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 16, 1928 ~ Leonie Cooreman, commonly known as actress, singer Annie Cordy, born in Laeken, Belgium ~ Active since the 1950s. Known for songs such as Les Trois Bandits De Napoli, Bonbons Caramels Equimaux Chocolats, Fleur De Papillion, Hello Le Soleil Brille, Salade De Fruits, and La Bonne Du Cur´ ~ Cooreman passed away in 2020
June 16, 1928 ~ Conductor, violinist Sergiu Comissiona born in Bucharest, Romania ~ Founded the Ramat Gan Orchestra. Also worked with the Haifa Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the New York City Opera ~ Comissiona passed away in 2005
June 16, 1925 ~ Classical violinist, conductor Andor Toth, full name Andor John Toth, born in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Enjoyed a career spanning six decades starting as a soloist with the Ballets Russes in the early 1940s. Violinist for the Alma Trio for well over a dozen years. Co-founded several chamber music ensembles including the Oberlin String Quartet, the New Hungarian Quartet, and the Stanford String Quartet. Has also worked with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra ~ Toth passed away in 2006
June 16, 1924 ~ Eli Thompson, commonly known as saxophonist Lucky Thompson, born in Columbia, South Carolina, USA ~ Worked with Lionel Hampton, Don Redman, Billy Eckstine, Lucky Millinder, Count Basie, Kenny Clarke, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Stan Kenton, Louis Armstrong, Harry Arnold, Art Blakey, Benny Carter, Jimmy Cleveland, Johnny Dankworth, Quincy Jones, Oscar Pettiford, Thelonious Monk, Martial Solal, and Dinah Washington ~ Thompson passed away in 2005
June 16, 1913 ~ Ben Wingate, commonly known as songwriter, lyricist Ben Raleigh, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Known for co-writing songs such as Laughing On The Outside (Dinah Shore, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin), Three Handed Woman (Tex Ritter, Louis Prima), Wonderful Wonderful (Johnny Mathis, Bobby Rydell, the Supremes), Tell Laura I Love Her (Ray Peterson, Don Lee Wilson, Sha Na Na), Blue Winter (Connie Francis, Willeke Alberti), Love Is A Hurtin' Thing (Lou Rawls, Big Maybelle, the Temptations), and Midnight Mood (Joe Zawinul, Wes Montgomery, Michael Brecker) ~ Wingate passed away in 1997