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 30, 1982 ~ Gary McCann, commonly known as dubstep producer, DJ Caspa, born in London, UK ~ Has DJ'd at premier festivals including Glastonbury, Global Gathering, Stereosonic, and Lollapalooza. Released his full-length Everybody's Talking Nobody's Listening debut album in 2009
May 30, 1982 ~ Songwriter Leon René passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Known for writing or co-writing songs such as Gloria (Bob Hayward), I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City (Johnny Mercer), Rockin' Robin (Bobby Day), When It's Sleepy Time Down South (Louis Armstrong), Dig That Crazy Santa Claus (Oscar McLollie), Gee Whiz (Bob & Earl), and I Sold My Heart To The Junkman (the Basin Street Boys) ~ René was born in 1902May 30, 1981 ~ Freak folk, psychedelic folk singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Devendra Banhart, full name Devendra Obi Banhart, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Released his full-length The Charles C Leary in 2002. Influenced by Kurt Cobain, Simon Diaz, Mick Jagger, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Axl Rose, Caetano Veloso. Has collaborated with Jana Hunter, Adán Jodorowsky, Natalia Lafourcade, Stray Dogg, Akira Kosemura
May 30, 1980 ~ Bassist Carl Radle, full name Carl Dean Radle, passed away in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA ~ In-demand touring and session bassist, mostly associated with a number of influential 1960s, 1970s artists notably Delaney & Bonnie and Eric Clapton, present on over half a dozen of the latter's albums including 461 Ocean Boulevard, Slowhand and on Clapton's Derek & the Dominos' Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs. Backed Joe Cocker on the 1970 Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour. Played George Harrison's 1971 The Concert For Bangladesh charity concert, released as a double LP the next year. Has also worked with Rita Coolidge, Kris Kristofferson, Dave Mason, JJ Cale, and Leon Russell ~ Radle was born in 1942May 30, 1980 ~ Alternative rock bassist Hilary Woods born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Member of alternative rock outfit JJ72 from 1996 through 2003, present on both the band's albums JJ72 and I To Sky. Following the band's disbandement Woods semi-retired from music to spend time raising her family, resurfacing as a solo artist a decade later starting with The River Cry
May 30, 1980 ~ Reminisce Smith, commonly known as rapper Remy Ma born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Discovered by Big Pun. First gained attention as member of Terror Squad, known for their 2004 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit Lean Back. Debuted as a solo artist with the There's Something About Remy (Based On A True Story) album in 2006. Known for songs such as Feels So Good featuring Ne-Yo and All The Way Up featuring Fat Joe, French Montana & Infrared
May 30, 1979 ~ Rock singer Brett Anderson, full name Brett Elizabeth Anderson, born in Bloomington, Indiana, USA ~ Lead singer for all-female rock outfit the Donnas, influenced by the Ramones, Joan Jett, Girlschool, AC/DC, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Kiss. The band drew a cult following from their 1997 eponymous The Donnas debut album onwards, achieving mainstream succes by the early 2000s. Best known for the singles Take It Off and Fall Behind MeMay 30, 1978 ~ Keinan Abdi Warsame, commonly known as rapper, singer K'naan, born in Mogadishu, Somalia ~ Internationally best known for Wavin' Flag, chosen as Coca-Cola's promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. Also known for 2012's Is Anybody Out There featuring Nelly Furtado, a top 20 hit in Furtado's native Canada
May 30, 1978 ~ Jazz guitarist, composer, arranger Randy Napoleon born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Freddy Cole, Benny Green, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bublé, Monty Alexander, Bill Charlap, Michael Dease, René Marie, Rodney Whitaker, Josh Brown, Justin Ray, Jared Gold, Hilary Gardner, Etienne Charles, and Meli'sa Morgan
May 30, 1977 ~ Paul Emil Breitenfeld, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Quintessential cool jazz saxophonist. Best known for his longtime association with Dave Brubeck, including writing the Dave Brubeck Quartet's biggest hit Take Five of their 1959 Time Out album. Also appeared on albums by Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Jackie & Roy (Time & Love), Don Sebesky (Giant Box), Jim Hall, Art Garfunkel (Watermark), and Chet Baker ~ Desmond was born in 1924May 30, 1977 ~ The 8th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Geleen, the Netherlands ~ A cloudy day, some 45,000 visitors show up for this edition's bill which includes the Kinks, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Nils Lofgren, the Racing Cars, the Golden Earring, the Bothy Band, and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
May 30, 1974 ~ Lamont Coleman, commonly known as rapper, songwriter Big L, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Emerged in the 1990s, known for his freestyling ability and use of wordplay. Influenced and impressed artists such as Nas. Released his full-length Lifestyles Ov Da Poor And Dangerous in 1995. Has collaborated with Children Of The Corn, Lord Finesse, Fat Joe, Buckwild, and Jay-Z ~ Coleman passed away in 1999
May 30, 1974 ~ Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, commonly known as rapper, songwriter Cee Lo Green, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Formed the duo Gnarls Barkley with Danger Mouse, known for the 2006 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Crazy. Also well known for his association with Dungeon Family and Goodie Mob. Has recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections released in 2002. Scored a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit with F-ck You of his 2010 The Lady Killer album. Has also collaborated with the likes of Trick Daddy, Field Mob, Kelis, Nas, Estelle, and TIMay 30, 1974 ~ Indie rock, indie pop, experimental, funk, R&B singer, keyboardist, bassist, drummer, songwriter Kevin Barnes born in Athens, Georgia, USA ~ Frontman and sole constant member of Of Montreal, with whom he recorded well over a dozen albums starting with Cherry Peel released in 1997
May 30, 1971 ~ Singer Idina Menzel born in Queens, New York, USA ~ First gained attention in Broadway musicals such as Wicked and Rent, the latter earning her a Tony nomination. Became a household name with the Oscar and Grammy-winning song Let It Go from the Disney, Frozen soundtrack
May 30, 1971 ~ Alternative rock, post-grunge bassist Patrick Dahlheimer, full name Patrick Michael Dahlheimer, born in York, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Co-founding member of Live, present on all of the band's albums. During the band's hiatus formed the Gracious Few with Chad Taylor, Chad Gracey, Kevin Martin and Sean HennesyMay 30, 1971 ~ Gospel singer Sammie Okposo born ~ Active as a soundtrack producer in his native Nigeria since the early 1990s. Debuted as a singer with the album Unconditional Love released in 2000, spawning the hit Welu-Welu. Has collaborated with Marvellous Odiete and Jonathan Nelson ~ Okposo passed away in 2022
May 30, 1970 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Everything Is Beautiful by Ray Stevens hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ The odd one out, as Ray Stevens was mostly known for his novelty songs, the gospel-inflected Everything Is Beautiful served as the theme song to his own variety show, The Ray Stevens Show, which aired briefly in the early 1970s. It would become his first Billboard Hot 100 charttopper and earned him a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Male Vocal Performance. The song featured both his daughters and a children's choir. Years later, Stevens would recall: “I needed a very special song for the program. I went down in my basement for about three days. I had crumpled paper all over the place. And suddenly the idea for the song came to me. I wrote it in maybe 45 minutes. It was a very special song and one that a lot of people still remember and sing along when I do it in shows”May 30, 1967 ~ Gregory O Mays, commonly known as rapper Greg Nice, born ~ Formed the duo Nice & Smooth with Smooth B, aided by DJ Teddy Tedd and best known for a number of 1990s underground rap songs notably Funky For You, Hip-Hop Junkies, Sometimes I Rhyme Slow and Old To The New
May 30, 1967 ~ Rock, pop drummer Ian Mussington born ~ Best known for his work with Soul Asylum, sessioning with the band from 1998 through 2001. Has also worked with Stress, Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, Misty Oldland, and 12 Rounds
May 30, 1967 ~ Alternative rock, indie rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter Tim Burgess, full name Timothy Allan Burgess, born in Salford, UK ~ Lead singer for the Electric Crayons, known for their sole Hip Shake Junkie single. Lead singer for alternative rock outfit the Charlatans, known for UK top 10 hits such as The Only One I Know, One To Another, North Country Boy, and How High. Forms the Chavs with Carl Barât and Jamie Reynolds. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with the album I Believe released in 2003. Guested on Saint Etienne's 1993 I Was Born On Christmas Day recording. Guested on the Chemical Brothers' Life Is Sweet and The Boxer
May 30, 1966 ~ Indie rock singer, guitarist, bassist, percussionist Stephen Malkmus born in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Lead singer, guitarist, primary songwriter for indie rock outfit Pavement, generally regarded as the most influential alternative underground band of the 1990s and especially acclaimed for their 1992 Slanted And Enchanted debut album and its 1994 follow-up Crooked Rain Crooked Rain. Malkmus has also recorded as a solo artist, and collaborated with Ectoslavia, Silver Jews, and the Crust BrothersMay 30, 1966 ~ Thelma Combe, commonly known as bandleader, bassist Thelma Terry passed away in Michigan, USA ~ Active from the 1920s onwards. The first female instrumentalist to lead a notable jazz orchestra. Led Thelma & the Playboys, featuring a young Gene Krupa on drums ~ Combes was born in 1901
May 30, 1965 ~ Indie pop, alternative rock singer Briana Corrigan born in Belfast, Northern Ireland ~ Female lead singer of the Beautiful South from 1988 through 1992, replaced by Jacquie Abbott. Appeared on the band's first three albums and the hit single A Little Time. Released her debut solo album, When My Arms Wrap You Round, in 1996May 30, 1965 ~ Rhythm & blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Rick Holmstrom born in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA ~ Worked with Smokey Wilson, Junior Watson, Johnny Dyer, Rod Piazza, the Mighty Flyers, John Medeski, DJ Logic, and Mavis Staples