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 23, 2025 ~ Guitarist Mick Ralphs, born in Michael Geoffrey Ralphs, passed away in Henley-on-Thames, UK ~ Member of the Doc Thomas Group, later renamed to Silence and later still to Mott The Hoople. Under the latter monniker, they would score the hits All The Young Dudes, given to them by David Bowie, Honaloochie Boogie, and All The Way From Memphis, all of which featured Ralphs. The guitarist departed the group in 1972 to found Bad Company with Free guitarist Paul Rodgers. The classic rock outfit would become best known for their Can't Get Enough debut single, a Billboard Hot 100 No.5 hit written by Ralphs while he was still with Mott The Hoople. Ralphs has also appeared on Luther Grosvenor's 1971 Under Open Skies album, toured with David Gilmour, teamed up with former Mott The Hoople bandmate Ian Hunter in Ian Hunter & the Rant Band, and released a handful of albums either as a solo artist or fronting his own blues outfit the Mick Ralphs Band ~ Ralphs was born in 1948
June 23, 2023 ~ Bluegrass, country, gospel mandolinist, fiddler, guitarist, singer Jesse McReynolds, full name Jesse Lester McReynolds, passed away in Gallatin, Tennessee, USA ~ Known for his innovative technique on the mandolin. Formed the duo Jim & Jesse with his brother Jim McReynolds, recording and performing from the 1950s until Jim's death in 2002. Guested on the Doors' 1969 Soft Parade album. Has also recorded with Bill Monroe and with bluegrass supergroup the Masters ~ McReynolds was born in 1929
June 23, 2023 ~ Pop, classical, easy listening producer, songwriter Paul de Senneville passed away ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Olivier Toussaint. Songs written by the pair have been recorded by artists such as Mireille Mathieu, Michèle Torr, Christophe, Hervé Vilard, Dalida, Petula Clark, and Claude François, selling over an estimated 100 million records. De Senneville can't read or write music notes, and writes songs by singing into a small taperecorder and having songwriting partners work out the arrangements and orchestration ~ De Senneville was born in 1933
June 23, 2022 ~ New jack swing, R&B, gospel bassist, pianist, songwriter, producer Bernard Belle passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Considered a pioneer of new jack swing. Regular collaborator of Teddy Riley. Best known for his work as a songwriter for the likes of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. Well known songs written or co-written by Belle include Guy's Let's Chill Long Gone, Hi-Five's I Like The Way (The Kissing Game), Jackson's Remember The Time, and Bobby Brown's Two Can Play That Game. Starting in the mid 1990s Belle would dedicate his life to Christ and become one of the most sought after producers, collaborators in the Gospel genre, working with acts such as Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin and the Winans ~ Belle was born in 1964
June 23, 2022 ~ Thomas Morgan Edwards, commonly known as harmonica player Tommy Morgan, passed away ~ One of the most recorded harmonicists, especially active for film and TV playing on an estimated 500 soundtracks including Alfred Newman's How The West Was Won soundtrack and the main themes for the TV series The Rockford Files and Sanford And Son. In-demand session musician, appearing on albums by the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), Elvis Presley (Elvis '68 Comeback Special), Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, the Bee Gees, Quincy Jones (Body Heat), the Carpenters, Carly Simon, Neil Diamond (Beautiful Noise), Olivia Newton-John, Melissa Manchester, Frank Zappa, Peter Cetera, Linda Ronstadt, and the Bangles. Morgan retired from music in 2013, following a stroke ~ Edwards was born in 1932
June 23, 2021 ~ Singer, guitarist, slide guitarist, pianist, songwriter Ellen McIlwaine passed away in Calgary, Canada ~ Founded the late 1960s psychedelic blues-rock band Fear Itself, known for their sole eponymous Fear Itself album released in 1969. Debuted as a solo artist with the 1972 Honky Tonk Angel album and has recorded to a devoted fanbase since. Known for songs such as I Don't Want To Play, The Secret In This Lady's Heart and a slide guitar cover of Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground ~ McIlwaine was born in 1945June 23, 2020 ~ Singer Xabiiba Cabdilaahi passed away in Djibouti City, Djibouti ~ Active since the early 1980s. Became a dominant figure in the Djiboutian music scene from the 1990s forward, known for using satire, metaphor and historical allusions to convey complex themes in an understandable manner. Best known for songs such as Geesi, Farsamo, and Bashahaygow ~ Cabdilaahi was born in 1961
June 23, 2019 ~ Bandleader, songwriter, producer Dave Bartholomew passed away in Metaine, Louisiana, USA ~ Iconic New Orleans R&B all-hatter. Originally a trumpeter. Best known for his long and productive association with Fats Domino. Other artists who have collaborated with Bartholomew or recorded his songs include Papa Celestin, Jimmie Lunceford, Cosimo Matassa, Alvin Tyler, Herbert Hardesty, Clarence Hall, Frank Fields, Ernest McLean, Salvador Doucette, Earl Palmer, Lee Allen, Jewel King, Lloyd Price, Smiley Lewis, the Spiders, Chris Kenner, Earl King, Robert Parker, T-Bone Walker, Roy Brown, Frankie Ford, Shirley & Lee, Tommy Ridgley, and Faye Adams ~ Bartholomew was born in 1918June 23, 2018 ~ Avant-prog, art rock, rock bassist, guitarist, banjoist, keyboardist, singer Fred Chalenor passed away ~ Best known as a member of Caveman Shoestore, Tone Dogs, Face Ditch. Frequent collaborator of Wayne Horvitz, including in Pigpen and Zony Mash. Has also worked with Owen Maercks, Jeff Greinke, the Walkabouts, LAND, and Curlew ~ Chalenor was born in 1955
June 23, 2016 ~ Banjo player, singer Ralph Stanley passed away in Sandy Ridge, Virginia, USA ~ Member of iconic bluegrass band the Stanley Brothers. Also formed the Clinch Mountain Boys which at times included sidemen such as Curly Ray Cline, Melvin Goin, Larry Sparks, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Charlie Sizemore, Ron Thomason, James Alan Shelton, Sammy Adkins, Ernie Thacker, Jimmy Cameron, Ralph Stanley II, Mitchell van Dyke, Jimmie Vaughn, and Alex Hibbits ~ Stanley was born in 1927
June 23, 2015 ~ Matheus Josephus Lau, commonly known as singer, guitarist Thé Lau, passed away in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Became a household name as the Scene frontman in the early 1990s scoring hits such as Blauw and Iedereen Is Van De Wereld. Debuted as an author in 2000 with Sterren Van De Hemel, a collection of short stories, publishing his first novel, Hemelrijk, in 2004 ~ Lau was born in 1952
June 23, 2013 ~ Robert Calvin Brooks, commonly known as singer Bobby Blue Bland, passed away in Germantown, Tennessee, USA ~ Pivotal in soul-blues, mixing gospel with blues and R&B. Especially acclaimed for his 1961 album Two Steps From The Blues. Best known for songs such as Cry Cry Cry, I Pity The Fool, Turn On Your Lovelight, Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City, and I Wouldn't Treat A Dog The Way You Treated Me. Worked with Johnny Ace, Eddie Fisher, Junior Parker, Blues Consolidated, Bill Harvey, Joe Scott, Wayne Bennett, Michael Omartian, Steve Barri, Van Morrison, and BB King ~ Bland was born in 1930
June 23, 2013 ~ Willie Littlefield, commonly known as R&B, jump blues, boogie-woogie pianist, singer Little Willie Littlefield, passed away in Voorhuizen, the Netherlands ~ Influenced by Albert Ammons, Charles Brown, Amos Milburn. Served as the bridge between boogie-woogie and rock & roll. Noted for his early 1950s recording especially It's Midnight and Little Willie's Boogie. Worked with Don Wilkerson, Maxwell Davis, Buddy Floyd, Chuck Norris, Johnny Moore, Al Wichard, Jesse Price, and Little Lora Wiggins ~ Littlefield was born in 1931
June 23, 2011 ~ Conductor, orchestrator, arranger, composer Fred Steiner, full name Frederick Steiner, passed away in Ajijic, Mexico ~ Perhaps best known as a composer for radio, TV and film. Wrote the themes for the TV series The Rocky And Bullwinkle Show and Perry Mason. Contributed significantly to the original Star Trek series, scoring or conducting the music for 29 of the 79 original episodes. Also contributed to 1979 feature film Star Trek (The Motion Picture) and the 1985 film The Color Purple ~ Steiner was born in 1923
June 23, 2006 ~ Club owner, label executive, producer Clifford Antone passed away in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Fixture on the Austin, Texas, music scene. Mentor to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Kim Wilson, and Gary Clark Jr. Founder, owner of renowned blues club Antone's, which opened in the mid 1970s, and founder, label executive of the independent Antone's Records & Tapes record label. The club, one of the city first music venues, helped lead to Austin's reputation as a music city. Upon hearing of his death, then-mayor Will Wynn would comment: “One of the primary reasons Austin is known as ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ is because of Antone.” ~ Antone was born in 1949
June 23, 2000 ~ Jazz, hard bop saxophonist Jerome Richardson passed away in Englewood, New Jersey, USA ~ Gifted improviser active since the late 1940s. Has recorded about half a dozen albums as a leader, notably Midnight Oil released in 1958, but is best known as an in-demand studio musician active in jazz and R&B well into the 1990s. Present on albums by Cal Tjader, Oscar Pettiford (Another One), Cozy Cole, Sarah Vaughan (In The Land Of Hi-Fi), Betty Carter, Johnny Hartman, Cannonball Adderley, Dinah Washington (The Swingin' Miss D), Gene Ammons, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Charles Mingus (Mingus Ah Uhm), Miles Davis (Sketches Of Spain), Etta Jones, Blue Mitchell, John Coltrane, Oliver Nelson, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Nina Simone, Roy Ayers, Steely Dan (Can't Buy A Thrill), the Four Tops, Horace Silver, Neil Diamond, BB King, Earth Wind & Fire, the Crusaders (Street Life), and George Benson ~ Richardson was born in 1920
June 23, 1998 ~ Luiz José da Costa, commonly known as sertanejo singer Leandro, passed away in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Formed the sibling duo Leandro & Leonardo with his brother Leonardo. Coming from a poor background the duo would relentlessly play bars while holding day jobs. After self-releasing their first two albums, the brothers would first gain attention with their 1989 Leandro & Leonardo Vol.3 album. By the early 1990s the brothers would have their own weekly TV show, aired nationally, and sell million of records. The siblings have sold over 17 million records, their 1990 Leandro & Leonardo Vol.3 album marked as the all-time best-selling Brazilian sertanejo album. Following Leandro's death of cancer at age 36, Leonardo continued to record as a solo artist starting with the album Tempo released in 1999 ~ Da Costa was born in 1961
June 23, 1993 ~ Jazz, bebop clarinetist, saxophonist Massimo Urbani passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Started on clarinet but soon switched to sax, to become a renowned alto saxophonist with about a dozen albums to his name as a leader, especially noted for The Blessing released the year of his death. As a sideman, Urbani has appeared on albums by Mario Schiano (Sud), Monte Mario, Enrico Pieranunzi (Isis), Larry Nocella, Luigi Bonafede, Paolo Pellegatti, Tullio de Piscopo, Mike Melillo, and Enrico Rava. Urbani passed away at age 36 of a heroin overdose ~ Urbani was born in 1957
June 23, 1992 ~ Singer Mary J Blige releases You Remind Me, lead single off her What's The 411 debut album ~ Mary J Blige's debut single set the singer on a path to success right from the git go, reaching No.1 on the Billboard R&B charts and No.29 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. The song first appeared on the soundtrack album of the 1991 comedy film Strictly Business, though it was not used in the film, and would be issued the following year as the lead single of Blige's What's The 411 debut album. Both at the time of its release and retrospectively, You Remind Me has earned wide critical acclaim, with some acknowledging Blige paved the way for singers such as Aaliyah and Brandy. Over the course of her career, Blige herself would reach top 10 Billboard R&B with over a dozen more singles, of which the sophomore single Real Love, as well as Not Gon' Cry, Family Affair, and Be Without You all also reached the top spot
June 23, 1992 ~ Pop rock singer, bassist Sting releases It's Probably Me featuring Eric Clapton, recorded for the Lethal Weapon 3 film ~ Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen had already worked out most of the instrumental part for this song, intended to be used for the soundtrack to Lethal Weapon 3, when Sting was brought in to complete the song. Although he was not a fan of action-comedy films, he was intrigued by the film producers' demand for a not too sappy buddy song. Sting would later comment he came up with the phrase “it's probably me” first and worked his way backward from the title to create a song where two men can express their love for each other while retaining their macho credentials through the veiled reticence of the title phrase. The single, as recorded for the soundtrack, would do reasonably well across Europe, where it charted inside the top 30 in several countries. Sting re-recorded the song for his Ten Summoner's Tales album released the following year
June 23, 1990 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Children Of The Night by Richard Marx peaks at No.13 Billboard Hot 100 ~ After watching a 60 Minutes report on the Children Of The Night Foundation, a non-profit organisation to help victims of sex trafficking, Richard Marx reached out to offer his help. Marx wrote the song based upon conversations with several children helped by the foundation. All proceeds of the song were donated, helping to establish a shelter in Van Nuys, California. The organization's co-founder Dr Lois Lee would later comment: “Thousands of children have Richard Marx imbedded in their hearts and their memories because of his generous gift that helped build the Children Of The Night home. Many of the children still talk about Richard and their experience in the studio singing with him on Children Of The Night. Just the mention of Richard Marx brings tears of sentiment to our eyes”
June 23, 1987 ~ Country, alternative country, indie folk singer, guitarist, songwriter Caitlin Rose, full name Caitlin Elisabeth Rose, born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Daughter of country songwriter Liz Rose. Critic's darling, drawing comparisons to Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and Iris DeMent. Lead singer of Save Macaulay. Released her My Own Side Now solo debut album in 2010. Has guested on albums by Justin Townes Earle, Laura Cantrell, Luke Bell, Cale Tyson, the Old 97's (Graveyard Whistling), Margo Price, and Spencer CollumJune 23, 1986 ~ Jarrod Clarence Heston, commonly known as rapper Mayne Mannish, born in Berkeley, California, USA ~ Member of West Coast hip-hoppers the Team, known for the 2005 singles Just Go and Bottles Up. Enjoyed more chart succes as a solo artist with songs such as Slow Down, Right Back, Burn Rubber and Foy. Has collaborated with E-40, Eric Bellinger, and with Omega Crosby
June 23, 1984 ~ Jazz singer Aida Ward passed away ~ Popular 1920s, 1930s singer known for her performances on Broadway and in the Cotton Club. Worked with Adelaide Hall, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway. First to introduce the often covered Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea and I've Got The World On A String ~ Ward was born in 1900
June 23, 1984 ~ Aimee Anne Duffy, mononymously known as pop singer, songwriter Duffy, born in Bangor, UK ~ Rose to international fame on the strength of her 2008 Rockferry, merging soul, blue-eyed soul, pop rock and neo-soul. Especially known for the album's lead single Mercy, which reached top 10 across Europe including No.1 spots in the Netherlands and the singer's native UK