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 21, 1944 ~ Philip John Hiseman, commonly known as drummer Jon Hiseman born in Woolwich, UK ~ Married to saxophonist Barbara Thompson from 1967 until his death in 2018. Studied violin and piano as a child, taking up drums in his early teens. Active since the mid 1960s. Took over for Ginger Baker in the Graham Bond Organisation. Played with John Mayall's the Bluesbreakers on the 1968 Bare Wires album. Co-founded quintessential jazz-rock, progressive rock unit Colosseum, critically acclaimed for the late 1960s albums Those Who Are About To Die Salute You and Valentyne Suite. Formed early 1970s progressive rock outfit Tempest, with whom he recorded two albums. Has also worked with the New Jazz Orchestra, Keef Hartley, Dick Heckstall-Smith, the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble, and John McLaughlin, and occasionally recorded as a solo artist ~ Hiseman passed away in 2018
June 21, 1944 ~ Singer, songwriter Ray Davies, full name Raymond Douglas Davies, born in Muswell Hill, UK ~ Lead singer, main songwriter of quintessential British band the Kinks, known for songs such as You Really Got Me, All Day And All Of The Night, A Well Respected Man, Dedicated Follower Of Fashion, Sunny Afternoon, Waterloo Sunset, The Death Of A Clown and Lola
June 21, 1942 ~ Jazz trumpeter Ditlef Eckhoff born in Stokke, Norway ~ Worked with Einar Iversen, Kristian Bergheim, Arlid Wikstron, Egil Kapstad, Egil Johansen, Phil Woods, George Russell, Dizzy Gillespie, Red Mitchell, Kenny Drew, Dexter Gordon, Horace Parlan, Knut Riisnæs, Ole Jacob Hansen, Eivin Sannes, Kaj Hartvigsen, Eric Reed, Mats Eilertsen, Jan Erik Kongshaug, Sture Janson, and Terje Rypdal
June 21, 1941 ~ John Junla Jones Jr, commonly known as blues, soul blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Johnny Yard Dog Jones, born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas, USA ~ Influenced by Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, OV Wright, Johnnie Taylor, and the Spirit Of Memphis Quartet. Released his sole solo album, the critically acclaimed Ain't Gonna Wory, as late as 1996 at age 55 ~ Jones passed away in 2015
June 21, 1941 ~ R&B, gospel singer Mitty Collier, full name Mitty Lene Collier, born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA ~ Known for a string of early to mid 1960s singles, including I'm Your Part Time Love, No Faith No Love, Sharing You and perhaps her best known I Had A Talk With My Man
June 21, 1939 ~ Maria Rosa Marco Poquet, commonly known as singer Salomé, born in Barcelona, Spain ~ Internationally best known for being joint winner at 1969 Eurovision Songfestival held in Madrid with Vivo Cantando. Allegations of foul play were made as dictator Franco wanted Spain to win. Four winners tied for the No.1 spot, the others being Lenny Kuhr with De Troubadour for the Netherlands, Frida Boccara with Un Jour Un Enfant for France and Lulu with Boom Bang-a-bang for the UK
June 21, 1938 ~ Songwriter, lyricist Don Black, full name Donald Blackstone, born in Hackney, London, UK ~ Best known for his association with Andrew Lloyd Webber and for co-writing the Bond themes Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever and The Man With The Golden Gun with John Barry. Artists who have recorded songs co-written by Black include Charles Strouse, Matt Monro, Quincy Jones, Henry Mancini, Meat Loaf, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson, AR Rahman, and Marvin Hamlisch
June 21, 1938 ~ Bluegrass guitarist, banjoist Eddie Adcock born in Scotsville, Virginia, USA ~ While also a formidable guitarist, Adcock is especially acclaimed as a banjoist and as such considered one of most technically proficient and influential on the instrument. Adcock had played with several groups while simultaneously working day jobs and pursuing a career as a boxer, however, it was his stint with the Country Gentlemen that made him a legend in country and bluegrass circles. Adcock remained with the unit for over a decade, starting in the late 1950s, and his unique style played a major role in defining the band's sound. Adcock recorded over half a dozen albums with the band, and appeared on classic tunes such as Bringing Mary Home, This Morning At Nine, Brown Mountain Light, Girl From The North Country, Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor, The Traveler, Matterhorn, and Where I'm Bound. Following his departure from the Country Gentlemen, Adcock would pioneer the new grass sound playing with IInd Generation, collaborate with the likes of David Allan Coe, Peter Rowan, Josh Graves, and Mac Wiseman, and perform and record both as a solo artist, and with his wife singer Martha Adcock, the Adcock couple frequently reffered to as “the biggest little band in bluegrass” ~ Adcock passed away in 2025
June 21, 1936 ~ Lyric tenor Charles Burles born in Marseille, France ~ Active since the late 1950s. Best known for his association with the Opera De Marseille, debuting as Almaviva in The Barber Of Seville in 1959. Has also notably worked with the Opera-Comique and the Paris Opera. As a recording artist best known for a number of EMI opera and operetta recordings usually partnering with Maddy Mesplé ~ Burles passed away in 2021
June 21, 1936 ~ Francisco Angel Bastar, commonly known as percussionist, bandleader, songwriter Kako, born in Santurce, Puerto Rico ~ Considered one of the most important timbaleros. Debuted as a solo artist with the album Kako y Su Cumbo Vol 1 in 1961. Has worked with Arsenío Rodriguez, Tito Puente, Ismael Rivera, Willie Colón, Mon Rivera, and the Alegre All-Stars ~ Bastar passed away in 1994
June 21, 1932 ~ Boris Claudio Schifrin, commonly known as pianist, conductor, composer, arranger Lalo Schifrin, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Best known for his work for TV and film soundtracks, notably for Mission Impossible, Bullitt, Enter The Dragon, and the Dirty Harry series of films. Has also worked with Cannonball Adderley, Maurice André, Count Basie, Louie Bellson, Luiz Bonfá, Candido Camero, the Three Tenors, Stan Getz, Eddie Harris, Al Hirt, Astor Piazzolla, Sarah Vaughan, Cal Tjader, and extensively with Dizzy Gillespie ~ Schifrin passed away in 2025
June 21, 1932 ~ R&B, soul singer OC Smith, full name Ocie Lee Smith, born in Mansfield, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for his 1968 recording of Little Green Apples, which reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. Other well known songs include The Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp, Friend Lover Woman Wife, Daddy's Little Man and Baby I Need Your Loving ~ Smith passed away in 2001
June 21, 1931 ~ John Worsley, commonly known as singer, songwriter Les Vandyke, born in Battersea, UK ~ First gained attention as a songwriter in the late 1950s, penning the UK No.1 hits What Do You Want and Poor Me for Adam Faith. Would go on to become an in-demand songwriter especially successful throughout the 1960s. His songs have been recorded by the Raindrops, Marty Wilde, Al Saxon, Craig Douglas, John Barry, Bobby Vee, Eden Kane, the Viscounts, Jet Harris, Petula Clark, the Roulettes, Tommy Steele, Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, Freddie & the Dreamers, Maureen Evans, Herman's Hermits, Scott McKenzie, the Foundations, Shirley Bassey, Jackie Trent, Barbra Streisand, and Jimmy Helms ~ Worsley passed away in 2021
June 21, 1929 ~ Abdel Halim Ali Shabana, commonly known as singer, conductor, actor Abdel Halim Hafez, born in El Sharqia, Egypt ~ Considered one of the all-time greatest Egyptian singers dubbed “the Dark-Skinned Nightingale” with over 80 million records sold. Known for patriotic songs, some of his songs reaching the status of anthem during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Well known songs include El Massih, Ahwak, Fatet Ganbena, Gabbar, Habibati Man Takoon and Aadah Al Nahar. In the Western world best known when two bars of his Khosara were used by Jay-Z in the 2000 hit Big Pimpin' featuring UGK ~ Shabana passed away in 1977
June 21, 1928 ~ Tenor saxophonist Clifford Scott, full name Clifford Donley Scott, born in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Learned drums, piano and violin before switching to clarinet in his teens. Actively performing since the 1940s. Leader and sideman. Has backed artists such as Amos Milburn, Jay McShann, Lionel Hampton, Roy Milton, Bill Doggett (notably on Honky Tonk), Sonny Thompson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Gerald Wilson, Onzy Matthews, Ray Charles, Freddie King, Bobby Blue Bland, James Brown, and Little Willie John ~ Scott passed away 1993
June 21, 1924 ~ Jazz clarinetist Wally Fawkes, full name Walter Ernest Fawkes, born in Vancouver, Canada ~ Influenced by Sidney Bechet. Self-taught jazz clarinetist. First gained attention working with jazz revivalist George Webb in the 1940s. Would go on to work with Humphrey Lyttelton, who became a life-long friend. Has also collaborated with George Melly and John Chilton through the early 1970s. Also known as a political satirical cartoonist, noted for the comic Flook which ran in the Daily Mail for over three decades ~ Fawkes passed away in 2023
June 21, 1921 ~ Actress, singer, model Jane Russell, full name Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell, born in Bemidji, Minnesota, USA ~ Best known as an acclaimed actress and one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols of the 1940s and 1950s. As a singer best known for two 1947 singles backed by Kay Kyser and his orchestra, namely As Long As I Live and Boin-n-n-ng, and her 78rpm album Let's Put Out The Lights, released the same year ~ Russell passed away in 2011
June 21, 1910 ~ R&B singer Jewel King, full name Mary Jewel King, born in Texas, USA ~ Best known for her late 1940s hits such as 3x7=21. Worked with Cosimo Matassa, Dave Bartholomew, Herbert Hardesty, Alvin Tyler, Ernest McLean, Frank Fields, and Earl Palmer ~ King passed away in 1997
June 21, 1906 ~ Songwriter Harold Spina born in New York, New York, USA ~ Composer, frequently collaborated with lyricists such as Johnny Burke, Joe Young, John Elliott and Bob Russell, responsible for songs such as Fats Waller's You're Not The Only Oyster In The Stew and My Very Good Friend The Milkman, Dinah Shore's It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House and Patti Page's 1951 Billboard No.4 hit Would I Love You (Love You Love You), the latter also notably recorded by Doris Day, Tony Martin and Helen O'Connell ~ Spina passed away in 1997
June 21, 1904 ~ Morris Gittier, commonly known as songwriter, composer, lyricist Mack Gordon, born in Warsaw, Poland ~ Stage, film songwriter, lyricist. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song nine times. Won once, namely for You'll Never Know from the 1943 film Hello Frisco Hello, sung by Alice Faye ~ Gittier passed away in 1959
June 21, 1900 ~ Jazz trumpeter, cornetist Dewey Jackson born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Fixture on the St Louis jazz scene in the 1920s. An in-demand sideman, Jackson has worked with artists such as Tommy Evans, Charlie Creath, Fate Marable, Singleton Palmer, and Don Ewell. Though regarded as a legend for decades, Jackson only recorded sporadically as a leader, his Live At The Barrel 1952 album released posthumously in 2006 ~ Jackson passed away in 1994
June 21, 1891 ~ Violinist, conductor Hermann Scherchen born in Berlin, Germany ~ Left Germany in 1933 in protest of the Nazi-regime. Would become a thriving force in Switzerland's Winterthur music scene. Known a champion of 20th-century composers including Richard Strauss, Anton Webern, Edgard Varèse, and Iannis Xenakis. Perhaps best known for his orchestral arrangement of The Art Of The Fugue, an unfinished work written by Johann Sebastian Bach near the end of his life ~ Scherchen passed away in 1966
June 21, 1879 ~ Songwriter, lyricist Henry Creamer, full name Henry Sterling Creamer, born in Richmond, Virginia, USA ~ Revered songwriter, often in partnership with James P Johnson, Bert Williams and most frequently with Turner Layton. Wrote or co-wrote early standards such as Strut Miss Lizzie (the Original Dixieland Jazz Band) After You've Gone (Campbell & Burr, Ruth Etting, Bessie Smith), and Way Down Yonder In New Orleans (the Peerless Quartet, Dean Martin, Freddy Cannon, Dinah Shore, Jan & Dean) ~ Creamer passed away in 1930