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 24, 2025 ~ Anthony Leonard Platt, commonly known as hip hop, Southern hip hop hype man, rapper, DJ Unk, passed away in Beverly Hills, California, USA ~ Considered a cornerstone of Atlanta rap, helpful in propelling Southern rap into mainstream. Platt has recorded two albums, Beat'n Down Yo Block released in 2006 and 2econd Season issued two years later. His debut album spawned two major hits, Walk It Out which reached No.10 Billboard Hot 100 and its followup 2 Step which reached No.24. The former is best known as a remix which included four additional verses featuring OutKast, Unk himself, and Jim Jones. Regarding Walk It Out, the rapper would later tell Billboard he was thrilled to be working with OutKast's André 3000: “I still can't believe that to this day. I never dreamed that he would get on a record like that because he's so powerful as far as hip-hop and music and everything, so it's a blessing. That was a dream come true. It was like doing a song with Michael Jackson.” Platt has also appeared as a featured artist on tracks by Johnta Austin, Montana, and Three 6 Mafia ~ Platt was born in 1982
January 24, 2017 ~ Rock bassist Björn Thelin passed away in Angelholm, Sweden ~ Best known for co-founding the Rebels with guitarist Bo Starander. The duo would evolve into the Spotnicks, arguably the first Swedish group to have significant international succes. Well-known songs include Amapola, Drina, Just Listen To My Heart, and Papa Oom Mow Mow ~ Thelin was born in 1942
January 24, 2017 ~ Claude Hudson Trucks, commonly known as drummer Butch Trucks, passed away in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA ~ Co-founding member of 31st of February which would eventually evolve into the Allman Brothers Band, known for songs such as Ramblin' Man, Jessica, Good Clean Fun, Seven Turns, and End Of The Line ~ Trucks was born in 1947January 24, 2017 ~ Power pop, alternative rock drummer, guitarist, singer Gil Ray, full name George Gilbert Ray, passed away ~ Member of Game Theory from 1985 through 1989. Member of Loud Family. Has also recorded as a solo artist and collaborated with the Happy Eggs, Fade To Black, Shiny Wet Parts, and with the Rain Parade ~ Ray was born in 1956
January 24, 2009 ~ Bassist Leonard Gaskin passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Early bebop bassist. Leader and sideman. Worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Cootie Williams, Charlie Parker, Don Byas, Eddie South, Charlie Shavers, Erroll Garner, Eddie Condon, Ruby Braff, Bud Freeman, Rex Stewart, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, Miles Davis, Sy Oliver, Panama Francis, the International Art Of Jazz, Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Scott, Big Maybelle, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, Sunnyland Slim, Red Holloway, Jimmy Witherspoon, Bob Dylan, Willis Jackson, Lightnin' Hopkins, Curtis Jones, Shakey Jake, and Mildred Anderson ~ Gaskin was born in 1920January 24, 1998 ~ Jazz drummer Roy Porter passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Worked with Milt Larkin, Teddy Bunn, Howard McGhee, Charlie Parker (including on seminal recordings A Night In Tunesia, Yardbird Suite, and Ornithology), Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Teddy Edwards, Hampton Hawes, Sonny Criss, Art Farmer, Jimmy Knepper, and Eric Dolphy ~ Porter was born in 1923
January 24, 1998 ~ Jazz pianist Walter Bishop Jr passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Worked with Milt Jackson, Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, Hank Mobley, Jimmy Garrison, GT Hogan, Gene Ammons, Shorty Baker, Doc Cheatham, Art Blakey, Rocky Boyd, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Curtis Fuller, John Handy, Bill Hardman, Ken McIntyre, Blue Mitchell, Oscar Pettiford, Dizzy Reece, Archie Shepp, and with Sonny Stitt ~ Bishop was born in 1927
January 24, 1995 ~ Folk, Celtic folk outfit the Chieftains release their The Long Black Veil album ~ Due to a wide array of guests collaborating on the album, The Long Black Veil has become perhaps the band's best known album, at least to listeners outside their devoted fanbase. Guests include Sting, Sinéad O'Connor, Mark Knopfler, Ry Cooder, Tom Jones, and the Rolling Stones. The track Have I Told You Lately with Van Morrison, originally recorded by Van in 1989, earned the band and singer a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
January 24, 1995 ~ Dance, house producer David Cole, full name David Byron Cole, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for forming C+C Music Factory with regular collaborator Robert Clivilles, scoring a string of early 1990s hits including the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now), Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll), and Things That Make You Go Hmmm. The duo also produced hit records for Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, and Deborah Cooper ~ Cole was born in 1962
January 24, 1994 ~ K-pop singer, actor Yoo Young-jae born in Seoul, South Korea ~ Member of South Korean boy band BAP, enjoying popularity in Japan and South Korea with songs such as 1004 (Angel), Warrior, No Mercy, and Excuse Me. Young-jae has also ventured into acting for film and TV and recorded as a solo artist, starting with his Fancy debut EP released in 2019
January 24, 1992 ~ Conductor, arranger, composer Ken Darby, full name Kenneth Lorin Darby, passed away in Sherman Oaks, California, USA ~ Sang the vocal parts for the Munchkinland mayor in the 1939 Wizard Of Oz. Led the Ken Darby Singers, backng Bing Crosby on the 1942 classic recording of White Christmas. Composer and production supervisor for Walt Disney Studios including for the 1946 animated film Song Of The South. Vocal coach for Marilyn Monroe for the films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and There's No Business Like Show Business. Wrote the lyrics of Elvis Presley's 1956 hit Love Me Tender. Awarded Academy Awards for his work on the scores of the 1959 film Porgy & Bess and the 1967 film Camelot ~ Darby was born in 1909
January 24, 1991 ~ Harold Bradley Jackson, commonly known as country steel guitarist, dobroist Shot Jackson passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Brother of producer Owen Bradley. One of the premier postwar generation steel guitarist and dobroists. Has recorded sporadically as a solo artist, notably Bluegrass Dobro released in 1965, but best known as a first call session musician present on albums by Webb Pierce, Merle Travis, Eddy Arnold, Red Foley, Elvis Presley, Buddy Emmons, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Porter Wagoner (The Cold Hard Facts Of Life), Willie Nelson, Doc Watson, Bashful Brother Oswald, and the Osborne Brothers ~ Jackson passed away in 1920
January 24, 1989 ~ Jazz guitarist, flutist Les Spann passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Started playing professionally in late 1950s assisting Phineas Newborn Jr, Ronnell Bright, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones. As a sideman Spann would appear on records by Nat Adderley, Benny Bailey, Bill Coleman, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Curtis Fuller, Red Garland, Benny Goodman, Sam Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Charles Mingus, Duke Pearson, Jerome Richardson, Charlie Shavers, Sonny Stitt, Randy Weston, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Bill Coleman, and Billy Taylor. Spann recorded one album, 1960's Gemini, as a leader ~ Spann was born in 1932
January 24, 1987 ~ In its 12th week on the charts, At This Moment by Billy Vera & the Beaters hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ First issued as a live recording half a decade earlier, At This Moment would initially only receive moderate attention, stalling at No.79 Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. However, when it was used on several episodes of the NBC sitcom Family Ties, it did gain the public's attention. The 1986 release, this time as a studio recording, would quickly sell a million copies and reached the top spot of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 charts. Billy Vera would later comment: “The thing that made it work better the second time was that the story of the song, boy-loses-girl, was the story of the (Family Ties) episode”
January 24, 1984 ~ Singer, actor Gordon Macrae, full name Albert Gordon Macrae passed away in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA ~ Best known for appearing in the film versions of Oklahoma and Carousel, both musicals composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Has also worked with Harry James, Jo Stafford, Archie Bleyer, and Doris Day on stage including and Broadway and in radio and TV shows ~ MacRae was born in 1921January 24, 1984 ~ Jazz drummer Jason Nazary born in Aviano, Italy ~ As a leader known for the albums Companion II and Boss A Nova. In-demand sideman and collaborator, has worked with Petr Cancura, Darius Jones, Noah K, Jaimie Branch, the Dim Thickets, and Bear In Heaven
January 24, 1983 ~ Country, pop, soft rock singer Kenny Rogers releases We've Got Tonight featuring Sheena Easton, lead single off his album of the same name ~ Written and first recorded by Bob Seger, whose single reached No.13 in 1979. The Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton duet version would surpass Seger's original, topping the Billboard Country charts and peaking at No.6 Billboard Hot 100. Speaking of the cover version, Seger would later comment: “We went over to their offices, and they played it for me. I said it sounds like a hit, but to me, it sounds like the kind of thing my mom would like. It's a little bit Vegasy and heavy on the syrup, but I think Kenny did a good job. It's actually kind of soulful for those two”January 24, 1979 ~ Glendale Goshia Gordon, commonly known as dancehall, reggae DJ, producer, singer Busy Signal, born in St Ann Parish, Jamaica ~ Known for songs such as Jail, Whine Pon Di Edge, These Are The Days and Come Shock Out. Has collaborated with No Doubt on the album Push And Shove. Appears on Major Lazer's single Watch Out For This (Bumaye)
January 24, 1979 ~ Singer Tatyana Ali born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known as an actress, notably portraying the role of Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. Released a sole album, 1998's Kiss The Sky, which produced the hit Daydreamin'. A follow-up single, Boy You Knock Me Out featuring Will Smith would fail to make the Billboard Hot 100
January 24, 1977 ~ Country, pop, soft rock singer Kenny Rogers releases Lucille, lifted off his eponymous Kenny Rogers sophomore album ~ Roger's first major hit as a solo artist after leaving the First Edition the previous year, Lucille writtten by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum told the tale of a woman leaving her husband and children to be with another man. Upon first hearing the song Kenny Rogers' mother admonished her son, as her name is Lucille, yet the singer explained he had not written the song himself and nobody in his right mind would ever think she would leave her husband and four hungry children. Lucille would reach No.1 Billboard Country, the first of some twenty-odd Country charttoppers throughout his career, and earned the singer a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. Lucille also did well in the UK where it became the first of two No.1 hits on the pop charts, later followed by Coward Of The County. Over the years, Lucille would be covered by over an estimated hundred artists, including translations in Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, French, German, and ItalianJanuary 24, 1973 ~ Piper, flutist Willie Clancy passed away in Galway, Ireland ~ Influenced by Leo Rowsome, Séamus Ennis, John Potts, Andy Conroy. Best known for a number of mid 1950s recordings, perhaps most notably The Old Bush/The Ravelled Hank Of Yarn ~ Clancy was born in 1918
January 24, 1972 ~ Lemeul Eugene Lucas, commonly known as singer, songwriter Gene Austin, passed away in Palm Springs, California, USA ~ One of the first crooners. Best known for his 1928 hit My Blue Heaven, which sold 5 million copies making it the all-time best-selling record. Other well known recordings include his 1925 breakthrough hit When My Sugar Walks Down The Street which he recorded with Aileen Stanley and 1927's The Lonesome Road, both co-written by Austin and becoming jazz and pop standards recorded by numerous artists ~ Lucas was born in 1900January 24, 1971 ~ Rock, pop guitarist Dennis van Leeuwen born in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Best known as co-founder of Kane. After the band's disbandement in 2014 turned to music management and producing, working wih acts such as Go Back To The Zoo and Di-rect
January 24, 1970 ~ Patrick Brown Sleepy, commonly known as producer, songwriter Sleepy Brown born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Son of saxophonist, singer Jimmy Brown. Recording artist, producer, songwriter. Worked with the Society Of Soul, Beyoncé, Big Boi, Ludacris, Bubba Sparxxx, and Dungeon Family. One third of production team Organized Noize, the force behind hits for artists such as OutKast, Goodie Mob, and TLC (Waterfalls)
January 24, 1967 ~ R&B singer Aretha Franklin records I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) at Muscle Shoals Studios, Sheffield, Alabama, used as the lead single and title track off her breakthrough album ~ Nowadays it's hard to imagine, but there was a time when Aretha Franklin did not sell records. When Columbia Records dropped the singer after nine disappointing albums, consisting mostly of jazz standards and a bit of gospel, Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler saw an opportunity and signed the future Queen of Soul, dragging her to Muscle Shoals Studios to record her I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You album. The title track would become her first top 10 hit, the Otis Redding cover RESPECT would top the Billboard Hot 100. The album reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, and though initially received to mixed critical response, over time it would be acknowledged as one of the most influential albums of all time