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 22, 2025 ~ Charles Frank Mangione, commonly known as trumpeter, hornist Chuck Mangione passed away in Rochester, New York, USA ~ To mainstream audiences perhaps best known for his 1977 crossover jazz-pop instrumental Feels So Good, which reached No.4 Billboard Hot 100, for Chase The Clouds Away used in the 1976 Summer Olympics, and for Give It All You Got used in the Winter Olympics four years later. Mangione also wrote and performed the theme to the highly successful 1981 action-comedy Cannonball Run feature film. Though Mangione was best known for his lightweight, melodic jazz-pop, a considerable influence on later smooth jazz artists, few know he originally aimed to become a be-bopper. Before finding a mainstream appeal in the 1970s, Mangione had co-led the Jazz Brothers with his older brother keyboardist Gap Mangione, and worked with Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, and notably Art Blakey. Over the course of his career, Mangione recorded over two dozen albums as a leader, including the acclaimed Land Of Make Believe and Feels So Good, released respectively in 1973 and 1977 ~ Mangioni was born in 1940
July 22, 2025 ~ John Michael Osbourne, commonly known as hard rock singer, songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, passed away in Jordans, UK ~ Rose to fame as lead vocalist of Black Sabbath, remaining with the band from its inception in 1970 until 1979, fired for alcohol abuse. Would go on to release over a dozen solo albums, many of them reaching multiple Platinum status. Known for songs such as Crazy Train, Flying High Again, Bark At The Moon, Shot In The Dark, No More Tears, Perry Mason, and Changes with daughter Kelly Osbourne ~ Osbourne was born in 1948
July 22, 2024 ~ Abdul Kareem Fakir, commonly known as singer Duke Fakir, passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of the Four Tops, an R&B outfit that recorded for over four decades in its original line-up. The quartet has recorded some two dozen albums since the mid 1960s, and are remembered for a vast body of work that includes Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits such as I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch), Reach Out I'll Be There, Standing In The Shadows Of Love, and Bernadette. At their induction in 1990, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame stated “the only thing that can outlast the Four Tops' lineup is their incredible body of work”. Fakir was the last surviving member of the original quartet, and retired from performing the year before his death ~ Fakir was born in [artist-duke-fakir]
July 22, 2024 ~ Blues, blues rock singer, guitarist, songwriter John Mayall, full name John Brumwell Mayall, passed away in California, USA ~ A generation older than most of his sidemen, Mayall is considered not only the “Godfather of British Blues” but a mentor to dozens of artists early on in their careers, his backing unit the Bluesbreakers serving as a finishing school for some of the most important rockers of the 1960s and 1970s. Mayall has recorded over three dozen albums since the mid 1960s, and is especially acclaimed for a string of late 1960s albums including The Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton, Crusade, Turning Point, and Blues From Laurel Canyon. Artists who would pass through the ranks of the Bluesbreakers include guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Walter Trout, Sonny Landreth, and Coco Montoya, bassists Jack Bruce and John McVie, and drummers Mick Fleetwood and Aynsley Dunbar. Looking back on the early days, Mayall told the Guardian in 2014: “The blues fitted in with the early '60s, the social way of life at the time. It happened here (in the UK), rather than in America, because at the time, the scene in America was racially segregated. Over there, never the twain would meet.” Mayall retired from touring in 2022 ~ Mayall was born in 1933July 22, 2023 ~ Jazz saxophonist Knut Riisnæs passed away in Oslo, Norway ~ Fixture on the Oslo jazz scene with a career spanning five decades starting in the mid 1960s. Son of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs. Brother of pianist Anne Eline Riisnæs and saxophonist Odd Riisnæs. Present on albums by Karin Krog, Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen, Edward Vesala, the Oslo Groove Company, Sigurd Ulveseth, and Fra Lippo Lippi ~ Riisnæs was born in 1945
July 22, 2023 ~ Rocksteady, ska, reggae singer Peter Austin passed away in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Formed 1960s ska outfit the Clarendonians with Ernest Wilson, known for songs such as Rudie Gone A Jail, Sho Be Do Be, You Can't Be Happy, Darling Forever, and You Can't Keep A Good Man Down ~ Austin was born ca.1945
July 22, 2023 ~ Easy listening, traditional pop singer Vince Hill passed away in Henley-on-Thames, UK ~ Briefly a member of the Raindrops during the early 1960s before venturing out on his own. Best known for his 1967 rendition of Edelweiss, which reached top 10 in his native UK. Originally written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for their 1959 The Sound Of Music musical, it would become Hill's biggest hit and signature song. Other well known songs include the Edith Piaf-cover Take Me To Your Heart Again, originally La Vie En Rose, as well as Heartaches, Love Letters In The Sand, and Look Around (You'll Find Me There) ~ Hill was born in 1934July 22, 2022 ~ Alice Hoffeiner, commonly known as classical violinist Alice Harnoncourt, passed away in Vienna, Austria ~ Married to Nikolaus Harnoncourt with whom she co-founded the Concentus Musicus Wien, pioneering the period-instrument performance movement. The couple would have four children, including mezzo-soprano singer Elisabeth von Magnus ~ Hoffeiner was born in 1930
July 22, 2021 ~ Roberto Andrés Pandolfo, commonly known as rock, pop rock, tango singer, guitarist Palo Pandolfo, passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Fronted 1980s post-punk band Don Cornelio y La Zona. Fronted Los Visitantes in the 1990s. Subsequently active as a solo artist, releasing his A Traves De Los Sueños debut album in 2001 ~ Pandolfo was born in 1964
July 22, 2021 ~ Singer, guitarist Zentaro Watanabe passed away ~ First gained attention in the 1980s as guitarist of Shijin No Chi. Formed the duo Oh Penelope with former bandmate Mutsuji Tsuji. Active as a producer since the 1990s, responsible for tracks such as Chara's Yasashii Kimochi, Hitomi's Love 2000 and Ikimonogakari's Hana Wa Sakura Kimi Wa Utsukushi ~ Watanabe was born in 1963
July 22, 2019 ~ Singer, keyboardist, songwriter Art Neville, full name Arthur Lanon Neville, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Influenced by James Booker, Bill Doggett, Booker T Jones, Lloyd Glenn. Member of the Neville Brothers, the Wild Tchoupitoulas, the Meters. As a solo artist known for recordings such as Cha Dooky Doo, Too Much, You Won't Do Right, and Hook Line & Sinker. Also worked with the Hawketts, Labelle (Lady Marmalade), Paul McCartney, Lee Dorsey, Dr John, Professor Longhair, Betty Harris, the Pointer Sisters, and the Rolling Stones ~ Neville was born in 1937July 22, 2016 ~ Free jazz bassist Dominic Duval passed away ~ As a leader has well over two dozen albums to his name, notably 2008's The Last Dance Volumes 1 & 2 featuring Cecil Taylor. Has also worked with Trio X, Joe McPhee, Matthew Shipp, Steve Swell ~ Duval was born in 1945
July 22, 2013 ~ Singer Ariana Grande releases Baby I, lifted off her Yours Truly debut album ~ Written by Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, Antonio Dixon and J Que, the same team responsible for Beyoncé's Best Thing I Never Had, Ariana Grande's Baby I would draw comparisons to Mariah Carey. Grande herself appreciated the song's nostalgia vibe, as she later commented: “I love that. It felt like 1990s, Aaliyah, Destiny's Child. I like that it has that throwback feeling to it. And that's when I grew up and it was such a feel-good song to me,” further adding she could relate to the lyrics, the song telling of being so taken with someone you can't find the words to tell them. Baby I would reach No.21 Billboard Hot 100
July 22, 2013 ~ Boy band One Direction release Best Song Ever, lifted off their Midnight Memories album ~ Issued as the lead single off their third studio album, Best Song Ever would debut at No.2 on the American Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest charting single by any British boy band and only the third to reach top 10 after Take That's Back For Good in 1995 and the Wanted's Glad You Came in 2011, which peaked at No.7 and No.3 respectively. Following the single's success, a debate ensued with some fans noting the song's basic structure was similar to the Who's Baba O'Riley. Guitarist Pete Townshend would eventually weigh in and denied the Who would pursue legal action, adding he was a fan of One Direction's single and was happy that the boy band apparently had been influenced by the Who
July 22, 2010 ~ Trumpeter, hornist Harry Beckett, full name Harold Winston Beckett, passed away in London, UK ~ Leader and sideman. Notably worked with Charles Mingus in the 1962 All Night Long film. Closely associated with bassist Graham Collier. Would go on to become a key figure in the British free jazz scene, working with acts such as Nucleus, Brotherhood Of Breath, the Dedication Orchestra, the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, John Surman, Django Bates, Ronnie Scott, Charlie Watts, Stan Tracey, and Elton Dean ~ Beckett was born in 1935
July 22, 2008 ~ Jazz fusion, jazz funk, funk, soul jazz guitarist Joe Beck passed away in Woodbury, Connecticut, USA ~ Well over a dozen albums as a leader, co-leader or solo artist, noted most for 1975's Beck, 1980's Empathy, and 1991's The Journey. Over the course of his career, Beck has appeared on albums by Mike Mainieri, Gil Evans (Blues In Orbit), Johnny Pate (Outrageous), Al Kooper, Labelle, Gato Barbieri (Fenix), Dom Um Romão, Hank Crawford, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Lonnie Liston Smith (Astral Traveling), Idris Muhammad (Power Of Soul), Bill Watrous, James Brown (Hell), David Sanborn (Taking Off), Paul Simon, Ronnie Foster, Azuquita (Pura Salsa), Miles Davis, Tom Talbert (This Is Living), Nnenna Freelon (Maiden Voyage), and Jimmy Bruno. When reflecting back on the start of his career in the late 1960s, Beck once commented: “My career happened because I happened to be in the right place at the right time in a very unique time of jazz music” ~ Beck was born in 1945July 22, 2007 ~ Rapper Lil Wayne arrested for possession of a firearm in New York, New York ~ Following a show at the Beacon Theater, New York, Lil Wayne is arrested when police find a loaded gun in his tour bus. Gun laws are strict in New York and Wayne would serve eight months detained in the Rikers Island prison. Wayne would publish a book about it, Gone 'Til November, in 2015
July 22, 2007 ~ Francis Dominic Joseph Dallas, commonly known as jazz bassist, singer Sonny Dallas, passed away in Long Island, New York, USA ~ Most closely associated with Lennie Tristano. Also worked with Charlie Spivak, Ray Eberle, Claude Thornhill, Sal Salvador, Tony Scott, Chet Baker, Buck Clayton, Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Elvin Jones, Mary Lou Williams, George Wallington, and Jackie Paris ~ Dallas was born in 1931
July 22, 2006 ~ Country blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Jessie Mae Hemphill, passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Active in informal settings and family bands, including with her grandfather Sid Hemphill, before starting a solo career as a recording artist by the late 1970s, early 1980s. About a dozen albums to her name, starting with the full-length She-Wolf released in 1981. Well known for penning Lord Help The Poor And Needy, notably covered without credit by indie rock, folk rock singer Cat Power ~ Hemphill was born in 1923
July 22, 2005 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Eugene Record, full name Eugene Booker Record, passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Lead vocalist of the Chi-lites, scoring with 1970s hits such as Oh Girl, Have You Seen Her and (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People. Record also wrote and produced for other artists inlcuding Jackie Wilson, Lost Generation, Otis Leavell, the Dells, and the Impressions. Credited as a co-writer, earning him Grammy Award recognition, on the Beyoncé hit Crazy In Love due to its sampling of the Chi-lites' Are You My Woman (Tell Me So) ~ Record was born in 1940
July 22, 2004 ~ Alexandre Distel, commonly known as singer, guitarist, actor Sacha Distel, passed away in Rayol Canadel, France ~ Known for one British hit, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head. Mostly known for French versions of English-language songs such as Chanson Bleue and Je T'Appelle Pour Dire Que Je T'Aime, covers of respectively Neil Diamond's Song Sung Blue and Stevie Wonder's I Just Called To Say I Love You. Distel also recorded in German, Spanish and Italian. As a songwriter perhaps best known for La Belle Vie which she co-wrote and recorded in 1962, to English audiences best known as The Good Life as covered by Tony Bennett and subsequently by numerous others ~ Distel was born in 1933
July 22, 2001 ~ Country songwriter, producer Bob Ferguson, full name Robert Bruce Ferguson, passed away in Jackson, Mississippi, USA ~ Helpful in creating the Nashville sound of the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps best remembered for writing The Wings Of A Dove, recorded by Ferlin Husky, George Jones, Ricky Skaggs, and Hal Ketchum, and for writing The Carroll County Incident, a 1968 hit for Porter Wagoner. Staff producer at RCA-Victor, producing acts such as Connie Smith, Jerry Reed, Floyd Cramer, Danny Davis, Dolly Parton (Jolene), the Browns, Lester Flatt, Homer & Jethro, and Charley Pride ~ Ferguson was born in 1927July 22, 1996 ~ British folk singer Donovan cancels North American tour ~ Singer Donovan, known for 1960s songs such as Mellow Yellow and Sunshine Superman, cancels his North American tour as he is denied entry to the US due to a 1966 marijuana possession conviction
July 22, 1996 ~ Alternative rock, indie rock keyboardist Rob Collins, full name Robert James Collins, passed away near Monmouth, UK ~ Keyboardist, primary songwriter for the Charlatans, present on all of the band's five albums. Arrested and charged with armed robbery of an off-licence in 1992. Collins claimed to have no foreknowledge of the robbery until he heard a gunshot inside the shop and his friend exited. Would plead guilty to assisting an offender after the offence and serve four months in prison. Shortly before the recordings for the band's fifth album, Tellin' Stories, were finished Collins died in a car crash near Rockfield Studios ~ Collins was born in 1963July 22, 1996 ~ The Smokin' Grooves Tour kicks off in Sacramento, California ~ Starting a 33-date trek the Smokin' Grooves tour, the first major hip-hop traveling festival, kicks off with a show in Sacramento. Artists billed would include A Tribe Called Quest, the Fugees, and Busta Rhymes