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 11, 2025 ~ Vivian Martin Prince, commonly known as drummer Viv Prince, passed away ~ Perhaps best known as early member of the Pretty Things, appearing on the band's eponymous 1965 The Pretty Things debut album and its follow-up Get The Picture released later the same year. Known for his wild and eccentric behaviour, Prince is said to have inspired the Who-drummer Keith Moon. Following his departure from the Pretty Things, Prince has worked with Chicago Line, Bunch Of Fives, and Denny Laine ~ Prince was born in 1941
September 11, 2021 ~ Singer Maria Mendiola passed away in Madrid, Spain ~ Formed the duo Baccara with Mayte Mateos, best known for their 1977 debut single Yes Sir I Can Boogie. The single would reach the higher echelons of the charts throughout Europe and eventually sell over 18 million copies. Subsequent hits would include Sorry I'm A Lady and Darling. The duo would also represent Luxembourg at the 1978 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 7th place with Parlez-Vous Francais ~ Mendiola was born in 1952September 11, 2020 ~ Mezzo-soprano, contralto singer, opera director Annette Jahns passed away in Dresden, Germany ~ Closely associated with the Semperoper. Performed classical contralto and mezzo-soprano roles in several worled premieres including Matthias Pintscher's Thomas Chatterton and Peter Ruzicka's Celan ~ Jahns was born in 1958
September 11, 2020 ~ Jazz double bassist Reggie Johnson, full name Reginald Volney Johnson, passed away in Bern, Switzerland ~ Worked with Bill Barron, Archie Shepp, Bill Dixon, Sun Ra, Burton Greene, Lonnie Liston Smith, Stanley Cowell, Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, Blue Mitchell, Walter Bishop Jr, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Art Pepper, Kenny Burrell, Clark Terry, the Crusaders, Johnny Griffin, Horace Parlan, Monty Alexander, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, Alvin Queen, and Clark Terry ~ Johnson was born in 1940
September 11, 2020 ~ Frederick Nathaniel Hibbert, commonly known as ska, rockteady, reggae singer, guitarist, songwriter Toots Hibbert, passed away in Mona, Jamaica ~ Influenced by Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, James Brown. Pioneering reggae singer. Fronted Toots & the Maytals. Known for songs such as Do The Reggay, reportedly the song that named the genre, Bam-bam, Sweet & Dandy, Romp & Pride, and 54-46 That's My Number. Worked with producers such as Coxsone Dodd, Prince Buster, Byron Lee, Ronnie Nasralla, and Leslie Kongs ~ Hibbert was born in 1942
September 11, 2019 ~ Singer, keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist, songwriter Daniel Johnston, full name Daniel Dale Johnston, passed away in Waller, Texas, USA ~ Lo-fi, outsider, avant-pop singer, songwriter propelled to cult status when Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was seen wearing a T-shirt featuring artwork from Johnston's 1983 Hi How Are You album. Has recorded extensively since the early 1980s, mostly self-released on cassettes ~ Johnston was born in 1961September 11, 2015 ~ Itzchol Reev Smolover, commonly known as tenor, director Ray Smolover, passed away in Scarsdale, New York, USA ~ Best known as founder and director of the Opera theater Of Westchester. Though primarily performing music by others Smolover composed several pieces, including a cantate and several art songs. Smolover also served as executive VP of American Conference Of Cantors for over three decades ~ Smolover was born in 1921
September 11, 2014 ~ Songwriter, producer, manager Bob Crewe, full name Robert Stanley Crewe, passed away in Scarborough, Maine, USA ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Bob Gaudio, with whom he wrote several of the Four Seasons's best known, including the Billboard Hot 100 No.1 singles Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like A Man, and Rag Doll. Others who recorded songs co-written by Crewe include the Rays, Freddy Cannon (Tallahassee Lassie), Barbara Lewis, Lesley Gore, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, Vikki Carr, Labelle, and Disco Tex & his Sex-o-lettes ~ Crewe was born in 1930September 11, 2009 ~ James Dennis Carroll, commonly known as author, poet, singer, songwriter Jim Carroll passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Author, poet, punk musician. Frontman and eponym of the Jim Carroll Band. Best known for his autobiography Basketball Diaries, which inspired a 1995 film of the same name featuring Leonardio Dicaprio as Carroll. Collaborated with the Velvet Underground, the Blue Öyster Cult, Lou Reed, Boz Scaggs, and Pearl Jam ~ Carroll was born in 1949
September 11, 2007 ~ Jazz, jazz fusion, world keyboardist Joe Zawinul, full name Josef Erich Zawinul passed away in Vienna, Austria ~ Active since the mid 1950s. Jazz fusion pioneer, rising to notoriety through his associations with Miles Davis on albums such as In A Silent Way, Bitches Brew and Live/Evil, and Cannonball Adderley. Wrote Mercy Mercy Mercy, an unexpected crossover hit in 1966 for Adderley. Co-founded the Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, for whom he wrote Birdland which is regarded as one of the 1970s most recognizable jazz pieces. Eponym and leader of the Zawinul Syndicate. Other notable credits include appearances on albums by Dinah Washington (What A Diff'rence A Day Makes), Maynard Ferguson, Nat Adderley, Sam Jones (Down Home), Ben Webster, Madeline Bell, Willie Bobo, Aretha Franklin (Soul '69), Roy Ayers, the Average White Band, the Manhattan Transfer, Steps Ahead (Smokin' In The Pit), Ernestine Anderson, Jan Akkerman, and Quincy Jones ~ Zawinul was born in 1932
September 11, 2007 ~ Wilson Turbinton, commonly known as pianist, singer Willie Tee, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Helped shape New Orleans funk and soul. Influenced by Professor Longhair and John Coltrane. Led the Wild Magnolias and co-wrote and arranged the band's material on their 1974 album The Wild Magnolias. As a solo artist and songwriter Turbinton is known for songs such as Teasing You, Walking Up A One Way Street, and Thank You John. Many of Turbinton's early recordings have been sampled by rappers including Geto Boys, Puff Daddy, and Lil Wayne ~ Turbinson was born in 1944
September 11, 2005 ~ Jazz guitarist Al Casey, full name Albert Aloysius Casey, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Child prodigy. Played violin and ukulele before settling on guitar. Best known for his association with pianist Fats Waller, backing Waller from 1933 until his death in 1943. Also worked with Fletcher Henderson, King Curtis, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Helen Humes, and recorded over half a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader ~ Casey was born in 1915
September 11, 2004 ~ Lyricist, songwriter Fred Ebb passed away in Manhattan, New York, USA ~ Frequent songwriting partner of composer John Kander, including on the 1977 The Act Broadway musical which earned Liza Minnelli a Tony Award. Ebb has been actively writing since the early 1950s. Well-known songs include Mandolino (Les Paul), My Coloring Book (Barbra Streisand, Kitty Kallen, Brenda Lee), Cabaret (Jill Haworth, Louis Armstrong, Judi Dench), All That Jazz (Chita Rivera, Ella Fitzgerald), and New York New York (Minelli, Frank Sinatra) ~ Ebb was born in 1928
September 11, 2004 ~ Singer Jimmy Lewis, full name James Eddie Lewis, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Member of the Drifters, replacing Bobby Hendricks as lead singer in 1963 and remaining through 1965. Has also recorded as a solo artist, noted for the single The Girls From Texas. Frequently collaborated with Ray Charles, specifically writing or co-writing and appearing on all tracks of the 1969 Charles album Doing His Thing and duetting on If It Wasn't For Bad Luck. Others who have recorded songs written or co-written by Lewis include Bobby Womack (Got To Get You Back), Albert King, Bobby Blue Bland, ZZ Hill (Love Is So Good When You're Stealing It), and Peggy Scott-Adams ~ Lewis was born in 1937
September 11, 2002 ~ Singer Avril Lavigne releases Sk8ter Boi, lifted off her Let Go debut album ~ The song tells of a boy who rejects the singer as he is a skateboarder and she was a snob, the song sending the message you should look beyond one's outside appearance before you judge them. In reality, the song is based on a real-life experience, only with the genders reversed as Avril Lavigne was the “skater boy” from the song. The song went well with Lavigne's personal style, a goofy down-to-earth gun girl with a distinctive and authentic style. Avril Lavigne did in fact hang out with the skateboard crowd in her younger years, and could handle herself on a board, as seen in the accompanying video. Peaking at No.10, Sk8ter Boi would be the second of three Billboard Hot 100 top hits lifted off her debut album, preceded by the No.2 hit Complicated and succeeded by I'm With You which reached No.4
September 11, 2000 ~ R&B singer Toni Braxton releases Spanish Guitar, lifted off her The Heat album ~ Released to mixed critical reception with some considering it to be one of the highlights of the album, alongside He Wasn't Man Enough and Just Be A Man About It, and CD Universe declaring the classic Toni Braxton stood out against the dominant electronics on the rest of the album, while others dismissed the song as a clone of Braxton's biggest hit Un-break My Heart, which became one of the all-time best selling singles and had the same writer-producer team of Diane Warren and David Foster. In Braxton's native America, the single barely dented the charts, stalling at No.98 Billboard Hot 100, yet abroad Spanish Guitar had a larger appeal as it hit top 30 in Canada, Austria, Czech Republic, and Romania. Considering its mixed reception and disappointing chart performance, the song did especially well in the Netherlands where it reached No.17 and remains a radio staple to this day
September 11, 1991 ~ Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll, commonly known as producer, DJ, remixer, songwriter Kygo, born in Bergen, Norway ~ The first house DJ to perform at an Olympics closing ceremony, namely at the 2016 Rio Olympics. First gained internationational attention with his 2013 remix of Ed Sheeran's I See Fire. As a DJ, producer best known for hits such as Stole The Show, Here For You, Stay, It Ain't Me and Remind Me To Forget
September 11, 1987 ~ Lyon Himan Green, actor, singer, commonly known as Lorne Greene, passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Best known as an actor, specifically in the roles of Ben Cartwright in the NBC TV series Bonanza and Commander Adama in the ABC series Battlestar Galactica. As a singer, Greene is best known for Ringo, a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 in 1964 ~ Green was born in 1915
September 11, 1987 ~ Winston Hubert McIntosh, commonly known as reggae singer, songwriter Peter Tosh, passed away in Kingston, 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 was born in 1944September 11, 1987 ~ Joseph Somers Morales, commonly known as singer Somo, born in Austin, Texas, USA ~ First gained attention in the early-2010s via Youtube, posting original songs and covers of songs by Chris Brown, the Weeknd, and Drake. Signed by Republic Records in 2013 resulting in an official debut album, the 2014 eponymous Somo. Somo has been recording and releasing records since
September 11, 1981 ~ Singer, drummer, guitarist, ukulele player, songwriter Charles Kelley born in Augusta, Georgia, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member of country trio Lady Antebellum, renamed to Lady A in 2020, alongside singer Hillary Scott and singer, guitarist Dave Haywood. The band's 2008 eponymous Lady Antebellum would reach double Platinum status, spawning the single hits Love Don't Live Here, Lookin' For A Good Time and I Run To You. The band would regularly reach the higher echelons of the country charts ever since, with 2009's Need You Now and 2011's Just A Kiss both crossing over and reaching the top 10 of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100September 11, 1981 ~ Guitarist, keyboardist, singer Jonny Buckland, full name Jonathan Mark Buckland, born in Islington, UK ~ Influenced by the Stone Roses, Ride, George Harrison, U2, and My Bloody Valentine. Lead guitarist, co-founding member of Coldplay, one of the hottest acts from the late 1990s, early 2000s known for songs such as Viva La Vida, Adventure Of A Lifetime, and Something Just Like This, the latter a collaborative single with the Chainsmokers
September 11, 1978 ~ Singer Ben Lee born in Sydney, Australia ~ Member of Noise Addict from 1993, at age 14, through 1995, when the band disbanded. Released his Brad Wood-produced debut Grandpaw Would album in 1996. Has also worked with producer T-Bone Burnett, Evan Dando, Benji Madden, Mandy Moore, the Bens, Missy Higgins, Patience Hodgson, Jessica Chapnik, with Josh Radnor, and Radnor & Lee
September 11, 1977 ~ In an unusual pairing, singers Bing Crosby and David Bowie record Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy ~ Mash-up featuring Bing Crosby singing the standard The Little Drummer Boy, with David Bowie countering with Peace On Earth. Recorded for the 1977 Merrie Old Christmas TV special, produced by Frank Konigsberg. Bowie would release the recording as a single, paired with his own Fantastic Voyage on the flip side
September 11, 1977 ~ Christopher Brian Bridges, commonly known as rapper Ludacris, born in Champaign, Illinois, USA ~ One of the first Dirty South rappers to achieve mainstream succes. Released his debut album, Incognegro, in 1999. Best known for songs such as Move Bitch, Stand Up, Pimpin' All Over The World, Money Maker, and How Low, all of which reached top 10 Billboard Hot 100. Bridges is an in-demand collaborator, and has regularly recorded tracks with the likes of Mary J Blige, Missy Elliott, Lil' Jon, Trina, Amerie, Chingy (Holidae In), Usher, Trick Daddy, Jamie Foxx, Fergie, Ciara (Oh), R Kelly, T-Pain, Chamillionaire, Justin Bieber (Baby), Taio Cruz (Break Your Heart), Enrique Iglesias, David Guetta, and Pitbull