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, 1944 ~ Clarence Joseph LeBlanc, commonly known as guitarist Clarence White, born in Lewiston, Maine, USA ~ Influential bluegrass, country, country rock guitarist. Critically acclaimed. Admired by peers. Helped popularize the guitar as a viable lead instrument in bluegrass. Influential on future bluegrass stars such as Dan Crary, Norman Blake, Tony Rice. Helped birth country-rock, especially through his tenure with the Byrds. Has also worked with bands such as Three Little Country Boys, the Kentucky Colonels, Muleskinner. In-demand session musician appearing on recording vy the Everly Brothers, Ricky Nelson, the Monkees, Gene Clark, Joe Cocker, Pat Boone, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and Arlo Guthrie ~ LeBlanc passed away in 1973
June 7, 1944 ~ R&B, funk drummer Melvin Parker born in Kinston, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known for his association with James Brown, his drum rhythms a key element of Brown's 1960s funk innovations. Present on recordings such as Out Of Sight, Papa's Got A Brand New Bag and I Got You I Feel Good. Parker would be drafted by the mid 1960s, replaced in the band by Clyde Stubblefield and John Jabo Starks, and would briefly rejoin by the end of the decade in time for the recording of the Sex Machine album. After his final departure from the band would join his brother saxophonist Maceo Parker's backing band ~ Parker passed away in 2021June 7, 1942 ~ Singer Don Adams born in Glasgow, UK ~ Not to be confused with the country singer Don Adams. Moved to Munich in the 1960s to perform in a German production of the musical Hair. Has recorded as a solo artist, notably 1969's Watts Happening and 1972's The Black Voice. Member of the Love Generation and subsequently of the Les Humphries Singers ~ Adams passed away in 1995
June 7, 1941 ~ Violinist, conductor, music director Jaime Laredo born in Cochabamba, Bolivia ~ Married to pianist Ruth Laredo. Professor at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Ohio. Closely associated with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra. Has conducted numerous renowned orchestras over the course of his lengthy career starting in the early 1960s, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Syracus Symphony Orchestra
June 7, 1940 ~ Thomas John Woodward, commonly known as pop singer Tom Jones, born in Pontypridd, UK ~ Rose to prominence with a string of mid 1960s UK top 10 hits to become a mainstay with a career spanning over 5 decades and records sales exceeding 100 million. Draws from a wide array of idioms including traditional pop, soul, show tunes, country and gospel. Known for songs such as It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat, Delilah, Green Green Grass Of Home, Kiss, and Sex Bomb
June 7, 1934 ~ Winford Lindsey Stewart, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Wynn Stewart, born in Morrisville, Missouri, USA ~ Though never a household name important to what would later become known as the Bakersfield sound and major influence on artists such as Merle Haggard and Buck Owens as well as on rockers such as Nick Lowe. Known for songs such as The Waltz Of The Angels, Wishful Thinking, Big Big Love, It's Such A Pretty World Today, Cause I Have You, Love's Gonna Happen To Me and Something Pretty ~ Stewart passed away in 1985
June 7, 1932 ~ Harold Floyd Brooks, commonly known as hard bop, blues, funk tenor saxophonist, composer Tina Brooks, born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA ~ Brother of saxophonist Bubba Brooks. Known by his nickname “Tina”, a variation of his childhood moniker “Teeny”. Enjoyed a short-lived yet impressive career during the heyday of hard bop mostly from the late 1950s through the early 1960s, appearing on key albums by Jimmy Smith (Cool Blues), Kenny Burrell, Jackie McLean (Jackie's Bag), Freddie Hubbard, and Freddie Redd. Brooks recorded a handful of albums as a leader, perhaps most notably the criminally underrated True Blue released in 1960 ~ Brooks passed away in 1974
June 7, 1931 ~ Delloreese Patricia Early, commonly known as jazz, gospel singer Della Reese, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Rooted in gospel, Reese sang in her church choir from a young age to be discovered in her mid-teens by Mahalia Jackson, who invited Reese to join her touring choir. After five years with Jackson, Reese formed her own gospel group, the Meditation Singers, with whom she performed until her mother's death and father's illness forced her to take on several odd jobs to pay the bills. Encouraged, however, by her pastor, Reese would return to music, recording some two dozen albums starting in the mid 1950s. An energetic live performer, Reese is especially acclaimed for the live albums Della Reese On Stage and Della Reese Live released respectively in 1962 and 1966. Reese is well known for songs such as Ain't That Reminds Me, Don't You Know, Someday You'll Want Me To Want You, And Now, The Most Beautiful Words, and After Loving You ~ Early passed away in 2017
June 7, 1928 ~ Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist Anthony Ortega, full name Anthony Robert Ortega, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Talented improviser. Got his start in the mid 1940s with Earle Spencer. As a leader acclaimed for Jazz For Young Moderns and A Man And His Horns. Toured with Lionel Hampton, including in Europe. As sideman, Ortega has appeared on albums by Clifford Brown, Gigi Gryce, Johnny Hartman (Songs From The Heart), Dinah Washington (The Swingin' Miss D), Maynard Ferguson, Art Farmer, Gerald Wilson, Harper's Bizarre, Elvis Presley (The '68 Comeback Special), and Ella Fitzgerald ~ Ortega passed away in 2022
June 7, 1928 ~ Musical composer, lyricist Charles Strouse, full name Charles Louis Strouse, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Wrote or co-wrote over two dozen musicals, including Broadway musicals such as Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, and Annie. Strouse also wrote or co-wrote several soundtracks, notably Bonnie & Clyde, orchestral works, chamber music, piano concertos, and opera. His Concerto America premiered in 2002, commemorating the 9/11 terror attacks ~ Strouse passed away in 2025
June 7, 1924 ~ Sylvia Dolores Finkelstein, commonly known as actress, singer Dolores Gray, born in Los Angeles, California ~ Discovered by Rudy Vallée. Won a Tony Award for her lead role in the 1953 Broadway musical Carnival In Flanders even though the show only ran six nights. Sang the musical parts of Marilyn Monroe in the 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business film ~ Finkelstein passed away in 2002
June 7, 1917 ~ Dino Paul Crocetti, commonly known as singer, actor, comedian Dean Martin, born in Steubenville, Ohio, USA ~ Nicknamed “the King of Cool” for his charisma and self-assurance. Broke through as half of the comedy duo Martin & Lewis with comedian Jerry Lewis. Member of the Rat Pack alongside Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. Appeared in over 80 films and TV productions including as host of his own variety program, The Dean Martin Show. As a singer revered for his relaxed, smooth crooning voice, scoring hits such as Memories Are Made Of This, That's Amore, Everybody Loves Somebody, You're Noboby Till Somebody Loves You, Sway, Ain't That A Kick In The Head and Volare ~ Crocetti passed away in 1995June 7, 1912 ~ Jacques Mikael der Mikaelia, commonly known as music-hall conductor Jacques Hélian, born 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 passed away in 1986
June 7, 1910 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Gene Porter born in Pocahontas, Mississippi, USA ~ Started on cornet but switched to saxophonist and clarinetist when his instrument was stolen. Fixture on the New Orleans jazz scene from the 1930s onwards, starting in ensembles led by Papa Celestin, Joe Robichaux, Sidney Desvigne, and the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra. Porter would go on to back artists such as Jimmie Lunceford, Benny Carter, Dinah Washington (Dinah Washington Sings The Blues), Charles Mingus, Lloyd Glenn, and extensively with Walter Fuller. After relocating to California, Porter led his own ensemble playing the Bronze Room, La Mesa from the mid 1960s onwards ~ Porter passed away in 1993June 7, 1902 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist Prince Robinson born in Portsmouth, Virginia, USA ~ Worked with the Blue Rhythm Orchestra, June Clark, Duke Ellington, Billy Fowler, Fletcher Henderson, Lionel Howard, Clara Smith, Elmer Snowden, Leon Abbey, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Lil' Armstrong, Willie Bryant, Blanche Calloway, Roy Eldridge, Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Lucky Millinder, Benny Morton, Claude Hopkins, Red Allen, and Freddie Washington ~ Robinson passed away in 1960