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 9, 2025 ~ Laurence Holloway, commonly known as pianist, director, composer Laurie Holloway, passed away in Bray, UK ~ Worked with the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and others ~ Holloway was born in [artist-laurie-holloway]
January 9, 2023 ~ Pop, country-pop singer, songwriter Dick Flood, full name Richard E Flood, passed away in Augusta, Georgia, USA ~ Though a gifted singer in his own right, Flood is best known as a songwriter. His songs have been recorded by Anita Bryant, Wynn Stewart, Billy Grammer, Kathy Linden, the Wilburn Brothers (Trouble's Back In Town), Billy Graves, and George Hamilton IV (I Wanna Go Where Nobody Knows Me). Songs written by Flood were often found on the B-side of popular singles, such as Here Comes That Song Again used by Roy Orbison as the B-side of Only The Lonely, earning Flood the nickname “Flip side Flood” in the music business ~ Flood was born in 1932
January 9, 2022 ~ James Forman, commonly known as jazz, R&B singer, keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, percussionist, singer James Mtume, passed away in South Orange, New Jersey, USA ~ Son of saxophonist Jimmy Heath. First gained attention backing artists such as McCoy Tyner, Art Farmer, Gato Barbieri, Harold Land, Buddy Terry, Lonnie Liston Smith, Freddie Hubbard and notably Miles Davis from 1971 through 1975. Best known as frontman and eponym of Mtume, scoring R&B hits with songs such as You Me & He and Juicy Fruit. Co-wrote Never Knew Love Like This Before, a Grammy Award-winning hit for Stephanie Mills. Has also written or co-written songs recorded by Phyllis Hyman, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, R Kelly, Mary J Blige, Teddy Pendergrass, and Inner City ~ Forman was born in 1946
January 9, 2022 ~ Operatic mezzo-soprano, soprano singer Maria Ewing, full name Maria Louise Ewing, passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Well known for her role as Rosina in The Barber Of Seville, a role she reprised several times including with the Houston Grand Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. Also noted for playing Mercedes in Carmen with the San Francisco Opera. Has also worked with the Geneva Opera, the Houston Opera, and the Los Angeles Opera ~ Ewing was born in 1950
January 9, 2020 ~ Robert L Comstock, commonly known as rock & roll, pop singer Bobby Comstock passed away in California, USA ~ Popular late 1950s, early 1960s singer both as a solo artist and with his band Bobby Comstock & the Counts. Best known for The Tennessee Waltz and Let's Stomp ~ Comstock was born in 1941
January 9, 2019 ~ Saxophonist Joseph Jarman passed away in Englewood, New Jersey, USA ~ One of the earliest members of the jazz collective the Association For The Advancement Of Creative Musicians. Co-founding member of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Well over a dozen albums to his name as leader or co-leader starting in the mid 1960s, often in collaboration with Famoudou Don Moye. Has also worked with Anthony Braxton, Equal Interest, Johnny Dyani, Craig Harris, Marilyn Crispell, and Myra Melford ~ Jarman was born in 1937January 9, 2017 ~ Lamar Dupré Calhoun, commonly known as hip-hop producer, DJ Crazy Toones, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known as a member of 1990s rap group WC & the Maad Circle, present on the albums Ain't A Damn Thing Changed and Curb Servin'. As a solo artist, Calhound has released a number of mixtapes starting with That Nigga's Crazy (Maad Circle Underground Part 1 in 1996 ~ Calhoun was born in 1971
January 9, 2014 ~ Trumpeter Roy Campbell Jr, full name Roy Sinclair Campbell Jr, passed away in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Considered a trumpet virtuoso, Campbell first gained serious attention in 1970s free jazz, regularly working with the likes of Jemeel Moondoc, William Parker, Don Cherry, Peter Brötzmann, and Matthew Shipp, spending a significant portion of his career on the European jazz scene. After his return to America by the early 1990s, Campbell has recorded about a dozen albums as a leader including the acclaimed New Kingdom and Now, the latter with his avant-garde jazz ensemble Other Dimensions In Music. Over the course of his lengthy and varied career, Campbell has also appeared on albums by Billy Bang, Ehran Elisha (The Kicker), the Die Like A Dog Quartet (From Valley To Valley), Dave Hillyard, Yuko Fujiyama (Re-Entry), Spring Heel Jack, the Nu-Band, David First (Universary), and Joe Maneri ~ Campbell was born in 1952
January 9, 2001 ~ Reggae DJ, singer Shaggy releases Angel featuring Rayvon and Ricardo RikRok Ducent, lifted off his Hot Shot album ~ For the chorus, Shaggy drew heavily from Merrilee Rush's 1968 hit Angel Of The Morning, an idea that came to him when Ricardo RikRok Ducent entered the studio singing Angel Of The Morning. The bass line is sampled from the Steve Miller Band's The Joker, one of the first times Miller allowed one of his songs to be sampled. The parent album would be a remarkable comeback for Shaggy, as he had been dropped by his previous label for disappointing sales. Yet, Hot Shot spawned two Billboard Hot 100 charttoppers, It Wasn't Me and its follow-up Angel, while the album would eventually sell some 9 million copies worldwideJanuary 9, 1996 ~ Singer Paris Monroe, full name Paris Quinn Monroe, born in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, USA ~ Member of girl group the Clique Girlz, known for the singles Then I Woke Up and Smile. The group disbanded in 2009 after the departure of Sara Diamond. Destinee subequently recorded with her sister and Clique-bandmate Destinee Monroe under the moniker Destinee & Paris
January 9, 1991 ~ Justin David Blau, commonly known as progressive house, electro house, deep house producer, DJ 3LAU, born in Syosset, New York, USA ~ Active since the early-2010s. Released his full-length Ultraviolet debut album in 2018. Known for songs such as How You Love Me, Is It Love, On My Mind, and Hot Water. Has remixed for Rihanna, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, and Ariana Grande
January 9, 1990 ~ Free jazz bassist, double bassist Buschi Niebergall passed away in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany ~ Co-founding member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Globe Unity 67 & 70 and Globe Unity '74. Also closely associated with Albert Mangelsdorff and Peter Brötzmann. Other notable associations include Gunter Hampel, Manfred Schoof, John Tchicai, Gerd Dudek, and Don Cherry ~ Niebergall was born in 1938
January 9, 1990 ~ Singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Karina Vismara, full name Karina Denise Vismara, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Released two albums during her lifetime, Casa Del Viento in 2015 and Selva in 2019. Well-known songs include Montaña, Selva, Persona, and No Se Deja Conquistrar. Vismara passed away at age 32 of kidney failure, aggravated by cancer ~ Vismara passed away in 2022
January 9, 1989 ~ Vienna Rose Dare, commonly known as Christian rap, electronic dance singer, songwriter V Rose, born in Sacramento, California, USA ~ Actively recording since the mid 2000s. Best known for the albums Forever After and its follow-up Young Dangerous Heart, released respectively in 2014 and 2016. Has guested on recordings by Flame, Trip Lee, and Propaganda
January 9, 1987 ~ Marion Thornburg, commonly known as singer, actress Marion Hutton passed away in Kirkland, Washington, USA ~ Sister of actress, singer Betty Hutton. Discovered by Glenn Miller, staying with the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1938 to 1942, present on recordings such as Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, That's Sabotage, The Rhumba Jumps, Say Si Si and I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo ~ Thornburg was born in 1919
January 9, 1987 ~ Pop-rock, blue-eyed soul, soul-rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, Paolo Nutini born in Paisley, UK ~ Debuted in 2006 with the album These Streets and has been recording steadily to an expanding and devoted fanbase since. Known for songs such as Last Request, New Shoes, Pencil Full Of Lead and Let Me Down Easy
January 9, 1986 ~ Alternative rock, indie rock drummer, guitarist Andrew Tolman born in American Fork, Utah, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member of Imagine Dragons, remaining with the band from 2008 through 2011 and succeeded by Daniel Platzman. Present on several tracks of the band's Night Visions debut album including the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit It's Time. Subsequently worked with cult club band the Moth & the Flame. Briefly toured with singer Josh Ostrander in 2016 and 2017January 9, 1984 ~ Guitarist, singer, keyboardist, percussionist Drew Brown, full name Andrew John Brown, born in Broomfield, Colorado, USA ~ Member of the OneRepublic, with whom he has recorded since the mid 2000s. The band is best known for songs such as Apologize, Good Life, and perhaps their best known Counting Stars, all of which would reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100. The latter would reach top 10 in some 20 countries, and do especially well in Australia, where it eventually would be certified 20+ times Platinum, and across Europe, where it reached multi-Platinum status in over half a dozen countries. Brown has also formed the side project the Debate Team in 2011, releasing their debut EP Wins Again EP the same year
January 9, 1984 ~ New wave, pop rock outfit the Simple Minds release Speed Your Love To Me, lifted off their Sparkle In The Rain album ~ The song has been described as arena rock with heavy drums and subtle keyboards. The title of the song was inspired by the line “God speed your love to me” from Unchained Melody, a hit by the Righteous Brothers in the mid 1960s. Lead singer Jim Kerr most likely had Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders in mind when he wrote this love song filled with fire imagery as he penned the song around the same time he first crossed paths with Hynde. The couple would be wed in May 1984 and remained married until 1990, they have one daughter. A then-relatively unknown Kirsty MacColl, best known for her later appearance on the Pogues' Fairytale Of New York, sang backing vocals on Speed Your Love To Me. The single would reach No.20 in the band's native UK
January 9, 1984 ~ Rock band Van Halen release 1984, their sixth studio album ~ The last album featuring co-founding member and lead singer David Lee Roth's during his first stint with the band, would show the first signs of the band taking a new direction and spawn the band's biggest hit and sole Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit Jump. The singles I'll Wait and Panama would reach top 20, and Hot For Teacher, though stalling at No.56, became a favorite of the then-fledgling MTV. 1984 would be their highest-charting album yet, reaching No.2 Billboard Hot 200. The album as a whole would be critically well-received, with perhaps Rolling Stone phrasing it best describing the album as “the album that brings all of Van Halen's talent into focus.” For guitarist Eddie Van Halen putting more emphasis on keyboard-driven songs felt natural as he was classically trained on piano and did not take up the guitar until he was in his teens. Roth, however, felt the band was selling out straying away from their earlier straight-forward rock and would depart the band the following year to be succeeded by former Montrose singer Sammy Hagar with whom they would enjoy their commercially most succesful run with two more Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits, the No.3 hit Why Can't This Be Love in 1986 and the No.5 hit When It's Love in 1988, and four consecutive Billboard Hot 200 No.1 studio albumsJanuary 9, 1982 ~ Death metal, symphonic metal guitarist, bassist, singer Isaac Delahaye born in Ypres, Belgium ~ Member of death metal outfit God Dethroned from 2004, replacing Jens van der Valk, through 2009. Member of Areen and of Epica. Has also worked with Mayan, Down Till Dawn, Panopticum, Edgecrusher, and Forcible
January 9, 1982 ~ Vito Gugliermo Musso, commonly known as saxophonist Vido Musso passed away in Rancho Mirage, California, USA ~ 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 was born in 1913
January 9, 1981 ~ William Randolph Cole, commonly known as jazz drummer Cozy Cole, passed away in Columbus, Ohio, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known for the hits Topsy I and its follow-up Topsy II. Renowned rock drummer Cozy Powell chose his stage name in honor of Cole. Cole worked with Wilbur Sweatman, Jelly Roll Morton, Blanche Calloway, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Stuff Smith, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Earl Bostic, Nat King Cole, Shorty Rogers, Wingy Manone, Jimmy McPartland, and Rex Stewart ~ Cole was born in 1909January 9, 1978 ~ Alexander James McLean, commonly known as singer AJ McLean, born in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA ~ Member of the Backstreet Boys, with 100 million records sold the all-time best-selling boy band, known for hits such as Quit Playing Games With My Heart, Everybody (Backstreet's Back), Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely, and The Shape Of My Heart
January 9, 1978 ~ Pop punk bassist Alex Lewis born ~ Briefly a member of Yellowcard from 2003 through 2004, replaced by Peter Mosely. Would go on to work in the film and entertainment industry as creative manager and set decorator