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.
June 11, 1944 ~ Maurus Turso, commonly known as saxophonist Turk Mauro, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Active since his mid-teens. A controversial saxophonist enjoying highs but specifically in his personal life just as many lows. Released his The Underdog solo debut album in 1977. Best known for backing Buddy Rich, including on the 1976 Speak No Evil album. Mauro has also guested on recordings by Red Rodney, Eric Allison, Billy Ross, and Billy Marcus
June 11, 1939 ~ Bernard Lee Purdie, commonly known as jazz, rock, R&B, funk, soul drummer Bernard Pretty Purdie in Elkton, Maryland, USA ~ In-demand collaborator known for his impeccable sense of time and trademark groove. Well over a dozen albums as a leader, noted especially for 1968's Soul Drums and 1972's Soul Is Pretty Purdie. Present on albums by Gábor Szabó, Nina Simone (Silk And Soul), Benny Golson, Shirley Scott, Insect Trust, Gene Ammons, Jimmy Smith, Carla Thomas (Memphis Queen), Albert Ayler, James Brown, John Lee Hooker, Quincy Jones (Walking In Space), David Fathead Newman, King Curtis, Aretha Franklin (Young Gifted & Black), Duane Allman, Archie Shepp (Kwanza), Hank Crawford, Todd Rundgren, Jimmy Witherspoon, the Manhattan Transfer, Steely Dan (Aja), Roy Ayers, Houston Person, Biréli Lagrène, Gil Scott-Heron, and Jon Faddis
June 11, 1938 ~ Jazz drummer Stu Martin, full name Stuart Victor Martin, born in Liberty, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Playing professionaly since age 16. Has worked with Count Basie, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Maynard Ferguson, Quincy Jones, Billy May, Gary Burton, Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, Herbie Hancock, Oliver Nelson, Sonny Rollins, Steve Swallow, Lambert Hendricks & Ross, Lee Konitz, Albert Mangelsdorff, Attila Zoller, Joachim Kühn, Carla Bley, Slide Hampton, John McLaughlin, New York Gong, Barre Phillips, Sonny Rollins, Tomasz Stańko, and Karin Krog ~ Martin passed away in 1980
June 11, 1931 ~ Jessie Lee Frealls, commonly known as blues singer Bonnie Lee, born in Bunkie, Louisiana, USA ~ Big-voiced blues singer dubbed “the Sweetheart of the Blues” and best known for her associations with pianist Sunnyland Slim and bassist Willie Kent. As a solo artist known for songs such as Sad & Evil Woman, I'm Good and Need Your Love So Vad ~ Frealls passed away in 2006June 11, 1929 ~ Dulce Pinto Bressano, commonly known as singer, songwriter Dulce Nunes, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Known for a handful of 1960s, starting with 1964's Pober Menina Rica, a collaboration with Carlos Lyra. Married to pianist Bene Nunes through 1965. Married to guitarist, pianist Egberto Gismonti from 1968 to 1976 ~ Bressane passed away in 2020
June 11, 1929 ~ Maurice Vanderschueren, commonly known as jazz keyboardist Maurice Vander, born in Paris, France ~ Worked with Don Byas, Django Reinhardt, Bobby Jaspar, Jimmy Raney, Stéphane Grappelli, Chet Baker, Kenny Clarke, Roger Guérin, Pierre Gossez, Boulou Ferré, Claude Nougaro, Ivan Jullien, Richie Cole, Art Farmer, and Benny Powell
June 11, 1926 ~ Composer Carlisle Floyd, full name Carlisle Sessions Floyd, born in Latta, South Carolina, USA ~ Wrote about a dozen operas typically set in in the American South, themed around post-civil war South, the Great Depression and rural life. Best known for Susannah, a Biblical story transcribed to rural Tennessee and written for a Southern dialect. Its 1956 performance at the New York City Opera met with mixed reviews, some degrading it to “folk opera” while others considered it a masterpiece. It would quickly become one the most performed American operas ~ Floyd passed away in 2021June 11, 1920 ~ Jazz, classical pianist, singer, actress Hazel Scott, full name Hazel Dorothy Scott, born in Port Of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago ~ Child prodigy. Outspoken critic of racial discrimation. Popular jazz, blues, boogie-woogie nightclub performer during the 1930s and 1940s. One of the first Afro-Caribbean women to land respectable roles in major Hollywood films including I Dood It alongside Lena Horne, The Heat's On and Rhapsody In Blue ~ Scott passed away in 1981
June 11, 1913 ~ Risë Gus Steenberg, commonly known as operatic mezzo-soprano singer Risë Stevens, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Closely associated with the Metropolitan Opera, starring in numerous operas for over two decades starting in 1938. Would go on to serve as director of the Metropolitan Opera National Company from 1963 through 1968 ~ Steenberg passed away in 2013
June 11, 1904 ~ Clarence Smith, commonly known as blues, boogie-woogie pianist Pinetop Smith, born in Troy, Alabama, USA ~ Best known for his 1928 recording Pinetop's Boogie Woogie, foreshadowing rock & roll and considered the song to have named the boogie-woogie genre. The song would become hugely popular after Smith's death, in particular due to a 1938 cover by Tommy Dorsey, becoming Dorsey's best-selling record. It would also be covered by several artists including Bing Crosby and Count Basie, and serve as the basis for Mess Around, a 1957 Ray Charles hit ~ Smith passed away in 1929
June 11, 1902 ~ Joseph Marshall, commonly known as jazz drummer Kaiser Marshall, born in Savannah, Georgia, USA ~ Considered one of the premier jazz drummers of the 1920s. Worked with Charlie Dixon, Shrimp Jones, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Art Hodes, Wild Bill Davison, Sidney Bechet, Bunk Johnson, Mezz Mezzrow, Louis Armstrong (notably on the 1929 recording Knockin' A Jug), and was a member of McKinney's Cotton Pickers in the late 1920s which at the time also included Benny Carter, Fats Waller and Coleman Hawkins ~ Marshall passed away in 1948