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 8, 2022 ~ Patrick Henry Wade, commonly known as singer, TV host, actor Adam Wade, passed away in Montclair, New Jersey, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his stint as host of the CBS game show Musical Chairs, making him the first African-American to host a game show. As a singer known for early 1960s recordings such as Take Good Care Of Her, As If I Didn't Know and The Writing On The Wall, all of which reached top 10 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Wade passed away in 1937July 8, 2018 ~ Composer, conductor Oliver Knussen passed away in Suffolk, UK ~ Son of double bassist Stuart Knussen. Wrote and conducted his first symphony at age 15. Would go on to work with major orchestras such as the London Sinfonietta, the New London Chamber Choir, the Cleveland Orchestra, the BBC Sympony Orchestra, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra ~ Knussen was born in 1952
July 8, 2018 ~ Arthur Gelien, commonly known as singer, actor Tab Hunter, passed away in Santa Barbara, California, USA ~ Mostly known as an actor, starring in over 40 films. As a singer best known for his late 1950s hits 99 Ways and Young Love, the latter would top the Billboard Hot 100 charts for six weeks ~ Gelien was born in 1931
July 8, 2015 ~ Ernest Peter Maresca, commonly known as singer, songwriter, label executive Ernie Maresca, passed away in Florida, USA ~ As a singer known for the 1962 hit Shout Shout (Knock Yourself Out) which he co-wrote with Thomas F Bogdany. Best known for his association with Dion, writing or co-writing some of his biggest hits including Runaround Sue, Donna The Prima Donna and The Wanderer. Other artists who recorded his songs include the Regents, Dean & Jean, Bernadette Carroll, and Jimmie Rodgers ~ Maresca was born in 1938
July 8, 2011 ~ Fiddler Kenny Baker, full name Kenny Clayton Baker, passed away in Gallatin, USA ~ Influenced by Marion Sumner, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli. Considered one of the most infuential fiddlers in bluegrass. Best known as a member of the Bluegrass Boys, backing Bill Monroe for over two decades starting in 1957, his characteristic long-bow style adding a smoothness and clarity to the band's sound. Baker has recorded about a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, notably 1955's Baker's Dozen featuring a young Sam Bush, and has appeared as a sideman on numerous albums including by Josh Graves, Buck White, Charlie McCoy (Harpin' The Blues), Tom T Hall, Mac Wiseman, the Osborne Brothers (The Bluegrass Collection), Pete Wernick, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Alison Krauss (Two Highways), the Masters, the Yellowjackets (Greenhouse), Mark O'Connor, John Lee Hooker (Don't Look Back), and Bill Jorgenson ~ Baker was born in 1926July 8, 2008 ~ Guitarist, singer Mell Galley, full name Melville John Galley, passed away in Heath Hayes and Wimblebury, UK ~ Best known as longtime member of Trapeze. Has also worked with Finders Keepers appearing on the 1968 single Sadie The Cleaning Lady. Other collaborations include Glenn Hughes, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Phenomena and Cozy Powell ~ Galley was born in 1948
July 8, 2006 ~ Eleanor Geisman, commonly known as actress, dancer, singer June Allyson, passed away in Ojai, California, USA ~ Active since the mid 1930s as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway. Would rise to fame after being signed by MGM, breaking through with her role in the 1944 musical film Two Girls And A Sailor. Cast as the archetypical girl next door she would solidify her stardom status through half a dozen films paired with actor Van Johnson. Awarded a Golden Globe Award for her leading role in the 1951 comedy film Too Young To Kiss, portraying the role of pianist Cynthia Potter ~ Geisman was born in 1917
July 8, 2001 ~ Edward Lee Knight, commonly known as rapper Big Ed, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Member of rap group TRU, appearing on the albums Who's Da Killer, Understanding The Criminal Mind and True. Guested on numerous albums throughout the 1990s including Master P's 99 Ways To Die, Silkk The Shocker's The Shocker and Unlady Like. As a solo artist best known for his 1998 The Assassin debut album ~ Knight was born in 1971July 8, 1996 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer James W Alexander, full name James Woodie Alexander II, passed away in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Key figure in development of gospel and soul. Member of the Pilgrim Travelers. A&R executive who signed and guided the Soul Stirrers, furthering Sam Cooke's career. Has also recorded and produced artists such as Johnnie Taylor, Billy Preston, the Valentinos, Bobby Blue Bland, Little Junior Parker, Bobby Womack, Solomon Burke, and Little Richard ~ Alexander was born in 1916
July 8, 1992 ~ Synth-pop, indie pop, dance-pop singer, songwriter, model, actress Sky Ferreira, full name Sky Tonia Ferreira, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Released her Night Time My Time debut album in 2013. Best known for songs such as One and Obsession. Has collaborated with Primal Scream, the Virgins, the Bloody Beetroots, G-Dragon, Ariel Pink, the Jesus & Mary Chain, Beck, Jon Brion, and Shirley Manson
July 8, 1984 ~ Jazz double bassist Jo Skaansar born in Oslo, Norway ~ Leader and sideman. Released his Den Blåaste Natt debut album in 2010 featuring backing from Ine Hoem, Espen Berg, Hayden Powell. Has also worked with Ole Børud, Haakon Ellingsen, Morten Reppesgard, Espen Rudd, Lady Hardanger, the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, and Melanie Scholtz
July 8, 1981 ~ Singer Stevie Nicks releases Stop Draggin' My Heart Around featuring Tom Petty, lead single off her Bella Donna solo debut album ~ A Billboard Hot 100 No.3 hit, and a concert staple for Stevie Nicks ever since. Nicks guested on Tom Petty's Hard Promises album, recorded around the same time, with the two also sharing a producer. Mike Campbell, guitarist for Petty's backing unit the Heartbreakers, would later explain the origins of the song: “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around was a song that I had written the music and Tom had written the words. The Heartbreakers had recorded a version of it with Jimmy Iovine, and Jimmy being the entrepreneur that he was, he was working with Stevie, and I guess he asked Tom if she could try it, and it just developed from there. We cut the track as a Heartbreakers record and when she decided to do it we used that track and she came in and sang over it. It became a duet. It's basically all the Heartbreakers on that record.”
July 8, 1980 ~ Jazz drummer, bandleader, composer Kendrick Scott born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Has worked with the Jazz Crusaders, Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, Kenny Garrett, Dianne Reeves, Lizz Wright, Gretchen Parlato, Terence Blanchard, Aaron Parks, Rober Glasper, Charles Lloyd, Reuben Rogers, Mike Moreno, and Romain CollinJuly 8, 1980 ~ Drummer, composer Tyshawn Sorey born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Has worked with artists such as Wadada Leo Smith, Steve Coleman, Anthony Braxton, John Zorn, Steve Lehman, Joey Baron, Muhal Richard Abrams, Pete Robbins, Cory Smythe, Kris Davis, Vijay Iyer, Dave Douglas, Butch Morris, Sylvie Courvoisier, Armen Donelian, Ingrid Laubrock, Roscoe Mitchell, and Craig Taborn
July 8, 1977 ~ Jazz, R&B guitarist Carl Hogan passed away in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Worked with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra, George Hudson, and most notably with Louis Jordan. Appeared on a number of pivotal Jordan recordings including Choo Choo Ch'boogie, Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens, Let The Good Times Roll, Open The Door Richard, and Ain't That Just Like A Woman. Hogan's guitar riff on the latter would be cited as “the most famous signature in rock & roll” and was copied, nearly note for note, on Chuck Berry's Johnny B Goode rock & roll classic ~ Hogan was born in 1917July 8, 1975 ~ Guitarist Elias Viljanen, full name Elias Einari Johannes Viljanen, born in Kemi, Finland ~ Cites Kiss, Metallica, Slayer and Whitesnake as main influences. Best known as member of Sonata Arctica, joining the band in 2007 as replacement for Jani Liimatainen. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with 2002's Taking The Lead album, and has worked with Arched, the Mess, Black Bay, the Twilight Lamp and with Depravity
July 8, 1974 ~ Gordana Trzan, commonly known as pop, dance-pop singer, actress, TV personality Goca Trzan, born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia ~ Rose to fame as member of 1990s dance-pop outfit Tap 011 with whom she recorded four albums. Released her U Niskom Letu solo debut album in 1999. Trzan is also known as an actress for film and TV
July 8, 1974 ~ Morris Isaac Charlap, commonly known as composer Moose Charlap, passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Best known for his work on the Broadway 1954 musical Peter Pan. Married to singer Sandy Stewart, jazz pianist Bill Charlap is the couple's son ~ Charlap was born in 1928
July 8, 1973 ~ Upright bassist, composer Magne Thormodsæter born in Bergen, Norway ~ Worked with Terje Rypdal, Stale Storløkken, Paolo Vinaccia, Karin Krog, John Surman, the Bergen Big Band, Helén Eriksen, the Qvales Ensemble, Vamp, Nathalie Nordnes, and Anne Gravir Klykken
July 8, 1971 ~ Jazz, swing trumpeter Charlie Shavers, full name Charles James Shavers, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Played piano and banjo before switching to trumpet. Worked with Tiny Bradshaw, Lucky Millinder, and Dizzy Gillespie early on in his career. Well known for his tenure with John Kirby from the mid 1930s through the mid 1940s, Shavers' arrangements and solos making the band one of the most successful of its day. Kirby also recorded several compositions co-written by Shavers including Why Begin Again, Dawn On The Desert, Wondering Where, and notably Undecided, the latter of which became a jazz standard covered by well over 300 artists. As a leader or co-leader, Shavers has recorded some two dozen albums since the mid 1950s, specifically acclaimed for Like Charlie released in 1961. As an in-demand collaborator and sideman, Shavers has appeared on recordings by Gene Krupa, Art Tatum, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Goodman, Ernie Wilkins, Dinah Washington (The Swingin' Miss D), Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues), Teddy Wilson, Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Tommy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Charlie Byrd, and Jimmy McPartland ~ Shavers was born in 1917
July 8, 1970 ~ Bek David Campbell, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Beck born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Sonf of conductor, arranger David Campbell. Rose to fame in 1990s with a unique variation of hip-hop and folk-influenced lo-fi drawing from numerous other styles including funk, soul, alternative rock, country and psychedelia. Best known for critically acclaimed albums such as Mellow Gold which contained the breakthrough hit Loser, and Odelay, Midnite Vultures, and Sea ChangeJuly 8, 1970 ~ Death metal singer George Corpsegrinder Fisher born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Lead singer of several well known metal bands, namely Cannibal Corpse, Paths Of Possession and metal supergroup Serpentine Dominion. Known for the size of his neck which Fisher himself explains is due to a combination of headbanging and weightlifting. Has also worked with Monstrosity, Suffocation, Suicide Silence, the Voodoo Gods, Dethklok, and Igorrr
July 8, 1970 ~ Nicole Gilbert, commonly known as R&B, gospel, soul singer Nicci GIlbert, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Lead singer of R&B girl group Brownstone, known for their 1995 hit If You Love Me. Following the disbandement of the group in 1997 Gilbert would venture into acting. Gilbert released a solo album, Grown Folks Music, in 2005
July 8, 1969 ~ Yune Sugihara, commonly known as singer, songwriter, producer, actor, writer, activist Sugizo, born in Hadano, Japan ~ Lead guitarist, violinist of rock band Luna Sea since 1989. Over half a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, starting with Truth released in 1997 and known best for the single Lucifer. Soundtrack composer. Has also worked with acts such as Juno Reactor, the Japanese supergroup SKIN, X, Shag and with STK. Also known for his political views and his anti-war, anti-nuclear and environmental activism
July 8, 1967 ~ Jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, drummer Stephane Belmondo born in Hyères, France ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with René Urtreger, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Pierre Michelot, Al Levitt, Laurent Cugny, Kirk Lightsey, Pierre Boussaguet, Jacky Terrasson, Tom Harrell, Michel Legrand, Stéphane Grappelli, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Al Foster, Mark Turner, Lew Tabackin, Donald Brown, Franck Amsallem, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Philip Catherine, Yusef Lateef, Milton Nascimento, Yael Naïm, Aldo Romano, Avishai Cohen, Francois Theberge, Valery Graschaire, Eric Legnini, Sophie Alour, Nu Tropic, Kayna Samet, Claude Nougaro, Jean-Louis Murat, André Ceccarelli, Frederic Galliano, Jean-Michel Pilc, Elisabeth Kontomanou, Alain Bashung, and Peter Kingsbery