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 18, 1970 ~ Dana Elaine Owens, commonly known as rapper, songwriter, actress Queen Latifah, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Described as a “feminist” rapper, empowering women in general and especially in the male-dominated hip-hop scene. Hip-hop's Aretha, hugely influential on soul, neo-soul, hip-hop, R&B artists such as Eve, Lil' Kim, the Fugees, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, and Foxxy Brown. Debuted in 1989 with the critically acclaimed All Hail The Queen album. Known for songs such as Ladies First, UNITY and Paper. Worked with Native Tongues, De La Soul, Erykah Badu, Living Colour, Monifah, David Bowie, Luther Vandross, Quincy Jones, Salt-n-Pepa, Shabba Ranks, Naughty By Nature, and Sly & Robbie. Prolific and much-awarded film and TV actressMarch 18, 1969 ~ Folk melodeon player Andy Cutting born in Harrow, UK ~ Plays traditional folk songs and originals, drawing from English and French traditions. Worked with Blowzabella, first appearing on the 1990 Vanilla album. Would frequently collaborate with bandmate Nigel Eaton thereafter. Has also worked with Chris Wood, Karen Tweed, Sting, Fernhill, June Tabor, Chumbawamba, John McCusker, Kate Rushby, Leveret, and Ella Edmondson
March 18, 1967 ~ Andres Titus, commonly known as rapper Dres, born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Formed the alternative hip-hop duo Black Sheep with Mista Lawnge. Released his full-length Sure Shot Redemption solo debut album in 1999. Has collaborated with De La Soul, Chi-Ali, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and Twista
March 18, 1966 ~ Alternative metal, grunge, hard rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Jerry Cantrell, full name Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr, born in Tacoma, Washington, USA ~ Founding member, guitarist, primary songwriter of Alice In Chains, known for songs such as No Excuses, Heaven Beside You and Check My Brain. Took over lead vocal duties after the death of Layne Staley in 2002. Has also released a number of solo albums, starting with 1998's Boggy Depot, and has collaborated with Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, Circus Of Power, Gov't Mule, Pearl Jam, the Cult, the Stone Temple Pilots, Glenn Hughes, Duff McKagan, and the Deftones
March 18, 1964 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist Courtney Pine born in London, UK ~ Acclaimed for his 1986 Journey To The Urge Within debut album. Has incorporated newer influences into his playing, including drum and bass and garage. Has worked with the Grand Union Orchestra, the Jazz Warriors, Mica Paris, Trevor Jones, and Harry Beckett
March 18, 1964 ~ Rozalla Miller, mononymously known as eurodance singer Rozalla, born in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia ~ Known best for a number of early 1990s dance hiots, namely Faith In The Power Of Love, Are You Ready To Fly, and her best known Everybody's Free To Feel GoodMarch 18, 1963 ~ Glam metal, hard rock bassist, guitarist, cellist, keyboardist, singer Jeff LaBar, full name Jeffrey Philip LaBar, born in Darby, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known as member of glam metal band Cinderella since 1985, taking over from original guitarist Michael Schermick. Has also worked with Naked Beggars, Freakshow, Cheap Thrills and released his solo debut album, One For The Road, in 2014
March 18, 1962 ~ Singer Isabelle Aubret wins the 7th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Luxembourg, Luxembourg ~ Representing France, Isabelle Aubret wins with the song Un Premier Amour written by Claude Henri Vic and Rolande Valade. Runner-ups were Monaco's François Deguelt in 2nd place with Dis Rien and Luxembourg's Camillo Felgen in 3rd with Petit Bonhomme
March 18, 1962 ~ Folk rock, Americana singer, guitarist, songwriter James McMurtry born in Fort Worth, Texas, USA ~ Debuted in 1989 with the album Too Long In The Wasteland, produced by John Mellencamp, and has recorded to critical acclaim since. Known for songs such as Painting By Numbers, Choctaw Bingo and We Can't Make It Here
March 18, 1961 ~ Alternative rock, post-hardcore, hardcore punk singer, guitarist, drummer, songwriter Grant Hart, full name Grantzberg Vernon Hart, born in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA ~ Drummer, co-founding member of punk rock band Hüsker Dü. As a songwriter credited with helping expand the subject matter of punk through songs such as Standing By The Sea, Diane, and Books About UFOs. After the band disbanded in 1987 Hart released his solo debut album Intolerance album before forming the trio Nova Mob, with whom he recorded the albums Last Days Of Pompeii and Nova Mob. Hart returned to recording as a solo artist in 1999 ~ Hart passed away in 2017
March 18, 1961 ~ Singer Jean-Claude Pascal wins the 6th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Cannes, France ~ Representing Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Pascal wins with the song Nous Les Amoureux written by Jacques Datin and Maurice Vidalin. the Allisons representing the UK with Are You Sure would reach second place, while Franca di Rienzo representing Switzerland with Nous Aurons Demain ended in third
March 18, 1960 ~ Alternative rock, post-punk singer, keyboardist, songwriter Anita Lane, full name Anita Louise Lane, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Best known for her stints as a member of Nick Cave's backing units the Bad Seeds and the Birthday Party. Cave and Lane were romantically involved from 1977 through 1983. Lane has co-written several of Cave's songs, notably From Her To Eternity, and Cave in turn has co-written several of Lane's solo songs. She has released two solo albums, 1993's Dirty Pearl and 2001's Sex O'Clock ~ Lane passed away in 2021
March 18, 1960 ~ Siblings the Everly Brothers record Cathy's Clown ~ Written by Don Everly. Produced by Wesley Rose. Released as a single, b/w Always It's You, the following month it would top the Billboard R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts, as well as reach No.1 in the UK
March 18, 1959 ~ Irene Cara Escalera, commonly known as R&B, pop, disco singer, actress Irene Cara, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for singing, co-writing the 1984 Flashdance (What A Feeling) from the film Flashdance, earning her a Grammy Award and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Also acted in the 1980 film Fame, for which she also sang Out Here On My Own and the title track Fame, the latter a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit ~ Escalera passed away in 2022
March 18, 1959 ~ Jazz vibraphonist, composer Joe Locke, full name Joseph Paul Locke, born in Palo Alto, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with artists such as Grover Washington Jr, Kenny Barron, Dianne Reeves, Eddie Daniels, Jerry González, Rod Stewart, the Beastie Boys, Eddie Palmieri, Eddie Henderson, Hiram Bullock, Bob Berg, Ron Carter, Jimmy Scott, Geoffrey Keezer, the Mingus Big Band, Randy Brecker, Frank Kimbrough, Tim Riles, the New Sound Quartet, Russell Malone, Eddie Higgins, Billy Childs, Idris Muhammad, Cameron Brown, Freddy Cole, Dena DeRose, Wayne Escoffery, David Finck, Jim Rotondi, George Cables, Tony Lakatos, Mark Soskin, Chick Corea, Paul Bollenback, Gerard Presencer, Mark Sherman, Hadley Caliman, Dominick Farinacci, and Ryan CohanMarch 18, 1957 ~ Composer Gheorghi Arnaoudov born in Sofia, Bulgaria ~ Internationally acclaimed. Influenced by Alexander Scriabin, Olivier Messiaen, Edgard Varèse, Krzysztof Penderecki, Arvo Pärt, Anton Webern, Morton Feldman. Rooted in minimal music and known for composing for stage, orchestra, chamber music, film music and piano
March 18, 1956 ~ Robert Charles Kaufhold, commonly known as horror punk, hardcore punk singer, bassist, guitarist Bobby Steele, born in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA ~ Guitarist, sole original member of punk band the Undead. Member of the Misfits from 1978 through 1980, succeeded by Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, and present on the singles Horror Business and Night Of The Living Dead. Married to Diana Viar, bandmate in RIPMarch 18, 1954 ~ Jazz saxophonist Harry Sokal born in Vienna, Austria ~ Worked with the Vienna Art Orchestra, Depart, Jojo Mayer, Heiri Kanzig, Art Blakey, Wolfert Brederode, Dave Holland, Terje Rypdal, Daniel Humair, Michel Portal, Mike Richmond, Mino Cinélu, Friedrich Gulda, Idris Muhammad, Joe Zawinul, Gene Jackson, Andy McKee, Art Farmer, Wolfgang Puschnig, Falco, and Timeless
March 18, 1952 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal, punk rock guitarist Bernie Tormé, full name Bernard Joseph Tormey, born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, Gary Moore. Best known as member of Gillan, fronted by Deep Purple's Ian Gillan, present on the albums Mr Universe, Glory Road and Future Shock. Has also worked with Atomic Rooster, Desperado, René Berg, GMT, Ozzy Osbourne, Quatermass, and Gary Barden's Silver ~ Tormey passed away in 2019March 18, 1952 ~ Folk singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Laura Smith born in London, Canada ~ Best known for her 1995 single Shade Of Your Love and for her rendition of the traditional folk song My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, retitled simply to My Bonnie. Smith also recorded a version of the latter with the Chieftains, who included the track on their 1998 Fire In The Kitchen compilation album ~ Smith passed away in 2020
March 18, 1951 ~ Guitarist Bill Frisell, full name William Richard Frisell, born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Closely associated with both John Zorn and Paul Motian. Got his big break when Pat Metheny was unable to make a session date and suggested him to Motian. Frisell would become an in-house guitarist for ECM Records, working on several notable early 1980s albums. He would release his In-Line solo debut album in 1983 and has been recording to critical acclaim and admiration from peers since. Has since recorded well over three dozen albums as a solo artist or co-leader, and guested on numerous albums as a sideman. Notable collaborations include Naked City, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, 858 Quartet, Tim Berne, Vernon Reid, Elvis Costello (Deep Dead Blue), Floratone, Jim Hall, Lee Konitz, Mathilde Santing, Julius Hemphill, Bobby Previte, Ryuichi Sakamoto, John Scofield, Ginger Baker, David Sylvian, Cuong Vu, Loudon Wainwright III, and Lucinda Williams
March 18, 1951 ~ Pop, rock, Latin, R&B, jazz engineer, mixer, producer Humberto Gatica born in Rancangua, Chile ~ Active since the mid 1970s. Closely associated with producer David Foster. In one capacity or another has worked on albums such as Chicago's 17, Michael Jackson's Bad, Céline Dion's Falling Into You, La Ley's Uno, Andrea Bocelli's Amore, and Michael Bublé's It's Time. Has also worked with Alice Cooper, Kenny Rogers, Janet Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Michael McDonald, USA For Africa, Richard Marx, Ray Charles, Julio Iglesias, Eros Ramazzotti, Barbra Streisand, the Bee Gees, Bette Midler, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, LeAnn Rimes, and Josh GrobanMarch 18, 1950 ~ Carlos Daniel Ayala, commonly known as guitarist Carlos Guitarlos, born ~ Best known as lead guitarist for early 1980s rock, R&B band Top Jimmy & the Rhythm Pigs. Emerging from the Los Angeles punk roots scene the band would develop a cult following before crumbling as a result of internal volatility, fueled in large part by Ayala. The band counted Tom Waits among its fans, resulting in Ayala guesting on Waits's 1983 Swordfishtrombones
March 18, 1950 ~ Drummer John Hartman born in Falls Church, Virginia, USA ~ Original drummer, co-founding member of the Doobie Brothers. The band would add a second drummer, Michael Hossack, to the line-up in 1971 and keep the dual-drummer formation until Hartman's final departure from the band in 2016. Hartman was present on Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hits such as Listen To The Music, Long Train Runnin', China Grove, Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me), Takin' It To The Street and Minute By Minute. 1974's Black Water and 1979's What A Fool Believes would both reach No.1 ~ Hartman passed away in 2021March 18, 1949 ~ Singer Martine Clémenceau born in Thionville, France ~ Known for songs such as A Jour L'Amour, France's 1973 Eurovision Songfestival entry Sans Toi which reached 15th place, and perhaps most notably known for writing and first recording Solitaire in 1982. The latter would be covered by Laura Branigan two years later, reaching the Billboard Hot 100 top 10