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 22, 1953 ~ Rock, country guitarist, keyboardist, singer, producer John Jennings born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA ~ As a solo artist best known for his 1997 Buddy album. Closely associated with Mary Chapin Carpenter as member of Carpenter's backing band and producer of several of her albums including the aacclaimed 1992 Come On Come On album. Has also worked, in one role or another with artists such as Beausoleil, John Gorka, Janis Ian, the Indigo Girls, the Rankin Family, Cheryl Wheeler, Iris DeMent, George Jones, Darol Anger, and Joe Diffie ~ Jenning passed away in 2015November 22, 1951 ~ Blues singer, guitarist William Moore passed away in Warrenton, Virginia, USA ~ Bridged ragtime and blues. Best known for his late 1920s recordings for Paramount Records. Well-known songs include One Way Gal, Ragtime Millionaire, and Old Country Rock. Moore's songs have been covered by the likes of Lightnin' Wells, John Fahey, and the Notting Hillbillies ~ Moore was born in 1893
November 22, 1950 ~ Singer, songwriter, producer Dan Tyler, full name Daniel Eugene Tyler, born in McComb, Mississippi, USA ~ Wrote or co-wrote songs, on occasion with his wife Adele Tyler, recorded by Eddie Rabbitt (Hearts On Fire), Dr Hook, the Oak Ridge Boys (Bobbie Sue), Agnetha Fältskog, Johnnie Taylor, Kenny Rogers, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Keith Whitley (Somebody's Doin' Me Right), LeAnn Rimes, and Billy Ray Reynolds. The couple's son is indie folk, pop rock guitarist William TylerNovember 22, 1950 ~ Latin pop singer, songwriter, musical actress Paloma San Basilio, full name Paloma Cecilia San Basilio Martinez, born in Madrid, Spain ~ Million-selling Spanish singer, songwriter recording in a wide range of styles from melodic to pop. Influenced by the Beatles, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Barbra Streisand. Known for her roles in Spanish edition versions of musicals such as Evita, Man Of La Mancha, My Fair Lady and Sunset Boulevard
November 22, 1950 ~ Rock, heartland rock singer, guitarist, mandolinist, songwriter, actor Steven Van Zandt born in Winthrop, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as member of Bruce Springsteen's backing unit the E Street Band, notable contributions include arranging the horns in Tenth Avenue Freeze-out, co-writing the guitar parts of Born To Run and co-producing the albums The River and Born In The USA. Co-founded Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, co-penned the band's signature song I Don't Wanna Go Home. Fronts his own Little Steven & the Disciples Of Soul. Thriving force behind the anti-apartheid project Artists United Against Apartheid. Acclaimed actor known for roles in TV drama series such as The Sopranos and Lilyhammer
November 22, 1950 ~ Martina Michèle Weymouth, commonly known as new wave, post-punk, art pop bassist Tina Weymouth born in Coronado, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club. The former band is best known for songs such as Take Me To The River, Burning Down The House and Road To Nowhere, the latter is best known for their 1981 eponymous Tom Tom Club spawning dance hits such as Wordy Rappinghood and the Drifters-cover Under The Boardwalk. Both also included her husband drummer Chris Frantz. Weymouth co-produced the Happy Mondays 1992 album Yes Please. Guested on Damon Albarn's Gorillaz-project, providing percussion and backing vocals on the track 19/2000 of the band's eponymous 2001 Gorillaz albumNovember 22, 1948 ~ Guitarist, singer Dennis Larden born in Kansas, USA ~ Member of Every Mothers Son, which also included his brother Larry Larden, known for the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Come On Down To My Boat of their 1967 eponymous Every Mothers Son debut album. Two follow-up singles, Put Your Mind At Ease and The Pony With The Golden Mane, would do reasonably well in Canada. The band disbanded in late 1968. Larden would later join Ricky Nelson's backing unit the Stone Canyon Band
November 22, 1947 ~ Guitarist Rod Price born in Willesden, UK ~ Member of Black Cat Bones, replacing Paul Kossoff, known for their one critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful 1969 Barbed Wire Sandwich album. Best known as a member of Foghat since its formation, present on all albums through 1980. Helped shape the sound of the band through his distinctive slide guitar playing, which earned Price the nickname “the Magician of Slide” ~ Price passed away in 2005
November 22, 1946 ~ Reggae bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, percussionist, arranger, songwriter, producer Aston Barrett, full name Aston Francis Barrett, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Helped define the role of the bass in reggae. Brother of drummer Carlton Barrett. Best known as longtime associate of Bob Marley, serving as bassist, arranger, and bandleader from 1969 until Marley's death a dozen years later. Earned the nickname “Family Man” for his role in Marley's backing unit. One of the first to incorporate a drum machine in reggae, as heard in Marley songs such as No Woman No Cry, So Jah Seh, and Johnny Was. Mentored Robbie Shakespeare of Sly & Robbie, who at some point commented: “He is a master for me. I have had help and influences from other people, but I have to give it mostly to Family Man.” ~ Barrett passed away in 2024November 22, 1946 ~ Violinist Oleg Kagan, full name Oleg Moseyevich Kagan, born in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia ~ Married to cellist Natalia Gutman, with whom he has also worked. Known for numerous chamber collaborations, notably with pianists Sviatoslav Richter and Vasily Lobanov, as a proponent of modern music and fine interpreter of the works of Jean Sibelius, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Enescu ~ Kagan passed away in 1990
November 22, 1946 ~ Emmett Peter Geraci, commonly known as pop singer, songwriter Sonny Geraci, born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ First gained attention fronting the Outsiders, known for songs such as Time Won't Let Me, Respectable (What Kind Of Girl Is This), Girl In Love and Help Me Girl. Member of Climax, scoring the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Precious And Few ~ Geraci passed away in 2017
November 22, 1945 ~ Electric blues singer, songwriter, impresario Angela Strehli born in Lubbock, Texas, USA ~ Worked with James Polk, Southern Feeling, WC Clark, Denny Freeman, Lou Ann Barton, Marcia Ball, Andy Santana, Elvin Bishop, and Pinetop PerkinsNovember 22, 1944 ~ Country singer Elton Britt records Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) ~ Written by Jimmie Hodges. Elton Britt would be the first to record this popular song, issued as the B-side to Weep No More My Darlin' in January 1945 which would reach top 10 Billboard Country. It would become a pop and country standard recorded by numerous artists including Vaughn Monroe, Eddy Arnold, Sam Cooke, Della Reese, Brenda Lee, Tom Jones, and Jerry Lee Lewis
November 22, 1944 ~ The musical film Meet Me In St Louis starring Judy Garland appropriately premieres in St Louis, Missouri ~ Set to the backdrop of St Louis in the year before the 1904 Louisiana World's Fair exposition, Judy Garland debuts The Trolley Song, The Boy Next Door, and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, all of which would become hits after the film's release. The latter would become a Christmas classic, covered by over an estimated 2,000 artists. The film would be a smash critical and commercial success, and MGM's most successful musical of the 1940s. Director Vincente Minnelli first met Garland on the set, and would marry the singer the following year
November 22, 1944 ~ Maxwell Livingston Smith, commonly known as roots reggae, reggae singer Max Romeo, born in St Ann Parish, Jamaica ~ Member of the Emotions, which also included Kenneth Knight and Lloyd Shakespeare. Member of the Hippy Boys. As a solo artist known best for Let The Power Fall, Chase The Devil, and his best known Wet Dream, the latter credited with launching a new style of reggae with its overtly sexual lyrics. Starred in the 1978 musical Reggae, which he co-wrote with Hair producer Michael Butler. Sang backup vocals on the Rolling Stones's Dance of the 1980 Emotional Rescue album. Had his 1981 Holding Out My Love For You album produced by Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Also worked with the Upsetters, Jah Shaka, and Mafia & Fluxy ~ Smith passed away in 2025
November 22, 1943 ~ Drummer Floyd Sneed, full name Floyd Chester Sneed, born in Calgary, Canada ~ Member of Three Dog Night, remaining with the band from its inception in 1968 until its disbandement in 1977. Sang backup on only one song, Joy To The World taken of their 1970 Naturally album. The band is known for numerous 1970s hits including the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles One, Mama Told Me (Not To Come), Black & White, Shambala, and The Show Must Go On ~ Sneed passed away in 2023
November 22, 1943 ~ Lyricist Lorenz Hart, full name Lorenz Milton Hart, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Richard Rodgers, with whom Hart wrote over two dozen Broadway musicals including Babes In Arms, The Boys From Syracuse, Pal Joey and On Your Toes. Songs co-written by Hart include Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered (Vivienne Segal, the Platters, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra) Glad To Be Unhappy (Doris Carson, Lena Horne, Buddy Rich), It Never Entered My Mind (Shirley Ross, Lee Wiley, Julie London), My Funny Valentine (Mitzi Green, Sarah Vaughan, Marvin Gaye), You Are Too Beautiful (Al Jolson, Bobby Troup, Arthur Prysock), Ten Cents A Dance (Ruth Etting, Doris Day, Shirley Horn), Mimi (Maurice Chevalier, the Lane Brothers) ~ Hart was born in 1895November 22, 1941 ~ Perry Miller, commonly known as singer Jesse Colin Young, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Founding member of the Youngbloods, known for their 1969 top 10 hit Get Together. Would embark on a successful solo career after the band's disbandement in the early 1970s. Especially acclaimed for his 1973 album Song For Juli and 1975's Songbird ~ Young passed away in 2025
November 22, 1941 ~ Jazz, jazz rock bassist Ron McClure born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Active since the early 1960s. Co-founded the Fourth Way, which also included Mike Nock, Eddie Marshall, Michael White. To pop, rock audiences best known as member of Blood Sweat & Tears, appearing on the albums Mirror Image, New City and In Concert. Well over a dozen albums to his name as a leader, backed by sidemen such as John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Richie Beirach, Randy Brecker. Also worked with Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Herbie Mann, Wynton Kelly, Charles Lloyd, Bloomfield Kooper & Stills, Carla Bley, Joe Henderson, Quest, and Michel Petrucciani
November 22, 1939 ~ Delta blues singer, guitarist Tommy McClennan records Bottle It Up And Go at RCA Studios, Chicago, Illinois ~ Based on a number of earlier songs, including the Memphis Jug Band's 1932 Bottle It Up And go, the song would be popularized by and become most closely associated with Tommy McClennan. It would become a blues standard covered by numerous artists, at times using alternate titles such as Step It Up And Go, including Sonny Boy Williamson I, John Lee Hooker, Blind Boy Fuller, and BB King. It is also said that Chuck Berry's Too Much Monkey Business is adapted from McClennan's songNovember 22, 1937 ~ Singer, songwriter Edward Hulewicz born in Berezen, Poland ~ Active since the 1960s. Member of Tarpany, for whom he wrote their biggest hit Siala Baba Mak. Following the band's disbandement would go on to work with Helioso, known for songs such as Obietnice. Active as a solo artist since the early 1970s, scoring hits with Za Zdrowie Pan, Paskuda and Bo Jedno Zycle Mam ~ Hulewicz passed away in 2022
November 22, 1937 ~ Pianist, composer Nikolai Kapustin, full name Nikolai Girshevich Kapustin, born in Horlivka, Ukranian SSR ~ Active since the 1950s. First gained attention working with artists such as Yury Saulsky and Oleg Lundstrem. Known for fusing jazz and classical. As a composer best known for works such as Suite In The Old Style Op.28 premiered in 1977, characterised by its jazz improvisation feel yet modeled after Baroque suites in the style of Johann Sebastian Bach. Kapustin's works have been recorded by leading pianists including Marc-André Hamelin, Nikolai Petrov, Steven Osborne, Yeol Eum Son and Vadim Rudenko ~ Kapustin passed away in 2020November 22, 1936 ~ R&B, doo-wop singer Opal Courtney Jr born ~ Member of the Spaniels, known for 1950s hits such as Baby It's You and Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight, the latter later remaining popular to this day featured in several films including American Graffiti ~ Courtey passed away in 2008
November 22, 1932 ~ Singer Fred Astaire records Night And Day at Victor's Gramercy Recording Studios, New York, New York ~ Written by Cole Porter for the 1932 musical The Gay Divorce it would become one of Porter's most-beloved. Fred Astaire's studio version, released as a single featuring I've Got You On My Mind on the B-side, would reach top of the chartsNovember 22, 1931 ~ Leonard George Sargent, commonly known as singer, pianist Lennie Peters, born in Islington, UK ~ Blinded in one eye at age 5 during a car accident and a thrown brick blinding his other eye at age 16. Uncle of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. Active as a solo artist since the early 1960s, notably known for the singles Let The Tears Begin and And My Heart Cried Again. Formed the duo Peters & Lee with Dianne Lee, previously his backing singer, scoring the hits Welcome Home and Don't Stay Away Too Long. The former would top both the UK and Irish charts in 1973 ~ Sargent passed away in 1992