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 5, 1993 ~ René Lodweijk Alexander Abdullah, commonly known as singer, model René Klijn, passed away in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Member of boy band Bam To Bam-Bam. Best known as a solo artist, known for his 1992 Yazoo cover Mr Blue. Klijn, diagnosed with terminal HIV/Aids, recorded the single as a duet with Paul de Leeuw after a controversial TV show to raise HIV/Aids awareness. Klijn passed away aged 30 in 1993. The single's proceeds were donated to HIV/Aids charity. The TV show would be awarded a bronze Rose D'Or in Montreux ~ Klijn was born in 1962
September 5, 1992 ~ Harold Luttenbacher, commonly known as free jazz composer, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell, passed away in La Grange, Illinois, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Founded the NRG Ensemble. Worked with Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Joe Daley, and Joel Futterman ~ Luttenbacher was born in 1926
September 5, 1992 ~ Country singer Vince Gill releases I Still Believe In You, lead single off the album of the same name ~ Vince Gill and John Barlow Jarvis had agreed to work on new material this particular day at the latter's house, yet Gill had forgotten to mention this to his wife of the time, singer Janis Oliver of the Sweethearts Of The Rodeo, which led to somewhat of an argument between the couple. That day Gill wrote I Still Believe In You with Jarvis, in which the singer apologizes for not spending enough time with his lady and vows to make it up to her. The song became Gill's first Billboard Country No.1 hit and earned the songwriters a Grammy Award for Best Country Song. After Oliver's divorce from Gill in 1998, the song would serve as a painful reminder of their past, as she told the Tennessean: “Some songs that come on the radio still break my heart. I can pretend like they don't tug at my heart or make me wistful, but there are some songs I can't listen to anymore, like I Still Believe In You, because of the circumstances around them and what he told me they meant to him. To hear that now is confusing”September 5, 1987 ~ Nathalie Missaoui, commonly known as singer, rapper, songwriter Cleo, born in Uppsala, Sweden ~ First gained attention in the early 2000s rapping with the Random Bastards collective. Also worked with Syster Sol, Jessica Folcker, and the Looptroop Rockers (Hårt Mot Hårt). As a solo artist best known for the singles 240 and Easter Morning
September 5, 1987 ~ Singer Steve Winwood releases Valerie, lifted off his Chronicles compilation album ~ Written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings, the song would initially be released as a single off Winwood's 1982 Talking Back To The Night album. The 1982 version, however, would only be a minor hit, failing to reach top 40 in either America or the singer's native England. Some five years later, Tom Lord-Alge remixed the song for Winwood's Chronicles compilation album. This time, Valerie would do significantly better, peaking at No.19 in the UK and No.9 Billboard Hot 100, making it the singer's fourth American top 10 hit after While You See A Chance, Higher Love, and The Finer Things, all three also co-written by Jennings. The songwriter would later reveal the song had been written about an actual person: “Valerie is a real person, whose identity I will not reveal. She was almost at the top of the world in her profession and let it slip away from her. She was a dear friend and this was my tribute to her.” It has been alleged he was talking about singer Valerie CarterSeptember 5, 1980 ~ Drummer, keyboardist, accordionist, singer Joe Seiders born in Winchester, Massachusetts, USA ~ Worked with the New Pornographers, Neko Case, Emitt Rhodes, John Oates, Tracy Bonham, Juliana Hatfield, Chris Mann, Gary Jules, Bleu, Josh Kaufman, Pat Badger, Night Terrors Of 1927, and Val McCallum
September 5, 1980 ~ Pop, soul, R&B singer Kevin Simm, full name Kevin Ian Smith, born in Lancashire, UK ~ Member of Liberty X from 2001 until the band's disbandement in 2007. As a solo artist won the 5th season of the talent show The Voice UK aired on BBC One in 2016. Joined Wet Wet Wet in 2018, taking on the role of lead singer
September 5, 1979 ~ Indie rock, indie folk guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist, singer, producer, engineer Brian Garth born in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ~ Guitarist, singer of Black Camaro, which he co-founded with keyboardist, singer Tom Miller. The band self-released their debut album White People F****d Up The Blues, initially pressing only 300 copies. The album would be picked up by local music journalist Jarret Keene, the band would go on to record about a dozen albums. Garth would also venture into acting and is the owner and sound engineer of Chrome Werewolf, a recording studio in VegasSeptember 5, 1978 ~ Classical violinist Frank Huang born in Beijing, China ~ Raised in the USA from age two. Child prodigy. Soloed with the Houston Youth Symphony Philharmonia Orchestra at age 10. Would go on to work with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Indianopolis Symphony Orchestra, NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of Hanover, and the Ying Quartet. Huang has also notably served as concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic since 2015
September 5, 1978 ~ Jose Negroni, commonly known as rock & roll, doo-wop singer Joe Negroni, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Considered a rock & roll, doo-wop pioneer, best known for founding the Teenagers. The band would become most famous as launching pad for Frankie Lymon, scoring Billboard R&B top 10 hits such as Why Do Fools Fall In Love, I Want You To Be My Girl, I Promise To Remember, The ABC's Of Love, and Out In The Cold Again during the mid 1950s. Following Lymon's departure in 1957 to pursue a solo careeer the group would eventually break up ~ Negroni was born in 1940
September 5, 1977 ~ Elizabeth Carlisle, commonly known as singer Elsie Carlisle, passed away in London, UK ~ Perhaps best known for introducing What Is This Thing Called Love by special request of the song's writer Cole Porter in 1929. The song would become a jazz standard recorded by hundreds of artists including Tommy Dorsey, Billie Holiday, and Frank Sinatra. Carlisle enjoyed popularity in her native UK especially during the 1930s, Carlisle at the time dubbed “Radio Sweetheart No.1”. Well known songs include A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, Alone And Afraid, and My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes. Carlisle rarely performed or recorded from the early 1940s onward ~ Carlisle was born in 1896
September 5, 1977 ~ Guitarist George Barnes, full name George Warren Barnes, passed away in Concord, California, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Big Bill Broonzy (Sweetheart Land, It's A Lowdown Dirty Shame), the NBC Orchestra, Blind John Davis, Jazz Gillum, Merline Johnson, Curtis Jones, Washboard Sam, Raymond Scott, Dorothy Collins, Patsy Cline, the Coasters, the Drifters (This Magic Moment, Lonely Teardrops), Bucky Pizzarelli, the Lawson-Haggart Band, Ruby Braff, Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Ben E King, Big Joe Turner, Boyd Raeburn, Buddy Holly (on the 1958 eponymous Buddy Holly album), Cootie Williams, Dinah Washington, Solomon Burke (on the quintessential 1963 album If You Need Me), Dick Hyman, Bob Dylan (on the 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan), and Doris Day ~ Barnes was born in 1921September 5, 1976 ~ Ashley Mark Groenewald, commonly known as blues harpist, guitarist, singer, songwriter Ash Grunwald, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Debuted in 2002 with the Introducing Ash Grunwald and has recorded to critical acclaim since. Best known for songs such as Breakout, Walking, Longtime and Ain't My Problem
September 5, 1972 ~ Pop singer Nuno Guerreiro born in Loulé, Portugal ~ Rose to fame as lead singer of Ala Dos Namorados, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums. The band is best known for the late 1990s hit Solta-se O Beijo, on which Guerreiro duetted with Sara Tavares. Guerreiro, a countertenor, is praised for his vocal range and has recorded two albums as a solo artist, Carta De Amor containing Anglo-American classics released in 1999, and his 2002 follow-up Tento Saber containing acoustic songs in an intimate setting ~ Guerreiro passed away in 2025
September 5, 1971 ~ Alternative metal, nu metal, hard rock drummer Will Hunt born in Gainesville, Florida, USA ~ In-demand drummer. Notable credits include Black Label Society on the 2010 Order Of The Black album and Evanescence on the 2011 eponymous Evanescence album as well as the 2021 The Bitter Truth album. Has also worked with Eli, Skrape, Tommy Lee, Dark New Day, Bloodsimple, Methods Of Mayhem, Crossfade, Soil, White Noise Owl, Michael Sweet, and Gus G
September 5, 1969 ~ Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa, commonly known as rock guitarist, actor Dweezil Zappa, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Son of musical genius Frank Zappa. Immersed in music from a young age and able to learn from his father as well as his father's collaborators and family friends released his first single, My Mother Is A Space Cadet produced by Eddie Van Halen, at age 12. A full-length album, Havin' A Bad Day, would follow four years later. Dweezil would become known especially for fronting Zappa Plays Zappa, covering his father's songs and at times featuring Zappa alumni such as Napoleon Murphy Brock, Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio
September 5, 1969 ~ Piedmont blues, country blues singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor, civil rights activist Josh White, full name Joshua Daniel White, passed away in Manhasset, New York, USA ~ Trailblazer bluesman since the early 1930s, responsible for introducing white audiences to folk-blues. First black musician to perform at the White House in 1941, and a personal favorite of the Roosevelts. Known for songs such as Evil Hearted Me, I'm A Mean Mistreater, and Timber. Slandered during the McCarthy era as a communist for his political songs, which seriously hindered his career. Hugely influential on numerous artists including Pete Seeger, Alexis Korner, Elvis Presley, Merle Travis, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Blind Boy Fuller, Lena Horne, and Ray Charles ~ White was born in 1914September 5, 1967 ~ Singer, guitarist, keyboardist, percussionist, songwriter Arnel Pineda, full name Arnel Campaner Pineda, born in Tondo, Philippines ~ First gained attention in the 1980s in the Philippines. Worked with several bands, including the Iljos Band, AMO, New Age, Most Wanted and the Zoo, throughout the mid 2000s. On the strength of Youtube videos was asked by Neal Schon to audition for Journey, which he joined as lead singer in 2007
September 5, 1964 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones kick off their 4th British tour at the Astoria Theatre, London, UK ~ The band commence on their 4th British tour in two years, playing 64 shows over 32 dates through mid-October. The set list includes songs such as Not Fade Away, Walking The Dog, Around And Around, and It's All Over Now, the latter a cover of the Valentinos tune they picked up while touring the USA. The version by the Rolling Stones would become the more famous one. It was also their first UK No.1
September 5, 1963 ~ Pop singer Bobby Vinton records There I've Said It Again ~ Written by Redd Evans and David Mann. The song would be a hit for Vaughn Monroe, for Jimmy Dorsey, and for the Modernaires featuring Paula Kelly, all in 1945. Sam Cooke released a notable version in 1959, though only a modest hit at the time. Bobby Vinton would release his Bob Morgan-produced version in late 1963, paired with The Girl With The Bow In Her Hair on the flip side, earning him his third Billboard Hot 100 No.1 after Roses Are Red (My Love) and Blue Velvet
September 5, 1963 ~ Singer Terry Ellis, full name Terry Lynn Ellis, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Co-founding member of En Vogue, alongside Dawn Robinson, Maxine Jones, Cindy Herron. Sang lead on Lies and Don't Let Go (Love) of the quartet's 1990 debut Born To Sing album, co-lead on Free Your Mind of the Funky Divas sophomore album. Ellis left the group by the end of 1995 but would continue to sing with the group through the mid 2000s and join Cindy Herron in 2012 suing then-defunct member Maxine Jones for unauthorized use of the nameSeptember 5, 1962 ~ Country singer Patsy Cline records Leavin' On Your Mind at Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Written by Wayne Walker and Webb Pierce. Produced by Owen Bradley. Released the following January as the last single, paired with Tre-le-la-le (Triangle) on the B-side, before her untimely death in a plane crash in March 1963. During the same session Patsy Cline also recorded the Hank Cochran-penned Why Can't He Be You, released as a single in October 1962
September 5, 1958 ~ Jazz bassist, composer, producer Lars Danielsson born in Gothenburg, Sweden ~ Worked with Dave Liebman, Bobo Stenson, Jon Christensen, John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette, Mike Stern, Billy Hart, Charles Lloyd, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leszek Mozdzer, Joey Calderazzo, Gino Vanelli, Dave Kikoski, Alex Acuña, John Abercrombie, Kenny Wheeler, Rick Margitza, Niels Lan Doky, and Cæcilie Norby
September 5, 1957 ~ Singer Elvis Presley records Blue Christmas at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California ~ Written by Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson. First recorded by Doye O'Dell in 1948, the song would become most closely associated with Elvis Presley. Presley was backed by Scotty Moore guitar, Bill Black double bass, Dudley Brooks piano, DJ Fontana drums and the Jordanaires notably providing the backing vocals. The song would be covered by the Beach Boys in 1964, used as the flip side of their The Man With All The Toys singleSeptember 5, 1952 ~ Bassist, guitarist Luico Hopper born in Bassett, Virginia, USA ~ In-demand studio, session, touring bassist. Worked with Phyllis Hyman, Gato Barbieri, the Players Association, Roberta Flack, Gil Evans, Diana Ross, Earl Klugh, Jonathan Butler, Stephanie Mills, Johnny Gill, Gloria Lynne, Luther Vandross, Bryan Ferry, and Eartha Kitt