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, 1949 ~ Rock, progressive rock, hard rock, pop rock singer, bassist, guitarist, songwriter John Wetton, full name John Kenneth Wetton, born in Derby, UK ~ Best known for his work with King Crimson, UK, and especially Asia, serving as one of the latter's main songwriters often in partnership with Geoff Downes. In-demand sideman and collaborator. Has worked with the Family, Roxy Music (Viva), Uriah Heep, Brian Eno (Here Come The Warm Jets), Wishbone Ash, Phil Manzanera, Bryan Ferry, Mogul Thrash, Gordon Haskell, Peter Sinfield, Steve Hackett, Phenomena, Icon, Ayreon, and Renaissance ~ Wetton passed away in 2017
June 12, 1948 ~ Guitarist Barry Bailey born in Decatur, Georgia, USA ~ Founding member of Southern rock outfit the Atlanta Rhythm Section, remaining with the band from 1972 until leaving in 2006 to care for his ailing wife. The band is known for songs such as So Into You, I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight, Imaginary Lover, Do It Or Die and Spooky, all of which reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 ~ Bailey passed away in 2022
June 12, 1946 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Andy Roberts, full name Andrew Jonathan Roberts, born in Harrow, UK ~ Accompanied Liverpool comedy trio the Scaffold. Member of the Liverpool Scene. Best known for his association with Iain Matthews, serving well over three decades in the folk rock unit Plainsong. The band is especially acclaimed for their 1972 In Search Of Amelia Earhart album. Roberts has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with Home Grown released in 1970, and worked with Chris Spedding, Kevin Ayers, Vivian Stanshall, and GrimmsJune 12, 1942 ~ Singer Bing Crosby records Moonlight Becomes You at Decca Recording Studio, Los Angeles, California ~ Written by Jimmy van Heusen and Johnny Burke. Best known as the 1942 charttopper for Bing Crosby, released in November 1942, b/w Constantly. Would be recorded by a wide array of artists including Glenn Miller, Jerry Vale, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra
June 12, 1942 ~ Leonard Warren Borioff, commonly known as singer, songwriter Len Barry, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Lead singer of the Dovells, known for the early 1960s Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits The Bristol Stomp and You Can't Sit Down. As a solo artist best known for the 1965 hit 1-2-3, which would eventually sell 4 million copies. Would go on to enjoy great popularity in the UK. Co-wrote Zoom for Fat Larry's Band and Love Town for Booker Newberry III ~ Borisoff passed away in 2020
June 12, 1941 ~ Armando Anthony Corea, commonly known as jazz, jazz fusion pianist, percussionist, bandleader, composer Chick Corea, born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA ~ Regarded as one of the premier jazz pianists of the post- John Coltrane era. Helped birth and define jazz fusion. As a composer best known for Spain, 500 Miles High, and Windows, all considered jazz standards. Especially acclaimed for the early 1970s albums Return To Forever and Light As A Feather, both with his ensemble Return To Forever. Has appeared on albums by Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Willis Jackson (Soul Night Live), Blue Mitchell (Boss Horn), Miles Davis (Filles de Kilimanjaro), Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Joe Farrell (Outback), Stanley Clarke (Children Of Forever), Sadao Watanabe, Ernie Watts, Chaka Khan, David Friesen, Rufus Reid (Seven Minds), and John Patitucci ~ Corea passed away in 2021
June 12, 1941 ~ Reginald Maurice Ball, commonly known as singer, bassist Reg Presley, born in Hampshire, UK ~ Best known as the Troggs' lead singer, known for hits such as With A Girl Like You, Wild Thing, I Can't Control Myself and Love Is All Around, later covered by Wet Wet Wet. Ball used the royalties of the latter to fund research into UFO's, lost civilizations and alchemy. ~ Presley passed away in 2014
June 12, 1941 ~ Folk, folk baroque, folk rock, progressive folk singer, guitarist, songwriter Roy Harper born in Rusholme, UK ~ Once described as “one of Britain's most complex and eloquent lyricists and genuinely original songwriters” Harper would never become a household name yet recorded well over 20 studio albums. Admired by peers. Cited as influence by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the Who's Pete Townshend, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, singer Kate Bush, and by harpist Joanna Newsom
June 12, 1941 ~ Richard Turley, commonly known as singer, guitarist Turley Richards born in Charleston, West Virginia, USA ~ Perhaps best known for first recording You Might Need Somebody, only a modest hit in 1980 but notably covered by Randy Crawford taking it to the UK top 20 the following year. The Nan O'Byrne & Tom Snow-penned tune would later be covered by Joe Walsh in 1991 on his Ordinary Average Guy and by Englih singer Shola Ama on her 1997 Much Love debut album
June 12, 1937 ~ Lincoln Wayne Moman, commonly known as producer, guitarist, songwriter Chips Moman, born in La Grange, Georgia, USA ~ Recording engineer, producer, songwriter. Guided the career of the Box Tops. Produced Carla Thomas's Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes), the very first hit for Stax/Volt. Worked with Bobby Womack, Merrilee Rush, Mark Lindsay, Sandy Posey, Joe Tex, Wilson Pickett, Herbie Mann, Roy Hamilton, and Petula Clark. Co-wrote classics such as Do Right Woman Do Right Man, The Dark End Of The Street, Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, and Luckenbach Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love). Produced albums such as 1969's From Elvis In Memphis, arguably Elvis Presley's best. Produced 1985's The Highwaymen, the debut album by country supergroup the Highwaymen consisting of Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson ~ Moman passed away in 2016
June 12, 1936 ~ Jazz trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, full name Marcus Batista Belgrave, born in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Tutored by Clifford Brown. Toured with Ray Charles. Went on to work with Martha & the Vandellas, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Gunther Schuller, Carl Craig, Max Roach, Ella Fitzgerald, Charles Mingus, Tony Bennett, Palabra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dizzy Gillespie, Odessa Harris, John Sinclair, Roland Alexander, Curtis Amy, Hank Crawford, George Gruntz, Joe Henderson, BB King, Kirk Lightsey, David Murray, Cecil Payne, David Fathead Newman, Houston Person, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, and his wife Joan Belgrave ~ Belgrave passed away in 2015
June 12, 1932 ~ Singer Charlie Feathers, full name Charles Arthur Feathers, born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, USA ~ Known for a number of pioneering 1950 rockabilly, rock & roll recordings including Peeping Eyes, Defrost Your Heart, Tongue-tied Jill, and Bottle To The Baby. At the time underappreciated, and most certainly underpromoted, but in retrospect Feather's energetic, theatrical vocal style which included intentional hiccups, screeching and screaming, would prove to be influential on numerous later musicians, perhaps most notably the Cramps singer Lux Interior. As a songwriter, Feathers is perhaps best known for co-penning I Forgot To Remember To Forget, first recorded by then-labelmate Elvis Presley and over the years covered by dozens of artists. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Feathers include Tommy Tucker, Cub Koda, the Stray Cats (One Hand Loose), and Nick Lowe. Though disputed, Feathers has claimed to have arranged That's All Right and Blue Moon Of Kentucky for Presley ~ Feathers passed away in 1998June 12, 1930 ~ Actor, singer, comedian Jim Nabors, full name James Thurston Nabors, born in Sylacauga, Alabama, USA ~ Discovered by Andy Griffith. Best known for portraying the role of Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show. Popular guest on variety shows in the 1960s and 1970s, praised for his rich baritone voice. Has recorded over two dozen albums starting in the mid 1960s ~ Nabors passed away in 2017
June 12, 1928 ~ Richard Morton Sherman, commonly known as songwriter, film composer Richard M Sherman, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Formed one of the most productive stage and film composer duos in history with his brother Robert B Sherman. The siblings, sons of Tin Pan Alley songwriter Al Sherman, are closely associated with Walt Disney Studios, serving as the studio's staff songwriters from the late 1950s onwards. Notable credits include films such as Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Charlotte's Web and The Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh. The brothers were awarded two Academy Awards for their work on the 1964 Mary Poppins musical fantasy film, one for the entire soundtrack and one for Best Original Song for Chim Chim Cher-ee sung by Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews. Following Walt Disney's death in 1966, the siblings have worked as freelance composers writing numerous film scores and musicals, including notably Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ~ Sherman passed away in 2024
June 12, 1928 ~ Vito Rocco Farinola, commonly known as balladeer Vic Damone, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Damone reportedly has recorded some 2,000 songs. Best known for hits such as I Have But One Heart, You're Breaking My Heart, On The Street Where You Love, My Truly Truly Fair, Tzena Tzena Tzena, and My Heart Cries For You ~ Farinola passed away in 2018June 12, 1914 ~ Twin brothers singers Bill Kenny and Herb Kenny born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Members of seminal vocal R&B unit the Ink Spots, with longtime frontman Bill regarded as one of the most influential high-tenor singers sometimes referred to as “the Godfather of R&B tenor singers”. Herb would join his brother in 1945 and remain with the band through 1951, after which he focused on his solo career scoring hits such as Key To My Heart, My Song, and I Miss You So. Bill would be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1992 as a member of what is considered the classic line-up of the Ink Spots, alongside bandmates Charlie Fuqua, Deek Watson, Jerry Daniels, and Orville Jones ~ Bill passed away in 1978, Herb in 1992
June 12, 1912 ~ Singer Eddie Williams, full name Edward Earl Williams, born in St Augustine, Texas, USA ~ First to record Saturday Night Fish Fry in 1949 with spoken vocals by its author Ellis Walsh. Before the single was out the song would be adapted by Louis Jordan who changed the rhythm, arrangements and some of the lyrics and scored a massive hit, some marking Jordan's single as one of the first rock & roll records ~ Williams passed away in 1995
June 12, 1900 ~ Violinist, conductor, composer Amadeo Roldán, full name Amadeo Roldán y Gardes, born in Paris, France ~ Founded the Havana String Quartet. Director, conductor, concertmaster for the Orquesta Sinfonica De La Habana and the Orquesta Filarmonica Of Havana. As a composer best known for his 1928 ballet La Rebambaramba, a pivotal work of the Afrocubanismo movement. Other well known works include Overture On Cuban Themes, El Milagro De Anaquille, and Ritmicas ~ Roldán passed away in 1939June 12, 1893 ~ Jazz violinist, bandleader Mal Hallett born ~ Started out as a sideman for Al Moore. Best known as a bandleader employing artists who would later become noted in their own right, including Gene Krupa, Jack Teagarden, Frankie Carle, Jack Jenney, Toots Mondello, Irene Daye, Floyd O'Brien, Lyle Murphy, Boots Mussulli, Brad Gowans, Turk Murphy, Teddy Grace, John Thomas Williams, and Don Fagerquist ~ Hallett passed away in 1952