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.
August 25, 2026 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Dolly Parton, full name Dolly Rebecca Parton, passed away ~ One of the most successful female country artists with a global crossover appeal. Trailblazer for independent women in music. Wrote or co-wrote over 3,000 songs during a career spanning seven decades. Best known for songs such as Dumb Blonde, Jolene, Coat Of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, Heartbreaker, 9 To 5, I Will Always Love You. Has collaborated with Porter Wagoner, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Gail Davies, Julio Iglesias, Hal Ketchum, George Jones, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Solomon Burke, and Ronnie Milsap ~ Parton was born in 1946
August 22, 2026 ~ Benjamin William Latimore, mononymously known blues, R&B singer, pianist, songwriter Latimore, passed away ~ Known for songs such as the 1973 T-Bone Walker-cover Stormy Monday, the 1974 gender-modified Gladys Knight-cover If You Were My Woman and perhaps his best known Let's Straighten It Out later the same year. Would score a number of moderate single hits throughout the mid-1980s and release albums well throughout the 2010s. Has also worked as a session pianist, notably on the Joss Stone albums The Soul Sessions and Mind Body & Soul ~ Latimore was born in 1939
August 17, 2026 ~ Drummer Frank Beard, full name Frank Lee Beard, passed away in Richmond, Texas, USA ~ Longtime drummer of ZZ Top, named in part after blues singer ZZ Hill, with whom he recorded well over a dozen albums since the early 1970s. The band quickly attracted devoted following with their unique hybrid, merging blues-infested boogie rock with raunchy guitar and funky bass. In the 1980s, the band became a household name after reinventing themselves to include new wave influenced synthesizers without abandoning their blues roots while sporting a rock-chic cool appearance, signature look with two of the three members sporting long bushy beards and a series of made for MTV videos. The band has sold over 50 million records, and is best known for songs such as La Grange, Tush, Gimme All Your Lovin', Legs, Sleeping Bag, Rough Boy. Upon their induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, Keith Richards commented: “These cats know their blues and they know how to dress it up. When I first saw them, I thought, I hope these guys are not on the run, because that disguise is not going to work.” Although the band's popularity faded a bit in the 1990s, the band remained a popular live act well into the 2020s ~ Beard was born in 1949
July 22, 2026 ~ William McGlaughlin, commonly known as trombonist, conductor, composer, music educator Bill McGlaughlin, passed away ~ Award-winning classical music host for Exploring Music and Saint Paul Sunday. Orchestral trombonist for a decade. Conductor for over three decades, working with the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eugene Symphony, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and the Kansas City Symphony ~ McGlaughlin was born in 1943
July 18, 2026 ~ Alternative metal, punk rock, grunge bassist Jennifer Finch, also known as Jennifer Precious Finch, passed away ~ Best known as a member of all-female punk rock outfit L7, considered an outlier in grunge and riot grrrl music. The band is especially acclaimed for their 1992 Bricks Are Heavy album. Finch has also worked with the Pandoras, OtherStarPeople, the Shocker, and has occasionally ventured into acting. Early on in her career Finch played bass in Sugar Babydoll, which also included then-unknown Courtney Love and future Babes In Toyland-founder Kat Bjelland. Finch has also been romantically involved with Dave Grohl and Billy Corgan ~ Finch was born in 1966
July 17, 2026 ~ Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr, commonly known as ock & roll singer, guitarist Freddy Cannon, passed away in Oxnard, California, USA ~ Influenced by Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard. Known for songs such as Tallahassee Lassie, Way Down Yonder In New Orleans, Palisades Park and Abigail Beecher. Plays lead guitar on the G-Clefs' 1956 hit Ka-ding-dong. Rhythm guitar and lead vocals on the Spindrifts' Cha-cha-do, a hit in 1958 ~ Picariello was born in 1940
July 16, 2026 ~ Music manager, publisher, booking agent, promoter, label executive Alan Walden passed away in Macon, Georgia, USA ~ Considered an iconic figure in the Macon music scene, and a trailblazing pioneer known for breaking racial barriers as representative of numerous black artists in the then-still highly segregated South. When his older brother Phil Walden was stationed in Germany, serving in the US Army, Walden took over the daily running of his brother's music promotion and publishing company where he managed artists such as Otis Redding, who would become a close friend, the company eventually becoming one of the largest black artists management companies in the South. Redding and the siblings also founded Redwal Music, a music publishing company to house songs such as When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge), Respect, I've Been Loving You Too Long, and (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding), and Soul Man (Sam & Dave). Walden is also considered pivotal to the emergence of Southern Rock, managing and recording acts such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Outlaws. The 1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd song Cry For The Bad Man, specifically the line ‘I'd rather quit and go back home, than to deal with the money miser’, was a snub aimed at Walden, who had repeatedly urged the band to save money rather than spend it. Ronnie Van Zant would later admit that in hindsight he regretted writing the song. Over the course of his career, Walden has worked with artists such as Johnnie Taylor, Arthur Conley, Al Green, Joe Tex, ZZ Hill, Albert King, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Etta James, Boz Scaggs, and September Hase. Looking back on her father's musical career and impact, Jessica Walden has stated: “His love of Macon was deep and wide. He could have lived anywhere the music industry called him, but he chose Macon. Here, he planted his unwavering belief that our story was far from over and that from here, anything was possible. Because of his passion for the place he called home and for the extraordinary local talent he believed in so completely, Macon made its mark on the world, and he made his mark with it” ~ Walden was born in 1943
July 16, 2026 ~ Bebop pianist René Urtreger passed away in Mortagne-au-Perche, France ~ A fixture on the Paris jazz scene since the mid 1950s. First gained serious attention backing American expatriates saxophonist Don Byas and trumpeter Buck Clayton, their 1954 Salon du Jazz performance becoming legendary. After a stint in the French Army, Urtreger would land a regular gig at the Club St Germain, a renowned jazz club on Paris' left bank, where he would be noticed by Lester Young who invited Urtreger to his touring band. Urtreger is also especially acclaimed for his contribution to Miles Davis' soundtrack Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud released in 1957. Urtreger has recorded some two dozen albums as a leader, and has guested on recordings by Chet Baker, Claude François, Bobby Jaspar, Hubert Fol, Kenny Clarke, Michel Hausser, Stuff Smith, and Nathan Davis ~ Urtreger was born in 1934
July 15, 2026 ~ Saxophonist Plas Johnson, full name Plas John Johnson Jr,passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his sax solo on Henry Mancini's The Pink Panther Theme. In-demand session musician, present on albums by Charles Brown, BB King, Johnny Otis, Maxwell Davis, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Glen Gray, Frank Sinatra, Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vee, Larry Williams, Bobby Day, Richard Berry, the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), Chet Baker, Marvin Gaye (Let's Get It On), Dr John (Gris Gris), Maria Muldaur, Ry Cooder (Paradise & Lunch), Rita Coolidge, Teena Marie, Boz Scaggs, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Les Baxter, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Waits (Heartattack And Vine), Benny Carter, Bette Midler, Rod Stewart, Etta James, and Minnie Riperton ~ Johnson was born in 1931
June 26, 2026 ~ Jazz bassist Günter Lenz passed away ~ Played the guitar before taking up the bass. First gained attention in the early 1960s backing Albert Mangelsdorff. Would go on to work with Krzysztof Komeda, notably on the 1965 Astigmatic album, Barney Wilen, George Russell, Leon Thomas, Kurt Edelhagen, Peter Herbolzheimer, Chet Baker, Coleman Hawkins, Oliver Nelson, and Benny Bailey. Lenz is perhaps best known as a member of the HR Jazz Ensemble, and as a founder of 1970s jazz-fusion group Springtime. In the 2000s, Lenz served as bass professor at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart, Germany ~ Lenz was born in 1938
June 18, 2026 ~ Bassist Justin Cary, full name Justin Oscar Cary, passed away ~ Longtime bassist of Sixpence None The Richer, best known for Kiss Me, which reached top 10 in over a dozen countries including No.2 on the American Billboard Hot 100 and No.4 on the British charts, There She Goes and Don't Dream It's Over. Outside of Sixpence None The Richer, Cary has worked with the Counting Crows, Blue Country, Paul Brandt, Matt Wertz, Lee Brice, and Jennifer Knapp. Cary joined Sixpence None The Richer in 1997 in time for their eponymous third studio album, and remained with the band until his death. Upon hearing of his passing, Sixpence None The Richer bandmate guitarist Matt Slocum stated: “We are completely heartbroken, and the depth of our grief proves the depth of our love for this wonderful man who was our bandmate, brother-in-arms, and friend for 30 years. The past three years had been full of international tours, recording new music, and an even further deepening of the joy and love of making music together. We were planning for 30 more years. Such a tragic and untimely loss” ~ Cary was born in 1975
June 15, 2026 ~ Adolph Johannes Brand, commonly known as jazz, bebop, post-bop, folk pianist, saxophonist, cellist Dollar Brand or Abdullah Ibrahim, passed away in Prien am Chiemsee, Germany ~ Leading figure in Cape Jazz, drawing from gospel and traditional African music as well as from Western jazz. Influenced by Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Active since the early 1960s, initially leading the Jazz Epistles. Best known for Mannenberg recorded in 1974, which would become an anti-apartheid anthem. Has collaborated with international stars such as Max Roach, Carlos Ward, Randy Weston as well as with numerous renowned classical orchestras. Married to singer Sathima Bea Benjamin. Their daughter Jean Grae is also a musician, rising to fame in the late 1990s New York underground rap scene ~ Brand was born in 1934
June 13, 2026 ~ Keyboardist, clarinetist, arranger Dee Palmer born in Hendon, UK ~ Arranged Bert Jansch's Nicola album released in 1967. Would go on to arrange and conduct for Jethro Tull, starting with the band's This Was 1968 debut album and subsequently all albums through the mid 1970s. Would become a full band member, performing keyboards and arranging, starting on the 1977 Songs From The Wood album. In the late 1990s Palmer, born David Victor Palmer, came out as transgender and legally change her name to Dee ~ Palmer was born in 1937
June 2, 2026 ~ Robert Peapo Bryson, commonly known as R&B, soul, smooth jazz singer Peabo Bryson, passed away in Marietta, Georgia, USA ~ While still in his teens, Bryson started as a backup singer and as several of the artists he worked with had trouble pronouncing the name ‘Peapo’, the singer adopted the stagename ‘Peabo’ with a ‘b’. As a solo artist, Bryson has recorded well over a dozen albums, including the acclaimed Reaching For The Sky, Crosswings and Straight From The Heart. Although Bryson, consistently critically regarded as a superb balladeer with an impressive range and smooth delivery, enjoyed a devoted fanbase and had half a dozen of his albums reach top 10 Billboard R&B, to the general public he is best known for a number of romantic duets with female singers. Notable duets include Gimme Some Time and What You Won't Do For Love (Natalie Cole), Here We Go (Minnie Riperton), Make The World Stand Still and Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack), Lovers After All (Melissa Manchester), and Without You (Regina Belle). The duet singles Beauty And The Beast (Céline Dion) and A Whole New World (Regina Belle), used respectively in the soundtracks of the animated feature films Beauty & The Beast and Alladin, each won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. As a solo artist, Bryson has scored about a dozen Billboard R&B top 20 hits from the mid 1970s through the 1990s, including Reaching For The Sky, I'm So Into You, Let The Feeling Flow, and If Ever You're In My Arms Again. At the turn of the 1990s, two of Bryson's singles would top the Billboard R&B charts as both the Al Wilson cover Show And Tell and the original Can You Stop The Rain reached No.1. Upon hearing of Bryson's passing, Céline Dion, who scored her first UK and USA top 10 hit with their 1991 Beauty And The Beast duet, stated she was heartbroken, adding Bryson's “incredible voice and kind spirit embodied the beauty of song and performance” ~ Bryson was born in 1951
May 30, 2026 ~ R&B, disco, funk bassist, singer Foster Sylvers, full name Foster Emerson Sylvers, passed away ~ Sylvers first gained attention just before he reached his teen years, scoring a Billboard R&B No.7, Billboard Hot 100 No.22 hit in 1971 with Misdemeanor written by his older brother Leon Sylvers III. Over the next few years, he released two albums and made regular appearances on shows such as American Bandstand and Soul Train. However, his biggest successes would come after joining his siblings in the family outfit the Sylvers in the mid 1970s. The group would score about half a dozen Billboard R&B top 20 hits, including the 1976 Billboard R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charttopper Boogie Fever produced by Freddie Perren who had previously worked with the Jackson 5, Edwin Starr, the Miracles, and GC Cameron. Other well known songs by the siblings featuring Foster Sylvers include Hot Line and High School Dance. When the sibling outfit's popularity faded, Sylvers assumed a more behind the scenes role, serving as session musician, producer or songwriter for several acts. Among his noteworthy credits are co-writing Your Piece Of The Rock for Dynasty and the Billboard R&B No.12 hit Shake Down for Evelyn Champagne King, and producing Janet Jackson's Come Give Your Love To Me sophomore single. Later still, Sylvers recorded several more solo albums under the monniker Foster Sylvers & Hy-Tech, yet he was unable to repeat his earlier success. Several of Sylvers' solo outings have been sampled in later hip hop recordings by the likes of Black Milk, Madvillain, Knxwledge, Skyzoo & Pete Rock, and Cash Wednesday. Sylvers' Misdemeanor solo debut single, originally issued when Sylvers was just nine years old, has been sampled by several artists including notably by the DOC in his Dr Dre produced It's Funky Enough 1989 debut single ~ Sylvers was born in 1962
May 30, 2026 ~ Jazz guitarist Joe Negri, full name Joseph Harold Negri, passed away in Scott Township, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Taught jazz guitar at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for nearly five decades. Negri has been performing since a young age, appearing on the radio as young as age 3, shared stages with his brother pianist Bobby Negri, performed on the children's educational TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for nearly four decades, has recorded as a leader, and collaborated with Buddy DeFranco, and Michael Feinstein ~ Negri was born in 1926
May 25, 2026 ~ Walter Theodore Rollins, commonly known as saxophonist Sonny Rollins, passed away in Woodstock, New York, USA ~ Regarded as one of the most important figures in jazz on par with the likes of John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Coleman Hawkins, and arguably the all-time most influential tenor saxophonist. Wrote a number of jazz standards including St Thomas, Oleo, Doxy and Pent-up House. Especially acclaimed for his 1956 breakthrough album Saxophone Colossus, widely acknowledged as one of the all-time greatest jazz albums. Rollins is praised for his powerful tone, improvisational skills, innovative approach while still maintaining an easily accessible sound, and his emotionally intense performances, while his music often reflected on social issues, spirituality and personal growth. Rollins has been a major influence on a wide array of artists including Joe Lovano, Joshua Redman, Steve Grossman, John Surman, Kenny Garrett, and Donald Fagen. Over the course of his seven-decade career, Rollins has recorded over an estimated sixty albums as a leader, and guested on landmark albums by Art Farmer, Miles Davis (Bags Groove), Thelonious Monk (Brilliant Corners), Abbey Lincoln, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Gary Burton, and JJ Johnson (Looking Back). Rollins remained active well into his eighties, stating in a 2016 interview: “I'm still alive because I'm still learning” ~ Rollins was born in 1930
May 23, 2026 ~ Keyboardist Philip Aaberg passed away in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Classically trained. Active since the mid-1980s. Draws for classical, jazz, bluegrass, rock, experimental music. Guested on over 200 albums. Collaborated with artists as diverse as New Grange, Peter Gabriel, the Doobie Brothers guitarist Tom Johnston, Bernie Krause, and the Boston Pops Orchestra ~ Aaberg was born in 1949
May 22, 2026 ~ Saxophonist Dick Parry, full name Richard Parry, passed away ~ To rock audiences best known for his close association with Pink Floyd, notably playing the saxophone solos on some of their most iconic songs. Parry has appeared on the albums The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Division Bell, and has toured with both Pink Floyd, including playing in every live performance from 1973 through 1977, as well as on the band's lead guitarist David Gilmour's solo tours. Parry was famous among some fans for strapping on two saxophones at once on stage, to switch between a baritone and tenor partway through his soloing on Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Parry had gotten his start in music in the mid 1960s, playing saxophone with the Cambridge based band the Soul Committee, to go on to become an in-demand session musician. Over the course of his career, Parry has guested on albums by the likes of JJ Jackson, Andy Roberts, Quiver, Lightnin' Slim, Mike Vernon, Mick Grabham, Jimmy Dawkins, Kazimierz Lux, the Bonzo Dog Band (The History Of The Bonzos), Bloodstone, John Entwistle, Jimmy Witherspoon, Duster Bennett, Rory Gallagher (Jinx), Banco De Gaia (Big Men Cry), and Deborah Bonham. Upon hearing of Parry's death, David Gilmour commented: “Since I was seventeen, I have played with Dick on saxophone, including Pink Floyd. His feel and tone make his saxophone playing unmistakable, a signature of enormous beauty that is known to millions and is such a big part of songs such as Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Wish You Were Here, Us And Them, and Money” ~ Parry was born in 1942
May 22, 2026 ~ Robert Ginyard, commonly known as hip hop rapper Rob Base, passed away ~ Began performing while in fifth grade with an outfit dubbed the Sureshot Seven. By the time of their high school graduation, the only members left were Ginyard and Rodney Skip Bryce who issued their debut album in 1988 going by the monniker Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. Initially, its title track and lead single It Takes Two barely dented the charts, however, it became a club favorite and eventually reached No.17 on the Billboard R&B charts and top 40 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No.36. The song is built around a sample of the 1972 Lyn Collins single Think (About It) written, produced by and featuring James Brown. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock's debut album spawned two more noteworthy singles, Get On The Dance Floor and Joy & Pain both of which reached No.11 Billboard R&B. Despite their rapid ascent to fame, the duo were unable to maintain momentum and split up a year later. Base released his The Incredible Base solo album in 1989, and reunited with E-Z Rock for the duo's second and final album Break Of Dawn in 1994 which despite warm critical acclaim sold poorly. Although Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock only briefly enjoyed chart success, the duo are considered icons in hip hop for their million-seller landmark single It Takes Two. The song is widely acknowledged as one of the all-time best hip hop party anthems, and is one of the first hip hop tracks to cross over to mainstream audiences, thus paving the way for later hip hop acts. A contemporary Melody Maker review of their debut single read in part: “Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock take a shriek of James Brown at his most histrionic, and turn what is on the original record a singular peak of ecstasy into a jackknifing rhythmic copula that just goes on and on and on, like a locked groove. Climax after climax after climax” ~ Ginyard was born in 1967
May 16, 2026 ~ Singer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter Dennis Locorriere, full name Dennis Michael Locorriere, passed away in Worthing, UK ~ Influenced by his mother's musical taste, which included singers such as Dinah Washington, Nat King Cole, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan, and Sam Cooke, while the emergence of the Beatles first prompted the then-teenaged Locorriere to make music himself. Known for his soulful, emotive voice, Locorriere rose to fame in the 1970s as co-founding member, co-lead singer of Dr Hook & the Medicine Show, the band name at one point shortened to Dr Hook, with whom he recorded about a dozen albums until the band's disbandement in the mid 1980s. Early on in their career, most of the band's material was penned or co-penned by Shel Silverstein, propelling the band to fame with rock and country-rock-tinged witty, satirical songs such as Sylvia's Mother and The Cover Of The Rolling Stone both of which reached top 10 in several countries including their native America. Over time, however, the band's ventured into poppier material, scoring several major hits with radio-friendly ballads including Sharing The Night Together, When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman, and Sexy Eyes. Following the band's disbandement, Locorriere has released several solo albums, toured the UK as a member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, a side project of the Rolling Stones-bassist Bill Wyman, occasionally ventured into acting, and guested on albums by the likes of Randy Travis (Always & Forever), John Hiatt (Slow Turning), Crystal Gayle, Travis Tritt (It's All About To Change), Bill Lloyd, Chris LeDoux, Robert Earl Keen, Clive Gregson, and Julian Dawson ~ Locorriere was born in 1949
May 16, 2026 ~ Jazz, funk, R&B, hip hop trombonist Ryan Porter passed away ~ Inspired by his grandfather's love of jazz, Porter took up the trombone at age ten to eventually escape his humble beginnings in the gang-infested South Central Los Angeles area. While in his teens, Porter played in his high school jazz ensemble alongside schoolmate Kamasi Washington, attended workshops by legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins, and earned a scholarship to study at the Manhattan School of Music. Following his return to Los Angeles, Porter and close friend Kamasi Washington would become especially known for co-founding the energetic collective West Coast Get Down, an in-demand live act drawing from jazz, funk, and hip hop. Porter has released several albums as a solo artist, starting with Spangle-Lang Lane in 2017, appeared on nearly half a dozen of Kamasi Washington's albums including the acclaimed The Epic, and guested on albums by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bublé (It's Time), John Pizzarelli (Dear Mr Sinatra), Foreign Born, Quincy Jones, Stix Hooper, Anthony Hamilton (Back To Love), Nick Cave, Leon Russell, Brandon Coleman, and Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp A Butterfly). Other notable credits include work with Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, and Kanye West. Upon hearing of Porter's passing at age 46 following an automobile accident, West Coast Get Down bandmate Tony Austin stated: “We have been in each other’s lives since we were kids. Ryan’s love for music and his overall compassion for humanity was infectious and truly inspiring. He enriched my life in a way that I will carry with me forever. I can imagine that holds true for many of his friends, loved ones, and family” ~ Porter was born in 1979
May 13, 2026 ~ Blues, soul singer, guitarist, songwriter Clarence Carter, full name Clarence George Carter, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Probably best known for his 1970 rendition of Patches, which reached top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic and earned Carter a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song. Over the course of his career, Carter has recorded well over a dozen albums, enjoying popularity especially through the early 1970s. Well known songs include Slip Away, Snatching It Back, Doin' Our Thing, and I Can't Leave Your Love Alone, all of which reached top 10 Billboard R&B. Carter was married to singer Candi Staton from 1970 through 1973 ~ Carter was born in 1936
May 11, 2026 ~ John Anthony Douglas, commonly known as engineer, producer Jack Douglas, passed away in Paramus, New Jersey, USA ~ Douglas started in music in the mid 1960s, performing as a folk singer and playing with a number of bands while in the UK. Upon returning to New York, he studied at the Institute of Audio Research, after which he landed a job as a janitor at the Record Plant studios, then newly-opened. Soon he would be at the desk, working as an assistant engineer on albums by the likes of Miles Davis, the James Gang, and Mountain. Early on in his career, Douglas has worked on landmark albums such as Lou Reed's Berlin and the New York Dolls eponymous debut album. Douglas is especially closely associated with John Lennon, with whom he formed a close friendship after co-engineering Lennon's acclaimed Imagine album, and with Aerosmith, for whom he produced and engineered several of their early albums including Get Your Wings and Toys In The Attic. At some point, Douglas would become regarded as Aerosmith's “sixth member” as his relationship with the band exceeded merely serving as their engineer and producer, on occasion mentoring the band or helping write new material when they came up short a song or two for their albums. Over the course of his career, Douglas has worked in one capacity or another on albums by the likes of Crowbar, Alice Cooper (Billion Dollar Babies), Yoko Ono, Sha Na Na, the Blue Öyster Cult, Patti Smith, Montrose, Moxy, Cheap Trick (Cheap Trick At Budokan), Harlequin, Joe Perry, the Knack, Zebra, Allen Ginsberg (First Blues), the Jacobites (The Ragged School), Supertramp, and Clutch. Upon hearing of his death, fellow producer Warren Huart who was mentored by Douglas, stated: “Jack carried decades of success with humility and grace. He never acted like a legend, even though he absolutely was one. He treated people with respect. He listened. He cared. He gave so much of himself to the artists, musicians, friends, and family around him. There are producers who make hit records. Then there are producers who leave a lasting mark on people's hearts and lives. Jack did both” ~ Douglas was born in 1945
May 1, 2026 ~ Jazz, pop, rock guitarist Georg Wadenius, also known as Georg Jojje Wadenius, passed away ~ Co-founding member of Made In Sweden and Solar Plexus. After relocating to America, Wadenius would rise to international fame as lead guitarist of Blood Sweat & Tears from 1972 through 1975, present on the albums New Blood, No Sweat, Mirror Image, New City, and In Concert. To American audiences, Wadenius is also well known as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band from 1979 through 1985. Wadenius has recorded over a dozen albums as a leader, starting with Goda Goda in 1969, and was an in-demand touring and session guitarist prior to, during and after his tenure with Blood Sweat & Tears. Over the course of his career, Wadenius has appeared on albums by the likes of Pugh Rogefeldt, Joe Henderson, Dexter Gordon, Pekka Pohjola, Grace Slick, Luther Vandross (Never Too Much), Steely Dan (Gold), Fonzi Thornton, the Weather Girls, Dionne Warwick, Michael Franks, Jeffrey Osborne, Johnny Gill, Lisa Fischer, Keith Washington, Tom Chapin (Billy The Squid), Ronnie Cuber (The Scene Is Clean), Donald Fagen, Dr John, Eric Bibb, Jon Lucien, the Backstreet Boys (Millenium), and Jason Miles ~ Wadenius was born in 1945Page 1 ~ Page 2