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 26, 2025 ~ Jazz pianist, composer, arranger Jim McNeely passed away ~ Leader and sideman. First gained attention working with Thad Jones and Mel Lewis during the late 1970s. Has also worked with Stan Getz, Phil Woods, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the DR Big Band, Ted Curson, and others ~ McNeely was born in 1949September 26, 2021 ~ Bassist Alan Lancaster, full name Alan Charles Lancaster, passed away in Sydney, Australia ~ Co-founding member of Status Quo, remaining with the band through 1985 and rejoining on occasion in later years. Sang lead on songs such as Backwater, Is There A Better Way, Bye Bye Johnny, High Flyer and Roadhouse Blues ~ Lancaster was born in 1949
September 26, 2021 ~ George Frayne IV, commonly known as singer, pianist, songwriter Commander Cody, passed away in Saratoga Springs, New York, USA ~ Frontman of Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, known for merging country, rock & roll, western swing, rockabilly, jump blues and boogie-woogie piano. The band scored a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit with Hot Rod Lincoln of their 1971 Lost In The Ozone album ~ Frayne was born in 1944
September 26, 2020 ~ Concert, Lieder soprano singer Adele Stolte passed away in Potsdam, Germany ~ Regarded as among the finest singers to interpret the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Stolte has performed and recorded with the Thomanerchor, the Bern Symphony Orchestra, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Stolte is also well known for co-founding the quartet the Leipziger Bachsolisten with Gerda Schriever, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch, and Hermann Christian Polster in 1964, was a staff member of Neue Bachgesellschaft, and has taught classes in Poland and notably at the Berlin University of the Arts. Although primarily known as an interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach, Stolte has also performed works by composers such as Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Strauss, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Heinrich Schütz, and George Frideric Handel. In 2007, Stolte was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany ~ Stolte was born in 1932
September 26, 2020 ~ Rock keyboardist, guitarist Jimmy Winston, full name James Edward Winston Langwith, passed away ~ Original keyboardist for the Small Faces, replaced in late 1965 by Ian McLagan. Winston is present on the band's first two singles, Whatcha Gonna Do About It, which reached No.14 in their native UK, and its follow-up I've Got Mine. Winston has since only recorded sporadically as a solo artist and with Winston's Fumbs, and has made some appearances as an actor for film and TV series ~ Winston was born in 1945September 26, 2017 ~ Contemporary classical composer Ruth Lomon passed away in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as composer-in-residence for the Boston Secession, for whom she composed the oratorio Testimony Of Witnesses. The work is based on personal texts of Holocaust survivors and victims ~ Lomon was born in 1930
September 26, 2012 ~ Singer Rihanna releases Diamonds, lifted off her Unapologetic album ~ Crooning of a bright love, the song marks a departure for Rihanna, who previously usually sang about unhealthy relationships. The singer would comment to MTV News: “I think a lot of people are afraid of being happy because of what others might think of it. They're afraid to embrace that and embrace themselves and love themselves and do what they love and do what makes them happy.” Diamonds would top the charts in over a dozen countries including Australia, Canada, the UK, and America, and sell well over 7 milion copies globally. Later, producer Benny Blanco stated Rihanna was not who he had in mind for the track initially, but rather Kanye West or Lana Del Rey. However, Stargate, the Norwegian hitmaking duo who co-produced the track were adamant it should be Rihanna
September 26, 2006 ~ Singer, rapper Akon releases Smack That featuring Eminem, lead single off his Konvicted sophomore album ~ Akon and Eminem had first met during recording sessions for Obie Trice, and quickly became friends. The following year the pair would team up to write the club banger Smack That with Luis Resto, and Mike Strange, Eminem also serving as producer. The collaboration worked out well, as the single reached No.2 Billboard Hot 100 as well as top 10 in over a dozen countries, and earned the pair a Grammy Award. Akon would later comment on working with Eminem: “We felt that we could do a record that fit both our personalities and was a fun club record, it was no different than working with any of the other artists, really”
September 26, 2003 ~ Pop rock, blue-eyed soul singer Robert Palmer, full name Robert Allen Palmer, passed away in Paris, France ~ Enjoyed his biggest successes during the 1980s, both as a solo artist and with supergroup Power Station. Well known songs include Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor Doctor), Addicted To Love, and I Didn't Mean To Turn You On. Palmer had previously worked with the Alan Bown Set, Dada, and Vinegar Joe ~ Palmer was born in 1949
September 26, 2003 ~ Singer, pianist, guitarist Shawn Lane passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Worked with Ringo Starr, the Highwaymen, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Reggie Young, Joe Walsh, Jonas Hellborg, Black Oak Arkansas, Tommy Aldridge, Andy Tanas, Chris Craig, Savage Innocence, Billy Batte, Kinley Wolf, Jim Dandy Mangrum, the Willys, Sam Bryant, Jeff Sipe, Luther Dickinson, Anders Johansson, Wei Wei, Félix Sabal-Lecco, Steve Ferrone, Andrea Marchesini, Toy Caldwell, Jimi Jamison, Calvin Russell, Chris LeDoux, the North Mississippi Allstars, and Richard Hallebeek ~ Lane was born in 1963
September 26, 2000 ~ Baden Powell de Aquino, commonly known as guitarist, composer Baden Powell, passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Merges classical techniques with harmony and swing. Plays bossa nova, samba, Latin jazz. As a composer known for Abração Em Madrid, Braziliense, Consolaçao, Canto De Ossanho, and Samba Triste, the latter becoming a jazz standard. Worked with the Steve Bernard Orquestra, Ed Lincoln, Billy Blanco, Herbie Mann, Carlos Monteiro de Souza, Oscar Castro Neves, Stéphane Grappelli, and Herbie Mann ~ De Aquino was born in 1937
September 26, 2000 ~ Drummer Nick Fatool passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ One of the most in-demand drummers of the 1940s. Worked with Joe Haymes, Don Beston, Bobby Hackett, Benny Goodman, the Riverboat Five, Artie Shaw, Alvino Rey, Claude Thornhill, Les Brown, Jan Savitt, Harry James, Erroll Garner, Louis Armstrong, Jess Stacy, Tommy Dorsey, Matty Matlock, John Scott Trotter, Glen Gray, Bob Crosby, Andy Russell, Betty Hutton, Billy May, Dave Barbour, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Freddie Black, Gordon Macrae, Jack Teagarden, Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford, Margaret Whiting, Tennessee Ernie Ford, the Andrews Sisters, the Pied Pipers, and Wingy Manone ~ Fatool was born in 1915
September 26, 1998 ~ Lillie Mae Jones, commonly known as jazz, post-bop singer Betty Carter, passed away in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Debuted as a solo artist with the well-received album Out There in 1958. Became a household name after duetting with Ray Charles releasing the 1960 collaborative album Ray Charles & Betty Carter which spawned the hit Baby It's Cold Outside. Had previously worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery, King Pleasure, and Ray Bryant. Carter would go on to record numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums often employing and mentoring young talent early on in their career such as John Hicks, Curtis Lundy, Mulgrew Miller, Cyrus Chestnut, Dave Holland, Stephen Scott, Kenny Washington, Benny Green, and Tarik Shah ~ Carter was born in 1929
September 26, 1995 ~ Kathleen Twomey, commonly known as songwriter, arranger Kay Twomey, passed away in Wellesleys, Massachusetts, USA ~ Co-wrote Sammy Kaye's 1947 No.3 hit Serenade Of The Bells, also recorded by the Fleetwoods, Carl Mann, Gene Pitney, Frank Sinatra, and Bobby Vinton. Wrote or co-wrote a number of well known Elvis Presley songs, including Put The Blame On Me, In The Beginning and Wooden Heart. Other artists who recorded her songs include Jo Stafford, Doris Day, Eddy Arnold, Eartha Kitt, Johnnie Ray, Brian Hyland, Perry Como, the Sandpipers, the Statler Brothers, Lucille Starr, David Houston, Teresa Brewer, and Nat King Cole ~ Twomey was born in 1914
September 26, 1995 ~ Saxophonist Lenny Hambro passed away in Somers Point, New Jersey, USA ~ As sideman played with Gene Krupa, Glenn Miller, Roy Eldridge, Billy Butterfield, Bobby Byrne, Vincent Lopez, Pupi Campo, Machito, Ray McKinley, Charlie Ventura, and Joe Loco. As leader he employed artists such as Wade Legge, Rene Hernandez, Eddie Costa, Hank Jones, Dick Garcia, Sal Salvador, Barry Galbraith, Louis Barretto, Clyde Lombardi, Arnold Fishkind, Eddie Bert, Mel Zelnick, Harold Granowski, Gus Johnson Jr, Sid Bulkin, Jose Mangual, Ubaldo Nieto, Ray Santamaria, and Babs Gonzales ~ Hambro was born in 1923September 26, 1992 ~ TV personality, singer Megan McKenna born in Essex, UK ~ First gained attention on several TV reality shows from the mid-2010s onward. As a singer released her The Story Of Me debut album in 2018, which spawned the modest uk hits High-heeled Shoes and Far Cry From Love
September 26, 1988 ~ James Blake Litherland, commonly known as electronic, post-dubstep, pop singer, keyboardist, songwriter James Blake, born in London, UK ~ First gained attention in the early-2010s with a series of EPs, releasing his full-length eponymous James Blake debut album to critical acclaim which spawned the modest UK hit Limit To Your Love. Has collaborated with artists such as Mount Kimbie and Bon Iver. Has produced or co-produced tracks by Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Vince Staples, Frank Ocean, and Travis Scott
September 26, 1987 ~ In its 9th week on the charts, Didn't We Almost Have It All by Whitney Houston hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Whitney Houston's fifth of seven consecutive Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hits, all lifted off her first two albums, was written by veteran songwriters Michael Masser and Will Jennings, Masser, a former stockbroker turned songwriter, had previously worked with artists such as Diana Ross (Touch Me In The Morning), Gladys Knight, George Benson, Dionne Warwick, Peabo Bryson (Tonight I Celebrate My Love), and Teddy Pendergrass. While Jennings, the song's co-writer, had an equally impressive resumé, having co-written songs for Helen Reddy, Cilla Black, Barry Manilow (Looks Like We Made It), BB King, the Crusaders (Street Life), Randy Crawford, Steve Winwood (While You See A Chance), and Carly Simon. According to Jennings, the songwriting process for Didn't We Almost Have It All was a lengthy one: “It seems like Masser and I worked off and on for years on that song. I don't know how many times I rewrote bits and pieces of the tune. (…) Of course, it was well worth it in the end.”September 26, 1986 ~ Drummer Jake Davison born ~ Best known as drummer of Aiden from 2003 to 2011, a band which he co-founded with Angel Ibarra. Davison recorded five albums with the band, including the acclaimed Nightmare Anatomy, before leaving the band amicably, later citing financial security as the main reason for his departure
September 26, 1985 ~ Matthieu Total, commonly known as singer, songwriter Matt Pokora, born in Strasbourg, France ~ French of Polish descent, Tota was one of three males to win the 2003 edition of French talent show Popstars, which teamed up winners to form a boy- or girl band. The resulting Linkup had initial success but eventually disbanded due to poor sales. In 2004 Tota decided on the stage name Pokora, Polish for “humility”, and released his solo debut album M Pokora. He continues to record to this daySeptember 26, 1983 ~ Constantin Rossi, commonly known as cabaret, pop singer, actor Tino Rossi, passed away in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France ~ Reportedly recorded over 2,000 songs and appeared in more than 25 films. Best known for his 1946 hit Petit Papa Noel which sold over 30 million copies worldwide ~ Rossi was born in 1907
September 26, 1981 ~ Christina Flores, commonly known as R&B, dance, hip-hop singer, actress Christina Milian born in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA ~ Signed with Murder Inc at 19. Released her debut album, Christina Milian, in 2001. It spawned the modest hits AM To PM and When You Look At Me. Has recorded steadily since. Also known for subsequent hits such as Say I, Us Against The World, and perhaps her best known the Billboard top 10 hit Whatever U WantSeptember 26, 1980 ~ Auburn Hare, commonly known as electric blues guitarist, singer Pat Hare, passed away in St Paul, Minnesota, USA ~ Influential on rockabilly, on British invasion stars including the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds, and through distorted power chord-driven usage of the electric guitar as early as the 1950s even seen as a precursor to heavy metal music. Served as sideman for Howlin' Wolf, James Cotton (notably the guitar solo on 1954's Cotton Crop Blues, with its use of heavily distorted power chords according to some a precursor to heavy metal), Muddy Waters, Bobby Blue Bland, and Junior Parker ~ Hare was born in 1930
September 26, 1976 ~ Louis Charles Robinson, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist, fiddler LC Robinson, passed away in Berkeley, California, USA ~ Rumored to be mentored by Blind Willie Johnson and introduced to the steel guitar by Leon McAuliffe. Brother of blues harpist AC Robinson, with whom he also worked. Noted for the 1968 album Oakland Blues which also featured Lafayette Thomas and Dave Alexander, and for the 1971 follow-up Ups And Downs ~ Robinson was born in 1914
September 26, 1974 ~ Rapper, producer Watkin Tudor Jones born in Johannesburg, South Africa ~ Member of the Original Evergreen, appearing on the single Puff The Magik. The song would be banned for its controversial lyrics about marijuana usage. Achieved international fame as member of Die Antwoord. Has also fronted hip hop act Max Normal, recorded as a solo artist starting with the album Memoirs Of A Clone in 2001, and ventured into acting