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.
November 1, 1953 ~ Country, old-time guitarist, singer David Miller passed away ~ One of the earliest country musicians. Began playing the guitar after going blind as a result of contracting blepharitis during his service in the Army in World War I. Known for songs such as Since Mother's Gone and It's Hard To Be Shut Up In Prison ~ Miller was born in 1883
November 1, 1951 ~ Saxophonist, singer, songwriter Ronald Bell, full name Ronald Nathan Bell, born in Youngstown, Ohio, USA ~ Saxophonist, co-founding member of R&B, disco outfit Kool & the Gang, which also included his brother Robert Kool Bell. Wrote or co-wrote a vast amount of the band's best known songs including Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Summer Madness and Open Sesame ~ Bell passed away in 2020
November 1, 1950 ~ Guitarist, bassist, singer Dan Peek, full name Daniel Milton Peek, born in Panama City, Florida, USA ~ Member of folk rock band America, alongside Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, known for songs such as A Horse With No Name. Peek wrote or co-wrote several of the band's singles, Woman Tonight, Don't Cross The River, Today's The Day and Lonely People. Post-America Peek would record solo turning to contemporary Christian music, starting with the album All Things Are Possible in 1979 ~ Peek passed away in 2011
November 1, 1949 ~ Composer, arranger, producer, label executive David Foster, full name David Walter Foster, born in Victoria, Canada ~ Leading composer, arranger, keyboardist, producer in adult contemporary music. Songs written or co-written by Foster have been recorded by Barry Crocker, Cheryl Lynn (Got To Be Real), Carole Bayer Sager, Paul Anka, Deniece Williams, Earth Wind & Fire (After The Love Has Gone), Boz Scaggs, Donna Summer, Chicago, Kenny Loggins, Neil Diamond, Al Jarreau (Mornin'), James Ingram, John Parr (St Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)), Lou Rawls, Whitney Houston, and Céline Dion
November 1, 1948 ~ Laurence Mazel, commonly known as jazz trumpeter Raphe Malik, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA ~ One of the few trumpeters to excel in high-energy free jazz, noted for his work with pianist Cecil Taylor during the 1970s including on albums such as Dark To Themselves and Cecil Taylor Unit. Malik has also recorded over half a dozen albums as a leader, notably 21st Century Texts released in 1999, and has appeared on albums by Jimmy Lyons (Wee Sneezawee), Joel Futterman, Glenn Spearman (Free Worlds), Rova, Sabir Mateen, and Alan Silva ~ Mazel passed away in 2006
November 1, 1947 ~ Guitarist, singer Bob Weston, full name Robert Joseph Weston, born in Plymouth, UK ~ Member of Fleetwood Mac in the early 1970s, present on the albums The Penguin and Mystery To Me. Has also recorded as a solo artist and collaborated with the likes of the Kinetic, Ashkan, Chimera, Graham Bond, Ashman Reynolds, Long John Baldry, Dana Gillespie, Sandy Denny, Adrian Wagner, Mark Ashton, Danny Kirwan, Robbie Patton, Dick Morrisey, Bob Welch, and Frank Baijens ~ Weston passed away in 2012
November 1, 1947 ~ Producer, songwriter Jim Steinman, full name James Richard Steinman, born in Claremont, California, USA ~ Best known for his association with Meat Loaf, notably on the albums Bat Out Of Hell and Bat Out Of Hell II (Back Into Hell). Also worked with Bonnie Tyler (Total Eclipse Of The Heart), Air Supply (Making Love Out Of Nothing At All), Sisters Of Mercy (This Corrosion), Barry Manilow (Read 'Em And Weep), Céline Dion (It's All Coming Back To Me Now), and Boyzone (No Matter What) ~ Steinman passed away in 2021
November 1, 1945 ~ Richard Roman Grechko, commonly known as rock, jazz fusion, progressive rock bassist, violinist Ric Grech, born in Bordeaux, France ~ Bassist, violinist for progressive rock outfit the Family, for whom he also wrote How-Hi-The-Li, Face In The Cloud and Second Generation Woman, also singing lead on the latter. Member of supergroup Blind Faith alongside guitarist Eric Clapton and keyboardist Steve Winwood. Worked with Ginger Baker in Ginger Baker's Air Force. Appeared on Graham Bond's 1970 Holy Magick album. Member of Traffic, present on the live album Welcome To The Canteen and the acclaimed The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys album. Sessioned with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Lane, Vivian Stanshall, and with Muddy Waters on the overlooked all-star The London Sessions album. Member of KGB. Grech retired from music in 1977 ~ Grechko passed away in 1990
November 1, 1941 ~ Trombonist, arranger, producer Bob Curnow born in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known for his association with Stan Kenton in the 1960s and 1970s. Also a prominent educator whose students included later stars such as Danny House, Phil Feather, Luis Bonilla, Charie Richard, Jack Cooper, John Hollenbeck, Christopher Hollyday, Geoffrey Keezer, Don Braden, Wycliffe Gordon, Greg Gisbert, Loran McClung, Tony Kadleck, John Bailey, Javon Jackson, John Medeski, Neal Finn and Delfeayao MarsalisNovember 1, 1941 ~ Singer Phil Terry born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Member of the Intruders, one of the earliest acts to have hits under the direction of producers, songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and as such pivotal to the development of Philly soul. Known for songs such as We'll Be United, Together and perhaps their best known Cowboys To Girls, the latter a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit in 1968
November 1, 1940 ~ Singer, songwriter Barry Sadler, full name Barry Allen Sadler, born in Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA ~ Green Beret medic, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. Best known for his 1966 hit The Ballad Of The Green Berets, one of the few songs of the era to cast the military in a positive light ~ Sadler passed away in 1989
November 1, 1940 ~ Ivan Joseph Jones, commonly known as jazz guitarist Boogaloo Joe Jones, born ~ Influenced by Tal Farlow and Billy Butler. Worked with Richard Groove Holmes, Houston Person, Harold Mabern, Wild Bill Davis, Willis Jackson, Rusty Bryant, Charles Earland, Bernard Pretty Purdie, Grover Washington Jr, Butch Cornell, and Sonny PhillipsNovember 1, 1939 ~ Composer, arranger, pianist Roger Kellaway born in Waban, Massachusetts, USA ~ Composed, commissioned works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, jazz big band, film, TV, ballet, stage productions. Played with Boris Midney. Formed the the Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet in 1970. Kellaway wrote and played the closing theme, Remembering You, for the TV sitcom All In The Family centered around the character Archie Bunker
November 1, 1938 ~ Henry Brown, commonly known as percussionist Pucho, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Fronted the Latin jazz, soul jazz outfit Pucho & his Latin Soul Brothers active mostly from the mid 1960s through 1973. The band is mostly noted for at one time including percussionist Chick Corea in its line-up ~ Brown passed away in 2022
November 1, 1937 ~ Country singer, songwriter Bill Anderson, full name James William Anderson III, born in Columbia, South Carolina, USA ~ Known for songs such as Still, I Love You Drops, I Get The Fever, Wild Week-End, I Can't Wait Any Longer, Love Is A Sometimes Thing, All The Lonely Women In The World. Had his songs recorded by Jimmy Dickens, Ray Price (City Lights), Connie Smith (Once A Day), George Strait (Give It Away), Vince Gill, Cal Smith (The Lord Knows I'm Drinking), Alabama, Faron Young (Face To The Wall), Charlie Louvin, Porter Wagoner (The Cold Hard Facts Of Life), Jim Reeves, Don Gibson, Brenda Lee, Bryan White, Roy Drusky, Brad Paisley (Too Country), Steve Wariner, Kitty Wells, Roy Clark, and Charlie Walker
November 1, 1936 ~ Zephire André Williams, singer, songwriter, producer, label executive, commonly known as André Williams born in Bessemer, Alabama, USA ~ Best known for songs such as Jail Bait, Greasy Chicken, Bacon Fat, and Cadillac Jack. Co-wrote Stevie Wonder's first song, Thank You For Loving Me. Also co-authored Shake A Tail Feather, which has since has become a R&B all-time classic recorded by many including notable versions by Ike & Tina Turner and by James & Bobby Purify ~ Williams passed away in 2019November 1, 1931 ~ Pianist Dmitri Bashkirov, full name Dmitri Aleksandrovich Bashkirov, born in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR ~ First gained attention in 1955 winning the Marguerite Long Piano Competition in Paris. Would go on to perform with renowned orchestras such as the Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra ~ Bashkirov passed away in 2021
November 1, 1930 ~ Classical, jazz conductor, clarinetist, harpist, saxophonist, film, TV composer John Scott born in Bristol, UK ~ Served as arranger, conductor, session musician for both pop and classical artists including Tom Jones, Cilla Black, the Hollies, Julian Bream, Johnny Dankworth, and Yehudi Menuhin. Principal saxophonist on John Barry's soundtrack to the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Played flute on the Beatles' You've Got To Hide Your Love Away. In-demand film and TV composer, notable credits including Antony And Cleopatra, North Dallas Forty and Greystoke (The Legend Of Tarzan Lord Of The Apes). In the classical field Scott has written several pieces and conducted renowned orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Munich Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
November 1, 1929 ~ Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi Baltazar Jr, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Gabe Baltazar, born in Hilo, Hawaii, USA ~ Influenced by Benny Carter, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Claude Thornhill. Worked with the Lighthouse All-Stars, Stan Kenton, Nat King Cole, Jean Turner, Ann Richards, Marvin Stamm, Sam Donahue, Dee Barton, Carl Saunders, Don Menza, Terry Gibbs, Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Onzy Matthews, and Oliver Nelson ~ Baltazar passed away in 2022
November 1, 1927 ~ Florence Winfrey, commonly known as cabaret singer, dancer, comedian Florence Mills, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Known for songs such as I'm A Little Blackbird Looking For A Bluebird and I'm Cravin' For That Kind Of Love. Sometimes referred to as “the Queen of Happiness”. Rose to prominence starring in the 1921 Broadway production of Shuffle Along ~ Winfrey was born in 1896
November 1, 1927 ~ Poet, composer Richard Kell, full name Richard Alexander Kell, born in Youghal, Ireland ~ Best known as a poet, writing since his early teens. Widely known for the poem Pigeons. Also wrote a limited amount of music, noted for his 1976 Symphonic Elegy commemorating the death of his wife Muriel, and Variations On A Notorious Theme ~ Kell passed away in 2023
November 1, 1926 ~ Bebop, hard bop, jazz blues, soul jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson born in Badin, North Carolina, USA ~ Widely acknowledged as one of the all-time greatest alto saxophonists. Strongly influenced by Charlie Parker, yet Donaldson's distinctive style is remarkably bluesier than Parker's. Although he has worked as a sideman on early key bebop and hard bop recordings, notably with Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, and Art Blakey, he is best known as a leader, usually with smaller ensembles and regularly employing an organist rather than a pianist. Sidemen who have passed through the ranks of Donaldson's ensembles, many of whom made their recording debut with the famed Blue Note Records label backing Donaldson, include Grant Green, Blue Mitchell, Curtis Fuller, Donald Byrd, Charles Earland, Stanley Turrentine, Horace Parlan, Baby Face Willette, Idris Muhammad, and Ray Barretto. Donaldson has recorded prolifically from the early 1950s onward, and is especially acclaimed for albums such as New Faces New Sounds, Blues Walk, Here 'Tis, Signifyin', Lush Life, and Sweet Lou ~ Donaldson passed away in 2024
November 1, 1924 ~ Blues pianist, singer Johnny Jones born in Jackson, Mississippi, USA ~ Best known for backing Tampa Red, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James. Also worked with Albert King, Jimmy Rogers, Howlin' Wolf, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells, Magic Sam, and Homesick James. As a solo artist known for songs such Big Town Playboy, Sweet Little Woman and Hoy Hoy ~ Jones passed away in 1964November 1, 1923 ~ Operatic lyric soprano Victoria de los Angeles born in Barcelona, Spain ~ Popular soprano from the mid 1950s through the 1960s. Worked with the Paris Opera, the Royal Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, the Teatro Colón, and La Scala. Especially acclaimed for portraying Carmen in Georges Bizet's Carmen, one of her favorite roles ~ De los Angeles passed away in 2005
November 1, 1914 ~ William Sebastian Lewis, commonly known as jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger Sabby Lewis, born in Middleburgh, North Carolina, USA ~ Popular during the 1930s annd 1940s. Worked with Dinah Washington, Billy Eckstine. Employed sidemen such as Paul Gonsalves, Alan Dawson, Cat Anderson, Sonny Stitt, Roy Haynes, Idrees Sulieman, and Joe Gordon ~ Lewis passed away in 1995