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, 1977 ~ Kenny Wayne Brobst, commonly known as blues rock, root rock, rock guitarist, singer, songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd born in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA ~ Completely self-taught, starting on toy guitars at age 3. Does not read music. Debuted in 1995 with his Ledbetter Heights album, and would continue with a series of acclaimed blues-rock albums. Best known for songs such as Deja Voodoo, Slow Ride, Somehow Somewhere Someway, Blue On Black, Everything Is Broken, Was and Alive. Member of supergroup the Rides, formed in 2013 with Barry Goldberg and Stephen Stills, the latter referring to the band as “the blues band of my dreams”
June 12, 1975 ~ Thomas Brückner, commonly known as techno, progressive house, progressive trance DJ, producer Tomcraft, born in Munich, West Germany ~ Active as a club DJ since the mid 1990s, notably as resident DJ at Munich's techno club KW Das Heizkraftwerk from the late 1990s through the early 2000s. Closely associated with Eniac, the pair working together on numerous releases. Perhaps best known for his 2002 progressive house single Loneliness, a club hit in the UK, which greatly boosted his career. Subsequent well known releases would include Prozac and Overdose. Starting in the early 2000s, Brückner would become an in-demand DJ at festivals the world over ~ Brückner passed away in 2024
June 12, 1972 ~ Rodney Basil Price, commonly known as dancehall, reggae singer, songwriter Bounty Killer, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Street-tough rude boy, one of the lyrically most agressive dancehall stars and considered by many to be one of dancehall's all-time best lyricists. To American audiences best known for his 1998 single Deadly Zone featuring Mobb Deep and Big Noyd of the Blade soundtrack and for collaborating with No Doubt on their 2001 Hey Baby single of the band's Rock Steady albumJune 12, 1971 ~ Joseph Emmett Mainer, commonly known as old-time fiddler, banjoist JE Mainer, passed away ~ Frontman and sole constant member of JE Mainer's Mountaineers, which initially also included his brother Wade Mainer. The band would rise to notoriety in the early 1930s playing on North Carolina and South Carolina radio stations, and record in various incarnations throughout the outbreak of World War II. Mainer would continue to record throughout the late 1940s. From 1967 until his death in 1971 hundreds of previously unreleased recordings would be released on Rural Rhythm Records ~ Mainer was born in 1898
June 12, 1971 ~ Jazz pianist Peter Beets born in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Leader and sideman. Brother of double bassist Marius Beets and tenor saxophonist Alexander Beets. Worked with the Beets Brothers, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Chris Potter, Kurt Rosenwinkel, John Clayton, Rodney Whitaker, Willie Jones III, Larry Grenadier, Reginald Veal, Herlin Riley, Joe Cohn, Reuben Rogers, Louis van Dijk, the Rosenberg Trio, Fay Claassen, Joe Cohn, Rita Reys, Ronnie Cuber, Florin Niculescu, and Piet Noordijk
June 12, 1971 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones release Wild Horses, the second single off their Sticky Fingers album ~ Recorded during a session at Muscle Shoals Studios, Sheffield, Alabama, following their 1969 North American tour. At the time, the band was not particularly pleased with the song, so they passed it on to Gram Parsons. Parsons recorded the song with the Flying Burrito Brothers for their 1970 Burrito Deluxe album. After reconsideration, however, the Rolling Stones decided it was good enough after all. Guitarist Keith Richards later stated: “I had the riff and chorus line, Mick got stuck into the verses. Just like (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Wild Horses was about the usual thing of not wanting to be on the road, being a million miles from where you want to be.”
June 12, 1969 ~ Guitarist, bassist Bardi Martin born in Olympia, Washington, USA ~ Co-founding member of Candlebox, best known for their 1994 Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit Far Behind of their eponymous Candlebox debut album. Martin left the band in 2007 to continue his education to become a lawyer and would be replaced by Adam Kury
June 12, 1968 ~ Bassist Bobby Sheehan, full name Robert Vaughan Sheehan, born in Summit, New Jersey, USA ~ Co-founding member of jam band Blues Traveler. The band is best known for their breakout album Four released in 1994, which spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Run Around. Sheehan would remain with the band until his death by accidental overdose in 1999 ~ Sheehan passed away in 1999
June 12, 1968 ~ Jewell Caples, mononymously known as R&B singer Jewell, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ In-demand 1990's session singer referring to herself as “the First Lady of Death Row Records” appearing on several pivotal golden age records, perhaps most notably Dr Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle album. Has also worked with Marky Mark, Bone Thugs 'n Harmony, Kool G Rap, and Tupac Shakur. As a solo artist best known for her Shirley Brown-cover Woman To Woman for the 1994 Murder Was The Case soundtrack ~ Caples passed away in 2022June 12, 1967 ~ Film composer Klaus Badelt born in Frankfurt, West Germany ~ Frequent collaborator of Hans Zimmer, including on movie scores for Thin Red Line, Gladiator, and Pirates Of The Caribbean (The Curse Of The Black Pearl). Independently Badelt worked on blockbuster Hollywood films such as Equilibrium, Basic, and TMNT. Badelt has received critical acclaim and numerous awards.
June 12, 1966 ~ Violinist, conductor Hermann Scherchen passed away in Florence, Italy ~ Left Germany in 1933 in protest of the Nazi-regime. Would become a thriving force in Switzerland's Winterthur music scene. Known a champion of 20th-century composers including Richard Strauss, Anton Webern, Edgard Varèse, and Iannis Xenakis. Perhaps best known for his orchestral arrangement of The Art Of The Fugue, an unfinished work written by Johann Sebastian Bach near the end of his life ~ Scherchen was born in 1891June 12, 1965 ~ Luis Ferdinand Vega Jr, commonly known as DJ, producer, remixer Little Louie Vega, born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Son of jazz saxophonist Luis Ferdinand Vega Sr. Formed the production duo Masters At Work with Kenny Dope Gonzalez. Club DJ at New York's Studio 54 and Palladium. Actively recording since the late 1990s. Has worked with Marc Anthony, Blaze, Arnold Jarvis, Raul Midón, Ursula Rucker, Caron Wheeler, Barbara Tucker, and Gloria Estefan
June 12, 1963 ~ Pop, surf outfit the Beach Boys record Surfer Girl at United Western Recorders, Hollywood, California ~ Written and produced by Brian Wilson, making it the first release officially listing Wilson as producer. Inspired by Dion & the Belmonts' When You Wish Upon A Star. Wilson himself has claimed this was the first original song he'd written at age 19, the lyrics inspired by his then-girlfriend Judy Bowles, his first serious relationship. Close high school friends have disputed this, saying he started writing songs at a younger age. Included on the 1963 Surfer Girl album and released in July 1963 as a single, b/w Little Deuce Coupe recorded the same day
June 12, 1961 ~ Bassist, singer Kira Roessler born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA ~ Member of Black Flag, taking over from Chuck Dukowski who departed the band after the first album. Roessler was majoring in applied engineering at UCLA, and the band's tours were scheduled around her classes, a condition of her joining the band. Roessler appeared on five albums until the band's dissolution in the mid-1980s. Following her tenure with the band, Roessler formed Dos with Mike Watt, to whom she would be married from 1987 through 1994June 12, 1960 ~ Label executive, producer Eli Oberstein, full name Elliott Everett Oberstein, passed away in Westport, Connecticut, USA ~ Held various positions at various labels from the late 1920s until his death in 1960. Founded the Bluebird label, successful during the Depressian era with country and blues musicians such as the Delmore Brothers, Ernest Tubb, Big Bill Broonzy, and Roosevelt Sykes. As head of A&R at Victor signed Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. Also known for having made deals with songwriters, music publishers, and others in what would later evolve into the payola scandal ~ Oberstein was born in 1901
June 12, 1960 ~ Jazz cornetist, hornist Isidore Barbarin passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Mostly active in New Orleans's early days of jazz around the turn of the 20th century. Played with the Onward Brass Band, the Excelsior Brass Band, Papa Celestin, and later with Bunk Johnson. Barbarin was the father of drummers Paul Barbarin and Louis Barbarin ~ Barbarin was born in 1871
June 12, 1958 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal guitarist Barry Benedetta born ~ Best known for appearing on Cinderella's 1986 Night Songs debut album, playing lead guitar on the tracks Back Home Again, Nothin' For Nothin' and Push Push. At the time of his death Benedetta was working on new music with his latest band, DeBenedetta ~ Benedetta passed away in 2022June 12, 1958 ~ Singer, guitarist Chuck Berry records Carol at Chess Studios, Chicago, Illinois ~ Penned by Chuck Berry. Released as a single later the same year, paired with Hey Pedro on the flip side. Recorded by numerous artists, perhaps most notably the Rolling Stones on their 1964 eponymous The Rolling Stones debut album, a live version appearing on the 1969 Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out album
June 12, 1957 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Ciro Pessoa, full name Ciro Pessoa Mendes Corréa, born in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Co-founding member of influential rock unit Titas, remaining only with the band through its eponymous Titas debut album released in 1984. Following his departure from the band has fronted numerous short-lived bands, recorded as a solo artist, and founded and fronten the pioneering post-punk, gothic rock band Cabine C ~ Mendes passed away in 2020
June 12, 1957 ~ James Francis Dorsey, commonly known as bandleader, saxophonist, clarinetist Jimmy Dorsey, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Brother of Tommy Dorsey, with whom he also worked under the moniker the Dorsey Brothers. Best known for songs such as I'm Glad There Is You, Oodles Of Noodles and It's The Dreamer In Me. Played the clarinet solo on the seminal Singin' The Blues, recorded in 1927 by Frankie Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke. Scored about a dozen No.1 hits with his own orchestra during the 1930s and 1940s, including Pennies From Heaven featuring frequent collaborator Bing Crosby ~ Dorsey was born in 1904June 12, 1954 ~ Jazz bassist, bandleader, composer, producer Jesper Lundgaard born in Hillerod, Denmark ~ Leader and sideman. Actively recording since the mid 1970s. Considered one of Denmark's most prominent jazz bassists, appearing on over 400 albums. Has collaborated with Paul Bley, Thomas Fryland, Anders Lindskog, Alex Riel, Horace Parlan, Jesper Thilo, Mette Juul, Lotte Anker, Chet Baker, Benny Carter, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Tommy Flanagan, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Kirk Lightsey, Warne Marsh, Phineas Newborn Jr, and Doug Raney
June 12, 1953 ~ Jonathan Burnette, commonly known as rock & roll, rockabilly singer, guitarist Rocky Burnette, born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Son of rock & roll singer Johnny Burnette. Best known for Tired Of Toein' The Line, a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit of his 1979 The Son Of Rock & Roll debut album. Both Ricky Nelson and Shakin' Stevens would later cover Tired
June 12, 1952 ~ Blues, jazz fusion guitarist Bent Patey born in Oslo, Norway ~ Known as a solo artist, notably for 1982's Ocean Front Walk album, and for fronting Patey's Pipe. In-demand collaborator, has worked with the likes of Bazar, Susanne Fuhr, the Bryggerigangen Bluesband, and Bang 85June 12, 1952 ~ Composer, conductor Oliver Knussen born in Glasgow, 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 passed away in 2018
June 12, 1951 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Brad Delp, full name Bradley Edward Delp, born in Peabody, Massachusetts, USA ~ Lead singer of Boston. Delp wrote or co-wrote a substantial amount of the band's material such as Smokin' and Let Me Take You Home Tonight of the band's eponymous 1975 Boston debut album, as well as Party, Used To Bad News, Cool The Engines and Can'tcha Say You Believe In Me/Still In Love of later albums. In 1991 Delp co-founded RTZ with bandmate guitarist Barry Goudreau and be involved in several other side projects including Orion The Hunter ~ Delp passed away in 2007June 12, 1951 ~ Brad Carlson, commonly known as drummer Bun E Carlos born in Rockford, Illinois, USA ~ Co-founding, longtime member of Cheap Trick actively performing with the band from its inception in 1973 through 2010, known for the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits I Want You To Want Me (Live), The Flame and Don't Be Cruel