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 14, 2023 ~ R&B, funk percussionist, songwriter Fred Lewis, also known as Big Fred, passed away ~ Member of Lakeside, best known for their 1980 Billboard R&B charttopper Fantastic Voyage, considered a funk classic to this day. Other well known songs include It's All The Way Live (Part 1), From 9:00 Until, Your Love Is On The One, the Beatles-cover I Want To Hold Your Hand, Raid, and Outrageous ~ Lewis was born ca.1951
September 14, 2023 ~ Flutist, dancer, songwriter, teacher Robert Tree Cody passed away ~ Of Dakota and Maricopa heritage Cody is considered a master of the Native American flute with about a dozen albums to his name starting in the early 1990s. Especially acclaimed for his 1993 Dreams From The Grandfather album. Cody has also guested on albums by William Eaton, the Phoenix Chorale, the Rippingtons (Topaz), and Ruben Romero ~ Cody was born in 1951
September 14, 2022 ~ Folk, country, pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Jim Post, full name Jimmie David Post, passed away ~ About a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist. Best known for forming the short-lived duo Friend & Lover with his then-wife Cathy Conn, scoring the 1968 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Reach Out Of The Darkness. Has frequently collaborated with Mick Scott and Tom Dunde, and despite little chart success was considered a mainstay on the Chicago folk scene ~ Post was born in 1939
September 14, 2022 ~ Folk singer, violinist, oboist, songwriter Paul Sartin passed away ~ Closely associated with Paul Hutchinson, with whom he formed Belshazzar's Feast. Formed Dr Faustus, known for the albums The First Cut and Wager. Also well known as a member of Bellowhead, joining the band in 2004. Has also composed for theatre and film, notably the 2011 Streetwise Opera film opera The Hartlepool Monkey, has worked as TV presenter and co-founded Whitchurch Folk Club ~ Sartin was born in 1971
September 14, 2020 ~ Songwriter Al Kasha, full name Alfred Kasha, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Closely associated with songwriting partner Joel Hirschhorn, with whom he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song twice, namely with The Morning After from The Poseidon Adventure in 1972 and We May Never Love Like This Again from The Towering Inferno in 1975. Has also written for musicals, TV, and pop, rock, R&B artists including Aretha Franklin (Operation Heartbreak), Neil Diamond, Donna Summer, Charles Aznavour (Dance In The Old-fashioned Way), Bobby Darin, Jackie Wilson (My Empty Arms), and Peppermint Rainbow ~ Kasha was born in 1937September 14, 2018 ~ Bassist Max Bennett passed away in San Clemente, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Georgie Auld, Terry Gibbs, Charlie Ventura, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Charlie Mariano, Conte Candoli, Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Stan Levey, Lou Levy, Coleman Hawkins, Jack Montrose, the Monkees, the Partridge Family, Frank Zappa (Hot Rats, Chunga's Revenge), the LA Express, Marvin Gaye, Barbra Streisand, Anthony Newley, Elvis Presley, the Four Tops, Nelson Riddle, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Seals & Crofts, Quincy Jones, Kenny Rogers, the Beach Boys, Carole King, OC Smith, Michael Franks, Artie Butler, Percy Faith, Hidle Brown Barnum, Stan Kenton, Céline Dion, Jose Iglesias, Carole King, the Temptations, the Crusaders, George Harrison, José Feliciano, Andy Kim, and the Grass Roots ~ Bennett was born in 1928
September 14, 2010 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer Alf Kjellman passed away ~ Worked with Kjell Karlsen, Ditler Eckhoff, Atle Hammer, Frode Thingnæs, Mikkel Flagstad, Eilif Holm, Einar Iversen, Erik Amundsen, Egil Johansen, Kjell Bartholdsen, Ola Calmeyer, Søyr, Frode Nymph, Harald Johnsen, Inge Stangvik, Jørn Øien, Ole Jacob Hansen, and Øystein B Blix ~ Kjellman was born in 1938
September 14, 2009 ~ Country, country-pop singer Carrie Underwood releases her Cowboy Casanova single ~ Written by Carrie Underwood, Mike Elizondo, and Brett James, produced by Mark Bright. Released as the lead single off Play On. The song was met with warm reception, Billboard stating: “Blessed with a versatile set of popes that make the best of any tune, Underwood shines on this steamy upbeat number”. The single would reach top 20 Billboard Hot 100 and top the Billboard Country charts. In terms of sales, with some 2.3 million copies sold, it would rank as Underwood's fourth-biggest single, after Jesus Take The Wheel, Before He Cheats, and Blown Away. Underwood explained the song in an interview: “I think to every woman, this song would be telling a story about someone they known or met or has tried to pick them up in a bar. We're not trashing this guy, we're just warning these other girls about him.”
September 14, 2004 ~ Giuseppa Romeo, commonly known as singer, songwriter Giuni Russo, passed away in Milan, Italy ~ Also recorded under the monikers Giusy Romeo and Junie Russo. Experimental pop singer known for her five-octave range, able to produce extremely high notes. Sings in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, and other languages. Has recorded well over a dozen albums, starting with Love Is A Woman released in 1975. Well-known for songs such as Hurt, Soli Noi, Un' Estate Al Mare, and La Sua Figura ~ Romeo was born in 1951
September 14, 2002 ~ Jazz, blues saxophonist, bandleader, songwriter Paul Williams passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ One of the first to employ the honking tenor saxophone solo, a hallmark of later R&B and rock & roll records. Known for songs such as Thirty-Five Thirty, You're Breaking My Heart No More, Waxie Maxie, Blowing The Boogie, Walking Around, and for his biggest hit and signature song Huckle Buck recorded late 1948. Worked with Lloyd Henderson, Amos Milburn, Noble Thin Man Watts, Phil Guilbeau, Danny Cobb, Jumping Jimmy Brown, Joan Shaw, Connie Allen, Ruth Brown, Elmore James, Dave Baby Cortez, Lloyd Price, James Brown, and Otis Redding ~ Williams was born in 1915
September 14, 1998 ~ Blues, jazz, gospel singer Johnny Adams, full name Laten John Adams Jr, passed away in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA ~ Known as “the Tan Canary” for his multi-octave vocal range. Best known for his renditions of Release Me (1968) and Reconsider Me (1969). Also known for a number of critically acclaimed Rounder Records albums in the 1980s produced by Scott Billington starting with 1984's From The Heat which encompassed a wide range of jazz, blues and R&B styles ~ Adams was born in 1932
September 14, 1991 ~ Bandleader, arranger Billy Vaughn passed away in Escondido, California, USA ~ Member of the Hilltoppers, alongside Jimmy Saca, Donald McGuire and Seymour Spiegelman, for whom Vaugh also wrote their first hit, Trying which charted in 1952. Leading his own bands Vaughn charted over 40 singles and some 36 albums on the American album charts starting with 1958's Sail Along Silv'ry Moon through to 1970's Winter World Of Love. Vaughn also served as music director and A&R executive at Dot Records, starting in the mid 1950s ~ Vaughn was born in 1919
September 14, 1991 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, The Promise Of A New Day by Paula Abdul hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written by Sandra St Victor, Peter Lord and Vernon Jeffrey Smith, the latter two also serving as the song's producers, The Promise Of A New Day was built from a title and an idea Abdul had. Issued as the second single off her Spellbound sophomore album, was mostly met with positive reviews with Billboard describing the song as “a lyrically uplifting ditty that percolates with an insinuating, new jack-ish groove.” The Promise Of A New Day would become Paula Abdul's sixth and final Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit, a run of six consecutive charttoppers which started with her breakout hit Straight Up off her debut album
September 14, 1990 ~ Metalcore, jazz, pop singer, bassist, trumpeter Joe Lancaster born in York, UK ~ Briefly worked with rock unit Asking Alexandria, departing the band in early 2009 prior to making any recordings. Bassist for metalcore band With One Last Breath from 2010 through 2014, present on the band's The Fearless Ones debut album. Intermittent member, trumpeter for jazz brass band the New York Brass Band since 2014, with whom he performed at Glastonbury Festival more than onceSeptember 14, 1986 ~ Kwasi Esono Danquah III, commonly known as singer, rapper Tinchy Stryder, born in Accra, Ghana ~ Released his Star In The Hood debut album in 2007. Best known for its follow-up, Catch 22 released two years later, which would spawn the UK top 10 hits Take Me Back featuring Taio Cruz, Number 1 featuring N-Dubz, Never Leave You featuring Amelie Berrabah
September 14, 1985 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Alex Clare born in London, UK ~ Debuted in 2011 with the album Lateness Of The Hour, spawning the hit single Too Close which reached top 10 in both America and the singer's native England. Has been recording and releasing to both critical acclaim and commercial success since
September 14, 1984 ~ Maxwell Owusu Ansah, commonly known as hip-hop, grime, dance rapper Lethal Bizzle, born in Walthamstow, UK ~ First gained attention in the early 2000s as a co-founding member of More Fire Crew, known for their 2002 UK top 10 single Oi. It stands as one of the first grime songs to reach mainstream succes and one of the highest-charting to date. Debuted as a solo artist in 2004 with the single Pow, widely banned from mainstream radio stations for its lyrics about gun culture yet the song would reach top 20 nevertheless. Other well known songs include What We Do, Police On My Back, Party Right, The Drop, and Fester Skank
September 14, 1983 ~ Singer Amy Winehouse born in Engfield, UK ~ Singer, songwriter rooted in soul, jazz and blues with just two albums to her name, 2003's Frank and 2006's Back To Black, before an untimely death at 27 due to alcohol poisoning. Known for songs such as Stronger Than Me, Rehab, You Know I'm No Good, Back To Black, and Tears Dry On Their Own ~ Winehouse passed away in 2011September 14, 1983 ~ Chelsea Faith Dolan, commonly known as electronic music producer, DJ, radio host Cherushii, born ~ Classically trained. Champion of women in electronic music. Starting in the early-2010s released a number of EPs and a sole full-length album, the acclaimed Memory Of Water, before dying at age 33 in a fire in an venue where she was to perform that night ~ Dolan passed away in 2016
September 14, 1981 ~ Singer Ashley Roberts born in Phoenix, Arizona, USA ~ American singer, songwriter best known as a member of the Pussycat Dolls and for a number of British TV celebrity shows such as I'm A Celebrity (Get Me Out Of Here) and Dancing On Ice
September 14, 1981 ~ Slide guitarist Furry Lewis passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Recording since the 1920s, working with artists such as the Alabama State Troopers, WC Handy, the Memphis Jug Band, Jim Jackson, Frank Stokes, and Bukka White. Opened for the Rolling Stones twice. Was the subject of a Joni Mitchell song, Furry Sings The Blues from the `1976 LP Hejira. Lewis disliked the song and felt Mitchell should pay him royalties for being the subject ~ Lewis was born ca.1893
September 14, 1978 ~ Charlie Winston Gleave, commonly known as folk, indie folk, indie pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Charlie Winston, born in Cornwall, UK ~ Brother of underground singer Tom Baxter whom he backed on tour and record including the 2004 Feather And Stone album. As a solo artist Winston has recorded about half a dozen albums since the mid 2000s. Winston enjoyed popularity especially in his adopted homeland France, the singles Like A Hobo and In Your Hands both taken of his 2009 Hobo reaching top 10 on the French charts
September 14, 1973 ~ Nasir Bin Olud Dara Jones, commonly known as rapper Nas, born in Long Island, New York, USA ~ Son of renowned jazz cornetist, guitarist, singer Olu Dara. Regarded as one of the all-time greatest rappers. Rose to fame with his acclaimed Illmatic debut album released in 1994 and has recorded consistently to critical acclaim and commercial success since. Well-known songs include If I Ruled The World featuring Lauryn Hill, Street Dreams, Nas Is Like, Nastradamus, and Got Ur Self A. Has guested on tracks by the likes of KRS One, AZ, Jermaine Dupri, Kanye West, Mary J Blige (Love Is All We Need), Missy Elliott, R Kelly, Tupac Shakur, and French Montana
September 14, 1971 ~ Guitarist Jeff Loomis born in Menasha, Wisconsin, USA ~ Auditioned for Megadeth at age 16 after their lead guitarist Jeff Young was fired from the band, yet denied the position because of his young age. Best known as lead guitarist for progressive metal outfit Nevermore for its entire existence from 1991 through 2011. Also closely associated with Arch Enemy, Alcatrazz, and Conquering Dystopia. Has recorded as a solo artist, starting with Zero Order Phase released in 2008, and guested on recordings by Pamela Moore, Annihilator, Marty Friedman, Single Bullet Theory, Jason Becker, Amaranthe, and Graham BonnetSeptember 14, 1970 ~ Bassist Craig Montoya, full name Craig Aloysius Montoya, born in Spokane, Washington, USA ~ Co-founding member of Everclear through 2003, present on some of the band's best known including the acclaimed 1994 Sparkle & Fade debut album which included Heroin Girl, Heartspark Dollarsign and Santa Monica. Subsequently worked with Tri-Polar and Castella, the latter known for their 2006 How Did We Get Here album