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.
July 13, 2025 ~ David Joseph Hindson, commonly known as singer, guitarist, banjoist, songwriter Dave Cousins, passed away in Canterbury, UK ~ Best known for fronting Strawbs, scoring the UK hits Part Of The Union and Lay Down in 1973 ~ Hindson was born in 1940
July 13, 2018 ~ Harry DePona Bone, commonly known as accordionist Ponty Bone, passed away in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Early on in his career a member of Joe Ely's backing band, appearing on nearly half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Honky Tonk Masquerade released in 1978. Achieved fame fronting his own band the Squeezetones, with whom he performed and recorded for two decades starting in the early 1980s, drawing from gypsy dances, reggae-blues, Tex-mex polkas, Cajun boogie, and other idioms. Bone has also guested on recordings by Butch Hancock, Wes McGee, Rory McLeod, Jimmie Dale Gilmore (After Awhile), Omar & the Howlers, Jerry Jeff Walker, Charlie Robison (Bandera), and Robert Earl Keen ~ Bone was born in 1939July 13, 2017 ~ Pianist, composer, arranger Egil Kapstad passed away in Kristiansand, Norway ~ Leader and sideman. Appears on over 60 albums. Worked with Karin Krog, Chet Baker, Red Mitchell, Bjørn Johansen, Bjarne Nerem, Jon Larsen, Magni Wentzel, Jan Erik Bold, Lars Klevstrand, Ole Paus, Rolf Jacobsen, Thorgeir Stubø, Per Husby, Laila Dalseth, Bjørn Alterhaug, Bodil Niska, Hilde Hefte, Ola Kvernberg, Staffan William-Olsson, Per Husby, and Hilde Hefte ~ Kapstad was born in 1940
July 13, 2017 ~ Christopher Wong Won, commonly known as rapper, producer Fresh Kid Ice, passed away in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Co-founding member of rap group 2 Live Crew, best known for their 1989 hit single Me So Horny and Banned In The USA the following year. The group would be considered controversial for their sexually explicit lyrics, often bordering on misogyny. Won remained with the group throughout its entire existence ~ Won was born in 1964
July 13, 2017 ~ Punk-pop, indie pop singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Simon Holmes, full name Simon Carter Holmes, passed away in Sydney, Australia ~ Singer, lead guitarist for indie rock bands the Hummingbirds from the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, known for their 1989 LoveBUZZ debut album, and Her Name In Lights during the early 2000s ~ Holmes was born in 1963
July 13, 2016 ~ Juan Peña Fernández, commonly known as flamenco guitarist, singer El Lebrijano, passed away in Sevilla, Spain ~ Acclaimed flamenco-fusion musician active since the early 1950s, initially as an accompaniest and later turning to singing. Closely associated with Paco de Lucia. As a solo artist known for pivotal flamenco albums such as Casablanca, Open Doors and Encuentros ~ Fernández was born in 1941
July 13, 2014 ~ Conductor, violinist Lorin Maazel, full name Lorin Varencove Maazel, passed away in Virginia, USA ~ Child prodigy praised for his perfect pitch. Has his first conducting lesson at age seven, debuting at age 8 conducting the University of Idaho Orchestra. Would go on to serve as music director for the Cleveland Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic ~ Maazel was born in 1930
July 13, 2013 ~ Actor, singer Cory Monteith, full name Cory Allan Michael Monteith, passed away in Vancouver, Canada ~ Best known for portraying the role of Finn Hudson on the musical drama TV series Glee. Monteith had struggled with substance abuse since his early teens and died of an apparent accidental overdose of heroin and alcohol at age 31 ~ Monteith was born in 1982July 13, 2011 ~ Jordan Ragovoy, commonly known as songwriter, producer Jerry Ragovoy, passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Perhaps best known for penning Time Is On My Side, first recorded by Kai Winding and notably covered by Irma Thomas and subsequently the Rolling Stones. Other well known songs written or co-written by Ragovoy include Stay With me recorded by well over 50 artists including Lorraine Ellison, the Walker Brothers, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Bette Midler, and Piece Of My Heart originally recorded by Erma Franklin and made famous by Janis Joplin. Others who have recorded his songs include Garnet Mimms, Justine Washington, the Drifters, Elvis Presley, Miriam Makeba, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, and the Pointer Sisters ~ Ragovoy was born in 1930
July 13, 2009 ~ Country singer Brad Paisley releases his Welcome To The Future single ~ Released as the third single off the American Saturday Night album. Inspired by the election of President Barack Obama, whom Brad Paisley endorsed, the song tells of changes, big and small, the singer has seen throughout his life. The song would be warmly received by critics and reach No.2 on the Billboard Country charts. Paisley performed the song at the White House for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama about a week after the single's release, a performance at which Paisley said he included the allusion to Martin Luther King's “I have a dream” speech in the lyrics because he thought King's dream of racial equality was realized by Obama's election
July 13, 2008 ~ Jazz, swing, bop pianist, organist Gerald Wiggins, full name Gerald Foster Wiggins Sr, passed away in Encino, California, USA ~ Flexible pianist with over a dozen albums to his name as leader or co-leader, often working with a trio including bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Paul Humphrey. Especially noted for his 1953 Gerald Wiggins Trio album. As a sideman, Wiggins has appeared on albums by Zoot Sims (Zoot Sims In Paris), Milt Jackson, Joe Morello, Red Callender (Swingin' Suite), Buddy Collette (Man Of Many Parts), Frances Faye, Jack Millman (Shades Of Things To Come), Ray Bryant, Victor Feldman (Suite Sixteen), Curtis Counce, Billy Eckstine, Benny Carter (Aspects), Eric Dolphy, Lou Rawls, Mel Brown (Chicken Fat), Harry Sweets Edison, and Linda Hopkins ~ Wiggins was born in 1922July 13, 2004 ~ Glam rock bassist Arthur Kane, full name Arthur Harold Kane Jr, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of the New York Dolls, remaining with the band through 1975. Present on the band's key albums, 1973's The New York Dolls and 1974's Too Much Too Soon. Kane has also worked with Blackie Lawless, Sid Vicious, the London Cowboys, and the Corpse Grinders ~ Kane was born in 1949
July 13, 2004 ~ Reggaeton, hip hop rapper Daddy Yankee releases his Barrio Fino album ~ His third studio album would not only mark a commercial breakthrough for Daddy Yankee, aided by the international success of the album's lead single Gasolina, but for the genre of reggaeton as well, a raw blend of hip hop and reggae, born on the streets of Puerto Rico. Over the remainder of his career, Daddy Yankee would sell over an estimated 30 million records, earning him the tag “the King of Reggaeton”
July 13, 1998 ~ Country singer Tim McGraw releases Where The Green Grass Grows, lifted off his Everywhere album ~ Tightly produced with an instantly recognizable opening fiddle, Where The Green Grass Grows tells of a man leaving the big city by going back out into the country. Written by Jess Leary and Craig Wiseman who were inspired by their simultaneous need for a change of scenery. As the latter would later explain: “So there was a little bit of that feeling of, ‘Man, the city's wearing me out, it's kinda good to get back to some kind of roots thing, ’ So we both had some of that going on and were trying to touch on that, a little bit of being tired of the urban thing, and simplicity appealing to you again.” Tim McGraw's single, issued as the fifth single off Everywhere, would reach No.1 Billboard Country
July 13, 1996 ~ In its 5th week on the charts, the double A-side single California Love/How Do U Want It by Tupac Shakur hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Tupac Shakur's best known single released during his lifetime and his only one to reach No.1 Billboard Hot 100 contained California Love, produced by and featuring Dr Dre as well as How Do U Want It featuring K-Ci & JoJo. Especially the former would receive universal critical acclaim and has become one of the late rapper's best remembered. The earliest version of California Love was actually a track by Dr Dre, which he intended to use for himself, yet at the insistence of label executive Suge Knight the song was given to Shakur. The song celebrated the California hip hop lifestyle with its vibrant activivity and creativity, yet also warns about the gang violence and crime. Both Tupac Shakur and Dr Dre were a big part of the then-thriving West Coast rap scene. California Love was the big hit of the summer of 1996, and marked Shakur's return to the spotlight. Alas, he would be shot and killed in a drive-by-shooting the following September
July 13, 1995 ~ Jazz trumpeter, singer, bandleader Aimé Barelli passed away in Monaco ~ Leader and sideman. Fixture on the French jazz scene from the 1940s onward, initially backing the likes of Django Reinhardt, Fred Adison, Alix Combelle, André Ekyan, Maceo Jefferson, Raymond Legrand, Hubert Rostaing, and Raymond Wraskoff. Would go to play with visiting American musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Sidney Bechet, and Charlie Parker. Starting in the mid 1960s, he would lead his own ensemble in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Barelli's daughter, Minouche Barelli, would follow in her father's footsteps and become a professional singer ~ Barelli was born in 1917
July 13, 1993 ~ Singer Janet Jackson releases If, lifted off her Janet album ~ Written and produced by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with co-writing credit given to Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol and Jackey Beavers for the sampling of the Supremes hit Someday We'll Be Together. Both musically and lyrically, If finds the singer exploring new territory, as it merges elements from various genres including rock, trip hop, new jack swing and hip hop, while the subject matter, Jackson's openly fantasizing about a guy on the dance floor, shows an edgier, more sexual Jackson. Shortly after the single's release, Jackson would explain in an interview with Q Magazine: “It's about a girl who goes to a club and fantasizes about this guy. Serious fantasies about the things she'd do to him if she was his girl, the positions and things like that. But she's not, so she can't, so she gets pretty frustrated in the second verse, without it being too much. It's still within good taste.” The single would do especially well in the singer's native America, where it became a club hit and reached No.4 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and one spot higher on the Billboard R&B chart
July 13, 1992 ~ Pop rock outfit Genesis release Jesus He Knows Me, lifted off their We Can't Dance album ~ A satirical take on televangelists, several of whom were under investigation at the time for promising their viewers financial success, provided they sent money to them. Phil Collins had improvised the line “Jesus, he knows me, and he knows I'm right” and the lyrics naturally grew from there. Issued as the fourth single off We Can't Dance, it would reach No.23 on the American Billboard Hot 100, top 20 in the Netherlands, Germany, and the band's native UK, and No.10 in Canada. In its accompanying music video, showing the band member's as televangelists during a telethon to raise money, people can be seen holding up a sign that reads “Genesis 3:25”. This doesn't refer to an actual Bible verse, as the third chapter of the Book of Genesis only has 24 verses, but to the band themselves as Genesis had three members during most of their then-25 years existence
July 13, 1987 ~ Singer Kylie Minogue releases The Loco-motion, lifted off her Kylie debut album ~ Written by husband-wife songwriting team Gerry Goffin and Carole King for Dee Dee Sharp, who turned it down. The songwriting couple would let their babysitter have a go at it, and Little Eva took the song to the top of the charts in 1962. Rock outfit Grand Funk Railroad would notably cover the song in 1974, which also reached No.1 Billboard Hot 100. And yet again, over a decade later Kylie Minogue covered the ditty for her Kylie debut album. Issued as the album's third single, it would become the Australian singer's first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit, peaking at No.3
July 13, 1986 ~ Joseph Thomas Escovedo, commonly known as percussionist, singer Coke Escovedo, passed away in Montebello, California, USA ~ Has worked with jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader, notably present on the 1971 Agua Dulce album. Member of Santana during the early 1970, including on the 1971 Santana III album. Formed Azteca with his brother percussionist Pete Escovedo. Recorded a handful of solo albums in the mid 1970s, and collaborated with the likes of Boz Scaggs, Cold Blood, It's A Beautiful Day, and Malo ~ Escovedo was born in 1941July 13, 1985 ~ In its 14th week on the charts, Forgiving You Was Easy by Willie Nelson hits No.1 Billboard Country ~ The song tells of the singer having no trouble forgiving the woman he loves, it's forgetting her that's the problem. Willie Nelson would later comment: “That's a sort of generalized song, I guess. I could probably apply it to a dozen situations in my life.” Nelson wrote Forgiving You Was Easy during sessions for the collaborative album Funny How Time Slips Away with Ray Price, yet decided to keep it for his own Me And Paul album issued around the same time. Johnny Rodriguez would also record the track, featuring guest vocals by Nelson, for his 1985 Full Circle album. The singers had some personal history as Rodriguez had previously dated Nelson's daughter
July 13, 1974 ~ Singer Deborah Cox born in Toronto, Canada ~ Cox began singing in her early teens for radio commercials to become an in-demand backing singer. As a solo artist, she has recorded about half a dozen albums, starting with the eponymous Deborah Cox album in 1985, produced by a team of then-popular producers including Dallas Austin, Keith Crouch, and Kenneth Babyface Edmonds. The album, drawing from R&B, soul, and hip hop earned her a Juno Award and reached top 30 on the American Billboard R&B album charts. Cox would enjoy popularity especially throughout the early 2000s with songs such as Sentimental, Who Do U Love, Nobody's Supposed To Be Here, and We Can't Be Friends. Prior to her solo career, she was best known for backing fellow Canadian Céline Dion. Cox has also collaborated with Junior Vasquez, Dan Hill, BeBe Winans, Tami Davis, George Calle, Heather Headley, Louie DeVito, and Whitney Houston, has ventured into acting for film and TV, and appeared in stage musicals including notably a mid 2000s Broadway production of the Elton John and Tim Rice musical Aida
July 13, 1972 ~ Rock outfit Chicago release Saturday In The Park, lifted off their Chicago V album ~ Written by Robert Lamm, who took inspiration from a visit to a particularly festive 4th of July celebration in Central Park, New York, where there were steel drum players, singers, dancers and jugglers. Lamm would later openly admit he based the melody on You Won't See Me, an album track by the Beatles from their 1965 Rubber Soul album. At the time of its release, Saturday In The Park would become the band's biggest hit, peaking at No.3 Billboard Hot 100, and their first to sell a million copies in America alone. The success of the single helped propel the Chicago V parent album to the top of the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. Saturday In The Park has become one of the band's best known and remains popular to this day
July 13, 1971 ~ Extreme metal drummer Tomas Haake born in Örnsköldvik, Sweden ~ Influenced by heavy metal, jazz fusion and progressive rock, citing drummers such as Phil Rudd, Vinny Appice, Neil Peart, Ian Mosley, and Terry Bozzio as influences. Regulary voted among the best metal drummers in various readers polls. Married to actress, singer Jessica Pimentel. Drummer and primary lyricist for extreme metal band Meshuggah, also providing spoken word vocals on songs such as Choirs Of Devastation, Inside What's Behind Within, Sane, and SpasmJuly 13, 1968 ~ Country singer Waylon Jennings releases Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line, lifted off his Only The Greatest album ~ Written by Jimmy Bryant and first recorded by Jim Alley. Popularized by Waylon Jennings though, whose single produced by Chet Atkins and featuring Wayne Moss on guitar would become his highest-charting at this point in his career, peaking at No.2 Billboard Country. The following year, Linda Ronstadt would include a gender-reversed version, The Only Mama That'll Walk The Line, on her 1969 Hand Sown Home Grown album. Over the years the song would be covered, either as the “daddy” or “mama” version, by dozens of artists including Lynn Anderson, Jean Shepard, Lee Hazlewood, Hank Williams Jr, the Kentucky Headhunters, and Jack Ingram
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