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 14, 2022 ~ Music author, historian Joel Whitburn, full name Joel Carver Whitburn, passed away in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA ~ Obsessed with music since his teens. As an author and researcher has worked on an estimated 200 reference books, 50 of which through the Records Research company founded by him cataloguing data from popular music charts. His books, in particular the flagship series Top Pop Singles, are in-demand especially with radio DJ's and music fans. Whitburn is also known for building one of the world's largest record collections, which includes nearly every 78rpm, 45rpm single, album and CD ever to reach the Billboard charts ~ Whitburn was born in 1939June 14, 2021 ~ Beatle fan Gayleen Pease passed away ~ Alongside Lizzie Bravo one of two fans waiting outside EMI Studios randomly chosen to sing the line “nothing's gonna change my world” on the Beatles' Across The Universe. While recording the track Paul McCartney felt it needed a high-pitched voice, went outside and asked the group of fans on the street who could hold a high note. Bravo and Pease both answered yes. Although the take with both girls would not make the Let It Be album, the version including them would however make it to the 1969 No One's Gonna Change Our World charity compilation album as well as appear on several later issued rarities albums ~ Pease was born ca.1950
June 14, 2020 ~ Keith Graham Tippetts, commonly known as jazz, jazz-rock, progressive rock pianist Keith Tippett, passed away ~ Leader and sideman. Married to Julie Driscoll, with whom he also worked. Also collaborated with Elton Dean, Nic Evans, Mark Charig, Centipede, Stan Tracey, Robert Wyatt, King Crimson, Dudu Pukwana, Louis Moholo, Paul Dunmall, Mujician, Harold McNair, Peter Sinfield, David Sylvian, Toyah, Amalgam, the Dedication Orchestra, and Low Flying Aircraft ~ Tippetts was born in 1947
June 14, 2016 ~ Guitarist Henry McCullough passed away in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland ~ Co-founding member of Eire Apparent, with whom he opened for Jimi Hendrix. Co-founding member of Sweeney's Men. Member of Spooky Tooth. Backed Joe Cocker on his 1969 With A Little Help From My Friends debut album and on tour, including at the famed the Woodstock Music and Art Fair festival. Also closely associated with Paul McCartney, present on albums such as Ram and Band On The Run. Has also appeared on albums by Donovan, Andy Fairweather Low, Frankie Miller, Roy Harper (Bullinamingvase), Ronnie Lane, and Eric Burdon. McCullough has recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Mind Your Own Business released in 1975 ~ McCullough was born in 1943June 14, 2016 ~ Babtunde Okungbowa, commonly known as singer, songwriter, producer OJB Jezreel, passed away in Isolo, Nigeria ~ Revered singer. Prolific producer. Quintessential to development of Nigerian music. Worked with Ruggedman, Jazzman Olofin, Weird MC, IK Dairo, Daddy Showkey, Shina Peters, Olu Maintain, Faze, Iyanya, D'banj, Durella, WizKid, and Yemi Alade ~ Okungbowa was born in 1966
June 14, 2016 ~ Conductor, violinist Walter Weller passed away in Vienna, Austria ~ Formed and fronted string quartet the Weller Quartet. Worked with orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera, the Sinfonieorchester Basel, the Spanish National Orchestra, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, the Valencia Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Scottish National Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ~ Weller was born in 1939June 14, 2015 ~ Singer, songwriter Hugo Blanco passed away in Caracas, Venezuela ~ Best known for songs such as El Burrito Sabanero, Sierra Nevada, Luces De Caracas, Mananita Zuliana, and perhaps most notably Moliendo Cafe. CLosely associated with Simon Diaz and Joselo Diaz. Founded Cuatro Monedas, considered the first Venezuelan ska group. Founded Hijos de na Carmen ~ Blanco was born in 1940
June 14, 2015 ~ The 46th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. Mostly sunny, this year's edition would draw some 112,500 visitors in total. Included on today's, Sunday the 14th's bill would be Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls, Triggerfinger, de Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig, OneRepublic, Pharrell Williams, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Typhoon, the Counting Crows, Rise Against, Placebo, Urbanus & de Fanfaar, Nick Mulvey, Oscar & the Wolf, Kovacs, Fiddler's Green, the Deaf, Peace, the Pierce Brothes, Ewert & the Two Dragons, Willie Wartaal & Doppelgang, and Pollyanna
June 14, 2013 ~ The 44th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 3. Sunny and pleasant with an occasional splash of rain, this year's edition would draw some 60,000 visitors in total. Included on today's, Friday the 14th's bill would be Handsome Poets, Paramore, the Script, the Killers, Masters Of Reality, Jimmy Eat World, the Queens Of The Stone Age, Christopher Green, Andy Burrows, Kodaline, and Netsky
June 14, 2009 ~ Surf guitarist, bassist Bob Bogle, full name Robert Lenard Bogle, passed away in Vancouver, Washington, USA ~ Co-founded surf group the Ventures with Don Wilson. Initially the group's lead guitarist, perhaps most notably on their hit Walk Don't Run, later served as bassist ~ Bogle was born in 1934
June 14, 2008 ~ Bror Fredrik Svensson, commonly known as jazz pianist Esbjörn Svensson, passed away in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Led the Esbjörn Svensson Trio which included childhood friend percussionist Magnus Öström and bassist Dan Berglund. The trio debuted in 1993 with the album When Everyon Has Gone. In the late 1990s and early 2000s the trio would earn significant acclaim outside Scandinavia with albums such as From Gagarin's Point Of View, Good Morning Susie Soho and A Strange Place For Snow. Svensson has also collaborated with the likes of Nils Landgren, Lina Nyberg, and Viktoria Tolstoy. Svensson died at age 44 in a scuba diving incident, found unconscious lying on the seabed by his diving instructor and 14-year old son ~ Svenssson was born in 1964June 14, 2006 ~ Post-bop jazz saxophonist Roland Alexander passed away in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with artists such as Sabby Lewis, Preston Sandiford, Richie Lowery, Jaki Byard, Joe Gordon, Wajid Lateef, Gordon Wooly, John Coltrane, Howard McGhee, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones, Blue Mitchell, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Mal Waldron, and Charlie Persip ~ Alexader was born in 1935
June 14, 2005 ~ Country, country-pop singer Carrie Underwood releases her double A-side Independence Day/Inside Your Heaven debut single ~ Fresh off her American Idol win the previous May, Carrie Underwood would release her double A-side single to mostly critical acclaim and commercial success. The single would debut at No.1 Billboard Hot 100, making her the first country artist to debut atop the pop charts. Underwood included the song on her Some Hearts debut album
June 14, 2003 ~ Jazz trombonist Jimmy Knepper, full name James Minter Knepper, passed away in Triadelphia, West Virginia, USA ~ Playing professionally since his mid-teens, working in big bands led by Freddie Slack, Roy Porter, Charlie Spivak, Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, and Claude Thornhill. Well known for backing Charles Mingus, including on the quintessential Mingus Ah Uhm and Blues & Roots albums. Has also appeared on albums by Clark Terry (Color Changes), Eric Dolphy, Miles Davis (Sketches Of Spain), Mose Allison, Al Kooper, Robin Kenyatta, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Astrud Gilberto, and the Mingus Dynasty. As a leader best known for a string of mid- to late 1970s albums, including Cunningbird and Tell Me ~ Knepper was born in 1927
June 14, 1995 ~ Blues rock, rock guitarist, singer Rory Gallagher, full name William Rory Gallagher, passed away in London, UK ~ Guitar virtuoso rooted in blues. Founded 1960s band the Taste. Best known as a solo artist, debuting in 1971 with the eponymous Rory Gallagher album. Influenced artists such as the Edge, Slash, Johnny Marr, Janick Gers, Alex Lifeson, Glenn Tipton, Gary Moore, and Joe Bonamassa ~ Gallagher was born in 1948
June 14, 1994 ~ Enrico Nicola Mancini, commonly known as songwriter, composer, arranger, conductor Henry Mancini, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Popular film composer with four Academy Awards to his name. Perhaps best known for penning Peter Gunn Theme and soundtrack for the television series of the same name, Moon River from Breakfast At Tiffany's and the Theme From The Pink Panther ~ Mancini was born in 1924
June 14, 1992 ~ R&B singer Brenda Payton passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Fronted Brenda & the Tabulations. The girl group enjoyed popularity especially during the late 1960s and early 1970s, songs such as Dry Your Eyes, Who's Lovin' You, The Touch Of You, And My Heart Sang (La La La), Don't Make Me Over, Right On The Tip Of My Tongue, and A Part Of You all reaching top 20 Billboard R&B ~ Payton was born in 1945June 14, 1991 ~ Jessica Louise Nelson, commonly known as pop, R&B, dance-pop singer Jesy Nelson, born in Romford, UK ~ Member of girl group Little Mix, known for UK hits such as Cannonball, Wings, Salute, Black Magic, Secret Love Song featuring Jason Derülo, Shout Out To My Ex, and A Woman Like Me featuring Nicki Minaj
June 14, 1990 ~ Abraham Jacob Gornetzsky, commonly known as songwriter Jay Gorney, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Film and theater songwriter perhaps best remembered for co-penning Brother Can You Spare A Dime with Yip Harburg, first performerd by Rex Weber and covered by over a 100 artists including Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallée, Chick Bullock, Peter Paul & Mary, Tom Jones, Ronnie Lane, George Michael, and Allison Moorer ~ Gorney was born in 1896
June 14, 1989 ~ Post-punk, alternative rock drummer, songwriter Pete de Freitas, full name Peter Louis Vincent de Freitas, passed away in Longdon Green, UK ~ Best known as drummer of Echo & the Bunnymen, present on the band's first five albums and some of the band's best known singles including the UK top 20 hits The Cutter, Never Stop, The Killing Moon and Seven Seas. De Freitas would rejoin in later years, yet only as a part-time member. Has also worked with the Wild Swans and the Sex Gods. De Freitas passed away in a motorcycle accident at age 27 ~ De Freitas was born in 1961
June 14, 1986 ~ Lyricist, songwriter Alan Jay Lerner passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known as co-author of several musicals and films, including An American In Paris, Gigi, Camelot, Brigadoon and My Fair Lady ~ Lerner was born in 1918June 14, 1984 ~ Singer Siobhán Donaghy, full name Siobhán Emma Donaghy, born in London, UK ~ Founding member of the Sugababes, leaving the group after their debut album. Released her Revolution In Me solo debut album in 2003, which included the UK top 20 single Overrated. In 2012 the original trio of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Donaghy and reunited for the one-off single Flatline released under the moniker Mutya Keisha Siobhan
June 14, 1982 ~ Fredrick Jamel Tipton, commonly known as rapper Freddie Gibbs, born in Gary, Indiana, USA ~ First gained attention with a number of early-2010s mixtapes, especially 2012's Baby Face Killa. Released his full-length debut albun, ESGN, in 2013. Has collaborated with Madlib under the project moniker Madgibbs. Also worked with Jeezy, Juicy J, Freeway, Dom Kennedy, Pulled Over By The Cops, Krayzie Bone, Jadakiss, Kirko Bangs, Jay Rock, Curren$y, Raekwon, Chuck Inglish, Big KRIT, Problem, Bad Lucc, A$AP Ferg, Black Thought, Anderson Paak, David Dallas, Ski Beatz, Method Man, ZZ Ward, Domo Genesis, Raekwon, Danny Brown, Freeway, Trae the Truth, and Jazzy Bazz
June 14, 1980 ~ In its 7th week on the charts, Against The Wind by Bob Seger peaks at No.5 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Issued as the second single off his Against The Wind album, it would become his second top 10 hit off the album, Fire Lake having reached No.6, and his fourth overall. Against The Wind also earned Bob Seger a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Seger was unsure about the main line in the song, ‘wish I didn't know now what I didn't now then’, feeling the grammar seemed funny. Seger would later explain: “The line bothered me for the longest time, but everyone I knew loved it so I left it in. It has since appeared in several hits by other artists, so I guess it's OK”
June 14, 1980 ~ Hip hop rapper, DJ Kurtis Blow releases The Breaks, lead single off his eponymous Kurtis Blow album ~ Though the song failed to reach the top half of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No.87, The Breaks is fondly remembered and considered highly influential and only the second rap song to chart on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 after Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight released the previous year, which peaked at No.36. Unlike most hip hop songs which sample prerecorded funk, Kurtis Blow's The Breaks is noted for its original funk beat