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 28, 1946 ~ Geinette Raynault, commonly knoww as singer, actress, composer Ginette Reno, born in Montreal, Canada ~ Sings both in English and French. Recorded some 60 albums. Outside Canada best known for songs such as Beautiful Second Hand Man and Dans La Vie Tout S'Arrange (Storm In A Teacup), the latter a cover of Lynsey de Paul
April 28, 1943 ~ Johnny Corley, commonly known as R&B, soul singer Fantastic Johnny C, born in Greenwood, South Carolina, USA ~ Discovered by producer, songwriter Jesse James. Known for Boogaloo Down Broadway which reached No.7 Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. Subsequent singles would chart reasonably well on the R&B charts, notably Got What You Need, Hitch It To The Horse and She's Some Kind Of Wonderful, the latter originally recorded by the Soul Brothers Six and notably covered by Grand Funk Railroad in 1974
April 28, 1941 ~ Ann-Margret Olsson, mononymously known as actress, singer, dancer Ann-Margret born in Valsjobyn, Sweden ~ Best known as an actress. To pop, rock fans best known for co-starring in the 1964 Viva Las Vegas film opposite Elvis Presley, duetting with Presley on The Lady Loves Me, Today Tomorrow And Forever and You're The Boss, the latter noted for its “call and response” lyrics. Has also released a number of solo recordings, her 1961 I Just Don't Understand reaching the Billboard top 20
April 28, 1941 ~ Jazz pianist, organist Mickey Tucker born in Durham, North Carolina, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Eric Kloss, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, James Moody, Eddie Jefferson, George Benson, the Jazz Messengers, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Richie Cole, Benny Golson, Junior Cook, Frank Foster, Ronnie Cuber, and James Moody
April 28, 1941 ~ Jazz pianist, music director, composer Mike Renzi, full name Michael Ernest Renzi, born in Providence, Rhode Island, USA ~ Best known as longtime music director for Peggy Lee and Mel Tormé. Has also worked with Lena Horne, Cynthia Crane, Maureen McGovern, Grady Tate, Ruth Brown, Laverne Butler, Blossom Dearie, Trudy Desmond, Ann Burton, Meredith D'Ambrosio, Jane Harvey, Jørn Hoel, Hilary Kole, Gene Lees, Jay Leonhart, Gloria Lynne, Liza Minnelli, Gerry Mulligan, and Was (Not Was) ~ Renzi passed away in 2021
April 28, 1940 ~ Gérard Gouirand, commonly known as jazz, world music saxophonist Doudou Gouirand, born in Nice, France ~ Worked with Don Cherry, Okay Temiz, Pierre Dørge, Johnny Dyani, Sangoma Everett, Mal Waldron, Bobo Stenson, Aldo Romano, Palle Danielsson, Paul Bley, Jim Pepper, Dino Saluzzi, Lester Bowie, and Kevin Davy
April 28, 1940 ~ Jean Paul Bourque, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, bassist Johnny Burke, born in Rosaireville, Canada ~ Active since the early 1960s with various country acts, notably the houseband at Toronto's the Horsehoe Tavern and subsequently the Caribou Showband known for their appearances on the national TV show At The Caribou. The band would eventually evolve into Eastwind, with whom Burke would score hits such as I Can't Even Do Wrong Right, Wild Honey and Love Don't Grow On Trees ~ Bourque passed away in 2017
April 28, 1936 ~ Free jazz saxophonist, composer John Tchicai, full name John Martin Tchicai, born in Copenhagen, Denmark ~ Revered leader and sideman present on several pivotal jazz, free jazz albums including John Coltrane's Ascension and Albert Ayler's New York Eye And Ear Control. Founded Cadentia Nova Danica. Member of the Amsterdam Instant Composers Pool. Member of the New York Art Quartet. Also worked with the New York Contemporary Five, Archie Shepp, and Dell Westergaard Lillinger ~ Tchichai passed away in 2012
April 28, 1935 ~ Conductor, composer Alexander Mackenzie, full name Alexander Campbell Mackenzie, passed away in London, UK ~ Regarded as one of the fathers of the British musical renaissance in the late 19th century. Conductor of the Royal Choral Society and the Philharmonic Society Orchestra for most of the 1890s, premiering works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Alexander Borodin. Mackenzie was also a prolific composer with close to a hundred works to his name, best known for his oratorios, violin and piano pieces, folk music and works for the stage ~ Mackenzie was born in 1847
April 28, 1934 ~ Blues singer, guitarist, slide guitarist Charley Patton passed away in Indianola, Mississippi, USA ~ Widely regarded as “the Father of the Delta Blues” and named by some as one of the most important pre-war blues musicians. Mentor to Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, Fiddlin' Joe Martin, Robert Johnson, and Howlin' Wolf. Best known for songs such as Pony Blues, Shake It And Break It, High Water Everywhere, Some Of These Days and I'm Going Home ~ Patton was born ca.1891April 28, 1933 ~ Jazz drummer Oliver Jackson, also known as Bops Jr, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Thad Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Wardell Gray, Eddie Locke, Yusef Lateef, Teddy Wilson, Charlie Shavers, Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Kenny Burrell, Earl Hines, Budd Johnson, Sy Oliver, Oscar Peterson, he Newport All-Stars, Ray Alexander, Gene Ammons, Ray Bryant, Dexter Gordon, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Johnny Hodges, Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet, Etta Jones, Paul Gonsalves, Hank Jones, King Curtis, Gildo Mahones, Billy Mitchell, Joe Newman, Billy Strayhorn, and with Joe Thomas and Jay McShann ~ Jackson passed away in 1994
April 28, 1928 ~ Jazz pianist Raymond Fol born in Paris, France ~ Brother of saxophonist Hubert Fol. Worked with his brother, with Claude Abadie, Boris Vian, the Be-Bop Minstrels, Piere Braslavsky, Jean-Claude Fohrenbach, Django Reinhardt, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Hodges, Dizzy Gillespie, Sidney Bechet, Claude Luter, Guy Lafitte, Stéphane Grappelli, Kenny Clarke, Duke Ellington, Paul Gonsalves, Cat Anderson, and Gérard Badini ~ Fol passed away in 1978
April 28, 1927 ~ Conductor, music director, producer Bill Walker, full name William Alfred Walker, born in Sydney, Australia ~ After working with Jim Reeves relocated to America, only to find Reeves had died in a plane crash. Music director for The Johnny Cash Show during the late 1960s, working on some 60 episodes until the show was canceled. Led the orchestra on TNN's The Statler Brother Show for it's entire seven-year existence. Served as orchestrator, producer for the likes of Eddy Arnold (Make The World Go Away), Roy Clark, Marty Robbins, Sammi Smith (Help Me Make It Through The Night), Bobby Vinton, Bob Dylan (Copper Kettle), and Donna Fargo (The Happiest Girl In The Whole USA) ~ Walker passed away in 2022
April 28, 1920 ~ James Henry Oliver, commonly known as saxophonist, bandleader Jimmy Oliver, born ~ Worked with Philly Joe Jones, Red Garland, Johnny Coles, Charlie Rice, Sam Reed, Mickey Roker, Bootsie Barnes, the Heath Brothers, Philly Joe Jones, Charlie Parker, Pearl Bailey, Max Roach, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb, Georgie Auld, Charlie Ventura, Hank Jones, and Major Holley ~ Oliver passed away in 2005
April 28, 1913 ~ Jazz singer, pianist Rose Murphy born in Xenia, Ohio, USA ~ Active since the late 1930s. Dubbed “the chee chee girl” for her unique vocal style, a high pitched voice incorporating scat singing, giggling and percussive sound effects. Best known for Busy Line ~ Murphy passed away in 1989
April 28, 1911 ~ Clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, bandleader Mario Bauzá, full name Mario Bauzá Cardénas, born in Havana, Cuba ~ One of the first to introduce Cuban music to the New York jazz scene. Best known for Tangá released in 1943, considered the first Afro-Cuban jazz recording merging jazz harmony with Afro-Cuban rhythms. Member of Cab Calloway's band in the late 1930s, and the one to urge Calloway to hire Dizzy Gillespie. Would go on to lead his own ensembles, working with sidemen including Machito, Tito Puente, Bobby Capó, Chocolate Armenteros, and Willie Colón ~ Bauzá passed away in 1993April 28, 1910 ~ Jazz guitarist Everett Barksdale born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Worked with Erskine Tate, Eddie South, Benny Carter, Sidney Bechet, Dean Barlow, Maxine Sullivan, the Blenders, Clover, Mickey & Sylvia, the Ink Spots, Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Art Tatum, Milt Hinton, Buddy Tate, Clark Terry, Louis Armstrong, the Drifters (including on Under The Boardwalk and Saturday Night At The Movies), and Ben E King ~ Barksdale passed away in 1986
April 28, 1873 ~ Violinist, pianist Harold Bauer, full name Harold Victor Bauer, born in Kingston-upon-Thames, UK ~ Child prodigy mentored by Adolf Pollitzer. Studied piano under Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Premiered Frederick Delius's Violin Sonata In B Major with Achille Rivarde in 1893. As a pianist premiered Johannes Brahms's Piano Concerto No.1 In D Minor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1900, and Claude Debussy's Children's Corner in 1908 ~ Bauer passed away in 1951