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 27, 1974 ~ Alternative rock singer, keyboardist, songwriter, TV personality Davide Dileo, also known as Boosta, born in Turin, Italy ~ Classically trained Deleo became known for his blend of classical piano and electronic music. Considered a virtuosic keyboardist he rose to fame as co-founding member of alternative rock outfit Subsonica, with whom he has recorded over half a dozen albums, starting with the eponymous Subsonica released in 1997. Dileo has also recorded as a solo artist since the mid 2000s, his full-length La Stanza Intelligente released in 2016, and was a member of rock trio Caesar Palace, known for their 2008 Dogs From V-Gas albumSeptember 27, 1974 ~ Maurice Samuel Young, commonly known as rapper Trick Daddy, born in Miami, Florida, USA ~ Known for songs such as In Da Wind featuring Cee Lo Green and Big Boi, Shut Up featuring Duece Poppito and Trina and Let's Go featuring Lil' Jon and Twista. Also collaborated with Ludacris, Lil' Kim, Chamillionaire, Birdman, Tupac Shakur, Memphis Bleek, Ying Yang Twins, DJ Khaled, and Pitbull
September 27, 1973 ~ Pop, dance-pop singer, songwriter Lee Brennan, full name Anthony Lee Brennan, born in Carlisle, UK ~ Member of boy band 911, known for a string of British hits in the mid to late 1990s, including Don't Make Me Wait, The Day We Find Love, Bodyshakin', All I Want Is You, More Than A Woman, and perhaps their best known A Little Bit More
September 27, 1972 ~ Sonero singer, bandleader Abelardo Barroso, full name Abelardo Barroso Dargeles, passed away in Havana, Cuba ~ Arguably the first sonero lead singer to achieve wide acclaim. Lead singer of the Félix Chappottín led the Sexteto Habanero during the mid 1920s. Would go on to work with the Sexteto Boloña, the Septeto Nacional, Salmerón, Prestes Lopez, Andrés Laferté, and the Maravillas del Siglo ~ Barroso was born in 1905
September 27, 1971 ~ Drummer, percussionist Cass Browne born in Merton, UK ~ Member of pop punk outfit the Senseless Things, known for the UK top 20 hits Easy To Smile and Hold It Down. Following the band's disbandement in 1995 Browne formed alternative dance unit Delakota, touring for a number of years. Guested on Urge Overkill's Neil Diamond-cover Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon as used in the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. Backed Damon Albarn on the 2002 Mali Music album. Also notably known for working with Gorillaz from 2001 through 2012, present on the albums Gorillaz and its follow-up Demon Days. Has also worked with Penguin Cafe, the Deadcuts, Circle 60, and Loup GarouxSeptember 27, 1969 ~ Milira Jones, mononymously known simply as R&B, soul singer Milira, born in Hollis, New York, USA ~ Influenced by jazz singer Sarah Vaughan. Best known for the singles Go Outside In The Rain and the Marvin Gaye-cover Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) of her eponymous 1990 Milira debut album
September 27, 1969 ~ Heavy metal singer Todd Michael Hall born in Saginaw, Michigan, USA ~ Best known as lead singer for New York heavy metal band Riot since 2013, replacing Tony Moore, and first appeared on the 2014 Unleash The Fire album. Upon his entry in the band they would rename themselves to Riot V, Hall being the fifth lead singer since the band's inception. Hall has also recorded as a solo artist, releasing his Letters From India debut album in 2017, has worked with Harlet, Pulling Teeth, Burning Starr, Reverence, and Avalon, and was a contestant on the 2020 season of talent contest The Voice but failed to make the finalsSeptember 27, 1968 ~ Jennifer Nicole Cedzich, commonly known as actress, songwriter Nicole Taylor Hart, born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Daughter of country songwriter Chris Gantry. As a songwriter Nicole is best known for penning Generation, the theme song to the TV drama series American Dreams in which she also played . The song was performed by then-husband Tonic singer Emerson Hart. Currently married to singer, songwriter Jace Everett with whom she has two children
September 27, 1968 ~ Víctor Manuelle Ruiz Velázquez, commonly known as salsa, bolero, Latin pop singer, percussionist Víctor Manuelle, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Has recorded about two dozen albums since the early 1990s. Would rise to fame in the mid to late 1990s as one of the leading voices in salsa romantica, especially on the strength of his eponymous 1996 Víctor Manuelle and its 1997 A Pesar De Todo follow-up album. Sang an a cappela version of Celia Cruz's signature song La Vida Es Un Carnaval at her funeral in 2003
September 27, 1966 ~ Lorenzo Cherubini, commonly known as singer, rapper, songwriter Jovanotti, born in Rome, Italy ~ Initially fusing hip-hop, rap and disco, gradually expanding the scope to include funk, world music, classical, and ska influences. Debuted in 1988 with Jovanotti For President, which garnered mostly negative reviews but reached No.3 on the Italian charts and spawned five Top 5 singles. Has collaborated with U2 and Michael Franti, both of which misspelled his name as “Giovanotti” in their respective liner notes
September 27, 1965 ~ Banjoist, bandleader Harry Reser, full name Harrison Franklin Reser, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Regarded by some as the best banjoist of his day. In 1934 recorded the first version of Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, written by J Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. The song would become a Holiday classic and over time be recorded by over 200 artists. As a composer Reser is best known for The Cat And The Dog, Cracker Jack and Lolly Pops, all written for tenor banjo. Reser has collaborated with artists such as the Clicquot Club Eskimos, Ben Selvin, Benny Krueger, Sam Lanin, Nathan Glantz, Mike Markel, Peg LaCentra, Ray Heatherton, Bing Crosby, and Peggy Lee ~ Reser was born in 1896
September 27, 1964 ~ Jazz drummer Matt Wilson born in Knoxville, Illinois, USA ~ About a dozen albums as a leader, especially acclaimed for As Wave Follows Wave and Smile. In-demand sideman, present on albums by Emery Davis, the Either/Orchestra (The Brunt), Don Friedman, Garrison Fewell, Third Person, Joe Mulholland (Second Sight), Dewey Redman (In London), Lee Konitz, Mario Pavone, David Liebman, the Falkner-Evans Trio, Bill Mays (Going Home), Frank Kimbrough, Denny Zeitlin (Slickrock), Charlie Haden, Trio M, and Eric RasmussenSeptember 27, 1963 ~ Twin brothers drummer, keyboardist Jeremy Stacey and guitarist, producer Paul Stacey born in London, UK ~ Both brothers were members of the Lemon Trees, known for their sole Open Book album. The pair would continue to work together as well as separately. Jeremy is noted especially for backing Robbie Williams on albums such as Sing When You're Winning, Escapology, and Swings Both Ways, and has also worked with Susanna Hoffs, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Joe Cocker, Sheryl Crow, and Ryan Adams. Paul is best known as engineer, and session bassist, guitarist, keyboardist for Oasis, including on UK top 10 hits such as Who Feels Love, The Hindu Times, and Little By Little
September 27, 1962 ~ Singer Connie Francis records Follow The Boys ~ Written by Benny Davis and Murray Mencher as theme song for the 1963 comedy of the same name. Released as a Danny Davis-produced single, b/w Waiting For Billy, it would reach top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Connie Francis would later also record versions in German, Italian, French, Spanish and Japanese
September 27, 1960 ~ Rock singer, guitarist, drummer David Koller born in Prague, Czechoslovakia ~ Active since the early 1980s, playing in bands such as Jasná Páka, Zentour, Pusa, and Blue Effect. Co-founded Lucie in 1985, with whom he recorded seven albums before departing the band in 2005. Koller has also fronted his own unit the Kollerband, co-written several soundtracks, and served as producer for a wide array of artists
September 27, 1960 ~ R&B group the Miracles release Shop Around, lifted off their Hi We're The Miracles debut album ~ The song, written by lead singer Smokey Robinson and Motown head Berry Gordy Jr, tells of a mother giving her song advice on his love life, telling him to “shop around” to find a woman worthy of his love. Originally, the song was released regionally to some success, before Gordy decided it needed to be re-recorded to change it from a strongly blues-infected track to a more pop-oriented one. The revised version of Shop Around would be a major hit, the first millionseller for both the band and the label, top the Billboard R&B charts, and peak at No.2 Billboard Hot 100. Retrospectively, the song would be named one of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll by the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and be inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame. Over two decades after Shop Around kicked off the Miracles long run of success, Smokey Robinson would record the sequel It's Time To Stop Shopping Around for his 1987 solo album One HeartbeatSeptember 27, 1958 ~ Film, theatre, opera pianist, composer Paul Grabowsky, full name Paul Atherstone Grabowsky, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Worked with Steve Vizard, Robyn Archer, Red Symons, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Johnny Griffin, Allan Browne, Gary Cosello, Katie Noonan, Bernie McGann, Jamie Oehlers, David Beck, Niko Schäuble, Vince Jones, Mark Helias, Mirko Guerrini, Scott Tinkler, and Kate Ceberano
September 27, 1958 ~ Actor, singer, teen idol Shaun Cassidy, full name Shaun Paul Cassidy, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Active since his teens in the early 1970s. Shot to fame with his role in the TV series The Hardy Boys Mysteries and his first two albums, generating hits such as Da-doo-ron-ron, the Eric Carmen-penned That's Rock 'n Roll, and Hey Deanie. Brother of actor singer Patrick Cassidy, half-brother of actor, singer David Cassidy. As an actor Shaun focused on a stage career for most of the 1980s and 1990s, starring in Broadway and West End-shows such as Mass Appeal and Bus Stop. Would eventually venture into writing and producing TV shows such as American Gothic, The Agency and HysteriaSeptember 27, 1957 ~ Gerald Joseph Weldon, commonly known as jazz tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon born in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Joey DeFrancesco, Bobby Forrester, Dr Lonnie Smith, Melvin Rhyne, Al Grey, George Cables, Cedar Walton, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Cobb, George Benson, Earl Klugh, Keter Betts, Mel Tormé, Harry Connick Jr, and Lionel Hampton
September 27, 1957 ~ Electric blues singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Johnny Sansone born in West Orange, New Jersey, USA ~ Worked with Robert Lockwood Junior, David Honeyboy Edwards, Jimmy Rogers, the Wetlands Allstars, Anders Osborne, Jon Cleary, Joe Krown, John Fohl, and Monk Boudreaux
September 27, 1956 ~ Blues harpist, songwriter, producer Bob Corritore born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Produced artists such as Big Leon Brooks and Little Willie Anderson. Acclaimed for his 2011 collaborative Harmonica Blues album. Also worked with Louisiana Red, Janiva Magness, John Primer, Dave Riley, Jimmie Vaughan, Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, Tail Dragger Jones, Henry Gray, Big Pete Pearson, RL Burnside, Willie Big Eyes Smith, Sam Lay, Mud Morganfield, Smokin' Joe Kubek, and Kim WilsonSeptember 27, 1956 ~ Keyboardist, songwriter, producer David Garfield born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Worked with Smokey Robinson, Cher, Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Spinal Tap, George Benson, the Manhattan Transfer, Eros Ramazzotti, the Rippingtons, Freddie Hubbard, Boz Scaggs, Oleta Adams, Brenda Russell, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Boz Scaggs, Flora Purim, the Blues Brothers, Gerald Albright, Alex Ligertwood, Willie Bobo, Tom Scott, Brandon Fields, Steve Tavaglione, Pauline Wilson, and Mike Porcaro
September 27, 1954 ~ Folk singer, guitarist, violinist, banjoist, bassist, songwriter Dougie MacLean born in Dunblane, UK ~ One of Scotland's premier singer, songwriters. Best known for Caledonia and The Gael. The former is considered Scotland's unofficial national anthem, the later was used as the main theme to the 1992 film The Last Of The Mohicans. Has toured and recorded with the Tannahill Weavers and Silly Wizard. Songs written by MacLean have been covered by a host of artists including Dolores Keane, Ronan Keating, Paolo Nutini, Amy MacDonald, and Mary Black
September 27, 1954 ~ Disco, soul singer, songwriter Keith Barrow, full name Keith Errol Barrow, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Penned Teach Me (Something About Love), a modest mid 1970s hit for Blue Magic. Recorded three albums as a solo artist until his untimely death of AIDS-related complications at age 29, starting with the Bobby Eli-produced eponymous Keith Barrow in 1977. Barrow is fondly remembered among disco aficionados for songs such as Mr Magic Man, You Know You Want To Be Loved, Turn Me Up, and Physical Attraction ~ Barrow passed away in 1983September 27, 1954 ~ Larry Morganfield, commonly known as blues singer Mud Morganfield, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Eldest son of Mildred Wiliams and Muddy Waters, rarely seeing his father though. Only became professional musician after his father's death spurred on by a recurring dream of his father performing on stage urging him to begin a career in music. Morganfield's tone and timber has often been to compared to his father's