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 28, 1937 ~ Saxophonist, keyboardist, singer Graham Bond, full name Graham John Clifton Bond, born in Romford, UK ~ Leading figure, pioneer in early British R&B. Fronted the Graham Bond Organisation, which also included Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Jon Hiseman, John McLaughlin and Dick Heckstall-Smith. The latter would go on to use the Bond-penned Walkin' In The Park for Colosseum's debut album. First to use a mellotron, influencing later keyboardist such as Deep Purple's Jon Lord, Has also worked with Alexis Korner, Harvey Mandel, Dr John, Ginger Baker's Air Force, Pete Brown, and Don Rendell ~ Bond passed away in 1974October 28, 1936 ~ Conductor, composer Carl Davis born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Best known as prolific composer for film and TV, notably the 1981 drama film The French Lieutenant's Woman and the 1995 BBC TV series Pride & Prejudice. To pop audiences perhaps best known for collaborating with Paul McCartney on the 1991 Liverpool Oratorio album, McCartney's first foray into classical music ~ Davis passed away in 2023
October 28, 1936 ~ Singer, songwriter Charlie Daniels, full name Charles Edward Daniels, born in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA ~ Fronts the Charlie Daniels Band, known for their international hit The Devil Went To Georgia. Turned conservative, right-wing America's darling somewhere in the 1970s. Actually hung with the Nashville hippy crowd the previous decade. Session guitarist, bassist, backing singer on recordings by Bob Dylan and by Leonard Cohen. Co-wrote It Hurts Me, recorded by Elvis Presley. Also worked with the Marshall Tucker Band, Hank Williams Jr, Mark O'Connor, Bobby Bare, Johnny Cash, Montgomery Gentry, and Aaron Lewis ~ Daniels passed away in 2020
October 28, 1936 ~ Soul blues singer, songwriter Ted Hawkins born in Biloxi, Mississippi, USA ~ Drifted in and out of obscurity, dividing his time between stints in prison, performing as a street performer in America, and touring Europe where his music was well-received. Repeatedly “discovered” by various producers. Best known for his 1982 album, the Bruce Bromberg-produced Watch Your Step which failed commercially but was hailed by critics ~ Hawkins passed away in 1995
October 28, 1931 ~ Saxophonist, pianist, composer, arranger, producer Harold Battiste, full name Harold Raymond Battiste Jr, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Widely revered for his arrangements on recordings by Sam Cooke, Joe Jones, Lee Dorsey, Sonny & Cher, and Dr John. Also, in a variety of roles, worked with artists such as Ed Blackwell, Barbara George, and Tom Waits ~ Battiste passed away in 2015
October 28, 1930 ~ Francesco Migliacci, commonly known as lyricist, songwriter, actor Franco Migliacci, born in Mantua, Italy ~ As an actor, Migliacci has appeared in well over a dozen films from the early 1950s through the late 1960s. To music audiences, he is probably best known for co-writing Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) with Domenico Modugno. Originally recorded by Modugno in 1958 the song would become a standard covered by over 300 artists. Other songs co-written by Migliacci have been recorded by Gianni Meccia (Patatina), Neil Sedaka, Rita Pavone, Ennio Morricone, Donatella Moretti, Patty Pravo (La Bambola), and José Feliciano (Che Sarà) ~ Migliacci passed away in 2023
October 28, 1929 ~ Gospel, country singer Calvin Newton born in West Frankfort, Illinois, USA ~ Briefly sang with Southern gospel quartet the Blackwood Brothers during the late 1940s. Lead singer for the Oak Ridge Boys from 1953 through 1956. Formed early 1960s gospel trio the Sons Of Song with Don Butler and Bob Robinson, known best for their 1961 Wasted Years debut album. The group is generally regarded as one of the pioneering acts in what would later become known as CCM. In later years Newton would revert to a life of crime, serving time for theft, counterfeiting and drug offences. In his seventies Newton would end his estrangement from the gospel community, aided by longtime friend Jake Hess and record and perform with dozens of former colleagues ~ Newton passed away in 2023October 28, 1927 ~ Clementine Dinah Hitching, commonly known as jazz, pop singer, actress Cleo Laine, born in Southall, UK ~ Married to bandleader Johnny Dankworth from 1958 until Dankworth's death in 2010. Known for her scat singing and impressive three-octave vocal range. The only female performer to have received Grammy Award nominations in the jazz, popular and classical music categories. Has collaborated with James Galway, Nigel Kennedy, Julian Lloyd Webber, Ray Charles and Arnold Schoenberg ~ Hitching passed away in 2025
October 28, 1910 ~ Songwriter, violinist Arthur Altman born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Although Altman has co-written over an estimated 400 songs, he is best remembered for co-writing All Or Nothing At All with Jack Lawrence. The song was first recorded in 1939 by Jimmy Dorsey featuring Bob Eberly as the orchestra's lead vocalist, and has gone on to become a standard recorded by hundreds of artists including Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Morgana King, Billie Holiday, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Bobby Darin, Gloria Lynne, Shirley Bassey, and Ella Fitzgerald. Other songs co-written by Altman have been recorded by George Olsen, the Ink Spots (You're Breaking My Heart All Over Again), Jo Stafford, Teresa Brewer (Le Grand Tour De L'Amour), and Eddie Fisher ~ Altman passed away in 1994October 28, 1896 ~ Conductor Howard Hanson, full name Howard Harold Hanson, born in Wahoo, Nebraska, USA ~ Composed for opera, orchestral and choral works and chamber music. Best known as a director of Eastman School Of Music for four decades. As a composer known for California Forest Play, Before The Dawn and the Pullitzer Prize-winning Symphony No.4 ~ Hanson passed away in 1981
October 28, 1892 ~ Ollie Johnson, commonly known as Dixieland jazz pianist, clarinetist, drummer Dink Johnson, born in Biloxi, Mississippi, USA ~ Younger brother of double bassist William Manuel Johnson. Influenced by Jelly Roll Morton. Member of the Original Creole Band. Wrote The Krooked Blues, recorded by King Oliver ~ Johnson passed away in 1954