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 26, 2026 ~ Ross Friedman, commonly known as punk, proto-punk, heavy metal guitarist, keyboardist Ross Funicello or Ross the Boss, passed away ~ Co-founding member of punk outfit the Dictators. Although the punk rock outfit, predating the Ramones, initially had little success outside New York, especially their first three albums, Go Girl Crazy, Manifest Destiny, and Bloodbrothers, all of which included Friedman, over time have found a larger audience and have retrospectively been acknowledged as key recordings in the development of punk rock. The band has been described as epitomizing punk rock, embracing the junk culture and lifestyle associated with the genre, before punk rock became a musical and cultural phenomen. Following his departure from the Dictators, Friedman briefly played with Fabienne Shine in Shakin' Street, including as a support act for Black Sabbath on their 1980 Heaven & Hell tour. It was here he was introduced to bassist Joey DeMaio, with whom he founded Manowar later the same year. Friedman recorded half a dozen albums with the band, , a no frills outfit known for their melodic riffs tapping into the primal power of rock & roll, including 1984's Hail To England widely regarded as a landmark album in power metal. In 1984 Manowar would also make the Guinness Book Of World Records for delivering the loudest performance ever. Friedman continued to record well into the 2020s with a wide array of groups, including Manitoba's Wild Kingdom, the Hellacopters, and the Brain Surgeons, and a handful of albums as a solo artist, starting with New Metal Leader issued in 2008. Upon hearing of his passing at age 72, the Metal Hall of Fame issued a statement which in part read: “Ross will always be the Metal Hall of Fame's ‘Global Metal Ambassador’ to the world. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world” ~ Friedman was born in 1954
March 26, 2023 ~ Country singer Ray Pillow, full name Herbert Raymond Pillow, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Charted over a dozen singles on the Billboard Country charts, his best known the Jean Shepard-duet I'll Take The Dog which reached top 10 in 1966. Other well known songs include Thank You Ma'am, Common Colds And Broken Hearts and Volkswagen. Pillow has also co-founded Sycamore Records and worked as A&R representative for Capitol Records ~ Pillow was born in 1937
March 26, 2022 ~ Jeffrey Lee Herndon, commonly known as country singer, bassist Jeff Carson, passed away in Franklin, Tennessee, USA ~ Sessioned and worked as a demo singer until his 1995 eponymous Jeff Carson debut album, which spawned three Billboard Country top 10 hits with Not On Your Love, The Car and Holdin' Onto Somethin'. Carson would be unable to repeat the succes but continued to record, reaching the country charts with songs such as Cheatin' On Her Heart, I Never Was The Same Again and Until We Fall Back In Love Again. Retired from music in 2009 to pursue a career in law enforcement ~ Herndon was born in 1963
March 26, 2019 ~ Roger Charlery, commonly known as Ranking Roger, passed away in Birmingham, UK ~ Best known as member of pivotal ska, ska revival band the English Beat, known for about half a dozen UK hits through the mid-1980s including the top 10 hits The Tears Of A Clown, Hands Off She's Mine, Mirror In The Bathroom and Can't Get Used To Losing You. Formed General Public in 1984 with bandmate Dave Wakeling, scoring moderate hits with 1984's Tenderness and 1994's I'll Take You There. Released his solo debut album, Radical Departure, in 1988 ~ Charlery was born in 1963March 26, 2017 ~ Instrumentalist, composer Alessandro Alessandroni passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Best known for his longtime association with Ennio Morricone. Alessandroni's twangy guitar riff is central to the main theme of The Good The Bad & The Ugly. Other than performing on Morricone's film scores Allesandroni is also a noted film composer in his own right scoring films since the late 1960s ~ Allesandroni was born in 1925
March 26, 2012 ~ Pop, dance-pop singer Justin Bieber releases Boyfriend, lead single off his Believe album ~ The instrumentation was kept in a lower sound to highlight Justin Bieber's vocals. Critics dismissed the lyrics as immature and silly, yet it would be his biggest hit, his first No.1 in his native Canada, and debut at No.2 on the American Billboard Hot 100. Mike Posner, who co-wrote and co-produce the song, would later comment on working with Bieber: “Because I'm an artist myself, I can be pretty selective on who I produce for and who I make beats for and really what I'm looking for is an amazing vocalist, somebody that can sing better than I can. And the other thing is somebody that's willing to not try to make something that succeeds within the matrix of what pop music is now, but makes something that moves that matrix to where it is, and Justin was willing to take that leap with me.”
March 26, 2006 ~ Adrian Nicholas Godfrey, commonly known as rock singer, guitarist, songwriter, rock critic Nikki Sudden, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Influenced by T.Rex, the Rolling Stones, the Faces, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Thunders. Best known for co-founding post-punk unit Swell Maps, which also included his brother Epic Soundtracks. The band is considered one of the premier acts of the post-punk era, widely acclaimed for their 1977 Read About Seymour single. Godfrey has also recorded as a solo artist, collaborated extensively with Dave Kusworth under the group moniker the Jacobites, and has worked with the Waterboys' Mike Scott and Anthony Thistlethwaite, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, and the Rolling Stones' Mick Taylor ~ Godfrey was born in 1956March 26, 2005 ~ Drummer Paul Hester, full name Paul Newell Hester, passed away in Melbourne, Australia ~ Briefly a member of Split Enz. Co-founding member of Crowded House, remaining with the band through 1994 and present on the band's best known including Don't Dream It's Over, Better Be Home Soon, Chocolate Cake, Fall At Your Feet, and Weather With You. Has also worked with John Clifforth, Sophie Koh, and the Largest Living Things ~ Hester was born in 1959
March 26, 2004 ~ Trumpeter, film composer Fred Karlin, full name Frederick James Karlin, passed away in Culver City, California, USA ~ Wrote and arranged for the likes of Benny Goodman, Harry James, Chubby Jackson. Best known as a film composer with well over a hundred scores to his name starting with 1967's Up The Down Staircase. Perhaps best known for co-writing the song For All We Know for the 1970 film lovers And Other Strangers which earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The film version was sung by Larry Meredith, a cover by the Carpenters would reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts ~ Karlin was born in 1936
March 26, 2002 ~ Joseph Edward Schermetzler, commonly known as rock bassist Joe Schermie passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Original member of Three Dog Night, leaving the band in 1973 and present on most of the band's hits including One, Mama Told Me (Not To Come) and Joy To The World. Subsequently founded SS Fools which also included Chuck Negron and Bobby Kimball. Has also worked with Stephen Stills, and Yvonne Elliman ~ Schermetzler was born in 1946
March 26, 2002 ~ Randolpho Francisco Castillo, commonly known as heavy metal, hard rock, glam metal drummer Randy Castillo, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Inspired to take up the drums after seeing the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Best known for backing Ozzy Osbourne from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, including on the acclaimed No More Tears album released in 1991. Member of Mötley Crüe from 1999 until his death in 2002, present on the 2000 New Tattoo album. Castillo has also worked with Lita Ford, Red Square Black, the Bone Angels, and Bret Michaels ~ Castillo was born in 1950March 26, 1999 ~ Singer, songwriter Ananda Shankar passed away in Kolkata, India ~ Bengali musician best known for fusing Western and Eastern musical styles, including on sitar-based renditions of rock songs such as the Rolling Stones-cover Jumpin' Jack Flash and the Doors-cover Light My Fire of his acclaimed 1970 eponymous Ananda Shankar debut album ~ Shankar was born in 1942
March 26, 1995 ~ Eric Lynn Wright, commonly known as rapper, producer, label executive Eazy E, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Dubbed “the Godfather of Gangsta Rap”, Wright would rise to fame as founding member of and thriving force behind seminal rap group NWA, as a solo artist, and a savvy business man as founder and label executive running Ruthless Records. NWA are considered the most notorious rap group, and certainly one of the most controversial, noted for their aggressive lyrics, some of which raw social commentary while others are misogynistic or celebrating the violence and hedonism of the criminal life. The group, which also launched the careers of Ice Cube and Dr Dre, are best known for their 1989 Straight Outta Compton sophomore album, in particular the tracks Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself, and the album's title track. Issued as a single, the latter would sell over 2 million copies despite being banned by most networks for its gun-happy imagery. The group, which at times also included MC Ren, Yella, and the Arabian Prince, quickly fell apart due to clashing egos, with a feud continuing between Wright and Dr Dre after the latter left both the group and the label in 1992. Wright has also recorded a solo album, Eazy Duz It released in 1988, and as a label executive was incremental in advancing the careers of the DOC, bandmate MC Ren and perhaps most notably Bone Thugs 'n Harmony. Wright passed away at age 31, mere weeks after publicly announcing he was diagnosed with AIDS. The rise and fall of NWA would be documented in the 2015 Academy Award nominated film Straight Outta Compton, the success of which sparked a resurgance in the band's popularity. In 2016, NWA would be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, introduced by Kendrick Lamar who has stated the rap group “(made) the world pay attention to our realities” ~ Wright was born in 1954
March 26, 1991 ~ Bandleader, producer, label executive Paul Gayten, full name Paul Leon Gayten, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Recorded several late 1940s New Orleans R&B hits such as True You Don't Love Me, Since I Fell For You, and I'll Never Be Free. Gayten also wrote For You My Love, a hit for Larry Darnell. Discovered Clarence Frogman Henry and produced his first hit Ain't Got No Home. Backed Chubby Newsom on Hip Shaking Mama. Played piano on Chuck Berry's Carol. Gayten also worked with Annie Laurie, Hank Mobley, and Jimmy Scott ~ Gayten was born in 1920March 26, 1986 ~ Singer, producer, songwriter Eric Bellinger, full name Eric Bellinger Jr, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Songs written or co-written by Bellinger include Usher's Lemme See, Chris Brown's New Flame, Tank's You Don't Know, Justin Bieber's Right Here, Trey Songz's Disrespectful, Fantasia's So Much To Prove, Brandy's Without You, and Kid Ink's Rollin'
March 26, 1986 ~ Singer Madonna releases Live To Tell, lead single off her True Blue album ~ Originally composed by Patrick Leonard as an instrumental for the Paramount film Fire With Fire, but rejected by the studio. Leonard then presented the song to Madonna, who reworked the song for use in At Close Range, a film featuring her then-husband Sean Penn. The pop ballad would also be released as lead single of Madonna's True Blue album, and reach top 10 in well over half a dozen countries, including No.1 positions in Italy, Greece, and the USAMarch 26, 1984 ~ Country singer Vern Gosdin releases I Can Tell By The Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight), lifted off his There Is A Season album ~ Written by Sandy Pinkard and Robb Strandlund. First recorded by Johnny Lee for the 1980 Coast To Coast soundtrack. When the song was first suggested to Vern Gosdin, he waited for two years to finally record it as he felt it was “too rock & roll” for his style, however, it would become his first Billboard Country No.1 hit. Verndin would score two more charttoppers, Set 'Em Up Joe in 1988 and I'm Still Crazy in 1989
March 26, 1983 ~ R&B, pop, funk outfit the Time start recording Jungle Love ~ The band recorded the basic tracking for Jungle Love, written by frontman Morris Day, guitarist Jesse Johnson and Prince. The latter also served as its producer and played all instruments except guitar. Overdubs would be done nearly 10 months later, in January 1984. It would be released as a single later the same year and included on the band's third album, 1984's Ice Cream Castle. At the time, the single would become their highest charting single, scratching the Billboard Hot 100 top 20. Some six years later, they would reach Billboard Hot 100 top 10 with Jerk Out taken off their Pandemonium album
March 26, 1982 ~ Pop rock outfit Toto release their Toto IV album ~ Their biggest album, reaching top 10 in over half a dozen countries including the Netherlands, the UK, and America and earning them Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, and Record of the Year for its lead single Rosanna. The latter would also be the band's first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit, peaking at No.2. It's follow-up single, Africa, was initially not intended to be released as a single but after the track gained traction in New York dance clubs, the label decided to release it as a single. It would become the band's sole Billboard Hot 100 charttopper and remains a radio staple to this day
March 26, 1981 ~ Indie folk, country folk singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter, playwright Anaís Mitchell born in Montpelier, Vermont, USA ~ Critically compared to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Gillian Welch. Over half a dozen albums to her name, starting with The Song They Sang (When Rome Fell) released in 2002. Acclaimed for her 2010 album Hadestown, featuring guest appearances from Ani DiFranco, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, Ben Knox Miller and the Haden Triplets. The album would be reworked into a stage musical which ran on Broadway in 2019, awarded with eight Tony Awards including for Best Musical. Member of Bonny Light Horseman, releasing their eponymous Bonny Light Horseman debut album in 2020
March 26, 1981 ~ Country outfit the Oak Ridge Boys release Fancy Free, their fifth country studio album ~ The album would spawn the band's biggest hit, Elvira which found an appeal with mainstream pop audiences and crossed over to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.5, making it one of only two singles the band charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written and originally recorded by Dallas Frazier back in 1966, yet the definitive version would be the Oak Ridge Boys cover. Both Elvira and the album's only other single (I'm Settin') Fancy Free would top the Billboard Country charts, and became signature songs for the Oak Ridge Boys, popular to this day. The album itself became the band's first to top the Billboard Country album charts, and would be certified double platinum some three years after its release, making it one of the first country albums to achieve this featMarch 26, 1980 ~ Rock & roll, R&B, pop drummer John Poulos passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Buckinghams, known for a string of mid to late 1960s singles including Don't You Care, Mercy Mercy Mercy, Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song) and perhaps their best known Kind Of A Drag. The latter would top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967 ~ Poulos was born in 1947
March 26, 1977 ~ In its 10th week on the charts, Rich Girl by Hall & Oates hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Contrary to rumors the song was not about noted socialite Patty Hearst, but rather about a former boyfriend of Daryl Hall's girlfriend Sara Allen, with whom she remained friends. Hall would explain to American Songwriter: “He came to our apartment, and he was acting sort of strange. His father was quite rich. I think he was involved with some kind of a fast-food chain. I said, ‘This guy is out of his mind, but he doesn't have to worry about it because his father's gonna bail him out of any problems he gets in.’ So I sat down and wrote that chorus: ‘He can rely on the old man's money, he can rely on the old man's money, he's a rich guy.’ I thought that didn't sound right, so I changed it to Rich Girl. He knows the song was written about him”March 26, 1977 ~ Jazz guitarist Håvard Stubø born in Narvik, Norway ~ Worked with Tore Johansen, Roger Arntzen, Trond Sverre Hansen, Atle Nymo, Andreas Amundsen, Jørn Øien, Knut Riisnæs, Torbjörn Zetterberg, Håkon Mjåset Johansen, Jupiter, Magnus Forsberg, Steinar Nickelsen, Jonas Kullhammar, Roger Arntzen, Torstein Lofthus, Daniel Franck, Tord Ronning Krogtoft, Tomasz Stańko, Jimmy Owens, Arve Henriksen, Olavi Louhivuori, Marita Røstad, and Jazz & Fly Fishing
March 26, 1975 ~ Terius Gray, commonly known as rapper Juvenile, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Member of Hot Boys. Debuted as a solo artist with the full-length Being Myself album in 1995. First gained serious attention with his third album, 1998's 400 Degreez which spawned the Billboard top 20 hit Back That Azz Up featuring Lil Wayne and Mannie Fresh. Also known for his 2004 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 Slow Motion featuring Soulja Slim. Has also worked with Birdman, Shawty Lo, Rick Ross, BG, Rich Gang, and G-Eazy