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 13, 1912 ~ Ian Ernest Gilmore Green, commonly known as jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, composer Gil Evans, born in Toronto, Canada ~ Helped develop cool jazz, modal jazz, free jazz. Closely associated with Miles Davis, arranging the pivotal Davis albums Miles Ahead, Porgy & Bess and Sketches Of Spain. Has also worked with Kenny Burrell, Claude Thornhill, Glen Hall, Astrud Gilberto, Kimiko Kasai, Masabumi Kikuchi, Lee Konitz, Lucy Reed, Ray Russell, James Senese, and Lew Soloff ~ Green passed away in 1988
May 13, 1909 ~ Conductor, arranger, composer Ken Darby, full name Kenneth Lorin Darby, born in Hebron, Nebraska, USA ~ Sang the vocal parts for the Munchkinland mayor in the 1939 Wizard Of Oz. Led the Ken Darby Singers, backng Bing Crosby on the 1942 classic recording of White Christmas. Composer and production supervisor for Walt Disney Studios including for the 1946 animated film Song Of The South. Vocal coach for Marilyn Monroe for the films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and There's No Business Like Show Business. Wrote the lyrics of Elvis Presley's 1956 hit Love Me Tender. Awarded Academy Awards for his work on the scores of the 1959 film Porgy & Bess and the 1967 film Camelot ~ Darby passed away in 1992May 13, 1842 ~ Composer Arthur Sullivan, full name Arthur Seymour Sullivan, born in Lambeth, UK ~ Wrote operas, orchestral and choral works, ballets. Best known for co-penning a number of operas with dramatist WS Gilbert, notably HMS Pinatore, The Pirates Of Penzance, and The Mikado, the duo paving the way for the musical theater of the 20th century ~ Sullivan passed away in 1900