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 14, 1973 ~ Jazz guitarist, banjoist, composer Perry Botkin passed away in Van Nuys, California, USA ~ Active since the late 1920s, starting in Wayne Eucher's big band. Would go on to work with the Original Memphis Five, Hoagy Carmichael (Hong Kong Blues), Al Jolson, Buddy Cole, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Bob Hope, and Spike Jones. Also noted for his association with Bing Crosby, serving as Crosby's musical director for over a dozen years. Botkin's son Perry Botkin Jr is also a musician, perhaps best known for co-writing Nadia's Theme (The Young And Restless) with Barry Devorzon ~ Botkin was born in 1907
October 14, 1972 ~ Pop rock family outfit the Osmonds release Crazy Horses, lifted off the album of the same name ~ The family outfit was mostly known as a wholesome pop band, rather than raw rockers. In addition, at the time, Donny Osmond was starting his solo career singing teen pop. Crazy Horses, however, truly rocked. The song would be a reasonable hit in their native America, where it peaked at No.14 Billboard Hot 100, but fared better in the UK where their rock-tinged material would be more appreciated, peaking at No.2. Donny Osmond would later reveal in an interview that Ozzy Osbourne told him Crazy Horses was one of his favorite rock and roll songs, adding: “The problem is my teenybopper career was selling like crazy and it overshadowed anything we did as a rock and roll band.”
October 14, 1969 ~ R&B, neo-soul, nu jazz drummer, singer, songwriter, producer Vikter Duplaix born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ In-demand studio, session musician. Worked with Erykah Badu, Jazzanova, Jamiroquai, Meshell Ndegeocello, Esthero, Clara Hill, Jaguar Wright, Eric Benét, Dynamite MC, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Kenny Gamble. As a solo artist debuted with the International Affairs album in 2002
October 14, 1968 ~ Singer Brenda Lee records Johnny One Time at Columbia Studios, New York, New York ~ Written by AL Doodle Owens and Dallas Frazier. Produced by Mike Berniker. Brenda Lee released the song as a single the following December, paired with I Must Have Been Out Of My Mind on the flip side. Despite charting poorly, the single stalling at No.41 Billboard Hot 100, the tune earned Lee a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance. The award would go to Dionne Warwick for Do You Know The Way To San JoseOctober 14, 1968 ~ Indie rock guitarist, bassist, singer Jay Ferguson born in Halifax, Canada ~ Co-founded Sloan with Chris Murphy. Ferguson co-wrote and sang lead on songs such as I Hate My Generation, The Lines You Amend, Who Taught You To Live Like That, Witch's Wand, You've Got A Lot On Your Mind, and Right To Roam
October 14, 1968 ~ Rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist, songwriter Johnny Goudie, full name John Charles Goudie, born in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Rooted in classic rock. Fronted bands such as Mr Rocket Baby, Lovetree, Panjandrum, Liars & Saints, the Little Champions and Goudie. Has also worked with Endochine, the Lossy Coils and Skyrocket
October 14, 1968 ~ Country singer Merle Haggard releases I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am, lifted off his Pride In What I Am album ~ The song shows Merle Haggard being comfortable with who he was regardless of what other people might think of him. Haggard's original, produced by Ken Nelson, would reach No.3 Billboard Country. A 1969 cover by Dean Martin would be a minor hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Reportedly, the song was a favorite of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant, and a tape recorder version was played at Van Zant's funeral
October 14, 1967 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, The Chokin' Kind by Waylon Jennings peaks at No.8 Billboard Country ~ Waylon Jennings would be the first to record The Chokin' Kind, written by renowned Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard whose songs had previously been recorded by the likes of Wanda Jackson, Kitty Wells, Ray Price, Wynn Stewart, Buck Owens, and Patsy Cline. Issued as a single off Hangin' On, the song would become the second Billboard Country top 10 hit for Jennings, having previously reached No.9 with (That's What You Get) For Lovin' Me. Over the years The Chokin' Kind would be covered by dozens of artists, perhaps most notably by R&B singer Joe Simon in 1969 whose version reached top 20 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, a first for Simon, and earned Simon a Grammy Award
October 14, 1966 ~ Brenda Kaplan, commonly known as singer, songwriter Brenda K Starr, born in New York, New York, USA ~ First gained attention when through a chance meeting with Harry Belafonte she landed a role in in his 1984 hip-hop film, Beat Street. This lead to a record deal. Starr released her debut album, I Want Your Love, the next year. Starr is best known for the power ballad I Still Believe, a Billboard top 20 hit in 1988, and covered by Mariah Carey in 1998. Starr has also scored hits on Billboard's Latin and Club/Dance charts with singles such as 1985's Pickin' Up The Pieces, 1987's Breakfast In Bed an 1988's What You See Is What You Get
October 14, 1965 ~ R&B, soul, new jack swing singer, songwriter Karyn White, full name Karyn Layvonne White, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Known for a string of late 1980s, early 1990s hits including Superwoman, Love Saw It, Secret Rendezvous, The Way You Love Me and perhaps her best known Romantic, the latter a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 in late 1991. Has worked with producers such as LA Reid, Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, Jimmy Jam and Terry LewisOctober 14, 1962 ~ Durwood Christopher Thomas, commonly known as guitarist, singer, actor Chris Thomas King, born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA ~ Son of blues singer Tabby Thomas. Acclaimed for his 1994 21st Century Blues From Da Hood album, merging rap and blues. As an actor known for portraying Lowell Fulson in the Academy Award-winning Ray and for portraying a blues guitarist, loosely based on the musicians Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson, in Oh Brother Where Art Thou
October 14, 1959 ~ Alexander Jude Pero, commonly known as drummer AJ Pero, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Best known as a member of Twisted Sister and of the Adrenalin Mob. Also worked with the Cities, No More Tears, and Circle Of Thorns ~ Pero passed away in 2015
October 14, 1959 ~ Pianist, bandleader Alphonso Trent passed away in Fort Smith, Kansas, USA ~ Worked with Eugene Cook, Synco Six, Terrence Holder, Alex Hill, Stuff Smith, Snub Mosley, Charlie Christian, Harry Sweets Edison, Mouse Randolph, and Peanuts Holland ~ Trent was born in 1905
October 14, 1958 ~ Thomas Morgan Robertson, commonly known as new wave, synth-pop singer, keyboardist, songwriter Thomas Dolby, born in London, UK ~ Rose to prominence in the 1980s with songs such as She Blinded Me With Science and Hyperactive. Guested on recordings by Foreigner, Def Leppard, Malcolm McLaren, Joan Armatrading, Thompson Twins and Belinda Carlisle. Produced recordings by Prefab Sprout, Joni Mitchell, George Clinton and Whodini
October 14, 1957 ~ Blues singer, guitarist Kenny Neal born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Son of blues harpist, singer Raful Neal. Debuted in 1987 with the Bio From The Bayou, repackaged by Alligator Records the next year as Big News From The Bayou, and has recorded steadily to critical acclaim since. Worked with Lucky Peterson, Lazy Lester, and the Downchild Blues Band
October 14, 1953 ~ Playwright, lyricist, screenwriter Arthur Wimperis, full name Arthur Harold Wimperis, passed away in Maidenhead, UK ~ To musical audiences perhaps best known for co-writing the 1909 hit musical The Arcadians with composers Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot, and co-writing the 1926 operetta Princess Charming with Albert Szirmai. With the advent of talking films Wimperis would venture into screenwriting for British and American films, notably winning an Academy Award for his contributions to the 1942 film Mrs Miniver ~ Wimperis was born in 1874
October 14, 1953 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion guitarist Kazumi Watanabe born in Tokyo, Japan ~ Debuted in 1971 with the album Infinite. Has since released solo albums, formed the jazz-rock outfit Mobo and toured and recorded with a host of Japanese and international artists including the Yellow Magic Orchestra, Steps, the Brecker Brothers, Word Of Mouth, Jaco Pastorius, MItsuru Sawamura, Ichiko Hashimoto, Shuichi Murakami, Bill Bruford, Jeff Berlin, and Tomohiro Yahino
October 14, 1952 ~ Composer Kaija Saariaho, full name Kaija Anneli Saariaho, born in Helsinki, Finland ~ Voted greatest living composer in a poll conducted by the BBC Music Magazine in 2019. Known for her rich, polyphonic textures often created by combining live music with electronics. Has composed for orchestra, string quartets, operas, and for various solo instruments, her compositions performed by the Kronos Quartet, the New York Philharmonic, the Théàtre du Châtelet, and the Finnish National Opera. Perhaps best known for her 2000 L'Amour De Loin opera ~ Saariaho passed away in 2023
October 14, 1952 ~ Pop singer Margriet Eshuijs born in Zaandam, the Netherlands ~ Lead singer for Lucifer, known best for their 1974 hit House For Sale which remains a radio staple to this day. Other well known songs include Scarlet Lady, I Can See The Sun In Late December, and Selfpity. After the band disbanded in 1979 Eshuijs has recorded as a solo artist, noted for her 1982 Black Pearl Dutch top 20 hit ~ Eshuijs passed away in 2022October 14, 1952 ~ Hard rock bassist Paul Matters born in Toronto, Australia ~ Briefly a member of AC/DC, joining right after the recording of the band's 1975 High Voltage debut album and fired within weeks to be replaced by Mark Evans ~ Matters passed away in 2020
October 14, 1947 ~ Heavy metal guitarist, singer Al Atkins, full name Allan John Atkins, born in West Bromwich, UK ~ Best known as a member of Judas Priest. Also worked with the Atkins May Projct alongside guitarist Paul May, with Lion, Simon Lees and with Holy Rage
October 14, 1947 ~ Guitarist, producer, arranger Norman Harris, full name Norman Ray Harris, born in Danville, Virginia, USA ~ Co-founded MFSB. Session guitarist and arranger for Philadelphia International Records. Member of the Salsoul Orchestra. Arranger, producer, songwriter for the likes of Blue Magic, the Trammps (Hold Back The Night), First Choice (Armed And Extremely Dangerous), the Dells, the Four Tops, the Temptations, the Whispers, Eddie Kendricks, Barbara Mason, Curtis Mayfield, Bunny Sigler, Joe Simon, Major Harris, Loleatta Holloway (Catch Me On The Rebound), and Eddie Holman. ~ Harris passed away in 1987
October 14, 1946 ~ Hard rock, blues rock, rock singer Dan McCafferty, full name William Daniel McCafferty, born in Dunfermline, UK ~ Known for his gritty, raspy vocal delivery, McCafferty fronted Nazareth on nearly two dozen albums over four decades. Their 1973 Razamanaz album, which spawned the UK top 10 hits Broken Down Angel and Bad Bad Boy, and its follow-up Loud 'n Proud released later the same year, both albums produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, brought them national fame. However, it was their 1975 Hair Of The Dog album that made them an international act on the strength of Love Hurts, originally a 1960 album track for the Everly Brothers. The power ballad would top the charts in half a dozen countries, reached No.8 on the American Billboard Hot 100, and has remained a staple of rock radio since. Although chart success would dry up beyond the 1970s, the band remained a popular live act, especially in Germany, well into the 1990s. Increasingly suffering from COPD, McCafferty retired from the band in 2013: “I could always make another record, but getting up to do an hour and three-quarters, and get people to pay money to come and see me. I can't do that.” McCafferty recorded two more albums as a solo artist, Last Testament in 2019 and No Turning Back released shortly after his death at age 76. Both Brian Johnson of AC/DC and Axl Rose of Guns 'n Roses have cited McCafferty as an influence ~ McCafferty passed away in 2022
October 14, 1946 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Justin Hayward born in Shilton, UK ~ Best known as longtime member of the Moody Blues, writing and often singing lead on many of the band's best known including Leave This Man Alone, Nights In White Satin, Tuesday Afternoon, The Story In Your Eyes, The Voice, I Know You're Out There, English Sunset and Never Blame The Rainbows For The Rain. Also noted for the 1975 collaborative album The Blue Jays with bandmate John LodgeOctober 14, 1945 ~ Rock, jazz, blues bassist Colin Hodgkinson born in Cambridgshire, UK ~ Has worked with Tramline, the New Church, Alexis Korner, Back Door, Jamie Stone, Hammer, K2, Ronnie Jack, Cozy Powell, Schon & Hammer, Whitesnake, Mick Jagger (She's The Boss), Pete York, Phil Carmer, the Electroc Blues Duo, Konstantin Wecker, the Spencer Davis Group, Peter Maffay, Jon Lord, and the British Blues Quintet
October 14, 1945 ~ Elmer Terrell, commonly known as Pha Terrell, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Discovered by Andy Kirk who hired Terrell as a vocalist for his group the Clouds Of Joy. Terrell stayed with Kirk from 1936 to 1941, including on songs such as Until The Real Thing Comes Along and I Won't Tell A Soul (I Love You) ~ Terrell was born in 1910