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 3, 2023 ~ Linda Ann Fredericks, commonly known as pop, soul, rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Linda Lewis, passed away ~ Influenced by Harry Nilsson, Billie Holiday, and Smokey Robinson. As a solo artist best known for the 1970s singles Rock A Doodle Doo and It's In His Kiss, the latter a cover of the Betty Everett classic, both of which reached top 20 in her native England. As a session backing singer Lewis has appeared on albums by Cat Stevens, Chris Spedding, David Bowie (Aladdin Sane), Hummingbird, Cockney Rebel, Rod Stewart (Blondes Have More Fun), Joan Armatrading, and Jamiroquai (Emergency On Planet Earth) ~ Fredericks was born in 1950
May 3, 2021 ~ R&B singer, songwriter Lloyd Price passed away in New Rochelle, New York, USA ~ Known best for his 1952 recording of Lawdy Miss Clawdy, arranged by Dave Bartholomew and backed by Fats Domino on piano. Other well known songs include Just Because, Stagger Lee, I'm Gonna Get Married and Personality, the latter earning him the nickname “Mr Personality” ~ Price was born in 1933
May 3, 2020 ~ Punk rock, new wave, post-punk keyboardist Dave Greenfield, full name David Paul Greenfield, passed away ~ Longtime member of the Stranglers joining the band within a year of its formation and remaining until his death 45 years later. Wrote Golden Brown, which was first dismissed by the band but would become one of their greatest hits ~ Greenfield was born in 1949
May 3, 2020 ~ Mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Praised for her dramatic voice and stage presence that spanned six decades. Best known for her association with the Metropolitan Opera, noted for portraying the role of Erika in Samuel Barber's Vanessa in 1958. Elias has also performed with the Scottish Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Opera De Monte Carlo, the Los Angeles Opera, and the New York City Opera ~ Elias was born in 1929May 3, 2019 ~ Guitarist, composer, bandleader Mose Se Sengo passed away in Nairobi, Kenya ~ Pioneer of Congolese soukous. Best known for founding and fronting Somo Somo. Has also worked with TPOK Jazz, Lovy du Zaire, and Bana OK ~ Sengo was born in 1945
May 3, 2017 ~ Blues drummer, singer Casey Jones passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known for his association with Albert Collins, appearing on albums such as Ice Pickin' and Frostbite, and Johnny Winter, backing Winter on albums such as Guitar Slinger and Serious Business. Has also recorded as a solo artist, acclaimed for his 1995 I-94 (On My Way To Chicago) album, and backed artists such as Earl Hooker, AC Reed, McKinley Mitchell, Muddy Waters, Lou Rawls, Otis Rush, and Lonnie Brooks ~ Jones was born in 1939
May 3, 2016 ~ Actor, singer Kristian Ealey, full name Kristian John Ealey, passed away in Italy ~ Appeared in an episode of the British sitcom Bread at age 9. Would go on to pursue a career in acting, best known for his role as Matt Musgrove in the Channel 4 soap Brookside. Lead singer, guitarist of Liverpool band Tramp Attack. Subsequently worked with beat, blues-rock singer Edgar Jones. Played the role of Ringo Starr in the TV biopic In His Life (The John Lennon Story) in 2000 ~ Ealey was born in 1977
May 3, 2015 ~ Jazz pianist Ben Aronov, full name Benjamin James Aronov, passed away in Aix-en-Provence, France ~ In-demand sideman. Worked with Terry Gibbs, June Christy, Lena Horne, Al Cohn, Benny Goodman, Jim Hall, Morgana King, Lee Konitz, Peggy Lee, Liza Minnelli, George Mraz, Mark Murphy, the National Jazz Ensemble, Ken Peplowski, Tom Pierson, Zoot Sims, Carol Sloane, and Warren Vaché Jr ~ Aronov was born in 1932
May 3, 2005 ~ Drummer Pierre Moerlen passed away in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines ~ Member of Gong, present on acclaimed albums such as Angel's Egg and You. Closely associated with Mike Oldfield, appearing on about half a dozen of Oldfield's albums starting with 1975's Ommadawn. Has also worked with Steve Hillage, Slap Happy, Mick Taylor, Sally Oldfield, Phil Lynott, and Biréli Lagrène ~ Moerlen was born in 1952
May 3, 2001 ~ Free jazz, hard bop drummer Billy Higgins passed away in Inglewood, California, USA ~ A first-call sideman throughout his career and longtime in-house drummer for Blue Note, present on over an estimated 700 albums including over half a dozen critically acclaimed albums as a leader later on in his career. Yet, Higgins never became a household name. Closely associated with Ornette Coleman, appearing on several of Coleman's earliest albums including The Shape Of Jazz To Come. Other notable credits include albums such as At The Blackhawk (Thelonious Monk), Cell Walk For Celeste (Cecil Taylor), My Favorite Things (John Coltrane), Go (Dexter Gordon), Action (Jackie McLean), The Turnaround (Hank Mobley). In the late 1980s, Higgins cofounded The World Stage, a cultural center in Los Angeles, California, aiming to encourage and promote younger jazz musicians providing workshops in performance and writing as well as concerts and recordings. Higgins has also taught jazz studies at University of California, Los Angeles, and has appeared as a jazz drummer in the 2001 Southlander film ~ Higgins was born in 1936
May 3, 1999 ~ Singer Lauryn Hill releases Everything Is Everything, lifted off her The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill solo debut album ~ Issued as the third and final single off Lauryn Hill's widely acclaimed solo debut album. The phrase “everything is everything” is a slang expression meaning that all is well or is going according to plan. Hill wrote the song to mark the end of a depressing period, in which she broke up with Wyclef Jean, the Fugees went on an indefinite hiatus, and she temporarily lost her faith. The single featured a young and still unknown John Legend on piano, who would later become a superstar in his own rightMay 3, 1997 ~ Singer Sidney Royel Selby III, commonly known as Desiigner, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Best known for his Panda debut single, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015. Would release his full-length New English debut album the following year
May 3, 1997 ~ Pop-rock group Katrina & the Waves win the 42nd edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Dublin, Ireland ~ Representing the UK, Katrina & the Waves win with the song Love Shine A Light written by Kimberley Rew. Runner-ups would be Ireland's Marc Roberts with Mysterious Woman in second place, and Turkey's Sebnem Paker's with Dinle in third
May 3, 1989 ~ Folk, pop, R&B singer, pianist, guitarist, cellist, songwriter Mary Lambert, full name Mary Danielle Lambert, born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Described as a mix of Adele, Tori Amos and James Blake. To pop audiences known as featured vocalist on the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 2012 LGBTQ rights single Same Love, drawing upon her experiences as a lesbian growing in a strict Christian upbringing. Released her full-length Heart On My Sleeve debut album in 2014
May 3, 1987 ~ Indie rock, folk rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, full name Michael Samuel Kiwanuka, born in London, UK ~ Released his 2012 Home Again solo debut album to critical acclaim and commercial success. His first three albums, including 2016's Love & Hate and 2019's Kiwanuka, would all reach top 10 of the UK albums charts
May 3, 1986 ~ In its 13th week on the charts, Addicted To Love by Robert Palmer hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Robert Palmer had originally intended to record Addicted To Love as a duet with Chaka Khan, and though she did have a hand in the creative process she did not appear on the final recording due to contractual conflicts. However, she is still credited in the liner notes as the song's vocal arranger. The accompanying video is one of the most memorable of its day, showing Palmer backed by an abstract band of female models with a mannequin-like appearance, and has been said to “epitomise the glamour and excesses of the 1980s”. Heavy rotation on MTV helped push the single to the top of the American charts, making Addicted To Love his sole American charttopper. Palmer would score two more major hits, I Didn't Mean To Turn You On lifted off the same album, and Simply Irresistible of his next album would both reach No.2 Billboard Hot 100
May 3, 1986 ~ Singer Sandra Kim wins the 31st edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Bergen, Norway ~ Representing Belgium singer Sandra Kim, then only 13 years old, wins with the song J'Aime La Vie written by Jean-Paul Furnélmont, Angelo Crisci and Rosario Marino Atria. Switzerland's Daniela Simons would reach second place with Pas Pour Moi, while Luxembourg's Sherisse Laurence reached third place with L'Amour De Ma VieMay 3, 1981 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Alexander Hawkins born in Oxford, UK ~ Worked with the Convergence Quartet, Taylor Ho Bynum, Harris Eisenstadt, Dominic Lash, Decoy, Peter Evans, Louis Moholo, Orphy Robinson, Otto Fischer, Joe McPhee, Steve Noble, Dylan Bates, Tom Skinner, Neil Charles, Laura Jurd, Francois Houle, Nick Malcolm, Mulatu Astatke, and Rob Mazurek
May 3, 1981 ~ Joshua Michael Tillman, commonly known as indie rock, indie folk, folk rock singer, guitarist, pianist, percussionist, producer, songwriter Father John Misty born in Rockville, Maryland, USA ~ Active as a solo artist since the early 2000s using both the J Tillman and Father John Misty monnikers. Has collaborated with a host of artists as a collaborator, producer, touring or session musician including the Fleet Foxes, Saxon Shore, Har Mar Superstar, Damien Jurado, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kid Cudi, and Post MaloneMay 3, 1981 ~ Hard rock, heavy metal singer Trevor Strnad born ~ Until his death shortly after his 41st birthday, Strnad served as lead singer for extreme metal outfit the Black Dahlia Murder recording over a dozen albums with the band including the acclaimed Ritual released in 2011. The band was named for the unsolved 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, often referred to as the Black Dahlia. Although no official cause of death had been given for Strnad, the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was provided at the end of the band's statement. Brian Eschbach, the only other constant member since the band's inception in 2001, would take over Strnad's duties as lead vocalist ~ Strnad passed away in 2022
May 3, 1980 ~ In its 11th week on the charts, Fire Lake by Bob Seger peaks at No.6 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written some seven years before its release and originally intended to be included on the Beautiful Loser, though left off that album as it didn't match the rest of the songs. Issued as the lead single off Against The Wind, it would become Bob Seger's third Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit, following Night Moves and Still The Same. Close friends Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy B Schmit of the Eagles sang backup vocals on Fire Lake
May 3, 1979 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Bob Dylan records Slow Train at Muscle Shoals Studios, Sheffield, Alabama ~ Penned by Bob Dylan. Produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett. Released as a single featuring Do Right Unto Me Baby (Do Unto Others) on the flip side. Included on the 1979 Slow Train Coming album and critically regarded as the best song of the album, some critics even counting the tune among his all-time best and most certainly most accessible since Hurricane
May 3, 1979 ~ Pop, soul singer Danny Foster born in Hackney, UK ~ Selected as member of Hear'say in the 2001 TV talent show Popstars alongside Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan. The band would score a handful of UK top 10 singles, notably Pure & Simple and The Way To Your Love both reaching the No.1 spot
May 3, 1978 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter, film composer Ben Lovett born in Georgia, USA ~ Film composer, known for scoring films such as The Signal, Black Rock, and I Trapped The Devil. As a singer, guitarist released a number of solo albums and collaborated with Hot Water Music's Chris Wollard and indie rock outfit Heavens
May 3, 1978 ~ Jazz alto saxophonist, composer Darius Jones born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Matthew Shipp, the Grass Roots, Little Women, Mike Pride, Gerald Cleaver, the Eric Revis Quartet, the Adam Lane Trio, William Hooker, Sabir Mateen, William Parker, and Federico UghiMay 3, 1978 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger Eli Degibri born in Jaffra, Israel ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Aaron Goldberg, Ben Street, Jeff Ballard, Kevin Hays, Al Foster, Gary Versace, Obed Calvaire, Ron Carter, Brad Mehldau, and Herbie Hancock
May 3, 1978 ~ Indie rock, post-punk, art pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Paul Banks born in Clacton-on-Sea, UK ~ Co-founding member, frontman of Interpol, acclaimed since their eponymous 2002 Interpol EP and frequently compared to Joy Division. Has also recorded as a solo artist, notably the 2009 album Julian Plenti Is Skyscraper using the moniker Julian Plenti