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 5, 2026 ~ Bassist Fred Smith passed away ~ Original member of Blondie, departing the band in 1975 to join Television replacing Richard Hell. Present on all of the band's albums, including the acclaimed Marquee Moon album released in 1977. Smith has also appeared on bandmates Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd's solo albums. Has also collaborated with the Roches, Willie Nile, the Peregrins, and the Revelons ~ Smith was born in 1948
February 5, 2025 ~ Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr, commonly known as producer, label executive Irv Gotti, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Helped shape R&B in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Co-founded Murder Inc label. Discovered Ashanti for whom he produced her eponymous Ashanti debut album. The album sold over 3 million copies in the USA, earned the singer 3 Grammy Awards, and spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Foolish and Happy, both produced or co-produced by Gotti. Other notable tracks produced or written by Gotti include Holla Holla for Ja Rule, Ain't It Funny and I'm Real for Jennifer Lopez, What's Luv for Fat Joe, and Rainy Dayz for Mary J Blige. Gotti has also worked with artists such as Mic Geronimo, Jay-Z, Amil, Foxxy Brown, DMX, Aaliyah, Christina Milian, Eve, Memphis Bleek, Kanye West, and Charlie Wilson. In 2002, Gotti told the Guardian: “People get confused because it sells like pop music. But we make black music first and foremost, and all our records is ‘hood first’.” Gotti passed away at age 54 with no official cause of death announced, yet the renowned producer and label executive had been battling diabetes-related issues and suffered a stroke the year before his death ~ Lorenzo was born in 1970
February 5, 2025 ~ Psychedelic folk, psychedelic rock, jazz rock, new age organist, pianist, flutist Mike Ratledge, full name Michael Roland Ratledge, passed away in Kent, UK ~ Important figure in the Canterbury scene. Founding member of Soft Machine and last original member to leave the group, doing so in 1976. Present on the band's first eight albums, 1975's Bundles being the last to feature Ratledge. Has also worked with Wilde Flowers, Kevin Ayers, Syd Barrett, Elton Dean, David Bedford, and Karl Jenkins ~ Ratledge was born in 1943
February 5, 2024 ~ Toby Keith Covel, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, actor Toby Keith, passed away in Oklahoma, USA ~ Tried out for the Oklahoma Outlaws professional football team but did not make the team. Had promised himself to have a recording contract by age 30, or give up on music as a career. Keith released his eponymous Toby Keith debut album in 1993, which included his Should've Been A Cowboy Billboard Country No.1 debut single. Keith would go on to record some twenty-odd albums and sell over 40 million records. Became a household name with Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue (The Angry American), released in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Over the course of his career, Keith would rack up over a dozen Billboard Country No.1 hits including You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This, the Willie Nelson-duet Beer For My Horses, Love Me If You Can, She Never Cried In Front Of Me, and Made In America ~ Covel was born in 1961
February 5, 2023 ~ Lillian Walker-Moss, commonly known as R&B, pop singer Lillian Walker, passed away ~ Member of girl group the Exciters, known for the 1962 hit single Tell Him which reached top 10 both on the Billboard R&B and all-genre Billboard Hot 100 charts. Over time the song would be critically regarded as one of the all-time greatest girl group songs ~ Walker was born in 1944
February 5, 2023 ~ Pop rock bassist, singer Phil Spalding, full name Philip Trevor Spalding, passed away ~ Session and touring musician active since the mid 1970s. Closely associated with Toyah Willcox, backing Willcox on tour and on record during the early 1980s. Member of GTR, present on the eponymous 1986 GTR album. Has also worked with Bernie Tormé, the Original Mirrors, Julia Downes, Terence Trent d'Arby (Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby), Roger Chapman, Matthew Sweet, Marcella Detroit, Joe Cocker, Mick Jagger (Goddess In The Doorway), Melanie C, Beverley Knight, and Delta Goodrem ~ Spalding was born in 1957February 5, 2021 ~ Singer, rapper, songwriter Abdoul Jabbar passed away in Conakry, Guinea ~ Member of dance group ABC. Also sang with Libre Avo-K, Speed Goys, Dougou Faga, Staff Homogene. Released his Touligbeli solo debut album in 2005 ~ Jaffar was born ca.1980
February 5, 2021 ~ Gospel singer, songwriter Douglas Miller, full name Douglas Lee Miller, passed away ~ Debuted in 1984 with the I Still Love The Name Jesus album which reached top 10 on the Billboard Gospel album charts. Would continue to record through the early 1990s with three more albums reaching top 20 and one, his 1985 sophomore Unspeakable Joy effort, also making it to the top 10 ~ Miller was born in 1949
February 5, 2020 ~ Country rock pedal steel guitarist Buddy Cage passed away ~ Member of the New Riders Of The Purple Sage from 1971 through 1982, with a small hiatus during the late 1970s. In-demand session musician, has collaborated with the likes of Anne Murray, the Great Speckled Bird, Brewer & Shipley, Bob Dylan (Blood On The Tracks), David Bromberg, Solar Circus, Jorge Ferreira, Slipknot, the Brooklyn Cowboys, the Zen Tricksters, and Ronnie Penque ~ Cage was born in 1946February 5, 2017 ~ Emmett Peter Geraci, commonly known as pop singer, songwriter Sonny Geraci, passed away in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ First gained attention fronting the Outsiders, known for songs such as Time Won't Let Me, Respectable (What Kind Of Girl Is This), Girl In Love and Help Me Girl. Member of Climax, scoring the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Precious And Few ~ Geraci was born in 1946
February 5, 2016 ~ Composer, keyboardist Ray Colcord passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Film and TV composer. Known for series such as The Facts Of Life, My Two Dads, Dinosaurs, Boy Meets World, and for films such as Killer By Nature and Heartwood. Before turning to composing Colcord worked as a session musician, and notably appeared on Lou Reed's 1974 live album Rock 'n Roll Animal as well as on Don McLean's 1971 acclaimed American Pie album ~ Colcord was born in 1949
February 5, 2014 ~ Conductor Richard Hayman, full name Richard Warren Joseph Hayman, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for his longtime association with the Boston Pops Orchestra. In the classical world, Hayman has also worked with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the St Louis Symphony, and the Grand Rapids Symphony. In pop music, Hayman has arranged for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Bob Hope, Liza Minnelli, and Olivia Newton-John ~ Hayman was born in 1920
February 5, 2013 ~ Trombonist Paul Tanner passed away in Carlsbad, California, USA ~ Best known for his association with Glenn Miller, playing with the the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1938 to 1942. Also known for developing the Electro-theremin, which he played on the opening theme of the TV show My Favorite Martian and on several recordings by the Beach Boys including Good Vibrations, Wild Honey and I Just Wasn't Made For These Times ~ Tanner was born in 1917
February 5, 2012 ~ Pop, rock, country keyboardist, producer Al De Lory, full name Alfred V De Lory, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known as producer and arranger for a string of 1960s hits by Glen Campbell, including Gentle On My Mind, By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Wichita Lineman, and Galveston. As a session musician De Lory had played keyboards for various Phil Spector-productions, including He's A Rebel by the Crystals, and notably guested on the Beach Boys landmark 1966 Pet Sounds album ~ De Lory was born in 1930
February 5, 2010 ~ Singer Rihanna releases Rude Boy, lifted off her Rated R album ~ Although Rihanna originally hails from Barbados, on the overtly sexual Rude Boy she borrows from Jamaican slang where ‘rude boy’ refers to any young, Jamaican male who is an agressive social dropout. In a contemporary interview, Rihanna told Q Magazine the song is about “the kind of street bad boy that girls sometimes like, there's a danger and a swagger there.” Upon its release, the single was warmly received by critics and would top the charts in over half a dozen countries including America, where it held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks before being dethroned by BoB's Nothing On You. In 2023, after Rihanna performed the song at the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, Rude Boy resurged in popularity and went viral on social media as a dance challengeFebruary 5, 1998 ~ Jazz guitarist, composer Nick Webb passed away in London, UK ~ Folk-influenced acoustic guitarist. Best known as half of smooth jazz duo Acoustic Alchemy, the other half being flamenco guitarist Simon James, known for recording in-flight music for Virgin Airlines transatlantic flights and several albums starting with Red Dust And Spanish Lace released in 1987 ~ Webb was born in 1954
February 5, 1994 ~ Kenneth Scott, commonly known as blues guitarist Buddy Scott, passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Member of doo-wop outfit Masqueraders. Formed Scotty & the Rib Tips, known for a handful of late 1960s singles. Released a sole solo album, 1993's Bad Avenue, shortly before his death ~ Scott was born in 1935
February 5, 1989 ~ Pianist, singer Joe Raposo, full name Joseph Guilherme Raposo, passed away in Bronxville, New York, USA ~ Best known for his work on the children's TV series Sesame Street, for which he wrote the theme song as well as songs such as Bein' Green and C Is For Cookie. Also composed for other TV series, notably Shining Time Station, Three's Company and The Ropers ~ Raposo was born in 1937
February 5, 1987 ~ Singer, actor Darren Criss, full name Darren Everett Criss born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Starred in the musical TV series Glee from 2010 through 2015. Has also appeared on Broadway and won an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for his leading role as spree killer in the 2018 The Assassination Of Gianni Versace (American Crime Story) TV seriesFebruary 5, 1987 ~ Jazz pianist Shai Maestro born in Israel ~ Leader and sideman. Got his start with Avishai Cohen, touring and recording four albums between 2008 and 2011 with the Avishai Cohen Trio which also included drummer Mark Giuliana. Released his debut as a leader, the eponymous The Shai Maestro Trio, in 2012 and has been recording steadily to critical acclaim since
February 5, 1986 ~ Singer Prince releases Kiss as lead single off his Parade album ~ Prince initially gave the demo version to funk outfit Mazarati, who further worked out the song. Eventually though, Prince decided to finish the song himself. The final cut was a hard sell for Warner Brothers, who were reluctant to include the song on the Parade album, and even more so to issue it as a single. Prince insisted and it would be released as the album's lead single, and give him his third Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit after When Doves Cry and Let's Go Crazy. Both funk band Mazarati, some of whose additions Prince kept, and Prince's regular bassist Brownmark, who most likely wrote the second verse, were upset they were not given co-writing creditFebruary 5, 1984 ~ Singer, guitarist Ale Vanzella born in Guapore, Brazil ~ Mixes bossa nova with indie rock. Influenced by João Gilberto, Roberto Menescal, Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho, Walter Santos, Nirvana, the Strokes, the Killers, Interpol, the Kinks, the Foo Fighters, and by Arcade Fire
February 5, 1984 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Tyler Farr, full name Tyler Lynn Farr, born in Garden City, Missouri, USA ~ Classically trained opera singer turned country. Debuted with the album Redneck Crazy in 2013. Best known for his 2015 hit A Guy Walks Into A Bar. Co-wrote Hey Y'All recorded by Cole Swindell and She's Just Like That recorded by Joe Nichols
February 5, 1978 ~ Theodore Arrington, commonly known as rapper, producer Vast Aire, born in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Member of underground hip-hop group the Weathermen. Half of New York hip-hop duo Cannibal Ox, the other half being Vordul Mega. Has also worked with the Atoms Family, Aesop Rock, Illogic, Blueprint, the Wu-Tang Clan (Slow Blues), Atari Blitzkrieg, Lewis Parker, and Mind Over Matter
February 5, 1976 ~ Jazz, rock & roll saxophonist Rudy Pompilli, full name Rudolph Clement Pompilli, full name Rudolph Clement Pompilli, passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Started in jazz, playing with among others Ralph Marterie. Joined Bill Haley's backing unit the Comets in 1955 replacing Joey Ambrose and quickly learned the rock & roll routine which included playing the sax while laying on-stage on his back making Pompilli one of the most visible Comets. Pompilli remained with the band for two decades, present on most of the band's biggest hits including Rock Around The Clock. Pompilli is tributed in the instrumental song Rudy's Rock, a concert favorite, and co-wrote Week-End ~ Pompilli was born in 1924
February 5, 1976 ~ Songwriter, pianist Sol Marcus passed away in Linden, New Jersey, USA ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Bennie Benjamin, Eddie Seiler, Guy Wood. Songs co-written by Marcus include Till Then (the Mills Brothers, Ray Peterson, Sammy Davis Jr), Ask Anyone Who Knows (the Ink Spots), Fabulous Character (Sarah Vaughan), Lonely Man and Anyone Could Fall In Love With You (Elvis Presley), Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Nina Simone, the Animals, Elvis Costello), Forever My Darling (the Crew Cuts), I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire (Harlan Leonard, the Charioteers, Vera Lynn), and You're All I Want For Christmas (Brook Benton) ~ Marcus was born in 1912