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 12, 2022 ~ Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi Baltazar Jr, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Gabe Baltazar, passed away in Hilo, Hawaii, USA ~ Influenced by Benny Carter, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Claude Thornhill. Worked with the Lighthouse All-Stars, Stan Kenton, Nat King Cole, Jean Turner, Ann Richards, Marvin Stamm, Sam Donahue, Dee Barton, Carl Saunders, Don Menza, Terry Gibbs, Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Onzy Matthews, and Oliver Nelson ~ Baltazar was born in 1929
June 12, 2021 ~ Singer, rapper, guitarist, DJ, engineer, producer Ash Riser, full name Ash Winston Riser, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Founded rock band Pistol P!stol. After the band disbanded in 2009 would focus on music production, fusing electronic music and hip-hop. Has collaborated with Jupiter Rising, Ab-Soul, IDK and extensively with Kendrick Lamar ~ Riser was born in 1989
June 12, 2018 ~ Operatic bass singer Bonaldo Giaiotti passed away ~ Closely associated with the Metropolitan Opera, remaining with the company from 1960 through the mid-1980s. Has also guested with other major opera houses including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Palais Garner, the Vienna State Opera, the Teatro Real, the Zurich Opera, the Royal Opera House, and the Teatro Colón ~ Giaiotti was born in 1932
June 12, 2018 ~ Philip John Hiseman, commonly known as drummer Jon Hiseman passed away in Sutton, UK ~ Married to saxophonist Barbara Thompson from 1967 until his death in 2018. Studied violin and piano as a child, taking up drums in his early teens. Active since the mid 1960s. Took over for Ginger Baker in the Graham Bond Organisation. Played with John Mayall's the Bluesbreakers on the 1968 Bare Wires album. Co-founded quintessential jazz-rock, progressive rock unit Colosseum, critically acclaimed for the late 1960s albums Those Who Are About To Die Salute You and Valentyne Suite. Formed early 1970s progressive rock outfit Tempest, with whom he recorded two albums. Has also worked with the New Jazz Orchestra, Keef Hartley, Dick Heckstall-Smith, the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble, and John McLaughlin, and occasionally recorded as a solo artist ~ Hiseman was born in 1944
June 12, 2017 ~ Florain Corella Flanagan, commonly known as soul, pop singer Felice Taylor, passed away ~ Member of the Sweets alongside sisters Norma Flanagan and Darlene Flanagan, known for The Richest Girl and Satisfy Me Baby. As a solo artist teamed with songwriter, producer team of Barry White and Paul Politi resulting in the late 1960s releases It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring), I'm Under The Influence Of Love and I Feel Love Comin' On. White would later record new versions of all three songs with his protegées Love Unlimited ~ Flanagan was born in 1948June 12, 2016 ~ The 47th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. Mostly sunny and warm, this year's edition would draw some 116,750 visitors in total. Included on today's, Sunday the 12th's bill would include Douwe Bob, John Newman, Kygo, Lionel Richie, Paul McCartney, Jungle By Night, Vintage Trouble, All-Time Low, Bring Me The Horizon, Skunk Anansie, St Paul & the Broken Bones, Jamie Lawson, Tom Odell, Balthazar, Walking On Cars, Slaves, the London Souls, Graveyard, Sevn Alias, and Broederliefde
June 12, 2015 ~ Composer Ernest Tomlinson passed away in Longridge, UK ~ Brother of Fred Tomlinson. Staff arranger at Arcadia and Mills Music Publishers. Led the Ernest Tomlinson Light Orchestra. Musical director of the Rossendale Male Voice Choir, a post he took over from his father Fred Tomlinson Sr. Founded the the Library Of Light Orchestral Music, housed in his family's farmhouse, containing some 50,000 pieces ~ Tomlinson was born in 1924
June 12, 2015 ~ May Lewis, commonly known as jazz singer, actress Monica Lewis, passed away in Woodland Hills, California, USA ~ Longtime voice of the Chiquita Banana animated ads starting in 1947. Daughter of pianist, musical director Leon Lewis and opera singer Jessica Lewis. Sang on radio shows from the late 1930s onwards, including her own Monica Makes Music, worked with Benny Goodman, and as a solo artist is known for songs such as Put The Blame On Mame, I Wish You Love and Autumn Leaves. Would venture into film by the 1950s. Married to record producer Bob Thiele from 1945 to 1947, to film producer Jennings Lang from 1956 until her death. Once proposed to by then-actor, future US President Ronald Reagan, whom she rejected ~ Lewis was born in 1922June 12, 2015 ~ The 46th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 3. Mostly sunny, this year's edition would draw some 112,500 visitors in total. Included on today's, Friday the 12th's bill would be Body Count, George Ezra, Elbow, Muse, Shaka Ponk, Faith No More, Slash, Jick Munro & the Amazing Laserbeams, Paloma Faith, Gavin James, Above & Beyond, Coasts, Pop Evil, DJ Waxfiend & Prime, and Anna Rune
June 12, 2014 ~ Jazz singer Jimmy Scott, full name James Victor Scott, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Worked with Lionel Hampton (sang lead on Everybody's Somebody's Fool), Charlie Parker, Lou Reed (sang backup on The Power And Glory), Tommy Lipuma, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, David Fathead Newman, Wynton Marsalis, Renee Rosnes, Bob Kindred, Eric Alexander, Lew Soloff, George Mraz, Lewis Nash, the Jazz Expressions. Sang at the inaugurations of Presidents Dwight D Eisenhower and Bill Clinton, respectively in 1953 and 1993 ~ Scott was born in 1925
June 12, 2011 ~ R&B singer Carl Gardner, full name Carl Edward Gardner, passed away in Port St Lucie, Florida, USA ~ Key member of the Robins including on the 1955 hit Smokey Joe's Cafe. Best known as co-founding member of the Coasters, scoring a number of mid- to late 1950s hits pivotal to the development of rock & roll including Young Blood, Yakety Yak, Charlie Brown and Poison Ivy ~ Gardner was born in 1928June 12, 2011 ~ The 42nd edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. Mostly sunny and warm with just a splash of rain, this year's edition would draw close to some 92,000 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 12th's bill would be Hurts, Tim Knol, Wolfmother, the White Lies, the Kings Of Leon, Versa, Justin Nozuka, Graffiti6, Avenged Sevenfold, Cage The Elephant, Laura Jansen, and the Bloody Beetroots
June 12, 2009 ~ Producer, DJ Andy Hughes, full name Andrew Paul Hughes, passed away in London, UK ~ Best known for his collaborations with the Orb during the late 1990s and early 2000s, mixing and producing the albums Orbus Terrarum, Orblivion and Cydonia. Also worked with the Cranberries and Tangerine Dream ~ Hughes was born in 1965
June 12, 2008 ~ George Joseph Nowlan, commonly known as country singer, trumpeter, bandleader Danny Davis, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Active since the 1940s, playing trumpet with the likes of Bobby Byrne, Sammy Kaye, Art Mooney, and Freddy Martin. Enjoyed moderate success in the early 1950s as a solo singer, noted for the singles Object Of My Affection and Crazy Heart. Would go on to work as producer for MGM, notably working with Connie Francis, and later for RCA Records. Well-known for founding and leading the Nashville Brass starting in the late 1960s, a group of renowned studio musicians, with whom he enjoyed some success on the Billboard Country album charts with albums such as The Nashville Brass Featuring Danny Davis Play More Nashville Sounds and You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet ~ Nowlan was born in 1925
June 12, 2006 ~ Contemporary classical composer György Ligeti, full name György Sandór Ligeti, passed away in Vienna, Austria ~ Regarded as one of the most important avant-garde composers of the latter half of the 20th century. Perhaps best known for his orchestral composition Atmospères and the “anti-anti-opera” Le Grand Macabre. Though he has not directly composed any film scores, excerpts of his music haven been adapted for use in films perhaps most notably in the Stanley Kubrick-film 2001 A Space Odyssey which includes excerpts from Atmospères, Lux Aeterna, Requiem, and Aventures ~ Ligeti was born in 1923
June 12, 2001 ~ Singer Janet Jackson releases Someone To Call My Lover, lifted off her All For You album ~ Written by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Someone To Call My Lover would be warmly received by critics with many citing the song as a highlight of the album. The song is built around a looped guitar riff sampled from America's 1972 hit Ventura Highway interpolated with Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No.1 played in 4/4 instead of the original 3/4. Jam came up with the riff from Ventura Highway, a song Jackson had previously never heard, while Jackson suggested to use Satie's Gymnopédie No.1, a composition Jackson had searched for years ever since she first heard it in her childhood. Someone To Call My Lover would reach No.3 on the American all-genre Billboard Hot 100
June 12, 2000 ~ Jazz, pop pianist, singer, composer Bruno Martino passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Active since the early 1950s, playing the jazz nightclubs with Enrico Simonetti and Piero Piccioni. Worked with the RAI Orchestra for the Italian TV network RAI. As a bandleader and composer perhaps best known for his 1960 hit Estate, which would become a standard covered by the likes of João Gilberto, Chet Baker, Toots Thielemans, Shirley Horn, and John Pizzarelli. Also known for Dracula Cha Cha, which he originally composed for the 1959 horror-comedy film Tempi Duri Per I Vampiri, which would also be included in the films Italian Graffiti and Two Weeks In Another Town and inspire the title of Kim Newman's 1998 novel Dracula Cha Cha Cha set in late 1950's Italy ~ Martino was born in 1925June 12, 2000 ~ The 31st edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. Extremely sunny and warm, this year's edition would draw a crowd of in total 66,300 visitors. Included on today's, Monday the 12th's bill would be Venice, de Dijk, Korn, Pearl Jam, Live, Moby, The The, Die Toten Hosen, the Postmen, the Counting Crows, Kane, Madrugada, Muse, Arid, and Travis
June 12, 1998 ~ Operatic mezzo-soprano singer Anne Wood passed away in London, UK ~ Member of the BBC Singers during the 1930s. Co-founding member of the English Opera Group, also serving as its general managers. Formed the Opera Studio with Joan Cross, the first school in the UK to train opera singers. The institution would go through several name changes, and eventually would be known as the London Opera Centre ~ Wood was born in 1907
June 12, 1997 ~ Singer, guitarists, songwriter Colette Magny passed away in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France ~ Drew from blues, jazz, protest songs and spoken word poetry. Discovered by singer Mireille Hartuch who featured Magny on her TV show Le Petit Conservatoire De La Chanson. The exposure earned Magny critical acclaim leading to a record deal with CBS. Magny released her eponymous Colette Magny in 1963 and recorded to critical acclaim and commercial succes since ~ Magny was born in 1926
June 12, 1985 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Chris Young, full name Christopher lan Young, born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA ~ First gained attention as winner of the talent show Nashville Star in 2006. Subsequently released his eponymous Chris Young later the same year, spawning the modest hits Drinkin' Me Lonely and You're Gonna Love Me. His 2009 The Man I Want To Be sophomore album would give him the Billboard Country No.1 hits Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song), The Man I Want To Be and Voices. Young has since consistently regularly reached the higher echelons of the country charts
June 12, 1983 ~ Joseph Benjamin Hutto, commonly known as blues slide guitarist, singer JB Hutto, passed away in Harvey, Illinois, USA ~ Known for songs such as Combination Boogie, Loving You and Dim Lights. Worked with Eddie Porkchop Hines, Earring George Mayweather, Johnny Dyer, Johnny Jones, Sunnyland Slim, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre. Took over Hound Dog Taylor's backing unit the House Rockers after Taylor's death in 1975 ~ Hutto was born in 1926
June 12, 1980 ~ Jazz drummer Stu Martin, full name Stuart Victor Martin, passed away in Paris, France ~ 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 was born in 1938
June 12, 1978 ~ Wallace Theodore Kirkeby, commonly known as bandleader, singer, artist manager Ed Kirkeby, passed away in Mineola, New York, USA ~ Best known as manager for pianist Fats Waller. Kirkeby was one of the first recording managers at Columbia Records to record jazz, organizing several groups of session musicians. A&R executive at RCA-Victor. After Waller's death in 1943 would mostly work as a manager for other artists including Pat Flowers ~ Kirkeby was born in 1891
June 12, 1978 ~ Cyrus Whitfield Bond, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Johnny Bond, passed away in Burbank, California, USA ~ Known for songs such as Ten Little Bottles, So Round So Firm So Fully Packed, Oklahoma Waltz, Love Song In 32 Bars, Sick Sober & Sorry and perhaps his best known Divorce Me COD, the latter a Billboard Country top 10 hit in 1947. Acted in over 40 films, starting with 1939's Saga Of Death Valley. Closely associated with Tex Ritter, his partner in the music publishing firm Vidor Publications. Bond would retire from performing in the 1970s to focus on music publishing ~ Bond was born in 1915