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 15, 2025 ~ Musical composer, lyricist Charles Strouse, full name Charles Louis Strouse, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Wrote or co-wrote over two dozen musicals, including Broadway musicals such as Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, and Annie. Strouse also wrote or co-wrote several soundtracks, notably Bonnie & Clyde, orchestral works, chamber music, piano concertos, and opera. His Concerto America premiered in 2002, commemorating the 9/11 terror attacks ~ Strouse was born in 1928May 15, 2025 ~ Kerry Byles Jr, commonly known as reggae, rocksteady, ska singer, songwriter Junior Byles, passed away in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Also known under the moniker King Chubby. Formed the trio the Versatiles in 1967 with Dudley Earl and Ben Louis Davis, known for their 1967 hit The Time Has Come. After the band disbanded in 1970 Byles would go on to record as a solo artist. Well known songs include What's The World Coming To, Beat Down Babylon, Place Called Africa, Joshua Desire, Pharaoh Hiding, Fever, Curley Looks and Fade Away. Due to a declining health Byles' career would slow down by the end of the 1970s, yet he would continue to record new material from time to time ~ Byles was born in 1948
May 15, 2024 ~ Pianist, keyboardist John Hawken, full name John Christopher Hawken, passed away in Metuchen, New Jersey, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Nashville Teens, known for their 1964 recording of Tobacco Road and its follow-up Google Eye both of which would reach top 10 in their native UK. Member of Renaissance, with whom he recorded the albums Renaissance and Illusion at the turn of the 1970s. Member of Strawbs during the mid 1970s, present on the albums Hero And Heroine and Ghosts. Hawken has also worked with Luther Grosvenor, Claire Hamill, the Sutherland Brothers, and Illusion ~ Hawken was born in 1940May 15, 2022 ~ Gospel, R&B singer, songwriter, actress Deborah Fraser passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa ~ Backing singer for the likes of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lucky Dube, Brenda Fassie, Rebecca Malope, Hugh Masekela, and Jonas Gwangwa. Released her Abanye Bayombona solo debut album in 2000, which would go on to sell over 1 million copies. Well known for her 2016 hit Ngeke Ngiyeke Ukuthandaza ~ Fraser was born in 1965
May 15, 2022 ~ Punk rock, rock guitarist Ricky Gardiner passed away ~ Active since the early 1960s. Formed Beggar's Opera. Best known for his work with Iggy Pop on the 1977 Lust For Life album, notably credited for coming up with the characteristic guitar riff on The Passenger, and with David Bowie on the Low album issued the same year ~ Gardiner was born in 1948
May 15, 2021 ~ Jazz bassist Mario Pavone passed away in Clearwater, Florida, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Paul Bley, Bill Dixon, Barry Altschul, Wadada Leo Smith, Gerry Hemingway, Anthony Braxton, Thomas Chapin, Michael Sarin, Matt Wilson, Gerald Cleaver, Peter Madsen, Joshua Redman, Tony Malaby, Dave Douglas, Steven Bernstein, George Schuller, Craig Taborn, Jimmy Greene, Samm Bennett, and Paul Bley ~ Pavone was born in 1940May 15, 2020 ~ Singer, keyboardist, songwriter Denny DeMarchi passed away ~ Brother of guitarist Steve DeMarchi. Backed Dolores O'Riordan on her 2007 world tour. Toured with the Cranberries during the band's reunion tour from 2009 through 2011. Also noted for his signature keyboard notes on More Than Words Can Say, a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit for Alias in 1990 ~ DeMarchi was born in 1962
May 15, 2015 ~ Southern rock, country, rock singer Chris Stapleton releases his Traveller debut album ~ Already a revered songwriter, having written or co-written songs for the likes of Patty Loveless, Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack, Tim McGraw, and George Strait, Chris Stapleton's debut album, an updated hybrid of old-school country and Southern rock with a fair amount of soul thrown in for good measure, receives wide critical acclaim. Traveller would top both the Billboard Country charts and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. All of the album's three singles, Traveller, Nobody To Blame, and Parachute, reached top 20 Billboard Country. At the 58th Grammy Awards, the album would win Best Country Album, and be nominated for Album of the Year, losing out to 1989 by Taylor Swift
May 15, 2011 ~ Jazz, traditional pop singer, trombonist, double bassist Bob Flanigan, full name Robert Lee Flanagan, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Longtime member of vocal group the Four Freshmen, known for 1950s hits such as Mood Indigo, Day By Day, Graduation Day and perhaps their best known It's A Blue World. Flannigan retired from performing in 1992 but would remain involved with the group ~ Flanigan was born in 1926
May 15, 2008 ~ Jazz, big band, pop pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger Bob Florence, full name Robert Chase Florence, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Child prodigy. Gave his first recital at age 7. Worked in bands led by Les Brown, Louie Bellson, and Harry James. Worked as arranger, conductor, bandleader for artists such as Count Basie, Sérgio Mendes, Joe Pass, Bud Shank. Sideman with Julie Andrews, Sue Raney, and Joanie Sommers ~ Florence was born in 1932May 15, 2005 ~ The 36th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. A sunny and warm weekend, this year's edition would draw a total of some 20,000 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 15th's bill would be Sick Of It All, Beef, Within Temptation, Moneybrother, Madrugada, the Frames, and de Heideroosjes
May 15, 2005 ~ Soul, gospel singer Theola Kilgore passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Featured vocalist on the Mount Zion Spiritual Choir's Look To The Hills. As a solo artist best known for The Sound Of My Man (Working On The Chain Gang), an answer song to Sam Cooke's Chain Gang, and for her 1963 single The Love Of My Man which barely missed the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 ~ Kilgore was born in 1925
May 15, 2004 ~ Singer, songwriter Ruslana wins the 49th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Istanbul, Turkey ~ Representing Ukraine singer Ruslana wins with the song Wild Dances co-written by Ruslana with Alexandr Ksenofontov, leaving Serbia & Montenegro in second place, represented by Zeljko Joksimovic with Lane Moje, and Greece in third, represented by Sakis Rouvas with Shake It
May 15, 2003 ~ Country, folk, gospel, rockabilly singer, guitarist, banjoist, keyboardist, autoharpist, songwriter June Carter, full name Valerie June Carter, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Member of the Carter Family and the Carter Sisters. As a solo artist known for upbeat 1950s country, rockabilly songs, notably Jukebox Blues and No Swallerin' Place. As a songwriter best known for penning Ring Of Fire for her then-future husband Johnny Cash. Married to Cash, who proposed to her during a live performance on-stage, from 1968 until her death ~ Carter was born in 1929May 15, 1999 ~ Club DJ, artist manager, label executive Rob Gretton passed away in Manchester, UK ~ Leading figure in late 1970s Manchester punk scene. Manager of Joy Division and New Order. Label co-owner of Factory Records for which Gretton signed artists such as Section 25, X O Dus, Crispy Ambulance, the Stockholm Monsters, Minny Pops, the Names, Quando Quango, Wake, 52nd Street, and the Happy Mondays ~ Gretton was born in 1953
May 15, 1999 ~ In its 9th week on the chart, Please Remember Me by Tim McGraw hits No.1 Billboard Country ~ Originally recorded by Rodney Crowell for his 1995 Jewel Of The South album. While Crowell's original single stalled at No.69 on the Billboard Country chart, the song would become better known as covered by Tim McGraw a few years later. Besides topping the Billboard Country chart, McGraw's cover also reached No.10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Will Jennings, who had co-written the song with Crowell, would later recollect: “Rodney and I poured out our feelings about ending relationships, realizing the damage done, and wishing departed lovers a better life than they had with us. It's about a breakup, and it was a particular person I had in mind, which I cannot reveal”
May 15, 1995 ~ Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde, commonly known as singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter Birdy, born in Lymington, UK ~ Stunned audiences by winning the talent show Open Mic UK in 2008, at age 12. Would go on to release her debut single, a cover of Bon Iver's Skinny Love, and her subsequent ful-length eponymous Birdy solo debut album in late 2011. The album would reach top 10 across the globe including No.1 positions in Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands. Has recorded consistently to critical acclaim and a growing fanbase
May 15, 1993 ~ Singer Niamh Kavanagh wins the 38th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Milstreet, Ireland ~ Representing Ireland, Niamh Kavanagh wins with the song In Your Eyes written by Jimmy Walsh. Trailing would be the UK in second place, represented by Sonia with Better The Devil You Know, and Belgium in third place represented by Barbara Dex with Iemand Als Jij
May 15, 1992 ~ Post-punk outfit the Cure release Friday I'm In Love, lifted off their Wish album ~ While writing the song, Robert Smith became convinced he had inadvertently stolen the melody but was unable to remember where from. He called everyone he could think of to play them the melody, asking if they knew. Nobody claimed or recognized it, so eventually Smith realized it was all his own after all. The single would be a global hit, become their second and final American top 20 hit, peaking at No.18 Billboard Hot 100, and reach No.6 in the band's native UKMay 15, 1991 ~ Experimental, electronic, folk singer, songwriter Derek Piotr born in Lublin, Poland ~ Actively recording since the early-2010s with close to a dozen albums to his name. Especially acclaimed for his 2018 Grunt album, collaborating with Kevin Drumm. By the end of the decade would begin researching Appalachian folk music, resulting in the 2021 Making And Then Unmaking album
May 15, 1989 ~ R&B, pop, dance, soul, hip-hop singer, pianist, songwriter Alex Jacke born in Los Feliz, California, USA ~ Released his full-length DFM Deluxe debut album in 2013. Has worked with Jesse McCartney, Laney Stewart, and Speakerbomb
May 15, 1989 ~ Songwriter, pianist Johnny Green, full name John Waldo Green, passed away in Beverly Hills, California, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-writing Body And Soul from the 1930 Broadway musical Three's A Crowd with Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Sour. The song would be first introduced by Gertrude Lawrence in the UK and by Libby Holman in the USA. The song became a jazz standard recorded by numerous artists including notably Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Paul Whiteman, Jack Fulton, and as a duet by Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse ~ Green was born in 1908May 15, 1989 ~ The 20th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Sunny, some 40,000 visitors show up for this edition's bill which includes REM, Marc Almond, Tanita Tikaram, John Hiatt, the Jeff Healey Band, the Nits, the Pixies, Rory Block, Elvis Costello, and Fishbone
May 15, 1987 ~ indie rock singer, drummer, guitarist, bassist, saxophonist, keyboardist Eric Slick born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known as drummer of Dr Dog since 2010. Released his Palisades solo debut album in 2017 to critical acclaim. Has also worked with Adrian Belew, Nels Cline, Daniel Rossen, R Stevie Moore, Cass McCombs, Ween, Rushton Kelly and appears on Taylor Swift's 2021 track You All Over Me
May 15, 1982 ~ Pop, dance, house singer, songwriter, actress Jessica Sutta, full name Jessica Lynn Sutta, born in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Best known as member of girl group the Pussycat Dolls, present on the band's 2005 PCD and 2008 Doll Domination albums. As a solo singer known for dance hits such as 2011's Show Me, 2013's Lights Out and 2016's Distortion, the latter also included on her 2017 full-length I Say Yes solo debut album