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 30, 1925 ~ Music critic, poet, composer, trombonist Peter Gammond born in Winnington, UK ~ Authored over forty books, including studies of Franz Schubert, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Jacques Offenbach, and biographies of Duke Ellington and Scott Joplin ~ Gammond passed away in 2019September 30, 1924 ~ Myrtle Audrey Arinsburg, commonly known as jazz, vocal jazz, pop singer Gogi Grant, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Primarily known for the 1956 hit Wayward Wind, which topped the American pop charts and reached No.9 in the UK. Ghost sang the vocals for Ann Blyth's portrayal of Helen Morgan in the 1957 biopic The Helen Morgan Story about the life of torch singer and actress Helen Morgan. Given star billing in the 1957 musical comedy The Big Beat, which also featured musical performances by Fats Domino, the Del Vikings, the Mills Brothers, and George Shearing. Grant is also noted for being one of three solo singers featured on the first stereo LP of the classic Show Boat musical, issed in 1958. Although Grant recorded about a dozen albums through the turn of the 1970s, notable hits including Suddenly There's A Valley and Strange Are The Ways Of Love, Grant failed to repeat the success of her 1956 million-seller Wayward Wind, widely considered one of the all-time top Western songs ~ Arinsburg passed away in 2016
September 30, 1922 ~ Jazz, bebop, third stream double bassist, cellist Oscar Pettiford born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA ~ Primarily a bassist yet also known as a pioneering cellist. Discovered Cannonball Adderley. One of the earliest, and defining, musicians in bebop. Over a dozen albums as leader or co-leader, especially noted for a string of critically acclaimed mid 1950s albums including Discoveries, OP's Jazz Men and Deep Passion. As a sideman present on albums by Wynton Kelly, Duke Ellington, Julius Watkins (New Faces New Sounds), Kenny Dorham (Afro-Cuban), Stan Getz, Boyd Raeburn (Boyd Meets Stravinsky), Urbie Green, Lucky Thompson (Tricotism), Zoot Sims, Miles Davis (Round About Midnight), Milt Jackson (Ballads & Blues), Thelonious Monk (Brilliant Corners), Ernie Henry, Ray Charles, Max Roach (Deeds Not Words), Sonny Rollins (Freedom Suite), and Red Garland ~ Pettiford passed away in 1960
September 30, 1918 ~ Cellist Aldo Parisot born in Natal, Brazil ~ Debuted profesionally at age 12. Principal cellist of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. Composer Heitor Villa-Lobos wrote Cello Concerto Number 2 for Parisot. Has worked with numerous orchestras and conductors including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Leopold Stokowski, John Barbirolli, Pierre-Michel Le Conte, Leonard Bernstein, Eleazar de Carvalho, Zubin Mehta, Claude Monteux, Paul Paray, and Victor de Sabata ~ Parisot passed away in 2018
September 30, 1917 ~ Bernard Rich, commonly known as drummer Buddy Rich, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Arguably the first superstar drummer, influential on generations of later drummers including rock drummers such as Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, Deep Purple's Ian Paice, Phil Collins, Black Sabbath's Bill Ward, Green Day's Tré Cool, Blink-182's Travis Barker, and Queen's Roger Taylor. Well over three dozen albums as a leader, specificall acclaimed for Richcraft, Mercy Mercy and Buddy Rich In London. In-demand sideman, present on albums by Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Harry Sweets Edison, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Dizzy Gillespie, and Tommy Dorsey ~ Rich passed away in 1987
September 30, 1913 ~ Charles Sylvan Atkinson, commonly known as singer, dancer, choreographer Cholly Atkins, born in Pratt City, Alabama, USA ~ Recorded as a singer early on in his career. Best known as a dancer and choreographer, teaching dance steps to acts such as the Cadillacs, the Shirelles, Harvey & the Moonglows, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, and Little Anthony & the Imperials. In 1964, Atkins was hired by Motown's Berry Gordy Jr, to become the label's house choreographer. Atkins has developed the trademark moves of several of the label's best known artists including the Supremes, the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Marvelettes, and Gladys Knight & the Pips ~ Atkins passed away in 2003
September 30, 1912 ~ Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger Bill Johnson, full name William Luther Johnson, born in Jacksonville, Florida, USA ~ Worked with Jabbo Smith, Baron Lee, Tiny Bradshaw, Erskine Hawkins, notably accompanying the latter on recordings such as Uptown Shuffle, Bear Mash Blues, Uncle Bud and co-writing Tuxedo Junction ~ Johnson passed away in 1960September 30, 1907 ~ Violinist, composer Harry Bluestone born in UK ~ Frequent collaborator of Emil Cadkin. As a bandleader backed artists such as Jo Stafford and Dinah Shore. Freelanced for numerous radioshows throughout the 1930s working with the likes of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers. Would go on to become a highly in-demand violinist and conductor, appearing on records by Peggy Lee, Dolly Parton, the Beach Boys, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, and the Beatles, notably on the latter's Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album ~ Bluestone passed away in 1992
September 30, 1906 ~ Singer, composer, actress Mireille Hartuch born in Paris, France ~ French cultural icon. Member of the French Resistance during World War II. As a singer perhaps best known for Ce Petit Chemin. Wrote or co-wrote over 600 songs, many of them recorded by artists such as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon, Charles Trenet ~ Hartuch passed away in 1996
September 30, 1901 ~ Thelma Combe, commonly known as bandleader, bassist Thelma Terry born in Bangor, Michigan, USA ~ Active from the 1920s onwards. The first female instrumentalist to lead a notable jazz orchestra. Led Thelma & the Playboys, featuring a young Gene Krupa on drums ~ Combes passed away in 1966
September 30, 1865 ~ William Jerome Flannery, commonly known as songwriter William Jerome, born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, USA ~ Best known as songwriting partner of Jean Schwartz. Has also collaborated with Harry von Tilzer, Walter Donaldson, James V Monaco. Perhaps best remembered for co-penning Chinatown My Chinatown, first recorded by Grace Kerns & JB Wells in 1915 and covered by numerous artists including the American Quartet, the Mills Brothers, Louis Armstrong, Milton Brown, Louis Prima, and Bing Crosby ~ Flannery passed away in 1932