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 4, 1985 ~ Shontelle Layne, mononymously known as singer Shontelle, born in St James, Barbados ~ Released her Shontelligence debut album in 2008, spawning the modest hit T-Shirt. Would reach Billboard Hot 100 top 20 with Impossible of her 2010 No Gravity sophomore album
October 4, 1984 ~ Elena Sergeevna Katina, commonly known as Lena Katina, born in Moscow, Soviet Union ~ Best known as half of Tatu, the other half being singer Julia Volkova, known for international hits such as Not Gonna Get Us, All About Us and their debut single All The Thing's She Said which would top the charts in well over a dozen countries
October 4, 1982 ~ Glenn Herbert Gold, commonly known as classical pianist Glenn Gould, passed away in Toronto, Canada ~ Praised for his technical proficiency, Gould would become one of the 20th century's most celebrated classical pianists. Especially known as the premier interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, Gould rejected most of the Romantic piano literature by Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Gould has recorded prolifically since the mid 1950s, his Bach (The Goldberg Variations) considered the definitive interpretation, has transcribed works by Richard Wagner, Maurice Ravel, Franz Schubert, and Anton Bruckner, served as conductor, and made numerous television and radio programs. In 1997, the Royal Conservatory of Music Professional School in Toronto, Canada, adopted the name the Glenn Gould School in honor of its most famous alumnus ~ Gould was born in 1932October 4, 1982 ~ Country singer Vern Gosdin releases Today My World Slipped Away, lifted off the album of the same name ~ Critics welcomed the song, Billboard stating Vern Gosdin's “great, resonant voice squeezes every nuance of pain out of this story of separation and loss.” Written by Verndin and Mark Wright, the song would reach top 10 Billboard Country, making it the singer's fifth top 10 hit after Yesterday's Gone, Till The End, Never My Love and Dream Of Me. The song would be notably covered by George Strait in 1997, whose cover reached No.3 Billboard Country surpassing the original
October 4, 1982 ~ Saxophonist, songwriter YolanDa Brown, full name YolanDa Faye Brown, born in Barking, UK ~ Merges reggae, jazz and soul, described somewhat tongue-in-cheek as “posh reggae” by her. Active since the late 2000s. Acclaimed for her 2012 April Showers May Flowers album. Has collaborated with the likes of Billy Ocean, Morgan Heritage, Lemar, Michelle Williams, Julian Marley, Matt Cardle, and Mica Paris
October 4, 1977 ~ Indie rock, post-rock singer, bassist, keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist Richard Reed Parry born in Ottawa, Canada ~ Core member of indie rock outfit Arcade Fire, known for their breakout Funeral album released in 2004. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with Music For Heart And Breath released in 2014, as well as with the Unicorns, Islands, the Bell Orchestre (As Seen Through Windows), Silver Starling, Sufjan Stevens, the National, Little Scream (Cult Following), Leonard Cohen (Thanks For The Dance), Rebecca Foon, and the SadiesOctober 4, 1975 ~ Singer, songwriter Case, full name Case Woodward, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for a number of 1990s, early 2000s hits including Touch Me Tease Me featuring Foxxy Brown and Mary J Blige, Happily Ever After, The Best Man featuring Ginuwine, RL and Tyrese, Faded Pictures with Joe, Missin' You, Livin' It Up featuring Ja Rule
October 4, 1973 ~ Matthew Stephen Ward, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter M Ward, born in Oregon, USA ~ Folk and blues-inspired Americana. Member of indie pop duo She & Him, the other half being Zooey Deschanel. Member of folk supergroup the Monsters Of Folk. Released his solo debut, Duet For Guitars #2, in 1999. Has also collaborated with Cat Power, Neko Case, Beth Orton, the Court & Spark, Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis, and My Morning Jacket
October 4, 1971 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Darren Middleton born in Brisbane, Australia ~ Influenced by Twisted Sister and AC/DC. Best known as member of Powderfinger and side project Drag. Previously worked with Sonic Tapestry and Pirate. Released his solo debut album, Translation in 2013 after the dissolution of Powderfinger, which featured guests such as Nic Jester, Bernard Fanning, Pete Murray, Paul Dempsey, Clare Bowditch, and Amy Findlay
October 4, 1970 ~ Singer Janis Joplin, full name Janis Lyn Joplin, passed away in Hollywood, California, USA ~ One of the most successful rock stars of her day, noted for her powerful bluesy mezzo-soprano vocals. Rose to fame as lead singer of psychedelic blues band Big Brother & the Holding Company, known for songs such as Bye Bye Baby, Down On Me and Piece Of My Heart. As a solo artist known for Kozmic Blues, Me And Bobby McGee, Cry Baby and Mercedes Benz. Passed away aged 27 of a heroin overdose ~ Joplin was born in 1943October 4, 1970 ~ Country, rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Jaren Johnston, full name Jaren Ray Johnston, born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Son of drummer Jerry Ray Johnston. Member of the American Bang. Member of the Cadillac Three. Has co-written for others, including Keith Urban's You Gonna Fly and Raise 'Em Up, Tim McGraw's Southern, Dallas Smith's Tippin' Point, and Jake Owen's Days Of Gold and Beachin'
October 4, 1969 ~ Jazz, avant-garde jazz violinist Mat Maneri born in New York, New York, USA ~ Son of saxophonist Joe Maneri, with whom he also worked. Well over two dozen albums to his name as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for Fifty-One Sorrows and Blue Deco released respectively 1999 and 2000. Closely associated with Joe Morris and Matthew Shipp. Has also collaborated with Cecil Taylor, Guerino Mazzola, Gerald Cleaver, Tim Berne, Borah Bergman, and Michael Formanek
October 4, 1969 ~ Natale Codognotto, commonly known as swing singer Natalino Otto, passed away in Milan, Italy ~ Active since the 1930s. Picked up swing and jazz influences while working the transatlantic liners. Boycotted by Italian radiostations as anything sounding foreign was banned by the fascist Italian regime, yet became one of the most popular singers of the day. Recorded over 2,000 songs over the course of his career. Best known for songs such as Ho Un Sassolino Nella Scarpa, Polvere Di Stelle, Op Op Trotta Cavallino and La Classe Deli Asini ~ Codognotto was born in 1912October 4, 1968 ~ Rock band Led Zeppelin kick off their 1968 UK tour at the Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK ~ Their first UK tour, at some of the earlier tour dates still billed as the New Yardbirds, the band plays over a dozen shows through mid-December. Inbetween tour dates the band would record their eponymous Led Zeppelin, often referred to as Led Zeppelin I, which took a mere 36 hours studio time. The November 9 concert at the Roundhouse, London, doubled as singer Robert Plant's wedding reception, as he married his girlfriend Maureen Wilson at the same venue later that day. The couple would remain married for 15 years and have three children
October 4, 1965 ~ Arthur B Fields, commonly known as songwriter Buddy Fields, passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-writing, together with Al Sherman and Al Lewis, You Gotta Be A Football Hero. The song is one of the most widely recorded and performed American footballs anthem. It was the subject of a 1935 Popeye The Sailor cartoon and has been recorded by Fred Waring, Ben Bernie, Tuxedo Junction, the Crew Cuts, Ralph Flanagan, and Dick Haymes ~ Fields was born in 1889
October 4, 1964 ~ Jazz bassist Robert Hurst in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Played guitar early in his career before switching to bass. His debut as a leader, 1993's Robert Hurst Presentss peaked at No.13 Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart. As a sideman Hurst played with Tony Williams, Mulgrew Miller, Harry Connick Jr, Geri Allen, Russell Malone, Steve Coleman, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Renee Rosnes, Bruce Barth, Vanessa Rubin, Dianne Reeves, Keb' Mo, Billy Cobham, Michael Bublé, Charles Lloyd, Diana Krall, Willie Nelson, Barbra Streisand, Norah Jones, Joe Louis Walker, Paul McCartney, and Jill Scott
October 4, 1961 ~ Hardcore punk, heavy metal guitarist, songwriter Al Barile, full name Alan Scott Barile, born in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA ~ One of the 1980s hardcore most energetic guitarists. Co-founding member of SSD, the band name an abbreviation of Society System Decontrol. Formed in the early 1980s, the band is considered one of the most important hardcore bands to emerge from New England. They have recorded three albums, gravitating towards heavy metal by their sophomore How We Rock album, which is considered their best. Barile, considered an icon of the straight-edge lifestyle, commented in a 2023 interview with punk newsletter Former Clarity: “When we met the Washington DC people, I saw how they were all X'd up and not drinking, I found a lot of strength in that. I came home and said, ‘You know, I'm not going to drink anymore.’ That's kind of my story of how I decided not to drink, but what really went into that is me getting my voice. I was leaving that life behind. It took a lot of courage to just walk away from all your friends and find new friends, you know?” ~ Barile passed away in 2025October 4, 1961 ~ Juan Francisco Secada Ramirez, commonly known as singer, songwriter Jon Secada, born in Havana, Cuba ~ As a singer known for hits such as Just Another Day, Angel and If You Go. Has duetted with Jim Brickman, Olivia Newton-John and Frank Sinatra and as a songwriter has written or co-written songs for Gloria Estefan (Coming Out Of The Dark), Ricky Martin and for Jennifer Lopez
October 4, 1960 ~ Singer Anita Heilker, full name Antoinetta Johanna Margaretha Heiler, born in Schiedam, the Netherlands ~ Best known as member of pop girl group the Dolly Dots. Left the band in 1985. Heilker was present on top 10 hits in the Netherlands, starting in the late 1970s, including Tell It All About Boys, Hela-do-ladi-do, STOP, Do You Wanna Wanna, She's A Liar. Has released a number of solo singles, notably 1987's Don't Treat Me Like This, and a sole solo album Girl In Black. Works as a voice actress, best known for portraying Donald Duck in several Dutch Disney animatian TV series and films
October 4, 1960 ~ Country, country pop, country rock keyboardist Gregg Hubbard, also known as Gregg Hobie Hubbard, born in Apopka, Florida, USA ~ Co-founding member of country outfit Sawyer Brown. The musicians originally served as sountry singer Don King's touring band, but decided to stay together after King's retirement in 1981. The band has recorded over a dozen albums and would regularly reach the higher echelons of the Billboard Country charts from their inception through the mid 1990s, with the singles Step That Step, Some Girls Do, and Thank God For You all reaching the No.1 spotOctober 4, 1960 ~ Producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Burn born in Cornwall, Canada ~ Lead singer, keyboardist of the Boys Brigade. Played with artists such as Daniel Lanois (Acadie), Bob Dylan (Oh Mercy), the Neville Brothers (Yellow Moon) and Chris Whitley. As a producer best known for his work with Blue Rodeo, Emmylou Harris (Red Dirt Girl, Stumble Into Grace), Midnight Oil, Patty Griffin, Crash Vegas, and Patti Smith (Gone Again)
October 4, 1959 ~ Singer Chris Lowe born in Blackpool, UK ~ Best known as half of the Pet Shop Boys, the other half being Neil Tennant, known for synth disco hits such as West End Girls, It's A Sin, Go West, Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money), and What Have I Done To Deserve This
October 4, 1957 ~ Bassist Yngve Moe born in Tromsø, Norway ~ Member of Erter Kjøtt & Flesk until its disbandement in 1975. Touring member of Nøkken. Co-founding member of Dance With A Stranger, remaining with the band until his death. Has also worked with Oofotr, Marius Müller, Terje Nilsen, Nathalie Nordnes, and with Øivind Elgenes ~ Moe passed away in 2013
October 4, 1957 ~ Synth-pop, new wave, ambient, electronic singer, guitarist, bassist Zaine Griff, also known by the moniker Glenn Mikkelson, born in Auckland, New Zealand ~ Member of New Zealand rock band Human Instinct from age 16 and present on the band's The Hustler. After relocating to England in the mid 1970s became a part of the fledging new wave, new romantic scene initially as a member of Screemer. Released his Ashes And Diamonds debut solo album in 1980, followed by Figvres two years later, on which Kate Bush sang backup on Flowers. Griff returned to New Zealand by the mid-1980s to run a jazz club but would continue to record from time to timeOctober 4, 1956 ~ Country singer George Jones releases Just One More, lifted off his 14 Top Country Favorites album ~ Self-penned, the song describes a lonely man drinking to forget his worries. Just One More is one of the earliest “hard drinking” songs George Jones, tagged a problem drinker himself early on in his career, would become famous for. Just One More reached No.3 Billboard Country, making it his fourth top 10 single, preceded by Why Baby Why, What Am I Worth, and You Gotta Be My Baby, and highest-ranking up to this point in his career. Retrospectively, the song would be widely acknowledged as one of his all-time finest. Several artists have covered the song, including notably Ernest Tubb shortly after Jones' original, and Johnny Cash a few years later for his Now There Was A Song album
October 4, 1956 ~ Rock & roll, punk rock, post-punk singer, drummer, guitarist, songwriter Ricky Williams, also known as Ricky Tractor, born in Palo Alto, California, USA ~ Original singer for Flipper, credited with naming the band though he left before they made any recordings. Has also worked with Crime, Sleepers, and with the Toiling Midgets ~ Williams passed away in 1992