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 29, 1949 ~ Singer, guitarist Francis Rossi born in Forest Hill, UK ~ Co-founding member, lead singer, lead guitarist for rock outfit Status Quo, with whom he recorded well over two dozen albums starting with Picturesque Matchstickable Messages From The Status Quo released in 1968. The band has scored over a dozen UK top 10 hits including Down Down, Rockin' All Over The World, Whatever You Want, and You're In The Army Now
May 29, 1945 ~ Rock, pop rock, baroque pop singer, keyboardist Gary Brooker born in London, UK ~ Known for his emotive vocals. Member of the Paramounts. Co-founded Procol Harum with Keith Reid, serving as its lead singer until the band's disbandement in 1977. The band is perhaps best known for its 1967 single A Whiter Shade Of Pale, a top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Brooker has also recorded as a solo artist and worked with Alan Parsons, Eric Clapton, Liqourice John Death, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and with Bill Wyman. Played the role of Argentine foreign minister Juan Atilio Bramuglio in the 1996 musical film Evita alongside Madonna ~ Brooker passed away in 2022
May 29, 1943 ~ Oboist, conductor Burkhard Glaetzner born in Poznán, Poland ~ Considered the leading German oboist. Has performed over 100 works, including oboe concertos written by Reiner Bredemeyer, Georg Katzer, Luca Lombardi, Krzystof Meyer, and Toru Takemitsu. Closely associated with the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, serving as principal oboist from 1966 through 1982. Artistic director of the Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum chamber orchestra. Co-founding member of the Forum Zeitgenössischer Musik Leipzig. Has also notably worked with the Aulos Trio and the Gruppe Neue Musik Hanns EislerMay 29, 1939 ~ Joseph Montanez Junior, commonly known as singer Monti Rock or Disco Tex, born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ One of the first disco artists to cross over into mainstream with Disco Tex & his Sex-o-lettes, a collaboration with producer Bob Crewe and Sugarloaf's Jerry Corbetta and known for the hits Get Dancin' and I Wanna Dance Wit Choo (Doo Dat Dance). Montanez would later appear in the music film Saturday Night Fever as the DJ ~ Montanez passed away in 2026
May 29, 1937 ~ Keyboardist Irmin Schmidt born in Berlin, Germany ~ Co-founded experimental rock band Can with Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli and Jaki Liebezeit in 1968, remaining with the band until its initial disbandement in 1979. Schmidt has also written scores for over 40 films, composed the 1998 Gormenghast opera and released several solo albums
May 29, 1936 ~ Jacqueline Norah Flood, commonly known as pop singer Jackie Lee, born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Child prodigy. Member of the Squadronaires. Member of the Raindrops. Sang backup for Tom Jones on Green Green Grass Of Home and Release Me. As a solo artist best known for White Horses, a UK top 10 hit in 1968
May 29, 1936 ~ Composer Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov, full name Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Ovchinnikov, born in Voronezh, Russia ~ Started composing at age 9, entered the Moscow Conservatory at age 15. Wrote symphonies, symphonic poems, chamber music and works for small ensembles. Internationally perhaps best known as film composer, including for the 1967 film War And Peace directed by Sergei Bondarchuk ~ Ovchinnikov passed away in 2019May 29, 1935 ~ Violinist, composer Josef Suk passed away in Benesov, Czechoslovakia ~ Student of Antonín Dvorák, whose daughter Otylie he would eventually marry. Considered one of the leading composers in Czech Modernism, alongside Vítezslav Novák and Otakar Ostrcil. As a composer admired by Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler and Alban Berg, and best known for orchestral music such as his Serenade For Strings Op.6, published in 1892 ~ Suk was born in 1874
May 29, 1935 ~ Sylvia Vanterpool, commonly known as singer, producer, label executive, songwriter Sylvia Robinson, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Half of Mickey & Sylvia, the other half being guitarist Mickey Baker. Co-founded Sugarhill Records. Produced Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight (1979). Produced Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's The Message (1982) ~ Vanterpool passed away in 2011
May 29, 1932 ~ Free jazz, avant-garde jazz trumpeter, hornist Alan Shorter born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Brother of saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Recorded two albums as a leader, namely 1968's Orgasm with backing from Charlie Haden and 1971's Tes East. Has also worked with his brother Wayne, Grachan Moncur III, Archie Shepp, Marion Brown, François Tusques, and Alan Silva ~ Shorter passed away in 1988
May 29, 1931 ~ Saxophonist Headley Bennett, full name Felix Headley Bennett, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Session musician appeared on hundreds of Jamaican recordings since the 1950s. Worked with Lynn Taitt, the Jets, the Mighty Vikings, the Revolutionaries, the Sheiks, Bob Marley, Leslie Kong, the Abyssinians, Alton Ellis, Prince Far I, Ossie Scott, and Adrian Sherwood. Has released two solo albums as a solo artist ~ Bennett passed away in 2016
May 29, 1929 ~ Jazz saxophonist Sandy Mosse born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Influenced primarily by Lester Young. Started on clarinet and alto sax, before switching to tenor saxophone in the early 1950s. Mosse has appeared on recordings by Wallace Bishop, Django Reinhardt, Woody Herman, Bill Russo, Chubby Jackson, James Moody, and Cy Touff. The 1960s saw him teaming up with Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, and Dave Remington. After relocating to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in the 1970s, Mosse would record less but occasionally toured with the likes of Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. While in the Netherlands, where he lived until his death, Mosse most notably played with Volume Two, which also included Irvin Rochlin, Klaus Flenter, Evert Hekkema, Ben Gerritsen, and Lex Cohen. As a leader, Mosse recorded sporadically, best remembered for the late 1950s albums Chicago Scene and Relaxin' With Sandy Mosse ~ Mosse passed away in 1983
May 29, 1928 ~ Hard bop pianist, composer Freddie Redd born in New York, New York, USA ~ Though an in-demand sideman and revered bandleader, Redd is best known for composing the score to the 1960 film The Connection. Redd recorded over a dozen albums as a leader, especially acclaimed for Piano East Piano West and Shades Of Redd. As a sideman, Redd has appeared on albums by Tiny Grimes, Joe Roland (Joltin' Joe Roland), Gene Ammons, Art Farmer (Evening In Casablanca), Howard McGhee, Rolf Ericson, and John Zorn ~ Redd passed away in 2021
May 29, 1927 ~ Jazz tenor saxophonist Dick Hafer born in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Active since the late 1940s, starting out with Charlie Barnet. Would go on to become an in-demand sideman, present on albums by Nat Pierce, Ruby Braff, Charlie Byrd, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Charles Mingus (The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady), and Johnny Hartman. Has sporadically recorded as a leader later on in his career, acclaimed for Prez Impressions released in 1994 ~ Hafer passed away in 2012May 29, 1927 ~ Jazz guitarist Thornel Schwartz born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known for accompanying organist Jimmy Smith from the mid 1950s through the late 1960s including on quintessential albums such as The Champ and A New Sound A New Star. Other notable credits include Johnny Hammond Smith (That Good Feelin'), Larry Young, Sylvia Syms, Byrdie Green, Jimmy McGriff (The Worm), Grady Tate, Big Joe Turner, and Babs Gonzales ~ Schwartz passed away in 1977
May 29, 1925 ~ George Joseph Nowlan, commonly known as country singer, trumpeter, bandleader Danny Davis, born in Randolph, Massachusetts, USA ~ Active since the 1940s, playing trumpet with the likes of Bobby Byrne, Sammy Kaye, Art Mooney, and Freddy Martin. Enjoyed moderate success in the early 1950s as a solo singer, noted for the singles Object Of My Affection and Crazy Heart. Would go on to work as producer for MGM, notably working with Connie Francis, and later for RCA Records. Well-known for founding and leading the Nashville Brass starting in the late 1960s, a group of renowned studio musicians, with whom he enjoyed some success on the Billboard Country album charts with albums such as The Nashville Brass Featuring Danny Davis Play More Nashville Sounds and You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet ~ Nowlan passed away in 2008May 29, 1923 ~ Jazz bassist Eugene Wright, full name Eugene Joseph Wright, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known for his association with Dave Brubeck, including on the Dave Brubeck Quartet landmark album Time Out which included the ensemble's classic Take Five. Also present on albums by Buddy DeFranco, Harry Belafonte (Calypso), Cannonball Adderley, Gerald Wiggins, Monty Alexander (We've Only Just Begun), Cal Tjader, Guatauba, and Abe Most ~ Wright passed away in 2020
May 29, 1922 ~ David Kenneth Brooks Jr, commonly known as jazz tenor saxophonist Bubba Brooks, born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA ~ Brother of Tina Brooks. Bubba worked with Pepper McAllister, James Moody, Sonny Payne, George Barkley, Sonny Thompson, Jimmy McCracklin, Phil Upchurch, Charles Williams, Don Pullen, Jimmy McGriff, Bill Doggett, Wynonie Harris, and Bobby Forrester ~ Brooks passed away in 2002
May 29, 1918 ~ Singer, pianist, guitarist Lazy Bill Lucas born in Wynne, Arkansas, USA ~ Worked with Big Joe Williams, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Willie Mabon, Earl Dranes, Johnny Man Young, Jo Jo Williams, Homesick James, Little Hudson, Snooky Pryor, Little Walter, and Little Willy Foster ~ Lucas passed away in 1982
May 29, 1911 ~ Dramatist, librettist, poet WS Gilbert, full name William Schwenk Gilbert, passed away in Harrow, UK ~ Best known for his association with composer Arthur Sullivan, the pair writing over a dozen comic operas including HMS Pinatore, The Pirates Of Penzance and The Mikado, paving the way for the musical theater of the 20th century ~ Gilbert was born in 1836May 29, 1910 ~ Composer, pianist, conductor Mily Balakirev, full name Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev, passed away in St Petersburg, Russia ~ Known best for promoting musical nationalism, extending the fusion of traditional folk and experimental classical music as begun by composer Mikhail Glinka. Perhaps best remembered for his composition Islamey for solo piano and his First Symphony completed in 1897 ~ Balakirev was born in 1837
May 29, 1909 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader Dick Stabile, full name Richard Dominic Stabile, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Worked with Vincent Lopez, Ben Bernie, Bunny Berigan, Dave Barbour, Frank Signorelli, Paula Kelly, Burt Shaw, Dean Martin, Evelyn Oaks and with Gracie Barrie, eventually marrying the latter ~ Stabile passed away in 1980
May 29, 1899 ~ Pianist, songwriter Jack Palmer born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best remembered for co-writing Everybody Loves My Baby, first recorded by Aileen Stanley in 1924, and I've Found A New Baby, first recorded by the Dixie Stompers in 1926. Both songs have become jazz standards covered by hundreds of artists ~ Palmer passed away in 1976