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.
March 11, 1969 ~ John Allen Gamble, commonly known as keyboardist, organist Al Gamble, born in Columbus, Georgia, USA ~ Formed the Gamble Brothers in 2001, which also included his brother drummer Chad Gamble. Member of St Paul & the Broken Bones, first appearing on the band's 2013 Half The City debut album as a session organist, joining the band as a full member later the same year. Has also worked with Alex Chilton (A Man Called Destruction), Pat Ramsey, the Bluebirds, Larry Garner, Jimmy Thackery, Deborah Coleman, the City Champs, the Bo-Keys, and Alexa Rose
March 11, 1969 ~ Alternative rock, folk rock singer, songwriter Pete Droge born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Released his debut album, Necktie Second, in 1990. Best known for songs such as Sunspot Stopwatch, So I Am Over You, You Should Be Running, Dear Diane and If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself), the latter featured on the Dumb & Dumber soundtrack
March 11, 1969 ~ Keyboardist Rami Jaffee born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Member of the Wallflowers from 1990 to 2005, and again from 2013 to 2015. Member of the Foo Fighters, initially working with the band as a touring and session musician since 2005 and eventually becoming an official member. Has also worked with Pete Yorn, Stone Sour, Joseph Arthur, and Coheed & Cambria
March 11, 1967 ~ Opera singer Geraldine Farrar passed away in Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA ~ Enjoyed a devoted fanbase especially among young women, lovingly dubbed “Gerry-flappers”. Praised for the intimate timbre of her voice and remarkable acting ability. Worked with the Berlin Hofoper, the Monte Carlo Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and other major orchestras. Had a seven-year love affair with the married conductor Arturo Toscanini who abruptly resigned from the NY Met in 1915 following Farrar's ultimatum to leave his wife ~ Farrar was born in 1882
March 11, 1967 ~ Heavy metal, power metal drummer, keyboardist, songwriter Uli Kusch, full name Ulrich Kusch, born in Aachen, West Germany ~ Active since the late 1980s sessioning for a variety of rock, hard rock bands including Holy Moses and Mekong Delta. Briefly a member of Gamma Ray during the early 1990s, replacing original drummer Mathias Burchard on the band's Sigh No More sophomore album. Best known as a member of Helloween, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums starting with Master Of The Rings released in 1994. Other notable associations include Shockmachine, Sinner, the Masterplan, Beautiful Sin, and Symfonia
March 11, 1965 ~ Pop, power pop, children's music singer, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, songwriter Andy Sturmer, full name Marvin Andrew Sturmer, born in Los Angeles County, California, USA ~ Member of Beatnik Beatch. Best known as lead singer for Jellyfish, co-founded with Batch bandmate Roger Joseph Manning Jr. The band, spangly indie rock infused with '60s psychedelia and '70s power pop, is acclaimed for the 1990s albums Bellybutton and its follow-up Spilt Milk. Following the band's dissolution in the mid 1990s Sturmer has primarily written for others, most notably for Japanese pop duo PUFFY and regularly for several Cartoon Network TV series
March 11, 1965 ~ Conductor, pianist, producer, arranger Vittorio Cosma born in Varese, Italy ~ Worked with Volpini Volante, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Eugenio Finardi, Pino Daniele, Ornella Vanoni, Renato Zero, Ivano Fossati, Stewart Copeland, Roberto Vecchioni, Enrico Ruggero, Teresa de Sio, Nino Buonocore, Grazia di Michele. Member of supergroup Gizmodrome alongside Adrian Belew, Level 42's Mark King and the Police's Stewart Copeland
March 11, 1964 ~ Vincent Paul Abbott, commonly known as drummer Vinnie Paul born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Generally regarded as one of the premier heavy metal drummers. Influenced by Peter Criss, Alex van Halen, and Tommy Aldridge. Best known for co-founding Pantera with his brother guitarist Dimebag Darrell, a band credited with pioneering the groove metal genre and especially acclaimed for their 1992 Vulgar Display Of Power album. Abbott remained with the band through 2003, and has also worked with Damageplan, and with Hellyeah ~ Abbott passed away in 2018
March 11, 1963 ~ Country singer Buck Owens releases Act Naturally, featuring Over And Over Again on the flip side ~ Written by Johnny Russell. Produced by Ken Nelson. Co-writing credit was given to Voni Morrison for bringing Russell's demo version to Buck Owens's attention, who initially didn't like it. However, the single would be Owens'first Billboard Country charttopper and became a signature tune. It would be covered by numerous artists, perhaps most notably the Beatles with Ringo Starr on lead vocals. Ringo and Buck would record the song as a duet in 1989
March 11, 1961 ~ Guitarist Bruce Watson born in Timmins, Canada ~ Best known as guitarist for Scottish pop rock outfit Big Country, usually in a supportive role with Stuart Adamson taking the lead chords. The band scored a string of hits starting in the early 1980s with songs such as Fields Of Fire, Chance, Wonderland and Look Away all reaching top 10 in the UK. Watson has also worked with the Delinquents, Eurosect, Fourgoodmen, the Casbah Club and Dead Men Walking
March 11, 1960 ~ Rock, soul, glam metal singer Tommy Nilsson, full name Erik Tommy Nilsson, born in Solna, Sweden ~ Active since the late 1970s. Lead singer of heavy metal outfit Horizont, with whom he recorded two albums. Scouted by French producer Yves Accary Nilsson would score a 1981 solo hit in France with No Way No How. The single would sell a million copies, the album of the same name with disco tracks and ballads would sell 200,000. Nilsson also worked with metal band Easy Action, appearing on the 1986 That Makes One album, and represented his native Sweden at the 1989 Eurovision Songfestival where he reached 4th place with the ballad En DagMarch 11, 1959 ~ Singer Teddy Scholten wins the 4th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Cannes, France ~ Representing the Netherlands, Teddy Scholten wins with the song Een Beetje written by Dick Schallies and Willy van Hemert. Runner-ups would be the UK's Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson with Sing Little Birdie in 2nd place and France's Jean Philippe in 3rd place with Oui Oui Oui Oui
March 11, 1957 ~ R&B, funk guitarist Miko Weaver born in Berkeley, California, USA ~ Best known for his association with Prince, who invited him to join the Revolution after seeing him work with Sheila E. Weaver first appeared on a jam version of I Would Die 4 U, which would be used for the 12" release and subsequently played on the 1986 Parade album. Weaver was also part of the touring band for the Sign O' The Times and Lovesexy tours
March 11, 1955 ~ Country singer Jimmy Fortune born in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA ~ Member of the Statler Brothers, joining the band in 1982 as replacement for Lew DeWitt and remaining with the band for over two decades. Wrote a vast amount of the band's best known including Elizabeth, Too Much On My Heart, My Only Love and More Than A Name On The Wall
March 11, 1955 ~ Catharina Hagen, commonly known as punk, punk rock singer Nina Hagen, born in East Berlin, East Germany ~ Pivotal to European punk. Debuted in 1978 with the album The Nina Hagen Band. Known for songs such as Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo, Unbeschrieblich Weiblich, Smack Jack and Zarah (Ich Weiss Es Wird Einmal Ein Wunder Geschehn)March 11, 1954 ~ Jazz trumpeter Frankie Newton, full name William Frank Newton, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Worked with Sam Wooding, Chick Webb, Charlie Barnet, Andy Kirk, Charlie Fess Johnson, Lucky Millinder, Pete Brown, James P Johnson, Art Tatum, Sid Catlett, Edmond Hall, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday (including on the 1939 original of Strange Fruit), Ulysses Livingston, Elmer Snowden, and Sonny White ~ Newton was born in 1906
March 11, 1954 ~ Jazz singer Judy Niemack born in Pasadena, California, USA ~ As a solo singer about a dozen albums to her name, starting with 1977's By Heart. Has also worked with Toots Thielemans, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Eddie Gomez, the WDR Big Band, Simon Wettenhall, Cedar Walton, and Mal Waldron
March 11, 1953 ~ Engineer, producer, label executive Jimmy Iovine born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Dropped out of college at age 19, and was introduced to the music business via a friend who landed him a job cleaning a recording studio. Iovine would soon find employ as engineer and went on to music production. Co-founded Interscope Records. Co-founded Beats Electronics with close friend Dr Dre, a consumer audio products company. Has been involved in the production of over an estimated 200 albums, including John Lennon's Walls And Bridges, the Golden Earring's Grab It For A Second, Patti Smith's Easter, Tom Petty's Damn The Torpedoes, Bruce Springsteen's The River, Stevie Nicks's Bella Donna, U2's Rattle & Hum, and Gwen Stefani's Love Angel Music Baby
March 11, 1950 ~ Folk-jazz singer, pianist, songwriter Bobby McFerrin, full name Roberth Keith McFerrin Jr, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for his 1988 hit Don't Worry Be Happy, which reached top of the charts in numerous countries including America. Has worked with artists such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and Yo-Yo Ma
March 11, 1950 ~ Pianist Katia Labèque born in Bayonne, France ~ Half of the Labèque Sisters, an internationally acclaimed piano duo with her sister Marielle Labèque, best known for their 1980- recording of George Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue. Also played traditional classical repertoire, jazz, ragtime, flamenco, pop, and experimental rock
March 11, 1947 ~ Derek John Weaver, commonly known as pianist, keyboardist Blue Weaver, born in Cardiff, UK ~ Co-founding member of 1960s rock band Amen Corner, known for their UK No.1 hit (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice, and co-founder of its successor Fair Weather. Joined Strawbs in 1971, notably present on the albums Grave New World and Bursting At The Seams. Toured with Mott The Hoople and the Streetwalkers. Appeared on the Bee Gees albums Main Course, Children Of The World, and Spirits Having Flown. Co-wrote Andy Gibb's Our Love (Don't Throw It All Away), and co-wrote Jimmy Ruffin's Hold On To My Love, both of which reached top 10 Billboard Hot 100March 11, 1947 ~ Trumpeter Stan Lokhin born ~ Dubbed “the Godfather of Surinam music”. Best known for leading the Stan Lokhin Band and the Resurrection Singers, drawing from kaseko, soul, calypso, and jazz. Lokhin has also worked with the Needles, Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, Stevie Wonder, and Ruth Jacott. To Dutch audiences also remembered for conducting the Residentie Orkest at the abdication ceremony of Queen Juliana in 1980 ~ Lokhin passed away in 2010
March 11, 1945 ~ Rock, blues, blues rock guitarist Harvey Mandel born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Present on Charlie Musselwhite's Stand Back (Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's Soutside Band) album released in 1966, considered a landmark album bridging the gap between blues and rock & roll. On and off member of Canned Heat since 1969, notably present on the band's pivotal 1970 Future Blues album. As a solo artist, Mandel has recorded extensively since the late 1960s and is especially acclaimed for his 1971 Baby Batter album. Plays lead guitar on Hot Stuff and Memory Motel, both taken off the Rolling Stones's 1976 Black And Blue album. Mandel has also collaborated with Barry Goldberg, Graham Bond, and John Mayall
March 11, 1943 ~ Richard Dean Tyree, commonly known as jazz drummer Richie Pratt, born in Olathe, Kansas, USA ~ Majored in music at the University of Kansas, Kansas, on a footbal scholarship. Eventually drafted by the New York Giants, however, his potential professional career in sports cut short due to an injury. As a drummer, Pratt first gained attention on the New York scene sitting in with Jaki Byard, after which he quickly made a name for himself. Served as member of the New York Jazz Quartet for three years in the 1970s. As a sideman, Pratt appears on recordings by the American Symphony Orchestra, Frank Foster, Aretha Franklin (Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky)), Lionel Hampton, Roland Hanna, Carrie Smith, and Phyllis Hyman, and has worked in Broadway pit orchestras, including notably for the Duke Ellington tribute musical Sophisticated Ladies in the early 1980s ~ Tyree passed away in 2015
March 11, 1942 ~ Rock guitarist, singer Bo Starander born ~ Co-founded the Rebels with Björn Thelin, initially a duo. With over time a number of additions and name changes, the band would find succes as the Spotnicks, scoring 1960s hits such as Amapola, Ol' Man River, Drina, Just Listen To My Heart, Spanish Gypsy Dance, and Papa Oom Mow Mow ~ Starander passed away in 2020
March 11, 1942 ~ Folk singer, guitarist, songwriter David Wiffen born in Surrey, UK ~ Member of 1960s outfit 3's A Crowd, known for their 1966 single Bound To Fly. Also a member of the Pacers and the Children. As a solo artist known for Driving Wheel (Lost My Driving Wheel) and More Often Than Not. Both songs have been covered numerous times, the former by Tom Rush, Roger McGuinn, the Cowboy Junkies, the Jayhawks, and Ray Wylie Hubbard, the latter by Jerry Jeff Walker, Ian & Sylvia, and Eric AndersenMarch 11, 1942 ~ R&B singer Fred Johnson born ~ Member of the Marcels, notably present on the band's debut single Blue Moon which would sell over a million copies and chart the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Though the band would continue to record, and score an ocassional US top 10 hit such as Heartaches, they would be unable to replicate the succes of their debut single ~ Johnson passed away in 2022