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 16, 1930 ~ Drummer, pianist, bandleader Art Hickman, full name Arthur George Hickman, passed away in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Worked with Ben Black, Earl Burtnett, Fred Coffman, Clyde Doerr, Frank Ellis, Dick Noolan, Ed Fitzpatrick, Jess Fitzpatrick, Roy Fox, Roy Hoback, Vic King, Lou Marcasie, Hank Miller, Mark Moica, Bert Ralton, Juan Ramos, Forrest Ray, Walt Rosemar, Bela Spiller, Dick Winfree, and Flo Ziegfield ~ Hickman was born in 1886
January 16, 1930 ~ Henry Berthold Robinson, commonly known as jazz tenor saxophonist Spike Robinson born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA ~ While in the Navy, as a musician, and stationed in Britain played with English beboppers such as Tommy Pollard, Johnny Dankworth, and Victor Feldman. Worked as an engineer for the next three decades before returning to music recording with Victor Feldman, Ray Brown, Dick Morrisey, Bill Le Sage, Alec Dankworth, Bill Eyden, Louis Stewart, Harry Sweets Edison, Al Cohn, Roy Williams, and Claude Tissendier ~ Robinson passed away in 2001January 16, 1929 ~ Wilbert Granville Thodore Hogan Jr, commonly known as jazz drummer GT Hogan, born in Galveston, Texas, USA ~ Played with Earl Bostic, Randy Weston, Kenny Drew, Kenny Dorham, Ray Charles, Elmo Hope, Bud Powell, Walter Bishop Jr, Earl Coleman, Hank Crawford, Curtis Fuller, Wilbur Harden, Cal Massey, Leo Parker, Ike Quebec, and with AK Salim ~ Hogan passed away in 2004
January 16, 1928 ~ Edward Lamonte Franklin, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Guitar Pete Franklin born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Best known for songs such as Guitar Pete's Blues and Casey Brown Blues. Influenced by guitarist Scrapper Blackwell and pianist Leroy Carr. Has worked with St Louis Jimmy Oden, Jazz Gillum, John Brim, Sunnyland Slim, Tampa Red ~ Franklin passed away in 1975
January 16, 1914 ~ Eugene Moss, commonly known as Piedmont blues harpist, guitarist, singer Buddy Moss, born in Jewell, Georgia, USA ~ Best known for his early to mid 1930s recordings, notably Hey Lawdy Mama which would become a jazz and blues standard recorded by Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Freddie King (titled See See Mama), Junior Wells, and Cream. Moss has collaborated Curley Weaver, Fred McMullen, Blind Willie McTell, Ruth Willis, and Josh White ~ Moss passed away in 1984
January 16, 1913 ~ Vito Gugliermo Musso, commonly known as saxophonist Vido Musso born in Palermo, Italy ~ Recorded three albums as a leader in the mid 1950s, noted most for his sophomore effort The Swingin'st which featured Maynard Ferguson and Milt Bernhart. Spent most of his career as a sideman. Closely associated with Stan Kenton, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums including Kenton In Hi-Fi released in 1956. Other associations include Harry James, Lionel Hampton, Tommy Dorsey, Billie Holiday, Martha Tilton, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Carl Fontana ~ Musso passed away in 1982
January 16, 1908 ~ Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, commonly known as singer Ethel Merman, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Dubbed “the First Lady of the Musical Comedy Stage” and known for introducing songs such as I Got Rhythm, Everything's Coming Up Roses, Some People, Rose's Turn, It's De-lovely, Friendship, I Get A Kick Out Of You, You're The Top, Anything Goes, and There's No Business Like Show Business ~ Zimmermann passed away in 1984January 16, 1902 ~ Pianist, songwriter Evelyn Danzig born in Waco, Texas, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-writing Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair with Jack Segal, recorded by Jo Stafford, Harry Belafonte, the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Sinéad O'Connor, the Lennon Sisters, Wayne Newton, Perry Como, and Dinah Shore ~ Danzig passed away in 1996
January 16, 1894 ~ Isador Minsky, commonly known as music publisher, composer, songwriter Irving Mills, born in Odessa, Ukraine ~ Best known as music publisher, working with songwriters such as Zez Confrey, Sammy Fain, Harry Barris, Gene Austin, Hoagy Carmichael, Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. Mills was incremental to the careers of artists such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Ben Pollack, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Will Hudson, and Raymond Scott ~ Mills passed away in 1985January 16, 1885 ~ Actress, singer Irène Bordoni born in Ajaccio, France ~ Child actress in silent films. Would go on to a lengthy career on stage and screen, including several Broadway musicals notably The French Doll1 in 1922 introducing the George Gershwin-penned Do It Again and Paris in 1928 which spawned the hit Let\s Do It (Let's Fall In Love), the first big succes for songwriter Cole Porter ~ Bordoni passed away in 1953