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, 1974 ~ Donnie Shaquan Lewis, commonly known as rapper Skillz, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Acclaimed for his 1996 From Where album. Also known as creator of the web series Hip-hop Confessions, where guests reveal something hip-hop related they have never told anyone. The show has featured guests such as Q-Tip and DJ Jazzy Jeff
June 2, 1970 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion bassist Matt Garrison, full name Matthew Justin Garrion, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Son of Jimmy Garrison. Worked with Gary Burton, Rashied Ali, Ravi Coltrane, Gil Evans, Steve Coleman, Vernon Reid, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Joni Mitchell, Joe Zawinul, the Zawinul Syndicate, John McLaughlin, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Wayne Krantz, Rashied Ali, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dennis Chambers, Chico Hamilton, Herbie Hancock, Rita Marcotulli, Andy Milne, Bob Moses, Meshell Ndegeocello, Revolution Void, and the World Saxophone Quartet
June 2, 1969 ~ Jazz double bassist Albert Stinson, full name Albert Forrest Stinson Jr, passed away ~ Worked with Terry Gibbs, Frank Rosolino, Chico Hamilton, Charles Lloyd, Larry Coryell, John Handy (New View), Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson (Oblique), Gerald Wilson, Clare Fischer (Surging Ahead), and Joe Pass ~ Stinson was born in 1944
June 2, 1968 ~ Rock, pop, power pop guitarist, singer, songwriter Jason Falkner born in Agour Hills, California, USA ~ Cites XTC, Elvis Costello and the Beatles as influences. Present on the Three O'Clock's 1988 Vermillion album. Present on Jellyfish's 1990 Bellybutton debut album. Has recorded as a solo artist starting with Author Unknown released in 1996. Also worked with Fabulon, the Grays, Beck, and Noel Gallagher
June 2, 1968 ~ Pop singer, songwriter Merril Bainbridge born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Best known for the Billboard Hot 100 No.4 hit Mouth, taken of her 1995 The Garden debut album. Other notable credits include the lead single Lonely of her 1998 sophomore and final album Between The Days. Bainbridges's sophomore album also contained I Got U Babe featuring a small contribution from Shaggy. The Sonny & Cher cover was also used in the 1997 Welcome To Woop Woop comedy film. Bainbridge retired from music by the early 2000s
June 2, 1967 ~ Clarence Earl McCurry, commonly known as folk banjoist, guitarist Clarence Ashley, passed away in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA ~ Actively recording in the 1920s and 1930s, notably with the Carolina Tar Heels. Rediscovered during the late 1950s, early 1960s folk revival. Influenced Roy Acuff, Jerry Garcia, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Jean Ritchie. Best known for the 1961 Old Time Music At Clarence Ashley's album which also featured Doc Watson, Clint Howard, Fred Price, Gaither Carlton and Tommy Moore. Also known for his 1933 recording of The House Of The Rising Sun, reportedly the first recorded version of the song ~ McCurry was born in 1895
June 2, 1964 ~ Pop singer Bobby Vinton records Clinging Vine ~ Written by Earl Shuman, Leon Carr and Gary Lane. Produced by Bob Morgan. Bobby Vinton's single, paired with Imagination Is A Magic Dream on the flip side, would reach top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking at No.17
June 2, 1962 ~ Jazz singer, pianist Ian Shaw born in St Asaph, UK ~ Actively recording since the early 1990s. In-demand duet partner of singer such as Claire Martin, Linda Lewis, Liane Carroll, Sarah Jane Morris. Has also collaborated with Cedar Walton, Lew Soloff, Eric Alexander, Billy Childs, Peter Washington, Mark Murphy, and Carol Grimes
June 2, 1960 ~ Singer Tony Hadley born in Islington, UK ~ Rose to fame as lead singer of 1980s band Spandau Ballet, initially a new wave, punk pop band but best known for their New Romantic pop ballads scoring UK top 10 hits such as True, Gold and Only When You Leave. After the band disbanded in 1990 Hadley released a number of solo albums, starting with 1992's The State Of Play, but would be unable to reach the same level of chart succes
June 2, 1958 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Hans de Booij born in the Netherlands ~ Member of cabaret group Circus Stupido. Best known as a solo artist, especially for Annabel, a top 20 hit in the Netherlands in 1983. Other notable recordings include Een Vrouw Zoals Jij and Thuis Ben
June 2, 1957 ~ Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban jazz drummer, percusionist, composer, producer Bobby Sanabria born in South Bronx, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Had Latin jazz stars Tito Puente and Paquito d'Rivera guest on his 1993 New York City Ache debut album. Has also collaborated with Mongo Santamaria, Yomo Toro, Carola Grey, Spider Saloff, Jorge Sylvester, Ray Barretto, Sekou Sundiata, and Donata Poveda
June 2, 1957 ~ Electronic music keyboardist, composer Mark Shreeve born in Great Yarmouth, UK ~ Well over a dozen albums to his name, starting with Embryo released in 1980. Has also composed for film and formed the 1990s group Redshift, which also included his brother Julian Shreeve. To pop audiences best known for co-writing Touch Me (I Want Your Body), a mid-1980s top 10 hit for Samantha Fox on both sides of the Atlantic ~ Shreeve passed away in 2022
June 2, 1949 ~ Ronnie Jones, commonly known as country singer Anthony Armstrong Jones, born in Ada, Oklahoma, USA ~ A former professional golfer, Jones released his Proud Mary debut album in 1969, followed by two more within a year. During his brief musical career, Jones would land half a dozen singles within the top 40 of the Billboard Country charts, mostly countrified covers of pop and rock songs including renditions of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Proud Mary, Gary US Bonds' New Orleans, Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline, Jim Croce's Bad Bad Leroy Brown and RB Greaves' Take A Letter To Maria, the latter his highest charting single reaching Billboard Country No.8 in 1970. Following his retirement from music in the early 1970s Jones founded a club named Proud Mary in Shreveport, Louisiana, named for his debut single which reached No.22 Billboard Country ~ Jones passed away in 1996
June 2, 1945 ~ Antone Laurence Tavares, commonly known as Antone Tavares or Chubby Tavares, born ~ Lead singer of sibling outfit Tavares, with whom he recorded a dozen albums. They are perhaps best known for the Grammy-winning More Than A Woman, included on the soundtrack of the massively succesful 1977 dance drama film Saturday Night Fever. The success of the film and accompanying soundtrack, which at the time ranked as the all-time best selling album, elevated Tavares to international fame, yet also pigeonholed the band as “just another disco outfit”, a label they vehemently tried to shake. Tavares actually started as an R&B cover band in 1959, then still titled Chubby & the Turnpikes, and enjoyed regional popularity for their energetic stage presence. By the early 1970s, the band renamed themselves Tavares and landed a record deal. Their 1974 debut album gave them their first chart success with the title track Check It Out and That's The Sound That Lonely Makes both reaching top 10 Billboard R&B. Over the course of their career, the band has totaled about a dozen Billboard R&B top 10 hits, including the No.1 hits She's Gone, It Only Takes A Minute, and Whodunit. Also notable are the singles Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel and Don't Take Away The Music, both of which reached top 10 in the Netherlands, Ireland, and the UK ~ Tavares passed away in 2025
June 2, 1944 ~ Classical violist Tasso Adamopoulos born in Paris, France ~ Became violist soloist at the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra at age 19. Has also worked with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, the Orchestre National de France, and the Sartory Trio ~ Adamopoulos passed away in 2021
June 2, 1941 ~ Rock, jazz, blues drummer Charlie Watts, full name Charles Robert Watts, born in Bloomsbury, UK ~ Influenced by jazz artists such as Max Roach, Chico Hamilton, and Jelly Roll Morton. Best known as member of the Rolling Stones, joining the band in 1963 and appearing on all the band's albums until his death nearly sixty years later. In-demand collaborator and leader in a number of mostly jazz-focused side projects, notably Rocket 88 and the ABCD Of Boogie-Woogie. Back in 1964 while still in art school, the Stones not yet famous, Watts authored and illustrated a small book, Ode To A Highflying Bird, for a class project. A tribute to one of his biggest heroes, Charlie Parker also known as “Bird”, Watts portrayed the iconic saxophone player as an actual bird, complete with sunglasses and sax, in simple, child-like sketches along with light-hearted text: “Soon everybody was digging what Bird blew. His nest was made.” ~ Watts passed away in 2021
June 2, 1941 ~ Jazz, free improvisation pianist, drummer Irène Schweizer born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland ~ Considered one of the leading Swiss jazz musicians and an advocate of the women's movement, active since the mid 1960s. Member of all-female avant-garde jazz collective the Feminist Improvising Group. As a solo artist especially acclaimed for her 1978 Tuned Boots album. Well known for her collaborations, usually as a duo, with a series of drummers including Pierre Favre, Günter Sommer, Andrew Cyrille, Han Bennink, Joey Baron, and Hamid Drake. Other notable associations include Manfred Schoof, John Tchicai, Rüdiger Carl, Henry Cow, Louis Moholo, Marilyn Crispell (Overlapping Hands (Eight Segments)), the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, Peter Kowald, Jon Rose, Les Diaboliques (Splitting Image), and Don Cherry. Schweizer is also known as co-founder of the long-running annual cross-border Taktlos Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, and as co-founder of the Intakt Records jazz label. Schweizer continued to perform into her 80s, retiring from the stage for health reasons in 2021 ~ Schweizer passed away in 2024
June 2, 1939 ~ Funk, rock saxophonist, flutist Charles Miller born in Olathe, Kansas, USA ~ Co-founding member of War remaining with the band through 1979, to be succeeded by Pat Rizzo. Notably present on the 1975 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Low Rider. Miller was stabbed to death in a street robbery, the case remains unresolved to this day ~ Miller passed away in 1980
June 2, 1937 ~ Jazz percussionist Pierre Favre born in Le Locle, Switzerland ~ Leader and sideman. Noted for his 1984 Singing Drums, teaming up with Paul Motian and Naná Vasconcelos. Has also collaborated with John Surman, Michel Godard, Mal Waldron, Michel Portal, the ARTE Quartett, Barre Phillips, Irène Schweizer, Manfred Schoof, Dino Saluzzi, and the London Jazz Composers OrchestraJune 2, 1936 ~ Doo-wop, R&B singer Otis Williams born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ~ Not to be confused with namesake Otis Williams, co-founding member of the Temptations. Member of the Charms, known best for their 1954 single Hearts Of Stone. Subsequent hits included Ling Ting Tong, Two Hearts, Ivory Tower and United, all of which reached top 10 Billboard R&B. Member of the Distants. Co-produced and arranged Hank Ballard's original version of The Twist
June 2, 1934 ~ R&B, doo-wop singer Johnny Carter born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Flamingos, for whom he wrote Golden Teardrops. Following a stint in the Army joined the Dells in 1960 replacing Johnny Funches, with whom he remained until his death. Both groups have been inducted in the the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, making Carter one of the few multiple inductees ~ Carter passed away in 2009
June 2, 1932 ~ Jazz saxophonist Akitoshi Igarashi born in Tokyo, Japan ~ Took up the saxophone at age 19 and was playing professionally within a year. Has worked with artists such as Shungo Sawada, Shotaro Moriyasu, the West-liners, Sharps & Flats, Blue Coats and with Shigenori Obara
June 2, 1929 ~ Jazz pianist, organist Gildo Mahones, full name Hermengildo Mahones, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Recorded sporadically as a leader, especially known for his 1965 The Great Gildo album. In-demand sideman, present on albums by Frank Foster, Les Jazz Modes (Jazzville), Julius Watkins, Bennie Green (Walkin' & Talkin'), Jimmy Witherspoon, Jon Hendricks, Lambert Hendricks & Ross, Charlie Rouse (Unsung Hero), Pony Poindexter (Pony's Express), Ted Curson, Frank Wess, Booker Ervin (The Blues Book), Lou Rawls, and Big Joe Turner ~ Mahones passed away in 2018
June 2, 1927 ~ Country singer, songwriter Carl Butler, full name Carl Robert Butler, born in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA ~ Recorded and performed as husband-wife duo Carl Butler & Pearl with Pearl Butler, known for country hits such as Too Late To Try Again, My Tears Don't Show and their biggest hit Don't Let Me Cross Over. Butler also wrote If Tear Drops Were Pennies, a hit for Carl Smith in 1951 and again for Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner in 1971. Also co-wrote Flatt & Scruggs' 1960 song Crying My Heart Out Over You with Flatt, Scruggs and Earl Sherry, also a country hit for Ricky Skaggs in 1982 ~ Butler passed away in 1992June 2, 1926 ~ Blues pianist, composer Hershal Thomas passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Despite dying of food poisoning at a mere 19 years of age, Thomas left a huge imprint nevertheless. Boogie-woogie pianists Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis both cite Thomas as a major influence. His sister was Sippie Wallace and has recorded several of his compositions, including A Jealous Woman Like Me, A Man For Every Day Of The Week, I Feel Good, and Trouble Everywere I Roam. He recorded with King Oliver and Louis Armstrong ~ Thomas was born in 1906