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 29, 2025 ~ Antone Laurence Tavares, commonly known as Antone Tavares or Chubby Tavares, passed away ~ Lead singer of sibling outfit Tavares, with whom he recorded a dozen albums. They are perhaps best known for the Grammy-winning More Than A Woman, included on the soundtrack of the massively succesful 1977 dance drama film Saturday Night Fever. The success of the film and accompanying soundtrack, which at the time ranked as the all-time best selling album, elevated Tavares to international fame, yet also pigeonholed the band as “just another disco outfit”, a label they vehemently tried to shake. Tavares actually started as an R&B cover band in 1959, then still titled Chubby & the Turnpikes, and enjoyed regional popularity for their energetic stage presence. By the early 1970s, the band renamed themselves Tavares and landed a record deal. Their 1974 debut album gave them their first chart success with the title track Check It Out and That's The Sound That Lonely Makes both reaching top 10 Billboard R&B. Over the course of their career, the band has totaled about a dozen Billboard R&B top 10 hits, including the No.1 hits She's Gone, It Only Takes A Minute, and Whodunit. Also notable are the singles Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel and Don't Take Away The Music, both of which reached top 10 in the Netherlands, Ireland, and the UK ~ Tavares was born in 1945
November 29, 2025 ~ Robert John Starkie, commonly known as guitarist, singer Bob Bongo Starkie, passed away ~ Member of the classic line-up of Skyhooks, joining the band as a replacement for his older brother Peter Starkie less than six months after the band was formed. Starkie has recorded about half a dozen albums with the band including their Living In The 70's debut album, which spent over three months atop the Australian album charts, and their 1975 masterpiece Ego Is Not A Dirty Word. Wildly popular in their native Australia, Skyhooks have scored over half a dozen top 20 hits, including the No.1 hits Horror Movie and Jukebox In Siberia, and are considered one of the most successful and influential Australian rock acts from the 1970s. The band initially disbanded by the early 1980s, and have reconvened from time to time for reunion tours. Skyhooks were inducted in the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1992. Upon hearing of his passing, the band issued a statement which among others read: “(Bob was) the youngest in the band and embraced the theatrics from striking facial makeup to unique stage costumes. The music always came first and touring and playing onstage was his absolute joy” ~ Starkie was born in 1952November 29, 2023 ~ Punk rock guitarist Scott Kempner passed away in Connecticut, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member, longtime rhythm guitarist for the Dictators, with whom he recorded four albums including the acclaimed Go Girl Crazy released in 1975. Kempner also co-founded the Del-Lords, played with the Brandos, and released the critically acclaimed Tenement Angels solo album in 1992 ~ Kempner was born in 1954
November 29, 2020 ~ Miroslav Aleksic, commonly known as rock bassist, singer Misa Aleksic, passed away in Belgrade, Serbia ~ Influenced by Grand Funk Railroad, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin. Co-founded Riblja Corba in 1978 with Bora Dordevic, considered one of the most important and influential Yugoslavian rock acts ~ Aleksic was born in 1953
November 29, 2019 ~ Singer the Weeknd releases Blinding Lights, lifted off his After Hours album ~ The fifth American charttopper for the Canadian singer, after The Hills, Can't Feel My Face, Starboy, and Die For You, and at his time by far the Weeknd's biggest hit reaching the top position in well over two dozen countries. Upon its release, Blinding Lights received universal acclaim, critics praising its aesthetic as well as its callback to 1980s music. It would become the best-selling single of 2020, and the first song to hold a spot in the Billboard Hot 100 top for an entire year. Despite its commercial and critical success, neither Blinding Lights nor its After Hours parent album received any Grammy nominations, much to the amazement and shock of fans, critics, and the Weeknd himself. The organization's then-interim president Harvey Mason Jr would respond to the backlash: “We understand that the Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated. I was surprised and can empathize with what he's feeling. His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone's admiration. (…) Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists”
November 29, 2016 ~ Pop singer, songwriter Ray Columbus, full name Raymond John Patrick Columbus, passed away in Shells Beach, New Zealand ~ Fronted Ray Columbus & the Invaders, best known for their 1964 Australian charttoppper She's A Mod, the first song by a New Zealand act to top the charts in another country. The single Where Have You Been released the following year would reach top 30. Following the band's disbandement in 1966, Columbus has recorded as a solo artist, notably known for songs such as Happy In A Sad Kind Of Way, Travelling Singing Man, and People Are People ~ Columbus was born in 1942November 29, 2014 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Luc de Vos, full name Luc Theophile Emile de Vos, passed away in Ghent, Belgium ~ Frontman of alternative rock outfit Gorki, known for songs such as Anja, Lieve Kleine Piranha and Monstertje. Also worked with Automatic Buffalo ~ De Vos was born in 1962
November 29, 2013 ~ R&B singer Oliver Cheatham passed away ~ As a solo artist best remembered for his 1983 hit Get Down (Saturday Night). Had previously played in local groups such as the Young Sirs, Mad Dog & the Pups, Gaslight and the Sins Of Satan. After the succes of Get Down Cheatham recorded a solo debut album, Saturday Night, produced by Al Perkins. Further albums and R&B hits followed such as SOS, Celebrate Our Love, Things To Make U Happy, Wish On A Star, Turn Out The Lights and notably Mindbuster, the latter a collaboration with singer Jocelyn Brown under the moniker Cheatham Brown ~ Cheatham was born in 1948
November 29, 2001 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter George Harrison passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Influenced by George Formby, Django Reinhardt, Carl Perkins, Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry. Rose to fame as member of the Beatles. Especially credited with embracing Indian culture and bringing Indian instruments, such as the sitar, into mainstream pop. Wrote several classic tracks for the band including Taxman, Within You Without You, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun, and Something. After the band disbanded recorded as a solo artist. Best known for his 1970 All Things Must Pass triple album, which included My Sweet Lord. Organized the all-star Concert For Bangla Desh in 1971, a precursor to later benefit concerts such as Live Aid. Harrison was also a member of late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys alongside Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, with whom he recorded two albums ~ Harrison was born in 1943November 29, 2000 ~ Singer Chuck Berry sued by pianist Johnnie Johnson over a royalty dispute ~ Longtime Chuck Berry pianist Johnnie Johnson files a lawsuit against Berry, seeking damages and royalties of over 30 songs he claimed to have co-written some four decades earlier. The songs in dispute include some of rock & roll's best known such as Roll Over Beethoven, No Particular Place To Go, and Sweet Little Sixteen. In 2002 a federal judge in St Louis would dismiss the suit, ruling that too many years had passed. Following the judge's ruling, Berry's lawyer Martin Green said his client has no hard feelings for Johnson: “He likes him very much, considers him a friend and expects to play with him in the future. He doesn't blame Johnnie for the lawsuit. He blames some of Johnnie's advisers.”
November 29, 1998 ~ Swing, jazz guitarist George van Eps passed away in Newport Beach, California, USA ~ Renowned for his fingerpicking technique. Influenced country guitarists such as Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, jazz guitarists such as Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden. Worked with Harry Reser, Smith Ballew, Freddy Martin, Benny Goodman, Ray Noble, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Condon, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Sarah Vaughan, Jack Teagarden, Bunny Berigan, Paul Weston, Doris Day, Louis Prima, Adrian Rollini, Mel Tormé, Ella Mae Morse, Gene Krupa, Helen Ward, Jo Stafford, Red Norvo, Peggy Lee, Frankie Laine, Bob Haggart, Tony Bennett, and John Pisano ~ Van Eps was born in 1913
November 29, 1998 ~ Rumba, soukous singer, bandleader, songwriter Pépé Kallé passed away in Kinshasa, Congo ~ Prominent figure in African music. Dubbed “the Elephant of African Music” for his stature, standing tall at 210 cm (6'11). Has worked with the Orchestre Bamboula, L'African Jazz, Bella Bella and Lipua Lipua. Left the latter in 1972 to form the Empire Bakuba with Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex, the band would become one of the most popular bands in Zaire known for hist such as Dadou and Sango Ya Mawa ~ Kallé was born in 1951November 29, 1995 ~ Actress, singer Laura Marano, full name Laura Marie Marano, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known as Ally in the Disney TV series Austin & Ally. Has sung on a number of the soundtrack's songs, along with other members of the cast. As a solo artist has released a handful of singles, starting with Boombox in 2015
November 29, 1993 ~ Alan Jacycock, commonly known as pianist Alan Clare, passed away in London, UK ~ Self-taught pianist. Has been playing professionally since age 15. Worked with Carlo Krahmer, Sid Phillips, Sid Milward, and Stéphane Grappelli. Best known as leader of the Alan Clare Trio teaming up with bassist Lennie Bush and drummer Tony Crombie from the mid 1950s into the 1960s ~ Clare was born in 1921
November 29, 1989 ~ Johanna Rafalowicz, commonly known as jazz singer Ann Burton, passed away in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Alongside Rita Reys and Greetje Kauffeld considered one of the premier postwar Dutch jazz singers. Best known for her 1967 Blue Burton album. Over the course of her career, Burton has worked with Johnny Millston, Ted Powder, Pia Beck, Gijs Hendriks, Masahiko Sato, Ken McCarthy, Grady Tate, and Buster Williams ~ Rafalowicz was born in 1933
November 29, 1985 ~ Pop rock singer, bassist Sting releases Russians, lifted off his The Dream Of The Blue Turtles solo debut album ~ A top 20 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Written at the height of the Cold War, Sting was inspired by watching Soviet children's TV. Sting would later comment “the show seemed thoughtful and sweet, and (he) suddenly felt the need to state the obvious: Russians love their children just as we do”. The song uses a theme from Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite, a snippet from a Soviet news program, and samples from satellite communication softly in the background. In 2022, following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sting re-recorded the song with all proceeds benefitting humanitarian and medical aid to Ukraine. In a statement, he said that he never thought the song would be relevant again, “but in the light of one man's bloody and woefully misguided decision to invade a peaceful, unthreatening neighbor, the song is, once again, a plea for our common humanity”November 29, 1984 ~ Nahum Grymes, commonly known as singer, rapper, songwriter J Holiday, born in Washington DC, USA ~ Best known for Bed, a Billboard top 10 hit in 2007. Has guested on recordings by Mims, Outlawz, Dear Jayne, Plies, Chamillionaire, Busta Rhymes, Roscoe Dash, and Wale
November 29, 1981 ~ Heavy metal, rock guitarist Ad Sluijter born in Goes, the Netherlands ~ Member of gothic metal outfit Epica through 2008. Produced Diabulus In Musica's 2009 Secrets debut album. Founded rock outfit Hangover Hero with Ronald Landa
November 29, 1979 ~ Jayceon Terrell Taylor, commonly known as MC, rapper the Game, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Helpful in bringing West Coast rap back into the mainstream in the mid 2000s. Mentored by rapper JT the Bigga Figga. Independently released his full-length Untold Story in 2004, which drew attention from Dr Dre leading to a record deal and his major label The Documentary the following year. It would spawn the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits How We Do and Hate It Or Love It, both featuring 50 Cent. Has recorded consistently since but would fail to reach the same level of succes. Has collaborated with R Kelly, Nas, Travis Barker, NORE, Infamous, Black Eyed Peas, Fat Joe, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, and Tyga
November 29, 1978 ~ Soul jazz, R&B guitarist Bill Jennings passed away in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Widely regarded as leading figure in soul jazz. Cited by BB King as influence. Has worked with Willis Jackson, Brother Jack McDuff, Leo Parker, Bill Doggett, Little Willie John (Fever), Louis Jordan, the Tympany Five, King Curtis, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald ~ Jennings was born in 1919November 29, 1978 ~ Urban contemporary gospel singer, songwriter James Fortune born in Richmond, Texas, USA ~ Debuted in 2004 with the You Survived spawning the title track hit single You Survived which quickly became a staple of Christian radio stations. Also known for songs such as God Can featuring Micah Stampley and Zacardi Cortez and I Trust You. Especially acclaimed for his 2012 Grace Gift album
November 29, 1977 ~ Milton Powell, commonly known as rapper Big Pokey, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Member of DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click, a pioneering collective considered pivotal to Southern rap and best known for their distinctive “chopped and screwed” technique. Has recorded half a dozen solo albums, starting with The Hardest Pit in The Litter released in 1999. Perhaps best known for Who Dat Talking Down, used in the pilot episode of the HBO comedy-drama series Entourage ~ Powell passed away in 2023
November 29, 1976 ~ Rock trio ZZ Top release Tejas, their fifth studio album ~ The title is a native American word for “friends”, which is the origin of the name of the band's home state, Texas. Released to mixed reception, the album would reach top 20 Billboard Hot 200. It would spawn three singles, the twangy It's Only Love, Arrested For Driving While Blind, and Enjoy And Get It On, neither of which reached top 40. Frontman Billy Gibbons would later reflect on the album: “It's fair to say that this is a transitional record, although I'm not really sure what we were transitioning from and what we were becoming. This period was the wrinkle that kind of suggested what was to come, and change would become a necessary part of the ZZ Top fabric.”
November 29, 1975 ~ Singer Neil Young records Like A Hurricane on his private property the Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, California ~ Written by Neil Young earlier the same year when he was unable to sing because of an operation on his vocal cords, Young records Like A Hurricane in his home studio. It would be two more years before the recording was released, issued as a single paired with Hold Back The Tears on the flip side, and included on the 1977 album American Stars 'n Bars. The single failed to chart, yet Like A Hurricane became a concert favorite, played on nearly every tour Young has done since its release. It would be covered several times, perhaps most notably by Roxy Music, Jay Farrar, and Heather Nova
November 29, 1975 ~ In its 8th week on the charts, Fly Robin Fly by Silver Convention hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Issued as a single off their Save Me debut album, Fly Robin Fly would become a disco classic. The song is noted for containing only six words in the lyrics, the phrase “fly robin fly” repeated three times in the chorus, followed by “up up to the sky”. Despite containing some lyrics, the song earned the German disco outfit a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. The song would reach top 10 in several countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, and their native Germany, as well as hold the No.1 spot on the American Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks both preceded and succeeded by KC & the Sunshine Band's That's The Way (I Like It). The following year, Silver Convention would score their second and final American top 10 hit when Get Up And Boogie, of which the lyrics also consisted of just six words, peaked at No.2. The band is also known for Telegram, the song selected to represent Germany at the 1977 Eurovision Songfestival, where it reached 8th place