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 31, 2024 ~ Drummer, singer Carel Copier passed away in Sint Anthonis, the Netherlands ~ Co-founding member of Doe Maar, appearing on the band's eponymous Doe Maar debut album and its follow-up Skunk. Copier sang lead on Verdomme Ik Doe Het Wel Alleen, Nix Voor Jou, and Te Laat, the latter two of which Copier co-wrote. In 1981, shortly before their rise to fame, Copier departed the band, to be succeeded by René van Collem. The band would go on to become one of the most successful in Dutch pop history. Following his departure from the band, Copier would focus on his career as a painter ~ Copier was born in 1952
May 31, 2022 ~ David Cortez Clowney, commonly known as organist, pianist, singer Dave Baby Cortez, passed away in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Best known for his instrumental 1959 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit The Happy Organ, the first pop, rock hit to feature the organ as a lead instrument. As a singer, Cortez was previously a member of several 1950s doo-wop outfits, perhaps most notably the Pearls and the Valentines ~ Clowney was born in 1938
May 31, 2022 ~ Post-minimalist composer Ingram Marshall, full name Ingram Douglass Marshall, passed away ~ Though Marshall himself described his music as expressivist counted among post-minimalist composers. Influenced by 1960s minimalist composers such as Steve Reich, Terry Riley and John Adams, as well as world music, portraying a fondness for the gamelan. Composed chamber music, orchestral and choral works. Well known compositions include Fragility Cycles and Voce Resonae, the latter written for the Kronos Quartet ~ Marshall was born in 1942
May 31, 2022 ~ Blues, folk singer, guitarist, songwriter Kelly Joe Phelps passed away in Iowa, USA ~ Draws from Delta blues, jazz, folk, gospel, Americana. Influenced by Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Mississippi Fred McDowell. Acclaimed for his slide guitar technique. Debuted with the critically acclaimed Lead Me On album in 1995. Has collaborated with Paul Curreri, Jay Farrar (Sebastopol), Rory Block, Linda Tillery, Tim O'Brien, Greg Brown, Tony Furtado, Louise Taylor, and Townes Van Zandt (The Highway Kind) ~ Phelps was born in 1959
May 31, 2017 ~ Jazz guitarist Bern Nix passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for his association with Ornette Coleman for over a decade, starting in the mid 1970s. Other than with Coleman's Prime Time group Nix also worked with Jayne Cortez, John Zorn, Elliott Sharp, Jemeel Moondoc, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Kip Hanrahan, Lenore von Steiin, and recorded a number of albums as a leader, notably Tangerine released in 2015 ~ Nix was born in 1947
May 31, 2016 ~ Singer, radio, TV personality Corry Brokken, full name Cornelia Maria Brokken, passed away in Laren, the Netherlands ~ Debuted in 1952 with the song I Apoligize. Internationally best known for winning the 1958 Eurovision Songfestival with Net Als Toen. Brokken also represented the Netherlands in the 1957 edition with Voorgoed Voorbij and in the 1959 edition with Heel De Wereld. Following her musical career, Brokken would go on to become a well known radio and TV presenter, study law, and later still become a lawyer and eventually a judge ~ Brokken was born in 1932May 31, 2010 ~ Tango singer, bandoneonist, songwriter Rubén Juárez, full name Jorge Rubén Juárez, passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Perhaps best known for his recording of Para Vos (Canilla). Has collaborared with the likes of Charly García, Pedro Aznar, Leopoldo Federico, Litto Nebbia, and Raúl Luzzi ~ Juárez was born in 1947
May 31, 2009 ~ Singer Jay Sean releases Down featuring Lil Wayne, lifted off his All Or Nothing album ~ Issued as the second single off his first album for the American Cash Money Records label, the track featured a guest appearance by Lil Wayne singing the second verse. Down would become Jay Sean's first single to chart on the American all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, and actually made Sean the first British male urban artist to have an American No.1 hit when it bumped I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas off the top spot. Sean had penned the song during a late night recording session in the Hit Factory Studio, Miami, after feeling somewhat “down” by all the trouble in the world. As he later told Billboard: “The news was on, everything was depressing and we were like, Look at this man, everything's so down in the dumps. Why don't we write a song to take everyone's mind away from being down? Wayne heard it, fell in love and dropped a verse on it”May 31, 2009 ~ The 40th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. Dry and warm, this year's edition would draw a total of some 90,000 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 31st's bill would be Milow, Volbeat, Madness, Krezip, Placebo, de Staat, Rowwen Hèze, Maria Mena, James Morrison, Keane, You Me At Six, Kyteman, the Rifles, the White Lies, and Pendulum
May 31, 2008 ~ The 39th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. To mixed weather this year's edition would draw a total of some 94,000 visitors. Included on today's, Saturday the 31st's bill would include Moke, KT Tunstall, the Editors, Kaiser Chiefs, the Foo Fighters, Air Traffic, Bad Religion, the Eagles Of Death Metal, the Stereophonics, the Verve, Blood Red Shoes, Voicst, Amy MacDonald, Justice, and Groove Armada
May 31, 2006 ~ Songwriter Lulu Mae Hardaway passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Mother of R&B singer, pianist Stevie Wonder and co-writer of a number of her son's best known including I Was Made To Love Her, Signed Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours), You Met Your Match, and I Don't Know Why I Love You ~ Hardaway was born in 1930May 31, 2004 ~ Songwriter, screenwriter Etienne Roda-Gil passed away in Paris, France ~ Best known as regular songwriting partner of Julien Clerc, co-penning a significant amount of Clerc's songs from the late 1960s forward including La Cavalerie, Ce N'Est Rien, Dance S'Y, and one of his best known This Melody. Others who have recorded songs co-written by Roda-Gil include Barbara, Claude François, Riccardo Cocciante, Vanessa Paradis (Joe Le Taxi), and Johnny Hallyday ~ Roda-Gil was born in 1941
May 31, 2004 ~ The 35th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Geleen, the Netherlands ~ Day 3 of 3. Sunny and warm with occasional rain this year's edition would draw a total of some 36,000 visitors. Included on today's, Monday the 31st's bill would be Wealthy Beggar, the Sugababes, Black Eyed Peas, NERD, Lenny Kravitz, Muse, the Datsuns, Franz Ferdinand, Jet, the Roots, Moloko, Novastar, the Thrills, Goldfrapp, Ojos de Brujo, and Starsailor
May 31, 2000 ~ Guitarist Joe Puma passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Has worked with Joe Roland, Cy Coleman, Louie Bellson, Artie Shaw, Eddie Bert, Herbie Mann, Mat Mathews, Chris Connor, Paul Quinichette, Lee Konitz, Dick Hyman, Morgana King, Bobby Hackett, Gary Burton, the New York Jazz Ensemble, Carmen McRae, and Chuck Wayne ~ Puma was born in 1927
May 31, 2000 ~ Doo-wop, gospel, R&B, singer Johnnie Taylor, full name Johnnie Harrison Taylor, passed away in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Earned the nickname “the Philosopher of Soul” after moving to Stax/Volt in the mid 1960s. Probably best remembered for Disco Lady off his 1976 Eargasm album. Disco Lady would become the first Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit with the word “disco” in the title. Taylor had been active since the 1950s, notably as a member of gospel outfit the Highway QC's including on Somewhere To Lay My Head, and as a member of the Soul Stirrers, replacing Sam Cooke in the latter. As a solo artist, Taylor would enjoy popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, well known songs include Who's Making Love, Take Care Of Your Homework, Testify (I Wonna), I Believe In You (You Believe In Me), Cheaper To Keep Her, We're Getting Careless With Our Love, and Love Is Better In The AM (Part 1) ~ Taylor was born in 1934
May 31, 1999 ~ Singer Whitney Houston releases My Love Is Your Love, lifted off her My Love Is Your Love album ~ In contrast to the previous two singles off the same album, the sadder-toned but equally impressive Heartbreak Hotel and It's Not Right But It's Okay, the Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis-written and produced My Love Is Your Love is noted for its empowering message, telling of a love so strong it can overcome anything. The single would be a global hit, reaching top 10 in some two dozen countries, and one of Whitney Houston's last American top 10 hits, peaking at No.4 Billboard Hot 100. Record Daily stated My Love Is Your Love was “the best track in years from the soul diva”, and Rolling Stone especially praised Wyclef Jean for giving the singer “the sexiest Bob Marley rip-off he's ever written”May 31, 1998 ~ The 29th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Day 2 of 3. Mostly a sunny and warm weekend with some rain today, Sunday, this year's edition would draw some 51,500 visitors. Included on today's, Sunday the 31st's bill would be Caesar, the Posies, the Dandy Warhols, Skik, Van Dik Hout, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Moby, Tricky, and Reprazent
May 31, 1996 ~ Normani Kordei Hamilton, mononymously known as singer Normani born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Member of girl group Fifth Harmony, known for songs such as Worth It featuring Kid Ink and Work From Home featuring Ty Dolla $ign. As a solo artist known for 2018's Love Lies with Khalid and 2019's Dancing With A Stranger with Sam Smith, both of which reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 10
May 31, 1993 ~ The 24th edition of Pinkpop takes place in Landgraaf, the Netherlands ~ Cloudy, dry, windy, some 64,300 visitors show up for this edition's bill whick includes the Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz, Living Colour, Claw Boys Claw, Rage Against The Machine, Bettie Serveert, Thelonious Monster, and the Red Devils
May 31, 1991 ~ Hip-hop, hip house, pop rap rapper, singer, songwriter Azealia Banks, full name Azealia Amanda Banks, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Released her debut single 212 featuring Lazy Jay in 2012. It would go viral and reach top 20 in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. A full-length debut album, Broke With Expensive Taste, would follow in 2014
May 31, 1990 ~ Arthur London, commonly known as singer, actor Art Lund, passed away in Holladay, Utah, USA ~ Early on in his career, Lund sang with big bands led by Benny Goodman and Harry James. As a solo artist known for songs such as Mam'selle, Slow Boat To China, What I'll Do, You Call Everybody Darlin', and Peg O' My Heart. Lund also notably played several leading roles in Broadway shows including The Most Happy Fella and Destry Rides Again ~ London was born in 1915
May 31, 1986 ~ Juaquin James Malphur, commonly known as rapper, actor Waka Flocka Flame, born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Broke through to mainstream with his 2009 singles O Let's Do It, Hard In Da Paint and No Hands featuring Roscoe Dash and Wale, all taken of his Flockaveli debut album and the latter reaching top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Has since collaborated with Gucci Mane, Drake, Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj, Good Charlotte, NORE, the Cataracs, will.i.am, and Wiz KhalifaMay 31, 1983 ~ John Alexander Crawford, commonly known as hip hop, R&B producer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer JonFX, born ~ Co-produced Arms Around You, a 2018 top 30 hit on both sides of the Atlantic for XXXTentacion who had died earlier the same year and Lil' Pump. Other artists co-produced by Crawford include dancehall, reggae and hip-hop artists such as Shabba Ranks, I Wayne, Vybz Kartel, Gyptian, and Akon
May 31, 1982 ~ The thirteenth edition of Pinkpop takes place in Geleen, the Netherlands ~ Sunny and hot, some 30,000 visitors show up for this edition's bill which includes ZZ Top, Mink DeVille, Y&T, the Au Pairs, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, and Doe Maar
May 31, 1980 ~ Drummer Andrew Hurley, full name Andrew John Hurley, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA ~ Member of alternative rock, pop punk band Fall Out Boy since 2003. The band is best known for the hit singles Sugar We're Goin' Down and Dance Dance of their 2005 From Under The Cork Tree sophomore album. Hurley also co-founded heavy metal supergroup the Damned Things with bandmate guitarist Joe Trohman, and worked with hardcore punk outfit Enabler
May 31, 1980 ~ Joseph Francis Burke, commonly known as arranger, composer, producer, bandleader Sonny Burke passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Formed and led the Duke Ambassadors in 1937. Worked as arranger for Charlie Spivak, and for Jimmy Dorsey. Co-wrote a number of songs now regarded as standards, such as Black Coffee, and Midnight Sun. A&R for several major labels, including Decca Records. Produced Frank Sinatra's My Way as well as Petula Clark's This Is My Song. As bandleader accompanied singers such as Dinah Shore, Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, the Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé ~ Burke was born in 1914