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 30, 2022 ~ Alternative rock, world music, roots singer, guitarist, songwriter Archie Roach, full name Archibald William Roach, passed away in Warrnabool, Australia ~ Avid campaigner for the rights of indigenous Australians. Husband and musical partner of singer Ruby Hunter. Released his debut album, Charcoal Lane, in 1990 and has recorded steadily since to a devoted fanbase and admiration from peers. Has opened for international stars such as Joan Armatrading, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman, and Suzanne Vega ~ Roach was born in 1956
July 30, 2022 ~ Grace Dell Nichols, commonly known as actress, singer Nichelle Nichols passed away in Silver City, New Mexico, USA ~ Best known for playing the role of Nyoto Uhara in Star Trek: The Original Series and its film sequels. Debuted as a singer with the album Down To Earth, a selection of standards, in 1967. Volunteers in a project with NASA to recruit minority and female personnel for the space agency ~ Nichols was born in 1932
July 30, 2022 ~ Freak folk, psychedelic folk singer, songwriter Raymond Raposa, full name Raymond Byron Magic Raposa, passed away ~ Sole constant member and thriving force of the Castanets, with whom he recorded seven country, folk, rock influenced albums starting with Cathedral released in 2004. Raposa has also been involved in several other projects, notably scoring the soundtrack to the documentary Beyond This Place in 2011 with regular collaborator Sufjan Stevens. Also noted for Little Death Shaker, released in 2012 under the moniker Raymond Byron & the White Freighter ~ Raposa was born in 1981July 30, 2021 ~ Singer, guitarist Jacob Desvarieux passed away in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe ~ Founding member of the Sweet Bananas, known best for their recording of Bilboa Dance. Key member of Caribbean music group Kassav, which he co-founded with Pierre-Edouard Décimus in 1979, known for their 1988 Sye Bwa single which reached the French top 20. As a solo artist acclaimed for his 1999 Euphrasine's Blues album ~ Desvarieux was born in 1955
July 30, 2020 ~ Country singer Randy Barlow passed away in Palmetto, Florida, USA ~ Emcee and road manager for Dick Clark's Caravan Of Stars tour in the mid 1960s. As a recording artist has recorded a handful of albums from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s. Best known for his 1978 Fall In Love With Me sophomore album. All three of the album's singles, Slow And Easy, No Sleep Tonight and Fall In Love With Me Tonight, would reach top 10 Billboard Country ~ Barlow was born in 1943July 30, 2020 ~ Composer Toshimitsu Tanaka passed away ~ Expontent of the Japanese marimba repertoire. As a composer perhaps best known for his 1965 composition Two Movements For Marimba. Has taught at the Kunitachi College of Music, Kunitachi, where he also studied, and at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, Kyiv ~ Tanaka was born in 1930
July 30, 2015 ~ Singer Lynn Anderson, full name Lynn Rene Anderson, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Daughter of songwriters Casey Anderon and Liz Anderson. Best known for her 1970 hit Rose Garden. First female country artist to, in 1974, sell out Madison Square Garden. Also known for songs such as If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away), Promises Promises, Cry, Listen To A Country Song, and What A Man My Man Is ~ Anderson was born in 1947
July 30, 2014 ~ Rock, hard rock, acid rock, shock rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Dick Wagner, full name Richard Allen Wagner, passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Fronted the Frost. Fronted the Bossmen. Closely associated with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Kiss. Co-wrote a number of Cooper's best known including Only Women Bleed, You And Me and How You Gonna See Me Now. Also co-wrote Shine Silently with Nils Lofgren, recorded by the latter on his 1979 Nils album ~ Wagner was born in 1942July 30, 2014 ~ Actor, comedian, guitarist Fausto Fanti, full name Fausto Fanti Jasmin, passed away in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Co-founding member of comedy troupe Hermes & Renato, enjoying a cult following during the late 1990s and early 2000s through appearances on MTV Brasil. Original guitarist of the parodic metal band Massacration, present on the albums The Gates Of Metal Fried Chicken Of Death and Good Blood Headbanguers ~ Fanti was born in 1978
July 30, 2005 ~ Eli Thompson, commonly known as saxophonist Lucky Thompson, passed away in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Worked with Lionel Hampton, Don Redman, Billy Eckstine, Lucky Millinder, Count Basie, Kenny Clarke, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Stan Kenton, Louis Armstrong, Harry Arnold, Art Blakey, Benny Carter, Jimmy Cleveland, Johnny Dankworth, Quincy Jones, Oscar Pettiford, Thelonious Monk, Martial Solal, and Dinah Washington ~ Thompson was born in 1924July 30, 2003 ~ Producer, label founder Sam Phillips passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Founded Sun Records. Produced early recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Howlin' Wolf. Advocated for racial equality and helped break down racial barriers in the music industry. Sold the label to Shelby Singleton in 1969 ~ Phillips was born in 1923
July 30, 2002 ~ Baritone singer David Daniels passed away ~ Performed opera and musical comedy. Perhaps best remembered for introducing the song Young & Foolish alongside Gloria Marlowe in the 1955 Broadway-musical Plain & Fancy. The song, written by Albert Hague and Arnold B Horwitt, would become a standard, covered by over 150 artists including the McGuire Sisters, Gogi Grant, the Lettermen, Tony Bennett, and Lesley Gore ~ Daniels was born in 1927July 30, 1993 ~ Blues, soul, jazz, pop rock, R&B, funk saxophonist, singer Don Myrick passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Member of jazz-funk outfit the Pharaohs. Co-founding member of the Association For The Advancement Of Creative Musicians. Best known as member of the Phenix Horns, the original horn section of Earth Wind & Fire, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums. Especially noted for his sax solos on After The Love Has Gone and Reasons. Myrick also regularly backed Phil Collins, including on the tracks If Leaving Me Is Easy and One More Night. An in-demand session saxophonist, Myrick has also appeared on albums by Howlin' Wolf, Donny Hathaway (Everything Is Everything), Jack McDuff, Ramsey Lewis, Terry Callier (I Just Can't Help Myself), the Gap Band, Deniece Williams, Valerie Carter (Just A Stones Throw Away), Lamont Johnson, the Mighty Clouds Of Joy, Leroy Hutson, Deniece Williams, Bobby Blue Bland, the Pointer Sisters (Special Things), Stanley Turrentine, David Byrne, Anita Baker (Rapture), and Regina Belle. Myrick passed away at age 53 following a shooting where a police officer mistook a butane lighter he was holding in his hand for a weapon. The song For A Friend by Phil Collins released later the same year was a tribute to Myrick ~ Myrick was born in 1940
July 30, 1991 ~ Singer, songwriter, actress Diana Vickers born in Blackburn, UK ~ Semi-finalist on the 2008 edition of talent contest The X-Factor. Following her success on the show, Vickers has played the title role in West End production of The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice, and issued her Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree debut album in 201, which spawned the UK No.1 hit Once. Vickers has since ventured into acting for film, co-wrote Mouth 2 Mouth for Enrique Iglesias & Jennifer Lopez, and acted in musical stage productionsJuly 30, 1991 ~ Deathcore, metalcore, progressive metal guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist Jason Richardson, full name Jason Reeves Richardson, born in Manassas, Virginia, USA ~ Member of Born Of Osiris and subsequently Chelsea Grin, prior to releasing his I solo debut album. Richardson has also appeared on albums by Polyphia, Veil Of Maya, August Burns Red, and Falling In Reverse. Richardson joined All That Remains as lead guitarist by the late-2010s, taking over lead guitar duties from Oli Herbert
July 30, 1988 ~ In its 8th week on the charts, Roll With It by Steve Winwood hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Roll With It tells about overcoming obstacles and working with what life gives you. Preceded by Higher Love, Roll With It lifted off the album of the same name would become Steve Winwood's second and final Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit, a position it held for four consecutive weeks. Just like his previous American charttopper, Roll With It was written by Winwood and regular songwriting collaborator Will Jennings, yet after legal action by Motown, who felt the song showed remarkable similarity to the 1966 song (I'm A) Roadrunner by Junior Walker & the All-Stars, songwriters Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland Jr were given co-writing credit. The accompanying music video to Roll With It was directed by David Fincher, who would later direct feature films such as Seven, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, and Gone Girl
July 30, 1986 ~ Indie rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Adam Baldwin born in Dartmouth, Canada ~ Worked with alternative country outfit Gloryhound and with Matt Mays. Also released a number of solo recordings, starting with the eponymous Adam Baldwin EP, released in 2013July 30, 1984 ~ Ashley Jurgemeyer, commonly known as pianist, keyboardist, songwriter Ashley Ellyllon, born in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA ~ Best known as a member of the Orbs. Has also worked with Abigail Williams, Cradle Of Filth, Carnifex, and Ryann
July 30, 1983 ~ Music publicist, lyricist, songwriter Howard Dietz passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Lyricist best remembered for his three-decade on-and-off songwriting collaboration with composer Arthur Schwartz, starting with the Broadway revue The Little Show in 1929. The pair would go on to write songs such as Something To Remember You By (Libby Holman, Dinah Shore, Jo Stafford), Dancing In The Dark (Jack Barker, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone). New Sun In The Sky (Fred Astaire, Keely Smith), Alone Together (Leo Reisman, Margaret Whiting, Woody Herman), I See Your Face Before Me (Evelyn Laye, Mildred Bailey, Frank Sinatra), and Haunted Heart (John Tyers, Guy Lombardo, Perry Como). Dietz is also known as a publicist, advertising director, and executive with the film production companies Goldwyn Pictures and subsequently MGM, eventually rising to the position of Vice President with the latter serving until his retirement in 1957 ~ Dietz was born in 1896July 30, 1982 ~ Rebecca Louise Stephens, commonly known as singer RiotBeccki, born in Brighton, UK ~ Member of indie pop girl group the Pipettes, present on the band's 2006 We Are The Pipettes debut album which spawned the modest hits Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me and Pull Shapes, both of which reached top 40 in their native UK. Stephens departed the band in 2008, prior to recording the band's second and final album Earth Vs Pipettes
July 30, 1981 ~ Jennifer Lee Lindberg, commonly known as indie rock bassist, singer Jenny Lee Lindberg, born in Elko, Nevada, USA ~ Bassist and lead singer of indie outfit Warpaint. Drawing from psychedelic rock, post-punk, dream pop, and hip hop, the band is one of the most acclaimed indie bands to emerge from the 2010s, known best for their 2014 eponymous sophomore album which reached No.9 in the UK. Lindberg released her Right On solo debut album in 2015, mixing goth and new wave with Warpaint's spacious dream pop, aided by Warpaint bandmate Stella Mozgawa and producer Norm Block. Lindberg has cited Jah Wobble, Bernard Edwards, Flea, and Thundercat as her favorite bassists, and Siouxsie Sioux as her primary vocal inspiration: “I have a lot of respect for Siouxsie and she's given me a lot of inspiration over the years”
July 30, 1980 ~ Electrofunk, R&B outfit Zapp release their eponymous debut album ~ Retrospectively cited as one of the definitive albums that helped define early 1980s funk, influential in the development of the later G-funk sound of hip hop, Zapp was co-produced by George Clinton-alumnus Bootsy Collins who also contributed guitars, bass, vibraphone, keyboards, harmonica, and backing vocals. While the album as a whole is cherished by aficionados, among mainstream audiences it is best remembered for its lead single More Bounce To The Ounce which reached No.2 Billboard R&B and has been sampled in numerous songs including You Gots To Chill by EPMD, Friday by Ice Cube, and Going Back To Cali by the Notorious BIG. More Bounce To The Ounce has also served as inspiration for Tom Tom Club's 1981 dance hit Genius Of Love, as their drummer Chris Frantz later commented: “We loved More Bounce To The Ounce in part because it was played at a slower, funkier tempo by far than so many other dance tracks of the period. It was very relaxed and sexy while still maintaining a raw, hard edge”
July 30, 1977 ~ In its 15th week on the charts, I Just Want To Be Your Everything by Andy Gibb hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Andy Gibb had previously issued the stand-alone single Words And Music, released only in Australia where it was a minor hit stalling at No.78. I Just Want To Be Your Everything written by his older brother Barry Gibb, however, issued as the first single of his Flowing Rivers full-length debut album, would top the charts in Australia, Canada, and America. Gibb's next two singles, (Love Is) Thicker Than Water and Shadow Dancing would also reach No.1 Billboard Hot 100
July 30, 1975 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Bob Dylan records Mozambique at Columbia Recording Studio, New York, New York ~ Penned by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy. Produced by Don DeVito. Included on the 1976 Desire album. Released as a single, b/w Oh Sister, it would reach mid-50s on the Billboard Hot 100. Some incoprrectly thought the song was in support of Mozambique's newly-found independence after a decade long insurgency war, yet the lyrics don't support such an interpretation
July 30, 1971 ~ Rock, alternative rock, post-grunge drummer Brad Hargreaves born in Marin County, California, USA ~ Alongside lead singer Stephan Jenkins, Hargreaves is the only other constant member of Third Eye Blind. Drawing from pop rock, alternative rock, post-grunge, pop punk, and power pop, the band has recorded about half a dozen albums. They are especially known for their 1997 eponymous Third Eye Blind debut album, which spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Semi-charmed Life, How's It Going To Be and Jumper. Hargreaves has also worked with Vijay Iyer, Liberty Ellman (Orthodoxy), Year Long Disaster, and Pierce The Veil. Hargreaves has stated his drumming style was influenced by the Ohio Players and James Brown