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.
September 1, 1981 ~ Singer, bassist, actress Shingai Shoniwa, full name Shingai Elizebeth Maria Shoniwa, born in London, UK ~ Bassist of indie rock band the Noisettes, known for their 2009 hit Don't Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go). Also worked with artists such as Guillemots, Annie Lennox, and Dennis Ferrer
September 1, 1978 ~ Coralie Biolay, commonly known as singer Coralie Clément, born in Villefanche-sur-Saône, France ~ Influenced by Françoise Hardy, Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg. Debuted in 2001 with the album Salle De Pas Pardus. Known for songs such as DorénavantSeptember 1, 1977 ~ Singer Ethel Waters passed away in Chasworth, California, USA ~ 1920s blues singer known for recordings such as Stormy Weather, Taking A Chance On Love, Supper Time, Am I Blue, and His Eye Is On The Sparrow. Would go on to perform jazz, swing, pop and star in Broadway musicals ~ Waters was born in 1896
September 1, 1976 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Angaleena Presley, full name Angaleena Loletta McCoy Presley, born in Beauty, Kentucky, USA ~ Notably co-wrote Look It Up for Jasmine Rae and Knocked Up for Heidi Newfield before rising to fame after joining all-female country trio the Pistol Annies. The band, which also includes Miranda Lambert and Ashley Monroe, issued their Hell On Heels debut album in 2011 and has recorded to critical acclaim and commercial success since, each of the members also enjoying a parallel solo career. Presley released her American Middle Class solo debut album in 2014
September 1, 1976 ~ Scott Hoffman, commonly known as glam rock, alternative pop bassist, keyboardist, saxophonist, guitarist, banjoist, singer Babydaddy, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Scissor Sisters. Co-wrote Kylie Minogue's I Believe In You with bandmate Jake Shears. Has also served as producer and remixer for artists such as the Pet Shop Boys, Blondie, and Tinashe
September 1, 1976 ~ Rock, alternative rock, progressive rock singer, guitarist, bassist Joey Eppard born in Kingston, New York, USA ~ Cites Led Zeppelin as one of his main influences, alongside artists such as King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and John McLaughlin. Praised for his finger-picked rhythms and his siren-like vocals. Best known as lead singer, guitarist of progressive rock outfit 3, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums since the late 1990s. Eppard has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with Been To The Future released in 2002. Eppard's brother is drummer Josh Eppard, who drummed on 3's Paint By Numbers debut album but would reach greater fame as a member of Coheed & Cambria
September 1, 1975 ~ Singer, songwriter, actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte born in Wollongong, Australia ~ Started in the musical theatre, to venture into acting for TV. Rose to prominence in the early 2000s, noted for her role as Izzy in the popular soap opera Neighbours. Became the lead singer of electro-pop outfit the Rogue Traders in 2004, with whom she recorded the albums Here Come The Drums and Better In The Dark, before venturing out on her own. As a solo singer, Bassingthwaighte is known for songs such as Don't Give Up with Shannon Noll, Alive, and Someday Soon, all of which reached top 10 in her native Australia. Bassingthwaighte married former bandmate drummer Cameron McGlinchey in 2011, with whom she has two children, and rejoined the band in 2015September 1, 1974 ~ Singer, actor Filip Nikolic born in St Ouen, France ~ Actor, singer. Best known as lead singer of boy band 2BE3. Also a member of Ima Robot. Was in the process of making a solo debut album when he died at 35 of a heart attack induced by a fatal mix of sleeping pills ~ Nikolic passed away in 2009
September 1, 1970 ~ Alt-country singer, guitarist Brent Best born in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Frontman of Slobberbone, acclaimed for their 2000 Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today album. The album included Gimme Back My Dog, referenced by fan Stephen King in his Black House novel
September 1, 1968 ~ Regina Aparecida Saraiva, commonly known as singer, dancer, actress Regina Queen Alcasid, born in São Paulo, Brazil ~ Enjoyed chart and club succes across Europe from the late 1990s through the early 2000s with a number of Eurodance hits including Killing Me Softly and perhaps her best known Day By Day
September 1, 1964 ~ Jazz saxophonist Dave O'Higgins born in Birmingham, UK ~ Influenced by older jazzmen such as Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, and John Coltrane, as well as later generations such as Michael Brecker. First gained attention as a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for several years, before establishing himself as an in-demand sideman, collaborator, and leader by the early 1990s. Closely associated with Jim Mullen and Martin Taylor, to pop-jazz audiences known for working with Matt Bianco. Over a dozen albums as a leader, starting with All Good Things released in 1993. Has played classical music with the London Symphony Orchestra, and accompanied artists as diverse as Nancy Wilson, Randy Crawford, Jimmy Witherspoon, and the Four Tops. O'Higgins has also appeared on albums by Mezzoforte, Trudy Kerr, US3, Róisín Murphy, and Jazzanova. O'Higgins has also held several teaching positions including at the Guildhall School Of Music & Drama and the Royal Academy of Music, both located in London
September 1, 1964 ~ Folk rock, folk pop, pop singer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter Michael Brunnock born in Kells, Ireland ~ While holding down a day job as math teacher, Brunnock played in a number of bands in the Dublin area, most notably Little Palace co-founded by Brunnock in 1996 and known for their Beekeeper debut EP. By the early 2000s, Brunnock relocated to New York, where he landed a regular Tuesday night gig at The Red Lion. It was here he would be discovered by David Byrne, formerly of Talking Heads. Byrne would employ Brunnock to perform for the soundtrack to the 2011 comedy-drama This Must Be The Place, the song If It Falls earning Brunnock as well as writers Byrne and Will Oldham a David di Donatello Award, the Italian equivalent of the Academy Awards. As a solo artist Brunnock has recorded to a devoted following and critical acclaim, starting with So Do I released in 2007, his music once described by the weekly the Irish Emigrant as “beautiful clear crispness and clipped tones, (…) expertly arranged melodies, driven home with truthful heart-filled soul”. Brunnock returned to his native Ireland in the mid-2010s, where he primarily works as a soundtrack composerSeptember 1, 1963 ~ Singer Carola Smit born in Volendam, the Netherlands ~ Best known as female lead of BZN from 1984, succeeding Anny Schilder, until the band's disbandement in 2007. Present on songs such as The Summertime, Amore, The Banjo Man and Wedding Bells. Released her eponymous Carola Smit debut album in 2008, spawning a modest local hit with With You (I'm In Heaven)
September 1, 1963 ~ Bryan G Phillips, commonly known as rock, alternative rock, folk singer, guitarist, bassist, banjoist, mandolinist, keyboardist, percussionist Grant-Lee Phillips, born in Stockton, California, USA ~ Praised for his singing capabilities, blessed with a voice that is both smoky and honeyed smooth, his thoughtful lyrics, and sense of melody. Best known for fronting Grant Lee Buffalo, critically acclaimed for their 1993 Fuzzy debut album. The band would record three more acclaimed albums, before Phillips embarked on a solo career recording about a dozen albums, starting with Ladies' Love Oracle released in 2000. Phillips has also guested on recordings by Eels, Robyn Hitchcock, and Aimee MannSeptember 1, 1963 ~ Indie pop singer, guitarist Malcolm Eden born in Ilford, UK ~ Lead singer, frontman of McCarthy. The band is known for lead guitarist Tim Gane's intricate guitar play and Eden's outspoken political lyrics, reflecting the band's far-left views. They were joined by future Stereolab singer Laetitia Sadier on their third and final album Banking Violence And The Inner Life Today released in 1990. The band was cited as a major influence by the Manic Street Preachers, who also covered We Are All Bourgeois Now, Charles Windsor, and Red Sleeping Beauty. In the 1990s, Eden formed the short-lived Herzfeld, known for their sole The Sack album
September 1, 1962 ~ In its 6th week on the charts, Sheila by Tommy Roe hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Influenced by Buddy Holly's Peggy Sue, Tommy Roe penned Frita, an innocent song about young love named for a schoolmate of Roe's, at a mere age 14 and first recorded it, retitled to Sheila as a more commonly used name would have more appeal, about five years later with his group the Satins. When Roe signed with ABC-Paramount, he re-recorded the song with a different arrangement and initially released the song as the B-side to Save Your Kisses. However, when radio DJs flipped the record and started playing Sheila instead, the song took off. It would be the first of eleven Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hits for the singer. Produced by Felton Jarvis, the hit version was recorded with some top-notch session musicians including perhaps most notably backing singers the Jordanaires, known for their work with Elvis Presley, and a young, still relatively unknown Jerry Reed on guitar. Roe would score one more Billboard Hot 100 charttopper, when Dizzy held the top spot for four consecutive weeks in 1969
September 1, 1961 ~ James Oppenheim, commonly known as saxophonist, songwriter Boney James, born in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Acclaimed as one of the premier contemporary jazz artists. Heavily influenced by R&B, especially Motown and Grover Washington Jr. Well over a dozen albums to his name starting with 1992's Trust. Has had artists such as Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Earth Wind & Fire's Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Eric Benét, Stokley Williams, Avery Sunshine, Kenny Lattimore and Angie Stone guest on his albumsSeptember 1, 1959 ~ John Godfrey Knauff, commonly known as vaudeville singer, songwriter Jack Norworth, passed away in Laguna Beach, California, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-penning Take Me Out To The Ball Game with Albert von Tilzer, first performed by Norworth's wife Nora Bayes. The song would become the anthem of North American baseball. Neither of the song's authors had actually ever been to a ball game ~ Knauff was born in 1879
September 1, 1957 ~ Gloria Maria Milagrosa Fajardo Garcia, commonly known as Latin pop, dance-pop singer Gloria Estefan, born in Havana, Cuba ~ Fronted the Miami Sound Machine. Known for hits such as Conga, Anything For You, The Rhythm's Gonna Get You, 1-2-3, Get On Your Feet and Turn The Beat Around
September 1, 1956 ~ Bassist Essiet Essiet born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA ~ Worked with Famoudou Don Moye, Abdullah Ibrahim, Art Blakey, Marty Cook, Ralph Peterson Jr, George Adams, Ron Affiff, Kenny Barron, the Blue Note All-Stas, Paul Bollenback, Donald Brown, Bruce Cox, Kurt Elling, Kenny Garrett, Benny Golson, Jim Hartog, David Hazeltine, Freddie Hubbard, Victor Jones, Joe Locke, Kevin Mahogany, Cedar Walton, Bobby Watson, George Cables, Vincent Herring, and Frank Morgan
September 1, 1956 ~ Jazz singer Hilde Hefte born in Kristiansand, Norway ~ Debuted in 1999 with the critically acclaimed Round Chet's Midnight album. Has since recorded steadily, including collaborations with Jon Larsen, the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Ola Kvernberg, and Paul Weeden
September 1, 1955 ~ Rock, punk rock, new wave, mod revival bassist Bruce Foxton, full name Bruce Douglas Foxton, born in Woking, UK ~ Rose to prominence as key member of the Jam alongside drummer Rick Buckler and singer Paul Weller, known for songs such as All Around The World, Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, The Eton Rifles, Going Underground, Town Called Malice and Beat Surrender. After the band disbanded has recorded as a solo artist, starting with 1984's Touch Sensitive, and has worked with the Casbah Club, Sharp and perhaps most notably Stiff Little Fingers
September 1, 1955 ~ Jazz, experimental rock keyboardist Wayne Horvitz born in New York, New York, USA ~ Rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s New York Downtown scene. Married to singer, pianist Robin Holcomb, with whom he also collaborated. Founded the New York Composers Orchestra. Closely associated with John Zorn, including in the ensembles Naked City and Pigpen. As a leader especially acclaimed for the early 2000s albums American Bandstand and Forever. In-demand sideman and collaborator, present on albums by Elliott Sharp, Peter Kuhn, Bobby Previte, Bill Frisell, Marty Ehrlich, and Warne MarshSeptember 1, 1953 ~ Donald Blackman, commonly known as jazz, funk, R&B, soul pianist, singer, songwriter Don Blackman, born in Jamaica, New York, USA ~ As a solo artist known for his eponymous Don Blackman debut album released in 1982. Best known as an in-demand session musician, present on albums by Lenny White, Bernard Wright, Roy Ayers, Kurtis Blow, Najee, the World Saxophone Quartet, Sting (Brand New Day), and Wayman Tisdale ~ Blackman passed away in 2013
September 1, 1953 ~ Violinist Jacques Thibaud passed away near Barcelonnette, France ~ Had to rebuild his technique after being injured in World War I. Noted for his performances as a soloist as well in small chamber ensembles, notably in a trio with Alfred Cortot and Pablo Casals. Has also toured with Yves Nat and George Enescu. Had 2nd Sonata For Solo Violin written especially for him by close friend Eugène Ysaÿe. Thibaud, his daughter-in-law, and pianist René Herbin were killed in the 1953 Air France Flight 178 plane crash ~ Thibaud was born in 1880