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 19, 2024 ~ R&B, pop, disco, soul singer, vocal coach Peggi Blu passed away ~ In-demand backing singer, active since the 1970s, appearing on albums by Archie Shepp, Lou Courtney, Stephanie Mills (Merciless), Bob Dylan (Empire Burlesque), Brian Setzer, Barbra Streisand, Tracy Chapman, Quincy Jones (Back On The Block), Kylie Minogue, Laura Branigan, Cherrelle, Leonard Cohen (The Future), Melissa Manchester, Wanda Dee (The Goddess Is Here), Alice Cooper (Dirty Diamonds), and Neil Sedaka. Blue has recorded sporadically as a solo artist, noted most for the singles Tender Moments and All The Way With You, both lifted off her 1987 Blu Blowin' album. A winner of a TV talent show herself, having won Star Search back in 1986, Blu is best known as a vocal coach for the American Idol talent show in the 2000s ~ Blu was born in 1945
May 19, 2023 ~ Alternative rock bassist Andy Rourke, full name Andrew Michael Rourke, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of the Smiths, joining the band shortly after its first gig. The band is considered one of the most important to emerge from 1980's Britain indie scene and recorded four albums including the acclaimed The Smiths debut album released in 1984 and The Queen Is Dead two years later. Well-known songs include Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Sheila Take A Bow, and This Charming Man. Rourke has also appeared on Sinéad O'Connor's 1990 I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got album, backed former bandmate singer Morrissey on several of his solo outings, worked with the Pretenders, and formed Freebass ~ Rourke was born in 1964
May 19, 2023 ~ Singer, songwriter, poet Pete Brown, full name Peter Ronald Brown, passed away in Hastins, UK ~ Had his first poem published at age 14. Founded the First Real Poetry Band which also featured guitarist John McLaughlin. Also associated with Pete Brown & Piblokto, Battered Ornaments, and Cream. Co-penned some of the latter's best known songs including I Feel Free, White Room, and The Sunshine Of Your Love. Has also worked with Graham Bond, Phil Ryan, and Gary Brooker ~ Brown was born in 1940
May 19, 2022 ~ Soul, R&B, funk, jazz, gospel keyboardist, singer Bernard Wright passed away in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Worked with Tom Browne at age 16. Sessioned with Doug E Fresh, Cameo, Bobby Brown, Pieces Of A Dream, Charles Earland, Marcus Miller, and Miles Davis. As a solo artist recorded half a dozen albums, starting with 'Nard released in 1981. Often sampled by the likes of Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Skee Lo, and LL Cool J. Known for songs such as Just Chillin' Out, Haboglabotribin', Funky Beat and Who Do You Love, the latter reaching top 10 on the Billboard R&B charts. Starting in the 1990s Wright would focus mostly on gospel ~ Wright was born in 1963
May 19, 2021 ~ Folk singer, guitarist, songwriter Alix Dobkin, full name Alix Cecil Dobkin, passed away in Woodstock, New York, USA ~ Emerged from the Greenwich Village coffeehouse scene. Actively recording since the early 1970s. Best known for her Lavender Jane Loves Women, released in 1973 ~ Dobkin was born in 1940
May 19, 2021 ~ Country, folk, pop singer, songwriter Johnny Ashcroft, full name John Lewis Ashcroft, passed away in Sydney, Australia ~ Married to country singer Gay Kayler, with whom he has also collaborated. Primarily a country and folk singer, songwriter, yet has also recorded pop, skiffle, jazz and even disco at time using the moniker the Baron. Known best for songs such as Little Boy Lost, Playground In My Mind, Big River, The Girl Behind The Bar and Bailing Up The Mail ~ Ashcroft was born in 1927May 19, 2020 ~ Singer Todd Tilghman wins the 18th season of The Voice, aired on NBC ~ Leaving singer Toneisha Harris in second place, Todd Tilghman wins the 18th season of the talent show The Voice. Then aged 41, Tilghman would become the show's oldest winner. Tilghman, a pastor from Meridian, Mississippi, with no professional singing experience other than singing in his church choir, would later explain his decision to audition for the show: “I felt kind of an inner pull to try something new, even though The Voice was a real shot in the dark. And I had friends that encouraged me to do it. Lastly, my wife really insisted that I go through with the audition.”
May 19, 2019 ~ Jazz, classical pianist, composer Alfred Janson passed away in Oslo, Norway ~ Known for works such as November for piano, the ballet Mot Solen and Sonnet Number 76 for choir and solo voice. Janson's work may sometimes be politically themed and he is one of the few Norwegian composers who has had a demonstration held against a performance of one of his works, Interlude For Orchestra Og Accordeon which was written as a salute to Arne Treholt, a convicted Russian spy ~ Janson was born in 1937
May 19, 2019 ~ Singer Laine Hardy wins American Idol ~ Beating fellow finalists Alejandro Aranda and Madison Vandenberg, Laine Hardy wins the 17th season of talent show American Idol aired on ABC. Hardy had previously released his In The Bayou debut EP. Following his success on the show, he released his Flame single, which became a moderate hit. Two years later, Hardy follow up with his full-length Here's To Anyone debut, but failed to repeat his earlier success
May 19, 2016 ~ Bluegrass singer, guitarist James King, full name James Elroy King, passed away in Salem, Virginia, USA ~ Dubbed “the Bluegrass Storyteller” by Tom T Hall for his ability to infuse his story songs with emotion and authenticity. First gained attention working with the Stanley Brothers, appearing on the albums Stanley Brothers Classics and Reunion With George Shuffler. Recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with It's A Cold Cold World released in 1989 ~ King was born in 1958May 19, 2016 ~ Hardcore punk guitarist John Berry passed away in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA ~ Co-founded the Beastie Boys with Adam Yauch and Kate Schellenbach. Came up with the band's name. Berry departed the band in 1982, prior to their rise to fame, and would be succeedeed by Adam Horovitz ~ Berry was born in 1963
May 19, 2015 ~ At age 16, singer Sawyer Fredericks becomes the youngest contestant to win the talent contest The Voice ~ Beating fellow finalist Meghan Linsey, folk, blues singer, guitarist Sawyer Fredericks wins the 8th season of The Voice, aired on NBC. Following his success on the show, Fredericks released his eponymous Sawyer Fredericks debut EP later the same year. Although it reached top 10 on both the Billboard Folk and Billboard Rock charts, Fredericks failed to cross over to mainstream audiences
May 19, 2014 ~ Reggae, pop, reggae fusion singer OMI releases Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix), lifted off his Me 4 U debut album ~ Omar Samuel Pasley, more commonly known as OMI, had been working on Cheerleader for years, fine-tuning the song over the years. An early version was released in 2008 on the indie label Oufah, which would top the charts in his native Jamaica. For his full-length Me 4 U album several producers were sought out to provide a remix of the song. The tropical house version by German remixer, producer Felix Jaehn would be an international hit, and reach the No.1 spot in well over a dozen countries including Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, and America. Jaehn would later recollect to Artist Direct: “That was early 2014. I was putting out songs online at that time mainly bootlegs. I just remixed songs I liked and found online. Record companies started to contact me to do official remixes, and one of those songs was OMI's Cheerleader. They sent into me in the original version which was reggaeton released in 2012. I felt the vibes, had a great vision, and thought I could do something with it. So, I asked for the acapella. Then, I took the vocal, made it a lot faster, almost 20-30bpms faster, and I built the new track remix around the vocal.”
May 19, 2011 ~ Kathleen O'Rourke, commonly known as singer Kathy Kirby, passed away in London, UK ~ Known for early 1960s UK hits such as Dance On, the Doris Day cover Secret Love, Let Me Go Lover, and You're The One. Represented UK at the 1965 Eurovision Songfestival with I Belong, reaching 2nd place right after France Gall's Poupée De Cire (Poupée De Son). Kirby also notably worked with Bert Ambrose, Nat Allen, and the Denny Boyce Band ~ O'Rourke was born in 1938
May 19, 2010 ~ Ennis L Lowery, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist Larry Dale, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ As a solo artist known for songs such as Let The Doorbell Ring, Big Muddy and Drinking Wine (Spo-dee O-dee). Influenced the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones. Worked with Paul Williams, Big Red McHouston, Mickey Baker, Champion Jack Dupree, and Bob Gaddy ~ Dale was born in 1923May 19, 2007 ~ Singer Dolly Parton sings I Will Always Love You for Porter Wagoner's 50th anniversary celebration at the Grand Ole Opry ~ Parton sings I Will Always Love You, one of her best known, for her mentor and one-time partner Porter Wagoner at Wagoner's 50th anniversary celebration. Dolly Parton had originally written the song in 1973 specifically with Wagoner in mind. The original recording had been a Billboard Country No.1 hit off her 1974 landmark Jolene album, and remains one the best known of her lengthy career
May 19, 2007 ~ Label executive, producer, songwriter Frank Guida passed away in Norfolk, Virginia, USA ~ Best known for discovering Gary US Bonds, known for New Orleans and Quarter To Three, both produced by Guida. Helped establish “the Norfolk Sound”. Also worked with Leroy Toombs, Jimmy Soul (If You Wanna Be Happy), Tommy Facenda (High School USA), Lenis Guess, and Pamala Stanley ~ Guida was born in 1921
May 19, 2006 ~ Jazz trumpeter Charles Turner, full name Charles Henry Turner, passed away in Bunnell, Florida, USA ~ Best known for his association with Frank Sinatra. Also worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Dorsey, Ralph Flanagan, Harry James, Charlie Spivak, Count Basie, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ava Gardner, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Wayne Newton, Andy Williams, Robert Goulet, Red Skelton, John Denver, Vic Damone, Steve Lawrence, and Eydie Gormé ~ Turner was born in 1936May 19, 2004 ~ Arnold Dwight Moore, commonly known as blues, gospel singer, songwriter, pastor Gatemouth Moore, passed away in Yazoo City, Mississippi, USA ~ Worked with Bennie Moten, Tommy Douglas, Walter Barnes, Ida Cox, Ma Rainey, and Bertha Hill. As a songwriter had his songs recorded by Louis Jordan, Lonnie Johnson, Johnny Otis, Rufus Thomas, Jimmy Witherspoon, and by BB King who once called Moore “one of the greatest blues singers ever” ~ Moore was born in 1913
May 19, 2002 ~ The 33rd edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. A sunny weekend, this year's edition would draw a crowd of in total some 63,000 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 19th's bill would be Lamb, Faithless, Racoon, Di-rect, Alien Ant Farm, Def P & Beatbusters, the Dropkick Murphys, An Pierlé, Super Furry Animals, E-Life, and Zero 7
May 19, 2000 ~ Folk trio Peter Paul & Mary kick off their US tour with a three-night stand in Las Vegas, Nevada ~ Celebrating their 40th year together folk trio Peter Paul & Mary kick off their US tour in Las Vegas. The trio were especially popular during the 1960s, scoring Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits with If I Had A Hammer, Puff The Magic Dragon, Blowin' In The Wind, Don't Think Twice It's All Right, I Dig Rock & Roll Music, and their 1969 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit Leaving On A Jet Plane
May 19, 1998 ~ Film composer Edwin Astley, full name Edwin Thomas Astley, passed away in Goring-on-Thames, UK ~ Known for numerous film scores and TV themes, notably for the TV series The Saint, Danger Man and The Baron. Astley's daughter Karen Astley would be married to the Who-frontman, guitarist, singer Pete Townshend from 1968 until 2009, with whom she has three children ~ Astley was born in 1922
May 19, 1998 ~ Pop duo Sonny & Cher awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, Hollywood, California ~ The couple started their career in the mid 1960s as backing singers for producer Phil Spector. They would go on to score a string of hits through the early 1970s, including the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits I Got You Babe, The Beat Goes On and A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done, and host their own hugely popular TV show. For Sonny the honour would be awarded posthumously, as he passed away in a skiing accident the previous January
May 19, 1997 ~ Blues singer, guitarist Asie Payton, full name Asie Reed Payton, passed away in Washington County, Mississippi, USA ~ Made a living as a farmer and recorded one album, Worried, near the end of his life. It would be released posthumously in 1998 to critical acclaim ~ Payton was born in 1937
May 19, 1997 ~ The 28th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. Mostly sunny and warm, this year's edition would draw a crowd of in total 49, 200 visitors. Included on today's, Saturday the 17th's bill would be Fountains Of Wayne, Silverchair, the Gathering, Kula Shaker, de Osdorp Posse, Live, Beck, Nada Surf, Eels, Supergrass, Tracy Bonham, the Counting Crows, dEUS, Bush, Cake, Skik, and Atari Teenage Riot