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 13, 2025 ~ Jazz drummer Louis Moholo, full name Louis Tebogo Moholo, passed away in Cape Town, South Africa ~ Co-founding and key member of the Blue Notes. The ensemble relocated to Europe in the mid 1960s on account of the oppressive South African regime and established themselves as one of the prime bands on the free jazz scene, integrating South African styles such as Kwela into the progressive jazz ideas of the time. Adding additional European musicians, the group would evolve into the acclaimed Brotherhood Of Breath and later still Assagai. Moholo, a virtuoso drummer, has also recorded as a leader or co-leader and is particularly noted for the albums Spirits Rejoice and Irène Schweizer & Louis Moholo with Irène Schweizer. Moholo has also guested on a wide array of albums by his bandmates and others, notable associations including Roswell Rudd, Steve Lacy, Elton Dean (Just Us), Mike Osborne, Dudu Pukwana (In The Townships), Julie Driscoll, Keith Tippett (Frames (Music For An Imaginary Film)), Peter Brötzmann, Dennis González, Cecil Taylor, Derek Bailey, the Dedication Orchestra, Gary Windo (His Master's Bones), and John Law ~ Moholo was born in 1940
June 13, 2024 ~ R&B, soul, jazz, dance-pop singer, songwriter Angela Bofill, full name Angela Tomasa Bofill, passed away in Vallejo, California, USA ~ One of the first Latina singers to achieve success in the R&B and jazz markets. Over the course of her career Bofill released about a dozen albums, starting with Angie in 1978, spawning the modest hit This Time I'll Be Sweeter. Bofill's rendition, the song previously recorded by Martha Reeves, Linda Lewis, Marlena Shaw, and Roberta Flack, would become the definitive version, and a signature song for Bofill. Over the next decade, Bofill scored about half a dozen Billboard R&B top 20 singles. Bofill has also sung backing vocals for the likes of Dave Valentin, David Amram, Stacy Lattisaw, Patti Austin, and Narada Michael Walden. The latter has also produced Bofill's two most mainstream albums, Teaser and Too Tough. Although never a household name in her native America, Bofill amassed a large following in Asia, and remained an in-demand live performer through the 2000s often billed alongside jazz artists untill a series of medical misfortunates forced her to slow down ~ Bofill was born in 1954
June 13, 2023 ~ Johnny Rowan, commonly known as rock drummer Blackie Onassis, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Member of Urge Overkill, first appearing on the band's 1991 The Supersonic Storybook album. The band is widely known for their single Sister Havana and their Neil Diamond-cover Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon. The latter would be used for the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's 1994 Pulp Fiction cult film ~ Rowan was born in 1965
June 13, 2023 ~ Christopher Dignam, commonly known as rock singer, songwriter Christy Dignam, passed away in Dublin, Ireland ~ Lead singer for Aslan, enjoying popularity right from the start in their native Ireland with songs such as This Is, Pretty Thing, and Please Don't Stop before departing the band due to ongoing struggles with substance abuse. The band would briefly work with a new lead singer, Eamon Doyle, before disbanding altogether. The original line-up reunited in the early 1990s, and would record over half a dozen commercially successful albums well into the 2010s. Dignam would release his sole solo album, The Man Who Stayed Alive, in 2021 ~ Dignam was born in 1960June 13, 2021 ~ Trombonist Raul de Souza passed away in Paris, France ~ Leader and sideman. Known especially for his 1975 Colors and 1977 Sweet Lucy albums, both produced by George Duke. Has worked with Sérgio Mendes, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, Milton Nascimento, Sonny Rollins, Hermeto Pascoal, Cal Tjader, Caldera, and David Feldman ~ De Souza was born in 1934
June 13, 2020 ~ Lucy Ardans, commonly known as pianist, conductor Lucy Scarbrough, passed away in El Paso, Texas, USA ~ A lifelong admirer of Frédéric Chopin, Scarbrough is perhaps best known for founding the El Paso Chopin Festival. As a conductor most closely associated with the El Paso Opera and the El Paso Civic Orchestra, working with the latter for some three decades ~ Scarbrough was born in 1927
June 13, 2020 ~ Punk rock producer, music promoter, label executive Marc Zermati passed away in Paris, France ~ Co-founded Skydog label. Organised tours for the Clash, Dr Feelgood, Eddie & the Hot Rods. Has produced artists such as Motörhead, Wayne Kramer, Bebe Buell, Iggy Pop, the Flamin' Groovies, Flambeurs, the CFM Band, and 54 Nude Honeys ~ Zermati was born in 1945
June 13, 2016 ~ Lincoln Wayne Moman, commonly known as producer, guitarist, songwriter Chips Moman, passed away 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 was born in 1937
June 13, 2015 ~ Sarah Streeter, commonly known as blues singer Big Time Sarah, passed away near Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Worked with Magic Slim, Buddy Guy, the Aces, Junior Wells, Johnny Bernard, Erwin Helfer, and Sunnyland Slim. Also closey associated with Zora Young and Bonnie Lee, touring under the moniker Blues With The Girls. Ventured out on her own in the early 1980s, releasing her Undecided debut album in 1985 ~ Streeter was born in 1953
June 13, 2015 ~ John Landry Boudreaux, commonly known as saxophonist, clarinetist Buddy Boudreaux, passed away in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA ~ Worked with Andy Williams, Bernadette Peters, Doc Severinsen, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Burt Bacharach, Johnny Mathis, the Four Tops, Bob Hope, George Burns, Joan Rivers, Tommy Dorsey, and Warren Covington ~ Boudreaux was born in 1917June 13, 2015 ~ The 46th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. Mostly sunny, this year's edition would draw some 112,500 visitors in total. Included on today's, Saturday the 13th's bill would be the Wombats, Dotan, Anouk, the Script, Robbie Williams, the Last Internationale, Jonathan Jeremiah, Selah Sue, Kensington, Avicii, Gaz Coombes, Magic, John Coffey, Sheppard, the Eagles Of Death Metal, the Causes, Twin Atlantic, East Cameron Folklore, Lonely The Brave, Joost van Bellen, and Judy Blank
June 13, 2014 ~ Rock & roll, pop singer, guitarist Jim Keays passed away in Melbourne, Australia ~ Fronted rock, rock & roll outfit Masters Apprentices from 1965 until its disbandement in 1972. The band is best known for songs such as Undecided, 5:10 Man, Think About Tomorrow Today, Turn Up Your Radio and Because I Love You, all of which reached top 20 in their native Australia. The band also launched the career of bassist Glenn Wheatley, who found later succes as a talent manager for both the Little River Band and John Farnham ~ Keays was born in 1946June 13, 2013 ~ Jazz flutist, clarinetist, saxophonist Sam Most, full name Samuel Most, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Tommy Dorsey, Shep Fields, Boyd Raeburn, Don Redman, his brother Abe Most, Chris Connor, Paul Quinichette, Teddy Wilson, Louie Bellson, Clare Fischer, Stan Kenton, and Lalo Schifrin ~ Most was born in 1930
June 13, 2011 ~ The 42nd edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 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, Monday the 13th's bill would be Scouting For Girls, the Two Door Cinema Club, Go Back To The Zoo, Volbeat, Kaiser Chiefs, the Foo Fighters, Plain White T's, Beatsteaks, Gaslight Anthem, the Script, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Tjeerd Bomhof, Eliza Doolittle, All-Time Low, Band Of Horses, and Deadmau5
June 13, 2010 ~ Singer, actor Jimmy Dean, full name Jimmy Ray Dean, passed away in Varina, Virginia, USA ~ Best remembered for his 1961 crossover hit Big Bad John, for numerous TV appearances including his own The Jimmy Dean Show, and the role of billionaire Willar Whyte in the 1971 Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever. Also known for songs such as The First Thing Every Morning And The Last Thing Every Night, Stand Beside Me, Sweet Misery, Thing Called Love, the Dottie West duet Slowly, and The One You Say Good Morning To ~ Dean was born in 1928
June 13, 2006 ~ Songwriter, singer Freddie Gorman, full name Frederick Cortez Gorman, passed away in Palmdale, California, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-writing the Marvelettes' Please Mr Postman, an early hit for the Motown label. The song would be covered by numerous artists including the Beatles, Helen Shapiro, and the Carpenters. Other songs co-written by Gorman include I Want A Guy recorded by the Supremes, and Let Somebody Love Me recorded by Chuck Jackson ~ Gorman was born in 1939
June 13, 2005 ~ Composer David Diamond, full name David Leo Diamond, passed away in Brighton, New York, USA ~ Classical composer best known for 1944's Rounds for string orchestra. Composed symphonies, concertos, chamber music, piano pieces and vocal music. Honorary composer-in-residence of the Seattle Symphony ~ Diamond was born in 1915June 13, 2001 ~ Rock guitarist Marcelo Fromer passed away in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Co-founding member of Titas, one of the most popular Brazilian rock bands. Passed away hit by a motorcyclist while jogging, one day before recording of the band's thirteenth album A Melhor Banda De Todos Os Tempos Da Ultima Semana were set to begin ~ Fromer was born in 1961
June 13, 1995 ~ R&B, neo soul singer D'Angelo releases Brown Sugar, lead single off the album of the same name ~ Written and produced by D'Angelo and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, Brown Sugar initially came about by accident. Muhammed would later comment to Wax Poetics how D'Angelo was fiddling around on the piano while the studio engineer was fixing a technical problem: “At first, it sounded like intermission music. But then he started playing this chord progression, and I stopped and looked at him. Even he wasn't aware of what exactly he was playing, he just had his hands on the keyboard. When I asked him what he was playing, he said, Nothing.” Luckily, Muhammad has a tape running and over the next fifteen minutes they added a beat, a bass line and the basic lyrics of what would become Brown Sugar. The song is often misinterpreted as a traditional love song about a black woman, though actually it is an ode to marijuana use through its use of the personification of a brown-skinned woman. The song would receive universal critical acclaim, and has retrospectively been acknowledged both as one of D'Angelo's best as well as a defining work in what was to become neo soul, a genre D'Angelo helped define. Upon its release, the single reached No.27 Billboard Hot 100 and No.24 in the UKJune 13, 1993 ~ Blues, blues-rock singer, guitarist John Campbell, full name John Allen Campbell, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of short-lived power trio Junction alongside Tim Delaney and Jack Haupt. As a solo artist best known for a number of late 1980s, early 1990s hard-edged, raw albums, notably the acclaimed One Believer album released in 1991 ~ Campbell was born in 1952
June 13, 1987 ~ R&B outfit the Whispers release Rock Steady, lifted off their Just Gets Better With Time album ~ Preceded by And The Beat Goes On at the turn of the 1980s, Rock Steady would be the second and final Billboard R&B No.1 hit for vocal group the Whispers and their sole top 10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.7. The song was written and produced by LA Reid and Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, then members of the Deele, and was one of the first hits the pair worked on for another artist than themselves. Reid and Edmonds would go on to become one of the defining writer-producer duos in R&B, found LaFace Records, and write and produce for acts such as Bobby Brown, TLC, Usher, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, and Boyzone, to name just a few of many
June 13, 1986 ~ Bandleader, clarinetist Benny Goodman, full name Benjamin David Goodman, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Influenced by Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Leon Roppolo. Helped jazz into the mainstream. Noted for his The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, considered a landmark performance in the history of jazz. Trailblazing bandleader, leading one of the first racially integrated jazz groups. Catalyst for swing and bebop, explorer of classical music. Known for recordings such as He's Not Worth Your Tears, Ain't Cha Glad, I Ain't Lazy I'm Just Dreamin' featuring Jack Teagarden, Ol' Pappy featuring Mildred Bailey, Riffin' The Scotch featuring Billie Holiday, Moonglow, Take My Word, and Bugle Call Rag. Also noted for employing numerous future stars early on in their career, perhaps most notably guitar virtuoso Charlie Christian ~ Goodman was born in 1909
June 13, 1986 ~ Pop, country, rock & roll singer, guitarist, actor Dean Reed, full name Dean Cyril Reed, passed away in Berlin, East Germany ~ Dubbed “the Red Elvis” for his popularity in Eastern Europe. Lived much of his life in South America and East Germany. Sold millions of records in the Socialist bloc, often uncertified covers of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles. His only American charting single would be Our Summer Romance which only barely made the Billboard Hot 100. Though he always claimed his life-long faithfulness to the USA, Reed would be seen by Western media mostly as a Communist propaganda beacon ~ Reed was born in 1938June 13, 1986 ~ Pop singer, songwriter, model, actor, TV personality Måns Zelmerlöw, full name Måns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw, born in Lund, Sweden ~ First gained attention in 2005 as a contestant on the Swedish edition of Idols. Zelmerlöw would go on to release his Stand By For debut album in 2007, which spawned the hits Cara Mia and Brother Oh Brother, both of which reached top 10 in his native Sweden. Internationally he would become best known for winning the 2015 Eurovision Songfestival for Sweden with his performance of Heroes written by Anton Hård af Segerstad, Joy Deb and Linnéa Deb. Following its success at the Eurovision Songfestival, Heroes would reach top 10 in over a dozen countries including the No.1 spot in Sweden, making it his biggest hit
June 13, 1981 ~ In its 8th week on the charts, America by Neil Diamond peaks at No.8 Billboard Hot 100 ~ The third and final single off Neil Diamond's soundtrack album to The Jazz Singer, all of which reached top 10 Billboard Hot 100, America is a positive interpretation of the history of immigration to America, during both the early 1900s and the present, and ends with an interpolation of the traditional patriotic My Country 'Tis Of Thee. At the time of its release, the song received wide critical acclaim while Record World pointed out how the “rumbling drums and Diamond's dramatic, upbeat vocal will incite waves of patriotic surges.” The song has become a concert favorite both in the USA and despite its patriotic message abroad, and has been used in several contexts including as a theme song for the 1988 Michael Dukakis Presidential campaign and in promotion of the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. The film, which starred Diamond in his acting debut, was a bust and barely made a profit. However, the soundtrack album with all songs performed by Diamond was a massive success and became the highest charting album of his career up to this point. It wasn't the first time a Diamond soundtrack album outdid the movie, as Jonathan Livingston Seagull grossed more than the 1973 film of the same name