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 27, 2024 ~ Richard Samet Friedman, commonly known as rock, country rock, progressive country, outlaw country singer, guitarist Kinky Friedman, passed away in Medina, Texas, USA ~ Flamboyant satirist with well over a dozen albums to his name, starting with the acclaimed Sold American released in 1973. Following the wave of country rock from acts such as Gram Parsons, the Band, and the Eagles, Friedman would gain a cult following through provocative songs such as We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service To You, They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore, and Get Your Biscuits In The Oven And Your Buns In The Bed, gaining more exposure after touring with Bob Dylan in 1975 and 1976. After his music career stalled in the 1980s, Friedman shifted his focus to writing detective novels, often featuring a fictionalized version of himself, his books laced with the same wit and satirism known from his lyrics. Upon hearing of Friedman's death, close friend and longtime collaborator Kent Perkins commented: “He was the last free person on earth. He had an irreverence about him. He was a fearless writer” ~ Friedman was born in 1944
June 27, 2023 ~ Mandolinist, singer Bobby Osborne, full name Bobby Van Osborne, passed away in Gallatin, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known as member of sibling outfit the Osborne Brothers, one of the most influentual bluegrass acts of the 1960s and 1970s, with whom he recorded well over a dozen albums. The siblings are best known for their 1967 hit song Rocky Top, the brothers' rendition would be later named an official Tennessee state song. An in-demand mandolinist, Osborne has guested on albums by Gary Burton, JD Crowe, the Country Gentlemen, Mac Wiseman, Vassar Clements, Delbert McClinton (The Jealous Kind), Flatt & Scruggs, the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Terry Eldredge, Chubby Wise, Tom T Hall, Rhonda Vincent (The Storm Still Rages), and Kenny Baker ~ Osborne was born in 1931
June 27, 2020 ~ Lionel Frederick Cole, commonly known as singer, pianist Freddy Cole, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Brother of Nat King Cole and Ike Cole, father of Lionel Cole. Influenced by John Lewis, Teddy Wilson and Billy Eckstine. Toured with Johnny Coles and Benny Golson backing Earl Bostic. Recorded for European and UK-based labels. Worked with Grover Washington Jr. Recorded jingles. Was the subject of the 2006 documentary The Cole Nobody Knows ~ Cole was born in 1931
June 27, 2020 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Mats Rådberg passed away in Vallentuna Distrikt, Sweden ~ Well over a dozen albums to his name, enjoying popularity in his native Sweden especially noted during the 1970s and 1980s. Worked with Elisabeth Andreassen on the 1980 collaborative album I'm The Singer You're The Song album. Collaborated with country band Rankarna, notably on the 1983 song Peta In En Pinne I Brasan, a translation of Shel Silverstein's Put Another Log On The Fire ~ Rådberg was born in 1948June 27, 2020 ~ Jesse Willard Carr, commonly known as guitarist Pete Carr, passed away in Florence, Alabama, USA ~ Worked with Joan Baez, Luther Ingram, Bob Seger, Joe Cocker, Boz Scaggs, Paul Simon, the Staple Singers, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Wilson Pickett, Hank Williams Jr, LeBlanc & Carr, Sailcat, and Hour Glass ~ Carr was born in 1950
June 27, 2018 ~ Joseph Walter Jackson, commonly known as talent manager Joe Jackson, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Talent manager and patriarch of the Jackson family, which includes Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. Manager for most Jackson-acts including the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons ~ Jackson passed away in 1928
June 27, 2018 ~ Punk rock, skate punk, hardcore punk, pop punk bassist, guitarist, singer Steve Soto passed away in Orange County, California, USA ~ Co-founded Agent Orange in 1979, one of the first punk rock outfits to draw heavily from surf music. Would depart the band the following year to co-found the Adolescents, serving as the band's bassist and sole constant member until his death in 2018. The band is especially acclaimed for their 1981 eponymous The Adolescents debut album, providing a blueprint for many California hardcore bands. Soto has also worked with Legal Weapon, Joyride, Manic Hispanic, supergroup 22 Jacks, and Punk Rock Karaoke ~ Soto was born in 1963
June 27, 2015 ~ Bassist Chris Squire, full name Christopher Russell Edward Squire, passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Best known as founding member and sole bassist of Yes for 47 years, retiring from the band shortly before his death. Previously a member of the Selfs. Influenced by John Entwistle, Jack Bruce, Larry Graham, and by Bill Wyman ~ Squire was born in 1948
June 27, 2014 ~ Singer, songwriter Bobby Womack, full name Robert Dwayne Womack, passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Sang lead in sibling group the Valentinos, known for It's All Over Now, later covered by the Rolling Stones. Backed Sam Cooke on guitar. As a solo artist best known for songs such as That's The Way I Feel About 'Cha, Woman's Gotta Have It, Across 110th Street, If You Think You're Lonely Now, and I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much. Worked with Joe Tex, the Box Tops, Aretha Franklin, Gábor Szabó, Sly & the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Ronnie Wood, Wilton Felder, Patrick Moten, Patti LaBelle (notably the duet hit Love Has Finally Come At Last), Ronald Isley, the Manhattans, June Yamagishi, Allen Toussaint, Diane Schuur, Shirley Brown, Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson, Jeanie Tracy, Todd Rundgren, Blur's Damon Albarn (co-produced Womack's 2012 album The Bravest Man In The Universe), Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Rod Stewart, Van Morrison, and Rudimental ~ Womack was born in 1944June 27, 2012 ~ Don Louis Agrati, commonly known as actor, singer, songwriter Don Grady, passed away in Thousand Oaks, California, USA ~ Best known as an actor, notably as one of the Mickey Mouse Mouseketeers and as Robbie Douglas on the My Three Sons TV series. As a singer known for his 1971 Homegrown album and for his association with Yellow Balloon ~ Grady was born in 1944
June 27, 2012 ~ Susanna Talley, commonly known as country, folk singer, songwriter Susanna Clark, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Married to Guy Clark. Wrote or co-wrote several well known country songs including Dottsy's I'll Be Your San Antone Rose, Don Williams' Come From The Heart and Carlene Carter's Easy From Now On ~ Talley was born in 1939
June 27, 2009 ~ R&B, soul, disco singer Fayette Pinkney, full name Fayette Regina Pinkney, passed away in Lansdake, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known as original member of the Three Degrees, present on recordings such as When Will I See You Again and Take Good Care Of Yourself. Released a sole solo album, One Degree, in 1979 ~ Pinkney was born in 1948
June 27, 2009 ~ Blues, folk, jazz singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Jackie Washington passed away in Hamilton, Canada ~ As a solo artist debuted with the Blues And Sentimental album in 1976. In-demand sideman for artists including Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Joni Mitchell, and Gordon Lightfoot. Washington was honored in the Blackie & the Rodeo Kings song Jackie Washington, released on their 2003 BARK album ~ Washington was born in 1919
June 27, 2008 ~ Conductor, pianist, arranger Raymond Lefèvre passed away in Seine-Port, France ~ Best known for The Day The Rains Came, and for his rendition of the Michel Polnareff-penned Soul Coaxing (Ame Caline), the latter an international hit in 1968. Lefèvre has also worked with Frank Pourcel, Dalida, Claude François, Richard Anthony, Peter van Eyck, and Paul Mauriat ~ Lefèvre was born in 1929
June 27, 2006 ~ Classical pianist, composer Germaine Mounier passed away in Paris, France ~ Influenced by Frédéric Chopin. Acclaimed as an interpreter of the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy and Ferruccio Busoni, especially in partnership with pianist Hélène Boschi. Has also worked with Yves Nat and Magda Tagliaferro ~ Mounier was born in 1920
June 27, 2005 ~ Country songwriter, producer Robert Byrne, full name Robert Bellarmine Byrne, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ As a recording artist best known for co-penning and first recording That Didn't Hurt Too Bad at the tail end of the 1970s, notably covered by Dr Hook. Best known as a songwriter, his songs recorded by the likes of Wayne Newton, Captain & Tennille (No Love In The Morning), Ronnie Milsap (It's Written All Over Your Face), Michael Johnson, Taffy McElroy, Earl Thomas Conley (What I'd Say), the Forester Sisters, Lorrie Morgan (I Didn't Know My Own Strength), and Phil Vassar. As a producer, Byrne has notably worked with Shenandoah, including on the acclaimed 1989 The Road Not Taken album ~ Byrne was born in 1954
June 27, 2004 ~ Agnes Cunningham, commonly known as folk pianist, accordionist Sis Cunningham, passed away in New Paltz, New York, USA ~ Known for her leftist views. Performer and publicist of left-wing folk and protest songs. Co-founded the Red Dust Players in 1939. Briefly a member of the Almanac Singers alongside Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. Founder and editor of Broadside magazine, considered a vital part of the 1960s folk scene publishing songs by Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Janis Ian, Tom Paxton, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Malvina Reynolds and othes ~ Cunningham was born in 1909
June 27, 2002 ~ Bassist John Entwistle, full name John Alec Entwistle, passed away in Paradise, Nevada, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Who. The only one in the band with formal musical training. The band is known for songs such as I Can't Explain, My Generation, Substitute, Happy Jack and I Can See For Miles, the latter their only Billboard Hot 100 top 10 single ~ Entwistle was born in 1944June 27, 2002 ~ Bebop, cool jazz pianist Russ Freeman, full name Russell Donald Freeman, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Classically trained. Worked with Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Clifford Brown, Zoot Sims, André Previn, Maynard Ferguson, Jimmy Giuffre, Irene Kral, Jack Montrose, and Pete Rugolo ~ Freeman was born in 1926
June 27, 1999 ~ Aitana Ocana i Morales, mononymously known as singer, songwriter Aitana, born in Barcelona, Spain ~ Dubbed “the Spanish Princess of Pop” Morales first gained serious attention in 2017 as runner-up in the talent contest Operación Trufo, recording Lo Malo with fellow contestant Ana Guerra. The song would top the charts in her native country. Released her Spoiler solo debut album two years later and has scored numerous hits, including the Spanish charttoppers Tel&eacutfono, Vas A Quedarte, and Mon AmourJune 27, 1996 ~ Singer, songwriter Lauren Jauregui, full name Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado, born in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Rose to prominence as member of girl group Fifth Harmony, known for Worth It featuring Kid Ink and Work From Home. Released her solo debut single, All Night featuring Steve Aoki, in 2017. Has also worked with Marian Hill, Tainy, and Halsey
June 27, 1993 ~ Pop, pop rock singer Gabriela Guncikova, also known as Gabriela Gun, born in Kromenz, Czech Republic ~ Critically described as a cross between Sheryl Crow and Ann Wilson. First gained attention as runner-up in the 2011 edition of the talent contest Superstar aired simultanously on Czech TV Nova and Slovak Markiza. Would release her Dvoji Tvar later the same year. Internationally perhaps best known for touring with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra during 2014 and 2015 and for representing her native Czech Republic at the 2016 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 25th place with I Stand
June 27, 1992 ~ Jazz baritone saxophonist, clarinetist Charles Tyler, full name Charles Lacy Tyler, passed away in Toulon, France ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Ornette Coleman, Sunny Murray, Arthur Blythe, Bobby Bradford, David Murray, Steve Reid, Cecil Taylor, Billy Bang, Sun Ra, Khan Jamal, Steve Lacy, Albert Ayler, Wilber Morris, and Hal Russell ~ Tyler was born in 1941June 27, 1990 ~ Aselin Ettinger, commonly known as pop, Celtic pop singer Aselin Debison, born in Glace Bay, Canada ~ Released her The Littlest Angel debut album consisting of Christmas songs at age 11 and has recorded from time to time since dabbling in pop, Celtic pop and country
June 27, 1987 ~ Alternative rock, post-hardcore drummer Tomoya Kanki born in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan ~ Longtime member of One Ok Rock. Though not an original member Kanki has been with the band since their 2007 Zeitakubyo debut album. The band enjoys popularity in their native Japan and is known for hits such as Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer, The Beginning, Deeper Deeper, and Mighty Long Fall