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 6, 2024 ~ Rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist Joe Egan, full name Joseph Egan, passed away in Paisley, UK ~ Co-founded Stealers Wheel with Gerry Rafferty, the pair also co-writing the band's biggest hit Stuck In The Middle With You which reached top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1973. Subsequently, the band scored two more smaller hits, Everything Will Turn Out Fine and most notably the Egan-penned Billboard Hot 100 top 30 hit Star. The band recorded three albums before disbanding by the mid 1970s over stagnating sales and artistic differences. Egan would release two solo albums through the end of the decade which, though warmly received would sell poorly. His bandmate Rafferty would go on to score a massive hit with Baker Street. Egan retired from music by the 1990s ~ Egan was born in 1946
July 6, 2024 ~ Giuseppe Chierchia, commonly known as pop, Italo disco singer Pino D'Angiò, passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Best known for his 1981 single Ma Quale Idea, a hit across continental Europe selling over 2 million copies and reaching the top 10 in Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and the No.1 spot in Spain. It has been suggested Chierchia took the bassline off McFadden & Whitehead's Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, however, he has adamantly maintained he wrote the song independently with bassist Stefano Cerri. Chierchia would continue to record well into the 2000s, well known songs include Un Concerto Da Strapazzo, Fammi Un Panino, and Genoveffa. In 1990, Chierchia teamed up with Bruno Sanchioni under the moniker Age Of Love, known for their hit of the same name, considered one of the first international trance hits. In 2024, a few months before his death, Chierchia guested on punk pop outfit Bnkr44's Ma Che Idea, a remake of his signature song Ma Quale Idea ~ Chierchia was born in 1952
July 6, 2023 ~ Engineer, producer Caleb Southern, full name Caleb August Southern, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Best known for his association with Ben Folds Five, serving as producer for the albums Ben Folds Five, Whatever And Ever Amen, and The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner. Has also worked, either as engineer or producer, with acts such as Metal Flake Mother, Antiseen, Dillon Fence, Flat Duo Jets, Jennyandkind, the Archers of Loaf (Icky Mette), Geezer Lake, Superchunk, Capsize 7, Zen Frisbee, Tom Freund, and Shark Quest ~ Southern was born in 1969
July 6, 2023 ~ Bernard Nierow, commonly known as pianist, conductor Peter Nero, passed away in Eustis, Florida, USA ~ Best known for founding the Philly Pops in 1979, with whom he switched effortlessly between pop, jazz and classical, meanwhile educating his audiences on music history. Nero has recorded prolifically since the late 1950s, racking up some 50 albums as a solo pianist, leader, or occasionally as a collaborator including with Frankie Carle and Floyd Cramer (3 Great Pianos), and with the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. In concert, Nero has been known to play piano with one hand while conducting with the other. In a 1982 interview with the New York Times, he elaborated on how he preferred to play without a set program: “When I've had a chance to gauge the kind of audience I have and decide what direction I should take, I revise the printed program after the first number, tear it apart.” In addition to several Grammy Awards, including for his recording of the Michel Legrand composed soundtrack for the 1971 coming-of-age film Summer of '42, Nero holds six honorary doctorates, and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Federation of Musicians in 2009 ~ Nierow was born in 1934
July 6, 2020 ~ Singer, songwriter Charlie Daniels, full name Charles Edward Daniels, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Fronts the Charlie Daniels Band, known for their international hit The Devil Went To Georgia. Turned conservative, right-wing America's darling somewhere in the 1970s. Actually hung with the Nashville hippy crowd the previous decade. Session guitarist, bassist, backing singer on recordings by Bob Dylan and by Leonard Cohen. Co-wrote It Hurts Me, recorded by Elvis Presley. Also worked with the Marshall Tucker Band, Hank Williams Jr, Mark O'Connor, Bobby Bare, Johnny Cash, Montgomery Gentry, and Aaron Lewis ~ Daniels was born in 1936
July 6, 2020 ~ Jazz drummer Joe Porcaro passed away in Hartford, Connecticut, USA ~ Father of Toto musicians Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro. Leader and sideman. Has worked with Natalie Cole, Don Ellis, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Gladys Knight, Madonna, the Monkees, Gerry Mulligan, Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Rosemary Clooney, Lalo Schifrin, Mike Mainieri, Emitt Rhodes, Louie Bellson, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell, Eric Carmen, Cheryl Lynn, Randy Crawford, Yvonne Elliman, Donna Summer, Sérgio Mendes, Roger Kellaway, Joe Cocker, Diana Krall, and Harry Connick Jr ~ Porcaro was born in 1930
July 6, 2019 ~ João Gilberto Prado Pereira, commonly known as guitarist, singer João Gilberto passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Leading figure in Bossa nova, acclaimed for late 1950s, early 1960s albums such as Chega De Saudade and O Amor O Sorriso E A Flor. Especially known for his collaboration with Antônio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz on the 1964 Getz/Gilberto album, merging Latin music with jazz, which spawned the hit The Girl From Ipanema featuring Astrud Gilberto ~ Pereira was born in 1931
July 6, 2019 ~ Lyricist, theater director, actor Martin Charnin passed away in White Plains, New York, USA ~ Got his start in entertainment performing as one of the Jets in the original production of West Side Story, playing the role for an estimated 1,000 performances both on Broadway and on the road. Would go on to write music and lyrics for numerous revues, direct and produce nightclubs acts for Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, and Mary Travers, and conceive, produce and direct several TV specials. Wrote The Best Thing You've Ever Done, recorded by Barbra Streisand for her 1974 multi-platinum The Way We Were album. Charnin is also well known for co-writing the musical Annie, which opened on Broadway in 1977 and was later adapted into a film ~ Charnin was born in 1934
July 6, 2018 ~ Vincent Marcellino, commonly known as singer Vince Martin, passed away ~ First recorded with the Tarriers. which also included Erik Darling, Alan Arkin, and Bob Carey. Duetted with Fred Neil in the early 1960s, notably on 1964's Tear Down The Walls playing alongside John Sebastian and Felix Pappalardi. Released his solo debut album. If The Jasmine Don't Get You The Bay Breeze Will, in 1969 ~ Marcellino was born in 1937July 6, 2017 ~ Melvyn Jones, commonly known as Soul, R&B, blues soul, R&B, blues organist Deacon Jones, passed away in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Co-founded Baby Huey & the Babysitters with Johnny Ross and Baby Huey. Jones left the band after Ramey's death in 1970 and would go on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Freddie King, John Lee Hooker, Gregg Allman, Elvin Bishop, Lester Chambers, Albert Collins, and Buddy Miles ~ Jones was born in 1943
July 6, 2015 ~ Julio Manuel Acevedo Lanuza, commonly known as singer Julio Angel, passed away in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Emerged in the 1960s, initially as frontman of the teen group Julito & the Latin Lads, to become one of the nueva olas teen idols in Puerto Rico. Would go on to sing with visiting American artists such as Neil Sedaka and Frankie Avalon. Scored a hit with the doo-wop song Nunca and subsequently with El Diamante, the latter making him a household name across Latin America. Internationally, Angel is also well known for the hit Tan Bonita Como Tu ~ Acevedo was born in 1945
July 6, 2015 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Masabumi Kikuchi passed away in New York, New York ~ Leader and sideman. Primarily a jazz pianist, though drew from new music, funk, and dub and collaborated with artist as far removed from jazz as house and dance. Especially acclaimed for the albums Tethered Moon (First Meeting), a collaborative effort with Paul Motian and Gary Peacock, and for Sunrise and Black Orpheus. Has worked with Sadao Watanabe, Oliver Nelson, Gil Evans, Terumasa Hino, Pee Wee Ellis, Johnny Hartman, Ron Trent (Mix The Vibe (Ron Trent Urban-Afro Blues)), and Bill Brewster ~ Kikuchi was born in 1939
July 6, 2010 ~ Singer, producer, label executive Harvey Fuqua passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of the Marquees. Member of the Moonglows. Distributed the first Motown hit Barrett Strong's Money (That's What I Want). Founded Anna Records which would sign the Spinners, Junior Walker, and Shorty Long. Head of Motown's Artist Development, left in 1971. Discovered and produced acts such as the Weather Girls and Sylvester (Dance (Disco Heat), You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)). Produced Marvin Gaye's 1982 Midnight Love album ~ Fuqua was born in 1929July 6, 2009 ~ Country outfit the Zac Brown Band release Toes, lifted off their The Foundation album ~ Built around the line “I've got my toes in the water and my ass in the sand”, something that Wyatt Durrette told Zac Brown over the phone while vacationing in the Florida Keys, Toes tells of sitting on a warm beach, sipping tropical drinks and enjoying the company of the local senoritas until the money runs out. In the final verse, the narrator is back in Georgia, yet he continues to enjoy the tropical, laid-back vibe. Obviously, the song has been characterised as having a “Jimmy Buffett feel” by critics. Toes would reach No.1 Billboard Country
July 6, 2008 ~ Jazz drummer Bobby Durham passed away in Genoa, Italy ~ Active since his mid-teens, starting with the Orioles at age 16. Following a stint in the Army, where he played in a military band, Durham would become an in-demand accompanist and session drummer, a favorite of producer Norman Granz. Best known for his associations with pianist Oscar Peterson, singer Ella Fitzgerald, and organists Charles Earland and Shirley Scott. After relocating to New York by the early 1960s, his career took off, employed by the likes of Wild Bill Davis, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Slide Hampton, Grant Green, Harry Sweets Edison, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Rowles, and Duke Ellington. Outside of jazz, Durham has appeared on recordings by James Brown, Ray Charles, and Marvin Gaye. Later on in his career, Durham has recorded as a leader starting with Bobby Durham Trio released in 1979, and several more in the 2000s, the late 1990s boom of acid jazz renewing an interest in Durham's work ~ Durham was born in 1937
July 6, 2004 ~ Singer Syreeta Wright passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Started out at Motown as demo and backup singer including for the Supremes, the Spinners, and Stevie Wonder whom she eventually married. The couple would work on Wonder's Where I'm Coming From album, with Wright doing arranging, composing, notably If You Really Love Me, and backing vocals. As a solo artist Wright has been releasing albums since the early 1970s. Perhaps best known for her duet With You I'm Born Again with Billy Preston ~ Wright was born in 1946
July 6, 2003 ~ Clyde Battin, commonly known as country rock, folk rock singer, bassist Skip Battin, passed away in Silverton, Oregon, USA ~ Best known as member of the Byrds, with whom he recorded three albums from 1970 through 1973. Prior to his tenure with the Byrds, Battin formed the duo Skip & Flip with Gary S Paxton, known for the singles It Was I and Cherry Pie, both of which reached top 20 Billboard Hot 100. Battin has released several solo albums, starting with 1972's Skip, and has recorded with Gene Vincent, the New Riders Of The Purple Sage, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Pacific Steel Co, Sneaky Pete Kleinow (Sneaky Pete), Warren Zevon, and Kim Fowley ~ Battin was born in 1934July 6, 2000 ~ Jazz saxophonist Akira Miyazawa passed away in Tokyo, Japan, Japan ~ Worked extensively with Toshiko Akiyoshi in the 1950s and 1960s. Has also collaborated with artists such as Yasuo Arakawa, Hampton Hawes, Hidehiko Matsumoto, Helen Merrill, Shotaro Moriyasu, Masahiko Satoh, Mal Waldron, Sadao Watanabe, and Masahiko Togashi ~ Miyazawa was born in 1927
July 6, 1993 ~ Chaine St Aubin Downer Jr, commonly known as rapper, producer, songwriter CJ Fly, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Influenced by the Notorious BIG, Nas, Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest. Founding member of hip-hop collective Pro-Era. Has worked with Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, Statik Selektah, the Flatbush Zombies, and Chance the Rapper. Released his full-length Flytrap solo debut album in 2016
July 6, 1992 ~ Guitarist Paul Hackman, full name Paul Wayne Hackman, passed away in Kamloops, Canada ~ Member of hard rock outfit Helix from 1976 until his death in 1992. Notably present on the band's Rock You and Deep Cuts The Knife, the latter written by Hackman and Bob Halligan Jr ~ Hackman was born in 1953
July 6, 1987 ~ Indie pop, indie rock, garage punk singer, bassist, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Kate Nash, full name Kate Marie Nash, born in Harrow, UK ~ Released her Made Of Bricks debut album in 2007, which included the UK top 10 hit Foundations. Has collaborated with Ironik, Kano, Lethal Bizzle, FIDLAR, Watsky, and HolychildJuly 6, 1985 ~ Wanita Denise Woodgett, commonly known as singer, dancer, actress D Woods, born in Anaheim, California, USA ~ Best known as a member of Danity Kane, known for singles such as Show Stopper, Ride For You and Damaged
July 6, 1985 ~ Pop singer Maria Arredondo, full name Maria Sodal Arredondo, born in Vennesia, Norway ~ Debuted in 2003 with the eponymous Maria Arredondo album. In 2005 several tracks of Arredondo's Christmas album Min Jul were produced by Deep Purple's Jon Lord. Arredondo has been compared to artists such as M2M, Natalie Imbruglia, Michelle Branch, Jewel, and the Cranberries
July 6, 1984 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal, pop rock singer, actress Lauren Harris born in Essex, UK ~ Daughter of Iron Maiden-bassist Steve Harris. Cites Belinda Carlisle, Alanis Morissette, Heart, Def Leppard, and the Foo Fighters as influences. Frontwoman and eponym of the Lauren Harris Band, with whom she recorded the albums Calm Before The Storm and Your Turn, and subsequently frontwoman of Six Hour Sundown in the early-2010s. Harris has toured with her father's band as a support act, as well as opened for the likes of Alice Cooper, Within Temptation, and Mötley Crüe. Harris has also ventured into acting, completing her acting studies in 2016 with a postgraduate degree from the Oxford School of Drama, Wootton, the UK, and has since performed in various stage productionsJuly 6, 1982 ~ R&B, soul singer Abrim Tilmon passed away in Soutfield, Michigan, USA ~ Member of the Detroit Emeralds, known for songs such Show Time, Do Me Right, You Want It You Got It, Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms, and Feel The Need ~ Tilmon was born in 1945
July 6, 1982 ~ Folk rock, folk pop outfit America release You Can Do Magic, lifted off their View From The Ground album ~ America enjoyed particular success in the 1970s as a trio, consisting of Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek, known for Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits such as A Horse With No Name, I Need You, and Ventura Highway. However, after Peek departed the band in 1977 to pursue a solo career, the remaining duo would struggle to score another hit. You Can Do Magic, written by Russ Ballard, would be their sole post-Peek top 10 hit, peeking at No.8 Billboard Hot 100. The song spent more time on the charts, 20 weeks, than any other of their singlesJuly 6, 1982 ~ Singer, guitarist Petter Vagån born in Brønnøysund, Norway ~ Brother ofd bassist Ole Morten Vågan. Best known as frontman of the Fjords. Has also worked with Eyewaterlillies, Peloton, Erik Nylander, Tore Brunborg, and Kirsti Huke
July 6, 1982 ~ Producer, engineer Shawn Everett born in Bragg Creek, Canada ~ Served as engineer, mixer for acts such as Simon Dawes, Natalie Cole, Everlast, Pete Yorn, Bruce Hornsby, Ozomatli, kd Lang, Charlie Winston, John Legend, Perfume Genius, Vampire Weekend, Haim, Kacey Musgraves and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Notable production include Weezer, Har Mar Superstar, Julian Casablancas, Houndmouth, Jenny Lewis, the Killers, the War On Drugs, Adele, and Belle & Sebastian