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 28, 1980 ~ David Roberto Hellman, commonly known as hard rock, glam metal singer, guitarist Dave Lepard, born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Co-founding member, frontman of Crashdiet, present on hit singles such as Riot In Everyone, Breakin' The Chainz, Knokk 'Em Down and It's A Miracle. After his suicide the band continued initially as a trio, later joined by singer H Olliver Twisted ~ Hellman passed away in 2006
May 28, 1980 ~ Pop singer, pianist, songwriter Markus Feehily, full name Markus Patrick Feehily, born in Sligo, Ireland ~ Member of Irish boy band Westlife, alongside Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan and Brian McFadden, known for songs such as Swear It Again, Flying Without Wings, Fool Again, What Makes A Man, Queen Of My Heart, Hey Whatever, You Raise Me Up and Amazing, all of which reached top 10 in both the band's native Ireland and the UK. Debuted as a solo artist with the album Fire in 2015May 28, 1978 ~ Actor, singer, guitarist David Cassidy guest stars on today's episode of the police TV series Police Story aired on NBC ~ Best known as member of the popular 1970s musical sitcom the Partridge Family, David Cassidy guest stars on today's episode of Police Story titled A Chance To Live. Cassidy portrays Dan Shay, recruited to operate undercover for the narcotics unit at a high school. His performance is received so well he is given his own show, David Cassidy (Man Undercover), which would fail miserably
May 28, 1978 ~ Pianist, conductor, composer Enrico Simonetti passed away in Rome, Italy ~ Father of keyboardist, film composer Claudio Simonetti. Active since the early 1950s, playing jazz clubs in his native Italy with Piero Piccioni and Bruno Martino. Emigrated to Brazil in 1953, finding employ as a musician and TV presenter for the popular The Simonetti Show. Returned to Italy by the mid 1960s, where he joined RAI network working as a TV and radio host. Simonetti has also composed over half a dozen soundtracks, including for Macumba Love, Special Killers, Il Magnate and Per Amore Di Cesarina ~ Simonetti was born in 1924May 28, 1977 ~ Singer Javiera Muñoz, full name Javiera Margarita Odija Ubal Muñoz, born in Motala, Sweden ~ Has recorded two albums, Javiera released in 2001 and True Love released three years later. Best known for the songs Varje Timma (Var Minut) and No Hay Nada Más. Muñoz passed away at age 40 after a decade long struggle with anorexia nervosa ~ Muñoz passed away in 2018
May 28, 1977 ~ Heavy metal, black metal singer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter Trond Brathem born in Hønesfoss, Norway ~ Primarily known as co-founding member, lead singer, guitarist of black metal group Urgehall, with whom he recorded seven albums. Closely associated with Lars Fredrik Frøislie, his regular collaborator in an array of side projects and bands. Well known credits include Kvist, Beastcraft, In Lingua Mortua, Angst Skvadron, and Endezzma ~ Bråthen passed away in 2012
May 28, 1974 ~ Lyricist, songwriter Dorothy Fields passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-wrote over 400 songs, mostly for Broadway and Hollywood musicals, many of which have become jazz standards. Well known songs include A Fine Romance (Guy Lombardo, Billie Holiday), On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Harry Richman, Chick Webb, Lionel Hampton), Pick Yourself Up (Fred Astaire, Anita O'Day, Frank Sinatra), I'm In The Mood For Love (Jack Little, Frances Langford, Sarah Vaughan), You Couldn't Be Cuter (Irene Dunne, Freddy Martin, Tommy Dorsey), and Big Spender (Helen Gallagher, Peggy Lee, Shirley Bassey) ~ Fields was born in 1904
May 28, 1973 ~ Conductor, composer Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt passed away in Holm, Germany ~ Worked the opera houses from 1923 through 1945. Listed by the Nazi regime on the list of elite artists, despite his avoiding joining the Nazi party and having a Jewish wife whom he sent to England with their two sons in 1936. Best known for founding the NDR Radiophilharmonie, also serving as its musical conductor and chief conductor from 1945 to 1971 ~ Schmidt-Isserstedt was born in 1900
May 28, 1969 ~ Singer Neil Diamond releases Sweet Caroline, lifted off his Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show album ~ Peaking at No.4 Billboard Hot 100, the cheerful Sweet Caroline would become Neil Diamond's highest charting up to this point and his third to reach top 10, preceded by Cherry Cherry and Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon. At the time of its release, Billboard praised its “exceptional production and vocal workout”, while Record World stated the singer “stirs rich excitement with this voluptuous new Sweet Caroline.”. Diamond has given different explanations as to the song's meaning. At one time, he claimed the song was written for John F Kennedy's daughter Caroline, who was eleven years old at the time of the single's release. Yet he has also said he wrote the song about his then-wife Marcia Murphey, but needed a three-syllable name to fit the melody. Sweet Caroline was one of two songs, the other being Holly Holy, the singer performed on The Ed Sullivan Show in late 1969, his single appearance on the showMay 28, 1968 ~ Keyboardist, singer Cathy Rogers born in Lancashire, UK ~ Member of indie pop outfit Heavenly, first appearing on the band's Le Jardin De Heavenly sophomore album released in 1992. Following the death of drummer Mathew Fletcher, the four remaining members would record one more album, Sounds From The Gulf Stream released in 1999, under the moniker Marine Research before disbanding. Rogers has since focused on her career as a TV producer and presenter, best known for Junkyard Wars
May 28, 1968 ~ Pop, dance-pop, disco singer, songwriter, actress Kylie Minogue, Kylie Ann Minogue, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Dubbed “the Princess of Pop” by the European press. First gained attention as an actress on the soap opera Neighbours. Rose to prominence as a singer in the late 1980s through a series of Stock Aitken & Waterman-produced albums, her singles regularly reaching top 10 in Australia, the UK and continental Europe. Well known songs include I Should Be So Lucky, the Little Eva-cover The Loco-motion, the Jason Donovan-duet Especially For You, Give Me Just A Little More Time, Spinning Around, Can't Get You Out Of My Head, Slow and All The LoversMay 28, 1967 ~ Dr Cobie Walsh, commonly known as banjoist, bandleader Dock Walsh, passed away ~ Dubbed “the Banjo King of Carolinas” and best known for founding and fronting old time string band the Carolina Tar Heels, active from the late 1920s through the early 1930s. Walsh was one of the first to use a three-finger playing style ~ Walsh was born in 1901
May 28, 1967 ~ Singer, songwriter Tania Evans born in Edmonton, UK ~ Joined Eurodance outfit Culture Beat in 1993, replacing Lana Earl. Immediately scored with the band's biggest hit Mr Vain. Also present on songs such as Got To Get It, Anything, World In Your Hands, Inside Out, Crying In The Rain (which she co-wrote), Walk The Same Line, Take Me Away. Stayed with the band through 1997, replaced by Kim Sanders
May 28, 1964 ~ Country singer, songwriter Phil Vassar, full name Phillip George Vassar Jr, born in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA ~ In-demand songwriter from the late 1990s onwards. Artists who recorded songs written or co-written by Vassar include Blackhawk, Jo Dee Messina (I'm Alright), Neal McCoy, Tim McGraw (My Next Thirty Years), Kenny Chesney, Mindy McCready, Collin Raye (Little Red Rodeo), Diamond Rio, Marshall Dyllon, Alan Jackson (Right On The Money), and Jennifer Day. As a singer released his eponymous Phil Vassar debut album in 2000 co-produced with Byron Gallimore, which included the country hits Carlene and Just Another Day In Paradise. Has recorded to critical acclaim and commercial succes since
May 28, 1963 ~ Drummer Gavin Harrison, full name Gavin Richard Harrison, born in Harrow, UK ~ Best known as a member of Porcupine Tree from 2002 through 2010, rejoining in the early-2020s, member of King Crimson from 2014 through 2021, and member of the Pineapple Thief since 2016. Active since the late 1970s Harrison has also appeared on albums by Zerra 1, Dizrhythmia (Dizrhythmia), Sam Brown (Stop), BJ Cole, Lene Lovich, Camouflage, Incognito, Kevin Ayers, Mick Karn, Franco Battiato (L'Imboscata), Tom Robinson, Iggy Pop (Nights Of The Iguana), and Renaissance. As a solo artist Harrison has recorded about half a dozen albums, starting with Sanity And Gravity released in 2003May 28, 1962 ~ Singer, songwriter Andy White born in Belfast, Northern Ireland ~ Released his full-length Rave On Andy White in 1986 and has released over a dozen albums since. In-demand collaborator, has worked with Peter Gabriel, Sinéad O'Connor, Stephen Fearing, and perhaps most notably with the Hothouse Flowers singer Liam O Maonlai and Split Enz singer Tim Finn on the 1995 collaborative album Altitude released under the group moniker ALT, an acronym of the trio's first names
May 28, 1962 ~ Singer, actor Brandon Cruz, full name Brandon Edwin Cruz, born in Bakersfield, California, USA ~ Best known as a child actor, noted for his role as Eddie Corbett in the TV series The Courtship Of Eddie's Father which aired from 1969 through 1972. Turned to punk rock by the late 1970s, serving as lead singer for Dr Know. Has also worked with a reincarnation of the Dead Kennedys, singing with the band briefly during the early 2000sMay 28, 1962 ~ Pianist, organist Jesse Crawford passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Popular 1920s theater organist for silent films. Switched to Hammond organ in the 1930. As a recording artist known for songs such as Rose Marie, Valencia, Russian Lullabye, At Dawning, Roses Of Picardy, Vienna Violins, Louisiana Nocturn', Harlem Holiday, and Hawaiian Honeymoon ~ Crawford was born in 1895
May 28, 1961 ~ Guitarist, singer Roland Gift, full name Roland Lee Gift, born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA ~ Lead singer, frontman of the Fine Young Cannibals, known for songs such as Johnny Come Home, Suspicious Minds, Ever Fallen In Love and the Billboard Hot 100 charttoppers She Drives Me Crazy and Good Thing. Has also acted on stage and in films. Released his eponymous Roland Gift solo debut album in 2002
May 28, 1960 ~ Christopher Dignam, commonly known as rock singer, songwriter Christy Dignam, born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Lead singer for Aslan, enjoying popularity right from the start in their native Ireland with songs such as This Is, Pretty Thing, and Please Don't Stop before departing the band due to ongoing struggles with substance abuse. The band would briefly work with a new lead singer, Eamon Doyle, before disbanding altogether. The original line-up reunited in the early 1990s, and would record over half a dozen commercially successful albums well into the 2010s. Dignam would release his sole solo album, The Man Who Stayed Alive, in 2021 ~ Dignam passed away in 2023May 28, 1960 ~ Isabelle Powaga, commonly known as electro-samba singer, songwriter Isabelle Antena, born in Villepinte, France ~ Bossa nova and samba-influenced nu jazz and electropop singer. Founder and eponym of 1980s Belgian synth-pop trio Antena. Also fronted 1990s outfit the Powega Sisters, with whom she recorded three albums. Antena has also recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, and is specifically noted for her 1987 Hoping For Love album
May 28, 1959 ~ Stephen John Harrington, commonly known as singer, songwriter Steve Strange, born in Newbridge, UK ~ Helped usher in the New Romantic genre. Fronted new wave group Visage, teaming up with Rusty Egan, Midge Ure, Billy Currie, Barry Adamson, John McGeoch and Dave Formula, best known for their 1980 single Fade To Grey. Had previously formed punk rock band the Moors Murderers which also included future the Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde, future the Psychedelic Furs drummer Vince Ely and future the Clash drummer Topper Headon. The band drew ire from the public for naming themselves after the notorious Moors Murders in which five children were killed between 1963 and 1965 ~ Strange passed away in 2015
May 28, 1956 ~ Gerald Calvin Douglas, commonly known as guitarist, steel guitarist, dobroist Jerry Douglas, born in Warren, Ohio, USA ~ Widely regarded as one of the premier dobroists in contemporary acoustic music. Well-known as a member of Alison Krauss's backing unit Union Station and member of the Earls Of Leicester. In-demand sideman and collaborator, having appeared on over an estimated 1,500 albums including recordings by Tony Rice, JD Crowe, Béla Fleck (Crossing The Tracks), George Jones, Emmylou Harris (Roses In The Snow), Peter Rowan, the Bluegrass Cardinals, Reba McEntire, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dan Fogelberg, Steve Wariner, Randy Travis (Storms Of Life), the Country Gentlemen, Kathy Mattea, Steve Earle (Copperhead Road), Leon Redbone, Leo Kottke, Robert Earl Keen, Dolly Parton, Paul Simon, Garth Brooks (Ropin' The Wind), the Chieftains, Clint Black, Amy Grant, Edie Brickell, and Del McCoury
May 28, 1955 ~ Rock keyboardist, violinist Eddie Jobson born in Billingham, UK ~ Noted for his virtuosity on synthesizers in several progressive rock bands including Curved Air, UK, Roxy Music, Jethro Tull. Also closely associated with Frank Zappa, touring and appearing on records such as Studio Tan and Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar. In-demand session musician and collaborator for artists including Bryan Ferry, Roger Glover (The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast), John Entwistle, King Crimson, and Bill Bruford
May 28, 1954 ~ Free jazz drummer, bandleader Whit Dickey born in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Closely associated with Matthew Shipp and David S Ware. As a composer influenced by Thelonious Monk, as evidenced on songs such as Criss Cross and Off Minor of his 1998 Transonic debut album. Has collaborated with Mat Maneri, Roy Campbell Jr, Daniel Carter, Joe Morris, and Ivo Perelman