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 5, 1959 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwrier Bryan Adams, full name Bryan Guy Adams, born in Kingston, Canada ~ Became a global star on the strength of two albums, 1983's Cuts Like A Knife and 1984's Reckless, scoring an impressive string of hit singles including Run To You, Summer Of '69 and Heaven. Also known for songs like (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, Can't Stop This Thing We Started and All For Love, the latter a collaboration with Rod Stewart and Sting
November 5, 1956 ~ Virtuoso pianist Art Tatum passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Revered jazz pianist. Influenced by stride pianists such Fats Waller and James P Johnson. In turn Tatum would influence future pianists including Adam Makowicz, Simon Nabatov, Oscar Peterson, Martial Solal. First recorded in 1932 backing Adelaide Hall on I'll Never Be The Same and Strange As It Seems. Would go on to record on numerous quintessential jazz recordings, mostly as a leader in small settings such as trio or quartet. Especially acclaimed for The Genius Of Art Tatum album series released in 1953 and 1954, a few years before his death. Has worked with Tiny Grimes, Slam Stewart, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, Ben Webster, and Buddy DeFranco ~ Tatum was born in 1909
November 5, 1956 ~ Singer Johnny Mathis releases Wonderful Wonderful, featuring backing from Ray Conniff and his Orchestra ~ Written by Sherman Edwards and Ben Raleigh, produced by Ray Conniff who also led the orchestra. Issued as Johnny Mathis' debut single, Wonderful Wonderful would reach top 20 on the American pop charts, peaking at a respectable No.14, and set the singer on a path to fame. Drawing from a wide array of genres including pop, soul, show tones, blues, and country music, the singer would go on to become one of the most popular acts of the late 1950s, and one of the best-selling artists of the 20th century with records sales exceeding an estimated 350 million. Wonderful Wonderful would be notably covered by vocal group the Tymes in 1963, the cover surpassing the original peaking at No.7 Billboard Hot 100 on the heels of their previous single, the band's charttopping So Much In Love debut singleNovember 5, 1954 ~ Laurie Seeman, commonly known as singer, songwriter Laurie Beebe Lewis, born in Ludington, Michigan, USA ~ Active since her mid-teens, fronting the cult-underground band Pitche Blende at age 14. Best known as keyboardist and singer with a reincarnation of the Buckinghams from 1982 through 1985. Also sang with a reformed the Mamas & the Papas from 1986 through 1993 alongside Spanky McFarlane and original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty
November 5, 1952 ~ Composer, filmmaker Jean-Jacques Birge born in Paris, France ~ Hard to classify avant-garde composer with some 30 albums to his name since the mid 1970s, drawing critical comparison to artists such as Charles Ives, Frank Zappa, René Lussier, François Sarhan and John Zorn. Co-founding member of the loose Drame Musical Instantané collective
November 5, 1949 ~ Singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Jimmie Spheeris born in Phenix, Alabama, USA ~ Initially a folk singer, songwriter, later drawing from jazz, rock and fusion. Recorded four albums in the 1970s, working with renowned producers such as Paul Leka, Felix Cavaliere, Henry Lewy and David Campbell. Backed by notable musicians including Jane Getz, Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, Bobbye Hall, Chick Corea, and Chuck Findley. Longtime friend Jackson Browne sang backing vocals on Spheeris' fourth and final album Ports Of The Heart, the recordings completed shortly before Spheeris' death in a motorcycle accident ~ Spheeris passed away in 1984
November 5, 1948 ~ Funk, soul, retro-soul singer Charles Bradley, full name Charles Edward Bradley, born in Gainesville, Florida, USA ~ Long remained in obscurity, mainly working as odd jobs while moonlighting as a James Brown-impersonator. Released his solo debut album No Time For Dreaming in 2011 to critical acclaim and recorded consistently until his death ~ Bradley passed away in 2017
November 5, 1947 ~ Pop rock, beat singer, guitarist, pianist Peter Noone, full name Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone, born in Manchester, UK ~ Lead singer of Herman's Hermits, known for a string of 1960s hits including Can't You Hear My Heartbeat, Silhouettes, Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter, I'm Henry VIII I Am, Must To Avoid and Listen People. After the band folded in 1971 Noone scored an occasional solo hit, most notably Oh You Pretty Things which reached top 2o in the UK, written by David Bowie who also plays piano on the recording. Noone also founded the short-lived the Tremblers in the early 1980s, known for their sole Twice Nightly albumNovember 5, 1947 ~ Tango singer, bandoneonist, songwriter Rubén Juárez, full name Jorge Rubén Juárez, born in Ballesteros, Argentina ~ Perhaps best known for his recording of Para Vos (Canilla). Has collaborared with the likes of Charly García, Pedro Aznar, Leopoldo Federico, Litto Nebbia, and Raúl Luzzi ~ Juárez passed away in 2010
November 5, 1946 ~ Ingram Cecil Connor III, commonly known as country, country rock, folk rock singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Gram Parsons born in Winter Haven, Florida, USA ~ Key figure in the development of country rock, though he hated the term, merging country, R&B, blues, soul, folk and rock. Member of the International Submarine Band. Briefly a member of the Byrds, notably present on the The Sweethearts Of The Rodeo album. Member of the Flying Burrito Brothers. As a solo artist known for his 1973 GP debut album and its posthumously released Grievous Angel follow-up, both considered landmark albums ~ Connor passed away in 1973
November 5, 1946 ~ Singer, pianist Herman Brood born in Zwolle, the Netherlands ~ One of the most recognisable rock singers in the Netherlands. First gained attention as member of Cuby & the Blizzards, present on the albums Groeten Uit Grollo and its follow-up Trippin' Thru A Midnight Blues. Would rise to fame in the 1970s with backing unit the Wild Romance, especially acclaimed for the albums Shrpitz and Cha Cha, both considered landmark albums in Dutch rock & roll ~ Brood passed away in 2001November 5, 1945 ~ R&B, disco, soul singer Carrie Lucas born in Carmel, California, USA ~ Married to SOLAR Records founder and executive Dick Griffey from 1974 until his death in 2010. Best known for the singles I Gotta Keep Dancin' and Dance With You, both taken of her 1977 Simply Carrie debut album
November 5, 1943 ~ Samuel Shepard Rogers IIII, coommonly known as actor, playwright, songwriter, drummer Sam Shepard, born in Fort Sheridan, Illinois, USA ~ Acclaimed as playwright and actor. Has also drummed with the Holy Modal Rounders, appearing on the Indian War Whoop and The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders albums. Once romantically involved with then-unknown singer Patti Smith, the duo co-writing the stage 1971 play Cowboy Mouth loosely inspired by their love relationship earning Smith her first serious exposure ~ Shepard passed away in 2017November 5, 1942 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Pierangelo Bertoli born in Sassuolo, Italy ~ Close to two dozen album to his name starting with Rosso Colore Dell'amore released in 1974. Known for his strong political convictions bordering on libertarian communism, his song subjects focusing on issues such as the environment, antimilitarism and the plight of marginalized and rebellious people ~ Bertoli passed away in 2002
November 5, 1941 ~ Singer, songwriter, actor Art Garfunkel, full name Arthur Ira Garfunkel, born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Half of revered folk, folk-pop duo Simon & Garfunkel, one of the best-selling groups of all time, known for songs such The Sound Of Silence, Homeward Bound, I Am A Rock, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Cecilia
November 5, 1936 ~ Producer, songwriter Billy Sherrill born in Phil Campbell, Alabama, USA ~ Influenced by Phil Spector, Don Law, Chet Atkins. Helped define the Countrypolitan sound. Frequent writing collaborator of Norro Wilson, George Richey, and Glenn Sutton. Wrote or co-wrote many of country's most enduring classics including David Houston's Almost Persuaded, Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man, and Charlie Rich's The Most Beautiful Girl. Others who recorded his songs include George Jones, Barbara Mandrell, Sandy Posey, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Lacy J Dalton, Ray Conniff, Bob Luman, Johnny Duncan, Jim & Jesse, Moe Bandy, Joe Stampley, Charlie Walker, Barbara Fairchild, and Mickey Gilley ~ Sherrill passed away in 2015
November 5, 1935 ~ Benjamin Eidson, commonly known as rockabilly guitarist, singer Benny Joy, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Known for a handful of late 1950s songs, including Spin The Bottle, Hey High School Baby and Bundle Of Love, but would fail to break through. Worked as disk jockey on the American Bandstand TV show. Also known as a songwriter for artists such as Marty Robbins, Jackie Wilson, Charlie Rich, Debbie Reynolds, Johnny Rivers, and Carl Smith ~ Eidson passed away in 1988November 5, 1935 ~ Aaron Gant, commonly known as blues pianist, singer Pinetop Sparks, passed away in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Though Sparks died young, at a mere age 25, has left an indelible mark on blues for co-writing and first recording Every Day I Have The Blues in 1935. The song would go on to become a blues standard, especially after Memphis Slim's 1949 reworking. It has been covered by numerous artists, most notably Count Basie and several times by blues icon BB King. Sparks grave would be unmarked for nearly eight decades, before a fan club finally honored him laying a headstone on his grave marked with his name, birth and death dates, a keyboard and the epitaph “every day i have the blues” ~ Sparks was born in 1910
November 5, 1931 ~ Saxophonist, flutist Harold McNair born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Played a calypso singer in the 1958 Island Women film and released a Calypso jazz album, 1960's Bahama Bash, before relocating to England. Toured Europe with Quincy Jones, landed a regular gig at the noted Ronnie Scott's jazz club. Known for a handful of jazz, jazz fusion albums from the mid 1960s through the 1970s, notably 1965's Affectionate Fink which featured David Izenzon and Charles Moffett and 1968's eponymous Harold McNair which contained his best known composition The Hipster. McNair was also an in-demand sideman for non-jazz artists, including Donovan, Nick Drake, Alexis Korner, , Cressida, Edward's Hand, Ginger Baker's Air Force and notably Jimi Hendrix guesting on the track If 6 Were 9 of the Axis (Bold As Love) album ~ McNair passed away in 1971
November 5, 1931 ~ Izear Luster Turner Jr, commonly known as pianist, guitarist, singer Ike Turner, born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA ~ Perhaps the most vilified musician in pop and rock history, known for substance abuse and his at times abusive relationship with Tina Turner overshadowing his contributions to both early rock & roll and R&B. Fronted the Kings Of Rhythm, known for the 1951 Rocket '88 hit recording which is often cited as one of the first rock & roll records. Talent scout and producer instrumental in the early careers of BB King, Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Blue Bland. Became a global household name with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue co-fronted with his then-wife Tina. The pair would become one of the most popular R&B duos in history, known for their energetic stage presence, scoring a string of hits from the early 1960s through the 1970s including A Fool In Love, It's Gonna Work Out Fine, Proud Mary, Nutbush City Limits and perhaps their best known River Deep Mountain High, the latter described by producer Phil Spector as his best work ~ Turner passed away in 2007
November 5, 1926 ~ Jazz, swing, big band trumpeter Johnny Windhurst, full name John Henry Windhurst, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Influenced by Bix Beiderbecke, Bobby Hackett, Wild Bill Davison, and Bunny Berigan. Worked with Eddie Condon, Sidney Bechet, Art Hodes, James P Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Nappy Lamare, Ruby Braff, George Wettling, Jack Teagarden, Barbara Lea, Buell Neidlinger, Cutty Cutshall, Cliff Leeman, and Edmond Hall ~ Windhurst passed away in 1981
November 5, 1923 ~ Biserka Katusic, commonly known as mezzo-soprano, contralto singer Biserka Cvejic, born in Jesenice, Croatia ~ Closely associated with the Vienna State Opera, singing with the orchestra for two decades starting in 1959. Has also worked with the Belgrade Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Teatro Colón, and the Royal Opera House ~ Katusic passed away in 2021November 5, 1917 ~ Big band arranger, songwriter George Williams, full name George Dale Williams also known as George The Fox Williams, born ~ Wrote or co-wrote songs such as Whamboogie and It Must Be Jelly Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That for Glenn Miller, Hamp's Boogie for Lionel Hampton, Gene's Boogie for Gene Krupa, and Lackawanna Local, The Fox and Bunny Hop for Ray Anthony ~ Williams passed away in 1988
November 5, 1914 ~ John Vivian McVea, commonly known as swing, blues, R&B saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader Jack McVea, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Son of banjoist Satchel McVea. Led the Black & White Records house band. Well known for co-writing and first recording Open The Door Richard, a hit for McVea in 1946 and later covered by Louis Jordan, Hot Lips Page, Count Basie, and Billy Lee Riley. McVea also appeared on the quintessential T-Bone Walker track They Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just As Bad), and backed artists such as Lionel Hampton, Slim Gaillard, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and BB King ~ McVea passed away in 2000
November 5, 1901 ~ Actress, singer Etta Moten born in Weimar, Texas, USA ~ Best known for her role as Bess in Porgy & Bess, which George Gershwin had written with Moten in mind. Moten was concerned about trying a role above her natural range of contralto, and Gershwin rewrote her role for the 1942 revival of the opera. Previously, Moten had featured in musical films such as Flying Down To Rio and Gold Diggers Of 1933, notably singing My Forgotten Man with Joan Blondell in the latter. Moten would also perform the song at the White House for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's birthday celebration in 1934. Moten is remembered as an icon for creating new roles for African-American women on stage and screen, and following her retirement from the stage for medical reasons, worked as a civic activist, raising funds for and supporting cultural, social and church institutions ~ Moten passed away in 2004