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.
May 11, 1947 ~ Claude Hudson Trucks, commonly known as drummer Butch Trucks, born in Jacksonville, Florida, USA ~ Co-founding member of 31st of February which would eventually evolve into the Allman Brothers Band, known for songs such as Ramblin' Man, Jessica, Good Clean Fun, Seven Turns, and End Of The Line ~ Trucks passed away in 2017
May 11, 1946 ~ Michel Latraverse, commonly known as singer, guitarist, pianist Plume Latraverse, born in Montreal, Canada ~ Considered one of the most influential figures in Quebec counterculture. Dubbed “the French (language) Frank Zappa” with some two dozen albums to his name starting in the mid 1970s. Perhaps best known for his 1982 A Fond D'Train album. Would semi-retire from music by the mid-1980s to focus on painting and writing
May 11, 1946 ~ Rock keyboardist, film composer Zoran Simjanovic born in Belgrade, FPR Yugoslavia ~ Briefly a member of Siluete from 1961 through 1962. Subsequently rose to fame as member of pioneering rock band Elipse from 1962 through 1968. After the band disbanded Simjanovic would go on to become an in-demand songwriter and from the mid 1970s onwards one of the nation's most revered film composers with over 60 soundtracks to his credit including The Flagrance Of Wild Flowers, Balkan Express, and Maleyevic's Cross ~ Simjanovic passed away in 2021
May 11, 1944 ~ Pop, soft rock producer, arranger, songwriter David Mackay born in Sydney, Australia ~ Classically trained in piano, clarinet, music theory, and composition. In-house engineer, producer, A&R executive for EMI Australia, for whom he produced a number of 1960s acts including the Twilights before relocating to the UK. Well-known for co-producing Bonnie Tyler's first two albums, which spawned the hit singles More Than A Lover and the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit It's A Heartache. Other notable hit songs include Never Ending Song Of Love, I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony), and Beg Steal Or Borrow for the New Seekers, Power To All Our Friends for Cliff Richard, and the double A-side Breakin' Away/That's Livin' Alright for Joe Fagin
May 11, 1943 ~ Bassist Les Chadwick. full name John Leslie Chadwick, born in Liverpool, UK ~ Original member of Gerry & the Pacemakers, alongside Arthur McMahon, Freddie Marsden and Gerry Marsden, known for a string of 1960s UK hits such as How Do You Do It, I Like It, You'll Never Walk Alone, I'm The One, Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying and Ferry Cross The Mersey ~ Chadwick passed away in 2019
May 11, 1941 ~ Singer Eric Burdon, full name Eric Victor Burdon, born in Walker-on-Tyne, UK ~ One of the most distinctive singers to emerge during the British Invasion, known for his powerful vocals. Lead singer for Alan Price Rhythm & Blues Combo, soon renamed the Animals after Burdon joined the band. The band is known for hits such as The House Of The Rising Sun, I'm Crying, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, We Gotta Get Outta This Place, Don't Bring Me Down, and San Franciscan Nights, all of which reached top 20 on both sides of the Atlantic. Burdon joined forces with American funk rock unit War in 1970, appearing on the album Eric Burdon Declares War and its follow-up Tha Black Man's Burdon. Subsequently Burdon has released over half a dozen albums as a solo artist
May 11, 1939 ~ Bossa nova singer, guitarist, songwriter Carlos Lyra, full name Carlos Eduardo Lyra Barbosa, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Helped define bossa nova. Among the first songwriters to be recorded by João Gilberto. Frequent songwriting collaborator of Ronaldo Bôscoli, Geraldo Vandré, Vinicius de Moraes. Known for songs such as Quanda Chegares, Criticando, Voce E Eu, Lobo Bobo, Aruanda, and Quem Quiser Encontrar O Amor ~ Lyra passed away in 2023May 11, 1939 ~ Jazz, R&B trumpeter, hornist, trombonist, pianist Johnny Trudell born ~ In-demand Motown studio and session musician. Worked with Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves, the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Tribe, and Wendell Harrison ~ Trudell passed away in 2021
May 11, 1939 ~ Richard Dean Taylor, commonly known as singer R Dean Taylor, born in Toronto, Canada ~ Had his first taste of success in his early twenties, the singles At The High School Dance and I'll Remember enjoying some popularity in his native Canada. In an attempt to boost his career, he relocated to Detroit, where he became one of the first white singers signed by Motown. Initially, Taylor had little success as a singer, yet he co-wrote several songs for labelmates including perhaps most notably Love Child and I'm Livin' In Shame for the Supremes, the former a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit for the girl group in 1968. Other songs co-written by the Canadian include All I Need (the Temptations), I Know Better (Gladys Knight & the Pips), I'll Turn To Stone (the Four Tops), and Just Look What You've Done (Brenda Holloway). As a singer, he scored one major hit for the label with the self-penned, self-produced Indiana Wants Me, which reached No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970 as well as top 10 in Canada, the UK, and Ireland. Several follow-ups were less sucessful, yet eventually have become appreciated by British R&B aficionados including There's A Ghost In My House, later covered by Graham Parker, and Gotta See Jane, later notably covered by the Fall and the Golden Earring. Taylor has been quoted as saying: “Most of my work was bigger in England. Thank God for the English people who embraced me” ~ Taylor passed away in 2022
May 11, 1938 ~ Rock & roll singer, guitarist, songwriter Johnny Devlin, full name John Lockett Devlin, born in Raetihi, New Zealand ~ Enjoyed a brief spell of succes from during the late 1950s, starting with his Lloyd Price-cover Lawdy Miss Clawdy released in 1958. Over the next few years would draw massive crowds, open for the Everly Brothers, and score a number of hits before fading from view by the turn of the 1960s. Wrote Good Looking Boy, a 1961 hit for Patsy Ann Noble. Enjoyed some popularity in neighbouring Australia, noted for his mid 1960s singles Stomp The Tumbarumba, Blue Suede Shoes and Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On with the then unknown Gibb siblings of the Bee Gees providing backup vocals on all three songs, but failed to repeat his earlier succes
May 11, 1936 ~ Lovella May Borg, commonly known as jazz, free jazz pianist, composer Carla Bley, born in Oakland, California, USA ~ Over two dozen albums to her name as a leader or co-leader, best known for her 1971 Escalator Over The Hill jazz opera. Married to pianist Paul Bley, who encouraged her to compose, from 1957 to 1964. Married to trumpeter Michael Mantler from 1965 to 1991. Considering herself “99% composer and 1% pianist” Bley would become especially renowned as a composer, writing pieces such as Bent Eagle recorded by George Russell, Ictus recorded by Jimmy Giuffre, and Sing Me Softly Of The Blues recorded by Art Farmer. To rock audiences known for her association with Pink Floyd-drummer Nick Mason, producing, writing all the material of and playing piano on Mason's Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports solo debut album, which also featured Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt on vocals ~ Borg passed away in 2023
May 11, 1931 ~ Soul jazz organist Freddie Roach born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ One of a handful of hammond players that made history in the 1960s. Roach recorded 5 critically acclaimed albums in the mid to late 1960s for Blue Note Records, notably 1964's Good Move, and 3 more for Prestige Records. Roach also worked as a sideman with Ike Quebec, Willis Jackson and Donald Byrd. Roach retired from the music business in 1970 and ventured into theater, playwriting and film ~ Roach passed away in 1980
May 11, 1930 ~ Frederick Russell Jones, commonly known as hard bop, cool jazz, post-bop pianist Ahmad Jamal, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known for leading a trio with guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Israel Crosby for most of the 1950s and early 1960s. Over 50 albums to his name as leader or co-leader over a career spanning six decades, specifically acclaimed for Chamber Music Of The New Jazz, At The Pershing (But Not For Me), and Listen To The Ahmad Jamal Quintet. Converted to islam while in his twenties, taking the name Jamal, and once sued jazz critic Leonard Feather for using his birthname of Jones ~ Jones passed away in 2023
May 11, 1930 ~ Maria Clotilde Belo de Carvalho Rosa Franco, commonly known as harpist, flutist, composer Clotilde Rosa, born in Queluz, Portugal ~ Co-founded the Lisbon Contemporary Group in 1970, which also included her second husband Jorge Machado. Formed the Trio Antigua by the end of the decade, working with Carlos Franco and Luisa de Vasconcelos, focusing on ancient music. Member of the Porto Symphony Orchestra. Retired her orchestral career in 1987 to teach harp at The Music School of Lisbon's National Conservatory, Lisbon, the first contemporary harp syllabus taught in Portugal ~ Rosa passed away in 2017
May 11, 1930 ~ Bolero coloratura-soprano singer Xiomara Alfaro born in Havana, Cuba ~ First gained attention starring in the original cast of Batamú, a musical revue composed by Obdulio Morales. Would go on to become a beloved bolero singer of the 1950s Cuban music scene dubbed “the Nightingale of Music” for her warm, soulful interpretations. Looking back on her career, Alfaro would comment on her career in a 2007 interview: “I try to transmit to my audience when I sing. God gave me a gift. And when God gives you something, you use it” ~ Alfaro passed away in 2018May 11, 1928 ~ Violinist, conductor, composer Emil Bohnke passed away near Pasewalk, Germany ~ Composed orchestral music, concertos and works for piano. Worked with the Bandler Quartet, the Busch String Quartet, the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. Best known for his composition Symphony Op.16 premiered by the Staatskapelle Berlin shortly after his death ~ Bohnke was born in 1888
May 11, 1924 ~ Jazz trumpeter, hornist Oscar Valdambrini born in Turin, Italy ~ Central figure in the development of Italian jazz. Worked with Rex Stewart, Gianni Basso, Armando Trovaioli, Gil Cuppini, Duke Ellington, Giorgio Gaslini, Maynard Ferguson, Franco Ambrosetti, Conte Candoli, Dusko Gojkovic, Freddie Hubbard, Mel Lewis, Frank Rosolino, Ernie Wilkins, and Kai Winding ~ Valdambrini passed away in 1996
May 11, 1920 ~ Jazz singer Beryl Bryden, full name Beryl Audley Brown, born in Norwich, UK ~ Influenced by blues singer Bessie Smith. Once named “Britain's queen of the blues” by Ella Fitzgerald. Worked with Humphrey Lyttelton, Freddy Randall, Mick Mulligan, George Melly, Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan, Monty Sunshine, Rod Mason, the Metropolitan Jazz Band, Digby Fairweather, and Nat Gonella ~ Bryden passed away in 1998May 11, 1916 ~ Pianist, organist, composer, conductor Max Reger, full name Johann Baptist Josepg Maximilian Reger, passed away in Leipzig, German Empire ~ Initially primarily a composer of Lieder, chamber music and choral music, later turning to orchestral compositions such as Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Mozart, Gesang Der Verklärten, and Hebbel Requiem ~ Reger was born in 1873
May 11, 1913 ~ Salvador Camarata, commonly known as trumpeter, producer, composer, arranger Tutti Camarata, born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, USA ~ Lead trumpeter for Jimmy Dorsey early on in his career, also arranging tracks such as Tangerine, Green Eyes, and Your. Has also worked with the likes of Benny Goodman, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Duke Ellington prior to relocating to the UK where he co-founded London Records with Decca Records executive Edward Lewis with the aim of distributing classical music from the UK to America. Camarata is also known for his association with Walt Disney, serving as music director and producer for Disneyland Records, and from the 1980s onwards as owner of The Sound Factory, one of the top recording studios in California used by numerous top artists ~ Camarata passed away in 2005
May 11, 1911 ~ Winstead Sheffield Glendenning Dixon Weaver, commonly known as actor, comedian, singer Doodles Weaver, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Member of Spike Jones's musical comedy troupe the City Slickers from 1946 through 1951, for whom he introduced the character Professor Feetlebaum who spoke in spoonerisms. Weaver was also notably present on William Tell Overture, satirising a well known sports announcer of the day. As a solo artist Weaver recorded a novelty version of Eleanor Rigby, a spoof of the Beatles song. Weaver was also an early contributor to Mad magazine, and has guested acted in numerous TV shows and films ~ Weaver passed away in 1983May 11, 1906 ~ Swing, dixieland, jazz trombonist JC Higginbotham born in Social Circle, Georgia, USA ~ Leader and in-demand sideman. Has worked with Luis Russell, Benny Carter, Red Allen, Chick Webb, Fletcher Henderson, the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Kenny Burrell, Buck Clayton, Coleman Hawkins, Alberta Hunter, Cootie Williams, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Louis Armstrong ~ Higginbotham passed away in 1973
May 11, 1905 ~ Wilbur Joe McCoy, commonly known as Delta blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Kansas Joe McCoy, born in Raymond, Mississippi, USA ~ Brother of Papa Charlie McCoy. Husband of Memphis Minnie. Best known for co-writing Why Don't You Do Right, recorded by Lil' Green, Benny Goodman, and by Peggy Lee. Other artists who have recorded his songs include Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, the Ink Spots, Ella Fitzgerald, Led Zeppelin (When The Levee Breaks), Jo-Ann Kelly, Cleo Laine, and A Perfect Circle ~ McCoy passed away in 1950