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 29, 1983 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Eric Paslay, full name Eric Thomas Paslay, born in Abilene, Texas, USA ~ Released his eponymous Eric Paslay album in 2014, spawning the hits Friday Night, Song About A Girl and She Don't Love You all of which reached top 20 Billboard Country. Best known as a songwriter, penning or co-penning songs for Sheryl Crow, Jake Owen (Barefoot Blue Jean Night), Will Hoge, the Eli Young Band (Even If It Breaks Your Heart), Love & Theft (Angel Eyes), Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts
January 29, 1983 ~ Singer Jessica Andrews, full name Jessica Danielle Andrews, born in Huntingdon, Tennessee, USA ~ First gained attention at age 15 with I Will Be There For You, the lead single of her 1999 Heart Shaped World debut album. It would reach top 30 Billboard Country as would two of its follow-ups, You Go First (Do You Wanna Kiss) and Unbreakable. Best known for her 2001 single Who I Am, a Billboard Country charttoppper that also crossed over on to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100
January 29, 1983 ~ In its 15th week on the charts, Shock The Monkey by Peter Gabriel peaks at No.29 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Often mistaken for either an animal rights song or one referring to the famous experiments by Stanley Milgram as described in his 1974 book Obedience To Authority, the song actually is a love song about how jealousy can release one's basic instincts, the monkey a metaphor for one's jealousy. Shock The Monkey lifted off Peter Gabriel's fourth eponymous album, the album released in Canada and America as Security, would be Gabriel's first single to chart higher in America than in his native UK, where it stalled at No.58, and his first to reach the American top 30
January 29, 1982 ~ Singer Adam Lambert, full name Adam MItchel Lambert, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Rose to fame after finishing as runner-up on the 8th season of talent show American Idol in 2009. Released his debut album, For Your Entertainment, later the same year. Best known for songs such as Whataya Want From Me, If I Had You and Ghost Town. Has collaborated with Nile Rodgers, Steve Aoki, Glee Cast, and AviciiJanuary 29, 1981 ~ Alejandro Martinez de Ubago Rodriguez, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Alex Ubago, born in Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain ~ Praised as balladeer with a heartfelt, warm voice. Debuted in 2001 with the album Que Pides Tu, which would top the Spanish album charts and be certified Platinum several times over, and has recorded to a growing fanbase and commercial success since. Best known for Sin Miedo A Nada featuring Amaia Montero
January 29, 1981 ~ Blues, blues-rock, soul blues, gospel guitarist, singer, songwriter Jonny Lang, full name Jon Gordon Langseth Jr, born in Fargo, North Dakota, USA ~ One of the most enduring artists to emerge from the 1990s trend of young blues, blues-rock guitarists. Influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Wonder. Debuted in 1995 at age 14 with the Smokin' album. Appears in the 2000 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Collaborated with Buddy Guy, Shannon Curfman, Willie Nelson, Double Trouble, Herbie Hancock, and Lee Ritenour
January 29, 1980 ~ New wave, pop rock outfit Blondie release Call Me, the theme song to the American Gigolo film ~ Film composer Giorgio Moroder first approached Stevie Nicks for what was to become the main theme to American Gigolo, yet she declined. Moroder then turned to Blondie, who accepted. Lead singer Debbie Harry added lyrics to Moroder's instrumental, and the single would be a global hit, reaching top 10 in numerous countries, including the No.1 spot in Canada, the UK, and America, where it held the Billboard Hot 100 top spot for six consecutive weeks. The song would also be nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but lose out to Fame, the main theme for the movie of the same name sung by Irene CaraJanuary 29, 1980 ~ Alternative rock drummer Fergal Matthews born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Co-founded JJ72 with singer Mark Greaney. The band cite Nirvana, Mudhoney and Joy Division as main influences and is acclaimed for for their eponymous 2000 JJ72 debut album. Well known songs include October Swimmer, Long Way South and Oxygen
January 29, 1979 ~ Singer Joe Jackson releases his Look Sharp debut album ~ When Joe Jackson released his debut album amidst the burgeoning new wave, critics were quick to praise him for his sassy pop songs, drawing comparisons to Elvis Costello who had just released his third album. Despite critical acclaim, Look Sharp was a slow starter. None of the four singles charted, until Jackson re-released Is She Really Going Out With Him, originally issued as the first single five months ahead of the album. The re-issue would climb to No.13 on the British charts, just barely miss the American top 20, peaking at No.21 Billboard Hot 100, reach top 20 in Australia and New Zealand, and top 10 in Canada and Ireland. Following the single's success the album would also gain traction. Look Sharp was heavily influenced by reggae music, which Jackson has said he was “totally immersed in” at the time. Jackson was quick to record a follow-up I'm The Man, issued later the same year, an album the singer has described as “Look Sharp Part Two”
January 29, 1979 ~ Percival Payne, commonly known as jazz drummer Sonny Payne, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Son of Wild Bill Davis-drummer Chris Columbus. Closely associated with Harry James and Count Basie, remaining with the latter's the Count Basie Orchestra for about a decade starting in 1954. Has also worked with Paul Bascomb, Hot Lips Page, Earl Bostic, Tiny Grimes, Lucille Dixon, Erskine Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Al Grey, and Joe Newman ~ Payne was born in 1926
January 29, 1976 ~ Blues harpist, guitarist, percussionist, singer Jesse Fuller passed away in Oakland, California, USA ~ Worked in a variety of day jobs prior to first recording in the late 1950s. As a busker developed himself as a one-man band including playing the harmonica mounted on a neck brace. Influenced artists such as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, the Grateful Dead, Hot Tuna, Janis Joplin, and Richie Havens. Best known for San Francisco Bay Blues ~ Fuller was born in 1896
January 29, 1974 ~ Daniel Salte, commonly known as heavy metal, punk rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist Vrangsinn, born in Stavanger, Norway ~ Best known as bassist of Carpathian Forest from 1999 through 2014, rejoining in 2019. Has also recorded as a solo artist and collaborated with Nattefrost, A Waste Of Talent, Eirik Skrangle, Tsjuder, SECHT, Hatepulse, Neetzach, the No No No's, Krypt, the Small Penis Syndromes, and World Destroyer
January 29, 1972 ~ Soft rock outfit Bread release Everything I Own, lifted off their Baby I'm-A Want You album ~ Often interpreted as a love song, David Gates actually wrote the song in honor of his father, who passed away prior to his son's rise to fame with Bread: “My success would have been so special to him as he was my greatest influence. So I decided to write and record Everything I Own about him. If you listen to the words, ‘You sheltered me from harm, kept me warm, gave my life to me, set me free, ’ it says it all.” Everything I Own would reach No.5 Billboard Hot 100
January 29, 1971 ~ Rock band Sweet release Funny Funny, lifted off their Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be debut album ~ The first hit for Sweet, as it reached No.13 in the band's native UK. It would also reach top 20 in over a dozen other countries, including the No.1 spot in the Netherlands. The song was penned by songwriter duo Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who would enjoy success throughout the 1970s especially in the UK, writing most of the early hits for Sweet, as well as songs such as Dyna-mite for Mud, Can The Can and Devil Gate Drive for Suzi Quatro, and Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone for Smokie. Funny Funny has been described as one of the strongest examples of Sweet's early bubblegum sound, before the band shifted its style to a grittier sound, incorporating elements of psychedelia, hard rock and speed metal. Songwriter Mike Chapman has later admitted he modeled Funny Funny after Sugar Sugar by the Archies, which is considered the most successful bubblegum pop hit of all timeJanuary 29, 1969 ~ Death metal guitarist Rob Barrett born in Buffalo, New York, USA ~ Cites Gary Moore, Malcolm Young, Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi and Steve Vai as influences. Best known as rhythm guitarist of death metal outfit Cannibal Corpse. Has also worked with Malevolent Creation, Hateplow, Hollenthon, Infernäl Mäjesty, and Deicide
January 29, 1967 ~ Post-bop jazz pianist Marc Cary born in New York, New York, USA ~ Worked with host of jazz, pop, R&B artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove, Art Taylor, Abbey Lincoln, Carlos Garnett, Erykah Badu, Meshell Ndegeocello, Stefon Harris, Lauryn Hill, Ani DiFranco, Jackie McLean, Q-Tip, Carmen McRae. Has been recording as a leader since the mid 1990s, employing sidemen such as Roy Hargrove, Ron Blake, and Terell Stafford
January 29, 1964 ~ R&B girl group Martha & the Vandellas record In My Lonely Room at Hitsville USA, Detroit, Michigan ~ Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland Jr, with Brian and Lamont also serving as producers. Backed by several of the in-house session crew the Funk Brothers including bassist James Jamerson and pianist Earl Van Dyke. Released the following March as a single, featuring A Tear For The Girl on the flip side
January 29, 1964 ~ Indie pop, new wave, post-punk singer, guitarist, songwriter Roddy Frame born in East Kilbride, UK ~ Founding member, frontman of Aztec Camera, known for songs such as Oblivious, How Men Are, Good Morning Britain and their best known Somewhere In My Heart, the latter reaching the UK top 10 in 1988
January 29, 1962 ~ Surf rock, punk, cowpunk singer, rhythm guitarist Bert Susanka born ~ Longtime frontman, lead singer, rhythm guitarist of the Ziggens, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums since the early 1990s. Though not as well known as their contemporaries Sublime, the band is considered one of the most original outfits to hail from Long Beach, California, where they enjoyed a significant following. The band draws from cowpunk, surf, rockabilly, punk, ska, and country, a mixture dubbed “cowpunksurfabilly” by the band. They are perhaps best known for Big Salty Tears, notably covered by Sublime on their 1998 Sublime Acoustic (Bradley Nowell & Friends) album. Susanka has also worked as a solo artist, and formed the side project Jelly Of The Month Club, performing children's music, with Sublime-drummer Bud Gaugh. Susanka passed away at age 62 after a battle with ALS ~ Susanka passed away in 2024
January 29, 1962 ~ Gonzalo Quintana III, commonly known as rock, punk drummer Charlie Quintana, born in El Paso, Texas, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member of Plugz. Drummer for punk rockers Social Distortion from 2000 through 2009. Appears on Mike Ness's 1999 Under The Influences album. Has also worked with the Cruzados, the Havalinas, Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds, Jimmy & the Mustangs, Joan Osborne, Cracker, Bob Dylan, Mark Curry, Agent Orange, and the Circle Jerks ~ Quintana passed away in 2018
January 29, 1961 ~ Progressive metal, glam metal, heavy metal bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, percussionist, singer Eddie Jackson born in Robstown, Texas, USA ~ Member of Cross & Fire who later changed their name to the Mob and later still to Queensrÿche. The band are considered one of the leaders of progressive metal, along with Dream Theater and Fates Warning, and have released well over a dozen albums sine the early 1980s selling over 20 million copies. They are most acclaimed for their 1988 Operation Mindcrime, a landmark album of the genre and acclaimed as one of the all-time greatest metal concept albums. The power ballad Silent Lucidity of their 1991 Empire album would reach top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100January 29, 1961 ~ Gospel singer Edward Jackson passed away ~ Tenor singer of gospel group the Charioteers, a band named after the traditional gospel song Swing Low Sweet Chariot which was a favorite in the band's repertoire. The group is perhaps best known for participating in the 1941 Broadway hit musical Hellzapoppin' and for serving as the studio chorus on Bing Crosby's radio show Kraft Music Hall from 1942 through 1946 ~ Jackson was born ca.1920
January 29, 1961 ~ Singer Pauline Henry born in Edinburgh, UK ~ Lead vocalist of the Chimes from 1988 through 1991, best known for their 1990 U2-cover I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Released two mid 1990s albums as a solo artist and best known for her 1993 single Feel Like Making Love, which reached top 20 in Australia, New Zealand and the singer's native UK
January 29, 1960 ~ Industrial, post-punk, trip-hop singer, producer, songwriter JG Thirlwell, full name James George Thirlwell, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Renowned solo artist and in-demand collaborator. Co-wrote Wings Of Flies of Nick Cave's From Her To Eternity, Cave's first album with the Bad Seeds. Has also worked with Nurse With Wound, Marc Almond, The The, Pigface, Roli Mosliman, Electronicat, Lydia Lunch, David Rees, and John Hodgman
January 29, 1958 ~ Singer, guitarist Bo Diddley records Say Man in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Written by Bo Diddley. Released as a single the following year, b/w The Clock Strikes Twelve, it would become Diddley's biggest pop hit peaking at No.20 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Named by some critics as “the first rap song” for its back and forth spoken pattern of put-downs between Diddley and maracas player Jerome Green arising from a spontaneous jam session. Diddley would later comment that “a lot of things (they) did in the studio was just goofing around. They played it back and it shocked all of us”