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, 1944 ~ Multi-instrumentalist Chris Darrow born in South Falls, South Dakota, USA ~ Considered a pioneering multi-instrumentalist of country rock in the late 1960s. Member of bluegrass outfit Dry City Scat Band, rockers the Floggs, psychedelic band Kaleidoscope, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and the Corvettes. Has also worked with Arnie Moore, Loren Newkirk, John Ware, Larry Hossford, Jennifer Warnes, Hoyt Axton, Sammy Walker, and Helen Reddy
July 30, 1944 ~ James Chambers, commonly known as reggae, ska, rocksteady singer, songwriter Jimmy Cliff, born in St James, Jamaica ~ Best known for his contributions to the 1972 film and soundtrack The Harder They Come, performing the lead role in the film and contributing most of the songs ~ Chambers passed away in 2025
July 30, 1944 ~ Birrell Josef Mendelson, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter, painter Mendelson Joe, born in Maple Vaughan, Canada ~ Also known as a painter and political activist, his art used to express political themes. As a musician active since the mid 1960s. Formed early 1970s group the McKenna Mendelson Mainline with guitarist Mike McKenna. Mendelson would depart the blues group in 1972, to be replaced by up-and-coming talent Rick James. Mendelson has also collaborated with the likes of Ben Mink, Gwen Swick, and Colin Linden ~ Mendelson passed away in 2023
July 30, 1943 ~ Warwick Lancelot Armstrong Turner III, commonly known as luthier Rick Turner, born ~ As a guitarist worked with Ian & Sylvia including on the duo's 1966 Play One More album. Founded psychedelic band Autosalvage. Following the band's disbandement in 1968 turned to guitar design and building, starting with the company Alembic Inc co-founded by Turner. Has run his own guitar shops and worked for the renowned Gibson company. Designed and build guitars for players such as Lindsey Buckingham, Ry Cooder, and David Lindley ~ Turner passed away in 2022July 30, 1942 ~ Jazz double bassist Jimmy Blanton passed away in Duarte, California, USA ~ Credited with revolutionizing the role of the double bass in jazz, Blanton is known for his dexterity, roundness of tone, accurate intonation, and an unprecedented sense of swing. Well known for his tenure with Duke Ellington, creating some of the most cherished and important bass solos on tracks such as Ko Ko, Jack The Bear, and Concerto For Cootie, and notably present on piano-bass duets such as Blues, Plucked Again, and Pitter Panther Patter. Ellington would put Blanton front-and-center nightly, unheard of for a bassist at the time. Blanton also played with smaller impromptu jazz ensembles at the renowned Minton's Playhouse jazz club in New York, sessions said to have contributed to the birth of bop. Though his tenure with Ellington was short, his career cut short by his untimely death of tuberculosis at age 23, his legacy become the model for bass players over the next 20 years including Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, and Ray Brown ~ Blanton was born in 1918
July 30, 1942 ~ Songwriter, producer Tandyn Almer, full name Tandyn Douglas Almer, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Initially aiming to become a jazz pianist, his interest in music sparked by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Ahmad Jamal, Almer would become best known as a songwriter in the 1960s West Coast pop scene. He is best remembered for writing Along Comes Mary, originally a 1966 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit for the Association, later covered by some two dozen artists including the Manhattan Transfer, the Bloodhound Gang, and Plainsong. Other songs written or co-written by Almer include the Garden Club's Little Girl Lost And Found, the Lownly Crowde's Shadows And Reflections, and the Beach Boys' Sail On Sailor ~ Almer passed away in 2013July 30, 1941 ~ Pop singer, songwriter Paul Anka, full name Paul Albert Anka, born in Ottawa, Canada ~ Active since the mid 1950s. Known for songs such as Diana, You Are My Destiny, Lonely Boy, Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Puppy Love, You're Having My Baby with Odia Coates. Wrote the English lyrics to My Way, best known in Frank Sinatra's version and recorded by numerous artists. Wrote Tom Jones' She's A Lady
July 30, 1940 ~ Jack N Johnson, commonly known as guitarist Big Jack Johnson, born in Lambert, Mississippi, USA ~ Son of bandleader, fiddler, mandolinist Ellis Johnson. Worked with Earnest Roy Sr, CV Veal & the Shufflers, Johnny Duncan, the Jelly Roll Kings, Sam Carr, Frank Frost, the Cornlickers, Dale Wise, Dave Groninger, Tony Ryder, and Bobby Gentilo ~ Johnson passed away in 2011
July 30, 1937 ~ Saxophonist James Spaulding, full name James Ralph Spaulding Jr, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ First gained attention in the late 1950s and early 1960s backing Sun Ra. Perhaps best known for his tenure with Freddie Hubbard's quintet in the mid 1960s, including on albums such as Hub-Tones and Breaking Point. Spaulding has recorded close to a dozen albums as a leader, starting with James Spaulding Plays The Legacy Of Duke Ellington released in 1976. An in-demand, yet somewhat underrated sideman, Spaulding has appeared on albums by Duke Pearson (Wahoo), Grant Green, Wayne Shorter (The Soothsayer), Stanley Turrentine, Horace Silver (The Jody Grind), Max Roach, Bobby Hutcherson (Components), Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Leon Thomas, Tyrone Washington, Pharoah Sanders (Karma), Archie Shepp (Kwanza), Charles Tolliver (Impact), Sam Rivers, Woody Shaw (Rosewood), Edward Vesala, Ricky Ford, David Murray, and the World Saxophone Quartet (Moving Right Along)July 30, 1937 ~ Rock & roll, rockabilly guitarist, singer, songwriter Sonny West, full name Joseph Sonny West, born near Lubbock, Texas, USA ~ Active since the mid 1950s, recording a number of rockabilly singles which at the time made little impact but over time proved to be influential. Sharing a manager with Buddy Holly, West would become best known as co-author and original artist of All My Love and Rave On. Both songs would be covered by Holly, the former renamed to Oh Boy, and would become quintessential rockabilly songs ~ West passed away in 2022
July 30, 1936 ~ Singer, guitarist Buddy Guy born in Lettsworth, Louisiana, USA ~ Highly revered Chicago blues guitarist influential on Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr, and John Mayer. Session musician for Chess Records backing artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson I, and Koko Taylor. Has been recording as a solo artist since the late 1960s
July 30, 1933 ~ Pop, classical, easy listening producer, songwriter Paul de Senneville born in Paris, France ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Olivier Toussaint. Songs written by the pair have been recorded by artists such as Mireille Mathieu, Michèle Torr, Christophe, Hervé Vilard, Dalida, Petula Clark, and Claude François, selling over an estimated 100 million records. De Senneville can't read or write music notes, and writes songs by singing into a small taperecorder and having songwriting partners work out the arrangements and orchestration ~ De Senneville passed away in 2023
July 30, 1932 ~ Edward Byrne Breitenberger, commonly known as actor, singer Edd Byrnes, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known as an actor, notably in the late 1950s, early 1960s TV series 77 Sunset Strip and as Vince Fontaine in the 1978 Grease musical film. As a singer best known for his 1959 hit Kookie Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb) which also featured singer Connie Stevens ~ Breitenberger passed away in 2020July 30, 1930 ~ Pierre Dewey Lafontaine Jr, commonly known as clarinetist Pete Fountain born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Recorded over 100 albums under his ow name. Founder of the Fast Walking Club, one of the best known marching bands in New Orleans Mardi Grass parade. Co-founded the Basin Street Six with trumpeter George Girard. Also played with Lawrence Welk, Monk Hazel, the Dukes Of Dixieland, and Al Hirt ~ LaFontaine passed away in 2016
July 30, 1930 ~ Guitarist Tommy Tedesco, full name Thomas Joseph Tedesco, born in Niagara Falls, New York, USA ~ Member of the loose collective the Wrecking Crew consisting of first call session musicians. Has worked on numerous soundtracks and pop rock recordings in the 1960s and 1970s, his credits running in the thousands. Notable credits include the Beach Boys, the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, Barbra Streisand, Jan & Dean, the 5th Dimension, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Cher, Nancy Sinatra, and Wayne Newton. As a solo artist has recorded close to a dozen albums, mostly consisting of instrumental jazz guitar. Retired from music in 1992, following a stroke that left him partially paralyzed ~ Tedesco passed away in 1997
July 30, 1928 ~ Jazz, bebop drummer Vernel Fournier born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for his association with pianist Ahmad Jamal, recording close to a dozen albums with Jamal and bassist Israel Crosby from the mid 1950s through the early 1960s including the highly acclaimed At The Pershing (But Not For Me). The album would become one of the all-time best-selling jazz albums and remains a favorite among aficionados to this day. Fournier has also recorded with the likes of Norman Simmons, Lorez Alexandria, Jimmy Reed (I'm Jimmy Reed), Frank Strozier, Sam Jones (Down Home), and Gene Shaw. Fournier remained active until the mid 1990s when a stroke confined him to a wheelchair, but he continued his teaching activities ~ Fournier passed away in 2000July 30, 1927 ~ Producer, songwriter Tony Hiller born in London, UK ~ Best known for producing and writing hits for Brotherhood Of Man including United We Stand (1970) and Save Your Kisses For Me (1976), and Figaro and Beautiful Lover (1978). Over 500 artists have recorded Hiller's songs including Elton John, Olivia Newton-John, Andy Williams, Ray Stevens, the Miracles, the Hollies, Sonny & Cher, the Osmonds, Gil Grand, Tony Christie (Put A Light In Your Window), Glen Campbell, Lulu (He Don't Want Your Love Anymore), Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray (Over You), Ed Bruce, the Fortunes, and Dorsey Burnette (Daddy Loves You Honey) ~ Hiller passed away in 2018
July 30, 1923 ~ Kalman Felberbaum, commonly known as operatic bass singer Carlos Feller born in Zloczow, Poland ~ Closely associated with the Cologne Opera. Best known for comedic supporting roles, notably his signature role as Don Alfonso in the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart-penned Cosi Fan Tutte. Has also worked with the Teatro Colón, the Frankfurt Opera, the Opernhaus Klei, and the Bavarian State Opera ~ Felberbaum passed away in 2018
July 30, 1923 ~ Jazz drummer Roy Porter born in Walsenburg, Colorado, USA ~ Worked with Milt Larkin, Teddy Bunn, Howard McGhee, Charlie Parker (including on seminal recordings A Night In Tunesia, Yardbird Suite, and Ornithology), Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Teddy Edwards, Hampton Hawes, Sonny Criss, Art Farmer, Jimmy Knepper, and Eric Dolphy ~ Porter passed away in 1998
July 30, 1918 ~ Jazz tenor saxophonist Joe Daley born in Salem, Ohio, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Hal Russell, Russell Thorne, Richard Corpolongo, Bobby Lewis, Bobby Roberts, Hal Russell, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr, Ella Fitzgerald, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Paul Wertico, and Rusty Jones ~ Daley passed away in 1994
July 30, 1909 ~ Classical pianist Adolph Baller born in Brody, Austria ~ Closely associated with violinist Yehudi Menuhin, including as a member of the Alma Trio with whom he toured internationally from the early 1940s through the 1980s. Baller had debuted as a soloist at age 13 with the Vienna Philharmonic, to become a renowned pianist, well versed in the classical and romantic repertoire. Of Jewish descent, Baller had been arrested and molested by the Nazis in 1938 before fleeing to Budapest and eventually relocating to America later the same year. Baller is also known as a longtime faculty member at the Stanford University, Stanford, California, notable pianists such as Jerome Rose, William Corbett-Jones, Xenia Boodberg-Lee, and Nohema Fernández among his students ~ Baller passed away in 1994
July 30, 1903 ~ Jazz saxophonist Hilton Jefferson born in Danbury, Connecticut, USA ~ Best known for leading Cab Calloway's saxophone section from 1940 through 1949. Had previously worked with Claude Hopkins, Chick Webb, Fletcher Henderson, and McKinney's Cotton Pickers. After Calloway worked with Duke Ellington before retiring from music ~ Jefferson passed away in 1968