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 2, 2023 ~ Composer Kaija Saariaho, full name Kaija Anneli Saariaho, passed away in Paris, France ~ Voted greatest living composer in a poll conducted by the BBC Music Magazine in 2019. Known for her rich, polyphonic textures often created by combining live music with electronics. Has composed for orchestra, string quartets, operas, and for various solo instruments, her compositions performed by the Kronos Quartet, the New York Philharmonic, the Théàtre du Châtelet, and the Finnish National Opera. Perhaps best known for her 2000 L'Amour De Loin opera ~ Saariaho was born in 1952
June 2, 2022 ~ Country singer, songwriter Hal Bynum, full name Harold Lynn Bynum, passed away ~ Revered singer, songwriter, admired by peers. Over an estimated 200 songs to his name, including his best known Lucille, co-written with Roger Bowling. The song would become an international hit for Kenny Rogers in 1977 topping the Billboard Country charts and reaching top 10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. It would also become Rogers' first UK charttopper and over time be covered by over 80 artists. Other songs written or co-written by Bynum would be recorded by George Jones (The Old Old House), Ray Price (You Can't Take It With You), Jim Reeves (Nobody's Fool), Johnny Cash (Papa Was A Good Man), Jeanne Pruett (I've Been So Wrong For So Long), Diahann Carroll (Easy To Love), and Patty Loveless (Chains), to name just a few ~ Bynum was born in 1934
June 2, 2022 ~ Conductor Kai Bumann passed away in Nowy Targ, Poland ~ Became chief conductor of the Opera Krakowska in 1997. Guest conductor with the Deutsche Oper Berlin the following year. Perhaps best known as musical director of the Warsaw Chamber Opera from 2003 through 2013 and chief conductor of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic from 2008 through 2012. Has also worked with the Lodz Philharmonic and served as professor of conducting at the Musikakademie Danzig ~ Bumann was born in 1961
June 2, 2020 ~ Christopher Ryan Pask, commonly known as singer, actor Chris Trousdale, passed away in Burbank, California, USA ~ Made his Broadway debut at age 8, touring with a production of Les Miserables, starring alongside Ashley Tisdale. Member of the Broadway Kids, a concert group consisting of a rotating company of children, all of whom have performed in at least one Broadway, off-broadway, or major national touring production. Member of pop boy band Dream Street, with whom he recorded the albums Dream Street and The Biggest Fan. Has also ventured into acting for film and TV ~ Pask was born in 1985
June 2, 2020 ~ Werner Böhm, commonly known as schlager singer Gottlieb Wendehals, passed away in Gran Canaria, Spain ~ Active since the late 1950s under his birth name serving as jazz pianist, notably in the ensemble the Cabinet Jazzmen. Best known for his 1980s alter ego Wendehals, a bespectacled bow-tie-wearing schlager singer. His Polonäse Blankenese would spent nine weeks atop the German singles charts ~ Böhm was born in 1941
June 2, 2018 ~ Bassist Wayne Secrest passed away ~ Member of country, outlaw country, country rock outfit Confederate Railroad from its inception in 1987 until retiring from the band in 2017 for health reasons. They are best known for songs such as Jesus And Mama, The Queen Of Memphis and Daddy Never Was The Cadillac Kind ~ Secrest was born in 1950
June 2, 2017 ~ Pop singer Dua Lipa releases her eponymous debut album ~ With a series of tours from 2016 through 2018, including as support act for Troye Sivan, Bruno Mars, and Coldplay, Dua Lipa garnered enough exposure to have her original 12-track debut album reach peak popularity by mid-2018, as it reached top 10 in over a dozen countries. The singles Be The One, IDGAF, and New Rules would all reach UK top 10, the latter topping the charts in her native UK and reaching top 10 Billboard Hot 100. In October 2018, Lipa reissued the album as Dua Lipa (The Complete Edition), adding seven new tracks including her second UK No.1 hit One Kiss with Calvin Harris, and the UK top 10 hit Electricity with Silk City. The album was met with universal acclaim, and helped her win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 61st Grammy Awards ceremony, held in February 2019. Overall, Lipa estimated that she wrote over 160 songs for the album, many of which were never finished as she was constantly writing new ones
June 2, 2016 ~ Jazz guitarist Häns'che Weiss passed away in Berlin, Germany ~ Guitarist in the tradition of Django Reinhardt. Member of the Schnucknack Reinhardt Quintet from 1969 through 1972. Fronted the Häns'che Weiss Quintet, backed by Titi Winterstein, Holzmanno Winterstein, Ziroli WInterstein, and Hojok Merstein. Weiss has also worked with Trilok Gurtu, Vali Meyer, and Mickey Bamberger ~ Weiss was born ca.1951
June 2, 2014 ~ Singer Sheryl Crow releases her Shotgun single ~ Written by Sheryl Crow, Chris DuBois, Kelley Lovelace, and John Shanks. A straightforward country-rocker, it would have made a fine album filler or B-side. As a single, however, the third off her Feels Like Home album, it only charted moderately, peaking outside the top 40 on the Billboard Country charts. Crow has stated the inspiration for the song came from one of her father's sayings: “My dad always said, ‘Drive it like it's stolen, and park it like it's rented.’ And I thought, that's how you have to live life. So I've always wanted to write a song with that idea in it.”
June 2, 2012 ~ Singer Leanne Mitchell wins the talent contest The Voice UK, aired on BBC ~ Singer Leanne Mitchell wins the 1st season of talent show The Voice UK, beating the other finalists were Bo Bruce, Tyler James, and Vince Kidd. Following her success on the show, Mitchell released her Run To You single the following day, which peaked outside the top 40 in the UK, and a full-length eponymous album, Leanne Mitchell, the following year
June 2, 2008 ~ Ellas Otha Bates, commonly known as guitarist, singer, songwriter Bo Diddley passed away in Archer, Florida, USA ~ Pivotal figure in development of rock & roll and just about everything after. Defined both the beat, the hearbeat of rock, and the guitar riffs. Influenced by Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters. Hugely influential himself on Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and especially Stones guitarist Keith Richards, the Animals, and the Clash. Best known for recordings such as I'm A Man, Bo Diddley, Say Man, You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover, and Who Do You Love ~ Diddley was born in 1928
June 2, 2006 ~ Keyboardist, singer Vince Welnick, full name Vincent Leo Welnick, passed away in Sonoma County, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Tubes, perhaps best known for Talk To Ya Later of their 1981 The Completion Backward Principle album. Left the band in the late 1980s to team up with Todd Rundgren and subsequently join the Grateful Dead. Has also worked with Zero, Dick Dale, Merl Saunders, and Missing Man Formation ~ Welnick was born in 1951June 2, 2001 ~ The 32nd edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 3. A chilly but mostly dry weekend, except for rain today, this year's edition would draw a total of 64, 200 visitors. Included on today's, Saturday the 2nd's bill would be Dreadlock Pussy, Spearhead, Krezip, the Queens Of The Stone Age, and Within Temptation
June 2, 2000 ~ Western swing, polka bandleader, singer Adolph Hofner, full name Adolph John Hofner, passed away in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Helped shape what would later become known as Western swing, drawing from jazz, swing, country, rockabilly, and polka. Sang lead vocals on the Tom Dickey's Show Boys Floyd Tillman-cover It Makes No Difference Now. Fronted Adolph Hofner & his Texans, later renamed Dolph Hofner & his San Antonians, known for songs such as Alamo Rag, Cotton-Eyed Joe, and Jessie Polka ~ Hofner was born in 1916
June 2, 1999 ~ Jazz bassist Andy Simpkins passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Member of the Three Sounds from 1956 through 1968. Also worked with George Shearing, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Anita O'Day, Gerald Wiggins, Monty Alexander, Buddy DeFranco, Don Menza, Stéphane Grappelli, and Pat Boone ~ Simpkins was born in 1932
June 2, 1999 ~ Franklin Delano Alexander Braithwaite, commonly known as reeggae guitarist, singer Junior Braithwaite passed away in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Best known as member of Bob Marley's famed band the Wailers through 1964. Sang lead on early Wailers tracks such as Habits, Straight And Narrow Way, Don't Ever Leave Me Alone and It Hurts To Be Alone ~ Braithwaite was born in 1949
June 2, 1998 ~ Country singer, accordionist, autoharpist, guitarist, pianist, mandolinist Helen Carter, full name Helen Myrl Carter, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Member of pioneering all-female country grouip the Carter Sisters alongside matriarch Mother Maybelle Carter and younger sisters June Carter and Anita Carter ~ Carter was born in 1927
June 2, 1997 ~ Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, commonly known as swing, dixieland, big band trumpeter, bandleader Doc Cheatham, passed away in Washington DC, USA ~ Influenced by Henry Busse, Johnny Dunn, Louis Armstrong. Worked with Ma Rainey, Bobby Lee, Wilbur de Paris, Marion Handy, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson, Fletcher Henderson, Claude Hopkins, Pérez Prado, Marcelino Guerra, Ricardo Ray, Machito, and Benny Goodman ~ Cheatham was born in 1905
June 2, 1990 ~ Hard bop, bebop pianist Walter Davis Jr passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Babs Gonzales, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Clarke, Sonny Criss, Jackie McLean, Pierre Michelot, Archie Shepp, Nick Brignola, Slide Hampton, Etta Jones, Charlie Rouse, Art Taylor, Hank Mobley, and Philly Joe Jones ~ Davis was born in 1932
June 2, 1989 ~ Singer Paula Abdul releases Cold Hearted, lifted off her Forever Your Girl debut album ~ In Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul warns another girl of a certain guy, as he is not to be trusted. The song was written and produced by Elliot Wolff, who had also worked with Abdul on her previous hit Straight Up. Abdul does some pseudo rapping on Cold Hearted, something she initially struggled with until Wolff told her not to worry about saying the words, but just do the vowels. Cold Hearted would be Abdul's third consecutive Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit, preceded by Straight Up and Forever Your Girl
June 2, 1987 ~ Guitarist, composer Andrés Segovia passed away in Madrid, Spain ~ Leading classical guitarist known for his expressiver wide palette of tone. Premiered works by contemporary composers such as Federico Moreno Torroba, Joaquín Rodrigo, Federico Mompou, Manuel Ponce, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Heitor Villa-Lobos, often specifically written for Segovia himself, as well as adaptations of works written originally for instruments other than guitar by classical composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Isaac Albéniz and Enrique Granados ~ Segovia was born in 1893
June 2, 1986 ~ Zsuzsanna Eva Ward, commonly known as singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter ZZ Ward, born in Abington, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Released her full-length Til The Casket Drops debut album in 2012, spawning the singles Put The Gun Down, 365 Days and Last Love Song. Has collaborated with Blended Babes, Asher Roth, Lindsey Stirling, and Robben Ford
June 2, 1984 ~ In its 8th week on the charts, I'll Wait by Van Halen peaks at No.13 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Producer Ted Templeman was behind this seemingly unusual collaboration, as he brought in Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers to co-write I'll Wait with the Van Halen members. The pairing worked, and the single would become the band's fourth Billboard Hot 100 hit, preceded by Dance The Night Away, Oh Pretty Woman, and their No.1 hit JumpJune 2, 1980 ~ R&B, hip hop, pop singers twin sisters Irish Grinstead and Orish Grinstead born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Irish was a constant member of girl trio 702, recording three albums from the late 1990s through the early 2000s. They are best known for the singles Get It Together and Where My Girls At, both of which reached top 10 Billboard Hot 100. The group also guested on Subway's 1995 This Lil' Game We Play Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit, and alongside Magoo on Missy Elliott's 1998 single Beep Me 911, which did not chart in the USA yet reached top 20 in both New Zealand and the UK. Orish was an early member of the group but departed the band prior to making any recordings ~ Irish passed away in 2023
June 2, 1975 ~ Jazz guitarist Gisle Torvik born in Torvikbygd, Norway ~ Worked with Sigmund Groven, Petter Wettre, Frode Berg, Endre Christiansen, Torstein Lofthus, Hilde Norbakken, Eddie Gomez, Bendik Hofseth, Dean Johnson, Øystein Sevåg, Tony Moreno, Karl Seglem, the Eple Trio, Andreas Ulvo, Sigurd Hole, and Jonas Howden Sjøvaag
June 2, 1975 ~ Aimee Springer, commonly known as alternative rock, country keyboardist, bassist, percussionist, singer Zia McCabe, born ~ Best known as a member of the Dandy Warhols, joining the band shortly after its inception in 1994. The band is especially acclaimed for their 1994 Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia album, which spawned the UK top 10 hit Bohemian Like You. Married to the band's road manager Travis Hendricks from 2001 through 2011. Springer also performs as a solo DJ, and is a member of country outfit Brush Prairie