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 17, 2025 ~ Classical pianist, composer, poet, author Alfred Brendel passed away in London, UK ~ Widely regarded as one of the premier pianists of his generation, and the first pianist to record all of Ludwig van Beethoven's piano works. Brendel was also acclaimed for his interpretations of the works of Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and Sergei Prokofiev, his 1950 recording of the latter's Piano Concerto No.5 with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra marking his recording debut. Brendel has recorded and toured internationally extensively over a six-decade career and especially from the early 1970s onward, after relocating to the UK, became widely regarded as a musician's musician as well as a mentor to younger pianists including pupils such as Paul Lewis, Imogen Cooper, Kit Armstrong, and Till Fellner. Brendel has received nearly two dozen honorary doctorates from universities the world over including the University of Oxford, Yale University, and the Juilliard School. Looking back on his prolific career, Brendel has told the Guardian in 2010: “I don't feel guilty about being ‘intellectual’ if that means thinking about the structure and character and humour in a piece of music. But I'm not talking about dry analysis, which is relatively easy if you know how. I do the opposite. I familiarise myself with a piece and wait for it to tell me what it's about, and what makes it a masterpiece. That's what fascinates” ~ Brendel was born in 1931
June 17, 2024 ~ House, trance, dance producer, DJ Paul Spencer passed away ~ Member of producer, DJ trio Dario G, which also included Scott Rosser and Stephen Spencer, no relation. The trio are best known for their 1998 Sunmachine debut album, which included the hit singles Sunchyme and Carnaval de Paris. The latter was recorded for the 1998 FIFA World Cup held in France, would reach top 10 across Europe, and has since been used at various sporting events the world over. The trio's follow-up album, In Full Colour, released in 2000, spawned the single Dream To Me, which would become their third and final UK top 10 hit. Spencer passed away at age 53 of cancer ~ Spencer was born in 1971
June 17, 2023 ~ José Carlos González, commonly known as pop rock, sertanejo singer, songwriter Dave Maclean, passed away ~ Member of Os Botões, later renamed to the Buttons. Best known as a solo artist, enjoying popularity in the 1970s with songs such as Me And You, We Said Goodbye, Tears, and Feelings. Formed the trio the Dollar Company in the 1980s. As a songwriter González had his songs recorded by the likes of Sergio Reis, Sula Miranda, and Sandy & Junior ~ González was born in 1944
June 17, 2021 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Fane Flaws, full name Fane Michael Flaws, passed away ~ Member of bands such as Blerta, the Spats, the Crocodiles, co-writing the 1980 New Zealand top 20 hit Tears for the latter. Contributed to the soundtracks of the 1989 animated black comedy Meet The Feebles and the 1992 comedy horror Braindead. Co-authored the 1998 children's book The Underwater Melon Man And Other Unreasonable Rhymes, which was complemented by a CD the following year and a DVD in 2011 with contributions from renowned musicians such as Chris Knox, Jenny Morris, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, and Renée Geyer ~ Flaws was born in 1951
June 17, 2021 ~ Claus Herwig, commonly known as singer Teddy Parker, passed away in Munich, Germany ~ Enjoyed popularity in his adopted homeland Germany in the 1960s. Best known for songs such Musikanten Der Liebe and Abends In Madrid both duets with Leonie Brückner, and as a solo artist known for Nachtexpress Nach St Tropez which topped the German charts for three weeks ~ Herwig was born in 1938
June 17, 2020 ~ Violinist, conductor Victor Feldbrill passed away in Toronto, Canada ~ Violinist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1949 through 1956. Principal conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra from 1958 through 1968. Resident conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1973 through 1978. Founded the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1974, serving as its conductor through 1978 ~ Feldbrill was born in 1924June 17, 2018 ~ The 49th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. Mostly sunny, this year's edition would draw some 113,500 visitors in total. Included on today's, Sunday the 17th's bill would include Ronnie Flex, Deuxperience, Jessie J, Di-rect, DJ Rashida, Bruno Mars, Michelle David, Milky Chance, Years & Years, Triggerfinger, Oscar & the Wolf, Cloves, Maan, Brian Fallon, Don Diablo, Greta Van Fleet, Tom Walker, the Overslept, Scarlet Pleasure, Sigrid, Blackbird
June 17, 2016 ~ Attrell Stephen Cordes Jr, commonly known as rapper, producer Prince Be, passed away in Neptune City, New Jersey, USA ~ Co-founding member and lead singer of hip-hop group PM Dawn, known for blending rap with singing, and incorporating ethereal beats, mysticism and crypto-Christian imagery. Debuted in 1989 with the album Of The Heart Of The Soul And Of The Cross (The Utopian Experience) ~ Cordes was born in 1970
June 17, 2016 ~ Jonathan Sutter, commonly known as singer, rapper Tenor Fly, passed away ~ Recorded solo and as member of the Freestylers. Best known for his collaborations with artists such as Rebel MC, Top Cat, Daddy Freddy, Prizna, Pendulum, Barrington Levy, and the Sir Coxson Sound ~ Sutter was born in 1967
June 17, 2012 ~ Actor, singer Brian Hibbard passed away in Cardiff, UK ~ Co-founding member of a capella ensemble the Flying Pickets, present on the band's 1984 Lost Boys debut album which included the hit Only You. Originally recorded by Yazoo, the Pickets cover would be more successful than the original and reach top 10 across Europe including the No.1 spot in Germany, Ireland, and their native UK. Ruling prime minister Margaret Thatcher would proclaim the song to be her favorite. The band itself was known for its socialist views. Hibbard would depart the band in 1986 to focus on his acting career ~ Hibbard was born in 1946
June 17, 2005 ~ Bassist Karl Mueller passed away in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Bass guitarist, co-founding member of Soul Asylum. In 2006 Soul Asylum released Silver Lining, containing Muller's last work before his untimely death in 2005 ~ Mueller was born in 1963
June 17, 2004 ~ Singer Jackie Paris passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for a number of 1940s and 1950s recordings, most notably Skylark and Round Midnight. Declined an offer to join Duke Ellington. Did collaborate with artists such as Lionel Hampton, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Bobby Scott, Charlie Shavers, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Eddie Costa, Gigi Gryce, Hank Jones, Joe Wilder, Johnny Mandel, Lee Konitz, Max Roach, Neal Hefti, Oscar Pettiford, Ralph Burns, Terry Gibbs, Tony Scott, and Wynton Kelly ~ Paris was born in 1924
June 17, 2002 ~ R&B, hip hop, soul singer Ashanti releases Happy, lifted off her eponymous debut album ~ On the heels of her Foolish smash success, Ashanti's sophomore single would also reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No.2. Produced by Irv Gotti and Chink Santana, the single would also reach top 10 in the Netherlands, top 20 in Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK
June 17, 2000 ~ Songwriter Clive Westlake, full name Gerald Clive Westlake, passed away in Pegram, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known for writing or co-writing a number of songs most closely associated with Dusty Springfield, including the UK top 10 hits Losing You, All I See Is You, and I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten. Also co-wrote Here I Go Again with Mort Shuman, a 1964 UK top 10 hit for the Hollies. Others who recorded his songs include Helen Shapiro, Shirley Bassey, Vera Lynn, Tom Jones (A Minute Of Your Time), Jackie Lomax, Cilla Black, Elvis Presley (It's A Matter Of Time), and Crystal Gayle ~ Westlake was born in 1932
June 17, 1991 ~ Singer Bryan Adams releases (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, lead single off his Waking Up The Neighbours album ~ The initial draft of the song was written by Michael Kamen ordered for the soundtrack of Robin Hood (Prince Of Thieves), with Bryan Adams and producer Robert John Mutt Lange fine-tuning the song in about an hour. Initially, the song did not meet the film producers' approval as they wanted the song to have instrumentation in line with the film's era, such as lute and mandolin. Issued as both the lead single off the soundtrack album and the Canadian singer's own Waking Up The Neighbours, the power ballad alienated some of his rock fans, but gained Adams a much wider audience, as it topped the charts in well over a dozen countries and eventually sold over an estimated 15 million copies, making it one of the all-time best selling singles. Adams would record several more power ballads for soundtrack albums, All For Love with Rod Stewart and Sting for The Three Musketeers, and Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman for Don Juan DeMarco, both of which would also do well internationally. Adams would score his final top 10 hit in 1996, when he was invited to join Barbra Streisand on I Finally Found Someone, which reached No.8 Billboard Hot 100, recorded for the soundtrack of The Mirror Has Two Faces, a film directed by and starring Streisand
June 17, 1987 ~ Rapper, singer Kendrick Lamar, full name Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, born in Compton, California, USA ~ Member of hip hop supergroup Black Hippy alongside Ab-Soul, Jay Rock and Schoolboy Q. Influenced by Tupac Shakur, the Notorious BIG, Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem. As a solo artist broke through to mainstream with his 2012 Good Kid MAAD City sophomore album. Best known for hits such as Swimming Pools (Drank), Humble, Loyalty featuring Rihanna, Love featuring Zacari, All The Stars with SZA, and Pray For Me featuring the Weeknd
June 17, 1986 ~ Soprano singer Kate Smith, full name Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, passed away in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA ~ Dubbed “the Songbird of the South” and active since the mid-1920, most notably on radio and TV including several own radio shows throughout the 1930s. Best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's God Bless America ~ Smith was born in 1907
June 17, 1985 ~ Pop rock singer, bassist Sting releases his The Dream Of The Blue Turtles solo debut album ~ Sting had initially started working on the tracks for his solo debut album with producers William Orbit, Laurie Mayer, and Grant Gilbert, the sessions more synth-driven and electrofunk in nature. However, eventually Sting decided against this approach, opting for a more jazz-infected sound instead with producer Pete Smith and a cast containing jazz-oriented musicians such as keyboardist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The album would be a critical and commercial success, earning the singer several Grammy Award nominations, and spawn four hit singles, If You Love Somebody Set Them Free and Fortress Around Your Heart both reaching top 10 Billboard Hot 100, and Love Is The Seventh Wave and Russians peaking inside the top 20. The album itself reached No.2 Billboard Hot 200, and No.3 in his native UK where it was held off the top spot by Marillion's Misplaced Childhood and Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USAJune 17, 1983 ~ Jazz trumpeter Jaimie Branch, full name Jaimie Breezy Branch, born in Huntington, New York, USA ~ Leader and sidewoman. Cites Don Cherry, Axel Dörner, Booker Little and Miles Davis as influences. Formed the trio Princess with bassist Toby Summerfield and drummer Frank Rosaly. Has also worked with Ken Vandermark, Atlas Moth, Chad Taylor, Weasel Walter, Josh Berman, Jason Nazary, and Jeb Bishop ~ Branch passed away in 2022
June 17, 1983 ~ Singer, songwriter Lee Ryan born in Chatham, UK ~ Rose to fame as member of boy band Blue, known for the UK charttopppers Too Close, If You Come Back and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word featuring Elton John. After the band disbanded released his eponymous Lee Ryan debut album in 2005, which spawned the UK top 20 hits Army Of Lovers, Turn Your Car Around and When I Think Of You
June 17, 1983 ~ Peter Mennini, commonly known as composer, teacher Peter Mennin passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Has written symphonies, concertos, and numerous works for wind band, chorus, and other ensembles. Perhaps best known as President of the prestigious performing arts conservatory the Juilliard School, New York, from 1962 until his death nearly two decades later ~ Mennini was born in 1923
June 17, 1982 ~ Keyboarist, accordionist, guitarist, singer Kathryn Calder, full name Kathryn Jane Calder, born in Victoria, Canada ~ Married to producer Colin Stewart. Best known as member of the New Pornographers, initially filling in for Neko Case for live performances and becoming a full member in 2006. Calder has also formed the duo Frontperson with Mark Andrew Hamilton, was a member of the Immaculate Machine, and recorded as a solo artist starting with the album Are You My Mother released in 2010
June 17, 1978 ~ In its 10th week on the charts, Shadow Dancing by Andy Gibb hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Holding the Billboard Hot 100 top spot for seven consecutive weeks, Shadow Dancing would become Andy Gibb's third of three consecutive Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hits, preceded by I Just Want To Be Your Everything and (Love Is) Thicker Than Water, all three written with the help of one or more of his more famous siblings from the Bee Gees. Gibb would score several more hits through the early 1980s, including notably the Billboard Hot 100 No.4 single Desire, before fading from view. For most of the 1980s, Gibb would struggle with substance abuse, depression, and financial woes. In 1988, just as he was sobering up, even working on new material, Gibb passed away at age 30 of myocarditis, aggravated by years of substance abuse
June 17, 1977 ~ Hard rock, speed metal outfit Motörhead release Motorhead, lifted off the band's eponymous Motörhead debut album ~ The band had issued the stand-alone single Leaving Here earlier the same year as their debut single. It would be Motorhead, however, lead single off the album of the same name, that became their first to hit the charts, peaking at No.52 in the UK. The band's frontman Lemmy Kilmister had written and previously recorded the song with his previous band Hawkwind. A 1981 live version of Motorhead, lifted off the band's acclaimed No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith album, would peak at No.6, making it their highest charting single. The band is also known for Ace Of Spades, a 1980 UK No.15 hit, which has been covered by numerous punk and hard rock acts. The term “motorhead” is British slang for speed freaks
June 17, 1974 ~ Anthony Henderson, commonly known as rapper Krayzie Bone, born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ Founding member of hip-hop group Bone Thugs 'n Harmony, which also included Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone and Flesh-n-Bone. The group would be discovered by NWA's Eazy E and release a debut EP in 1994 which spawned the hit Thuggish Ruggish Bone featuring Shatasha Williams. Subsequent hits included 1st Of Da Month, Tha Crossroads, Look Into My Eyes and I Tried featuring Akon. Also recorded as a solo artist, starting with his 1999 Thug Mentality, featuring guests such as Mo Thugs, Mariah Carey, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Cuban Link, E-40, Kurupt, Naughty By Nature and Snoop Dogg. Guested on Chamillionaire's Grammy Award-winning Ridin' in 2006