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 12, 1928 ~ Ruth Alston Weston, commonly known as singer Ruth Brown, born in Portsmouth, Virginia, USA ~ Best known for songs such as So Long, Teardrops From My Eyes and Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean. Worked with Duke Ellington, Rudy Toombs, the Flairs, Count Basie, the Lamp-Lighters, Louis Jordan, Christine Kittrell, Pérez Prado, and Thad Jones ~ Brown passed away in 2006January 12, 1927 ~ Jazz tenor saxophonist Guy Lafitte, full name Guy Denis Ferdinand Lafitte, born in Saint Gaudens, France ~ Worked with Mezz Mezzrow, Big Bill Broonzy, Lionel Hampton, Emmett Berry, Wild Bill Davis, Bill Coleman, Frank Pourcel, Peanuts Holland, Hank Jones, George Duvivier, JC Heard, Sammy Price, Lucky Thompson, and Pierre Boussaguet ~ Lafitte passed away in 1998
January 12, 1926 ~ Composer Morton Feldman born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Pioneer of indeterminate music, a development which also included Christian Wolff, Earle Brown and close friend John Cage. Has composed over 180 works including orchestral music, chamber music, and solo pieces for various instruments ~ Feldman passed away in 1987
January 12, 1926 ~ Country, western swing, traditional pop singer Ray Price, full name Noble Ray Price born in Perryville, Texas, USA ~ Blessed with a warm, smooth baritone voice and influenced by honky tonk and jazz Price is considered one of the best male singers in country history. Known for songs such as Release Me, Crazy Arms, Heartaches By The Number, Invitation To The Blues, For The Good Times, Night Life and You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me. His backing band, the Cherokee Cowboys formed in 1953, at times included musicians such as Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Darrell McCall, Van Howard, Johnny Paycheck, Johnny Bush, Buddy Emmons, Pete Wade, Jan Kurtis, Shorty Lavender, and Buddy Spicher ~ Price passed away in 2013January 12, 1923 ~ Juan Alberto Ficicchia, commonly known a jazz drummer Tito Alberti, born in Zarate, Argentina ~ Father of Soda Stereo-drummer Charly Alberti. Best known for founding Jazz Casino, fusing Caribbean steel drums with Latin jazz. Has also worked with Xavier Cugat, and Dámaso Pérez Prado ~ Ficicchia passed away in 2009
January 12, 1916 ~ James Columbus McShann, commonly known as pianist, bandleader Jay McShann, born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA ~ Veteran pianist active from the mid 1930s onwards with well over 40 albums to his name as leader or co-leader. Known for leading ensembles that included then-unknown future stars such as Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, Gene Ramey, and Jimmy Witherspoon. Faded from public view by the early 1950s, to resurface by the late 1960s. McShann continued to perform and record well into his eighties ~ McShann passed away in 2006
January 12, 1912 ~ James Young, commonly known as swing trombonist, songwriter Trummy Young, born in Savannah, Georgia, USA ~ Closely associated with Louis Armstrong. Also worked with Jimmie Lunceford, Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Clyde Hart, Buck Clayton, Billy May, Mildred Bailey, and Chris Barber. Co-wrote T'Ain't What You Do It's The Way That You Do It, a hit for both Lunceford and Ella Fitzgerald, and Traveling Light which was recorded with Billie Holiday ~ Young passed away in 1984
January 12, 1905 ~ Woodward Maurice Ritter, commonly known as country singer, actor Tex Ritter, born near Murvaul, Texas, USA ~ Popular from the 1930s through the 1960s. Early country pioneer. Known for starring numerous westerns on radio, TV, screen such as the 1936 film Song Of The Gringo. First artist to be signed to Capitol Records. Known for songs such as I'm Wastin' My Tears On You, When You Leave Don't Slam The Door, and I Dreamed Of A Hillbilly Heaven ~ Ritter passed away in 1974
January 12, 1904 ~ Hill country blues guitarist, singer, songwriter Mississippi Fred McDowell born in Rossville, Tennessee, USA ~ Known for songs such as Shake 'Em On Down, Kokomo Blues and You Gotta Move, the latter best known to rock audiences as covered by the Rolling Stones on their quintessential Sticky Fingers album ~ McDowell passed away in 1972