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 2, 1945 ~ John Raymond Goadsby, commonly known as keyboardist Goldy McJohn, born in Toronto, Canada ~ Classically trained pianist. Pioneered the use of the electronic organ in rock. Best known as original member of Steppenwolf remaining with the group from its inception in 1967 through 1975 and present on the band's best known including Born To Be Wild. Previously a member of the Mynah Birds which at the time also included Rick James and Bruce Palmer ~ Goadsby passed away in 2017May 2, 1945 ~ Alexander Minto Hughes, commonly known as reggae, ska singer Judge Dread, born in Kent, UK ~ Influenced Ian Dury and Buster Bloodvessel. Known for his sexual innuendo and double entendres, reportedly has more songs banned by the BBC than any other artist. Second only to Bob Marley in terms of reggae sales during the 1970s. Known for songs such as Big Six, Big Seven and Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus ~ Hughes passed away in 1998
May 2, 1945 ~ R&B singer Randy Cain, full name Herbert Randal Cain III, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known as a member of the Delfonics, including on the 1970 Grammy-winning Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit. Cain left the group in 1971 to be succeeded by Major Harris ~ Cain passed away in 2009
May 2, 1944 ~ Rock drummer Bob Henrit, full name Robert John Henrit, born in Broxbourne, UK ~ Co-founding and constant member of Argent, known best for the early 1970s UK top 20 hits Hold Your Head Up and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, the former also reaching top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. In-demand session musician, notably present on Dave Davies's 1980s Glamour and Chosen People albums. Has also worked with Unit 4+2, the Roulettes, Charlie, Ian Matthews, and with latter day incarnations of the Kinks replacing Mick Avory in 1984May 2, 1944 ~ Drummer, percussionist John Ware born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA ~ In-demand session drummer known for his associations with the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, the Corvettes, Linda Ronstadt, the Stone Poneys, the First National Band, Emmylou Harris, Jesse Ed Davis, Hoyt Axton, Kaleidoscope, Karla Bonoff, Jackie DeShannon, Michael Nesmith, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, George Jones, Larry Groce, Ricky Skaggs, and Janie Fricke
May 2, 1941 ~ Jazz pianist Connie Crothers born in Palo Alto, California, USA ~ Leader and sidewoman. Studied under Lennie Tristano and founded the Lennie Jazz Foundation in his honour. Has worked with artists such as Max Roach, Richard Cabris, Cameron Brown, Roger Mancuso, Lenny Popkin, Bob Casanova, Jessica Jones, and Pauline Oliveros ~ Crothers passed away in 2016
May 2, 1941 ~ Edouard Louise, commonly known as organist, singer Eddy Louiss, born in Paris, France ~ Member of Double Six in the early 1960s. Closely associated with Claude Nougaro, with whom he worked for about a dozen years starting in the mid 1960s. Internationally perhaps best known for guesting on Stan Getz's acclaimed 1971 Dynasty album. Other notable associations include Jean-Luc Ponty, Michel Legrand (The Young Girls Of Rochefort), Gong, André Condouant, Stéphane Grappelli, Quincy Jones, Daniel Humair, Albert Mangelsdorff (Room 1220), Toots Thielemans, and Jane Birkin ~ Louiss passed away in 2015May 2, 1936 ~ Arnold George Dorsey, commonly known as traditional pop, schlager, easy listening singer Engelbert Humperdinck, born in Madras, British India ~ Regarded as one of the finest middle-of-the-road balladeers, selling over 140 million records over the course of his career. Draws from schlagers, traditional pop and easy listening enjoying his biggest successes in the 1960s and 1970s. Best known for songs such as Release Me, The Last Waltz, After The Lovin' and This Moment In Time
May 2, 1934 ~ Singer, songwriter, author Olle Adolphson born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Alongside Birger Sjöberg, Evert Taube, and Cornelis Vreeswijk considered one of the greatest Swedish songwriters of the 20th century. Known for songs such as Gustaf Lindströms Visa, Okända Djur, Mitt Eget Land, Det Gåtfulla Folker, and Trubbel ~ Adolphson passed away in 2004
May 2, 1933 ~ R&B, doo-wop singer Ernest Warren born ~ Member of the Spaniels, known for 1950s hits such as Baby It's You and Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight, the latter later remaining popular to this day featured in several films including American Graffiti ~ Warren passed away in 2012
May 2, 1933 ~ Pianist, conductor, arranger Valentín Trujillo, full name Valentin Trujillo Sanchez, born in Santiago, Chile ~ Teaching himself to play piano at age 4, Trujillo would go on to become one of Chile's most well known and beloved pianists. Closely associated with a number of radio and TV shows, most notably serving as arranger, conductor and pianist on the popular TV show Sabado Gigante for well over a decade starting in the early 1960s. Influenced by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and especially George Gershwin. Well over a dozen albums to his name, starting with Un Piano Con Alma in 1958. Over the course of his career, Trujillo has worked with visiting international artists such as Nat King Cole, Sara Montiel, Bill Haley, Domenico Modugno, and Elis Regina, as well as with some of the best known Chilean artists including Cecilia, Los Huasos Quincheros, Arturo Gatica, and Vicente Bianchi. Although purists dismissed Trujillo's style, claiming Trujillo wasted his talents on popular music, the pianist himself has stated: “I have no doubt that I've been more useful to popular music than I could have been as a regular pianist of classical music. Popular music is great music. They talk about ‘minor art’ with a pejorative tone. It's a kind of classism, of pretentiousness”
May 2, 1931 ~ Richard Arnold Holmes, commonly known as jazz, hard bop, soul jazz organist Richard Groove Holmes, born in Camden, New Jersey, USA ~ Praised for his swinging style, supplemented by a harmonic and melodic edge. Recorded prolifically as leader or co-leader since the early 1960s, especially noted for the albums After Hours and Soul Message. To mainstream audiences best known for his 1965 crossover hit Misty, originally penned and first recorded by Erroll Garner. An in-demand sideman and collaborator, Holmes has appeared on albums by Houston Person, Bumble Bee Slim, Les McCann, Gene Ammons (Groovin' With Jug), Gerald Wilson, Lou Rawls (Black And Blue), Earl Bostic, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Kloss (Love And All That Jazz), Dakota Staton, Elvin Jones, Jimmy McGriff, Willis Jackson, and Ry Cooder (Crossroads). Holmes passed away at age 60 of a heart attack after a battle with prostate cancer, shortly after performing his last concerts in a wheelchair at the Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago, Illinois ~ Holmes passed away in 1991
May 2, 1929 ~ Fred Lincoln Wray Jr, commonly known as guitarist, songwriter Link Wray, born in Dunn, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known for the 1958 instrumental hit Rumble, one of the earliest songs using distorted feedback later commonly used in punk and hard rock ~ Wray passed away in 2005May 2, 1927 ~ Cellist Anna Shuttleworth born in Bournemouth, UK ~ Acclaimed soloist and chamber cellist. Co-founding member of the Vivien Hind String Quartet. Affectionately referred to as “the Swellest Cellist” by composer Ralph Vaughan Williams ~ Shuttleworth passed away in 2021
May 2, 1924 ~ Actor, folk singer, guitarist Theodore Bikel, full name Theodore Meir Bikel, born in Vienna, Austria ~ Co-founded the Newport Folk Festival. Has recorded over 30 albums as a folk singer, guitarist starting in the mid 1950s. As an actor known for roles in Moulin Rouge, My Fair Lady, The Defiant Ones, earning an Academy Award-nomination for his role in the latter. As a musical actor best known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in the original Broadway production of The Sound Of Music ~ Bikel passed away in 2015
May 2, 1922 ~ Singer Ada Jones, full name Ada Jane Jones, passed away in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA ~ Lacking the ability to read music or play an instrument Jones learned songs by ear. Among the first female singers to be recorded. Sang ballads, ragtime, vaudeville and comedy. Known for songs such as Sweet Marie, The Volunteer Organist, The Yama Yama Man and especially for a number of hit duets with Billy Murray including Blue Feather, Shine On Harvest Moon, Some Sunday Morning and Cuddle Up A Little Closer ~ Jones was born in 1873
May 2, 1922 ~ Singer, actor Serge Reggiani born in Reggio Emilia, Italy ~ Best known as an actor performing in some 80 films and various stage plays since the mid 1940s. Member of the French Resistance during World War II. Ventured out into music by the mid 1960s aided by singer, actor Yves Montand to become one of the most acclaimed chanson singers known for songs such as Les Loups Sont Entres Dans Paris and Sarah ~ Reggiani passed away in 2004
May 2, 1915 ~ Songwriter, singer Doris Fisher born in New York, New York, USA ~ Daughter of Fred Fisher, sister of Dan Fisher and Marvin Fisher, all respected songwriters. Doris wrote or co-wrote songs recorded by the Ink Spots (Whispering Grass, Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall), Louis Prima (Angelina (The Waitress At The Pizzeria)), Billie Holiday (That Ole Devil Called Love), Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, Pearl Bailey, the Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, and Moon Mullican (You Always Hurt The One You Love), Slim Gaillard (Tutti Frutti), Stan Kenton, Ella Mae Morse, and Pearl Bailey ~ Fisher passed away in 2003
May 2, 1915 ~ Alexander Van Vliet Feldman, commonly known as bandleader, arranger, composer Van Alexander, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-wrote A-Tisket A-Tasket with Ella Fitzgerald, a 1938 hit for the latter based on a 19th century nursery rhyme, later covered by numerous artists including Teddy Wilson, the Platters, and Bing Crosby. Alexander has led his own band into the 1940s, conducted orchestras for the likes of Kay Starr, Dolores Gray, and Dakota Staton, and authored First Arrangement which is considered a textbook on composing and arranging for film as well as his autobiography From Harlem To Hollywood. Alexander is perhaps best known for his work for TV and film, working as an arranger and composer for shows such as Bewitched, I Dream Of Jeannie, and The Dean Martin Show, and scoring numerous soundtracks including The Atomic Kid, Baby Face Nelson, and the cult classic Strait-Jacket. Alexander served as a mentor to Johnny Mandel, who at Alexander's 100th birthday bash commented: “He threw me in the water and yelled ‘swim’. If it wasn't for Van, I don't know what I'd be doing” ~ Feldman passed away in 2015May 2, 1914 ~ Double bassist Frank Fields, full name Frank Nomer Fields, born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, USA ~ Closely associated with Dave Bartholomew and Cosimo Matassa, becoming a first-call session musician for many New Orleans based acts including Fats Domino (The Fat Man), Professor Longhair, Little Richard (Tutti Frutti), Smiley Lewis, Shirley & Lee, Lloyd Price, Huey Piano Smith, and Ray Charles ~ Fields passed away in 2005
May 2, 1905 ~ Composer Alan Rawsthorne born in Haslingden, UK ~ Initially steered away from musical ambitions, Rawsthorne eventually defied his parents and became a professional musician after abortive starts at careers in dentistry and architecture. Regarding the former, Rawsthorne would later comment: “I gave that up, thank God, before getting near anyone's mouth”. Following his musical studies, Rawsthorne would get his start in music in the early 1930s, working as a pianist and teacher in Devon, the UK, before breaking through by the end of the decade with a performance of his own composition Theme And Variations For Two Violins. Rawsthorne would go on to become an acknowledged composer, praised for his distinctive style, writing chamber music, choral works, sonatas, concertos for piano, oboe, and violin, symphonies, and from the mid 1940s onwards notably a number of soundtracks ~ Rawsthorne passed away in 1971
May 2, 1897 ~ Songwriter J Fred Coots, full name John Frederick Coots, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Wrote over 700 songs, over a dozen Broadway shows. Best known for co-penning Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town with Haven Gillespie. The song, first recorded by banjoist Harry Reser, would become a Holiday classic recorded by over 200 artists including Bing Crosby, the Crystals, Mariah Carey, Chris Isaak, the Temptations, and Bruce Springsteen ~ Coots passed away in 1985
May 2, 1895 ~ Lyricist Lorenz Hart, full name Lorenz Milton Hart, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Richard Rodgers, with whom Hart wrote over two dozen Broadway musicals including Babes In Arms, The Boys From Syracuse, Pal Joey and On Your Toes. Songs co-written by Hart include Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered (Vivienne Segal, the Platters, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra) Glad To Be Unhappy (Doris Carson, Lena Horne, Buddy Rich), It Never Entered My Mind (Shirley Ross, Lee Wiley, Julie London), My Funny Valentine (Mitzi Green, Sarah Vaughan, Marvin Gaye), You Are Too Beautiful (Al Jolson, Bobby Troup, Arthur Prysock), Ten Cents A Dance (Ruth Etting, Doris Day, Shirley Horn), Mimi (Maurice Chevalier, the Lane Brothers) ~ Hart passed away in 1943May 2, 1864 ~ Jacob Liebmann Beer, commonly known as opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer, passed away in Paris, France ~ Linked Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Richard Wagner. Merged the German orchestra style with Italian vocal tradition. Known for operas such as Robert Le Diable and Il Crociato In Egitto ~ Beer was born in 1791
May 2, 1660 ~ Baroque composer Alessandro Scarlatti, full name Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti, born in Palermo, Italy ~ Widely regarded as one of the most important composers of late Baroque, with over 100 operas, 600 cantates to his name. Considered a key figure in what was to become known as the Neopolitan school of opera, Scarlatti's catalogue forms a link between early Baroque Italian vocal styles of the 17th century and the classical school of the 18th century. Pioneered the use of the Italian overture in three movements, allegro, adagio, allegro, which would form the foundation of the classical symphony. Scarlatti was also noted for his novel use of woodwind and horns. But above all, the composer is known for his thematic development and chromatic harmony, influencing later composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert. Well known works include Il Mitridate Eupatore, La Principessa Fedele, Scipione Nelle Spagna, and Il Tigrane. Although Scarlatti was most acclaimed for his operas and less for his sacred works, the mass Saint Cecilia Mass has been regarded as innovative, a style of sacred music later further developed by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. Two of Scarlatti's sons, Domenico Scarlatti and Pietro Filippo Scarlatti, would also become composers ~ Scarlatti passed away in 1725