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 19, 1945 ~ R&B, soul, gospel, glam rock singer Gloria Jones, full name Gloria Richetta Jones, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ~ First gained attention in the UK, where she earned the nickname “the Queen of Northern Soul.” As a singer best known for the 1965 hit Tainted Love. Songwriter for Motown, going by the pseudonym LaVerne Ware, and co-writer of songs such as If I Were Your Woman (Gladys Knight), Have I Lost You (the Supremes), Where Do You Go Baby (Eddie Kendricks), and Assembly Line (the Commodores). Romantically involved with singer Marc Bolan with whom she has worked in the pivotal UK glam rock outfit T.Rex, the couple have one son
October 19, 1945 ~ Jeanne Carolyn Stephenson, commonly known as country, gospel singer Jeannie C Riley, born in Anson, Texas, USA ~ Best known for her 1968 hit Harper Valley PTA, written by Tom T Hall and produced by Shelby Singleton. The single would top both the Billboard Country and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 charts. Riley would continue to record but would be unable to repeat its smash succes. Subsequent singles such as The Girl Most Likely, There Never Was A Time, Country Girl, Oh Singer, Good Enough To Be Your Wife would reach top 10 on the Billboard Country charts. By the mid 1970s became a born-again Christian, turning to recording gospel songs by the late 1970s
October 19, 1944 ~ R&B, blues, folk rock singer, songwriter Gary Farr, full name Gary Anthony Farr, born in Worthing, UK ~ Best known as founder and frontman of early 1960s British R&B outfit the T-Bones. Despite gaining a local reputation, notably inheriting the Yardbirds' Friday night slot at the Marquee Club, London, and a critically well-received Dem Bones Dem Bones Dem T-Bones EP the band failed to chart and broke up in 1967. Following the band's disbandement Farr recorded three albums as a solo artist, to little commercial success, before semi-retiring from music by the mid 1970s ~ Farr passed away in 1994
October 19, 1944 ~ Soul, disco singer George McCrae, full name George Warren McCrae Jr, born in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA ~ Married to singer Gwen McCrae, with whom he also worked. Best known for his 1974 debut single Rock Your Baby, recognised as one of the earliest disco hits. It would sell an estimated 11 million copies worldwide and reach top of the charts in America, the UK, the Netherland. Though McCrae continued to record, notching over a dozen albums into the 2000s, McCrae would be unable to repeat his earlier success. Several of his 1970s singles, I Can't Leave You Alone, I Get Lifted, and Honey I, would reach top 20 on the Billboard R&B charts though
October 19, 1944 ~ Winston Hubert McIntosh, commonly known as reggae singer, songwriter Peter Tosh, born in Grange Hill, Jamaica ~ Member of Bob Marley's backing unit the Wailers from 1963 through 1976. Became an international superstar with the 1978 album Bush Doctor released on Rolling Stones Records featuring appearances by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. The lead single, Jagger and Tosh duetting on (You Got To Walk And) Don't Look Back, originally a hit for the Temptations, made Tosh a household name. Tosh was murdered at age 42 after being held hostage and tortured for hours in a home invasion gone wrong ~ McIntosh passed away in 1987
October 19, 1941 ~ Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer Eddie Daniels born in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Roger Kellaway, Richard Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Don Patterson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Gordon Goodwin, Bob James, Eric Gale, Jimmy McGriff, Billy Joel (The Nylon Curtain), Dave Grusin, Don Sebesky, Arturo Sandoval, Angela Bofill, Stanley Turrentine, George Benson, Ben Sidran, and Claus Ogerman
October 19, 1940 ~ Larry Figueiredo, commonly known as singer Larry Chance, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Lead singer of popular 1960s doo-wop group the Earls, known for songs such as Never, Life Is But A Dream and I Believe. and their best known Remember Then. The latter would peak at No.24 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time of its release in 1962, yet over time would become a classic as one of the best remembered and most cherished songs of the doo-wop era specifically for its “Reh-meh-meh, Reh-meh-meh-member, Reh-meh-meh, Reh-meh-meh-mem-ber then” refrain ~ Figueiredo passed away in 2023
October 19, 1939 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Masabumi Kikuchi born in Tokyo, Japan ~ Leader and sideman. Primarily a jazz pianist, though drew from new music, funk, and dub and collaborated with artist as far removed from jazz as house and dance. Especially acclaimed for the albums Tethered Moon (First Meeting), a collaborative effort with Paul Motian and Gary Peacock, and for Sunrise and Black Orpheus. Has worked with Sadao Watanabe, Oliver Nelson, Gil Evans, Terumasa Hino, Pee Wee Ellis, Johnny Hartman, Ron Trent (Mix The Vibe (Ron Trent Urban-Afro Blues)), and Bill Brewster ~ Kikuchi passed away in 2015October 19, 1937 ~ Jazz trombonist, songwriter Jonas Gwangwa, full name Jonas Mosa Gwangwa, born in Soweto, South Africa ~ First gained attention as member of the Jazz Epistles. Would go on to become one of the main figures in South-African jazz. Exiled by the Apartheids regime throughout the 1970s. Also known for leading Amandia in the 1980s, the cultural ensemble of the ANC. Wrote the soundtrack of the 1987 Cry Freedom film ~ Gwangwa passed away in 2021
October 19, 1934 ~ Singer, guitarist Dave Guard, full name Donald David Guard, born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Founding member of the Kingston Trio alongside Nick Reynolds and Bob Shane. Left the band in 1961 out of growing discomfort with his partners, replaced by John Stewart. Formed the Whiskeyhill Singers with Judy Henske, Cyrus Faryar and David Buck Wheat. Has also worked with Alex Hassilev, Mike Settle, Tim Buckley, and Tommy Makem ~ Guard passed away in 1991October 19, 1925 ~ Ollie Marie Givens, commonly known as gospel, R&B singer Marie Adams, born in Linden, Texas, USA ~ Known for songs such as I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks, My Search Is Over and the Johnny Ace-cover My Song. Worked with Sadie McKinley and Francine McKinkey as Three Tons Of Joy. Worked with Johnny Otis, including on Ma He's Making Eyes At Me and Bye Bye Baby ~ Givens passed away in 1998
October 19, 1918 ~ Pianist, songwriter Jack Segal born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-writing Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair with Evelyn Danzig, first recorded by Jo Stafford in 1949, and covered by over 100 artists including Dinah Shore, Harry Belafonte, Eddy Arnold, the Lennon Sisters, Perry Como, the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Patti Page, Roy Orbison, and Sinéad O'Connor. Other artists who recorded songs written or co-written by Segal include Buddy Stewart, Bobby Troup, Nat King Cole (Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You), Johnny Mathis, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra (Here's To The Losers), Tony Bennett, and Al Jarreau ~ Segal passed away in 2005
October 19, 1913 ~ Marcus Vinicius da Cruz e Mello Moraes, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter, poet, essayist, playwright Vinicius de Moraes born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Helped birth bossa nova, especially as frequent songwriting partner of Antônio Carlos Jobim. Artists who have recorded their songs include Elizete Cardoso, Nara Leão, Dorival Caymmi, Oscar Castro Neves. De Moraes is also especially known for writing the playwright Orpheus Of The Conception, which would be adapted into the Academy Award-winning 1959 film Black Orpheus ~ De Moraes passed away in 1980October 19, 1912 ~ Charles Coleridge Richards, commonly known as jazz pianist Red Richards, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Tab Smith, Bob Wilber, Sidney Bechet, Mezz Mezzrow, Buck Clayton, Frank Sinatra, Muggsy Spanier, Saints & Sinners, Eddie Condon, Panama Francis, the Savoy Sultans, Buster Bailey, Eddie Durham, Fletcher Henderson, Marian McPartland, Pee Wee Russell, Maxine Sullivan, Dinah Washington, George Wettling, and Jimmy Witherspoon ~ Richards passed away in 1998
October 19, 1908 ~ Patrick Cairns Hughes, commonly known as jazz double bassist, composer, arranger, music journalist Spike Hughes, born in London, UK ~ Has been cited by some as Britain's first jazz composer. Known for compositions such as Who Is Sylvia, Pictures Unframed and I Scream Too Much. Later on in his career would focus on writing for radio, music journalism and turn to classical music, including writing several operas. As a musician worked with Constant Lambert, William Walton, Hyam Greenbaum, Jack Hylton, Coleman Hawkins, and Red Allen ~ Hughes passed away in 1987
October 19, 1907 ~ Saxophonist, violinist, bandleader Roger Wolfe Kahn born in Morristown, New Jersey, USA ~ Known for songs such as I'm Sitting On Top Of The World and Crazy Rhythm. Worked with Tommy Dorsey, Morton Downey, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden, Red Nichols, Libby Holman, Gertrude Niesen, Franklyn Baur, Dick Robertson, Elmer Feldkamp, and Gene Krupa ~ Kahn passed away in 1962
October 19, 1889 ~ Producer, A&R scout Art Satherley, full name Arthur Edward Satherley, born in Bedminster, UK ~ Active as a talent scout since the early 1920s, starting with early blues artists such as Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Blake. Joined American Record Corporation by the end of the decade where he oversaw Leadbelly's first commercial recordings. Would go on to head country and blues A&R departments when the company was taken over by Columbia Records, where he would be helpful in advancing the careers of acts like the Carter Family, Vernon Dalhart, Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell, Marty Robbins, Alberta Hunter, Big Bill Broonzy, Josh White, Leroy Carr, and Memphis Minnie. Satherley semi-retired from music in 1952, producing only occasionally thereafter ~ Satherley passed away in 1986October 19, 1878 ~ Jazz clarinetist, composer, arranger Alphonse Picou born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Important early figure in New Orleans jazz. Worked with Manuel Perez, Freddie Keppard, Bunk Johnson, the Excelsior Brass Band, the Olympia Brass Band, Papa Jack Laine, Buddy Bolden, King Oliver, and Papa Celestin ~ Picou passed away in 1961