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 6, 1989 ~ Country singer Garth Brooks releases Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old), lead single off his eponymous debut album ~ Issued as Brooks' debut single, it would become his first hit, reaching top 10 on the country charts both in Canada and on the American Billboard Country chart, where it reached No.8. Penned by Brooks and Randy Taylor, the then-unknown Garth Brooks initially came up with the tale of a musician on the road. Taylor suggested to make the song about a rodeo cowboy instead, which later led to some confusion as people figured the song was co-written by another Randy Taylor, an actual rodeo cowboy turned announcer. When American Songwriter reached out to both Taylors, the mix-up was cleared. Taylor, the rodeo cowboy, commented he had often been asked about the song but never even met the singer. Taylor, the songwriter, would say of the song's success: “I just got lucky. Actually, it was a combination of luck and working with somebody who was really good”
March 6, 1984 ~ Organist, composer Pierre Cochereau, full name Pierre Eugène Charles Cochereau, passed away in Lyon, France ~ Best known as organist of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1955 until his death nearly three decades later. Regarded as one of the greatest organists and improvisers of his day. After his death the Conservatory of Nice would be renamed in his honour ~ Cochereau was born in 1924
March 6, 1983 ~ Jazz trombonist Kai Winding, full name Kai Chresten Winding, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known for his association with trombonist JJ Johnson. Has also worked with Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Miles Davis (Birth Of The Cool), Kenny Burrell, Albert Mangelsdorff, Quincy Jones, King Pleasure, Pete Rugolo, Zoot Sims, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Tony Bennett, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Astrud Gilberto, Chuck Mangione, and the Birdlanders ~ Winding was born in 1922
March 6, 1978 ~ Rock, indie rock pianist, organist, arranger, film composer Nate Walcott, full name Nathaniel Clifford Walcott, born in Albany, New York, USA ~ Member of Bright Eyes. Touring keyboardist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2016 through 2019. Film composer, notably for the 2014 The Fault In Our Stars feature film. In-demand collaborator, has worked with the Mystic Valley Band, James Mercer, Danger Mouse, Mystic, Rilo Kiley, She & Him, U2, Beck, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and the ShinsMarch 6, 1977 ~ Warren Anderson Mathis, commonly known as rapper Bubba Sparxxx, born in LaGrange, Georgia, USA ~ Known for songs such as Deliverance and Ugly, both featuring Timbaland, and Ms New Booty featuring Ying Yang Twins and Mr Collipark, the latter a Billboard top 10 hit in 2006. Has also worked with Petey Pablo, Danny Boone, Jadakiss, Justin Timberlake (Right For Me), Big Boi, the Lacs, and Shane Dollar
March 6, 1975 ~ Folk, country, rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Jim Sullivan, full name James Anthony Sullivan, disappeared, never to be seen again ~ Appeared as an extra in the cult film Easy Rider. Drawing critical comparison to Richie Havens, Gram Parsons, and Nick Drake, the enigmatic Sullivan has recorded two albums, 1969's UFO and 1972's eponymous Jim Sullivan, before disappearing in Mexico, never to be seen again. Over time, Sullivan has attracted a cult following, because of the rarity and obscurity of his albums as well as the mystery of his disappearance, which has remained a source for speculation since with claims of murder, suicide, and even alien abduction ~ Sullivan was born in 1940March 6, 1974 ~ Indie rock, art rock, progressive rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, percussionist Guy Garvey, full name Guy Edward John Garvey, born in Bury, UK ~ Best known as lead singer, guitarist for Elbow, a band active since the early 2000s scoring UK hits such as Asleep In The Back, Fallen Angel, Grounds For Divorce and One Day Like This. Produced I Am Kloot's 2001 Natural History debut album
March 6, 1972 ~ Paul Lannoy, commonly known as DJ, rapper, radio personality Troubleman, born ~ Has worked with Kick The Bass, Rhyme Cut Core, 't Hof Van Commerce. Resident DJ at several Gent nightclubs including Culture Club and Decandance. Co-hosts the hiphop radio show Bounce on Studio Brussel
March 6, 1967 ~ Constance Elaine Womack, commonly known as actress, singer Connie Britton, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as an actress for film and TV. Portrayed the role of country singer Rayna James in the ABC/CMT musical drama series Nashville from 2012 to 2018. Reached the Billboard Country top 40 with the duets No One Will Ever Love You with Charles Esten and Wrong Song with Hayden Panettiere, both taken from the Nashville series
March 6, 1967 ~ Singer, actor Nelson Eddy, full name Nelson Ackerman Eddy, passed away in Miami Beach, Florida, USA ~ Enjoyed popularity during the 1930s and 1940s, performing in concert, opera, radio, TV, and appearing in well over a dozen films. Has made close to 300 recordings, including duets with Risë Stevens, Nadine Connor, Doretta Morrow, Eleanor Steber, and Jo Stafford. Well known for songs such as Song Of The Mounties, Indian Love Call, Rose Marie, Lover Come Back To Me, Wanting You, I'll See You Again, and Spring Is Here ~ Eddy was born in 1901March 6, 1967 ~ Folk, folk-pop, pop rock singer, actor, TV personality Thomas Acda born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Rose to fame as half of Acda & De Munnik, the other half being Paul de Munnik, known for songs such as Niet Of Nooit Geweest, Ren Lenny Ren, 't Is Stil (Aan De Overkant), Als Het Vuur Gedoofd Is, Het Regent Zonnestralen and Mooi Liedje
March 6, 1966 ~ William Reese Owsley III, mononymously known as power pop, rock, bluegrass singer, guitarist Owsley, born in Anniston, Alabama, USA ~ Influenced by Kiss, Todd Rundgren, Chet Atkins, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson. Founded the Semantics with Millard Powers, a power pop outfit that also included Jody Spence and Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey. Critically acclaimed for a handful of solo albums starting with the eponymous Owsley album in 1999. Served as touring guitarist with Amy Grant and Shania Twain. Has also worked with Vince Gill, Michael W Smith, Chris Rodriguez, DC Talk, the Neville Brothers, Wynonna Judd, Faith Hill, Michael McDonald, Charlotte Church, Natalie Grant, James Ingram, Rodney Crowell, the Katinas, Graham Colton, and Kenny Loggins ~ Owsley passed away in 2010March 6, 1964 ~ Punk, hardcore punk bassist Marco Mathieu born in Turin, Italy ~ Member of Negazione, along with Raw Power and Wretched considered one of the premier hardcore punk bands in Italy during the 1980s and early 1990s. Mathieu had been in a coma since 2017 after suffering a stroke ~ Mathieu passed away in 2021
March 6, 1964 ~ Donald Ralph Ewing, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Skip Ewing born in Redlands, California, USA ~ Best known for a string of late 1980s country top 10 hits including I Don't Have Far To Fall, Burnin' A Hole In My Heart and It's You Again. Also wrote the Kenny Rogers-songs Listen To The Rain and If I Were A Painting, both of the 1990 Love Is Strange album
March 6, 1962 ~ Punk rock guitarist, songwriter Frank Navetta born in Manhattan Beach, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Descendents. Notably present on the band's debut single Ride The Wild which Navetta wrote, the 1981 EP Fat EP and their debut LP Milo Goes To College the next year, before departing the band to move to Oregon and become a fisherman. Navetta wrote or co-wrote some of the bands best known songs such as Mr Bass, Statue Of Liberty, My Dad Sucks, and Rockstar. Navetta rejoined the Descendents for their 1996 album Everything Sucks, and reportedly was working on new songs with his former bandmates at the time of his death ~ Navetta passed away in 2008
March 6, 1959 ~ R&B outfit the Drifters record There Goes My Baby ~ Written by Ben E King, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. King's debut single as lead singer of the group, it would be released the following April featuring Oh My Love on the flip side. It would reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100 and top the Billboard R&B charts
March 6, 1958 ~ Siblings the Everly Brothers record All I Have To Do Is Dream at RCA Studios, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Written by Boudleaux Bryant. Released as a single in April 1958 the single would top all regular Billboard charts simultaneously. Featured on the flip side would be Claudette, Roy Orbison's first major songwriting succes. Actually, the single's succes would prompt Orbison to terminate his contract with Sun Records and sign with the Everly's publisher Acuff/Rose MusicMarch 6, 1958 ~ Country guitarist Redd Volkaert born in Vancouver, Canada ~ Considered among the top Telecaster guitarists in Western swing and honky tonk. Best known for his association with Merle Haggard. Has sessioned for Johnny Paycheck, George Jones, Ray Price, Clinton Gregory, Dale Watson, and Lacy J Dalton. Has also recorded as a solo artist, especially acclaimed for the albums No Stranger To A Tele and Reddhead
March 6, 1957 ~ Actor, singer Bill Johnson passed away in Flemington, New Jersey, USA ~ Made his Broadway debut at age 8 in the play Shipwrecked in 1924. Vaudeville performer through the 1930. Appeared in a handful of films, notably 1939's Mr & Mrs Jesse Crawford At Home singing the songs The Very Thought Of You and I Love You Truly ~ Johnson was born in 1916March 6, 1954 ~ Kimmie Ray Willingham, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter, actress Kimmie Rhodes, born in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA ~ Actively recording since the early 1980s. Protegé of Willie Nelson. Duetted with Waylon Jennings, Townes Van Zandt, Emmylou Harris, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Benmont Tench, and Delbert McClinton. Has also worked with Joe Ely, Cowboy Jack Clement, Gillian Welch, and Johnny Goudie
March 6, 1952 ~ Pianist Marielle Labèque born in Bayonne, France ~ Half of the Labèque Sisters, an internationally acclaimed piano duo with her sister Katia 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 6, 1951 ~ Bassist, singer, songwriter Milan Hlavsa, also known as Milan Mejla Hlavsa, born in Prague, Czechoslovakia ~ Influenced by the Velvet Underground and Frank Zappa. Co-founding member and primary songwriter for the Plastic People Of The Universe, a band that notably served as inspiration for the anti-establishment movement Charter 77. Two years after its inception the band would be stripped of their professional license to perform, effectively outlawing them, and most of its members would be arrested and tried. These arrests and trials helped convice Vaclav Havel to take action against the communist government, leading to the foundation of Charter 77 which aimed to persuade the government to follow the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Helsinki Accords. Following their release from prison the band would perform discreetly. In 1988 all restrictions against the band would be lifted ~ Hlavsa passed away in 2001
March 6, 1951 ~ Blues, blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter Walter Trout born in Ocean City, New Jersey, USA ~ Backed musicians such as John Lee Hooker, Percy Mayfield, Big Mama Thornton, and Joe Tex. Lead guitarist for Canned Heat from 1981 through 1984. Member of John Mayall's blues outfit the Bluesbreakers from 1984 through 1989. Over a dozen albums to his name as solo artist, at times backed by the Walter Trout Band or the Free Radicals, starting with the acclaimed 1989 Life In The Jungle albumMarch 6, 1948 ~ Singer, pianist, songwriter Peter McCann born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA ~ Wrote or co-wrote songs recorded by Stark & McBrien, Jennifer Warnes (Right Time Of The Night), Buck Owens, Julio Iglesias, Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Crystal Gayle, Millie Jackson, Earl Thomas Conley, Janie Fricke (She's Single Again), Louise Mandrell, Pake McEntire, KT Oslin, Mickey Gilley, and Bailey & the Boys
March 6, 1947 ~ Drummer Eric Gravatt, full name Eric Kamay Gravatt, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Member of the Weather Report from 1972 through 1974, appearing on the albums I Sing The Body Electric, Live In Tokyo and Sweetnighter. Also worked with Byard Lancaster, Lloyd McNeill, Julian Priester, Eddie Henderson, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, and Tony Hymas