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 4, 2023 ~ Indie rock, indie folk, lo-fi guitarist, bassist, keyboardist Rob Laakso passed away ~ Closely associated with Kurt Vile, appearing on over half a dozen of Vile's albums since the late 2000s including the acclaimed Wakin' On A Pretty Daze album released in 2013. Laakso has also worked with the Wicked Farleys, the Swirlies, Mice Parade, and Diamond Nights ~ Laakso was born in 1979May 4, 2022 ~ Howard Kusten, commonly known as punk rock, heavy metal bassist Howie Pyro, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Founding member of the Blessed, D-Generation, and PCP Highway. Member of Danzig from 2000 through 2003, first appearing on the 2002 I Luciferi album ~ Kusten was born in 1960
May 4, 2020 ~ Drummer, lyricist, author Aldir Blanc, full nme Aldir Blanc Mendes, passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Former psychiatrist would eventually quit medical practice to focus on music. Best known for his association with singer, songwriter João Bosco. Others who have recorded his songs include Elis Regina, Guinga, Milton Nascimento, and notably Nana Caymmi who recorded his Resposta Ao Tempo ~ Mendes was born in 1946May 4, 2019 ~ James Barney Cobb Jr, commonly known as guitarist JR Cobb, passed away in Covington, Georgia, USA ~ Member of Classics IV, for whom he co-wrote Spooky, Stormy, and Traces. Member of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, for whom he co-wrote Champagne Jam and Do It Or Die. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Cobb include Sandy Posey (I Take It Back), the Tams (Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy), and Wynonna Judd (Rock Bottom). Cobb has also toured with country supergroup the Highwaymen, which consisted of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson ~ Cobb was born in 1944
May 4, 2018 ~ Avraham Reichstadt, commonly known as singer, producer, songwriter Abi Ofarim, passed away in Munich, Germany ~ Half of husband-wife duo Esther & Abi Ofarim, known for 1960s hits such as Noch Einem Tanz, Cinderella Rockafella and Morning Of My Life, the latter written by the Bee Gees ~ Ofarim was born in 1937
May 4, 2018 ~ Bassist Tony Kinman passed away ~ Cowpunk pioneer. Member of seminal California political punk outfit the Dils, which also included his brother Chip Kinman. Following the band's disbandement in the early 1980s the brothers would found cowpunk outfit Rank & File, with whom they recorded three albums starting with Sundown released in 1982. Though the band made little impact at the time they would in hindsight be considered as pioneers in the cowpunk genre, merging punk energy with country influences. The band also included a then-unknown Alejandro Escovedo ~ Kinman was born ca.1955
May 4, 2012 ~ Rapper Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Founding member of pivotal hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, known best for their 1987 Billboard top 10 single (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party). The band was responsible for making hip-hop a valid genre for white artists and drew from originally white genres including rock and punk ~ Yauch was born in 1964May 4, 2012 ~ Singer José Salvador Peréz, also known as Tinoco, passed away ~ Formed the sertanejo sibling duo Tonico & Tinoco with Tonico. The duo enjoyed a career spanning six decades, recorded over 1,400 songs, sold over 50 million albums despite never performing outside their native Brazil. Well known songs include Chici Mineiro, Canta Moçada, Arraste Pe Na Tuia, Moreninha Linda, Estrada Da Vida, and No Mouão Da Porteira ~ Peréz was born in 1920
May 4, 2010 ~ Singer, acress Brita Borg, full name Brita Kerstin Gunvor Borg, passed away in Borgholm, Sweden ~ Internationally perhaps best known for representing her native Sweden at the 1959 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 9th place with Augustin ~ Borg was born in 1926
May 4, 2004 ~ Pianist, harpsichordist, producer Erik Smith, full name Erik George Sebastian Smith, passed away in Yeovil, UK ~ Son of conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt. Of Jewish descent fled Germany in 1936 with his mother and brother to be raised in the UK. Producer for Decca Records and Phillips. Formed the London Wind Soloists and the Vienna Mozart Ensemble. Produced over 90 opera recordings. Best known for the complete recordings of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, some 180 CDs known as The Complete Mozart Edition released in the early 1990s ~ Smith was born in 1931
May 4, 1998 ~ Singers Brandy and Monica release their collaborative The Boy Is Mine single ~ In The Boy Is Mine, the singers fight over the same man. Reportedly Brandy and Monica were inspired by both the Jerry Springer Show, where love triangles were a common theme, and by The Girl Is Mine, a hit duet by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney off of Jackson's Thriller album. The Boy Is Mine would be a major hit, and reach top 10 in well over a dozen countries including the No.1 spot in Canada, the Netherlands, and America, reaching the top position on the Billboard Hot 100 in its second week on the charts. Aditionally, the single would earn three Grammy Award nominations, winning both singers their first prize for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. Prior to recording their duet, the two singers had never met. As Monica later explained: “I had never even seen her before because I listen to a lot of gospel music. From the time she was (first) released and I was (first) released, instantly people compared us and I never understood it. It's like they chose the two of us out of the bunch to put at odds. They never did it with me and Aaliyah, or Brandy and Aaliyah. It was always Brandy and Monica. That's why we took the song and brought humor to a situation that people tried to make serious”
May 4, 1994 ~ Racheal Lynn Woodward, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter RaeLynn born in Baytown, Texas, USA ~ First gained attention as contestant on talent show The Voice in 2012. Even though she did not make the finals Woodward was signed shortly after the show to Republic Nashville label. Has written songs with Natalie Hemby, Jon Randall, John Wiggins. Backed Blake Shelton on the 2013 single Boys Round Here. Released a number of singles, notably 2014's God Made Girls, prior to her full-length WildHorse debut album in 2017
May 4, 1992 ~ Denis Alexandrovich Shaforostov, commonly known as metalcore, hard rock, rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist Denis Stoff, born in Khartsyz, Ukraine ~ Co-founded metalcore band Make Me Famous in 2010. Member of Down & Dirty from 2012 through 2015. Perhaps best known as lead singer for Asking Alexandria for about a year and a half replacing Danny Worsnop, present on the 2016 The Black album. Has also recorded as a solo artist, and worked with Drag Me Out, Crown The Empire, and Conquer DivideMay 4, 1992 ~ Percussionist, dancer, singer Dudu Ndlovu, full name Dudu Mntowaziwayo Ndlovu, passed away in Kwazoeloe-Natal, South Africa ~ Member of Juluka. Member of Savuka. Fatally shot at age 34 while walking home. The following year Johnny Clegg and Savuka recorded their Heat Dust & Dreams album, the track The Crossing (Osiyeza) dedicated to Ndlovu ~ Ndlovu was born in 1957
May 4, 1992 ~ Country singer Wynonna Judd releases I Saw The Light, lifted off her Wynonna debut album ~ Issued as the second single off Wynonna Judd's debut album, I Saw The Light tells of a woman who aims to surprise her boyfriend only to see he's cheating on her when she looks through his window. The title is both literal and figurative as the light in the window allows her to see what's going on but it also opens her eyes to the harsh reality. Lisa Angelle, who wrote the song, has later explained the story was based on a real life experience: “There was a boyfriend that I had that I pulled up to his house to actually surprise him, and I saw the curtain move, and I saw him lay a big, fat kiss on a beautiful, long, dark-haired girl. And I got really mad at him, so I went and picked a rose out of his rose garden and put it on his front porch, and I went home and wrote I Saw The Light.” The single would spend three consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Country chart before being bumped off the top spot by The River by Garth Brooks
May 4, 1991 ~ Singer Carola wins the 36th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Rome, Italy ~ Representing Sweden, Carola wins with the song Fångad Av En Stormvind written by Stephan Berg. Runner-ups would be France's Amina with C'Est Le Dernier Qui A Parlé Qui A Raison in second place, and Israel's Duo Datz with Kan in third
May 4, 1990 ~ Jazz guitarist, songwriter Emily Remler passed away in Sydney, Australia ~ Influenced by both pop and rock guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winter, and jazz guitarists including Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Herb Ellis, Pat Martino and Joe Pass. Worked in bands such as 4play, Little Queenie and the Percolators before embarking on a solo recording starting with 1981's critically acclaimed Firefly. Has since worked with Larry Coryell, Astrud Gilberto, Bob Moses, Ray Brown, David Benoit, and Susannah McCorkle. Remler was married to Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander from 1981 to 1984. Remler died at age 32, barring the scars of an on-and-off drug addiction and a rock & roll life on the road ~ Remler was born in 1957
May 4, 1987 ~ Blues harpist, singer Paul Butterfield, full name Paul Vaughn Butterfield, passed away in North Hollywood, California, USA ~ Best known for being one of the first white musicians to achieve commercial success with hard-edged, raw Chicago blues, notably with the 1960s the Paul Butterfield Blues Band albums The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and its follow-up East-West. Butterfield has also performed or recorded with Muddy Waters, Nick Gravenites, Elvin Bishop, Michael Bloomfield, and John Mayall ~ Butterfield was born in 1942
May 4, 1987 ~ Hard bop, post-bop bassist Wilbur Little passed away in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Worked with the Griffin Brothers, Sir Charles Thompson, JJ Johnson, Tommy Flanagan, Buck Hill, Freddie Hubbard, Duke Jordan, Lee Konitz, Junior Mance, Horace Parlan, Archie Shepp, and Randy Weston ~ Little was born in 1928May 4, 1985 ~ Anatoliy Vladimirovich Fedorov, commonly known as singer Anthony Fedorov, born in Yalta, Ukranian SSR ~ Lead singer of 7th Heaven. Rose to fame as contestant on the 4th season of talent contest show American Idol in 2005, reaching 4th place
May 4, 1985 ~ Pop group the Bobbysocks win the 30th edition of the Eurovision Songfestival held in Gothenburg, Sweden ~ Representing Norway pop group the Bobbysocks win with the song La Det Swinge written by Rolf Løvland. Germany's Wind reached 2nd place with Für Alle, while Sweden's Kikki Danielsson ended in 3rd place with Bra VibrationerMay 4, 1985 ~ Jamie Adenuga, commonly known as grime MC, producer, DJ, songwriter Jme, born in Hackney, UK ~ Co-founder of the Boy Better Know label. Member of the Meridian Crew. Member of Roll Deep which also included his brother Skepta. As a solo artist known for singles such as Over Me, Sidetracked featuring Wiley, and 96 Fuckries
May 4, 1981 ~ Singer, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Dallon Weekes, full name Dallon James Weekes, born in Verona, Missouri, USA ~ Best known as lead vocalist of Panic At The Disco from 2009 to 2017. Also worked with the Brobecks, I Don't Know How But They Found Me and has released a number of solo recordings, sometimes collaborating with Brendon Urie, Ian Crawford and Tyler Joseph
May 4, 1979 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Bob Dylan records Gotta Serve Somebody at Muscle Shoals Studios, Sheffield, Alabama ~ Penned by Bob Dylan. Produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett. Recorded for his 1979 Slow Train Coming album. Released as a single, b/w Trouble In Mind, it would reach top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. As Dylan's first release during his “Christian phase” it was met with mixed reception, John Lennon going so far as to respond with the song Serve Yourself lashing out at Dylan
May 4, 1979 ~ Singer Elvis Costello releases Accidents Will Happen, lifted off his Armed Forces album ~ Looking back, Elvis Costello would convey to the Wall Street Journal in 2020 how the song deals with his many infidelities at the time: “Back in 1978, I was young and newly famous, and I didn't have any sense of responsibility. Temptation came along, and I gave in to it more than I should have. That's what this song is really about.” In a humorous reference to the song's title, early pressings of Accidents Will Happen would have the cover printed inside-out. Issued on the heels of his first UK top 10 hit, the album's only other single Oliver's Army spending two weeks at No.2, Accidents Will Happen reached No.28. Neither of the album's two singles charted in America, yet Armed Forces peaked at No.10 Billboard Hot 200, making it his first and only album to crack the American top 10
May 4, 1979 ~ James Lance Bass, commonly known as pop, R&B singer, pianist, actor Lance Bass, born in Laurel, Mississippi, USA ~ Best known as member of NSYNC, joining the band in 1995 as replacement for Jason Galasso. Following the completion of the band's 2001 PopOdyssey tour Lance relocated to Russia in pursuit of a seat on the Soyuz space capsule. Although certified by both NASA and the Russian Space Program Lance never got to go to space on account of his financial backers dropping out. Bass came out as gay in 2006 and has since also been known as a gay rights activist