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, 1946 ~ Folk, nueva trovo singer, songwriter Silvio Rodriguez, full name Silvio Rodriguez Dominguez, born in San Antonio De Los Banos, Cuba ~ Regarded as leader of the nueva trova movement. Well over 20 albums to his name since the 1960s. Widely acknowlged as one of Cuba's, arguably one of Latin America's greatest folk artists and certainly one of its most intellectual. Known for compositions such as Ojalá, Playa Girón, Sueño Con Serpientes, La Maza, Canción Del Elegido, A Donde Van, Noche Sin Fin Y Mar, many of which have become staples of Latin American music. Has notably collaborated with Afrocuba, Roy Brown, Pablo Milanés, and with Luis Eduardo Aute
November 29, 1945 ~ Trumpeter Randy Brecker born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Brother of saxophonist Michael Brecker with whom he regularly collaborated including under the moniker the Brecker Brothers. In-demand sideman in jazz, pop, rock, R&B. First gained serious attention working with Blood Sweat & Tears on the band's 1967 Child Is Father To The Man debut album. Formed Dreams, known for the early 1970s albums Dreams and Imagine My Surprise. Worked with Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Bloomfield Kooper & Stills, John Abercrombie, Jaco Pastorius, Parliament, Chroma, the CTI All-Stars, the GRP All-Star Big Band, David Sanborn, George Benson, Hal Galper, Spyro Gyra, Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen (Born To Run), Patti Austin, Chaka Khan, Ringo Starr, Carly Simon, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Donald Fagen (The Nightfly), Grover Washington Jr, and Paul Simon
November 29, 1944 ~ Keyboardist, organist, singer, songwriter Felix Cavaliere born in Pelham, New York, USA ~ Member of Joey Dee & the Starliters, known for their hit The Peppermint Twist. Member of the Young Rascals. Has also worked with the Stereos, Treasure, Don Was, Ringo Starr, and Little StevenNovember 29, 1944 ~ John Charles Edward Alder, commonly known as drummer, singer, songwriter Twink, born in Colchester, UK ~ Central figure in UK's psychedelic movement. Actively recording since the mid 1960s. Started in the R&B outfit the Fairies. Member of the In-Crowd, who later changed their name to Tomorrow, alongside guitarist Steve Howe of later Yes-fame, singer Keith West and bassist John Junior Wood. Member of the Pretty Things from 1968, replacing Skip Alan, through 1969 and present on some tracks on the SF Sorrow. Co-founded the Pink Fairies, co-founded Fallen Angels with Steve Marriott. Member of Rings, noted for recording I Wanna Be Free which is considered one of the first punk rock singles
November 29, 1943 ~ Barbara Ann Martin, commonly known as country, country pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Bobbi Martin born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Known for songs such as Don't Forget I Still Love You, I Can't Stop Thinking Of You, For The Love Of Him, and Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight) ~ Martin passed away in 2000November 29, 1943 ~ Bandoneon player, composer Juan José Mosalini born in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Tango nuevo. Influenced avant-garde tango. Largely self-taught. Playing professionaly since his teens. Formed Tiempo Argentino. Formed Canyengues. Has also collaborated with José Basso, Leopoldo Federico, Osvaldo Pugliese, Susana Rinaldi, Edmundo Rivero, Horacio Salgán, and Daniel Binelli. In 1999, Mosalini founded the first bandoneon course in France, his adopted homeland since the mid 1970s, at the Gennevilliers Conservatory of Music ~ Mosalini passed away in 2022
November 29, 1941 ~ Myrna Joy Miller, commonly known as country singer Jody Miller, born in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ Paved the way for future crossover female singers such as Linda Ronstadt, Anne Murray and Olivia Newton-John. Recorded well over a dozen albums, starting with Wednesday's Child Is Full Of Woe released in 1963. Scored about half a dozen Billboard Country top 10 hits through the early 1970s, including Queen Of The House, an answer song to King Of The Road by Roger Miller, no relation. Queen Of The House would also cross over to the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.12, and earned Miller a Grammy Award. Songs originally recorded by Miller have been covered by Joe Stampley, Tammy Wynette (Safe In These Lovin' Arms Of Mine), Connie Smith, Barbara Mandrell, Brenda Lee (Never Let Him Go), Jimmy Payne, Jessi Colter (Maybe I Should've Been Listening), Melba Montgomery, and the Whites ~ Miller passed away in 2022
November 29, 1940 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion drummer Billy Hart born in Washington DC, USA ~ One of the premier jazz fusion drummers of the 1970s, well known for playing with Herbie Hancock, notably present on the albums Mwandishi, Crossings, and Sextant, and subsequently with Miles Davis and McCoy Tyner. Hart has recorded about a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, starting with the acclaimed Enchance released in 1977, and is an in-demand sideman present on recordings by Buddy Montgomery, Pharoah Sanders (Karma), Joe Zawinul (Zawinul), Wayne Shorter, Eddie Henderson (Realization), Bennie Maupin (The Jewel In The Lotus), Azar Lawrence, Joanne Brackeen, Buster Williams (Pinnacle), Bob Moses, Jimmy Rowles, Pat Martino (Exit), Eddie Jefferson (Main Man), Doug Raney, Buck Hill, Benny Bailey, Lee Konitz (Yes Yes Nonet), Duke Jordan, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Shirley Horn, Pepper Adams (Urban Dreams), Cecil McBee, James Newton (The African Flower), Didier Lockwood, Idrees Sulieman, Larry Coryell, Mtume (Theater Of The Mind), Gary Bartz, and Peter Leitch
November 29, 1940 ~ Charles Frank Mangione, commonly known as trumpeter, hornist Chuck Mangione born in Rochester, New York, USA ~ To mainstream audiences perhaps best known for his 1977 crossover jazz-pop instrumental Feels So Good, which reached No.4 Billboard Hot 100, for Chase The Clouds Away used in the 1976 Summer Olympics, and for Give It All You Got used in the Winter Olympics four years later. Mangione also wrote and performed the theme to the highly successful 1981 action-comedy Cannonball Run feature film. Though Mangione was best known for his lightweight, melodic jazz-pop, a considerable influence on later smooth jazz artists, few know he originally aimed to become a be-bopper. Before finding a mainstream appeal in the 1970s, Mangione had co-led the Jazz Brothers with his older brother keyboardist Gap Mangione, and worked with Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, and notably Art Blakey. Over the course of his career, Mangione recorded over two dozen albums as a leader, including the acclaimed Land Of Make Believe and Feels So Good, released respectively in 1973 and 1977 ~ Mangioni passed away in 2025
November 29, 1940 ~ Singer, guitarist Denny Doherty, full name Dennis Gerrard Sephen Doherty, born in Halifax, Canada ~ Best known as a member of 1960s pop outfit the Mamas & the Papas, which also included his then-girlfriend Michelle Phillips. The band would score some half a dozen Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits, including California Dreamin' featuring Doherty on lead vocals. Following the band's disbandement, Doherty recorded as a solo artist, to disappointing success, and ventured into acting for stage, film, and TV ~ Doherty passed away in 2007
November 29, 1940 ~ Francis Rodney Zambon, commonly known as singer, songwriter Mark James, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Though a formidable singer in his own right, achieving some success especially in the late 1960s, James is best known for writing or co-writing several songs made into hits by others. Wrote Hooked On A Feeling, a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit for his childhood friend BJ Thomas. Wrote and first recorded Suspicious Minds, best known as recorded by Elvis Presley in 1969. Presley recorded several more of his songs including It's Only Love, Raised On Rock, and Moody Blue. His greatest claim to fame, however, was Always On My Mind, co-written with Johnny Christopher and Wayne Carson. The song was first recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972, and became a hit about a decade later when Willie Nelson covered the track. The Nelson hit would earn the songwriting team a Grammy Award, and the song has become a standard, recorded by over an estimated 400 artists. Other songs written or co-written by James would be recorded by Merrilee Rush, the Box Tops, Lou Rawls, Mac Davis (One Hell Of A Woman), and Roy Drusky ~ Zambon passed away in 2024
November 29, 1939 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer Claudio Fasoli born in Venice, Italy ~ Rose to fame as a member of the Perigeo Quintet. Following the ensemble's disbandement in 1978, Fasoli has recorded prolifically in various settings, usually trios or quartets, with well over two dozen albums to his name as a leader or co-leader, aided by top-notch sidemen such as Aldo Romano, Bill Elgart, Henri Texier, Jean-François Jenny-Clark, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Manfred Schoof, Palle Danielsson, and Tony Oxley. Fasoli is specifically acclaimed for his 1999 album Trois Trios. Fasoli is also known as an educator, notably founding the saxophone courses at the Milan Civic School of Jazz, Milan, and served as Artistic Director of the Padua Jazz Festival, Padua, Italy, in the 2000s
November 29, 1939 ~ Music author, historian Joel Whitburn, full name Joel Carver Whitburn, born in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, USA ~ Obsessed with music since his teens. As an author and researcher has worked on an estimated 200 reference books, 50 of which through the Records Research company founded by him cataloguing data from popular music charts. His books, in particular the flagship series Top Pop Singles, are in-demand especially with radio DJ's and music fans. Whitburn is also known for building one of the world's largest record collections, which includes nearly every 78rpm, 45rpm single, album and CD ever to reach the Billboard charts ~ Whitburn passed awy in 2022November 29, 1936 ~ Jazz, blues, R&B saxophonist Nat Perrilliat, full name Nathaniel Perrilliat, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Active since the early 1950s. Worked with Professor Longhair, Smiley Lewis, Shirley & Lee, Ellis Marsalis Jr, Alvin Batiste, Nat Adderley, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, Barbara George, Clarence Frogman Henry, Junior Parker, and Joe Tex ~ Perrilliat passed away in 1971
November 29, 1934 ~ Operatic bass Günter Wewel born in Arnsberg, Germany ~ Most closely associated with the Oper Dortmund, serving with the company for the majority of his career. Has also guested with a wide array of renowned orchestras including the Bavarian State Opera, the Hamburg State Opera, the Cologne Opera, and the Budapest National Opera. Also well known as a TV host, presenting the ARD musical entertainment show Kein Schöner Land from 1989 through 2007 ~ Wewel passed away in 2023
November 29, 1934 ~ Saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist Tony Coe, full name Anthony George Coe, born in Canterbury, UK ~ Versatile, adventurous, flexible. Counted among England's top jazzmen. Over two dozen albums to his name as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for the albums Some Other Spring, Nutty and Les Sources Bleues. Well known for his associations with Humphrey Lyttelton, Johnny Dankworth, Derek Bailey, and the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble. Has also collaborated with Al Grey, Bob Brookmeyer, Franz Koglmann, Nucleus, Clark Terry, Peter Brötzmann, Loudon Wainwright III, Steve Beresford, and Norma Winstone ~ Coe passed away in 2023
November 29, 1933 ~ Blues, blues rock singer, guitarist, songwriter John Mayall, full name John Brumwell Mayall, born in Macclesfield, UK ~ A generation older than most of his sidemen, Mayall is considered not only the “Godfather of British Blues” but a mentor to dozens of artists early on in their careers, his backing unit the Bluesbreakers serving as a finishing school for some of the most important rockers of the 1960s and 1970s. Mayall has recorded over three dozen albums since the mid 1960s, and is especially acclaimed for a string of late 1960s albums including The Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton, Crusade, Turning Point, and Blues From Laurel Canyon. Artists who would pass through the ranks of the Bluesbreakers include guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Walter Trout, Sonny Landreth, and Coco Montoya, bassists Jack Bruce and John McVie, and drummers Mick Fleetwood and Aynsley Dunbar. Looking back on the early days, Mayall told the Guardian in 2014: “The blues fitted in with the early '60s, the social way of life at the time. It happened here (in the UK), rather than in America, because at the time, the scene in America was racially segregated. Over there, never the twain would meet.” Mayall retired from touring in 2022 ~ Mayall passed away in 2024November 29, 1932 ~ The Broadway musical The Gay Divorce featuring the Cole Porter classic Night And Day premieres in New York, New York ~ Dwight Taylor's musical premieres on Broadway, to critical and commercial success. It would be made into a film musical two years later, retitled The Gay Divorcee. The stage version included many songs by Cole Porter which were left out of the film, replaced by new songs. The song Night And Day, premiered by Fred Astaire in the original stage production, was kept in the film and would become a classic, covered by over an estimated 1,000 artists. Astaire also starred in the film musical, his second of ten pairings with Ginger Rogers after Flying Down To Rio released in 1933
November 29, 1932 ~ Guitarist Ed Bickert born in Hochfeld, Canada ~ Started as studio musician and sideman for Ron Collier, Moe Koffman, Phil Nimmons. Has toured with Ruby Braff, Frank Rosolino, Milt Jackson, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Tate, Peter Appleyard. Also recorded with Ernestine Anderson, Benny Carter, Rosemary Clooney, Lorne Lofsky, Dave McKenna, Ken Peplowski, and with Neil Swainson. Bickert worked extensively with Canadian bandleader Rob McConnell on various projects from 1969's the Boss Brass through to 1998's Big Band Christmas. In the 1970s, at the end of Desmond's life, Bickert also worked with Paul Desmond, starting on 1974's Pure Desmond, which brought him to an international audience. The association with Desmond resulted in several live concerts as a “Canadian” quartet featuring Bickert, Desmond, bassist Don Thompson and drummer Jerry Fuller, some of which were released on LP ~ Bickert passed away in 2019
November 29, 1917 ~ Country, western swing, folk, gospel singer, songwriter Merle Travis, full name Merle Robert Travis, born in Rosewood, Kentucky, USA ~ Known for songs such as Divorce Me COD, So Round So Firm So Fully Packed, Sixteen Tons, Re-enlistment Blues, I Am a Pilgrim, and Dark As A Dungeon ~ Travis passed away in 1983
November 29, 1915 ~ Jazz pianist, songwriter Billy Strayhorn, full name William Thomas Strayhorn, born in Dayton, Ohio, USA ~ Closely associated with Duke Ellington. Wrote or co-wrote songs such as Take The A-Train, Chelsea Bridge, A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing and Lush Life ~ Strayhorn passed away in 1967November 29, 1914 ~ Jazz bassist Coleridge Goode, full name George Coleridge Emerson Goode, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Best known for his association with saxophonist Joe Harriott. Also worked with Johnny Claes, Eric Winstone, Lauderic Caton, Dick Katz, Ray Ellington, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, Tito Burns, Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Ronnie Beer, Laurie Allan, Gwigwi Mrwebi, Laurie Morgan, and Michael Garrick ~ Goode passed away in 2015
November 29, 1911 ~ Walter Maurice Kaufman, commonly known as conductor, composer, songwriter Walter Kent, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for penning The White Cliffs Of Dover with Nat Burton, first recorded by Bunny Berigan in 1941 and popularized by Vera Lynn in Europe where it became one of the best known World War II songs, and for penning I'll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams), first recorded by Bing Crosby and covered by over a 1,000 artists. Other songs written or co-written by Kent have been recorded by Orville Knapp, Eddy Duchin, Jimmy Dorsey (Isle Of Pines), Glenn Miller (When The Roses Bloom Again), Count Basie, and Frankie Laine (I'm Gonna Live Till I Die) ~ Kaufman passed away in 1994November 29, 1902 ~ Jazz drummer, bandleader Danny Alvin born in New York, New York, USA ~ Father of guitarist Teddy Walters. Recorded occasionally as a leader, noted for his 1958 Club Basin Street album. Started in the late-1910s, backing Sophie Tucker at her Reisenwebers's, New York, residency. Relocated to Chicago in the 1920s, where he would go on to back artists such as Sidney Bechet, George Brunies, Wild Bill Davison, Art Hodes, and Mezz Mezzrow ~ Alvin passed away in 1958
November 29, 1894 ~ Lucille Nelson, commonly known as singer Lucille Hegamin, born in Macon, Georgia, USA ~ Married to pianist, composer Bill Hegamin, with whom she also worked. In 1920 became the second African-American blues singer to record, after Mamie Smith. Known for songs such as Arkansas Blues, Easy Going Mamma (Don't Play Hard To Get With Me), and Jazz Me Blues. Worked with the Leonard Harper Minstrel Stock Company, Tony Jackson, Jelly Roll Morton, the Blue Syncapotors, Jimmy Wade, Clarence Williams, and Willie The Lion Smith ~ Nelson passed away in 1970