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 22, 2023 ~ Free jazz, avant-garde jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Peter Brötzmann passed away in Wuppertal, Germany ~ Leading figure in European free jazz, active since the late 1960s. Over 50 albums to his name as a leader. Closely associated with Han Bennink, including in the ensemble the ICP Orchestra. Other collaborations include Cecil Taylor, Keiji Haino, Willem Breuker, Bill Laswell, Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Joe McPhee, Paal Nilssen-Love, Steve Swell, Fred Van Hove, the Globe Unity Orchestra, Ginger Baker, Don Cherry, Misha Mengelberg, and Evan Parker ~ Brötzmann was born in 1941
June 22, 2023 ~ Classical bassist, double bassist Robert Black, full name Robert Alan Black, passed away in Hartford, Connecticut, USA ~ Co-founding member of contemporary classical sextet the Bang On A Can All-Stars, formed in 1992. Studied under Gary Karr. Served on the board of the International Society Of Bassists for about a decade. Has worked with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the Ciompi String Quartet, the Miami String Quartet, Elliott Carter, John Cage, and Paquito d'Rivera. Well-known for his 2019 The Not-Doings Of An Insomniac (Bass Partita And Poetry) album, a work commissioned from and produced by Philip Glass ~ Black was born in 1956June 22, 2022 ~ Producer, arranger, songwriter Patrick Adams, full name Patrick Peter Owen Adams, passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ First gained attention in the 1970s working as producer with Salsoul Records. Would go on to work with several labels, including major ones, and with acts such as Black Ivory, Inner Life, Loleatta Holloway, R Kelly, the Universal Robot Band, Coolio, Keith Sweat, Eric B & Rakim, Musique, and Soul Severes ~ Adams was born in 2022
June 22, 2022 ~ Producer, arranger, songwriter Patrick Adams passed away ~ First gained attention in the 1970s working as producer with Salsoul Records. Would go on to work with several labels, including major ones, and with acts such as Black Ivory, Inner Life, Loleatta Holloway, R Kelly, the Universal Robot Band, Coolio, Keith Sweat, Eric B & Rakim, Musique, and Soul Severes ~ Adams was born in 2022
June 22, 2021 ~ Composer Mzilikazi Khumalo, full name James Steve Mzilikazi Khumalo, passed away in Natal, South Africa ~ Known for compositions such as Ma Ngificwa Ukufa premiered in 1959, the cantate Ushaka Kasengzangakohna, and the opera Princess Magogo Kadinuzulu, the latter would be the first opera in the Zulu language ~ Khumalo was born in 1932June 22, 2018 ~ Singer, guitarist Geoffrey Oryema passed away in Paris, France ~ Exiled Ugandan singer. Sang in Swahili, Acholi, English, and in French. Gained international attention with the release of his sophomore album, Beat The Border, in 1993. Worked with Jean-Pierre Alarcen, Patrick Buchmann, and with Peter Gabriel ~ Oryema was born in 1953
June 22, 2018 ~ Vincent Paul Abbott, commonly known as drummer Vinnie Paul passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Generally regarded as one of the premier heavy metal drummers. Influenced by Peter Criss, Alex van Halen, and Tommy Aldridge. Best known for co-founding Pantera with his brother guitarist Dimebag Darrell, a band credited with pioneering the groove metal genre and especially acclaimed for their 1992 Vulgar Display Of Power album. Abbott remained with the band through 2003, and has also worked with Damageplan, and with Hellyeah ~ Abbott was born in 1964
June 22, 2016 ~ Conductor, composer Harry Rabinowitz passed away in Lacoste, France ~ Closely associated with the BBC, conducting the BBC Revue Orchestra for most of the 1950s and serving as music director for BBC Television Light Entertainment for most of the 1960s. Also worked with the Boston Pops Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conducted numerous film scores including Chariots Of Fire, The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley ~ Rabinowitz was born in 1916June 22, 2016 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Jim Boyd passed away in Washington, USA ~ One of the most respected Native American singers with over a dozen albums as a solo artist during a career spanning four decades. Member of XIT, one of the first rock groups in Indian country to achieve succes. Has also worked with Greywolf and Winterhawk ~ Boyd was born in 1956
June 22, 2016 ~ Singer, guitarist, saxophonist, poet, songwriter Mike Hart, full name Michael William Hart, passed away ~ Founded early 1960s R&B band the Roadrunners. Departed the band in 1965 to join poetry and music collective the Liverpool Scene. Released his Mike Hart Bleeds solo debut album in 1969, produced by John Peel ~ Hart was born in 1943
June 22, 2016 ~ Christian baritone singer Steve French passed away in Fayette County, West Virginia, USA ~ Founded Southern gospel quartet the Kingdom Heirs with his brother Kreis French. Committed suicide with his girlfriend by jumping of the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayette County, West Virginia. Both had outstanding capias warrants for their arrests ~ French was born in 1959
June 22, 2015 ~ Conductor, orchestrator, film composer James Horner, full name James Roy Horner, passed away in Los Padres National Forest, California, USA ~ Best known for scoring the soundtracks for Titanic, the all-time best-selling orchestral soundtrack, and for Avatar. Other notable credits include Star Trek II (The Wrath Of Khan), Star Trek III (The Search For Spock), The Name Of The Rose, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, Braveheart, and Deep Impact ~ Horner was born in 1953
June 22, 2013 ~ Singer Andrea Begley wins The Voice UK ~ Singer Andrea Begley wins the 2nd season of talent show The Voice UK aired on BBC One. The other finalists were Leah McFall, Mike Ward, and Matt Henry. Following her success on the show, Begley released her The Message debut album the following October. The album would reach top 10 in the UK, yet spawned no hit singles. A follow-up album at the end of the decade failed to chartJune 22, 2012 ~ The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellnes and Research Centre opens in Melbourne, Australia ~ Olivia Newton-John started raising funds to develop the project in 2003. Primed for a comeback tour Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, the same week her father died, forcing her to cancel the tour. Eventually Newton-John recovered and has since become an advocate for breast cancer research
June 22, 2011 ~ Folk singer, songwriter Mike Waterson passed away in Scarborough, UK ~ Best known as member of family outfit the Watersons, which also included his sisters Lal Waterson and Norma Waterson and brother-in-law Martin Carthy. Also worked with Albion Country Band on the album No Roses. Member of Blue Murder ~ Waterson was born in 1941
June 22, 2009 ~ Operatic mezzo-soprano Betty Allen, full name Elizabeth Louise Allen, passed away in Valhalla, New York, USA ~ Part of the first generation of black opera singers to achieve wide success, helpful in breaking down racial barriers in the opera world. Known for her collaborations with American composers such as Aaron Copland, David Diamond, Ned Rorem, Virgil Thomson, and Leonard Bernstein, the latter holding her in such high esteem he chose her to be the featured soloist for his final performances with the New York Philharmonic. Over the course of her career, Allen has worked with numerous renowned orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York City Opera, the Oratoria Society Of New York, the Teatro Colón, and the Canadian Opera Company. In a 1973 review, the New York Times stated “when she was onstage everything came to life, and everything around her was dimmed.” Chronic lung problems forced the singer to retire from the stage by the late 1970s, after which she remained active as a sought-after voice teacher and an arts advocate and administrator associated with renowned institutes such as the Harlem School Of Arts, the Manhattan School Of Music, the Curtis Institute Of Music, and the University Of North Carolina School Of Arts. In 1989, Allen became the first American to teach a masterclass at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, Russia ~ Allen was born in 1927June 22, 2009 ~ Rapper Chris Brown pleads guilty to assaulting Rihanna the night before ~ Brown pleads guilty to assaulting Rihanna the night before at the Grammy Award ceremony. Rihanna asked the judge not to impose a restraining order, but the court nevertheless issues one and sentenced Chris Brown to five years probation and 1,400 hours of community service
June 22, 2009 ~ Composer, pianist, radio and TV personality Steve Race passed away in Great Missenden, UK ~ Best known for his association with the BBC, appearing as in-house musician and accompaniest and from the 1950s through the 1980s as a host for various musical TV shows. Credited with recording some of the first British bebop recordings with his the Steve Race Bop Group in 1949, working with musicians such as Leon Calvert, Johnny Dankworth, Jack Fulton and Freddy Gardner ~ Race was born in 1921June 22, 2007 ~ Singer Sarah McLachlan gives birth to daughter Taja Summer Sood ~ Singer Sarah McLachlan gives birth to her second daughter, named Taja. Her first daughter, India, was born in 2002. The children's father is drummer Ashwin Sood, with whom she was married from 1997 through 2008
June 22, 2006 ~ Drummer, percussionist Alodipu Adeoya Campbell, commonly known as Ambrose Campbell, passed away in Plymouth, UK ~ After relocating to the UK at the end of World War II, Campbell became a pioneering force in world music before the phrase was coined, leading Britain's first-ever black band the West African Rhythm Brothers, drawing from juju, calypso, mento, and swing. Campbell would be hailed by world music's first superstar Fela Kuti, and counted the UK's most iconic jazzmen of the time, including Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, and Phil Seaman, among his fans. Campbell performed with his band through the 1960s, before recording a sole solo album, Highlife Today, and eventually relocating to America, where he would tour and record with Leon Russell, who referred to Campbell as his “spiritual adviser”, including on the 1979 One For The Road collaborative album by Russell and Willie Nelson. Campbell returned to live in the UK in the mid 2000s, shortly before his death ~ Campbell was born in 1919
June 22, 1998 ~ Bernard Green, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Benny Green, passed away in London, UK ~ Active since the early 1950s, working with artists such as Ralph Sharon, Ronnie Scott, Stan Kenton, Dizzy Reece, Lord Rockingham's XI, including on the latter's 1958 novelty UK hit Hoots Mon. Also known as a beloved BBC radio host. Father of guitarist Dominic Green and saxophonist Leo Green ~ Green was born in 1927June 22, 1998 ~ Rock singer Todd Rundgren marries dancer, backing singer Michele Gray in Hawaii, USA ~ On his 50th birthday Todd Rundgren marries backing singer Michele Gray. Gray had been a dancer with the Tubes and toured with Rundgren on his Nearly Human tour. The wedding takes place in Hawaii, the 50th state
June 22, 1997 ~ Singer, actor, songwriter Ted Gärdestad, full name Ted Arnbjörn Gärdestad, passed away in Häggvik, Sweden ~ Debuted in 1971 with the single Hela Världen Runt. Worked extensively with all four members of ABBA throughout the 1970s, releasing a number of successful Swedish albums making him the 2nd best-selling artist at Polar Music ~ Gärdestad was born in 1956
June 22, 1990 ~ Singer, pianist Billy Joel plays Yankee Stadium, New York, USA ~ Playing the first of two sold-out shows singer, pianist Billy Joel becomes the first rock act to play Yankee Stadium, New York
June 22, 1988 ~ Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty, commonly known as singer, comedian, radio and TV personality Dennis Day, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known for his radio sitcom A Day In The Life Of Dennis Day, running on NBC from 1946 through 1951. The show revolved around a fictional character, Dennis Day, open and close with a song by Day and feature one in the middle ~ McNulty was born in 1916