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 6, 2023 ~ Folk, rock guitarist Jeff Blackburn, full name Jeffery Reid Blackburn, passed away ~ Formed the mid 1960s folk duo Blackburn & Snow with singer Sherry Snow, known best for the singles Stranger In A Strange Land written by David Crosby and Time. Worked with Moby Grape from 1973 through 1975. Notably formed short-lived supergroup the Ducks which also included Bob Mosley, Johnny Craviotto, and Neil Young. Co-wrote My My My for the Ducks, later reworked into My My Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) by Young for his 1979 Rust Never Sleeps album ~ Blackburn was born ca.1946
January 6, 2022 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal guitarist Barry Benedetta passed away ~ Best known for appearing on Cinderella's 1986 Night Songs debut album, playing lead guitar on the tracks Back Home Again, Nothin' For Nothin' and Push Push. At the time of his death Benedetta was working on new music with his latest band, DeBenedetta ~ Benedetta was born in 1958
January 6, 2022 ~ Keyboardist, percussionist, singer Calvin Simon, full name Calvin Eugene Simon, passed away in San Antonio, Florida, USA ~ Closely associated with George Clinton, having served in the Parliaments, Parliament and Funkadelic. Ventured out on his own by the late 1970s, causing confusion when releasing the 1981 Connections And Disconnections with Fuzzy Haskins and Grady Thomas using the moniker Funkadelic. Co-founded Original P in 1998, performing until 2007. As a solo artist known for a number of gospel albums, notably Share The News released in 2004 ~ Simon was born in 1942January 6, 2022 ~ Operatic baritone Carlo Meliciani passed away in Empoli, Italy ~ Closely associated with La Scala, remaining with the renowned opera house for some two decades starting in the late 1950s. Noted for his portrayal of roles from Giuseppe Verdi operas, especially a 1969 recording with the Teatro Nuovo Di Torino of Emani in the role of Don Carlo opposite Plácido Domingo in the title role ~ Meliciani was born in 1929
January 6, 2022 ~ Clive Alexander, commonly known as percussionist, pianist Clive Zanda, passed away in Port Of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago ~ Considered a pioneer of extempo and kaisojazz, coining the latter term, merging calypso, folk and jazz. Has released four album, starting with Clive Zanda Is Here With Dat Kinda Thing released in 1976 ~ Alexander was born ca.1939
January 6, 2021 ~ Jazz pianist, singer Bobby Few passed away in Levallois-Perret, France ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Brook Benton, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson, Albert Ayler, Alan Silva, Booker Ervin, Kali Fasteau, Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray, Steve Lacy, Charles Gayle, Wilber Morris, Hans Dulfer, and Marzette Watts ~ Few was born in 1935
January 6, 2018 ~ Producer, engineer Chris Tsangarides, full name Christopher Andrew Tsangarides, passed away ~ Made a name for himself in 1980s and 1990s metal and hard rock, producing albums such as Anvil's Metal On Metal, Thin Lizzy's Thunder And Lightning, and Judas Priest's Painkiller. Has also produced for artists, including outside metal, such as Money, Gary Moore, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Japan, Y&T, Lords Of The New Church, Spider, Killing Joke, Black Sabbath, Bruce Dickinson (Tattooed Millionaire), Concrete Blonde (Bloodletting), Helloween, and Yngwie Malmsteen ~ Tsangarides was born in 1956January 6, 2017 ~ Pop, folk pop, soft rock singer, guitarist Ed Sheeran releases both Castle On The Hill and Shape Of You, double lead singles off his ÷ (Divide) album ~ Both singles were released on the same day, with Shape Of You becoming the bigger hit, topping the charts in nearly three dozen countries, including the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA, making it his first Billboard Hot 100 charttopper. Initially, it was intended as a duet between Rihanna and Rudimental, but the head of the record label convinced Ed Sheeran to keep the song for himself. Sheeran would later explain: “Shape Of You is actually a really random one because I went in to write songs for other people with Steve Mac and Johnny McDaid, and we were writing this song and I was like ‘this would really work for Rihanna’. And then I started singing lyrics like ‘putting Van the Man on the jukebox’ and I was like ‘well, she's not really going to sing that, is she?’. And we sort of decided halfway through that we were just going to make it for me.”
January 6, 2016 ~ Alfredo Armenteros, commonly known as trumpeter Chocolate Armenteros, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Arsenío Rodriguez, Generoso Jimenez, Chico O'Farrill, Orchestra Harlow, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao, Conjunto Los Astros, José Fajardo, Benny Moré, Tito Puente, Cesar Concepcion, Machito, Wynton Marsalis, Marcelino Guerra, Charlie Palmieri, Noro Marles, Johnny Pacheco, Sonora Matancera, Cedar Walton, and Kip Hanrahan ~ Armenteros was born in 1928
January 6, 2009 ~ Gospel singer Claude Jeter passed away in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Member of the Dixie Hummingbirds. best known as co-founding member of the Swan Silvertones, one of the most popular and influential gospel groups especially popular during the 1950s. Noted for his falsetto voice as evidenced in songs such as Careless Soul and Saviour Pass Me Not. Influential on later singers including Al Green and the Temptations' Eddie Kendricks ~ Jeter was born in 1914January 6, 2009 ~ Singer Maria Dimitriadi passed away in Athens, Greece ~ Sister of singer Aphrodite Manou. Regarded as one of the finest interpreters of Mikis Theodorakis and Thanos Mikroutsikos. Known for songs such as O Levidis, Gia Tin Eleni, Evgenia, and Ena Proino (Anabel) ~ Dimitriadi was born in 1950
January 6, 2009 ~ Guitarist Ron Asheton, full name Ronald Franklin Asheton, found dead in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA ~ Co-founded the Stooges with Iggy Pop, Dave Alexander, and his brother Scott Asheton. Also worked with the New Order, Destroy All Monsters, Dark Carnival, New Race, the Empty Set, Wylde Ratttz, and Thurston Moore ~ Asheton was born in 1948
January 6, 2007 ~ Peter E Kleinow, commonly known as guitarist Sneaky Pete Kleinow, passed away in Petaluma, California, USA ~ Influenced by Jerry Byrd. Best known as member of pivotal country-rock outfit the Flying Burrito Brothers from 1968 through 1971, present on all of the original band's three albums including the landmark The Gilded Palace Of Sin album. Also worked with several of the band's reunion line-ups and spin-off bands. In-demand session guitarist, steel guitarist with a host of rock, folk, country artists including Joe Cocker, Dillard & Clark, Delaney & Bonnie (To Bonnie From Delaney), the Byrds, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, Jackson Browne (Jackson Browne), Rita Coolidge, John Lennon (Mind Games), Ringo Starr, Stevie Wonder (Songs In The Key Of Life), the Golden Palominos, and Leonard Cohen ~ Kleinow was born in 1934January 6, 2006 ~ Songwriter, film composer Johnny Lange, full name John George Lange, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Perhaps best known for co-penning Mule Train. The song would be first recorded by Buz Butler and covered by numerous artists including Bing Crosby, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Gene Autry. Vaughn Monroe's version from the 1950 film Singing Guns would be nominated for an Academy Award but lost out to Mona Lisa as performed by Charlie Spivak in the film Captain Carey USA. Other songs co-written by Lange have been recorded by Eddy Duchin, Johnny Mercer (I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City), Ella Fitzgerald, Dennis Day, Roy Rogers (Blue Shadows On The Trail), Louis Jordan, and the Ink Spots (Somebody Bigger Than You AndI) ~ Lange was born in 1905
January 6, 2006 ~ R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, blues singer Lou Rawls, full name Louis Allen Rawls, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Has recorded over 50 albums, initially focusing on jazz, starting with Stormy Monday backed by Les McCann in 1962. Scored his first hit in 1966 when he switched to pop soul, reaching the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 with Love Is A Hurtin' Thing. Other well known songs include Your Good Thing (Is About To End), You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine and Lady Love. Rawls has sold over 40 million records, has ventured into acting and voice acting, and has hosted the annual Lou Rawls Parade Of Stars Telethon since 1980, later renamed to An Evening Of Stars (A Celebration Of Educational Excellence), raising funds for the United Negro College Fund ~ Rawls was born in 1933
January 6, 1999 ~ Jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Lee Konitz, Wayne Shorter, Jim Hall, Bob Malach, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Gil Goldstein, Pete Levin, Marcus Miller, Biréli Lagrène, Kenny Garrett, Stéphane Grappelli, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson, Charles Lloyd, Joe Lovano, Charles Lloyd, Kenny Clarke, and Clark Terry ~ Petrucciani passed away in 1962
January 6, 1999 ~ Taurus Tremani Bartlett, commonly known as hip-hop, trap, drill rapper, singer, songwriter Polo G, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known for Pop Out featuring Lil Tjay, a 2019 Billboard top 10 hit of his Die A Legend debut album. Has also worked with Lil' Baby, Mustard, Calboy, Murda Beatz, Fivio Foreign, and King Von
January 6, 1998 ~ R&B singer Usher releases Nice & Slow, lifted off his My Way sophomore album ~ The song finds Usher romancing a girl, nice and slow, taking all the time in the world. As the singer would later explain: “Nice & Slow came as a result of mixing this gumbo of classic R&B, chivalry and courting a woman. I want to make sure we still court women. Do things that will give them something to remember.” Jermaine Dupri, who co-wrote and produced the track, was sure this would be the first single from the album. However, when he played it for label executive LA Reid, he only got a lukewarm reaction, Reid pressing him to write another track for the lead single. You Make Me Wanna ended up being selected as the lead single instead, which became a massive hit peaking at No.2 Billboard Hot 100. Nice & Slow, however, issued as the second single, would surpass the previous hit, and reached the top position on the Billboard Hot 100, fittingly, on Valentine's Day 1999
January 6, 1996 ~ Robert Russell Wise, commonly known as bluegrass fiddler Chubby Wise, passed away in Bowie, Maryland, USA ~ Considered one of country, Western swing's premier fiddlers, well known for his work with Bill Monroe for most of the 1940s. Co-wrote Shenandoah Waltz with Clyde Moody, recorded by Moody in 1947 and covered by Hank Thompson, the Stanley Brothers, and Ernest Tubb. Over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, specifically noted for The Tennessee Fiddler released in 1961. In-demand sideman, present on recordings by Flatt & Scruggs, Hank Snow, Mac Wiseman, Bob Wills, and Red Allen ~ Wise was born in 1915January 6, 1995 ~ Hard bop, jazz saxophonist, flutist James Clay, full name James Earl Clay, passed away in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Larance Marable, Don Cherry, Billy Higgins, Ornette Coleman, Roosevelt Wardell, Frank Butler, Ray Charles, Lowell Fulson, Don Cherry, Lorraine Geller, David Newman, Nat Adderley, Wynton Kelly, Hank Crawford, Wes Montgomery, Frank Morgan, David Fathead Newman, and Cornell Dupree ~ Clay was born in 1935
January 6, 1993 ~ John Birks Gillespie, commonly known as trumpeter, bandleader, singer Dizzy Gillespie, passed away in Englewood, New Jersey, USA ~ Quintessential jazz trumpeter, pivotal in development of bebop. Served under Edgar Hayes, Teddy Hill, and Cab Calloway. Influenced artists such as Miles Davis, Jon Faddis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Arturo Sandoval, Lee Morgan, Chuck Mangione, and Johnny Hartman ~ Gillespie was born in 1917
January 6, 1990 ~ In its 7th week on the charts, Steamy Windows by Tina Turner peaks at No.39 Billboard Hot 100 ~ One of three songs written by swamp blues singer Tony Joe White, best known for his 1968 hit Polk Salad Annie, Tina Turner recorded for her Foreign Affair album. In Turner's native America Steamy Windows would go largely unnoticed as it only barely made top 40, peaking at No.39 Billboard Hot 100, yet in Europe it became a respectable hit reaching top 20 in Austria, the Netherlands, and the UK, while peaking at No.7 in Ireland. Tony Joe White would include his own version on his 1991 Closer To The Truth album, the song in his own distinctive folksy unaffected style. When asked whether if he was ever tempted to sing the song like Turner, White replied: “Nobody would be foolish enough to try to sing like Tina Turner”
January 6, 1987 ~ Singer Janet Jackson releases Let's Wait Awhile, lifted off her Control album ~ Released to mostly positive reviews, Let's Wait Awhile tells of a girl who takes her time before becoming intimate with her new boyfriend. As the song was issued amidst the height of the AIDS crisis, the song has been used by some to portray a message of abstinence, yet Janet Jackson has later explained this was not per se the intent of the song: “A lot of people didn't really pick up on what Let's Wait Awhile was saying. It was about a girl who wanted to take it slow, to be safe and wait until she and the guy really get to know each other. When she can believe that their love is for real and that he really means what he is saying.” The song reached No.2 Billboard Hot 100, held off the top spot by Club Nouveau's Lean On Me, making it Jackson's fifth top 10 single off her Control breakout album
January 6, 1986 ~ Singer, songwriter Alex Turner, full name Alexander David Turner, born in High Green, UK ~ Best known as frontman and primary songwriter of Arctic Monkeys, known for songs such as I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, When The Sun Goes Down, Leave Before The Lights Come On, Brianstorm, Fluorescent Adolescent and Crying Lightning, all of which reached the UK top 20. Also recorded with his side project the Last Shadow Puppets and as a solo artistJanuary 6, 1986 ~ Cellist, conductor, music director Frank Miller passed away in Skokie, Illinois, USA ~ Joined the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 18. Best known for his stints with the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conducted the Evanston Symphony Orchestra ~ Miller was born ca.1912