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 29, 2022 ~ Folklorist, ethnomusicologist, producer Peter B Lowry passed away in Sydney, Australia ~ Founded the Trix Records label, active during the 1970s and specializing in Piedmont blues with a roster including Eddie Kirkland, Willie Trice, Guitar Shorty. Robert Lockwood Junior, David Honeyboy Edwards, Baby Tate, and Boogie Woogie Red. Authored or co-authored over a dozen publications, and wrote extensively for magazines such as Blues Unlimited, Jazz Times, Penguin Eggs, and Rolling Stone ~ Lowry was born in 1941
June 29, 2022 ~ R&B singer, songwriter, producer R Kelly sentenced to 30 years in sex trafficking case ~ Judge Ann Donnelly sentences the R&B star R Kelly to 30 years on racketeering and sex trafficking charges in a highly publicized case. “Although sex was certainly a weapon that you used, this is not a case about sex. It's a case about violence, cruelty and control,” the judge told the multiplatinum singer who was gounf guilty the previous September. As a musician Kelly is known as a pivotal producer, songwriter, remixer credited with helping redefine R&B and hip-hop, especially productive in the 1990s and 2000s. Kelly has sold an estimated 75 million records and is best known his 1996 I Believe I Can Fly hit, which has earned three Grammy Awards
June 29, 2020 ~ Blue-eyed soul, pop singer, songwriter Benny Mardones, full name Ruben Armand Mardones, passed away in Menifee, California, USA ~ Known for his hit single Into The Night which reached the Billboard top 20 twice, first in 1980 and again in 1989 after KZZP, an Arizona radio station, featured a segment titled “Whatever happened to the guy who sang Into the Night”. Other stations picked up and the single became a top 20 hit again ~ Mardones was born in 1946
June 29, 2020 ~ Songwriter, arranger Johnny Mandel passed away in Ojai, California, USA ~ Wrote or co-wrote songs recorded by Irene Kral, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee (Close Enough For Love), Irene Kral (Don't Look Back), Anita O'Day, Julie Andrews (Emily), Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diane Schuur, Shirley Horn (Solitary Moon), and Michael Feinstein ~ Mandel was born in 1925
June 29, 2018 ~ Producer Bill Hamel passed away in Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA ~ Founding member of trance band Fatum. Best known as a producer who worked with artists such as Brandy and Kanye West (Talk About Our Love), Paul Oakenfold (Hold Your Hand), Justin Timberlake (Cry Me A River), Nelly Furtado (Do It), Mandy Moore (Extraordinary), Rihanna (Unfaithful), Madonna (Hung Up), Fluke (Nobody), Carmen Electra (I Like It Loud), Seal (The Weight Of My Mistakes), Jason Derülo (In My Head, Whatcha Say), Tegan & Sara (Alligator), Michael Bublé (You Got What It Takes), U2 (Magnifique), and Marilyn Manson (Heart Shaped Glasses) ~ Hamel was born in 1973
June 29, 2014 ~ Jazz, new age flutist, saxophonist, composer Paul Horn passed away in Vancouver, Canada ~ Leader and sideman. Especially acclaimed for his 1969 Inside album, considered a landmark album in world music and new age circles. Worked with Chico Hamilton, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Lorez Alexandria, Fred Katz, Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, Lalo Schifrin, George Shearing, and with the Beach Boys on their 1966 Pet Sounds album ~ Horn was born in 1930June 29, 2013 ~ Paul Thatcher Smith, commonly known as jazz, bebop pianist Paul Smith, passed away in Torrance, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known as accompanist, especially with Ella Fitzgerald. Has worked with Johnny Richards, Les Paul, Tommy Dorsey, Dizzy Gillespie, Anita O'Day, Buddy DeFranco, Louie Bellson, Steve Allen, Stan Kenton, and Mel Tormé ~ Smith was born in 1922
June 29, 2011 ~ Singer Javier Colon wins NBC's The Voice ~ Singer, songwriter Javier Colon wins the 1st season of NBC's talent show The Voice, runner-up would be singer, songwriter Dia Frampton. Prior to winning the show, Colon had released a few albums, but it was his single Stitch By Stitch from The Voice that would become his biggest hit, peaking at No.17 Billboard Hot 100June 29, 2007 ~ Guitarist, singer George McCorkle passed away in Lebanon, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known as founding member of the Marshall Tucker Band, wrote the band's first top 40 hit Fire On The Mountain. Also worked with the Toy Factory, Pax Parachute and released a solo album, American Street, in 1999 ~ McCorkle was born in 1946
June 29, 2005 ~ Soul, jazz singer Herb McQuay passed away ~ Perhaps best known for his 1980 Edwin Starr-cover Oh How Happy. Appeared in a number of musicals during the 1980s, notably Porgy & Bess and Bye Bye Birdie. Also known as a member of a latter-day line-up of the Platters, remaining with the group from 1995 until his death in 2005 ~ McQuay was born in 1948
June 29, 2005 ~ Saxophonist Mikkel Flagstad passed away in Oslo, Norway ~ Son of cellist Ole Flagstad. Leader and sideman. Known for his cool jazz-influenced style. Has worked with the Be-bop Band, Tage Wilford, Hans Backe, Per Asplin, Karl Otto Hoff, Egil Monn-Iversen, Rolf Ericson, Simon Brehm, Atle Hammer, Kjell Karlsen, and Erik Amundsen ~ Flagstad was born in 1930
June 29, 2002 ~ Singer, actress Rosemary Clooney passed away in Beverly Hills, California, USA ~ Popular 1940s and 1950s traditional pop and jazz vocalist known for songs such as Come On-a My House, Half As Much, Botch-a-me, The Night Before Christmas Song, Hey There, This Ole House and Mangos ~ Clooney was born in 1928June 29, 2000 ~ Jazz trombonist, bandleader, arranger Raymond Droz passed away in Zurich, Switzerland ~ Worked with Claude Albert, Charly Antolini, Jean-Pierre Bionda, Raymond Court, Pierre Favre, Kurt Edelhagen, Ted Haenzi, Clark Terry, Heinz Kretschmar, Bill Ramsey, Buck Clayton, Rex Stewart, Othella Dallas, Gabriela Schaaf, and the New Zurich Jazztet ~ Droz was born in 1934
June 29, 1998 ~ Pianist, composer Horst Jankowski passed away in Radolfzell am Bodensee, Germany ~ Classically trained pianist best known for his easy listening music, starting with the 1965 global hit Walk In The Black Forest followed by a string of successful albums throughout the 1970s consisting mostly of easy listening covers of pop and rock hits ~ Jankowski was born in 1936
June 29, 1997 ~ Singer, dancer Etta Jones passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Not to be confused with her more famous namesake jazz singer Etta Jones. Member of girl trio the Dandridge Sisters alongside Vivian Dandridge and Dorothy Dandridge. The trio would have a few good years in the 1930s and 1940s, headlining the Cotton Club, appearing in about half a dozen films and recording a handful of songs, most notably Undecided and If I Were Sure Of You, and some sides with Jimmie Lunceford including Minnie The Moocher Is Dead and You Ain't Nowhere ~ Jones was born ca.1919June 29, 1997 ~ McKinley James Millet Jr, commonly known as R&B singer, pianist, bassist, songwriter Li'l Millet, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for co-writing and first recording Rich Woman and for co-writing All Around The World in the mid 1950s. The former would be covered by Canned Heat, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, the latter would be used by Little Richard for the B-side of The Girl Can't Help It released in 1956. Millet would enjoy regional popularity throughout the 1980s ~ Millet was born in 1935
June 29, 1993 ~ Hector Juan Perez Martinez, commonly known as salsa, bolero singer, songwriter Héctor Lavoe, passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Considered one of the most important salsa singers from the 1960s onwards, helped popularize the genre. Worked with Roberto Garcia, the Orquesta New York, extensively with Willie Colón, with the Kako All-Stars, Johnny Pacheco, the Fania All-Stars, and Tito Puente ~ Martinez was born in 1946
June 29, 1992 ~ Conductor Mario Rossi passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Closely associated with the RAI Orchestra, serving as chief conductor from 1946 through 1950 and elevating the orchestra to an international level. Also known for his recordings of Il Matrimonio Segreto, The Barber Of Seville, Don Pasquale, Un Ballo In Maschera, Otello, and Falstaff ~ Rossi was born in 1902
June 29, 1991 ~ Richard Arnold Holmes, commonly known as jazz, hard bop, soul jazz organist Richard Groove Holmes, passed away in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Praised for his swinging style, supplemented by a harmonic and melodic edge. Recorded prolifically as leader or co-leader since the early 1960s, especially noted for the albums After Hours and Soul Message. To mainstream audiences best known for his 1965 crossover hit Misty, originally penned and first recorded by Erroll Garner. An in-demand sideman and collaborator, Holmes has appeared on albums by Houston Person, Bumble Bee Slim, Les McCann, Gene Ammons (Groovin' With Jug), Gerald Wilson, Lou Rawls (Black And Blue), Earl Bostic, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Kloss (Love And All That Jazz), Dakota Staton, Elvin Jones, Jimmy McGriff, Willis Jackson, and Ry Cooder (Crossroads). Holmes passed away at age 60 of a heart attack after a battle with prostate cancer, shortly after performing his last concerts in a wheelchair at the Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago, Illinois ~ Holmes was born in 1931
June 29, 1990 ~ Singer Lenny Kravitz releases Mr Cab Driver, lifted off his Let Love Rule debut album ~ Inspired by an actual incident when Lenny Kravitz had trouble getting a New York cab due to the color of his skin. While the song is defiant, including bleeped-out cursing of the cab driver, the accompanying video ends on a comic note with Kravitz showing that he shall overcome with grace and style in tact. Released as the third single off his Let Love Rule debut album, the single would be a moderate hit in the UK
June 29, 1987 ~ Pop, dance-pop singer Tiffany releases her eponymous Tiffany debut album ~ The album's lead single Danny did not chart, yet its follow-up I Think We're Alone Now reached No.1 and catapulted Tiffany to international fame. Two more singles from the same album also reached top 10, Could've Been hit No.1, and I Saw Him Standing There peaked at No.7. When the album reached No.1 Billboard Hot 200, it made the then-16-year-old Tiffany the youngest female singer to top the American album charts. A follow-up album, Hold An Old Friend's Hand, did not match her debut album's success, but still did sell a million copies, reached No.17, and spawned All This Time, her fourth and final American top 10 hitJune 29, 1986 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Cliff Townshend, full name Clifford Blandford Townshend, passed away ~ Father of the Who's Pete Townshend. Joined the UK Armed Forces in the 2nd World War, playing in the army band the Squadronaires. As a solo artist best known for his 1956 rendition of Unchained Melody ~ Townshend was born in 1916
June 29, 1986 ~ Jacques Mikael der Mikaelia, commonly known as music-hall conductor Jacques Hélian, passed away in Paris, France ~ Internationally best known for his late 1940s recordings of C'Est Si Bon and Maître Pierre. Would remain popular in Europe, especially his native France throughout the mid 1950s. Has recorded with Maurice Chevalier, Andre Paquinet, Ernie Royal, Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, and Sonny Grey ~ Hélian was born in 1912
June 29, 1985 ~ Singers David Bowie and Mick Jagger record Dancing In The Street at Abbey Road Studios, London, UK ~ The original plan was to perform a live duet for Live Aid charity concerts with David Bowie performing in London and Mick Jagger in New York. This idea was ditched when it turned out a live satellite link would have a half-second delay, prompting one to mimic their performance. The single however, a cover of the Motown-classic by Martha & the Vandellas, would however still become a smash international hit reaching top 10 across the globe including No.1 positions in the UK and the Netherlands. All proceeds went to charityJune 29, 1984 ~ Singer Bruce Springsteen kicks off his Born In The USA Tour at the St Paul Civic Center, St Paul, Minnesota ~ Totalling over 150 dates across the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe, the tour would run through October the following year, making it his longest tour. Nearly half of the Live 1975-85 live box set released in 1986 consists of songs recorded during this tour, Bruce Springsteen playing the entirety of the albums Nebraska, which he did not tour to promote, and Born In The USA throughout the tour. The latter album would chart inside the Billboard Hot 200 top 10 for the entire duration of the tour