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 28, 2024 ~ Jangle pop, indie pop singer, guitarist Martin Phillipps passed away in Tainui, New Zealand ~ Frontman, sole constant member of the Chills, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums starting with Brave Words released in 1987. Acknowledged as one of the earliest proponents of the Dunedin sound, their distinctive hybrid drawing from punk rock, pop and psychedelic-infused jangle pop, they enjoyed popularity in their native New Zealand, with a cult following elsewhere, especially during the late 1980s and 1990s. They are particularly known for the 1990 album Submarine Bells which spawned their biggest hit Heavenly Pop Hit. Other well known songs include Pink Frost, Doledrums, I Love My Leather Jacket, and Male Monster From The Id ~ Phillipps was born in 1963
July 28, 2024 ~ Rock drummer Mick Underwood, full name Michael John Underwood, passed away ~ Underwood has enjoyed one of the longest British rock drummer careers spanning well over four decades starting in the early 1960s. Given his first drum kit at age 14, he was playing professionally by the time he left school. Closely associated with Ritchie Blackmore, the pair sessioning for producer Joe Meek early on in their careers, and with Ian Gillan. Touring musician for visiting Americans including Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent. Member of 1960s outfits such as the Outlaws, the Herd, and Episode 6. Co-founding member of progressive rock outfit Quatermass, known for their sole eponymous Quatermass album released in 1970. Underwood has also recorded with Strapps during the late 1970s, and with Ian Gillan throughout the 1980s including the acclaimed albums Mr Universe and Future Shock. Other notable associations include Jet Harris, Heinz, Graham Bonnet, Sammy, and Black Sabbath. In the 2010s Underwood, perhaps the most unassuming of all British rock drummers, looked back on his lengthy career, commenting: “A song is a song, and it doesn't start with me, (…) my job is to make that song sound the best for its own sake, not for mine” ~ Underwood was born in 1945
July 28, 2023 ~ James Mavin Parker, commonly known as composer Jim Parker, passed away in Aldeburgh, UK ~ Member of the Barrow Poets. Rose to fame with a series of 1970s recordings of John Betjeman poems set to music, notably Banana Blush and Sir John Betjeman's Britain. Prolific film and TV composer, credits including Midsomer Murders, Foyles War, To Play The King, and The Final Cut. Concert works written by Parker have been performed by the Nash Ensemble, the Hilliard Ensemble, and the Albion Ensemble ~ Parker was born in 1934July 28, 2023 ~ Thomas Peters, commonly known as singer, guitarist, keyboardist Tommi Stumpff, passed away in Düsseldorf, Germany ~ Founded and fronted punk outfit KFC in the late 1970s. Would go on to record about a dozen solo albums as an EBM singer, starting with Zu Spät Ihr Scheisser released in 1982 ~ Peters was born in 1958
July 28, 2021 ~ Joseph Michael Hill, commonly known as blues-rock, rock bassist, guitarist, singer Dusty Hill, passed away in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Brother of guitarist Rocky Hill, his bandmate in American Blues. Would rise to fame as member of ZZ Top, known for songs such as La Grange, Tush, Arrested For Driving While Blind, Cheap Sunglasses, Gimme All Your Lovin', Legs, Rough Boy, and Velcro Fly ~ Hill was born in 1949July 28, 2021 ~ Operatic tenor Giuseppe Giacomini passed away in Voltago Agordino, Italy ~ Made his debut in 1966 in Vercelli starring as Pinkerton in a production of the Giacomo Puccini-opera Madame Butterfly. Would go on to work with renowned orchestras and opera houses including the Staatsoper Munchen, the Teatro Colón, La Scala, and the Metropolitan Opera ~ Giacomini was born in 1940
July 28, 2018 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer Sam Mehran, also known as Sam Meringue, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founded punk band the Test Icicles, drawing from post-hardcore, dance-punk and indie rock. As a solo artist ventured into more lo-fi oriented music, influenced by Ariel Pink and R Stevie Moore, recording under several monikers. Critically acclaimed for a series of recordings under the moniker Outer Limit Recordings ~ Mehran was born in 1986
July 28, 2013 ~ Maria Everdina Reijs, commonly known as jazz singer Rita Reys, passed away in Breukelen, the Netherlands ~ Dubbed “Europe's first lady of jazz.” Recorded and performed with Lars Gullin, Ove Lind, Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Herbie Mann, Oscar Pettiford, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Mat Mathews, and Pim Jacobs ~ Reijs was born in 1924
July 28, 2005 ~ Rock, pop guitarist, bassist Roger Bunn passed away in London, UK ~ As a solo artist known for his 1970 Piece Of Mind album. Early member of Roxy Music remaining with the band through 1971, replaced by David O'List. Has also worked with Pete Brown & Piblokto ~ Bunn was born in 1942
July 28, 2004 ~ R&B singer George Williams, full name George Reginald Williams Jr, passed away in Maple Shade, New Jersey, USA ~ Lead singer of vocal R&B outfit the Tymes, known best for their 1963 So Much In Love debut album. The album would spawn their biggest hits, the title track So Much In Love would top the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 while its follow-up Wonderful Wonderful peaked at No.7. The band would continue to record well into the 1970s, but apart from an occasional hit in the UK, where Ms Grace reached the No.1 spot in 1974, they were unable to repeat their earlier success ~ Williams was born in 1935
July 28, 2003 ~ Jazz double bassist Aaron Bell, full name Samuel Aaron Bell, passed away in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Lucky Millinder, Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues), Lester Young, Stan Kenton, Johnny Hodges, Cab Calloway, Carmen McRae, Ray Bryant, Dick Haymes, Duke Ellington, Sam Woodyard, Buck Clayton, Earl Hines, Friedrich Gulda, Sonny Stitt, Charles Thompson, Mose Allison, Harold Ashby, Mae Barnes, Urbie Green, Junior Mance, Sam Most, Jimmy Rushing (If This Ain't The Blues), Buddy Tate, Norris Turney, and Randy Weston ~ Bell was born in 1921July 28, 2003 ~ Singer, songwriter Greg Guidry, full name Gregory Mark Guidry, passed away in Fairview, Tennessee, USA ~ Staff songwriter at CBS Records. Artists who have recorded his songs include the Climax Blues Band, Robbie Dupree, Exile, Johnnie Taylor, Sawyer Brown, and Reba McEntire. As a solo artist, Guidry is known for the hit singles Goin' Down and Into My Love, the latter a duet with his sister Sandy Guidry ~ Guidry was born in 1954
July 28, 2003 ~ Ian Alistair Bruce, commonly known as rock, hard rock, glam rock, power pop guitarist, bassist, singer René Berg, passed away in Kent, UK ~ Spent most of the late 1970s and early 1980s in the Netherlands, where he worked with Soho and Herman Brood, prior to joining Finnish outfit Hanoi Rocks mere months before the band folded. Subsequently, Berg worked with the Soho Vultures, before releasing his sole solo album, The Leather The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes, which featured backing from guitarist Bernie Tormé, bassist Paul Grat, and drummer Rat Scabies ~ Bruce was born in 1956
July 28, 2000 ~ R&B, disco, funk guitarist Jerome Smith passed away in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Best known as member KC & the Sunshine Band from its inception until his death in 2000. The band is known for classic 1970s dance material such as That's The Way (I Like It), (Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty, I'm Your Boogie Man and Keep It Comin' Love. Smith also guested on Rock Your Baby, a 1974 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 for George McCrae ~ Smith was born in 1953
July 28, 1993 ~ Singer Cher Lloyd born in Malvern, UK ~ 2010 The X-Factor contestant, reaching 4th place. Debuted with the single Swagger Jagger in 2011. Also known for With Ur Love featuring Mike Posner and Want U Back, the latter reaching the American Billboard top 20 in 2012
July 28, 1992 ~ Singer Mary J Blige releases Real Love, lifted off her What's The 411 debut album ~ Mary J Blige's sophomore single Real Love would be her second to top the Billboard R&B charts, preceded by You Remind Me, and her first to reach top 10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.7. Both at the time of its release and retrospectively, the song has earned critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone including the song on their list of 500 Best Songs of All Time in 2021, and AllMusic once stating that Real Love, and songs like it, “are and will remain timeless sclices of soul even after their trendiness has worn off”. Decades later, looking back on the success of the single Cory Rooney, who co-wrote and co-produced the track with Prince Markie Dee of the Fat Boys, spoke to Ebony of the song's meaning: “Blige is the female that's from the hood that sings the pain of all of the females from the hood. At that point in her life, she was being taken advantage of by a lot of the industry cats and a song like Real Love described her situation”July 28, 1990 ~ DeAndre Cortez Way, commonly known as rapper Soulja Boy, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known for his 2007 debut single Crank That (Soulja Boy) which reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequent hit singles include Kiss Me Thru The Phone featuring Sammie, Turn My Swag On and Pretty Boy Swag
July 28, 1987 ~ Swing, big band, pop singer John Stevens, full name John Basset Stevens IV, born ~ Influenced by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, his ability to impersonate the latter earning him the nickname “Teen Martin”. First gained attention in 2004 as a contestant on the talent contest American Idol. At age 16, Stevens would become the youngest contestant to reach the semi-finals. Following his success on the show, Stevens released his Red debut album the following year, and has gone on to sing with the Boston-based ensemble the Beantown Swing Orchestra focusing on the classic big band arrangements in the style of Sinatra and Bobby Darin
July 28, 1986 ~ Singer Janet Jackson releases When I Think Of You, lifted off her Control album ~ Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, previously of the Time, When I Think Of You tells of a person finding relief and fun in a lover. The single would not only be the first Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit for Janet Jackson, who would go on to score over half a dozen more, but also for the songwriter-producer duo Jam & Lewis who would later score charttoppers for Human League, George Michael (Monkey), Karyn White, Boyz II Men (On Bended Knee), Mariah Carey, and Usher. The music video accompanying When I Think Of You would use a dance remix of the song and was choreographed by Paula Abdul, who would rise to fame as a singer herself a few years later. Before Jam & Lewis teamed up with Jackson, they wrote most of the songs for the Control album for another singer, namely Sharon Bryant. Bryant, however, wasn't interested in the tracks, so the duo shelved the songs until the right person came along. Control would be the singer's breakout album, making her a household name and marking her artistic break from her dominant musical family. Jackson would go on to regularly collaborate with the Minneapolis songwriter and producer duoJuly 28, 1985 ~ Punk rock singer Patrick Stickles born in Glen Rock, New Jersey, USA ~ Influenced by Neutral Milk Hotel and Pulp. Founding member, frontman, main lyricist of Titus Andronicus with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums including their acclaimed The Monitor sophomore album released in 2010
July 28, 1982 ~ Contemporary Christian pianist, singer, songwriter Keith Green, full name Keith Gordon Green, passed away in Garden Valley, Texas, USA ~ Known for composing several standards of contemporary Christian music including Oh Lord You're Beautiful, Asleep In The Light, Your Love Broke Through, You Put This Love In My Heart and The Prodigal Son Suite ~ Green was born in 1953July 28, 1982 ~ Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucinese, commonly known as jazz, traditional pop guitarist, singer Nick Lucas, passed away in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA ~ First jazz guitarist to record as a soloist. Known for songs such as Pickin' The Guitar, Teasin' The Frets and perhaps his best known Tiptoe Through The Tulips ~ Lucinese was born in 1897
July 28, 1981 ~ Rock, pop guitarist, singer Dave Rosin, full name David Cameron Rosin, born in Prince George, Canada ~ Lead guitarist of Hedley since 2005, known for songs such as Trip, For The Nights I Can't Remember, Never Too Late, Cha-ching, Perfect, Kiss You Inside Out, Anything and Crazy For You. Has also worked with Day Theory and with Everything AfterJuly 28, 1980 ~ Noel John Hayes, commonly known as singer, actor Noel Sullivan, born in Cardiff, UK ~ Rose to fame as member of Hear'say, known for songs such as Pure & Simple, The Way To Your Love and Everybody. After the band disbanded Sullivan would turn to musical theatre, appearing in productions of shows such as Fame, Love Shack and Grease
July 28, 1976 ~ Hard rock, alternative rock, alternative metal, rap metal, rap rock singer, rapper Jacoby Shaddix, full name Jacoby Dakota Shaddix, born in Mariposa, California, USA ~ Co-founding member, lead singer of Papa Roach, with whom he has recorded about a dozen albums since its inception in the early 1990s. To European audiences, they are perhaps best known for their debut single Last Resort, which reached top 10 in several countries including the UK. In their native America, Scars lifted off their 2004 Getting Away With Murder album reached top 20 Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No.15. Other well known songs include To Be Loved, Lifeline, Face Everything And Rise, Help, Born For Greatness, Come Around, and Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)