1945 ~ Tenor saxophonist John Stubblefield born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA ~ Worked with the World Saxophone Quartet, Reggie Workman, McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, George Russell, Nat Adderley, Kenny Barron, Lester Bowie, the Mingus Big Band, Anthony Braxton, Stanley Cowell, Miles Davis, Billy Hart, Louis Hayes, Julius Hemphill, Joseph Jarman, Victor Lewis, and Sam Rivers ~ Stubblefield passed away in 2005
February 4, 1944 ~ Pop, rock drummer, singer Grant Serpell, full name Stephen Grant Serpell, born in Maidenhead, UK ~ Member of jazz-rock outfit Affinity, known for their sole eponymous Affinity album released in 1970. Subsequently rose to fame as a member of Sailor from 1973 through 1979, present on both the band's UK top 10 hits A Glass Of Champagne and Girls Girls Girls
February 4, 1943 ~ Keyboardist, producer Barry Beckett, full name Barry Edward Beckett, born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA ~ Co-founded the famed Muscle Shoals Studios and served as member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Appears on recordings by Etta James, Bob Seger, Joan Baez, Vince Gill, Kim Carnes, Boz Scaggs, Mark Knopfler, Mavis Staples, Wilson Pickett, Steve Cropper, Levon Helm, Aretha Franklin, John Prine, Kenny Chesney, Chely Wright, Paul Simon, JJ Cale, Rosanne Cash, Michael Martin Murphey, Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, and Bob Dylan. A&R executive for Warner Bros Records, Nashville division in the 1980s ~ Beckett passed away in 2009
February 4, 1943 ~ Session guitarist Jimmy Johnson, full name Jimmy Ray Johnson, born in Sheffield, Alabama, USA ~ In-house session guitarist for FAME Studios during the 1960s. Co-founded Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in 1969. Present on recordings by Arthur Conley, Percy Sledge (When A Man Loves A Woman), Clarence Carter, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin (I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)), James & Bobby Purify, King Curtis, Patti LaBelle, Etta James, Otis Rush, Cher, Boz Scaggs, Arif Mardin, Ronnie Hawkins, Herbie Mann, Lulu, Cowboy, the Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar), the Staple Singers, Laura Nyro, Bobby Womack, Joe Tex, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Seger, Eddie Floyd, the Dells, Johnnie Taylor, Orleans, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Don Covay, Joe Simon, Millie Jackson, Rod Stewart, Bonnie Bramlett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dr Hook, Joe Cocker, and Bob Dylan ~ Johnson passed away in 2019February 4, 1941 ~ Rock guitarist, sitarist, singer Mike Deasy, full name Michael William Deasy, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Toured with Ritchie Valens. Has also worked with the Coasters, Duane Eddy, and Eddie Cochran. Following the latter's death in 1960 would become an in-demand session musician. Present on the Beach Boys 1966 landmark Pet Sounds album. Present on Elvis Presley's Elvis '68 Comeback Special. Other notable credits include Irene Kral, the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), the Monkees, Tommy Roe (It's Now Winter's Day), the Gosdin Brothers, the 5th Dimension, Townes Van Zandt, Thelma Houston (Sunshower), Harry Nilsson, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Rivers, and Billy Joel
February 4, 1933 ~ Engineer, producer Fred Catero born ~ Active since the 1960s. Has worked with artists such as Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Al Kooper, Linda Ronstadt, Mel Tormé, Tower Of Power, and Santana. Founded Catero Records in the 1980s, focusing on jazz acts such as Herbie Hancock, Ernie Mansfield, Laurie Antonioli and Paul Speer ~ Catero passed away in 2022
February 4, 1933 ~ Avant-garde pianist, composer Toshi Ichiyanagi born in Kobe, Japan ~ Married to Yoko Ono from 1956 to 1962. Considered one of the premier composers in Japan during the postwar era. Has written operas, orchestral works, chamber music, vocal works, electronic music, and soundtracks. Known for a wide range of influences, including Western-style classical music, avant-garde, and traditional Japanese music ~ Ichiyanagi passed away in 2022
February 4, 1931 ~ Rock & roll, R&B, pop saxophonist, singer Gil Bernal born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ In-demand session and touring saxophonist. First gained attention backing Lionel Hampton in the 1950s, alongside Quincy Jones and Jimmy Scott. Notable credits include the Coasters' 1957 hit single Searchin', the Robins' Riot In Cell Block No.9, and Duane Eddy's Rebel Rouser. Has also recorded a number of 1950s singles as a solo artist, notably The Eyes Of Love, It Sure Is Groovy and This Is Worth Fighting For ~ Bernal passed away in 2011February 4, 1929 ~ Guitarist Paul Burlison born in Brownsville, Tennessee, USA ~ Rock & roll pioneer. Founding member of the Johnny Burnette Trio, which also included Dorsey Burnette and Johnny Burnette, known for songs such as Train On A Lonesome Track and Honey Hush. Credited with being one of the first guitarists to intentionally use effects such as distortion and feedback ~ Burlison passed away in 2003
February 4, 1929 ~ Classical clarinetist Stanley Drucker born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Best known for his longtime association with the New York Philharmonic, remaining with the orchestra from 1948 until his retirement in 2009. Active since his mid-teens, Drucker had previously notably played with the Indianopolis Symphony Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Married to clarinetist Naomi Drucker, their son Leon is known as the Stray Cats-bassist Lee Rocker, their daughter Rosanne Drucker is an alternative country singer ~ Drucker passed away in 2022
February 4, 1924 ~ Blues, R&B pianist, singer, songwriter Bob Gaddy born in Vivian, West Virginia, USA ~ Known for recordings such as No Help Wanted, Blues Has Walked Into My Room, Rip & Run, I Love My Baby, Paper Lady and Operator, the latter penned by close friend Champion Jack Dupree. Gaddy worked with Larry Dale, Wild Jimmy Spruill, Sonny Terry and separately with Brownie McGhee ~ Gaddy passed away in 1997
February 4, 1915 ~ Songwriter, lyricist Ray Evans, full name Raymond Bernard Evans, born in Salamanca, New York, USA ~ Best known as songwriting partner of Jay Livingston. Together the pair won an Academy Award for Best Original Song three times, in 1948 for Buttons & Bows from the movie The Paleface, in 1950 for Mona Lisa from the movie Captain Carey USA and in 1956 for the song Que Sera Sera from the Hitchcock movie The Man Who Knew Too Much. The pair also wrote for numerous other films, TV series and stage musicals. Evans co-wrote over 700 songs, also collaborating with artists such as Michael Feinstein, Henry Mancini, Max Steiner, and Victor Young ~ Evans passed away in 2007February 4, 1740 ~ Composer, poet Carl Michael Bellman born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Central figure in Swedish songs tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music and literature. Mixed classical references with comic lyrics both regretting and celebrating sordid drinking and prostitution. Best known for two collections of poems set to music, namely Fredman's Songs and Fredma's Epistles ~ Bellman passed away in 1795