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 3, 1951 ~ Blues harpist, singer Billy Branch, full name William Earl Branch, born in Great Lakes, Illinois, USA ~ Founded and fronted the Sons of Blues which also included Lurie Bell and Freddie Dixon. Also worked with the Chicago Blues All-Stars, Carlos Johnson, JW Williams, Willie Dixon, Keb' Mo, Johnny Winter, Lou Rawls, Koko Taylor, Eddy Clearwater, David Honeyboy Edwards, Syl Johnson, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Taj Mahal, Andrew Blaze Thomas, Sumito Ariyoshi, Marvin Little, and Giles Corey
October 3, 1951 ~ Kevin Roosevelt Moore, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist Keb' Mo born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Honed his skils working as a staff songwriter and sideman bacing Papa John Creach, Bobby Blue Bland, Albert Collins and Big Joe Turner before embarking on a solo career debuting with the eponymous 1994 Keb' Mo. Has recorded steadily since to critical acclaim and numerous awards, including Grammy Awards for the albums Just Like You, Slow Down, Keep It Simple, the Taj Mahal-collaboration Tajmo and Oklahoma
October 3, 1951 ~ Country singer Kenny Dale, full name Kenneth Dale Eoff, born in Artesia, New Mexico, USA ~ Best known for his Gene Pitney cover Only Love Can Break A Heart, the single reaching top 10 on the Billboard Country chart in the late 1970s. Dale had recorded four albums over the course of his career, starting with Bluest Heartache Of The Year released in 1977, before retiring from music in the early 1980s ~ Dale passed away in 2020October 3, 1951 ~ Pub rock, blues bassist, singer Paul Riley born in Islington, UK ~ Backing bassist for visiting blues artists including Albert Collins, Champion Jack Dupree, Lightnin' Slim. Member of Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers and of Roogalator. Featured on Rockpile's seminal 1977 Get It pub rock album. By the 1980s would go on to work as producer and engineer for artists such as Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Johnny Marr, Ruts, Edwyn Collins, Squeeze and Kirsty MacColl
October 3, 1950 ~ Country, alternative country, rock, rockabilly singer, guitarist, accordionist, songwriter Chris Gaffney born in Vienna, Austria ~ Debuted as a solo artist in 1986 with the album Road To Indio. Continued releasing solo albums through 2000 working with producers such as Wyman Reese and Dave Alvin and guest musicians including Lucinda Williams and Jim Lauderdale. Formed the Hacienda Brothers in the early 2000s, teaming up with guitarist, songwriter Dave Gonzalez. In addition to his solo and band work Gaffney has collaborated, toured and recorded with artists such as Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men, the Iguanas, Tom Russell, Christy McWilson, Lonesome Strangers, and Billy Bacon ~ Gaffney passed away in 2008
October 3, 1949 ~ Guitarist, singer Lindsey Buckingham born in Palo Alto, California, USA ~ Best known as lead guitarist, singer of Fleetwood Mac from 1975 through 1987 and again from 1997 through 2018. Present on the band's best known albums, notably Rumours, Tusk and Mirage. Has also released a number of solo recordings, scoring a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit with Trouble of his 1981 Law And Order solo albumOctober 3, 1949 ~ Henryk Pick, commonly known as pop singer, songwriter, TV personality Svika Pick, born in Wroclaw, Poland ~ One of Israel's premier pop singers during the 1970s. Internationally best known for co-writing Diva with lyricist Yoav Ginai, Israel's 1998 Eurovision Songfestival winner as performed by Dana International ~ Pick passed away in 2022
October 3, 1947 ~ Trumpeter, singer, songwriter Ben Cauley born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Sole survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed singer Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-kays, guitarist Jimmy King, saxophonist Phalon Jones, drummer Carl Cunningham, and keyboardist Ronnie Caldwell. The Bar-Kays, co-founded by Cauley, served as the second houseband for Stax/Volt backing artists such as Redding, Carla Thomas, and Sam & Dave. Redding had taken such a shining to them he picked them as his backing unit for his 1967 tour. Cauley would reform the band with the only other remaining member, bassist James Alexander, who was on another flight. They would go on to back artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, and the Staple Singers ~ Cauley passed away in 2015October 3, 1947 ~ Rocksteady, reggae singer, arranger Hopeton Lewis born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Known for a string of late 1960s, early 1970s Jamaican hits such as Cool Collie and Boom Shacka Lacka. Worked with the Regals, Lynn Taitt, the Jets, Duke Reid, Byron Lee, and the Dragonaires ~ Lewis passed away in 2014
October 3, 1946 ~ Drummer Mike Clark, full name Michael Jeffrey Clark born in Sacramento, California, USA ~ Quintessential to development of the East Bay Sound. Member of Herbie Hancock's jazz fusion outfit the Headhunters. Also worked with Christian McBride, Betty Davis, Chet Baker, John Scofield, Nicholas Payton, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Vince Guaraldi, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Albert King, Larry Coryell, Michael Wolff, Wallace Roney, Dr Lonnie Smith, Bobby McFerrin, Nat Adderley, Randy Brecker, and Gil Evans
October 3, 1945 ~ Rock, pop rock guitarist Antonio Martinez Salas born in Madrid, Spain ~ Member of Los Bravos, known for their 1966 Black Is Black hit. It would reach top 10 across the globe, including a No.1 spot in the band's native Spain and top 5 in both the UK and the USA ~ Martinez passed away in 1990
October 3, 1943 ~ Composer, conductor, trombonist, radio host Bill McGlaughin born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Award-winning classical music host for Exploring Music and Saint Paul Sunday. Orchestral trombonist for a decade. Conductor for over three decades, working with the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eugene Symphony, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and the Kansas City SymphonyOctober 3, 1942 ~ Singer, actor Steve Susskind, full name Steven Robert Susskind, born in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA ~ Formed the Roommates with Bob Minsky, then both aged 15. The duo would become a quartet with the addition of Jack Carlson and Felix Alvarez. The band would record a number of unnoticed singles, until teaming up with singer Cathy Jean for Please Love Me Forever. Billed as Cathy Jean & the Roommates the single would reach top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. Susskind would go on to become a well known actor for film and TV, mostly in supporting roles, appearing in TV series such as Married With Children, Seinfeld, and Friends, and films such as Friday The 13th (Part III) and Star Trek V (The Final Frontier) ~ Susskind passed away in 2005
October 3, 1941 ~ Ernest Evans, commonly known as singer Chubby Checker, born in Spring Gully, South Carolina, USA ~ Early rock & roller widely known for popularizing several dance styles, most of which over the years faded into obscurity. Still, his best known The Twist remains the yardstick against which all later dance crazes are measured. A cover of the Hank Ballard tune, Checker's rendition would become widely popular and hit No.1 Billboard Hot 100 twice during two separate runs in the early 1960s. Checker would enjoy popularity especially through the mid 1960s, singles such as Pony Time, The Fly, Slow Twistin', and Limbo Rock all reaching top 10 Billboard Hot 100
October 3, 1940 ~ Singer, keyboardist, songwriter Alan O'Day, full name Alan Earle O'Day, born in Hollywood, California, USA ~ As a singer, songwriter best known for his 1977 million-seller Undercover Angel. Staff songwriter at Warner Brothers Music. Artists who recorded his songs include Three Dog Night, Bobby Sherman, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Dusty Springfield, Captain & Tennille, Cher, the Righteous Brothers (Rock & Roll Heaven), Helen Reddy (Angie Baby), and Anne Murray. Moved from pop to television in the 1980s, collaborating with singer, songwriter Janis Liebhart, writing over one hundred songs for the children's show Muppet Babies as well as work on other children's programs ~ O'Day passed away in 2013
October 3, 1938 ~ Rock & roll singer, guitarist, songwriter Eddie Cochran, full name Ray Edward Cochran, born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, USA ~ Pivotal rock & roll singer known for mid 1950s songs such as Twenty Flight Rock, Somethin' Else, C'mon Everybody, and naturally Summertime Blues. Died in a car crash on tour at age 21. Cochran's songs would later be covered by an array of artists including Joan Jett, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Van Halen, Tom Petty, Rod Stewart, T.Rex, Cliff Richard, the Who, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the White Stripes, the Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious, Rush, the Simple Minds, George Thorogood, Guitar Wolf, Paul McCartney, Alan Jackson, the Move, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Hallyday, and U2 ~ Cochran passed away in 1960
October 3, 1936 ~ Composer Steve Reich, full name Stephen Michael Reich, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Pivotal to the development of minimal music, his style characterised by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, and canons. One of the first to experiment with tape loops. Considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century influential on a wide array of idioms and artists from new age, contemporary classical, art-pop, electronic music and rock including John Adams, King Crimson, Brian Eno, and Sufjan Stevens
October 3, 1930 ~ Jazz singer, pianist, songwriter Nancy Harrow born in New York, New York, USA ~ Released two albums in the early 1960s before semi-retiring from music to raise a family. 1961's Wild Women Don't Have The Blues featured Kenny Burrell, Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells and Milt Hinton. Its follow-up, You Never Know released in 1963, featured John Lewis, Dick Katz, Phil Woods, Jim Hall, Richard Davis and Connie Kay. Harrow returned to music by the mid 1970s and has well over a dozen albums to her nameOctober 3, 1925 ~ Jazz promoter, producer George Wein born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ One of the most famous impresarios in jazz history. Co-founded the Newport Folk Festival with Pete Seeger and Theodore Bikel. Founded the Newport Jazz Festival. Instrumental in founding the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival ~ Wein passed away in 2021
October 3, 1924 ~ Country songwriter, radio DJ, label executive, producer Joe Allison, full name Joe Marion Allison, born in McKinney, Texas, USA ~ Revered songwriter. Regarded as one of the most influential figures in the rise of modern country music. Wrote or co-wrote songs such as Tex Ritter's hit When You Leave Don't Slam The Door, Faron Young's Live Fast Love Hard Die Young, Tommy Sands' Teen-age Crush, and Jim Reeves' He'll Have To Stay. Label executive at Liberty Records, Dot Records, Capitol Records. Has worked, in one capacity or another, with artists such as Willie Nelson, Hank Cochran, Roy Clark, Joe Stampley, Tommy Overstreet, and Red Steagall ~ Allison passed away in 2002
October 3, 1923 ~ Earle Lavon Freeman Sr, commonly known as jazz, hard bop saxophonist Von Freeman, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Considered a founder of the “Chicago school of jazz tenorists” alongside Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin, Clifford Jordan. Recorded well over a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, yet never became a household name mainly due to the fact that Von preferred to stay close to home instead of tour the country. Brother of guitarist George Freeman and drummer Eldridge Freeman, the three regularly backing visiting musicians such as Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie. Father of saxophonist Chico Freeman ~ Freeman passed away in 2012
October 3, 1909 ~ Biaglo Bergantino, commonly known as songwriter Borney Bergantine, born in Kansas City, Missouri, USA ~ Co-wrote My Happiness with Betty Peterson, first recorded by Jon & Sondra Steele in 1948. The song would become a standard, recorded by numerous artists. Noted for being the first song Elvis Presley recorded. Others who covered the song include Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Domino, Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, Connie Francis, Teresa Brewer, and Freddy Fender ~ Bergantino passed away in 1952
October 3, 1908 ~ Lyricist, songwriter Johnny Burke, full name John Francis Burke, born in Antioch, California, USA ~ Songwriting partner of Harold Spina, Arthur Johnston, James Monaco, Jimmy van Heusen. Known for songs such as Swinging On A Star (Bing Crosby, June Christy, Frank Sinatra), Pennies From Heaven (Eddy Duchin, Jimmy Dorsey, Dinah Washington), Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore (Guy Lombardo, Lew Stone, Eartha Kitt), Here's That Rainy Day (Dolores Gray), Peggy Lee, OC Smith), and Polka Dots And Moonbeams (Tommy Dorsey, Mel Tormé, Betty Roché) ~ Burke passed away in 1964
October 3, 1880 ~ Rachel Eleanora Goldberg, commonly known as vaudeville singer, comedian, actress Nora Bayes, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Popular vaudeville performer, singer from the 1900s through the 1920s. Perhaps best remembered for introducing Shine On Harvest Moon in the 1908 Ziegfeld Follies revue. The song, written by Bayes and her husband Jack Norworth, has since become a pop standard recorded by numerous artists including the Boswell Sisters, the Chordettes, Coleman Hawkins, Teresa Brewer, Bing Crosby, the Isley Brothers, Leon Redbone, and Bobby Bare ~ Goldberg passed away in 1928