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 25, 2025 ~ Rock, prog rock, space rock violinist, keyboardist Simon House passed away ~ Best known as member of space rock band Hawkwind during their most acclaimed period, notably present on the albums Hall Of The Mountain Grill and Warrior On The Edge Of Time, the latter containing Spiral Galaxy 28948 penned by House. House remained with the band from 1974 through 1978, departing the space rock outfit to join David Bowie's band including for the album Lodger, and has rejoined Hawkwind twice briefly. Prior to joining Hawkwind, House was a member of the Third Ear Band, known best for contributing the soundtrack to Roman Polanski's Macbeth, and of High Tide. House has also appeared on albums by Denny Gerrard, Michel Moorcock, Robert Calvert (Lucky Leif And The Longships), Japan (Tin Drum), Thomas Dolby (The Golden Age Of Wireless), Mike Oldfield, Magic Muscle, David Sylvian (Everything And Nothing), and Judy Dyble. House has also recorded several solo albums, starting with Yassasim released in 1995. Classically trained, House is known for his effortless technique and boundary-pushing explorations, and regarded by critics and peers as one of the great unsung heroes of the progressive 1970s ~ House was born in 1948May 25, 2024 ~ Jazz organist, singer John DeFrancesco, full name John Jasper DeFrancesco, passed away in Maricopa, Arizona, USA ~ Father of jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco and blues guitarist Johnny DeFrancesco. Has recorded over half a dozen albums as a leader, noted especially for Coming Home released in 1994 ~ DeFrancesco was born in 1940
May 25, 2024 ~ Richard Morton Sherman, commonly known as songwriter, film composer Richard M Sherman, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Formed one of the most productive stage and film composer duos in history with his brother Robert B Sherman. The siblings, sons of Tin Pan Alley songwriter Al Sherman, are closely associated with Walt Disney Studios, serving as the studio's staff songwriters from the late 1950s onwards. Notable credits include films such as Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Charlotte's Web and The Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh. The brothers were awarded two Academy Awards for their work on the 1964 Mary Poppins musical fantasy film, one for the entire soundtrack and one for Best Original Song for Chim Chim Cher-ee sung by Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews. Following Walt Disney's death in 1966, the siblings have worked as freelance composers writing numerous film scores and musicals, including notably Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ~ Sherman was born in 1928
May 25, 2023 ~ Jean-Louis Bergheaud, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Jean-Louis Murat, passed away in Orcival, France ~ Actively recording since the early 1980s. First gained attention in 1988 with the single Si Je Devais Manquer De Toi. Also well known for his album Cheyenne Autumn, released the following year. Broke through with his 1991 single Regrets, a duet with Mylène Farmer which reached No.3 in France. Has recorded steadily since. Also known as an actor ~ Bergheaud was born in 1952
May 25, 2023 ~ Country singer, songwriter Joy McKean, full name Mildred Geraldine Joy McKean, passed away in Australia ~ Dubbed “the Queen of Australian Country” and considered one of the country's leading songwriters and bush balladeers. Married to Slim Dusty, also serving as his manager, songwriter, and musical partner for some five decades. Well-known Dusty songs written by McKean include The Lights On The Hill, Indian Pacific, and Walk A Country Mile. Sister of Heather McKean, with whom she also performed under the moniker the McKean Sisters ~ McKean was born in 1930
May 25, 2022 ~ Jazz saxophonist Jean-Louis Chautemps passed away in Paris, France ~ Initially studied medicine and law, yet chose a career in music. Got his first break working with pianist, bandleader Jef Gilson in 1950. Would go on to back stalwarts of French jazz such as Henri Renaud and Albert Nicholas. Has also worked with Claude Bolling, Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt, Chet Baker, Zoot Sims, Lester Young, Albert Ayler, Roy Eldridge, Philly Joe Jones, Lester Bowie, and Martial Solal. To pop audiences, Chautemps is perhaps best known for appearing on Elton John's Honky Cat of the 1972 Honky Château album ~ Chautemps was born in 1931
May 25, 2014 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Tommy Blom, full name Tommy Albert Blom, passed away in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Co-founding member of Tages, remaining with the band through 1968. Present on most of the band's best known including Tell Me You're Mine, I Should Be Glad, Don't Turn Your Back, The One For You, In My Dreams, Every Raindrop Means A Lot, I'm Going Out, Treat Her Like A Lady, all of which reached top 10 in the band's native Sweden ~ Blom was born in 1947
May 25, 2012 ~ Pop, folk pop, soft rock singer, guitarist Ed Sheeran releases Small Bump, lifted off his + (Plus) debut album ~ Written by Ed Sheeran, the song is about his “close friend” and tells of a stillbirth five months into the pregnancy. In the run-up to the 2018 Irish Abortion referendum, a campaign against abortion used Small Bump without Sheeran's permission. The singer took to Instagram to state: “I've been informed that my song is being used to promote the anti-abortion campaign, and I feel it's important to let you know I have not given approval for this use, and it does not reflect what the song is about”May 25, 2011 ~ Country singer Scotty McCreery wins American Idol ~ Two teen country singers, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, face off in the finale of the 10th season of talent show American Idol aired on Fox. McCreery wins, Alaina in 2nd place. McCreery would issue his Clear As Day debut album later the same year. The album would reach platinum certification, aided by the success of the Billboard Country top 20 singles I Love You This Big and The Trouble With Girls
May 25, 2006 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer Barney Wilen, full name Barney Jean Wilen, passed away in Paris, France ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Miles Davis (Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud), Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey's the Jazz Messengers, Bud Powell, Chet Baker, Jay Cameron, Franco Cerri, Gil Cuppini, Leo Ferré, George Gruntz, Lars Gullin, Roy Haynes, Sacha Distel, Marie Möör, Stevie Nicks, Jacques Pelzer, François Tusques, and René Urtreger ~ Wilen was born in 1937
May 25, 2006 ~ Desmond Dacres, commonly known as ska, rocksteady, reggae singer, songwriter Desmond Dekker, passed away in London, UK ~ Fronted Desmond Dekker & the Aces. Known for 1969's Israelites, one of the first international reggae hits, as well as for later successes such as 007 Shanty Town, It Mek and You Can Get It If You Really Want ~ Dacres was born in 1941
May 25, 2005 ~ Songwriter Ben Peters, full name Ben James Peters, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ As a recording artist known for his sole charting single San Francisco Is A Lonely Town. Revered as a songwriter, writing or co-writing numerous hits for a host of artists, mostly in the country idiom, including Eddy Arnold, Lynn Anderson, Duane Dee and Freddy Fender (both recorded Before The Next Teardrop Falls), Johnny Rodriguez, Kenny Rogers (Daytime Friends), Charlie Rich, John Conlee, the Bellamy Brothers, Roy Drusky, Brenda Lee, Jerry Lee Lewis (Before), Boris Gardiner (I Wanna Wake Up With You), Val Doonican, David Frizzell, and Charley Pride (Kiss An Angel Good Morning) ~ Peters was born in 1933
May 25, 2005 ~ Country, country-pop singer Carrie Underwood wins American Idol, aired on Fox ~ Country, country-pop singer Underwood wins the 4th season of talent show American Idol aired on Fox, leaving pop rock singer Bo Bice in 2nd place. Over the course of the season, Carrie Underwood developed a fan following dubbed “Carrie's Care Bears”. The show landed Underwood a recording contract, resulting in her debut single Inside Your Heaven released the following June, and a full-length Some Hearts debut album by the end of the year. Underwood would go on to record over half a dozen albums more and sell upwards of some estimated 80 million recordsMay 25, 2005 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Domenic Troiano, full name Domenic Michele Antonio Troiano, passed away in Toronto, Canada ~ Member of Mandala. Member of Bush. Joined the James Gang in 1972 replacing Joe Walsh. Member of the Guess Who, present on the albums Flavours and Power In The Music. Has also recorded as a solo artist, noted for his 1979 song We All Need Love ~ Troiano was born in 1946
May 25, 2005 ~ Singer Garth Brooks proposes to singer Trisha Yearwood live on-stage ~ During a performance at the Crystal Palace, Bakersfield, California, Garth Brooks proposes to Trisha Yearwood in front of a crowd of 7,000. The couple would marry the following December. Previously Brooks had been married to his college sweetheart, with whom he has three children
May 25, 2005 ~ Ruth Meckler, commonly known as classical pianist Ruth Laredo, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Married to conductor Jaime Laredo. Showed musical promise from a young age, and vowed to become a concert pianist after seeing Vladimir Horowitz in concert at age 8. Well known for her recordings of works by Alexander Scriabin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Maurice Ravel ~ Meckler was born in 1937
May 25, 2004 ~ Siblings the Bee Gees are made Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, London ~ The remaining siblings Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb are honored at Buckingham Palace, made Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, by Prince Charles. Adam Gibb, son of Maurice Gibb who had died the previous year, accepts the award on his father's behalf. The siblings have recorded over two dozen albums, selling over a 100 million copies
May 25, 2004 ~ Trombonist, trumpeter, saxophonist John RT Davies, full name John Ross Twiston Davies, passed away in Burnham, UK ~ As a musician has played with Ken Colyer in the Crane River Jazz Band during the 1950s and with the jazz revival band the Temperance Seven during the 1960s, including on the latter's You're Driving Me Crazy 1961 hit single. Best known though as a sound enigeer, specialized in restoring classic jazz records. Founded his own Ristic label, reissuing early jazz recordings ~ Davies was born in 1927
May 25, 2003 ~ Guitarist, sound engineer Jeremy Ward passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known as sound technician for the Mars Volta. Also worked with dub outfit De-Facto and At The Drive-in. Died of a heroin overdose a month before the release of 2003s De-loused In The Comatorium, a wake-up call for Volta members Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez Lopez to quit using heroin ~ Ward was born in 1976
May 25, 2001 ~ Bassist, guitarist, keyboardist Brian Pendleton passed away in Maidstone, UK ~ Co-founding member of the Pretty Things, remaining with the band through 1966. Present on the band's first two album's, The Pretty Things and its follow-up Get The Picture. Noted for his slide guitar playing and Rosalyn, the band's 1964 debut single ~ Pendleton was born in 1944May 25, 1996 ~ Rock singer, guitarist Eric Clapton returns to his London townhouse to find the top floor on fire ~ Upon returning home Eric Clapton found the top floor ablaze. Presumably after pausing for a moment or two to make sure the authorities are notified Clapton rushed in to rescue his precious guitar collection. When the firemen arrive they find the guitarist running in and out. The house would be gutted with about $3 million in damage. Clapton would comment to reporters: “The first thing I did was grab my guitars. None of them was damaged.”
May 25, 1996 ~ The 27th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 1 of 3. A rainy weekend, this year's edition would draw some 59,000 visitors in total. Included on today's, Saturday the 25th's bill would be the Undeclinables, the Brotherhood Foundation, CIV, de Osdorp Posse, Dog Eat Dog, Lionrock, Ocean Colour Scene, and the Fun Lovin' Criminals
May 25, 1995 ~ Richard William Curless, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Dick Curless, passed away in Togus, Maine, USA ~ Best known for his single A Tombstone Every Mile, which reached the top 10 of Billboard's country chart in 1965. Other well known songs include Six Times A Day (The Trains Came Down), Big Wheel Cannonball and Hard Hard Traveling Man ~ Curless was born in 1932
May 25, 1994 ~ Guitarist Eric Gale passed away in Baja, California, USA ~ Not to be confused with blues-rock guitarist Eric Gales aka Raw Dawg. Majored in chemistry but pursued a career in music. Starting as a session musician in the 1960s Gale reportedly appears on some 500 albums. Has worked with artists such as Maxine Brown, the Drifters, Jesse Belvin, Mose Allison, Aretha Franklin, Bob James, Paul Simon (One Trick Pony, Hearts And Bones), Lena Horne, Quincy Jones, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Peter Tosh, Grover Washington Jr, Herbie Mann, Esther Phillips, Joe Cocker, Carly Simon, Van Morrison (TB Sheets), Al Jarreau, Dave Grusin, Lee Scratch Perry, Paul Douglas, Billy Joel, Ashford & Simpson, Patti Austin, George Benson, Hank Crawford, Roberta Flack (including on the quintessential 1972 Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway album), Freddie Hubbard, Billy Joel (on 52nd Street and Innocent Man), Al Kooper, Yusef Lateef, Jerome Richardson, Diana Ross (The Boss, Why Do Fools Fall In Love), Lalo Schifrin, Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine, Michael Franks, Michael Jackson (Bad), Herbie Hancock, Chico Hamilton, Red Holloway, and Kenny Loggins. Has also been releasing solo albums to critical acclaim since the early 1970s ~ Gale was born in 1938
May 25, 1990 ~ Producer, songwriter Gary Usher, full name Gary Lee Usher, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known for his 1960s work with a number of mostly Californian rock & roll and surf acts including with fictitious groups consisting of session musicians such as the Super Stocks and the Kickstands. Notable production credits include Go Little Honda (the Hondells), Hit City '65 (the Surfaris), and My World Fell Down (Sagittarius). Songs written or co-written by Usher include 409, Lonely Sea and In My Room recorded by the Beach Boys, Frankie Avalon's Beach Party, Dick Dale's Mag Wheels, Wayne Newton's Comin' On Too Strong, and Gary Puckett & the Union Gap's Don't Give In To Him ~ Usher was born in 1938