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 25, 1966 ~ Blues, rock, jazz guitarist, singer Jeff Healey, full name Norman Jeffrey Healey, born in Toronto, Canada ~ Took up the guitar at age 3. Known for his unique lap-held style of playing. Recorded about a dozen albums, starting in the late 1980s. Especially acclaimed for the albums Adventures In Jazzland and Mess Of Blues. Well known songs include I Think I Love You Too Much, How Long Can A Man Be Strong, and Lost In Your Eyes. The single Angel Eyes off his See The Light debut album would reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Healey passed away in 2008
March 25, 1964 ~ Roger Buzz Osborne, commonly known as sludge metal, grunge, alternative metal singer, guitarist, songwriter King Buzzo, born in Montesano, Washington, USA ~ Considered an icon of the alt-metal genre. Influential on guitarists such as Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, Kim Thayil, Brent Hinds, and Hank Williams III. Key member of the Melvins, which he co-founded in 1983 with Matt Lukin and Mike Dillard. The band is especially acclaimed for the early 1990s albums Melvins and its follow-up Houdini. Osborne has also worked with the Fantomas and Venomous ConceptMarch 25, 1963 ~ Alternative country, roots rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Robbie Fulks born in York, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Over a dozen albums to his name starting with Country Love Songs released in 1996, praised for his flatpicking guitar technique, his near encyclopaedial knowledge of country and pop, and for his literate songwriting
March 25, 1962 ~ Classical, world, new age composer, pianist Kirill Pokrovsky, full name Kirill Vladimirovich Pokrovsky, born in Moscow, Russia ~ Keyboardist for heavy metal acts Aria and Master before venturing out on his own. Known for his BRUGGE solo album. Best known as a composer for video games, notably writing the score to the Divinity series of video games ~ Pokrovsky passed away in 2015
March 25, 1960 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion, rock drummer Chad Wackerman born in Long Beach, California, USA ~ Worked with Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth, Banned From Utopia, Bill Watrous, Steve Vai, Andy Summers, Ed Mann, Albert Lee, and Colin Hay. Has released a number of solo albums, starting with Forty Reasons in 1991March 25, 1960 ~ Pop, post-punk guitarist Steve Norman born in Islington, UK ~ Co-founding member of Spandau Ballet, known for a string of 1980s UK top 20 hits including Musclebound, Lifeline, True, Gold and Only When You Leave. Norman remained with the band through its entire existence, initially as a guitarist and later also as bassist and saxophonist
March 25, 1959 ~ Jazz, pop drummer Per Hillestad born in Øvre Årdal, Norway ~ Founded supergroup Lava in 1977, known best for their 1984 Fire album. Has guested on albums by Ketil Bjørnstad, Øystein Sunde, Jonas Fjeld, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Hanne Krogh, A-ha (East Of The Sun West Of The Moon), Morten Harket, Animal Farm, and Kristin Sevaldsen
March 25, 1958 ~ Trombonist, bandleader Tom Brown passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Played with Papa Jack Laine and Frank Christian before leading bands of his own by the 1910s. Brown bragged to lead the first white band to play “Jass,” a similar claim as Nick LaRocca of the competing the Original Dixieland Jazz Band has adamantly made. Later Brown would also serve under bandleaders such as Bert Kelly and Harry Yerkes ~ Brown was born in 1888
March 25, 1955 ~ Conductor, violinist, keyboardist, songwriter, arranger Lucio Fabbri born in Crema, Italy ~ Worked in progressive rock with acts such as Il Pacco, Piazza Delle Erbe. Sessioned for artists such as Roberto Vecchioni, Claudio Rocchi, Eugenio Finardi. Works primarily as a arranger and conductor from the 1980s onwards, working with artists such as Matia Bazar, Paul Young, Umberto Tozzi, Mika, Gianni Morandi, Enzo Jannacci, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Marco Mengoni, Massimo Ranieri, Chiara Galiazzo, Nik Kershaw, Howard Jones, and Captain Sensible
March 25, 1954 ~ Bassist, keyboardist, musical director Nathan Watts, full name Nathan Lamar Watts, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Best known for his longtime association with Stevie Wonder, starting on Wonder's 1976 masterpiece album Songs In The Key Of Life. Co-wrote Free, recorded by Deniece Williams for her This Is Niecy debut album. Has also guested on albums by Vernon Bunch, Sérgio Mendes, Carrie Lucas, the Jacksons (Destiny), Lenny Williams, Cheryl Lynn, the Dramatics, José Feliciano, La Toya Jackson, Teena Marie, the Pointer Sisters (Black & White), Syreeta Wright, and Billy Preston
March 25, 1951 ~ Jazz, bebop drummer Big Sid Catlett passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ One of the most versatile drummers of his generation. Influenced by Zutty Singleton, Baby Dodds, Jimmy Bertrand. Worked with Benny Carter, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra, Fletcher Henderson, Don Redman, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Ruth Brown ~ Catlett was born in 1910
March 25, 1949 ~ Robert Alan Ezrin, commonly known as producer Bob Ezrin born in Toronto, Canada ~ Revered rock, hard rock, arena rock producer. Has worked with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Phish, the Deftones, and Thirty Seconds To MarsMarch 25, 1949 ~ Guitarist Neil Jones born in Llanbradach, UK ~ Member of Amen Corner, known for string of late 1960s UK hits including Gin House Blues, Bend Me Shape Me, High In The Sky and perhaps their best known (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice, the latter topping the English charts in 1969 ~ Jones passed away in 2018
March 25, 1948 ~ Michael Stanley Gee, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Michael Stanley, born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ Enjoyed regional popularity during the 1970s and 1980s with his brand of heartland rock. Nationally best known for the single He Can't Love You, which reached the Billboard top 40 in 1980 ~ Gee passed away in 2021
March 25, 1947 ~ Rock, new wave, pub rock guitarist, keyboardist, saxophonist, singer Brinsley Schwarz, full name Brinsley Ernest Pieter Schwarz, born in Woodbridge, UK ~ Guitarist and eponym of pub rock outfit Brinsley Schwarz. Following the band's disbandement in 1974 has worked with Ducks Deluxe, guested on Dr Feelgood's Down By The Jetty, and notably worked with the Rumour backing Graham Parker
March 25, 1947 ~ Singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Duncan Browne, full name Duncan John Browne, born ~ Signed by Andrew Loog Oldham and debuted in 1968 with the album Give Me Take You. Best known for songs such as Journey and The Wild Places, the latter remaining a radio staple to this day. Member of Metro. Co-wrote Criminal World, which David Bowie included on his Let's Dance album released in 1983 ~ Browne passed away in 1993
March 25, 1947 ~ Reginald Kenneth Dwight, commonly known as singer, songwriter Elton John born in Pinner, UK ~ One of all-time best-selling artists, with sales exceeding 300 million records. Acclaimed for a number of 1970s albums, notably Honky Château, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy. Known best for songs such as Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long Long Time), Crocodile Rock, Daniel, Bennie And The Jets, Island Girl, Don't Go Breaking My Heart with Kiki Dee, I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, I'm Still Standing, Nikita, Candle In The Wind, Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me and Can You Feel The Love TonightMarch 25, 1944 ~ Beat bassist Megan Davies, full name Megan Kelso Davies born ~ Member of the Applejacks, known for a number of mid 1960s singles including Like Dreamers Do penned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Three Little Words and the UK top 10 hit Tell Me When. The band was also the first to record I Go To Sleep written by the Kinks singer Ray Davies, later notably covered by Cher on her 1965 All I Really Want To Do solo debut album, Peggy Lee, the Pretenders, Graham Bonnet, and Soulwax
March 25, 1943 ~ Drummer Kevin Kelley, full name Kevin Daniel Kelley, born in Los Angeles County, California, USA ~ Member of Rising Sons, joining the band in 1965 as replacement for original drummer Ed Cassidy. The band is known for including both Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal and broke up soon after their 1966 Candy Man single. Briefly a member of the Byrds, present on the pivotal country rock album The Sweethearts Of The Rodeo. Following his departure in 1968 has been a member of Fever Tree and Gas Food & Lodging, and sessioned for the like of John Fahey, Phil Ochs, Jerry Jeff Walker, Judee Sill, and Michael Cohen ~ Kelley passed away in 2002
March 25, 1942 ~ Singer Aretha Franklin born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Undisputed Queen of Soul. Had no less than eighty-eight singles hit the US singles charts starting in 1955 including hits such as RESPECT, Chain Of Fools, Think, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), I Say A Little Prayer, Rock Steady, Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do), Chain Of Fools, Day Dreaming, and Who's Zoomin' Who ~ Franklin passed away in 2018March 25, 1940 ~ Pop singer Anita Bryant, full name Anita Jane Bryant, born in Barnsdale, Oklahoma, USA ~ Former beauty queen and runner-up in the 1958 Miss America pageant, who enjoyed chart success through the mid 1960s, scoring hits with Paper Roses, which reached No.5 Billboard Hot 100, In My Little Corner Of The World, and Wonderland By Night, all of which would sell over a million copies each. Frequently performed with Bob Hope on holiday tours for the USO, and sang at several functions as the White House as well as at both the Democratic Convention and the Republican Convention in 1968. Bryant would continue to record throughout the mid-1980s, switching to gospel music by the late 1960s, but failed to repeat her earlier chart success. Bryant is also well-known as a spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission, appearing in some of the organisation's nationally televised commercials, and as a leader of the conservative Christian Protect Our Children coalition, advocating against gay rights ~ Bryant passed away in 2024
March 25, 1940 ~ Anna Maria Mazzini, commonly known as pop, blues, jazz, R&B, bossa nova singer Mina, born in Busto Arsizio, Italy ~ One of the most popular pop Italian pop singers in the 1960s and 1970s. Praised for her three-octave vocal range and vocal agility, dubbed “the Queen of Screamers”. Internationally best known for the ballad This World We Love In, which hit the low end of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. At times banned from Italian radio and TV for her emancipated, liberated, loose rock & roll image
March 25, 1938 ~ Singer, songwriter Hoyt Axton born in Duncan, Oklahoma, USA ~ Son of noted songwriter Mae Boren Axton who co-wrote Heartbreak Hotel. Hoyt performed and recorded as a singer but is best known as a songwriter responsible for songs made famous by others such as Joy To The World and Never Been To Spain by Three Dog Night, The Pusher from Easy Rider by Steppenwolf, Greenback Dollar by the Kingston Trio, and The No No Song by Ringo Starr. Other artists who have recorded Hoyt's work include Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, BJ Thomas, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, Jonathan Edwards, and Anne Murray ~ Axton passed away in 1999
March 25, 1936 ~ Jazz double bassist Larry Gales, full name Lawrence Bernard Gales, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Renowned sideman. Occassional leader. Worked with JC Heard, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Johnny Griffin, Herbie Mann, Junior Mance, Joe Williams, Erroll Garner, Willie Bobo, Red Rodney, Harry Sweets Edison, Benny Carter, Blue Mitchell, Clark Terry, Kenny Burrell, Buddy Tate, Bennie Green, Sonny Stitt, Mary Lou Williams, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Criss, Big Joe Turner, Eddie Henderson, Johnny Lytle, Junior Mance, and Charlie Rouse ~ Gales passed away in 1995
March 25, 1934 ~ Singer, songwriter Johnny Burnette, full name John Joseph Burnette, born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette. Formed and fronted the Johnny Burnette Trio, which also included his brothers Dorsey Burnette and Paul Burlison, known for a number of pivotal rock & roll releases including 1956's Train Kept A-Rollin'. Pursued a solo career in the early 1960 reaching the top 20 with a number of smooth pop songs and ballads, perhaps most notably Dreamin', You're Sixteen and Little Boy Sad, before an early death in a boating accident ~ Burnette passed away in 1964