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, 1980 ~ Jessica Taylor, commonly known as R&B, pop singer, dancer, TV personality Jessica Pietersen, born in Preston, UK ~ Member of Liberty X, a girl group formed through the ITV talent contest Popstars in 2001. The group would record three albums through the mid 2000s and score a string of UK top 10 hits including Just A Little, Got To Have Your Love, and Song 4 Lovers
June 23, 1980 ~ Alternative rock singer, guitarist, pianist Mark Greaney born ~ Best known for fronting alternative rock outfit JJ72 from 1996 through 2006, with whom he recorded two albums. The band's eponymous JJ72 debut album would spawn the UK top 30 hits Oxygen, October Swimmer, and Snow. The single Formulae of their I To Sky sophomore album would also reach top 30
June 23, 1978 ~ Malik DeShawn Cox, commonly known as rapper, songwriter Memphis Bleek, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Released his Coming Of Age solo debut album in 1999. Best known for the singles It's Alright and Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses) featuring Jay-Z, Twista and Missy Elliott. Has also collaborated with Beanie Sigel, Trick Daddy, TI, Nate Dogg, Swizz Beatz, and Ruff Endz
June 23, 1977 ~ Pop, folk-pop, soft rock, blue-eyed soul singer, guitarist, songwriter Jason Mraz, full name Jason Thomas Mraz, born in Mechanicsville, Virginia, USA ~ Released his Waiting For My Rocket To Come debut album in 2002, which included the hit single The Remedy (I Won't Worry). Subsequent hits would include 2008's I'm Yours and 2012's I Won't Give Up
June 23, 1976 ~ Indie rock, folk rock, alternative rock singer, guitarist Ben Ottewell, full name Benjamin Joseph Ottewell, born in Chesterfield, UK ~ Co-lead singer of UK indie outfit Gomez, founded in the mid 1990s. The band draws from a variety of genres including blues, indie, alternative, folk, psychedelic, and experimental music, and is especially acclaimed for their 1998 Bring It On debut album. Ottewell has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with Shapes & Shadows released in 2011June 23, 1975 ~ Kate Victoria Tunstall, commonly known as alternative rock, folk rock, indie rock, folktronica singer, guitarist, drummer, pianist, flutist, songwriter KT Tunstall, born in Edinburgh, UK ~ Released her Eye To The Telescope debut album in 2005, which included the UK top 20 hits The Other Side Of The World and Suddenly I See. Present on the 2003 Laughter Through The Tears album of klezmer band Oi Va Voi
June 23, 1973 ~ Rock keyboardist, guitarist, singer Carter Albrecht, full name Jeffrey Carter Albrecht, born in Derby, Kansas, USA ~ Latter day member of the New Bohemians fronted by Edie Brickell, appearing on the Stranger Things released the year before Albrecht's death. Has previously worked with Sorta and fronted his own Dallas-based outfit the Sparrows, known for the critically acclaimed albums Rock & Roll Days and Snowflakes. At the time of his death was working on his first solo album, Jesus Is Alive (And Living In London), posthumously released in 2009 with financial backing from Brickell ~ Albrecht passed away in 2007
June 23, 1973 ~ Marija Naumova, commonly known as pop, jazz singer Marie N, born in Riga, Latvia ~ Internationally best known for winning the 2002 Eurovision Songfestival for Latvia with the song I Wanna which she co-wrote with Marats Samauskis
June 23, 1971 ~ Singer, songwriter Ambrosia Parsley in Reseda, California, USA ~ First gained attention as lead singer of Shivaree, teaming up with keyboardist Danny McGough and guitarist Duke McVinnie
June 23, 1971 ~ Violist, violinist, bassist, songwriter Eyvind Kang born in Corvallis, Oregon, USA ~ Frequent collaborator of Bill Frisell and John Zorn. Over a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, starting with Sweetness Of Sickness released in 1996. Guested on albums by Joe McPhee, Karen Pernick, Aiko Shimada, Wayne Horvitz (4+1 Ensemble), Andrew Drury, Arto Lindsay, Laurie Anderson, Jason Webley, Robin Holcomb, Laura Veirs (Carbon Glacier), Branden Harper, Animal Collective, Sun City Girls, Oren Ambarchi, Beth Orton, and Avey Tare
June 23, 1971 ~ Ricardo Capuano, commonly known as pop rock singer, guitarist Rico, born in Paisley, UK ~ Member of 1990s outfit Perfect World. Released his solo debut album, Sanctuary Medicines, in 1999. Best known for guesting on Crazier, a 2003 UK top 20 hit with regular collaborator Gary Numan ~ Capuano passed away in 2022
June 23, 1971 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer Wayne Jackson born in Manchester, UK ~ Founded 1990s band the Dostoyevskys, known best as recurring support act on Oasis tours. Co-writer and featured vocalist on Paul van Dyk's 2005 The Other Side. Best known as member of Bela B's backing band, also serving as producer on the albums Bingo and Code B. Released his The Long Goodbye solo debut album in 2008
June 23, 1970 ~ Minimal, avant-garde, post-rock pianist, violinist, guitarist, singer, songwriter, film composer Yann Tiersen, full name Yann Pierre Tiersen, born in Brest, France ~ Despite lack of formal classical training often categorised as a classical composer, especially at the start of his career. Influenced by punk and electronica. Active since the mid 1990s, with well over a dozen albums to his name. Perhaps best known for his film scores, notably for the 2003 tragicomedy Good Bye Lenin. Tiersen has collaborated with Noir Désir, Shannon Wright, Jane Birkin, and Elizabeth FraserJune 23, 1969 ~ Achinoam Nini, commonly known as singer, percussionist, composer, poet, human rights activist Noa, born in Tel Aviv, Israel ~ Internationally perhaps best known for representing her native Israel at the 2009 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 16th place collaborating with Mira Awad on the song There Must Be Another Way. Has recorded about a dozen albums, starting with the Achinoam Nini & Gil Dor collaborative album with regular collaborator Gil Dor released in 1993
June 23, 1966 ~ Jonathan Arthur DeBarge, commonly known as pop, R&B, soul singer Chico DeBarge, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Best known for a number of 1980s hits, notably Talk To Me and Rainy Night. Would resurge in the late 1990s, acclaimed for his 1997 Long Time No See album which spawned the singles Love Still Good, No Guarantee featuring Joe and Virgin
June 23, 1966 ~ Blues rock, progressive rock, jazz singer, guitarist, songwriter Greg Koch born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA ~ Influenced by Jimi Hendrix. Has worked as a solo artist and in small bands starting in the early 1990s. Backed by artists such as Gary Koehler, Kevin Mushel, John Calarco, Tom Goode, Roscoe Beck, Malford Milligan, Toby Lee Marshall, and his son Dylan Koch
June 23, 1965 ~ Guitarist, bassist Paul Bonehead Arthurs born in Manchester, UK ~ Co-founding member of Oasis, remaining with the band through 1999 and present on the band's best known including the Definitely Maybe and (What's The Story) Morning Glory albumsJune 23, 1965 ~ Producer, DJ, songwriter Richard Norris born in London, UK ~ Member of electronic dance band the Grid known for songs such as Crystal Clear, Rollercoaster and their best known Swamp Thing. Also worked with artists such as Bryan Ferry, Marc Almond, the Pet Shop Boys, Joe Strummer, Psychic TV, Robert Fripp, and Finnur Bjarnason
June 23, 1964 ~ Joseph Alan Cagle, commonly known as heavy metal, glam metal guitarist Joey Allen, born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA ~ Lead guitarist of glam metal outfit Warrant from 1987 through 1994 and rejoining in later years. Present on the band's first three albums, 1989's Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, 1990's Cherry Pie and 1992's Dog Eat Dog
June 23, 1964 ~ Singer Stevie Wonder releases his Stevie At The Beach album ~ Motown had initially tried to mold Stevie Wonder into a teenage version of Ray Charles, then as a lounge singer, and Stevie At The Beach was an attempt to get Wonder to sing surf and beach tunes, again to little success. Hey Harmonica Man, the album's sophomore single, would be a modest hit, reaching top 30 Billboard Hot 100, but the album as a whole would fail to make much of an impact. Wonder's next album, Up-Tight released the following year, geared more towards R&B and would mark the beginning of a streak of hits
June 23, 1962 ~ Alternative rock drummer Steve Shelley born in Midland, Michigan, USA ~ Best known as member of pivotal and influential noise rock outfit Sonic Youth, joining the band in 1985 replacing Bob Bert. Shelley lived in the apartment of Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, serving as their dog sitter while the band was in Europe. When they returned to the USA drummer Bert had left the band and Shelley was hired. First appeared on Evol album, the band's third studio album released in 1986, and has been with the band since including on the acclaimed albums Daydream Nation and Goo released respectively in 1988 and 1990. Has also guested on recordings by Daniel Johnston, the Dim Stars, Richard Hell, Mosquito, Two Dollar Guitar, Cat Power, and Christina RosenvingeJune 23, 1960 ~ Alternative rock, punk rock, psychedelic rock, heavy metal drummer, songwriter Derrick Bostrom born in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Co-founding member of Meat Puppets remaining with the band from 1980 through its initial disbandement in 1996. The band is known for merging punk with country and psychedelic rock and has influenced artists such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh, Pavement and Jawbreaker
June 23, 1960 ~ Saxophonist Donald Harrison born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Has worked with Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff, the Jazz Messengers, Terence Blanchard, Dr John, Cyrus Chestnut, Christian Scott, Mark Whitfield, Christian McBride, Joanne Brackeen, the Headhunters, Eddie Palmieri, Don Pullen, the Cookers, Esperanza Spalding, and Jane Monheit
June 23, 1959 ~ Writer, poet, singer, actor Boris Vian passed away in Paris, France ~ Important influence on French jazz. Critic for several French jazz-reviews. Wrote extensively about both French and American jazz. As a singer best known for his 1954 anti-war song Deserteur. Also a revered novelist and poet remaining popular to this day ~ Vian was born in 1920June 23, 1958 ~ Heavy metal guitarist Chris Holmes, full name Christopher John Holmes, born in Glendale, California, USA ~ Lead guitarist of WASP, which he co-founded with Blackie Lawless and Randy Piper. Has also worked with Psycho Squad, Animal, the LA Guns, Where Angels Suffer, and Stonebreed