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.
April 23, 1945 ~ Pop, classical, orchestral guitarist, singer Peter Brideoake, full name Peter Arthur Brideoake, born in Adelaide, Australia ~ Member of 1960s pop group the Twilights, with whom he scored hits such as Needle In A Haystack and What's Wrong With The Way I Live. Following the band's disbandement in the late 1960s, Brideoake returned to college to formally study music and has since established himself as a songwriter and university lecturer ~ Brideoake passed away in 2022
April 23, 1944 ~ Mary Ellen Harrison, commonly known as jazz, blues singer Marion Harris, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Popular 1920s singer. Reportedly the first white female to sing jazz and blues. Known for songs such as Paradise Blues, After You've Gone, St Louis Blues, Look For The Silver Lining, A Good Man Is Hard To Find, When I Hear That Jazz Band Play, and perhaps her best known I Ain't Got Nobody ~ Harrison was born in 1896April 23, 1941 ~ Pianist, clarinetist, violinist Elizabeth Walton Vercoe born in Washington DC, USA ~ Worked with the Memphis Chamber Orchestra, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra, the New York Virtuoso Singers, and other renowned orchestras and ensembles
April 23, 1939 ~ Composer, arranger, conductor Patrick Williams born in Bonne Terre, Missouri, USA ~ Oscar-nominated, Emmy- and Grammy-winning film and television composer, conductor, arranger responsible for composing music for TV shows such as Columbo, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Streets Of San Francisco, and Sports Challenge. Composed jazz and orchestral works, including Concerto In Swing for clarinetist Eddie Daniels, Romances For Jazz Soloist And Orchestra for saxophonist Tom Scott and Theme For Earth Day for John Williams and the Boston Pops ~ Williams passed away in 2018
April 23, 1939 ~ Traditional pop singer Ray Peterson born in Denton, Texas, USA ~ Best known for songs such as The Wonder Of You which was later covered by Elvis Presley, the smash hit Tell Laura I Love Her, the Phil Spector produced Corrina Corrina and the Barry Mann & Gerry Goffin-written dramatic ballad I Could've Loved You So Well ~ Peterson passed away in
April 23, 1936 ~ Singer, guitarist Roy Orbison, full name Roy Kelton Orbison, born in Mayfield, Kentucky, USA ~ Defined a number of rock & roll archetypes, most notably the hopeless romantic, and praised for his passionate, swooning vocal style, complex song structures and depths of his ballads. Dubbed by some “the Enrico Caruso of Rock” for his operatic style. Best known for a number of early to mid 1960s hits, mostly self-written or co-written, including Only The Lonely, Running Scared, Crying, In Dreams and his best known Oh Pretty Woman. Resurged in the 1980s shortly before his death, both as a solo artist and as co-founding member of supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, which also included George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. The single I Got You, co-penned by U2's Bono, would be released one month after Orbison's death and be a global hit, including reaching top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 ~ Orbison passed away in 1988
April 23, 1935 ~ Vernice Green Jr, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Bunky Green, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA ~ Green got his first big break in music in the 1950s, taking over for Jackie McLean in Charles Mingus' backing ensemble. Although Green's stint with Mingus was brief, the bass player would prove a profound and lasting influence on Green. About a dozen albums to his name as leader or co-leader, noted especially for several mid 1960s releases teaming up with the likes of Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, and Sonny Stitt, and for the late 1980s album Healing The Pain, the latter a highly acclaimed commemorative album dedicated to his late parents. Over the course of his lengthy career, Green remained an in-demand sideman present on albums by Paul Serrano (Blues Holiday), Eddie Harris, Ben Sidran, Elvin Jones (Summit Meeting), Billy Stewart, Clark Terry, Cassandra Wilson (Songbook), Fontella Bass, Travis Shook, Dave Holland, and Keith Javors. Green is also especially known as an educator, having held teaching positions at the Chicago State University and the Univeristy of North Florida, and served a term as President of the International Association for Jazz Education ~ Green passed away in 2025April 23, 1935 ~ Antonio de Souza, commonly known as bossa nova, jazz drummer Milton Banana, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Credited with inventing the bossa nova drumming style. Present on pivotal albums such as João Gilberto's Chega De Saudade debut album, and the Stan Getz and Gilberto collaboration Getz/Gilberto. De Souza has also recorded as a leader and collaborated with João Donato, Luiz Bonfá, Carlos Lyra, and Baden Powell ~ De Souza passed away in 1999
April 23, 1932 ~ Singer Bing Crosby records Waltzing In A Dream in Chicago, Illinois ~ Lyrics by Bing Crosby and Ned Washington, music by Victor Young. Backed by Isham Jones & his Orchestra. Released as a 78 single on the Brunswick label it would reach the top 10 later the same year. Later notably covered by Guy Lombardo, Enric Madriguera and by Ray Noble featuring Al Bowlly as vocalist
April 23, 1931 ~ Blues, jazz drummer Billy Davenport born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known for his association with Paul Butterfield, appearing on the 1966 East-West album. Has also worked with Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Otis Rush ~ Davenport passed away in 1999April 23, 1930 ~ Saxophonist Mikkel Flagstad born in Oslo, Norway ~ Son of cellist Ole Flagstad. Leader and sideman. Known for his cool jazz-influenced style. Has worked with the Be-bop Band, Tage Wilford, Hans Backe, Per Asplin, Karl Otto Hoff, Egil Monn-Iversen, Rolf Ericson, Simon Brehm, Atle Hammer, Kjell Karlsen, and Erik Amundsen ~ Flagstad passed away in 2005
April 23, 1928 ~ Trumpeter, bandleader Mike Daniels, full name Mike John Brett Daniels, born in Norbiton, UK ~ Influenced by King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong. Best known for leading jazz ensemble the Delta Jazzmen for about three decades starting in 1948. Worked with sidemen such as Gordon Blundy, John Barnes, Keith Nichols, and John Chilton ~ Daniels passed away in 2016
April 23, 1926 ~ Oswald Williams, commonly known as drummer, bandleader Count Ossie, born in St Thomas, Jamaica ~ Best known for backing the Folkes Brothers on the Prince Buster-produced Oh Carolina b/w I Met A Man single released in 1959. The recording is regarded by some as arguably the first-ever ska record, in large part due to Ossie's hand drumming. Has also worked with Harry Mudie, Coxsone Dodd, King Stitt, and the Mellow Cats. As a solo artist and bandleader Ossie is known for singles such as African Shuffle, Chubby and Rock A Man Soul and especially for his latter-day three-LP set Grounation released in 1973 ~ Williams passed away in 1976
April 23, 1924 ~ Jazz, swing, big band drummer Bobby Rosengarden, full name Robert Marshall Rosengarden, born in Elgin, Illinois, USA ~ Session and studio musician at NBC and ABC playing for a variety of TV shows. Member of a number of all-star ensembles, perhaps mosty notably Soprano Summit. Sideman on recordings by Stan Getz, Jimmy Smith, Sylvia Syms, Milt Hinton, Bob Wilber, Walter Wanderley, and Kai Winding ~ Rosengarden passed away in 2007April 23, 1915 ~ Joseph P Lippman, commonly known as pop, jazz pianist, conductor, arranger, composer Joe Lipman, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Composed and arranged for Bunny Berigan, Jimmy Dorsey, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Glenn Miller (Blue Evening), and Perry Como. Has also worked with Benny Goodman, Vincent Lopez, Irving Aaronson, Artie Shaw, Nathaniel Shilkret, Nat King Cole, Mel Tormé, Eileen Barton, Kay Thompson, Vic Damone, Betty Madigan, Kay Armen, Bill Tabbert, Jan August, Ginny Gibson, Ella Mae Morse, Fran Warren, and Bob Crosby ~ Lippman passed away in 2007
April 23, 1905 ~ Songwriter Henry Tobias, full name Henry Hyman Tobias, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA ~ Brother of songwriters Charles Tobias and Harry Tobias, both regular collaborators. Probably best known for co-writing Miss You first recorded by Rudy Vallée in 1929 and covered by numerous artists including Bing Crosby, Bill Haley, and Dinah Washington. Other songs co-written by Tobias include Cooking Breakfast For The One I Love recorded by Fanny Brice, If I Had My Life To Live Over recorded by Larry Vincent, I Remember Mama recorded by the Andrews Sisters, and If I Knew Then What I Know recorded by the Ray Conniff Singers ~ Tobias passed away in 1997
April 23, 1895 ~ Jazz, Dixieland clarinetist Jimmie Noone born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Admired by Benny Goodman and Maurice Ravel, the latter reportedly basing his famous Boléro partly on one of Noone's live improvisations. One of the big three to emerge from the New Orleans music scene in the 1920s, the other two being Johnny Dodds and Sidney Bechet. Founded the Young Olympia Band with Buddy Petit. Also closely associated with Freddie Keppard, including in the Original Creole Band. Perhaps best known for leading the Apex Club Orchestra. Has also worked with Kid Ory, Papa Celestin, King Oliver, and the Tuxedo Brass Band ~ Noone passed away in 1944
April 23, 1894 ~ Charles Edward Davenport, commonly known as blues organist, singer Cow Cow Davenport, born in Anniston, Alabama, USA ~ Closely associated with Dora Carrand Tampa Red. As a solo artist best known for the 1928 recording Cow Cow Blues containing an influential piano riff widely used in blues recordings since, up to and including in the Ahmet Ertegun-penned Mess Around, an early 1950s hit for Ray Charles. Davenport reportedly claimed to have written Arthur Crudup's Mama Don't Allow It and Louis Armstrong's I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (You Rascal You), but have sold the rights ~ Davenport passed away in 1955April 23, 1756 ~ Composer, organist Alexander Reinagle, full name Alexander Robert Reinagle, born in Portsmouth, UK ~ Not to be confused with his nephew Alexander Reinagle, also an organist, composer. Influenced by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Muzio Clementi. Best known for his set of keyboard sonatas, often dubbed The Philadephia Sonatas for being the first sonatas composed in America ~ Reinagle passed away in 1809