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 12, 1975 ~ Jazz, pop accordionist, organist, singer Joe Mooney passed away in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA ~ Went blind around 10 years of age. Recorded with his brother Dan Mooney in the late 1920s as the Sunshine Boys and the Melotone Boys. Played piano with Frank Dailey, and with Buddy Rogers in the late 1930s. Arranged for Paul Whiteman, Vincent Lopez, Larry Clinton, and for the Modernaires through the early 1940s. Started his own quartet in 1943. Sang with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra in the 1950s ~ Mooney was born in 1911
May 12, 1975 ~ Country singer Merle Haggard releases Movin' On, lifted off his Keep Movin' On album ~ Initially written and recorded by Merle Haggard as the theme song to Keep Movin' On, a drama series centered around a big-rig truck driver and his college-educated co-driver which aired for two seasons on NBC. One year into the show, Haggard would record a full-length version, which topped the Billboard Country charts for one week in 1975
May 12, 1974 ~ Robert McArthur Hubbert, commonly known as post rock, flamenco guitarist, singer RM Hubbert, born in Glasgow, UK ~ Valued member of the Glasgow DIY scene since the early 1990s. Member of the Blisters, which also included future Franz Ferdinand singer Alex Kapranos. Member of post rock outfit El Hombre Trajeado, known for the albums Skipafone, Saccade, and Shlap. As a solo artist praised for his First & Last album self-released in 2009, consisting of solo guitar pieces based on flamenco structures and techniquesMay 12, 1972 ~ Alternative rock, garage rock, punk blues drummer Don Blum, full name Donald Joseph Blum, born in Michigan, USA ~ Member of the Von Bondies, best known for C'mon C'mon of their 2004 Pawn Shoppe Heart sophomore album. Blum also appeared on Freddy & the Four-Gone Conclusions' 2002 Wigged Out Sounds album
May 12, 1970 ~ Ifar Barzelay, commonly known as alt-country singer, guitarist, songwriter Eef Barzelay, born in Tel Aviv, Israel ~ Frontman and primary songwriter of alt-country outfit Clem Snide. The band is named after a character in several novels by William S Burroughs and has been recording since the 1990s. Barzelay is also known as a solo artist, releasing his Bitter Honey debut album in 2006, and has contributed to the soundtrack of the 2014 Rudderless musical drama filmMay 12, 1969 ~ Jazz pianist, accordionist, tubist, bandleader Erlend Skomsvoll, full name Erlend Fredrik Skomsvoll, born in Bærum, Norway ~ Member of Skomsork. Member of Wibutee. Also worked with Live Maria Roggen, Madrugada, the Kaizers Orchestra, Nils Petter Molvær, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Marit Sandvik, Kirsti Huke, Morten Abel, and Mark Adderley
May 12, 1968 ~ Guitarist, singer Dylan Carlson born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Influenced by Molly Hatchet, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, the Melvins, Terry Riley. Best known as guitarist, founding member of metal drone, post-rock outfit Earth. One-time roommate of a then-unknown Kurt Cobain of later Nirvana-fame, with whom he remained good friends until Cobain's death in 1994
May 12, 1966 ~ Isabel Gilberto de Oliveira, commonly known as bossa nova, samba, Latin pop singer, songwriter Bebel Gilberto, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Daughter of pioneering guitarist João Gilberto and singer Miúcha. Ha been performing since her youth. Released a collaborative album with Pedrinho Rodrigues, Um Certo Garaldo Pereira Funarte, in the early 1980s. Released her eponymous Bebel Gilberto solo debut EP in 1986, her 2000 full-length Tanto Tempo debut album followed in 2000. Has recorded consistently to critical acclaim since
May 12, 1965 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones record (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction at RCA Studios, Hollywood, California ~ Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. Recorded inbetween tour dates. One of the Stones' best known songs. Their first American No.1 hit. Mick Jagger vocals, Keith Richards electric guitar and backing vocals, Brian Jones acoustic guitar, Bill Wyman bass guitar, Charlie Watts drums, Jack Nitzsche piano, tambourine. Notably covered by Otis Redding who claimed he did not know the lyrics of the song: “I use a lot of words different than the Stones' version, that's because I made them up.”May 12, 1965 ~ Rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Tamio Okuda born in Hiroshima, Japan ~ Rose to fame in the 1980s as a member of Unicorn. The band is known for songs such as Working Man, WAO, and Half-Century Boy. Following the band's disbandement in 1994 Okuda has recorded as a solo artist, starting with Ai No Tame Ni, written for others including PUFFY, and worked with supergroup the Curling Sitones
May 12, 1965 ~ R&B singer Wilson Pickett records In The Midnight Hour at Stax Studios, Memphis, Tennessee ~ Written by Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper, the latter co-producing the song with Jim Stewart. Released as a single the following June, b/w I'm Not Tired, it would top the Billboard R&B chart and just barely stay out of the top 20 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Pickett is backed by Stax/Volt's finest session musicians featuring Cropper on guitar, Donald Duck Dunn bass, Joe Hall piano, Wayne Jackson trumpet, Andrew Love and Floyd Newman saxophones, Al Jackson Jr drums
May 12, 1962 ~ Singer, guitarist, producer Brett Gurewitz born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founding member, lead guitarist for punk rock outfit Bad Religion, best known for their 1994 Stranger Than Fiction which included the singles Infected and 21st Century Boy. Gurewitz also fronted Daredevils, a side project during one of his hiatuses from the band and known for the single Hate You. Gurewitz founded the Epitaph Records label and has served as producer for the likes of NOFX, Rancid, and PennywiseMay 12, 1961 ~ Rock drummer André Jung born in Recife, Brazil ~ Member of Titas, present on the band's eponymous Titas debut album released in 1984. Would go on to work with Ira, known for songs such as Nucleo Base, Flores Em Voce and Envelheco Na Cidade
May 12, 1961 ~ William Henry Duffy, commonly known as rock, alternative rock, post-punk guitarist Billy Duffy born in Hulme, UK ~ Influenced by Thin Lizzy, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the New York Dolls, the Stooges, the Sex Pistols, AC/DC. Co-founded the Cult with Ian Astbury, known best for She Sells Sanctuary of their 1985 Love sophomore album. Duffy has also worked with Theatre Of Hate, Coloursound, the Cardboard Vampyres, and Circus Diablo
May 12, 1959 ~ Hard rock, blues rock singer Ray Gillen, full name Raymond Arthur Gillen, born in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, USA ~ Briefly fronted Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s. More of a blues rock singer than a heavy metal singer, critically compared to Robert Plant, Paul Rodgers, and Steve Marriott, Gillen would become best known as lead singer for Badlands. Present on the band's first two albums, the eponymous Badlands debut album released in 1989, and its follow-up Voodoo Highway two years later. Has also worked with Phenomena, Savatage, Blue Murder, Raging Slab, George Lynch, Sun Red Sun, and Rondinelli ~ Gillen passed away in 1993
May 12, 1956 ~ Keyboardist, percussionist, musical director, songwriter Greg Phillinganes, full name Gregory Arthur Phillinganes, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Released two albums as a solo artist, Significant Gains in 1981 and Pulse in 1984. In-demand session keyboardist. Present on Stevie Wonder's seminal Songs In The Key Of Life album. Musical director for Michael Jackson, present on albums such as Off The Wall, Thriller, and Bad. Other notable collaborations include Earth Wind & Fire, Paulinho Da Costa, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Syreeta Wright, Tavares, Gil Scott-Heron, Flora Purim, George Benson, Minnie Riperton, the Pointer Sisters, Patti Austin (Every Home Should Have One), Lionel Richie, Donald Fagen (The Nightfly), James Ingram, Joe Cocker (Civilized Man), Al Jarreau, Whitney Houston, the Bee Gees, Joyride, Christina Aguilera, Michael Bublé, Toto, and Jill Scott
May 12, 1955 ~ R&B, soul, gospel, jazz singer, pianist, songwriter Garry Glenn, full name Garry Dewayne Glenn, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ While still in his teens toured with his sister, gospel singer Beverly Glenn. Released his eponymous solo debut album, Garry Glenn, in 1980. Best known as a songwriter, songs written or co-written by Glenn recorded by artists such as Dianne Quander, the Dramatics, Earth Wind & Fire (Share Your Love), the Emotions, Eddie Kendricks (Intimate Friends), Jean Carn, Anita Baker (Caught Up In The Rapture), Atlantic Starr (Armed & Dangerous), Santana, Natalie Cole (Gonna Make You Mine), and Pieces Of A Dream ~ Glenn was born in 1991
May 12, 1955 ~ Leon Eric Brooks III, commonly known as singer, songwriter Kix Brooks born in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA ~ As a solo artist known for his 1989 eponymous Kix Brooks album, spawning the single Sacred Ground. Rose to fame as half of Brooks & Dunn duo with Ronnie Dunn, debuting in 1991 with the Brand New Man album. The duo would dominate the Billboard Country charts since, scoring numerous hits including Neon Moon, Boot Scootin' Boogie, She Used To Be Mine, That Ain't No Way To Go, Little Miss Honky Tonk, A Man This Lonely, Husbands And Wives, It's Getting Better All The Time, Play Something Country, Cowgirls Don't Cry featuring Reba McEntire
May 12, 1953 ~ Blues, rock, reggae guitarist, singer Donald Kinsey born in Gary, Indiana, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Kinsey Report, which also included Ron Prince, his brothers Ralph Kinsey and Kenneth Kinsey, and patriarch Big Daddy Kinsey. Kinsey is also well known for his association with Albert King, appearing on the albums Blues At Sunset and Blues At Sunrise, both recorded live mostly at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland, and as a member of Peter Tosh's backing unit including on the albums Legalize It, Bush Doctor, and Mama Africa. Other notable associations include Bob Marley (Rastaman Vibration), Burning Spear, Betty Wright, Roy Buchanan (Hot Wires), and Denroy Morgan ~ Kinsey passed away in 2024May 12, 1953 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer Odd Riisnæs born in Oslo, Norway ~ Son of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs, brother of saxophonist Knut Riisnæs. Leader and sideman. Has worked with Dag Arnesen, Arve Henriksen, Kjell Karlsen, Geir Lysne, Nils Petter Molvær, Jon Eberson, Terje Gewelt, Jon Balke, Audun Kleive, and Oslo 13
May 12, 1952 ~ Blues guitarist, banjoist, actor Guy Davis born ~ Has been recording since the late 1970s. First gained attention as actor in the mid-1980s. First combined music and acting in Mulebone, a 1991 Broadway musical featuring the music of Taj Mahal. Received critical praise for playing the role of Robert Johnson in the play Trick The Devil. Has since written his own plays and recorded numerous well-received blues albums
May 12, 1950 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Billy Squier, full name William Haislip Squier, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Enjoyed a string of 1980s hits bridging the gap between hard rock and power pop. His best known being 1981's The Stroke and 1984's Rock Me Tonite, both of which reached Billboard Hot 100 top 20. Also noted for having guested in Ringo Starr & his All-Starr BandMay 12, 1950 ~ Singer, drummer, producer John Marcellino, commonly known as Jocko Marcellino, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Founding member of Sha Na Na, present at the original the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, in the 1978 Grease and on their eponymous Sha Na Na TV show. Also known as actor, including in films such as Rain Man and TV shows such as Law & Order SVU
May 12, 1950 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion, soul jazz organist, keyboardist Ronnie Foster born in Buffalo, New York, USA ~ Known for a string of 1970s Blue Note albums over time held in the highest acclaim by aficionados and influential on hip hop and especially 1990s acid jazz. Especially acclaimed for The Two-Headed Freap and On The Avenue released respectively in 1973 and 1975. Guested on key albums such as George Benson's Breezin' and Stevie Wonder's masterpiece Songs In The Key Of Life. Other notable collaborations include Grant Green, Roberta Flack, Roy Ayers, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lamont Johnson, Flora Purim, Lalo Schifrin, the Jacksons, Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Chayanne, Fuse One, Earl Klugh, João Bosco, and Lee RitenourMay 12, 1949 ~ Blues harpist, singer, bandleader James Montgomery born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Frontman and eponym of the James Montgomery Blues Band, active since the early 1970s. The band has recorded well over a dozen albums and would serve as launching pad for artists such as Billy Squier, Jeff Golub, Nunzio Signore, Jeff Pevar, Jeff Levine, and Tom Gambel