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 11, 1985 ~ Jazz drummer Kenny Clare, full name Kenneth Cloudsley Clare, passed away in London, UK ~ Following a stint in the Army, Clare would get his professional start in music in 1947 playing with Oscar Rabin. Clare would subsequently work with Jack Parnell, Johnny Dankworth, Dudley Moore, Ted Heath, and the Sounds Orchestral. Perhaps best known for his association with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band, initially filling in for Kenny Clarke when Clarke was unavailable and later filling a more permanent position including on albums such as All Smiles and Fellini 712. Over the course of his career, Clare has also accompanied singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Cleo Laine. After his death, singer Tony Bennett held a tribute concert as a tribute to Clare, who was a fan of Bennett ~ Clare was born in 1929
January 11, 1985 ~ Singer, songwriter Newton Faulkner, full name Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner, born in Surrey, UK ~ Plays numerous instruments including guitar, bass, piano, mandolin, guzheng, kazoo and ukulele. Debuted in 2007 with the Hand Built By Robots, which spawned the UK top 10 hit Dream Catch Me. Showing a sense of humor Faulkner named his 2009 sophomore album Rebuilt By Humans. Cast as Johnny in the musical American Idiot for the 2016 UK tour, a musical based on songs from Green DayJanuary 11, 1981 ~ Jamelia Niela Davis, commonly known as singer, songwriter, TV personality Jamelia, born in Birmingham, UK ~ Released her debut album, Drama, in 2000. Known for a number of UK hits including Money featuring Beenie Man, Superstar, Thank You and See It In A Boy's Eyes
January 11, 1975 ~ Jason Michael Bhosal Diakite, commonly known as hip-hop, reggae rapper, singer Timbuktu, born in Lund, Sweden ~ First gained attention in the late 1990s as member of rap group Excel. Debuted as a solo artist in 2000 with the album T2 Kontrakultur. Best known for songs such as Alla Vill Till Himmelen Men Ingen Vill Do, Resten Av Ditt Liv and Flickan Och Krakån, all of which reached the top 10 in the singer's native Sweden
January 11, 1975 ~ Aaron Funk, commonly known as breakcore, IDM, drum and bass, industrial, noise, experimental programmer, sampler, drummer, keyboardist Venetian Snares, born in Winnipeg, Canada ~ Pioneered breakcore through his use of complex drums, eclectic use of samples and in particular odd time signatures. Best known for his acclaimed 2005 Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett release, merging breakbeats with orchestral samples
January 11, 1972 ~ Singer, voice actor, actor Christian Jacobs born in Rexburg, Idaho, USA ~ Best known as actor, co-creator of the Nick Jr children's TV show Yo Gabba Yo. Also co-founder, lead singer of the Aquabats of the accompanying TV show The Aquabats Super Show
January 11, 1971 ~ Mary Jane Blige, commonly known as singer, songwriter, actress Mary J Blige born in New York, New York, USA ~ By far the most successful female artist since the 1990s. Has sold over 80 million records starting with her 1992 What's The 411 album. Known for songs such as Real Love, Not Gon' Cry, Family Affair, No More Drama, and Be Without You
January 11, 1968 ~ Pop, country pop singer Glen Campbell records I Wanna Live at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California ~ Written by John D Loudermilk. Produced by regular collaborator Al De Lory. Paired with That's All That Matters on the flip side, Glen Campbell would release the single in March 1968. It would become Campbell's first Billboard Country No.1 hit. Country singer Eddy Raven would score a modest hit with his 1976 cover
January 11, 1967 ~ Rock guitarist, singer Jimi Hendrix records The Wind Cries Mary at De Lane Lea Studios, London, UK ~ Written by Jimi Hendrix. Produced by Chas Chandler. Reportedly written as a love song for his then girlfriend Kathy Etchingham after and argument with her about cookng lumpy mashed potatoes, using her middle name of Mary in the song title. Released as a UK single, b/w Highway Chile, the following May. Also used as the flip side of the American Purple Haze single released the following June
January 11, 1965 ~ Pop, surf outfit the Beach Boys record Do You Wanna Dance at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, California ~ Written and previously recorded by Bobby Freeman. Produced by Brian Wilson. Session musicians included Hal Blaine, Plas Johnson, Leon Russell, Tommy Tedesco, and Julius Wechter. Included on the 1965 The Beach Boys Today album. Issued as a single, b/w Please Let Me Wonder, it would reach top 20 Billboard Hot 100
January 11, 1965 ~ Jazz pop, alternative country singer, songwriter Kelly Hogan born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Worked with Jody Grind, the Rock A Teens, the Decemberists, Neko Case, Jon Langford, the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Booker T Jones, James Gadson, Silkworm, Jakob Dylan, Mavis Staples, and Alejandro EscovedoJanuary 11, 1964 ~ Siobhan Maher Kennedy, commonly known as singer Siobhan Maher, born in Liverpool, UK ~ Lead vocalist, founding member of River City People, known best for the 1990 hit Carry The Blame. Subsequently worked with the Bangles singer Debbi Peterson, recording under the moniker Kindred Spirit
January 11, 1963 ~ Blues harpist, singer Sonny Boy Williamson II records Bring It On Home at Chess Studios, Chicago, Illinois ~ Written by Willie Dixon. Produced by Leonard Chess, Phil Chess and Dixon. Sonny Boy Williamson II would be backed by Matt Guitar Murphy on guitar, Milton Rector on bass, and Al Duncan on drums. Released in 1966, featuring Down Child on the flip side. British hard rock outfit Led Zeppelin would record a version of Bring It On Home for their Led Zeppelin II album. The intro and outro are taken from Sonny Boy's original, the rest of the track an original composition by Jimmy Page and Robert PlantJanuary 11, 1961 ~ Eva Ortiz, commonly known as gothic rock, death rock, punk rock, hard rock singer, guitarist Eva O, born in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Dubbed “the Queen of Darkness” and considered influential on gothic rock and death rock. Co-founded all-female trio Super Heroines, known best for the album Love And Pain originally recorded in 1983. Ortiz has recorded about half a dozen albums as a solo artist, and worked with Christian Death and Shadow Project
January 11, 1960 ~ Guitarist, singer Vicki Peterson, full name Victoria Anne Theresa Peterson, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Lead guitarist for the Bangles since its formation in 1981, scoring Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits with Manic Monday, Walk Like An Egyptian, Hazy Shade Of Winter, In Your Room, and Eternal Flame. Following the band's initial disbandement has worked with the Continental Drifters, the Psycho Sisters, the Hoodoo Gurus, Tom Petty, and Belinda Carlisle. Married to singer, drummer John Cowsill since 2003January 11, 1959 ~ Jazz pianist Simon Nabatov born in Moscow, Russia ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Ed Schuller, Paul Motian, Ray Anderson, Arthur Blythe, Steve Lacy, Perry Robinson, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey, Nils Wogram, Phil Minton, Drew Gress, Ernst Reijseger, Han Bennink, Cor Fuhler, Mark Dresser, Franco Ambrosetti, and Akira Sakata
January 11, 1958 ~ Pop, reggae singer, bassist, songwriter Trevor Taylor, full name Trevor Oliver Taylor, born in Montego Bay, Jamaica ~ Lead singer of Bad Boys Blue, known for their 1985 hit You're A Woman. Also worked with UB40, Umoya, Temper Temper, and the Mondo Club ~ Taylor passed away in 2008
January 11, 1956 ~ Henry Lee Jackson, commonly known as rapper Big Bank Hank, born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Discovered by Sylvia Robinson. Best known as member of Sugarhill Gang known for their crossover hit Rapper's Delight. Also manager of local hip-hoppers the Cold Crush Brothers and of Grandmaster Caz ~ Jackson passed away in 2014
January 11, 1956 ~ Singer, guitarist, mandolinist, songwriter Robert Earl Keen born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Released his solo debut album, No Kinda Dancer, in 1984. Has recorded to critical acclaim and admiration from peers since. On par with icons such as Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. Draws from folk, country, bluegrass, rock. Had his songs recorded by George Strait, Joe Ely, Lyle Lovett, the Highwaymen, Nanci Griffith, and the Dixie Chicks
January 11, 1956 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal, glam metal drummer Steve Riley born in Revere, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as a member of WASP during the mid to late 1980s, recording three albums with the band, and as a longtime member of the LA Guns, present on the band's best known including the 1988 LA Guns debut album, and its 1989 Cocked And Loaded follow-up. Riley can also be heard on albums by Roadmaster, Open Hand, George Lynch, and Bulletboys ~ Riley passed away in 2023January 11, 1952 ~ Reggae, rocksteady, dancehall singer Dawn Penn born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Best known for You Don't Love Me (No No No), a hit in Jamaica in 1967 based on the Willie Cobbs 1960 blues song You Don't Love Me. Penn's 1994 rerecording would become a hit in America and across Europe
January 11, 1949 ~ Singer Daryl Braithwaite born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Lead singer of Sherbet, one of Australia's most successful 1970s acts known for songs such as Cassandra, Slipstream, Silvery Moon, Summer Love and perhaps their best known HowzatJanuary 11, 1949 ~ Frederick Dennis Greene, commonly known as singer Denny Greene, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of Sha Na Na. Sang at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Appeared in the movie Grease taking the lead vocals on Tears On My Pillow ~ Greene passed away in 2015
January 11, 1946 ~ Francis Deprijck, commonly known as pop, disco, samba, ska singer, songwriter Lou Deprijck, born in Lessines, Belgium ~ First gained attention as member of Two Man Sound, actually a trio with Sylvain Vanholme and Yves Lacomblez, merging Latin rhythms with disco. The band is known for their 1975 million-seller Charlie Brown, written and recorded by Benito di Paula the previous year, and Disco Samba. Deprijck is also known as thriving force behind Plastic Bertrand, notably providing lead vocals, songwriting and production for the 1978 pastiche Ça Plane Pour Moi. Originally a B-side the single would be re-released with sides flipped, reach top 10 across Europe and later be covered by dozens of artists including Sonic Youth, Leila K, and the Presidents of the United States. In the 1980s Deprijck would find chart success producing Viktor Lazlo ~ Deprijck passed away in 2023
January 11, 1946 ~ Diana Ellen Judd, commonly known as country singer Naomi Judd, born in Ashlan, Kentucky, USA ~ Mother of Wynonna Judd, with whom she formed the successful country duo the Judds. The duo scored numerous No.1 hits on the Billboard Country charts throughout the early 1990s, including Mama He's Crazy, Why Not Me, Have Mercy, Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days), I Know Where I'm Going and Let Me Tell You About Love ~ Judd passed away in 2022January 11, 1946 ~ Anthony John Selvidge, commonly known as progressive rock, rock keyboardist Tony Kaye born in Leicester, UK ~ Co-founding member of Yes remaining with the band for the first three albums, rejoined in later years including for the 1983 90125 album. Following his initial departure from the band formed Badger, with whom he recorded the albums One Live Badger and White Lady. Has also worked with Detective, Badfinger, Circa, the Bonzo Dog Band, John Wetton, and David Bowie