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 4, 2023 ~ Folk singer, actress Dora María, full name Dora María Pérez Vidal, passed away in Tabasco, Mexico ~ Dubbed “the Golden Shorty” for her stature. First Mexican singer to perform in Las Vegas. Known for songs such El Pochitoque Jahuactero, Mis Blancas Mariposas, and Amanecer De Mi Tierra. Pérez has also ventured into acting ~ Pérez was born in 1933
June 4, 2023 ~ Stride, R&B, folk pianist, guitarist George Winston passed away in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Known for playing three distinctive styles, a melodic approach Winston dubs rural folk piano, stride piano influenced by Fats Waller and Teddy Wilson, and New Orleans R&B influenced by Professor Longhair and Henry Butler. Has released well over a dozen albums, starting with his overlooked Piano Solos debut album in 1972, later re-released as Ballads And Blues 1972. Primarily known as a pianist Winston also plays guitar and harmonica ~ Winston was born in 1949
June 4, 2021 ~ Mezzo-soprano singer, actress Karla Burns passed away in Wichita, Kansas, USA ~ First gained serious attention starring as Queenie in a 1982 production of Show Boat, earning her a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award. Has worked in opera, musical theater and TV included with renowned orchestras such as the Metropolitan Opera, the Paris Opera, the Teatro Real, the Cairo Opera House, the London Sinfonietta and the Royal Shakespeare Company ~ Burns was born in 1954June 4, 2020 ~ Dulce Pinto Bressano, commonly known as singer, songwriter Dulce Nunes, passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Known for a handful of 1960s, starting with 1964's Pober Menina Rica, a collaboration with Carlos Lyra. Married to pianist Bene Nunes through 1965. Married to guitarist, pianist Egberto Gismonti from 1968 to 1976 ~ Bressane was born in 1929
June 4, 2020 ~ Singer, keyboardist, songwriter, producer Rupert Hine, full name Rupert Neville Hine, passed away in Wiltshires, UK ~ As a singer and keyboardist, Hine is best known as a member of Quantam Jump, with whom he scored the 1979 UK top 10 hit The Lone Ranger. Hine has recorded over half a dozen albums under either the moniker Thinkman or his own name, notably the 1981 Immunity album. However, Hine is best known as a producer, successful particularly in the 1980s, producing or co-producing albums by Yvonne Elliman, Camel (I Can See Your House From Here), Murray Head, Saga, Chris De Burgh (The Getaway), the Waterboys (The Waterboys), the Fixx (Reach The Beach), Tina Turner (Private Dancer), Howard Jones (Human's Lib), Power Station, Bob Geldof, Thompson Twins, Stevie Nicks, Robert Palmer, and Rush. Former Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips, for whom Hine produced several late 1970s albums, once said of Hine: “I've yet to work with a more affable, patient, funny and bloody good producer” ~ Hine was born in 1947June 4, 2020 ~ Glam rock, hard rock bassist, keyboardist, singer Steve Priest, full name Stephen Norman Priest, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Bassist of Sweet, known for songs such as Funny Funny, Little Willy, The Ballroom Blitz, Fox On The Run and Love Is Like Oxygen. Would serve as lead singer in a reunited Sweet later on ~ Priest was born in 1950
June 4, 2017 ~ The 48th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. Mostly sunny, this year's edition would draw in total some 89,500 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 4th's bill would include Gavin James, Kodaline, Broederliefde, Imagine Dragons, Green Day, Anne-Marie, James Arthur, Clean Bandit, Biffy Clyro, Sean Paul, Jack Savoretti, My Baby, the Charm The Fury, Rancid, the Undeclinables, Busty & the Bass, Amber Run, Bomba Estéreo, and Charl Delamarre
June 4, 2016 ~ Singer Bobby Curtola, full name Robert Allen Curtola, passed away in Edmonton, Canada ~ Bobby of Bobby & the Bobcats. As a solo singer known for a string of 1960s Canadian hits, occasionally crossing the border into American charts, including Hitchhiker, The Fortuneteller, Aladdin, Indian Giver, As Long As I'm Sure Of You, and Walking With My Angel ~ Curtola was born in 1943June 4, 2014 ~ Bernard Patrick Neeson, commonly known as guitarist, bassist, singer Doc Neeson passed away in Adelaide, Australia ~ Frontman of Australian hard rock outfit the Angels from its inception in 1976 through its initial disbandement in 1999, known for songs such as No Secrets, Into The Heat, Fashion And Fame, Stand Up, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and Dogs Are Talking ~ Neeson was born in 1947
June 4, 2013 ~ Jazz bassist Ben Tucker passed away in Hutchinson Island, Georgia, USA ~ Worked with Art Pepper, Billy Taylor, Quincy Jones, Grant Green, Dexter Gordon, Hank Crawford, Junior Mance, Herbie Mann, Dave Bailey, Victor Feldman, Larry Bunker, Bobby Thomas, Ray Crawford, Tommy Tedesco, Patato, Mose Allison, Kenny Burrell, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Lou Donaldson, Teddy Edwards, Gil Evans, Chico Hamilton, Roland Hanna, Willis Jackson, Illinois Jacquet, Clifford Jordan, Yusef Lateef, Junior Mance, Warne Marsh, Pat Martino, James Moody, Gerry Mulligan, Mark Murphy, Oliver Nelson, Lalo Schifrin, Bola Sete, Jimmy Smith, Jeremy Steig, Sonny Stitt, and Harold Vick ~ Tucker was born in 1930June 4, 2013 ~ Singer, guitarist Jim Sundquist passed away in Fairfax, Minnesota, USA ~ Half of early 1960s duo the Fendermen, the other half being Phil Humphrey, best known for their single Mule Skinner Blues which reached the Billboard top 10 in 1960 ~ Sundquist was born in 1937
June 4, 2013 ~ Drummer Joey Covington, full name Joseph Edward Covington, passed away in Palm Springs, California, USA ~ Best known as member of the Jefferson Airplane. Wrote and sang on Pretty As You Feel, the band's last hit. Worked with the Fenways, Kim Fowley, Papa John Creach, Jimmy Greenspoon, Joe Schermie, Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady ~ Covington was born in 1945
June 4, 2012 ~ Singer Herb Reed passed away in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Co-founding and last surviving member of the Platters. Came up with the band's name, as DJ's would refer to records as “platters.” Sang on all of the band's recordings, mostly backup. Sang lead on songs such as Sixteen Tons, Singing In The Rain, In A Little Spanish Town, Sleepy Town Gall, Darktown Strutter's Ball, Blues In The Night, and On The Top Of My Mind ~ Reed was born in 1928June 4, 2006 ~ The 37th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. A sunny, warm weekend, this year's edition would draw a total of some 68,000 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 4th's bill would be Kashmir, the Bloodhound Gang, Racoon, dEUS, Tool, VanKatoen, Dredg, Danko Jones, Alter Bridge, the Rakes, the Zutons, Infadels, and Hooverphonic
June 4, 2004 ~ Saxophonist, composer Steve Lacy passed away in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Not to be confused with producer, instrumentalist Steve Lacy. Regarded as one of the most important soprano saxophonists. Lacy began his career working with much older musicians including Red Allen, Pee Wee Russell, Pops Foster, Zutty Singleton. He has also played and recorded with Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells, Jimmy Rushing, Cecil Taylor, Gil Evans, Kenny Drew, Enrico Rava, Johnny Dyani, Louis Moholo, his wife singer and violinist Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, Jean Jacques Avenel, Oliver Johnson, Eric Watson, Cecil Taylor, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Carla Bley, the Jazz Composers Orchestra, Gary Burton, and Alan Silva ~ Lacy was born in 1934
June 4, 2002 ~ Singer Avril Lavigne releases Let Go, which became one of the most successful Canadian albums of the early 2000s ~ An impressive debut met mostly with positive reviews at the time of its release. Rolling Stone stated Let Go came “fully loaded with infectious hymns of (teenage) angst”, Blender rated it as “outstanding”, while Q Magazine praised the then-18-year-old Avril Lavigne for “a musical guile way beyond her years”. Retrospectively, the album has been acknowledged as one that transformed the pop-punk music scene, making the genre accessible to mainstream audiences while paving the way for later female-fronted pop punk acts. Three of the album's singles, Complicated, Sk8ter Boi and I'm With You, made top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked inside the top 10 in over a dozen countries including No.1 in Australia, the UK and Canada, and eventually would sell over 15 million copies worldwide. Let Go landed the singer two Juno Awards in her native Canada and five Grammy Award nominations south of the border including for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album
June 4, 2001 ~ John Cowan Hartford, commonly known as folk, country, bluegrass singer, fiddler, banjoist, songwriter John Hartford, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known for penning and first recording Gentle On My Mind in 1968, earning Hartford two Grammy Awards. It would be notably covered by Glen Campbell the same year, which also received two Grammy Awards. Others who covered the song included Aretha Franklin, Dean Martin, and Patti Page ~ Harford was born in 1937June 4, 2001 ~ The 32nd edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. A chilly but mostly dry weekend, this year's edition would draw a total of 64, 200 visitors. Included on today's, Monday the 4th's bill would be Semisonic, 3 Doors Down, Anouk, the Manic Street Preachers, Limp Bizkit, Radiohead, Lifehouse, the Stereophonics, the Postmen, the Offspring, Basement Jaxx, JJ72, the Hives, Toploader, the Tindersticks, and Tool
June 4, 1997 ~ John Robert Smith, commonly known as hard bop, soul jazz organist Johnny Hammond Smith, passed away in Victorville, California, USA ~ Active since the late 1950s. Renowned on the Hammond B-3 organ, earning him the nickname Hammond. As a leader best known for his 1971 Breakout album, and for collaborating with the Mizell Brothers on the mid 1970s albums Gambler's Life and Gears. In-demand collaborator, appearing on albums by Gene Ammons, Oliver Nelson, Byrdie Green, Freddie Hubbard (Red Clay), Billy Butler, Stanley Turrentine (Don't Mess With Mr T), and the CTI All-Stars ~ Smith was born in 1933
June 4, 1997 ~ Rock singer, bassist, guitarist, songwriter Ronnie Lane, full name Ronald Frederick Lane, passed away in Trinidad, Colorado, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Small Faces, staying on after the name change to the Faces remaining with the band through 1973. Co-wrote a vast amount of the band's material, usually in partnership with Steve Marriott, including All Or Nothing, Get Yourself Together, Itchycoo Park, Lazy Sunday, and Ooh La La. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with the album Anymore For Anymore released in 1974, and collaborated with Pete Townshend, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Wood ~ Lane was born in 1946June 4, 1995 ~ Singer, dancer, actress, songwriter Amanda Brown, full name Amanda Leah Brown, born in the Bronx, New York, New York, USA ~ First gained attention in 2012 as contestant on the talent show The Voice aired on NBC, reaching 5th place. Released the singles Dream On and Stars, which both barely charted. Released a full-length album, Dirty Water, in 2018
June 4, 1995 ~ The 26th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 2. In total this year's edition would draw some 49,000 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 4th's bill would be Type-O Negative, the Jayhawks, Sick Of It All, Del Amitri, Dog Eat Dog, Teenage Fanclub, de Osdorp Posse, and de Heideroosjes
June 4, 1994 ~ Singer, guitarist Derek Leckenby passed away in Manchester, UK ~ Best known as member of Herman's Hermits, remaining with the band from its inception in 1964 until his death three decades later. Noted for playing the signature riff on Silhouettes, a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit in 1965 ~ Leckenby was born in 1945
June 4, 1994 ~ Jazz saxophonist Earle Warren, full name Earl Ronald Warren, passed away in Springfield, Ohio, USA ~ Best known for his association with Count Basie, joining Basie's orchestra in 1937 and remaining through 1945. Has also worked with Buck Clayton, Milt Jackson, Jay McShann, Buddy Tate, Teri Thornton, and Milt Buckner ~ Warren was born in 1914June 4, 1993 ~ Achi Avelino, mononymously known as hip hop rapper, singer Avelino, born in Tottenham, UK ~ Known for his unique tone and deep wordplay. Rose to prominence in 2014, following the release of his mixtape Iconic Ambition. Well-known for his collaboration with Wretch 32 and for his 2016 single On A Roll