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 31, 1951 ~ Harmonica player Howard Levy born in New York, New York, USA ~ Founding member of Béla Fleck's acclaimed group the Flecktones. Wrote the Grammy Award-winning Life In Eleven of the Rocket Science album. Has also worked with Trio Globo, Rabih Abou Khalil, Paquito d'Rivera, Donald Fagen, Paul Simon, John Prine, Ben Sidran, Bobby McFerrin, Chuck Mangione, Claudio Roditi, Dennis DeYoung, Dolly Parton, Jerry Butler, Miroslav Tadic, Pete Seeger, Steve Goodman, and Tom Paxton
July 31, 1948 ~ Charles Dee Wilson, commonly known as saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist Chuck Wilson, born in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA ~ Took up the saxophone at age 11, led his own trio while still in high school. Spent much of his career in various big band ensembles. As a leader known for his 2010 Echo Of Spring album. As a sideman toured and recorded with the likes of Jerry Gray, Buddy Rich, Leon Redbone, Howard Alden (Swing Street), Loren Schoenberg, Buck Clayton, Bob Belden (Straight To My Heart (The Music Of Sting)), the One O'Clock Lab Band, Marisa Monte, John Pizzarelli, and Randy Sandke ~ Wilson passed away in 2018July 31, 1948 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Russell Morris, full name Russell Norman Morris, born ~ Enjoyed popularity during the late 1960s and 197os, songs such as The Real Thing, Part Three Into Paper Walls, Mr America, Sweet Sweet Love and Wings Of An Eagle reaching top 10 in his native Australia
July 31, 1943 ~ Roland Kent Lavoie, commonly known as singer, songwriter Lobo, born in Tallahassee, Florida, USA ~ Enjoyed his greatest success in the 1970s with songs such as I'd Love You To Want Me, Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend, Where Were You (When I Was Falling In Love) and perhaps his best known Me And You And A Dog Named Boo. LaVoie was a member of early 1960s outfit the Rumours which also included the then-unknown Gram Parsons, Jim Stafford and Jon CornealJuly 31, 1943 ~ Songwriter Paul Politi, full name Paul Leo Politi, born ~ Best known for his songwriting partnership with Barry White, co-writing numerous songs including It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring) and Under The Influence Of Love (both originally recorded by Felice Taylor and later hits for White protegées Love Unlimited), as well as several tracks recorded by White (notably Any Fool Could See You Were Meant For Me, It Ain't Love Babe (Until You Give It) and Love Ain't Easy)
July 31, 1939 ~ Orchestral, opera conductor, pianist Steuart Bedford, full name Steauart John Rudolf Bedford, born ~ Brother of composer David Bedford and singer Peter Lehmann Bedford. Best known for his association with Benjamin Britten, conducting and recording several of Britten's works including premiering Death In Venice in 1973 ~ Bedford passed away in 2021
July 31, 1934 ~ Singer, producer, songwriter Barry Devorzon born in New York, New York, USA ~ Founded Valiant Records. Member of Barry & the Tamerlanes. Wrote or co-wrote songs for Marty Robbins (Just Married), Johnny Burnette (Dreamin'), Dorsey Burnette (Big Rock Candy Mountain), and the Cascades (Shy Girl). Also known as a composer for film and TV, including Theme From SWAT and Nadia's Theme (The Young And Restless)
July 31, 1931 ~ Jazz, blues, soul jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, full name Kenneth Earl Burrell, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his association with organist Jimmy Smith, including on the 1965 Organ Grinder Swing album. Leader and sideman. Cites Charlie Christian, Oscar Moore, Django Reinhardt, T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters as influences. Has collaborated with Tommy Flanagan, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Gene Ammons, Kenny Dorham, Benny Goodman, John Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, Gil Evans, Donald Byrd, Stan Getz, Red Garland, Milt Jackson, Illinois Jacquet, Etta Jones, Wynton Kelly, Brother Jack McDuff, Gary McFarland, Ray Barretto, Aaron Bell, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ronnell Bright, James Brown, Betty Carter, Buck Clayton, Aretha Franklin, BB King, Miriam Makeba, Ike Quebec, Della Reese, and Zoot Sims
July 31, 1925 ~ Singer, actress Carmel Quinn born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Active in her native Ireland since her teens, most noted for working with Johnny Devlin. After relocating to America, Quinn first gained attention on Arthur Godfrey's Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts radio show in 1955. Would become a regular on Godfrey's programs through the early 1970. Also starred in numerous musical roadshows including productions of Wildcat and The Sound Of Music. Best known for her 1955 recording of Whistling Gypsy ~ Quinn passed away in 2021
July 31, 1923 ~ Saxophonist, clarinetist Bjarne Nerem, full name Bjarne Arnuld Nerem, born in Oslo, Norway ~ Among the top soloists on Norway's jazz scene. Influenced by Lester Young and Stan Getz. Through the early 1970s Nerem played in ensembles led by Rowland Greenberg, Thore Jederby, Simon Brehm, and Carl Henrik Norin, before venturing out on his own, eventually recording over half a dozen albums as leader or co-leader. As a sideman, over the course of his career Nerem has worked with international artists such as Roy Haynes, Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson, Benny Golson, and Jimmy Witherspoon, as well with the finest Scandinavian jazz musicians including Lars Gullin, Monica Zetterlund, Gunnar Almstedt, Harry Arnold, Nils Lindberg, Jan Johansson, and Kjell Karlsen ~ Nerem passed away in 1991
July 31, 1920 ~ Walter Aptowitz, commonly known as composer, music critic, teacher Walter Arlen, born in Vienna, Austria ~ Prolific composer specializing in voice and piano scores, with some 65 works to his name. Best known for tracking down other artists whose works were lost or forgotten due to the Nazi regime. Aptowitzer himself fled Europe, relocating to Chicago, after his parents department store was expropriated by the Nazis in the 1938 Kristallnacht. His father would die in a concentration camp, his mother committed suicide after a breakdown. Aptowitzer would form longtime friendships with other German and Austrian emigrées, including Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, and Heitor Villa-Lobos ~ Aptowitzer passed away in 2023
July 31, 1918 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Hank Jones, full name Henry Jones Jr, born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA ~ Brother of trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Elvin Jones. Influenced by Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum. Over 60 albums to his name as a leader, especially acclaimed for the mid 1950s albums Bluebird and Urbanity. Accompanied Marilyn Monroe on piano as she sang Happy Birthday Mr President to then President John F Kennedy. Frequent collaborator, sideman to Milt Jackson, JJ Johnson, Oliver Nelson, and Sonny Stitt ~ Jones passed away in 2010July 31, 1915 ~ Songwriter, pianist George Forrest, full name George Forrest Chicester Jr, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Regular collaborator of Robert Wright, the duo often adapting classical music to create over an estimated 2,000 songs for musicals, revues and films. Perhaps best known for the 1953 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Kismet, the music mostly adapted from compositions by Alexander Borodin ~ Chichester passed away in 1999
July 31, 1907 ~ R&B, jump blues singer, drummer, bandleader Roy Milton born in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, USA ~ Formed the Solid Senders in 1933. Milton is best known for late 1940s, early 1950s R&B hits such as Hop Skip & Jump, Information Blues, Grooving With Joe, and Best ~ Milton passed away in 1983
July 31, 1894 ~ Pianist, composer Roy Bargy, full name Roy Fredrick Basrgy, born in Newaygo, Michigan, USA ~ Reportedly, in 1928 became the first pianist to record George Gershwin's Piano Concerto In F. Has worked with Charley Straight, the Benson Orchestra Of Chicago, Isham Jones, Paul Whiteman, and Jimmy Durante ~ Bargy passed away in 1974
July 31, 1886 ~ Composer, pianist Franz Liszt passed away in Bayreuth, Germany ~ Prolific composer from the Romantic era, one of the most prominent figures in New German School (Neudeutsche Schule). Friend and musical promoter to many composers of his time including Frédéric Chopin, Richard Wagner, Hector Berlioz, Robert Schumann, Camille Saint-Saëns, Edvard Grieg, Ole Bull, Joachim Raff, Mikhail Glinka, and Alexander Borodin ~ Liszt was born in 1811
July 31, 1847 ~ Pianist, composer Ignacio Cervantes, full name Ignacio Cervantes Kawanag, born in Havana, Cuba ~ Child prodigy. Would go on to become highly influential in the creolization of Cuban music. Would flee Cuba in 1875 after being warned by the government for raising money to fund the rebel cause, to return in later years. Known for his opera Maledetto, chamber pieces, zarzuelas, and songbooks. Father of María Cervantes, pianist, singer, composer ~ Cervantes passed away in 1905