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 20, 1970 ~ Punk rock, pop punk, alternative rock, alternative metal singer, guitarist, bassist, percussionist Theo Goutzinakis born in Vancouver, Canada ~ Best known as guitarist, singer of Gob, which he founded with Tom Thacker
July 20, 1969 ~ Rodothas Hamilton, commonly known as R&B singer Roy Hamilton, passed away in New Rochelle, New York, USA ~ Popular from the mid 1950s through the early 1960s. Merged classical phrasing with black gospel feeling. Best known for 1954's You'l Never Walk Alone and 1955's Unchained Melody, the two first major hits of the Epic Records label ~ Hamilton was born in 1929
July 20, 1969 ~ Riot grrrrl, grunge, punk rock, indie rock drummer, guitarist, singer Tobi Vail, full name Tobi Celeste Vail, born in Auburn, Washington, USA ~ Key figure in the riot grrrl scene, actually said to have coined the spelling of “grrrl”, a term used for the underground feminist punk wave that began in the early 1980s. Co-founding member of Bikini Kill, acclaimed for their 1994 Pussy Whipped album. Has also worked with the Go Team, Phranc, the Frumpies, and Spider & the Webs
July 20, 1968 ~ Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, commonly known as MC, rapper Kool G Rap born in Elmhurst, New York, USA ~ Often credited as one of the most influential MCs of all-time. Influential on later stars such as the Notorious BIG, Nas, Jay-Z, Raekwon. Closely associated with DJ Polo. Member of the Juice Crew. Released his full-length 4-5-6 solo debut album in 1995
July 20, 1967 ~ Courtney A Taylor, commonly known as alternative rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, percussionist Courtney Taylor-Taylor, born in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Co-founder, guitarist, lead singer of the Dandy Warhols, known for songs such as Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth and Bohemian Like You. Also worked with the Beauty Stab, Nero's Rome, One Model Nation
July 20, 1967 ~ New beat singer Peter Renkens born in Schoten, Belgium ~ Member of the Confettis, a Belgian new beat band active from 1988 through 1992 and best known for their hit single The Sound Of C. Other well known songs include C'Day, The C In China, and Put 'm Up ~ Renkens passed away in 2023July 20, 1966 ~ Guitarist Stone Gossard, full name Stone Carpenter Gossard, born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member of Pearl Jam. Previously a member of pivotal grunge outfits Green River and Mother Love Bone. Has also worked with Brad, the Ducky Boys, with supergroup Temple Of The Dog and has recorded as a solo artist, starting with the album Bayleaf released in 2001
July 20, 1964 ~ Christopher John Boyle, commonly known as guitarist, singer, songwriter Chris Cornell, born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Pivotal figure in 1990s grunge. Best known as singer, guitarist for Soundgarden and for Audioslave. Fronted Temple Of The Dog. Has also worked with Center For Disease Control Boys, Screaming Trees, Alice In Chains, Alice Cooper, and Slash ~ Boyle passed away in 2017July 20, 1963 ~ Dean Esposito, commonly known as singer, DJ, producer, songwriter Dino, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Known for a string of late 1980s, earlt 1990s hits including 1989's I Like It and 1990's Romeo, both of which reach the Billboard top 10
July 20, 1960 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Ole Jacob Hystad born in Stord, Norway ~ Brother of saxophonist Jan Kåre Hystad. Leader and sideman. Has worked with Stein Inge Brækhus, Alex Riel, Frank Jacobsen, the Bakeriet Bluesband, Ole Amund Gjersvik, Terje Rypdal, the Bergen Big Band, and Organ Jam
July 20, 1959 ~ Keyboardist Mick MacNeill born in Glasgow, UK ~ Member of the Simple Minds from 1978 through 1990, known for Promised You A Miracle, Waterfront, Don't You (Forget About Me), Alive And Kicking, Sanctify Yourself and Belfast Child. Also worked with Johnny & the Self-abusers, Fourgoodmen and with Visage
July 20, 1959 ~ Singer, guitarist Radney Foster, full name Radney Muckleroy Foster, born in Del Rio, Texas, USA ~ Rose to prominence as half of Foster & Lloyd, the other half being Bill Lloyd, known for their 1987 hit Crazy Over You. Released his Del Rio TX 1959 debut album in 1992, spawning the Billboard Country top 20 hits Just Call Me Lonesome, Nobody Wins and Easier Said Than Done
July 20, 1957 ~ Drummer Merlina DeFranco born in Canada ~ Member of bubblegum pop sibling outfit the DeFranco Family, known for a string of 1970s hits including Abra-ca-dabra, Save The Last Dance For Me and their best known Heartbeat (It's A Lovebeat), the latter reaching the Billboard top 10 in 1973
July 20, 1956 ~ Punk, punk rock drummer Paul Cook born in London, UK ~ Married to Jeni Cook of Culture Club, their daughter Hollie Cook is also a musician recording as a singer, keyboardist. Best known as co-founding member of pivotal punk band the Sex Pistols. Has also worked with the Professionals, the Chiefs Of Relief, Man Raze, Subway Sect, and Edwyn Collins
July 20, 1953 ~ Singer Dave Evans born in Camarthen, UK ~ Original lead singer of AC/DC. Featured on the band's debut single Can I Sit Next To You Girl b/w Rocking In The Parlor. Replaced by Bon Scott in October 1974July 20, 1953 ~ Singer, actress, TV personality Marcia Hines, full name Marcia Elaine Hines, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Mother of singer Deni Hines. Starred in the Australian versions of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Known for cover versions such as Fire & Rain, I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, and Something's Missing In My Life
July 20, 1952 ~ John French Segall, commonly known as heavy metal guitarist, singer Jay Jay French, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-founding member of Twisted Sister, present on the band's best known including We're Not Gonna Take It, I Wanna Rock and The Price
July 20, 1950 ~ Tobias Boshell, commonly known as folk rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, songwriter Bias Boshell, born in Wye, UK ~ Co-founding member of late 1960s folk rock outfit Trees. The band would enjoy little commercial success and disbanded after two albums, The Garden Of Jane Delawney and On The Shore, yet in hindsight would gain critical acclaim. Boshell would go on to back Kiki Dee, for whom he wrote several songs including the hits I've Got The Music In Me and First Thing In The Morning
July 20, 1948 ~ Pianist, singer James Hooker born in Winnsboro, South Carolina, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Amazing Rhythm Aces, active with the band through 1980 and rejoining on occasion since. Co-wrote Steve Winwood's Freedom Overspill of the 1986 Back In The High Life album. Also closely associated with Nanci Griffith, serving as Griffith's bandleader and occasional co-writer for 20 years starting in the early 1980s including on the acclaimed 1993 Other Voices Other Rooms album. Has also worked with Mac Davis, Russell Smith, TG Sheppard, Paul Butterfield, John Martyn, John Hiatt, Sawyer Brown, Gove Scrivenor, the Decoys, Ian Gomm, and Bernie Leadon
July 20, 1947 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Carlos Santana born in Autlán de Navarro, Mexico ~ Frontman and eponym of Santana. Pioneering Latin rock guitarist, merging rock & roll with Latin influences. Widely acclaimed as guitar virtuoso. Best known for his work in the late 1960s and 1970s with albums such as Abraxas and Santana III, resurging in the 1990s and 2000s with The Supernatural and Shaman. Known for songs such as Evil Ways, Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Samba Pa Ti, Smooth featuring Rob Thomas, and The Game Of Love featuring Michelle Branch
July 20, 1946 ~ Songwriter, producer Bob Heatlie, full name Robert Raymond Heatlie, born in Craigmillar, UK ~ Best known for penning the 1980s hits Japanese Boy for Aneka, and Merry Christmas Everyone for Shakin' Stevens. Both songs would top the UK singles charts, the latter became a mainstay popular to this day and would be covered by over 50 artists. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Heatlie include Cliff Richard, Hungarian singer Éva Csepregi, Ann-Louise Hanson, and Local Hero. In later years, Heatlie focused primarily on composing theme songs for children's TV series ~ Heatlie passed away in 2023July 20, 1946 ~ Saxophonist Johnny Almond born in Enfield, UK ~ Worked with the Alan Price Set, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Mark Almond, Zoot Money, Chicken Shack, Geoff Condon, Alan White, Curtis Amy, Hadley Caliman, Joe Harris, Charles Kynard, Joe Pass, and Martha Veléz ~ Almond passed away in 2009
July 20, 1946 ~ Joseph Henton, commonly known as trombonist Tricky Sam Nanton, passed away in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Worked with Cliff Jackson, Elmer Snowden, and Duke Ellington. Hearing trumpeter Johnny Dunn play with a plunger, he realized the same trick could be used on a trombone. Together with Ellington bandmate Bubber Miley in large part responsible for Ellington's wah-wah sound in the late 1920s ~ Nanton was born in 1904
July 20, 1945 ~ Singer Brenda Reid born ~ Lead singer of the Exciters, known for the hit single Tell Him. Would marry fellow band member Herb Rooney. Also a member of the Masterettes
July 20, 1945 ~ Bassist, singer, songwriter John Lodge, full name John Charles Lodge, born in Birmingham, UK ~ Key member of the Moody Blues and along with Justin Hayward one of the band's primary songwriters. Wrote or co-wrote a vast amount of the band's material including Evening (Time To Get Away), Ride My See Saw, Send Me No Wine, Out & In, Isn't Life Strange, I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock & Roll Band) and Gemini Dream. Has also released a number of albums outside of the band, notably 1975's The Blue Jays with bandmate Justin Hayward which reached top 10 UK and his own Natural Avenue two years later ~ Lodge passed away in 2025
July 20, 1945 ~ Pop rock, soft rock singer, songwriter Kim Carnes born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Briefly a member of the New Christy Minstrels in 1966 and 1967. Would marry bandmate Dave Ellingson. Released her Rest On Me solo debut album in 1971. Known best for her 1981 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 Bette Davis Eyes hit single. Other well known songs include More Love, the Kenny Rogers-duet Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer, and Crazy In The Night (Barking At Airplanes)