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 16, 2024 ~ Singer, pianist, keyboardist Frank Robson passed away in Lahti, Finland ~ Active in the 1960s London music scene, including with the Small Faces, where a chance meeting with some Finnish musicians led to exchanging phone numbers. A few years later Robson visited Finland, reconnected with the musicians and as demand for native English singers was high Robson joined Mosaic as lead singer, replacing Kirill Babitzin. Robson would subsequently rise to fame as lead singer of Finnish progressive rock, jazz fusion outfit Tasavallan Presidentti, with whom he recorded the eponymous Tasavallan Presidenti debut album and its followup Tasavallan Presidenti II before being fired from the group in 1972. Although he has from time to time rejoined the band, Robson would be most prolific as a solo artist, recording some five albums starting with Robson in 1974, most of which were well received in his now adopted homeland Finland ~ Robson was born in 1946
November 16, 2023 ~ George Melvin Brown, commonly known as drummer, guitarist, keyboardist George Funky Brown, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founding, longtime member of R&B, funk, disco outfit Kool & the Gang, with whom he recorded well over two dozen albums. The band is best known for Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits such as Jungle Boogie, Ladies Night, and Celebration, all co-written by Brown. Brown retired from performing in 2023, diagnosed with lung cancer. Looking back on his lengthy career, Brown commented: “When you do music that's happy music, that's what it does. It brings people to the clubs to have a good time. And that's what we do. We say our prayer before we leave, and we say, let's go make some people happy.” ~ Brown was born in 1949November 16, 2023 ~ Organist, pianist, keyboardist Peter Solley passed away in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA ~ Backed artists such as Chris Farlowe, Terry Reid, and Arthur Brown throughout the early 1970s. Co-founding member of Paladin, known for the critically acclaimed albums Paladin and its follow-up Charge. Member of Fox, with whom he scored the mid 1970s UK top 20 hits Only You Can, Imagine Me Imagine You, and S-s-s-single Bed. Solley has also appeared on albums by Snafu, Gravy Train, Keith Christmas, Dave Cartwright, Procol Harum, Pat Travers, Al Stewart (Time Passages), Wreckless Eric, Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons, Johnny Warman (Hour Glass), the Romantics (The Romantics), and Eric Clapton ~ Solley was born in 1948
November 16, 2022 ~ Jazz guitarist Mick Goodrick passed away in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Worked with Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, the Liberation Music Orchestra, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Swallow, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Jerry Bergonzi, Jimmy Mosher, Gary Thomas, Claudio Fasoli, Harvie S, Jim Hall, Charlie Mariano, Ed Sarath, Mill Bermejo, Joe Diorio, the Monday Night Orchestra, Laszlo Gardony, Mike Pohjola, Hal Crook, Miles Donahue, John Abercrombie, Dan Wall, Ed Byrne, Bruno Raberg, and Vardan Ovsepian ~ Goodrick was born in 1945
November 16, 2021 ~ Music director, flutist, singer Belinda Sykes passed away ~ Founder and musical director of Joglaresa, an ensemble specialized in medieval folk music drawing especially on Arabic and Andalusian traditions. Sykes is also known for playing flute and singing on Karl Jenkins's 2008 reinterpretation of the 13th-century suite Stabat Mater for choir and orchestra ~ Sykes was born ca.1966
November 16, 2020 ~ Engineer, producer Bruce Swedien passed away in Gainesville, Florida, USA ~ First gained attention as engineer on the Four Seasons' 1962 hit single Big Girls Don't Cry. Would go on to become one of America's most esteemed engineers, perhaps best known for his work with Michael Jackson engineering albums such as Off The Wall, Thriller, and Bad. Other notable credits include the Chi-lites, Natalie Cole (Inseparable), Quincy Jones, George Benson, Donna Summer, Roberta Flack, Michael McDonald, Barbra Streisand, the Isley Brothers, and Herbie Hancock ~ Swedien was born in 1934November 16, 2020 ~ Soprano, lyric colaratura singer Eugenia Ratti passed away in Placenza, Italy ~ Active since the mid 1950s. Has worked with the Paris Opera, the Munich State Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Dallas Opera, and other renowned orchestras. Especially known for soubrette roles in works composed by Domenico Cimarosa and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ~ Ratti was born in 1933
November 16, 2010 ~ Country, country-pop singer Carrie Underwood releases her There's A Place For Us single ~ Co-written and recorded by Carrie Underwood for the soundtrack of the film The Chronicles Of Narnia (The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader). Recorded by several other artists for country-specific releases of the film and soundtrack. Nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards, losing out to singer Cher's You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me from the Burlesque soundtrack. Underwood's single did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100
November 16, 2009 ~ Jazz bassist, double bassist Jeff Clyne, full name Jeffrey Ovid Clyne, passed away in London, UK ~ Leader and sideman. Member of the Jazz Couriers in the late 1950s alongside Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott. Noted for being among the musicians performing on the opening night of famed London jazz club Ronnie Scott's. Backed Stan Tracey on the pivotal Jazz Suite Inspired By Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood album. Has also worked with Blossom Dearie, Ian Carr, Gordon Beck, Dudley Moore, Zoot Sims, Norma Winstone, John Burch, Marion Montgomery, Nucleus, Isotope, Gilgamesh, Amalgam, Turning Point, and Trevor Tomkins ~ Clyne was born in 1937November 16, 2002 ~ Boogie-woogie, blues, jazz pianist, singer Mose Vinson passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Known for recordings such as Blues With A Feeling and Sweet Root Man. Worked with Booker T Laury, James Cotton (Cotton Crop Blues), Jimmy Deberry (Take A Little Chance), Big Walter Horton, Joe Hill Louis, and Joe Willie Wilkins ~ Vinson was born ca.1917
November 16, 2001 ~ Violinist, conductor Jack Rothstein passed away in London, UK ~ Member of the London Czech Trio. Conducted the Boyd Neel Orchestra, the Northern Sinfonia, the Johann Strauss Orchestra, and the Viennese Orchestra Of London. Also known for his work with TV and radio and as a member of the Wombles. Played violin on the Beatles-songs I Am The Walrus and Within You Without You ~ Rothstein was born in 1925
November 16, 2001 ~ Bebop, hard bop pianist Tommy Flanagan, full name Thomas Lee Flanagan, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Influenced by Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Nat King Cole, and Bud Powell. Well known as accompaniest to Ella Fitzgerald, first working with the singer in the mid 1950s and later serving as her steady pianist and music director for about a decade starting in the late 1960s. Flanagan has recorded over three dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, and is specifically noted for releases such as The Tokyo Recital, Alone Too Long, and Thelonica. Flanagan has also served as sideman on a number of quintessential 1950s, 1960s albums, perhaps most notably Saxophone Colossus (Sonny Rollins), Critics Choice (Pepper Adams), Flute Souffle (Herbie Mann), Giant Steps (John Coltrane), and In A Mellow Tone (Coleman Hawkins) ~ Flanagan was born in 1930November 16, 2000 ~ Singer, baglama player Ahmet Kaya passed away in Paris, France ~ Noted for his collaborations with Ferdi Tayfur and Huseyin Demirel. As a solo artist best known for his 1994 Sarkilanm Daglara album, which included politically charged songs on the Kurdish-Turkish conflict ~ Kaya was born in 1957
November 16, 2000 ~ Robert Earl Davis Jr, commonly known as hip-hop DJ, rapper DJ Screw, passed away in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Pivotal figure in Southern rap known best for establishing the “chopped and screwed” technique. Has released over 350 mixtapes, both as a solo musician and as frontman of the acclaimed collective Screwed Up Click. Rediscovered by a wider audience some five years after his death of a codeine overdose, finding a new generation of followers ~ Davis was born in 1971
November 16, 1995 ~ Kirian Labarrie, commonly known as producer, rapper Kirk Knight, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Member of hip-hop collective Pro-Era. Released his solo debut album, Late Knight Special, in 2015. Produced artists such as Capital Steez, Joey Badass, Ecko Unitd, Peter Rosenberg, Mick Jenkins, Smoke DZA, CJ Fly, A$AP Ferg, and the Flatbush Zombies
November 16, 1994 ~ Chester William Powers Jr, commonly known as rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Dino Valenti, passed away in Santa Rosa, California, USA ~ Best known for writing the 1960s anthem Get Together. The song has been recorded by several artists, including notably by the Youngbloods, whose 1969 single reached No.5 Billboard Hot 100. Valente has recorded one album as a solo artist, his name misspelled on the eponymous Dino Valente released in 1969, and four albums with psychedelic rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service, starting with Just For Love in 1970. Valenti co-wrote and sang lead on several of Quicksilver Messenger Service's best known songs including Fresh Air and What About Me ~ Powers was born in 1937
November 16, 1991 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Don't Cry by Guns 'n Roses featuring Shannon Hoon peaks at No.10 Billboard Hot 100 ~ This song predates the formation of the band, written by Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin when they both fell for the same girl. However, she couldn't make a choice and when she told Rose, whose first name is William or Bill for short, “don't cry, Bill” the title was born. Guns 'n Roses would record the song for their 1987 Appetite For Destruction debut album, but couldn't get the sound right and the track didn't make the album. The band would, however, regularly include the song in their live sets. When bootlegs of the song began to circulate, they recorded it for their 1991 Use Your Illusion I album. The follow-up album Use Your Illusion II would feature an alternate version
November 16, 1989 ~ Jazz singer, pianist Rose Murphy passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Active since the late 1930s. Dubbed “the chee chee girl” for her unique vocal style, a high pitched voice incorporating scat singing, giggling and percussive sound effects. Best known for Busy Line ~ Murphy was born in 1913
November 16, 1985 ~ Tyrone Lindo, commonly known as grime, hip-hop MC, rapper, singer, songwriter Big Narstie, born in London, UK ~ Member of grime crew N-Double-A. Active as a solo artist since the early-2010s. Appeared on songs such as Craig David's 2015 UK top 10 hit When The Bassline Drops and Robbie Williams' 2017 Go Mental. Released his full-length BDL Bipolar debut album in 2018
November 16, 1984 ~ Trombonist Vic Dickenson passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Made his recording debut as a vocalist with Luis Russell in 1930. Member of Blanche Calloway's orchestra in the early 1930s. Led his own bands from the mid 1940s to mid 1950s. Session man ever since working with such greats as Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, Benny Carter, Lester Young, and Sidney Bechet ~ Dickenson was born in 1906
November 16, 1982 ~ Jazz pianist Al Haig, full name Alan Warren Haig, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ One of the finest pianists of the bop era, yet remained in obscurity for most of his career. As a sideman, Haig was present on pivotal recordings early on in his career, notably playing with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, and Stan Getz from the late 1940s through early 1950s. Recorded well over a dozen albums as a leader, especially noted for the 1954 album Al Haig Trio, and Al Haig Today released about a decade later. Haig has also appeared on albums by Art Blakey, Wardell Gray, Mary Lou Williams, Chet Baker, Miles Davis (Birth Of The Cool), Coleman Hawkins, Sarah Vaughan, and Charlie Barnet ~ Haig was born in 1922November 16, 1982 ~ William Scott Fyvie, commonly known as rapper, producer Snak The Ripper, born in New Westminster, Canada ~ Co-founding member of hip-hop collective SDK. Member of 100MAD, founded by Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz. As a solo artist debuted with the album The Ripper released in 2007. Has collaborated with artists such as Datsik, Crooked I, the Snowgoons, Ill Bill, Mobb Deep, and Onyx
November 16, 1980 ~ Victor Mercer, commonly known as rapper, producer Celph Titled, born in Tampa, Florida, USA ~ Member of hip hop supergroup the Army Of The Pharaohs. Member of Demigodz. Also closely associated with Apathy, Buckwild, and Stu Bangas. Released his Gatalog (A Collection Of Chaos) solo debut album in 2006
November 16, 1980 ~ Francis Luther Crow, commonly known as singer, pianist, songwriter Frank Luther, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of late 1920s quartet the Revelers. Closely associated with singer Carson Robison, scoring a number of influential hits through the early 1930s including When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver, Little Green Valley, I'm Alone Because I Love You, Utah Trail, and Birmingham Jail. Luther would also front his own the Frank Luther Trio, work with dance bands, record children's music, and by the mid 1940s find employment as an executive at Decca Records ~ Crow was born in 1899November 16, 1980 ~ Overton Vertis Wright, commonly known as R&B, soul, funk, deep soul singer OV Wright passed away in Mobile, Alabama, USA ~ Renowned Southern soul singer known for That's How Strong My Love Is, You're Gonna Make Me Cry, When You Took Your Love From Me, Nucleus Of Soul, A Nickel And A Nail, I Can't Take It and Ace Of Spades ~ Wright was born in 1939