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 7, 2020 ~ Frank Bass, commonly known as blues singer Frank Bey, passed away in Glenolden, Pennsylvania, USA ~ As a child was a member of gospel outfit Rising Sons, touring with his brother and two cousins around the South until the band dissolved when he was in his early teens. Worked as a performer through the mid 1970s before retiring from music to pursue other interests. Bey would return to music some two decades later, releasing his Steppin' Out solo debut album in 1998. Well known for a series of collaborative albums with Anthony Paule in the 2010s including the acclaimed You Don't Know Nothing album released in 2013 ~ Bass was born in 1946
June 7, 2016 ~ Songwriter, producer Elliot Wolff, full name Elliot Marvin Wolff, went missing in Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, USA ~ Served as musical director for Peaches & Herb, toured with Chaka Khan as a keyboard player, and served as staff writer for producer Freddie Perren. Wolff is perhaps best known for writing and producing two of Paula Abdul's biggest hits, as Straight Up and its follow-up Cold Hearted would both top the American Billboard Hot 100. Other artists who have recorded songs written or co-written by Wolff include Johnny Gill, A'me Lorain, Gregg Tripp, Atlantic Starr, Color Me Badd, and the Corrs. Wolff died age 60 while on a solo hiking trip near Pecos, New Mexico, USA. Wolffs body would be discovered some two weeks after he went missing ~ Wolff was born in 1956June 7, 2014 ~ The 45th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 3. Mostly sunny and very warm, heavy thunder on the last evening, this year's edition would draw a total of 134,000 visitors. Included on today's, Saturday the 7th's bill would be Ed Kowalczyk, Flogging Molly, John Mayer, the Rolling Stones, Haim, Joe Bonamassa, Bastille, Les Djinns, Thé Lau, the White Lies, Epica, the Paceshifters, Afterpartees, Gecko, and DJ Gomes
June 7, 2012 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Bob Welch passed away in Antiloch, Tennessee, USA ~ Member of Fleetwood Mac from 1971 through 1974, appearing on the albums Future Games, Bare Trees, The Penguin and Mystery To Me, and on Heroes Are Hard To Find. Helped steer Fleetwood Mac away from the blues, more towards general pop, rock sound. As a solo artist best known for a number of hits during the late 1970s including Hot Love Cold World, Ebony Eyes, Precious Love and Sentimental Lady. Has also worked with the Seven Souls, Head West and Paris ~ Welch was born in 1945June 7, 2010 ~ Alternative rock, britpop drummer Stuart Cable, full name Stuart James Cable, passed away in Llwydcoed, UK ~ Co-founding member of the Stereophonics, remaining with the band through 2003. Present on most of the band's best known including UK top 10 hits such as The Bartender And The Thief, Just Looking, Pick A Part That's New, Handbags And Gladrags, and Maybe Tomorrow ~ Cable was born in 1970
June 7, 2009 ~ Bassist Hugh Hopper, full name Hugh Colin Hopper, passed away in Whitstable, UK ~ Key figure in the UK's Canterbury scene, especially influential through his membership of Soft Machine and previously Wilde Flowers. Brother of guitarist, saxophonist Brian Hopper, a regular collaborator and bandmate. Well over a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, starting with 1984 released in 1973. Has worked with Daevid Allen, Syd Barrett (The Madcap Laughs), Stomu Yamashta, Isotope, Gilgamesh, Carla Bley, Equipe Out, In Cahoots, Caveman Hughscore, and Robert Wyatt ~ Hopper was born in 1945
June 7, 2009 ~ Folk rock, jazz-pop singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Kenny Rankin, full name Kenneth Joseph Rankin, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Actively recording as a solo artist since the mid 1960s, initially folk-rock and later gravitating more towards jazz-influenced work. Sessioned on Bob Dylan's 1965 Bringing It All Back Home album. Has also worked with Alan Broadbent, Mike Wofford, Bill Watrous, Michael Brecker, and Ernie Watts ~ Rankin was born in 1940
June 7, 2008 ~ Pop singer Céline Dion records My Love in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Recorded for a live audience during her Taking Chances world tour. Written and produced by Linda Perry of the 4 Non Blondes-fame. Included on the singer's Taking Chances. Released as the lead single of the 2008 My Love (Essential Collection) compilation album. Met with mixed reviews, comments ranging from “cringe-worthy diva track” to “sky-scraping ballad”. The single would reach top 10 on the Canada AC charts in Céline Dion's native Canada, yet failed to make much of a chart presence elsewhereJune 7, 2003 ~ The 34th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 3. Mostly sunny and warm, this year's edition would draw a crow of some 47,500 visitors in total. Included on today's, Saturday the 7th's bill would be Junior Senior, the Deftones, Placebo, Moby, Liftid, Tom McCrea, and Skin
June 7, 1998 ~ Songwriter Jerry Capehart, full name Jerry Neil Capehart, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known for co-writing Summertime Blues and C'mon Everybody with Eddie Cochran. Has also written Rosemary Clooney's Beautiful Brown Eyes and Glen Campbell's Turn Around Look At Me ~ Capehart was born in 1928
June 7, 1998 ~ Walter Gold, commonly known as singer, songwriter, producer, label executive Wally Gold passed away in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA ~ Founding member of the Four Esquires, known for the late 1950s hits Love Me Forever and Hideaway. Co-wrote Elvis Presley's It's Now Or Never and Good Luck Charm. Others who recorded his songs include Gene Vincent, Lesley Gore (It's My Party), Duane Eddy, Gene Pitney, and Nat King Cole. Produced Barbra Streisand's 1969 What About Today album. Discovered and produced Kansas ~ Gold was born in 1928
June 7, 1994 ~ Dixieland clarinetist Willie Humphrey, full name Willie James Humphrey, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Son of clarinetist Willie Eli Humphrey, brother of trombonist Earl Humphrey and trumpeter Percy Humphrey. Has worked with Lawrence Duhé, King Oliver, Paul Barbarin, Sweet Emma Barrett, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band ~ Humphrey was born in 1900June 7, 1993 ~ George Ezra Barnett, commonly known as pop singer, guitarist, songwriter George Ezra, born in Hertford, UK ~ Rose to fame in the early-2010s, his Budapest sophomore single reaching the top 10 across Europe and Australia. Would release his full-length Wanted On Voyage debut album later the same year and has recorded sparsely since, though to critical acclaim and commercial success. Well-known songs include Blame It On Me, Paradise, Shotgun, and Green Green Gras
June 7, 1993 ~ Boogaloo, salsa, latin jazz percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader Louie Ramirez born in New York, New York, USA ~ Active since the mid-1950's, starting out in Joe Locos band replacing Pete Terrace. Active as a bandleader since the early 1960s, starting with Introducing Louie Ramirez. Also notably collaborated with Charlie Palmieri and Joe Cuba during the late 1960s and with Tito Rodriguez in the early 1970s. Staff producer at the Fania label since 1975 ~ Ramirez was born in 1938
June 7, 1993 ~ Percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader, composer Louie Ramirez passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Sometimes referred to as “the Quincy Jones of Salsa”. Staff producer at Fania. Drew from boogaloo, salsa and latin jazz. Co-wrote Johnny Pacheco's El Guiro De Macorina. Worked with Joe Loco, Charlie Palmieri, Joe Cuba, Tito Rodriguez, and Willie Colón ~ Ramirez was born in 1938
June 7, 1993 ~ Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown, commonly known as rapper, singer, songwriter Swae Lee, born in Tupelo, Mississippi, USA ~ Formed the duo Rae Sremmurd with his brother Slim Jxmmi, best known for their 2016 hit Black Beatles featuring Gucci Mane. Featured vocalist on French Montana's 2017 Unforgettable single. As a solo artist debuted in 2018 with the album Swaecation
June 7, 1991 ~ Willie Junior Maxwell II, commonly known as singer Fetty Wap, born in Paterson, New Jersey, USA ~ Rose to fame with his Trap Queen debut single, a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit. Subsequent hits would include 679 featuring Remy Boyz and My Way featuring Monty. Has also worked with French Montana, PnB Rock, and T-Wayne
June 7, 1990 ~ Amethyst Amelia Kelly, commonly known as hip-hop, R&B, dance-pop singer, songwriter Iggy Azalea born in Sydney, Australia ~ First gained attention with her Youtube videos of Pussy and Two Times, landing her a record deal with TI's Grand Hustle label. Released her The New Classic debut album in 2014. Best known for songs such as Fancy featuring Charli XCX, Black Widow featuring Rita Ora and Trouble featuring Jennifer Hudson
June 7, 1990 ~ Jazz trombonist Lou Blackburn passed away in Berlin, Germany ~ As a leader acclaimed for a number of early 1960s albums, perhaps most notably Two Note Samba. Toured extensively with Lionel Hampton during the late 1950s. Backed Charles Mingus at Monterey, recorded on the 1964 Mingus At Monterey album. To pop audiences known for his contributions to recordings by the Turtles, the Righteous Brothers, and the Beach Boys, including on the latter's Good Vibrations. Founded and led the heavily influenced by African music ensemble Mombassa during the 1970s. Other notable associations include Nancy Wilson, Oliver Nelson, the Monkees, and Michael Nesmith ~ Blackburn was born in 1922
June 7, 1989 ~ Jeremy Tynes Irving, commonly known as rapper, producer Jeremiah Jae, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Son of jazz, R&B, gospel pianist Robert Irving III. Gained attention from the late 2000s onward with hip hop unit Young Black Preachers, and with a series of solo mix-tapes. Would release his full-length Raw Money debut album in 2012. Has since worked with L'Orange, the Black Jungle Squad, and Jonwayne, and served as producer for the likes of Gonjasufi, Flying Lotus, and Busdriver
June 7, 1989 ~ Bossa nova, pop singer, actress Nara Leão, full name Nara Lofego Leão, passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Known as “the Muse of Bossa Nova”. Befriended artists such as Roberto Menescal, João Gilberto and Vinicius de Moraes by the late 1950s. Toured with Sérgio Mendes by 1963. Debuted as a solo artist in 1964 with the Nara album. Would turn to more politically themed lyrics under the pressure of military dictatorship, eventually leaving Brazil for Paris ~ Leão was born in 1942
June 7, 1988 ~ Pop, blue-eyed soul singer Robert Palmer releases Simply Irresistible, lead single off his Heavy Nova album ~ Helped by heavy rotation of the accompanying video clip, showing Robert Palmer surrounded by beautiful women with heavy make-up, Simply Irresistible would become Palmer's third Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit, following Addicted To Love and I Didn't Mean To Turn You On both taken off his 1985 hit album Riptide. The single peaked at No.2, held off the top spot by Guns 'n Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine, and earned Palmer a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony
June 7, 1985 ~ Alternative rock, pop rock, pop punk singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer Charlie Simpson, full name Charles Robert Simpson, born in Woodbridge, UK ~ Member of pop rock outfit Busted, known for a string of early 2000s UK hits including the No.1 singles You Said No, Crashed The Wedding, Who's David, and Thunderbirds/3AM. Formed Fightstar with Alex Westaway, producing a heavier, more rock-oriented sound drawing from metal and alternative rock, and especially acclaimed for their 2006 Grand Unification debut albumJune 7, 1981 ~ Singer Bruce Springsteen plays the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK, to be joined by the Who's Pete Townshend for the encore ~ While on the European leg of his The River Tour, Bruce Springsteen plays the first of two consecutive nights at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, and is joined by the Who co-lead singer, guitarist Pete Townshend for the encores. Springsteen had not performed in Europe since 1975, when he had just played four European concerts. The European leg of The River Tour, over thirty dates across ten countries, would be a success. Springsteen has been hugely popular on the continent ever since
June 7, 1977 ~ Glam rock, hard rock, pop rock outfit Queen release Long Away, lifted off their A Day At The Races album ~ Issued as a the album's third single in North America and New Zealand only. Described by the Washington Post as “an affectionate recreation of the mid 1960s sound of the Beatles and the Byrds, (and) one of the best songs on the album”. Written by guitarist Brian May, who also sings lead vocals, making it the only Queen-single released during Freddie Mercury's lifetime not to be sung by Mercury. May later reflected: “If I'm honest, I think I would like to be remembered for a few of the songs, none of which were really hits, but some of which had a lot of emotion in them: White Queen and Let Us Cling Together and Long Away off the A Day At The Races album. And We Will Rock You.”