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.
January 10, 1915 ~ Woodrow Wilson Johnson, commonly known as jump blues, R&B pianist, bandleader, songwriter Buddy Johnson, born in Darlington, South Carolina, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for Since I Fell For You, recorded in 1945 with his orchestra and with his sister Ella Johnson singing lead vocals. It has since become a blues, jazz standard. Other well known songs include Let's Beat Out Some Love, Baby Don't You Cry, When My Man Comes Home and They All Say I'm The Biggest Fool ~ Johnson passed away in 1977
January 10, 1913 ~ Baritone saxophonist Haywood Henry, full name Frank Haywood Henry, born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Member of the Bama State Collegians, renamed to the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra when Erskine Hawkins took leadership. Has also worked with Tiny Grimes, Julian Dash, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Eddie Harris, Willis Jackson, Rex Stewart, Brook Benton, Bill Doggett, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Rusty Bryant, King Curtis, Aretha Franklin (on the quintessential Lady Soul album), Jimmy Witherspoon, Wilbur de Paris, Max Kaminsky, Snub Mosley, Louis Metcalf, Steve Turre, Earl Hines, Sy Oliver, and the New York Jazz Repertory Company. Reportedly sessioned on over 1,000 rock & roll records in the 1950s and 1960s, many of them uncredited ~ Henry passed away in 1994
January 10, 1899 ~ Violinist Daniel Guilet born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia ~ Member of the Calvet Quartet. Toured France as Maurice Ravel's accompanist. Relocated to America during World War II, joining the NBC Symphony Orchestra a few years later initially serving under Arturo Toscanini promoted to concertmaster in the early 1950s. Best known for co-founding the Beaux Arts Trio in 1954 with cellist Bernard Greenhouse and pianist Menahem Pressler ~ Guilet passed away in 1990
January 10, 1899 ~ Composer, author, child actor Kenneth Casey born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best remembered for co-writing Sweet Georgia Brown with Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard. The first recorded version would be Bernie's, but the song would become a standard recorded by numerous artists including Bing Crosby, Charlie Parker, Brother Bones, Anita O'Day, Tony Sheridan, Nancy Sinatra, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roberta Flack ~ Casey passed away in 1965January 10, 1898 ~ Songwriter Arthur Johnston, full name Arthur James Johnston, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Frequent collaborator of Irving Berlin, Johnny Burke, Sam Coslow. Well known songs co-written by Johnston include Just One More Chance (Abe Lyman, Ruth Etting, Sammy Fain), Pennies From Heaven (Eddy Duchin, Teddy Wilson, Dinah Washington), The Moon Got In My Eyes (Bing Crosby, Mildred Bailey, Chick Bullock), Mandy Make Up Your Mind (Paul Whiteman, Muggsy Spanier), Cocktails For Two (Johnny Green, Spike Jones, Keely Smith), and Between A Kiss And A Sigh (Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Kay Kyser) ~ Johnston passed away in 1954