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, 1973 ~ Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, commonly known as producer, songwriter, singer Dr Luke born in Providence, Rhode Island, USA ~ As a producer, songwriter first gained attention with Kelly Clarkson's 2004 hit Since U Been Gone. Would go on to produce, write numerous hit records, often collaborating with Max Martin, for artists such as Kelly Osbourne, the Backstreet Boys, Pink (Who Knew), Kelis, Avril Lavigne (Girlfriend), the Sugababes, Katy Perry (I Kissed A Girl), Britney Spears, Flo Rida, Ciara, Ke$ha (Tik Tok), Taio Cruz, BoB (Magic), Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, TI, Flo Rida, Miley Cyrus (Party In The USA), Weezer, One Direction, will.i.am, Robin Thicke, Maroon 5 (Sugar), Usher, Jessie J, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Kim Petras, Ne-Yo, Pitbull, Doja Cat, Kygo, and Lil Wayne
September 26, 1973 ~ Alternative rock, indie rock, post-grunge singer, guitarist Marty Casey, full name Martin Xavier Casey, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Influenced by Guns 'n Roses, AC/DC, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker. Lead singer, guitarist, primary songwriter for Lovehammers, merging pop-punk with grunge influences and best known for their 2006 Marty Casey & the Lovehammers album. The year before Casey had participated in the reality show Rock Star INXS, in search of a new lead singer for INXS, and although he did not win his band was asked to open for them on the INXS Switched On Tour
September 26, 1972 ~ Singer Shawn Stockman, full name Shawn Patrick, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Member of Boyz II Men, known for Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits such as Motownphilly, It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday, End Of The Road, In The Still Of The Nite (I'll Remember), I'll Make Love To You, Water Runs Dry, 4 Seasons Of Loneliness and A Song For Mama. The band has also collaborated with Mariah Carey (One Sweet Day), LL Cool J, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Charlie PuthSeptember 26, 1971 ~ Singer Neil Young records Are You Ready For The Country for his Harvest album, issued the following year ~ Recorded during sessions at the Broken Arrow Ranch, Young's personal home in Half Moon Bay, California. Neil Young, usually a guitarist, can be heard on the piano, with Jack Nitzsche and Ben Keith on guitars, respectively slide and pedal steel guitar. Though the song seemingly overlaps with other contemporary Young songs, particularly Southern Man and Alabama, it is unclear what Young is actually asking. Some critics have wondered whether the singer asks his audience to follow him into country music, though the song is clearly more blues than country, while Rolling Stone has suggested the song seemed like “an in-joke throwaway intended for the amusement of certain of Neil's superstar pals”. Regardless, about half a decade later, Waylon Jennings countrified the song, and explicitly asked the question by slightly altering the lyrics from “Are you ready for the country, because it's time to go” to “Are you ready for the country, are you ready for me”
September 26, 1970 ~ In its 11th week on the charts, Snowbird by Anne Murray peaks at No.8 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Afer watching songwriter Gene MacLellan perform this song on a Canadian TV show, Anne Murray would become the first to record and release the song. Issued as a single off her This Way Is My Way sophomore album, it would become her first to chart on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and only her second to chart in her native Canada. MacLellan claimed it was only the second song he'd had ever written, the process taking him just half an hour. Lyrically, the snowbird is used as a metaphor for freeedom by contrasting the narrator's inability to leave the place of their heartache with the bird's ability to just up and fly away. The song has become a standard, recorded by over an estimated 150 artists including MacLellan on his 1970 Street Corner Preacher album. Others who have recorded the song include Loretta Lynn, Lynn Anderson, Perry Como, Elvis Presley, Billie Jo Spears, Hank Snow, and Wanda JacksonSeptember 26, 1970 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer Paul Draper born in Liverpool, UK ~ Influenced by the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Prince. Fronted Mansun, which he co-founded with Stove King and Dominic Chad. Co-wrote, co-produced Alone In My Room, a 2005 solo single by Skunk Anansie's Skin. Released his full-length Spooky Action solo debut album in 2017
September 26, 1969 ~ Pop rock sibling outfit the Bee Gees record Sweetheart at IBC Studios, London, UK ~ Written by Barry Gibb and Maurice Gibb, the former also singing lead vocals. Produced by the band and their manager Robert Stigwood. Included on the Cucumber Castle album. Featured as the B-side to IOIO for the UK market and as the B-side to If I Only Had My Mind On Something Else for the US market in March 1970. Singer Engelbert Humperdinck would cover the song later the same year, almost reaching the UK top 20
September 26, 1967 ~ Timothy Brown, commonly known as rapper Father MC, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for a string of early 1990s hits including Treat Them Like They Want To Be Treated, I'll Do 4 U featuring Mary J Blige as backing vocalist, Lisa Baby, I've Been Watching You, and Everything's Gonna Be Alright
September 26, 1967 ~ Guitarist, singer Shannon Hoon born in Lafayette, Indiana, USA ~ Influenced by the Grateful Dead, the Beatles, John Lennon, and Bob Dylan. Best known for fronting Blind Melon from 1990 to his death in 1995, recording the albums Blind Melon and its follow-up Soup. The band is best known for the Billboard Hot 100 No.20 hit No Rain, which also reached top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, and No.1 in Canada. Following Hoon's death at age 28 of a cocaine overdose, the band initially went on a hiatus to later reform with Travis Warren formerly of Rain Fur Rent. Hoon has also recorded with Styff Kyen, Michael Kelsey, Man Rage, Dave Lank, and Darren Mickler ~ Hoon passed away in 1995September 26, 1966 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Chris Murray born in Toronto, Canada ~ Best known as member of late 1980s, early 1990s ska outfit King Apparatus. Has also worked as a solo artist, with Da Whole Thing and with the Slackers, notably on the 2005 collaborative Slackness album
September 26, 1966 ~ Helen Clare Schroeder, commonly known as singer, actress Helen Kane passed away in Jackson Heights, New York, USA ~ Popular 1920s and early 1930s stage and film singer and actress best known for I Wanna Be Loved By You from the 1928 stage musical Good Boy. According to some accounts the animation character Betty Boop in the Talkartoons series was based on Kane, Kane sued the Fleischer Studios but eventually lost the court case with the judge ruling there was “insufficient evidence” ~ Kane was born in 1904September 26, 1964 ~ Dance, dance-pop, pop singer Nicki French, full name Nicola Sharon French, born in Cumbria, UK ~ Best known for her 1995 Bonnie Tyler-cover Total Eclipse Of The Heart which reached top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. Represented the UK in the 2000 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 16th place with Don't Play That Song
September 26, 1960 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Doug Supernaw, full name Douglas Anderson Supernaw, born in Bryan, Texas, USA ~ Influenced by George Jones and Gene Watson. Recorded four albums starting with Red And Rio Grande released in 1993. The album spawned the Billboard Country No.1 hit I Don't Call Him Daddy, previously recorded by Kenny Rogers. Besides his sole No.1, the singles Reno, What'll You Do About Me and Not Enough Hours In The Night, would also reach top 20 Billboard Country ~ Supernaw passed away in 2020
September 26, 1959 ~ Singer, pianist Fats Domino records Be My Guest ~ Written by Fats Domino, John Marascalco and Tommy Boyce. Arranged and produced by Dave Bartholomew. Released the next month, featuring I've Been Around on the B-side. It would be the then-unknown Boyce's first hit, who would later team up with Bobby Hart to find succes as songwriting duo, notably responsible for many hits by the Monkees
September 26, 1958 ~ Jan Paul Breahm, commonly known as singer Darby Crash, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founded punk rock outfit the Germs with Pat Smear. Drummer Belinda Carlisle was briefly an early member of the band but never played a show with them, she would go on to world fame as lead vocalist of all-female outfit the Go-Go's and achieve major stardom in the 1980s as a solo artist. Breahm committed suicide by way of intentional overdose, his death overshadowed by John Lennon's murder the very next day ~ Breahm passed away in 1980September 26, 1956 ~ Jazz violinist, composer Randy Sabien born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Béla Fleck, Emery Christiansen, Free Hot Lunch, Greg Brown, Jim Post, Jan Marra, Peter Buffett, Catfish Keith, Jim Kansas, John Altenburgh, Michael Sterling, Peter Mulvey, Garrison Keillor, David Levin, Corky Siegel, and Kevin Bowe
September 26, 1955 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Carlene Carter born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Daughter of singer June Carter and Carter's first husband singer Carl Smith. Debuted with the eponymous Carlene Carter album in 1978 and has recorded steadily since. Best known for songs such as I Fell In Love, Come On Back and perhaps her best known Every Little Thing. Co-wrote, with Susanna Clark, Easy From Now On for Emmylou Harris's acclaimed 1978 album Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town. Has collaborated with Robert Ellis Orrall, Southern Pacific, Elizabeth Cook, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Kris Kristofferson, several family members including her mother, sisters Anita Carter and Helen Carter, with her stepfather Johnny Cash, and released a full-length collaborative album with John Mellencamp, Sad Clowns & Hillbillies, in 2017. Married to Nick Lowe from 1979 to 1990. Also romantically invlved wit the late bass player Howie Epstein in the late 1990sSeptember 26, 1954 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Cesar Rosas born in Hermisollo Sonora, Mexico ~ Longtime member of Los Lobos, present since the band's 1973 Los Lobos Del Este De Los Angeles (Just Another Band From East LA) debut album. Has also worked with supergroup Los Super Seven. Released a solo album, Soul Digsuise, in 1999
September 26, 1954 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Craig Chaquico born in Sacramento, California, USA ~ Best known as lead guitarist for Jefferson Starship, first appearing on the 1974 Dragon Fly album, and its successor Starship including on the Billboard Hot 100 charttoppers We Built This City, Sara and Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now. Formed Big Bad Wolf, known for their eponymous 1998 Big Bad Wolf album. Has also worked with Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, Gregg Rolie, 3rd Force, Joan Burton, Cusco, and Russ Freeman
September 26, 1953 ~ Folk singer Dolores Keane born in Sylan, Ireland ~ Sister of Sean Keane. Founding member of De Dannan. Married to John Faulkner from 1977 to 1988, with whom she also worked. Debuted as a solo artist in 1978 with the album There Was A Maid. Keane has also notably collaborated with Rita Eriksen and John Prine
September 26, 1953 ~ Victor Edward Jurusz Jr, commonly known as jazz guitarist Vic Juris, born in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA ~ Active since the mid 1970s. Rooted in hard bop, with a knack for avant-garde and jazz fusion. As a leader or co-leader recorded about two dozen albums, especially noted for Steeplechase released in 1994. Closely associated with Richie Cole, with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums, and with Dave Liebman, appearing on well over a dozen of the saxophonist's albums. Other notable associations include Eric Kloss, Barry Miles, Don Patterson (Movin' Up), Brian Torff, Lenore Raphael, Lee Konitz, Biréli Lagrène, Jeanie Bryson, and Stephanie Nakasian ~ Jurusz passed away in 2019September 26, 1951 ~ Pop rock, progressive rock drummer Stuart Tosh, full name Stuart McBeath Tosh, born in Aberdeen, UK ~ Active mostly during the 1970s and 1980s recording and touring with the likes of Pilot, the Alan Parsons Project, 10cc and Camel
September 26, 1951 ~ Bassist, singer Tony Fox Sales born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA ~ Elder brother of drummer Hunt Sales with whom he also worked, including in the Todd Rundgren-led outfit Runt known for the 1970 Billboard top 20 hit We Gotta Get You A Woman. Also worked with Tony & the Tigers, scoring a handful local hits in the Detroit area, with Chequered Past, David Bowie's Tin Machine, Bob Welch, and Free's Andy Fraser
September 26, 1949 ~ Blues, soul, jazz singer Wendy Saddington, full name Wendy June Saddington, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Member of Chain, Copperwing, and the James Taylor Move, and eponym of the Wendy Saddington Band. As a solo artist best known for her 1972 Looking Through A Window single. Portrayed the role of the Nurse in a 1970s production of the rock opera Tommy. Took the name Gandharvika Dasi after adopting Krishna consciousness in the 1970s ~ Saddington passed away in 2013
September 26, 1948 ~ Singer, actress, songwriter Olivia Newton-John born in Cambridge, UK ~ Starred in the 1978 Grease musical film alongside John Travolta, lead singer on Hopelessly Devoted To You and dueting on You're The One That I Want and Summer Nights. As a solo artist well over two dozen albums to her name, focusing on pop and country-pop, starting with If Not For You released in 1971. Well known songs include Let Me Be There, If You Love Me Let Me Know, I Honestly Love You, Have You Never Been Mellow, A Little More Love, Magic, Physical and Xanadu, the latter a collaborative effort with the Electric Light Orchestra ~ Newton-John passed away in 2022