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.
October 13, 1966 ~ Webb Parmalee Hollenbeck, commonly known as actor, dancer, singer Clifton Webb, passed away in Beverly Hills, California, USA ~ Best remembered for his roles in Laura, The Razor's Edge and Sitting Pretty, all of which earned him an Academy Award-nomination. Appeared in 23 Broadway shows, most of them musicals, including Treasure Girl in which he introduced Irving Berlin's Easter Parade and George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin's I've Got A Crush On You and Flying Colors in which he introduced Irving Berlin's Not For All The Rice In China ~ Hollenbeck was born 1889
October 13, 1965 ~ Rock band the Who record The Kids Are Alright at IBC Studios, London, UK ~ Recorded for the band's 1965 My Generation debut album, released as a single the following year. It would later be covered by several artists including Eddie & the Hot Rods, the Dropkick Murphys, Green Day, and Pearl Jam. Pete Townshend would later reflect: “When I wrote this song I was nothing but a kid, trying to work out right and wrong through all the things I did. I was kind of practising with my life. I was kind of taking chances in a marriage with my wife. I took some stuff and I drank some booze. There was almost nothing that I didn't try to use. And somehow I'm alright.”
October 13, 1960 ~ Jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer Orphy Robinson, full name Orphy Everton Robinon, born in London, UK ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with the Jazz Warriors, Courtney Pine, Mica Paris, Andy Sheppard, Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt, Alexander Hawkins, Burn Out Mama, Louis Moholo, Leee John, Beggard & Compnay, Nigel Kennedy, Nick Mason, Pat Thomas, Steve Williamson, Evan Parker, Malik Al Nasir, Lester Bowie, Don Cherry, Junior Giscombe, Kate Havnevik, Neneh Cherry, Imagination, Lionel Loueke, Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masekela, Jean Paul Maunick, Joe McPhee, Thurston Moore, Butch Morris, David Murray, Robert Plant, Wadada Leo Smith, Spring Heel Jack, Joss Stone, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Sunny Murray, Kenny Thomas, Naná Vasconcelos, Tony Bevan, Lol Coxhill, Shawn Lee, Monday Michiru, Total Contrast, and Cleveland WatkissOctober 13, 1959 ~ Singer, actress Marie Osmond, full name Olive Marie Osmond, born in Ogden, Utah, USA ~ Member of the Osmond family though never of the family singing group. Did record as a solo artist though, notably the 1973 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Paper Roses, and with her brother Donny Osmond scoring hits such as I'm Leaving it Up To You, Morning Side Of The Mountain and Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
October 13, 1958 ~ Derald Daugherty, commonly known as alternative rock singer, guitarist Derri Daugherty, born ~ Best known as lead singer of the Choir. Also co-founded supergroup the Lost Dogs with Terry Scott Taylor, Michael Roe and Gene Eugene. In-demand engineer having worked on recordings by Randy Stonehill, the Swoon, Lifesavers Underground, Michael Knott, the Prayer Chain, Riki Michele, the Waiting, Sarah Masen, Pierce Pettis, the Common Children, Jeff Johnson, Caedmon's Call, Buddy Miller, and the Throes
October 13, 1958 ~ Siblings the Everly Brothers record Problems ~ Written by husband and wife songwriting team Boudleaux Bryant and Felice Bryant. Released later the same year, the flip side containing Love Of My Life, it would reach No.2 all the all-genre Billboard Hot 100
October 13, 1955 ~ Alternative rock, progressive rock keyboardist, guitarist John Ferenzik born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Best known for his associations with Todd Rundgren, Jefferson Starship and the Beru Revue. Has also recorded as a solo artist, noted for his Devil's Playground album released in 1995
October 13, 1953 ~ Singer Tony Bennett records Stranger In Paradise at CBS 30th Street Studios, New York, New York ~ Written by Alexander Borodin, Robert Wright, George Forrest for the 1953 musical Kismet. Released as a single by Tony Bennett, b/w Why Does It Have To Be Me, the following November. Would become Bennett's first big hit in the UK, topping the charts in 1955
October 13, 1952 ~ Model, actress, singer Beverly Johnson, full name Beverly Ann Johnson, born in Buffalo, New York, USA ~ Best known as an actress and model, the first African-American model to appear on the Vogue cover and the first to appear on the cover of the French Elle magazine, respectively in 1974 and 1975. As a singer known for her 1979 Don't Lose The Feeling album and its singles Don't Lose The Feeling and Don't Run For Cover
October 13, 1951 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion, world music percussionist Frank Colón born in Washington DC, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known for playing the Batá drums. Has collaborated with Tania Maria, Ray Anderson, Michael Galasso, Mickey Hart, the Manhattan Transfer (Brasil), Wayne Shorter, Gato Barbieri (Bahia), Milton Nascimento, Barbara Dennerline, Janis Siegel, Airto Moreira (Samba De Flora), Towa Tei, Ernie Watts, Ivo Perelman, Michel Petrucciani, Charles Erland, Wagner Tiso, George Clinton (By Way Of The Drum), Diem Jones, Ana France, and Jennifer RichmanOctober 13, 1950 ~ Guitarist, singer Simon Nicol, full name Simon John Breckenridge Nicol, born in Muswell Hill, UK ~ Co-founding and last remaining original member of Fairport Convention, critically acclaimed for albums such as Fairport Convention and Liege And Lief. Has also worked with Ashley Hutchings, Matthews Southern Comfort, the Albion Band, Cat Stevens (Numbers), Richard Thompson, Julie Covington, Al Stewart, and Art Garfunkel
October 13, 1949 ~ Singer, songwriter, actor Raimundo Fagner, full name Raimundo Fagner Candido Lopes, born in Oris, Brazil ~ Actively recording since the mid 1970s, most notably the 1977 Orós album collaborating with Hermeto Pascoal. As a songwriter perhaps best known for penning Mucuripe, recorded by Elis Regina. Has collaborated with Caetano Veloso, Roberta Miranda, and Chico Buarque
October 13, 1948 ~ John Edward Colley, commonly known as pop-rock, soft rock, folk, country singer, guitarist, pianist, actor John Ford Coley, born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Classically trained. Best known for forming the 1970's duo England Dan & John Ford Coley with Dan Seals, known for songs such as Simone, I'd Really Love To See You Tonight, Nights Are Forever Without You and Love Is The Answer
October 13, 1948 ~ Pervez Fateh Ali Khan, commonly known as singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, born in Lyallpur, Pakistan ~ Dubbed “the King of Kings of Qawwali”, widely credited with bringing qawwali music, a form of Sufi devotional music, to international adiences. Signed by the British label Oriental Star Agencies, his powerful vocal presentations brought forth a craze for his music all over Europe. Recorded well over two dozen albums since the mid 1970s, especially noted for 1990's Mustt Mustt and Devotional Songs released a year before his death at age 48. Artists such as Jeff Buckley, Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder, and Joan Osborne have cited Khan as an influence ~ Khan passed away in 1997October 13, 1947 ~ Saxophonist Alan Wakeman born in Hammersmith, UK ~ Worked with Paul Lytton, Harry Miller, Graham Collier, Johnny Dankworth, Mike Westbrook, Alan Gowen, Gilgamesh, and Soft Machine
October 13, 1947 ~ Singer Sammy Hagar, full name Sam Roy Hagar, born in Monterey, California, USA ~ Member of Montrose, present on the 1973 eponymous Montrose debut album and its 1974 follow-up Paper Money. Best known as co-lead singer for Van Halen from 1985, replacing David Lee Roth, through 1996 and again from 2003 through 2005. Member of supergroup Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve. Member of Chickenfoot. As a solo artist Hagar has recorded over a dozen albums and is best known for the hit I Can't Drive 55 of his 1984 VOA album. Singer Rick Springfield would reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100 with I've Done Everything For You, penned and first recorded by HagarOctober 13, 1946 ~ Blues, soul, gospel singer Dorothy Moore born in Jackson, Mississippi, USA ~ Best known for her 1976 hit song Misty Blue. Other well known songs include Funny How Time Slips Away and I Believe You. Previously a member of the Poppies with Petsy Mcune and Rose Taylor, scoring a modest hit with Lullabye Of Love in 1966
October 13, 1946 ~ Jill Lynne Byrem, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Lacy J Dalton, born in Bloomsberg, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Sometimes referred to as “Country music's Bonnie Raitt”. Best known for a number of 1980s hits including Crazy Blue Eyes, Hard Times, Hillbilly Girl With The Blues, Takin' It Easy, Everybody Makes Mistakes, 16th Avenue and If That Ain't Love. Cites Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, Robert Johnson, Karen Dalton, Fred Koller, Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holiday, Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, and JJ Cale as influencesOctober 13, 1946 ~ Musicologist, pianist, composer Robert Levin born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Artistic director of Sarasota Music Festival. As a composer known for several sonatas and piece for piano, bassoon and for woodwind, best known for reconstructing or completing several unfinished compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach
October 13, 1944 ~ Classical, contemporary classical composer Lyell Creswell, full name Lyell Richard Creswell, born in Wellington, New Zealand ~ Composed for orchestra, chamber ensembles, choir, voice, and solo instruments. Well known pieces include Salm, Dragspil, Shadows Without Sun, and the song cycle The Clock Stops inspired by the Christchurch 2010 and 2011 earthquakes ~ Creswell passed away in 2022
October 13, 1944 ~ Singer, keyboardist, songerwriter Robert Lamm, full name Robert William Lamm, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-founding member of Chicago. Wrote or co-wrote a vast amount of the band's best known including Questions 67 & 68, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, Beginnings, 25 Or 6 To 4, Saturday In The Park, Dialogue Part I & II and Harry Truman
October 13, 1942 ~ Singer Jimmy Powell born in Birmingham, UK ~ Best known as lead singer of the Five Dimensions, which briefly included a then-unknown Rod Stewart. The band's initial line-up also featured guitarists Gary Leport and Peter Mariosa, drummer Brian Kattenhorn and bassist Louis Cennamo. Also worked with Millie Small, PJ Proby, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Clem Cattini, the Rockin' Berries, BJ Wilson, and Puzzle ~ Powell passed away in 2016
October 13, 1941 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Paul Simon born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Rose to fame as half of folk 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. As a solo artist known for songs such as Kodachrome, 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, You Can Call Me Al and Graceland
October 13, 1940 ~ Justine Washington, commonly known as R&B singer Baby Washington, born in Bamberg, South Carolina, USA ~ Known for a string of 1960's R&B hits including The Bells On Our Wedding Day, Nobody Cares About Me, Handful Of Memories, That's How Heartaches Are Made, and Only Those In Love
October 13, 1940 ~ John Henry Deighton, commonly known as singer Chris Farlowe, born in Islington, UK ~ As a solo artist first gained attention with a string of mid 1960s covers, most notably Out Of Time which would top the UK charts in 1966, originally recorded by the Rolling Stones. Joined jazz-rock unit Colosseum in 1970, appearing on the albums Daughter Of Time and Colosseum Live. Member of Atomic Rooster, appearing on the albums Made In England and Nice 'n Greasy. Recorded well over a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Chris Farlowe & the Thunderbirds in 1966, and has collaborated with Jimmy Page, Maggie Bell, and Bobby Tench
October 13, 1940 ~ Farrell Sanders, commonly known as free jazz, avant-garde jazz, world fusion saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Closely associated with John Coltrane, first appearing on the 1965 Ascension album. Considered by some the heir of Coltrane. Known for his spiritual-themed style. Well over two dozen albums to his name as a leader, especially acclaimed for the albums Karma, Journey To The One and Rejoice. Has collaborated with the likes of Leon Thomas, Alice Coltrane, Tisziji Muñoz, Michael Mantler, Carla Bley, Don Cherry, Benny Golson, Norman Connors, McCoy Tyner, Randy Weston, Sun Ra, Gary Bartz, Larry Young, and Sonny Sharrock ~ Sanders passed away in 2022