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 17, 2022 ~ Conductor, composer Azio Corghi passed away in Guidizzolo, Italy ~ Composed mostly operas and chamber music, the former often based on literature. Well known works include Gargantua, Blimunda, and Divara (Aqua E Sangue) ~ Corghi was born in 1937
November 17, 2022 ~ Brandon Smith, commonly known as hip-hop, trap, R&B singer, rapper, songwriter B Smyth, passed away ~ Gained attention posting his cover of popular songs on Youtube, including the Rihanna cover Stay and the Miguel cover Quickie. After landing a record contract with Motown in 2012 released his debut single Leggo featuring 2 Chainz, followed by his The Florida Files debut EP the following year. Smith died from pulmonary fibrosis at age 28 ~ Smith was born in 1994
November 17, 2022 ~ Producer, label executive, author Ken Mansfield passed away ~ Manager for Apple Records in the USA during the 1960s, and as such helpful in the careers of a number of British acts including the Beatles, Mary Hopkin, Badfinger, and Jackie Lomax. Helped popularize the Outlaw country movement in the 1970s, notably producing the Waylon Jennings Are You Ready For The Country album as well as Jessi Colter's I'm Not Lisa crossover hit single. Successful in gospel music in the 1990s, producing acts such as the Imperials and the Gaither Vocal Band. Authored a number of books in the 2000s, starting with The Beatles The Bible And Bodega Bay published in 2000 ~ Mansfield was born in 1937November 17, 2022 ~ Classical pianist, composer Tomás Svoboda passed away in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Served as professor at Portland State University, Oregon, for over 25 years. Over 200 compositions to his name, starting in the mid 1950s. Most acclaimed for his Concerto For Marimba & Orchestra published in 1995 and for Piano Trios published in 2000 ~ Svoboda was born in 1939
November 17, 2021 ~ Jazz pianist, singer, composer, lyricist Dave Frishberg passed away in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Cited Frank Loesser as a major influence, naming Loesser's Baby It's Cold Outside and Willie Nelson's Crazy as two of the songs he wished he had written. Has performed as a solo pianist from the late 1950s forward. Known for humorous, quirky, sardonic songs such as I'm Hip, Blizzard Of Lies, Peel Me A Grape, Slapping The Cakes On Me and probably his best known My Attorney Bernie. Frequent songwriting collaborator of the likes of Johnny Mandel, Bob Brookmeyer, Julius Wechter, Gerry Mulligan. Songs written or co-written by Frishberg have been performed by Blossom Dearie, Rosemary Clooney, Shirley Horn, Anita O'Day, Michael Feinstein, Irene Kral, Diana Krall, Stacey Kent, and John Pizzarelli ~ Frishberg was born in 1933
November 17, 2021 ~ Pop rock bassist Keith Allison passed away ~ Member of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1968, replacing Charlie Coe, through 1975. As a solo artist known for his 1967 Keith Allison In Action album. Over the course of his career Allison has also worked with artists such Ringo Starr, the Monkees, the Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Sonny & Cher. Appears on the Jerry Lee Lewis album Last Man Standing released in 2006 ~ Allison was born in 1942
November 17, 2021 ~ Adolph Robert Thornton Jr, commonly known as hip-hop, gangsta rap rapper Young Dolph, passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ First gained serious attention as featured vocalist on OT Genasis's Cut It, a Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit in 2015. Would release his solo debut album, King Of Memphis, the following year. As a solo artist best known for his 2020 album Rich Slave which reached top 10 Billboard Hot 200 album charts. Has collaborated with Key Glock, Gucci Mane, Lil Durk, and Lil' Baby ~ Thornton was born in 1985November 17, 2020 ~ William Henry Adams Jr, commonly known as producer, label executive Gordon Keith, passed away ~ Best remembered for being the first to sign the Jackson 5, producing and recording the band's first songs including the band's very first single Big Boy paired with You Changed on the flip side released on the Steeltown Records label in 1968 ~ Adams was born in 1939
November 17, 2018 ~ Frances Elizabeth Taylor, commonly known as dancer, actress Frances Taylor-Davis, passed away ~ Toured extensively as a dancer with the Katherine Dunham Company throughout South America and Europe. Became the first African-American ballerina to perform with the Paris Opera Ballet in 1951, her performance receiving rave reviews. Appeared in Broadway musicals such as Mr Wonderful, Shinbone Alley, and West Side Story. Married to trumpeter Miles Davis from 1959 through 1968. Although the marriage was marred by increasing domestic violence as Davis' substance abuse worsened, Taylor has served as inspiration for some of the trumpeter's best known including the song Fran Dance, and the entire Porgy & Bess album ~ Taylor was born in 1929
November 17, 2017 ~ Composer William Mayer passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Composed orchestral, chamber, and choral music, as well as pieces for vocals or solo piano. Critically acclaimed, his work once described by the New York Times as “singing out with real beauty, both in the vocal writing and instrumental settings.” Best known for his opera Death In The Family, premiered in 1983. Taught composition and orchestration at the Boston University, Boston, and served as guest lecturer at several other renowned institutions ~ Mayer was born in 1925
November 17, 2006 ~ Ruth Alston Weston, commonly known as singer Ruth Brown, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Best known for songs such as So Long, Teardrops From My Eyes and Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean. Worked with Duke Ellington, Rudy Toombs, the Flairs, Count Basie, the Lamp-Lighters, Louis Jordan, Christine Kittrell, Pérez Prado, and Thad Jones ~ Brown was born in 1928
November 17, 2003 ~ Songwriter, singer, guitarist Don Gibson passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Revered singer, songwriter. Pivotal to development of country. Wrote country classics such as Sweet Dreams and I Can't Stop Loving You. Nicknamed “the Bad Poet” for his songs about loneliness and lost love. Member of Sons Of The Soil. Artists who recorded his songs include Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, and Neil Young ~ Gibson was born in 1928
November 17, 1998 ~ Jazz pianist, bandleader Ike Carpenter, full name Isaac Monroe Carpenter, passed away in Durham, North Carolina, USA ~ Active during the 1940s and 1950s. Worked briefly with Boyd Raeburn before becoming a popular attraction in his own right working the West Coast nightclubs. Featured with his band in the 1950s films Rhythm And Rhyme and Holiday Rhythm. Employed sidemen such as Lucky Thompson, Gerald Wilson, Ted Nash, Jay Cameron, and George Weidler ~ Carpenter was born in 1920November 17, 1995 ~ Singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Alan Hull, full name James Alan Hull, passed away in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK ~ Best known as co-founding member, frontman of Lindisfarne. Has also recorded as a solo artist and worked with the Chosen Few, Brethren, and Radiator ~ Hull was born in 1945
November 17, 1995 ~ Jazz, blues critic, historian, archivist, label executive, producer Pete Welding passed away in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA ~ Journalist for the famed Down Beat jazz and blues magazine. Founded the Testament Records label in 1963. As a producer has worked with Blind Connie Williams, Big Joe Williams, Robert Nighthawk, Doctor Ross, Mississippi Fred McDowell, JB Hutto, Bo Diddley, Otis Spann, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Musselwhite, the Jazz Crusaders, and Johnny Shines ~ Welding was born in 1935
November 17, 1993 ~ Rapper, singer, songwriter M Huncho born in North West London, UK ~ Active since the late-2010s, his 2019 Utopia mixtape garnering over 70 million streams worldwide and reaching the top 20 on the UK albums charts. Best known for songs such Broken Homes featuring the Plug & Nafe Smallz, Pee Pee and 5AM
November 17, 1992 ~ Singer Whitney Houston releases The Bodyguard, soundtrack for the romantic thriller of the same name featuring Houston and Kevin Costner in leading roles ~ The Bodyguard is credited as a Whitney Houston album as she performs the majority of the songs, although the album also includes tracks performed by label mates Lisa Stansfield, Kenny G, Soul System, Curtis Stigers, Aaron Neville, and Joe Cocker. On the soundtrack album, Houston is also credited as executive producer alongside Clive Davis. Other producers involved in the project include the new jack swing hitmaker duo of Kenneth Babyface Edmonds and LA Reid, as well as BeBe Winans, Narada Michael Walden, and David Foster. Houston had been pursued earlier for acting roles, including by Spike Lee and Robert De Niro, and initially was reluctant to sign on for The Bodyguard, in which she would play the lead role of a singer, yet would be persuaded by co-star and the film's co-producer Kevin Costner. Despite mixed reviews, the film would be a major commercial success, eventually grossing over $400 million. The album would spawn some of Houston's biggest hits, including notably the Dolly Parton-cover I Will Always Love You, make Houston the big winner at the 36th Grammy Awards with wins for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Female Pop Performance, and eventually sell some 50 million copies, making it the all-time best selling soundtrack album. Both the film and album cemented Houston's status as a pop culture icon. Houston would go on to work on several more feature films, either as an actress, producer, singer for the accompanying soundtrack or in a combination of several roles at onceNovember 17, 1991 ~ Francis Junior Edusei, commonly known as rapper Frenna, born in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Member of SFB, known for their 2015 single Nu Sta Je Hier with Broederliefde & Ronnie Flex. As a solo artist Frenna is known for songs such as My Love featuring Jonna Fraser & Emms, Energie with Flex, and Hoe Je Bent with Broederliefde
November 17, 1990 ~ Folk pop, blues rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Barns Courtney, full name Barnaby George Courtney, born in Aylesbury, UK ~ Fronted indie band SleeperCell. Fronted Dive Bella Dive. Active as a solo artist since the mid-2010s, releasing his Glitter And Gold debut single in 2015. Also known for the subsequent recording Fire. Has since opened for the likes of the Libertines, Ed Sheeran, the Lumineers, Tom Odell, and Fitz & the Tantrums
November 17, 1989 ~ Sudan Ameer Williams, commonly known as rapper iamsu, born in Richmond, California, USA ~ Active since the early-2010s. Released his full-length debut album, Sincerely Yours, in 2014. Has collaborated with the HBK Gang, 2 Chainz, Sage The Gemini, E-40, Jonn Hart, Zendaya, and Travis Barker
November 17, 1989 ~ Singer Paula Abdul releases Opposites Attract with the Wild Pair, lifted off Abdul's Forever Your Girl debut album ~ Though initially not intended as a duet, Opposites Attract finds Paula Abdul in a back-and-forth with Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn, the latter two collectively dubbed the Wild Pair. The song is especially noted for its creative music video, in which Abdul dances with an animated character, an idea lifted from the 1945 musical comedy film Anchors Aweigh in which Gene Kelly dances with the mouse from Tom & Jerry. Abdul orchestrated all dance moves, including for her duet and dance partner, the animated cat voiced by the Wild Pair. Animators from Disney created the cat by way of rotoscoping animation, a technique where they drew over an actual person's real dance moves. The video would win a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. Opposites Attract would be Abdul's fourth of six consecutive Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hits, preceded by Straight Up, Forever Your Girl, and Cold HeartedNovember 17, 1984 ~ In its 10th week on the charts, What About Me by Kenny Rogers featuring Kim Carnes and James Ingram peaks at No.15 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written by Richard Marx, David Foster, and Kenny Rogers, the latter two also serving as producers. Issued as the lead single of Rogers' album of the same name. The song is described as a three-way love song about a woman and two men with all three wondering “what about me”. Originally Lionel Richie and Barbra Streisand were tapped to join Rogers, but after Richie dropped out, Streisand did as well. Next, Olivia Newton-John and Jeffrey Osborne were approached but both also dropped out as each had other projects scheduled to be released around the same time. Eventually, Kim Carnes and James Ingram signed on for the project. What About Me would be the first major hit for songwriter Richard Marx, who would launch his own singing career three years later with his eponymous Richard Marx album, which spawned four Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, starting with Don't Mean Nothing
November 17, 1983 ~ Pablo Diaz-Reixa, commonly known as singer, producer El Guincho, born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain ~ Rose to prominence with his 2008 Alegranza, drawing from Afrobeat, dub, tropicália and rock & roll. Served as producer for Rosalia, Javiera Mena, Aitana, Bad Gyal, and Paloma Mami
November 17, 1981 ~ Big band singer Bob Eberly passed away in Glen Burnie, Maryland, USA ~ Best known for his work with Jimmy Dorsey including on classics such as It's The Dreamer In Me, and for his duets with Helen O'Connell such as Green Eyes and Tangerine. Other notable recordings include Besame Mucho with Kitty Kallen and Love Letters with Enoch Light's Orchestra. Eberly's brother Ray Eberly is also a singer, known for his work with Glenn Miller ~ Eberly was born in 1916November 17, 1981 ~ Pop singer, actress Sarah Harding, full name Sarah Nicole Harding, born in Berkshire, UK ~ Rose to fame in the early 2000s as member of girl group Girls Aloud, known for UK top 10 hits such as Sound Of The Underground, Life Got Cold, The Show, I'll Stand By You, Something Kinda Ooooh, Walk This Way with the Sugababes, Call The Shots, and The Promise ~ Harding passed away in 2021