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 25, 1979 ~ Punk, indie rock, post-hardcore, emo singer, guitarist Vinnie Caruana born in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of Long Island-based melodic hardcore band the Movielife, with whom he recorded two albums through the early 2000s. Subsequently fronted post-hardcore unit I Am The Avalanche, and hardcore groups Peace'd Out and Constant Elevation. Caruana has also guested on recordings by Midtown, Bayside, Set Your Goals, Hostage Calm, and Koyo, and released his Survivor's Guilt debut album in 2016
September 25, 1976 ~ Chiara Siracusa, mononymously known as pop, a capella, soul singer Chiara, born in Senglea, Malta ~ Internationally best known for representing her native Malta at the Eurovision Songfestival three times. Chiara reached third place in 1998 with The One That I Love, second place in 2005 with Angel, and twentysecond place in 2009 with What If We in 2009. In 2010, Chiara's Believe (We Are One) would be adopted as the anthem for the Malta Gay PrideSeptember 25, 1976 ~ Santi White, commonly known as electronic, new wave, reggae fusion, alternative hip-hop singer, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist Santigold, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Member of Stiffed. Debuted as a solo artist with her eponymous Santigold album in 2008. Collaborated with Res, Mark Ronson, Pharrell Williams, Julian Casablancas, MIA, Nick Zinner, Basement Jaxx, Drake, and Lil Wayne
September 25, 1974 ~ Post-punk revival, indie rock guitarist, singer Daniel Kessler, full name Daniel Alexander Kessler, born in London, UK ~ British-born American lead guitarist of Interpol, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums. Universally acclaimed for their 2002 Turn On The Bright Lights debut album, the band is one of the best known to emerge from New York's late 1990s, early 2000s indie rock, post-punk scene. Drawing comparisons to Television, as well as typically British post-punk acts such as Joy Division, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Siouxsie & the Banshees, the band enjoys popularity especially in Europe and the UK, where they have played major festivals. Kessler also formed the side project Big Noble with Datach'i's Joseph Fraioli, known for the 2015 First Light albumSeptember 25, 1973 ~ John Austin, commonly known as rapper Ras Kass, born in Watts, California, USA ~ Influenced by Ice Cube, Rakim, KRS One. Member of HRSMN alongside Canibus, Killah Priest and Kurupt. Member of the Golden State Warriors alongside Xzibit and Saafir. Released his solo debut album, Soul On Ice, in 1996
September 25, 1972 ~ Country singer Barbara Mandrell releases Holdin' On (To The Love I Got), lifted off her The Midnight Oil album ~ First recorded as an album track for her 1972 album My Man by Tammy Wynette, who co-wrote the song with Billy Sherrill and Carmol Taylor. Later the same year, Barbara Mandrell recorded her cover, which was issued as the third single off her The Midnight Oil sophomore album. The Mandrell single would spend twelve weeks on the Billboard Country charts, where it peaked at No.27. Sherrill served as producer for both Wynette's original and Mandrell's cover
September 25, 1970 ~ Mickey Melchiondo, commonly known as guitarist, singer Dean Ween, born in New Hope, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Half of alternative rock duo Ween, the other half being Gene Ween, known for albums such as 1992's Push Th' Little Daisies and 1994's Chocolate And Cheese. Though never achieving much commercial success, the band's only two singles reaching the Billboard charts being Push Th' Little Daisies and Voodoo Lady, the band enjoyed a cult following and be critically acclaimed. Melchiondo also worked with the Moistboyz, Josh Homme, the Queens Of The Stone Age, Yoko Ono, the Rollins Band, Pigface and with his own band the Dean Ween GroupSeptember 25, 1969 ~ Ron Blumenthal, commonly known as guitarist Bumblefoot born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Actively recording as a solo artist since the mid 1990s. Influenced by artists as diverse as Kiss, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Frédéric Chopin, and Busta Rhymes. Member of Guns 'n Roses from 2006 through 2014. Has also worked with Art of Anarchy, Asia, Lita Ford, and Sons Of Apollo
September 25, 1968 ~ Actor, rapper, singer Will Smith born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Became a household name through his title role in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air which aired from 1990 through 1996. Has since starred in numerous films. As a singer formed the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff, known for the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hits Parents Just Don't Understand, A Nightmare On My Street, Summertime, Ring My Bell and Boom Shake The Room. As a solo artist best known for Gettin' Jiggy Wit It and Wild Wild West featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee, both of which reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100September 25, 1967 ~ Drummer Ashwin Sood born in Birmingham, UK ~ Best known for backing singer Sarah McLachlan, with whom he was married from 1997 through 2008. The couple have two daughters, India and Taja. Sood has also worked with Stevie Nicks, Rufus Wainwright, Mae Moore, and Greg Keelor
September 25, 1967 ~ Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith, commonly known as jazz violinist Stuff Smith, passed away in Munich, West Germany ~ Regarded as one of the leading jazz violinists of the swing era, considered by some as a bridge between swing and bebop. Best known for penning and first recording If You're A Viper with his the Onyx Boys featuring Jonah Jones as lead vocalist, one of the most covered songs about marijuana. Has worked with Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Stéphane Grappelli, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole ~ Smith was born in 1909
September 25, 1967 ~ Rockers the Yardbirds record Ten Little Indians at Olympic, London, UK ~ Written and previously recorded by Harry Nilsson. Produced by Mickie Most. Featuring the Birds lead singer Keith Relf and guitarist Jimmy Page, leaving out band members Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty. Session musicians John Paul Jones and Clem Cattini provided bass and drums, respectively. Released as a single, Drinking Muddy Water on the flip side, in October 1967September 25, 1965 ~ Laouto player, singer Giorgos Xylouris born in Anogeia, Greece ~ Son of Antonis Xylouris, with whom he also worked from a young age. Formed the Xylouris Ensemble, acclaimed for the 1998 Antipodes and the 1999 Drakos albums. Has also collaborated with drummer Jim White under the moniker Xylouris-White
September 25, 1964 ~ Neoclassical metal, heavy metal guitarist Chris Impellitteri born in Connecticut, USA ~ Critically compared to Yngwie Malmsteen. Best known as lead guitarist, founder, eponym of Impellitteri, with whom he recorded well over half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Stand In Line released in 1988. Also worked with Vice, Animetal USA, Graham Bonnet, and with the House Of Lords
September 25, 1964 ~ Singer, actress Maria Doyle Kennedy, full name Maria Josephine Doyle Kennedy, born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Considered one of Ireland's most prolific artists with a career spanning three decades. Best known as an actress for TV, such as in the sitcom Father Ted, and film, such as The Matchmaker and Byzantium. As a singer recorded two albums with the Black Velvet Band, which she co-founded in the late 1980s with future husband Kieran Kennedy, and has recorded over half a dozen solo albums starting with Charm released in 2001September 25, 1964 ~ Trumpeter Miles Davis plays the Berliner Philharmonie, Berlin, West Germany ~ The performance would be recorded and issued in Germany the following year as Miles In Berlin, marking the first recorded live performance of a line-up known as Miles Davis' second great quintet, the trumpeter backed by saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams. The album would be re-issued in the USA in 2005, also including a 12-plus minute version of Stella By Starlight not included on the original 1965 release
September 25, 1964 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones release Time Is On My Side b/w Congratulations in the USA, which would become their first American top 10 single ~ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards stumbled upon the song when they heard Irma Thomas sing it as she toured the UK. Immediately struck by the song, they told Thomas they would love to record the song. The following December, the Rolling Stones single was a hit in America, peaking at No.6 Billboard Hot 100. The band had recorded two distinct versions of the song, the American single was recorded in the UK and is slower with a gospel organ. The cut used for the English single was recorded at Chess Studios in Chicago, Illinois. Reportedly, Thomas grew so tired of having to tell people she was the first to record the song, she quit singing it altogether for some 30 years. The Thomas version wasn't the first recorded version of the song, but it was the first with a full set of lyrics. Trombonist Kai Winding had recorded a mostly instrumental version the previous year with just the lyric “time is on my side” sung by the background trio of Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick.September 25, 1958 ~ William Michael Payne, commonly known as funk keyboardist, singer Michael Clip Payne, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Closely associated with George Clinton, appearing on several albums by Parliament and Funkadelic since 1977. Has also guested on recordings by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, MC Solaar, and Jordy (Dur Dur D'Etre Bébé)
September 25, 1957 ~ Singer, bassist, guitarist, songwriter Barbara Lahr born in Kaiserslautern, West Germany ~ Best known for her association with nu jazz outfit De-Phazz, with whom she has recorded about half a dozen albums since the 1990s including the acclaimed Natural Fake released in 2005. Previously Lahr had sung with the Spunks and Guru Guru. Lahr has also recorded several solo albums, starting with Lyrical Amusement in 1998, and has collaborated with Sanfte Liebe, and Klaus DoldingerSeptember 25, 1957 ~ Wolfrando Lavalan Jr, commonly known as rock, blues rock, alternative rock, progressive rock singer, guitarist Jun Lopito, born ~ Member of the Jerks alongside Pinoy rock legend Pepe Smith from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Has also worked with Grace Nono, Tropical Depression, Sampaguita, and Pinikpikan. Released his Bodhisattvas solo debut album in 1995 ~ Lavalan passed away in 2022
September 25, 1955 ~ Steven John Bailey, commonly known as post-punk, gothic rock, new wave bassist, keyboardist Steven Severin, born in London, UK ~ Constant member of Siouxsie & the Banshees, with whom he recorded close to a dozen albums from the late 1970s through the 1990s. The band has been acknowledged as widely influential on both contemporaries and later acts, and has once been described by the Times as “one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventurers of the post-punk era”. Well known songs include Hong Kong Garden, Happy House, Christine, Fireworks, Dear Prudence, Cities In Dust, and Peek-a-boo. Severin was also a member of supergroup Glove, known for their sole Blue Sunshine album released in 1983. Following the Banshees disbandement in the mid 1990s, Severin has recorded prolifically as a solo artist and composed several soundtracks
September 25, 1955 ~ Adelmo Fornaciari, commonly known as singer, songwriter Zucchero, born in Roncocesi, Italy ~ One of the best-selling Italian singers, with over an estimated 60 million records over a career spanning four decades. Internationally best known for songs such as Diamante, Il Colo (My Love), Baila (Sexy Thing), and Senza Una Donna (Without A Woman), the latter a duet with Paul Young. Fornaciari is an in-demand duet partner and collaborator who has worked with numerous Italian and international acts including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian May, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, BB King, Sting, Bono, Dolores O'Riordan, Peter Gabriel, Luciano Pavarotti, and Andrea BocelliSeptember 25, 1953 ~ Organist, harpsichordist Liuwe Tamminga born in Hemelum, the Netherlands ~ Acclaimed for his performances of Renaissance and Baroque music. Helped rediscovery of lesser-known composers such as Fiorenzo Maschera, Marco Antonio Cavazzoni and Jacques Buus ~ Tamminga passed away in 2021
September 25, 1953 ~ Flutist, guitarist, mandolinist, keyboardist, conductor Richard Harvey born in Enfield, UK ~ First gained serious attention as co-founding member of Gryphon, one of the more unusual bands to emerge from UK's folk-rock drawing from a wide array of influences including medieval music. The band recorded close to half a dozen albums and is especially acclaimed for Red Queen To Gryphon Three, the band's third studio album. Following the band's disbandement in 1977, Harvey established himself primarily as a composer for film and TV, notably scoring the soundtracks to GBH, co-written with Elvis Costello, Luther, and The Da Vinci Code. Harvey also notably served as conductor for a series of 1980s albums, featuring classic rock songs interpreted by the London Symphony Orchestra, and is an in-demand collaborator appearing on an estimated 700 albums
September 25, 1949 ~ Americana, folk, blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Eric Taylor born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Acclaimed storyteller. After relocating to Texas, the Georgia native would find a following on the 1970s Houston folk, country scene alongside contemporaries such as Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. Influential on artists such as Nanci Griffith, to whom he was married from 1976 through 1982, and Lyle Lovett, both of whom recorded his songs. Lovett would also guest on Taylor's eponymous Eric Taylor 1995 sophomore album, which along with its predecessor Shameless Love released over a decade earlier would be ranked among his best work. Taylor recorded throughout the 2010s, toured extensively throughout America and Europe, building a cult following, and has worked as a teacher, giving songwriting workshops ~ Taylor passed away in 2020September 25, 1949 ~ Rock, jazz saxophonist Steve Mackay born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ~ Briefly a member of the Stooges, appearing on some tracks of the 1970 Fun House album. In later years Mackay would recall being “somewhat grateful” for being fired by Iggy Pop after five months, as the band was deteriorating from drug abuse. Mackay would go on to work with a host of underground acts including Violent Femmes, Snakefinger, Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, Smegma, and the Mojo Boogie Band ~ Mackay passed away in 2015