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 22, 1946 ~ Bassist Leon Francioli born in Lausanne, Switzerland ~ Founded Sunnymoon with Werner Ludi, Stephan Wittwer and Fredy Studer. Also worked with Beb Guérin, Pierre Favre, George Gruntz, Michel Portal, Jerry Chardonnens, Albert Mangelsdorff, Jean Francois Bovard, Francois Lindemann, Alex Theus, Joe McPhee, Mario Schiano, and Daniel Bourquin ~ Francioli passed away in 2016
May 22, 1942 ~ Keyboardist, percussionist, singer Calvin Simon, full name Calvin Eugene Simon, born in Beckley, West Virginia, USA ~ Closely associated with George Clinton, having served in the Parliaments, Parliament and Funkadelic. Ventured out on his own by the late 1970s, causing confusion when releasing the 1981 Connections And Disconnections with Fuzzy Haskins and Grady Thomas using the moniker Funkadelic. Co-founded Original P in 1998, performing until 2007. As a solo artist known for a number of gospel albums, notably Share The News released in 2004 ~ Simon passed away in 2022May 22, 1941 ~ Singer Jackie Landry Jackson born ~ Member of short-lived girl group the Chantels, known for the million-seller Maybe which reached the Billboard top 20 in 1958. Subsequent recordings would chart considerably lower, if at all, and the group would be dropped by their label in 1959 ~ Jackson passed away in 1997
May 22, 1941 ~ Conductor, composer Sebastian Forbes born ~ Son of violist, arranger Watson Forbes. Brother of singer Rupert Forbes. Best known for his association with the Aeolian Singers. As a composer known for string quartets such as Symphony In Two Movements and Evening Canticles as well as numerous works for viola such as Crete Songs, Viola Fantasy and St Andrew Solo
May 22, 1939 ~ Jazz drummer, bandleader Dick Berk, full name Richard Alan Berk, born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Ted Curson, Bill Barron, Charles Mingus, Mose Allison, Freddie Hubbard, Walter Bishop Jr, Milt Jackson, George Duke, Cal Tjader, Jean-Luc Ponty, Blue Mitchell, the Jazz Adoption Agency, Andy Martin, Mike Fahn, Nick Brignola, Jon Nagorney, Keith Saunders, Tad Weeds, John Patitucci, and Don Friedman ~ Berk passed away in 2014
May 22, 1937 ~ Rodolfo Enrique Cabral Camiñas, commonly known as singer, songwriter Facundo Cabral, born in La Plata, Argentina ~ Protested military dictatorships throughout Latin America through his music and activism from the 1970s onwards. Exiled from Argentina after the 1976 military coup. Named UNESCO Messenger of Peace in 1996. Well-known for songs such as No Soy De Aqui (Ni Soy De Allá) and Vuele Bajo. Had his songs covered by Jorge Cafrune, Alberto Cortez, Juan Luis Guerra, and Joan Manuel Serrat ~ Cabral passed away in 2011
May 22, 1935 ~ Jazz, pop, salsa trombonist Barry Rogers born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Influenced by Jack Teagarden, Lawrence Brown, JC Higginbotham. First gained attention working with Latin jazz musicians such as Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colón, Bobby Valentín, Marvin Santiago. Also noted for his association with pivotal jazz-rock outfit Dreams. Has also collaborated with Cachao, Machito, Manny Oquendo, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, Pucho & his Latin Soul Brothers, White Elephant, the Fania All-Stars, George Benson, David Byrne, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, Carly Simon, and Grover Washington Jr ~ Rogers passed away in 1991May 22, 1935 ~ Jazz, free jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, pianist Giuseppi Logan born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Earl Bostic, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Bill Dixon, Don Pullen, Eddie Gomez, Milford Graves, Dave Burrell, Byard Lancaster, Patty Waters, and Roswell Rudd ~ Logan passed away in 2020
May 22, 1934 ~ Bernard Nierow, commonly known as pianist, conductor Peter Nero, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Best known for founding the Philly Pops in 1979, with whom he switched effortlessly between pop, jazz and classical, meanwhile educating his audiences on music history. Nero has recorded prolifically since the late 1950s, racking up some 50 albums as a solo pianist, leader, or occasionally as a collaborator including with Frankie Carle and Floyd Cramer (3 Great Pianos), and with the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. In concert, Nero has been known to play piano with one hand while conducting with the other. In a 1982 interview with the New York Times, he elaborated on how he preferred to play without a set program: “When I've had a chance to gauge the kind of audience I have and decide what direction I should take, I revise the printed program after the first number, tear it apart.” In addition to several Grammy Awards, including for his recording of the Michel Legrand composed soundtrack for the 1971 coming-of-age film Summer of '42, Nero holds six honorary doctorates, and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Federation of Musicians in 2009 ~ Nierow passed away in 2023May 22, 1930 ~ Pop, R&B, doo-wop tenor singer Jimmy Keyes born ~ Member of the Chords, best known for their 1954 doo-wop classic Sh-boom, co-written by Keyes. Canadian vocal quartet the Crew Cuts would successfuly cover the song the same year. Keyes was also a member of the Four Notes and of the Tunestoppers ~ Keyes passed away in 1995
May 22, 1930 ~ Trumpeter, singer, bandleader Kenny Ball, full name Kenneth Daniel Ball, born in Essex, UK ~ Known for songs such as Samantha, Midnight In Moscow and The March Of The Siamese Children. Worked with Sid Phillips, Charlie Galbraith, Eric Delaney, Terry Lightfoot, the Jazzmen, Don Lushner, John Bennet, Andy Cooper, Ron Weatherbun, Johnny Parker, Hugh Ledigo, Paddy Lightfoot, Ron Bowden, Vic Pitt, John Benson, and John Fenner ~ Ball passed away in 2013
May 22, 1925 ~ Operatic tenor James King born in Dodge City, Kansas, USA ~ In-demand opera and concert singer enjoying popularity since the 1950s. Generally considered one of America's greatest heldentenors, known for roles in operas composed by Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. Closely associated with the Metropolitan Opera, working with the renowned company for some three decades starting with his debut in the role of Florestan in Ludwig van Beethoven's sole opera Fidelio in 1966 ~ King passed away in 2005
May 22, 1924 ~ Chahnour Varenagh Aznavourian, commonly known as singer Charles Aznavour born in Paris, France ~ One of France's most popular singers dubbed France's Frank Sinatra. Has collaborated with Edith Piaf, Fred Astaire, Andrea Bocelli, Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Dusty Springfield, Liza Minnelli, Mia Martini, Elton John, Dalida, Serge Gainsbourg, Josh Groban, Petula Clark, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, José Carreras, Nana Mouskouri, Julio Iglesias, Mireille Mathieu, Luciano Pavarotti, Céline Dion, Sting, Laura Pausini, Paul Anka, Plácido Domingo, and Youssou n'Dour ~ Azanavourian passed away in 2018
May 22, 1914 ~ Herman Poole Blount, commonly known as jazz bandleader, pianist, poet Sun Ra, born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA ~ Led the musical collective the Arkestra from the 1950s until his death in the early 1990s, drawing from a wide variety of jazz subgenres including ragtime, swing, bebop, free jazz, avant-garde and jazz fusion. Pioneered the use of electric keyboards and synthesizers. Blount has adamantly claimed to have had encounters with extra-terrestrials and have visited Saturn, a theme regularly adressed in his music ~ Blount passed away in 1993
May 22, 1913 ~ Jazz guitarist Art Ryerson born in Columbus, Ohio, USA ~ Emerged in the 1930s. Played acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo. Appears on the early recordings of Bill Haley including on Crazy Man Crazy, What'cha Gonna Do, Pat-a-cake and I'll Be True. Worked with Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Mildred Bailey, Ruby Braff, Erroll Garner, Lionel Hampton, Bobby Hackett, Ellis Larkins, Red Norvo, Anita O'Day, Hot Lips Page, Artie Shaw, Mel Tormé, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Fats Waller, Elvis Presley, and Eartha Kitt ~ Ryerson passed away in 2004May 22, 1910 ~ Aaron Gant, commonly known as blues pianist, singer Pinetop Sparks, born in Lee County, Mississippi, USA ~ Though Sparks died young, at a mere age 25, has left an indelible mark on blues for co-writing and first recording Every Day I Have The Blues in 1935. The song would go on to become a blues standard, especially after Memphis Slim's 1949 reworking. It has been covered by numerous artists, most notably Count Basie and several times by blues icon BB King. Sparks grave would be unmarked for nearly eight decades, before a fan club finally honored him laying a headstone on his grave marked with his name, birth and death dates, a keyboard and the epitaph “every day i have the blues” ~ Sparks passed away in 1935
May 22, 1891 ~ Jazz violinist, trombonist Eddie Edwards, full name Ernest Branford Edwards, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Worked with Papa Jack Laine, Ernest Giardina, Johnny Stein. Best known as early member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, present on Livery Stable Blues considered one of the first commercially released jazz recordings. Also noted for penning the band's Sensation Rag, later covered by Bix Beiderbecke, Fletcher Henderson, Joe Venuti and notably performed by Benny Goodman at the landmark The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert. Has also worked with Jimmy Durante, Larry Shields, Tony Sbarbaro, and J Russell Robinson ~ Edwards passed away in 1963May 22, 1813 ~ Composer Richard Wagner, full name Richard Wilhelm Wagner born in Leipzig, Germany ~ Initially a composer in the Romantic tradition akin to Carl Maria von Weber and Giacomo Meyerbeer. Wagner would establish himself as an opera composer, known especially for the complex textures and rich harmonies of his compositions. Best known for writing the four-opera cycle The Ring Of The Nibelung ~ Wagner passed away in 1883