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.
December 25, 1932 ~ Operatic bass singer Bonaldo Giaiotti born in Udine, Italy ~ Closely associated with the Metropolitan Opera, remaining with the company from 1960 through the mid-1980s. Has also guested with other major opera houses including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Palais Garner, the Vienna State Opera, the Teatro Real, the Zurich Opera, the Royal Opera House, and the Teatro Colón ~ Giaiotti passed away in 2018
December 25, 1932 ~ Songwriter Clive Westlake, full name Gerald Clive Westlake, born in Wattsville, UK ~ Best known for writing or co-writing a number of songs most closely associated with Dusty Springfield, including the UK top 10 hits Losing You, All I See Is You, and I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten. Also co-wrote Here I Go Again with Mort Shuman, a 1964 UK top 10 hit for the Hollies. Others who recorded his songs include Helen Shapiro, Shirley Bassey, Vera Lynn, Tom Jones (A Minute Of Your Time), Jackie Lomax, Cilla Black, Elvis Presley (It's A Matter Of Time), and Crystal Gayle ~ Westlake passed away in 2000December 25, 1932 ~ Saxophonist Heinz Sauer born in Merseburg, Germany ~ Best known as longtime collaborator of Albert Mangelsdorff. Also worked with musicians such as Bob Degen, Ralf Hubner, Günter Lenz, Stefan Schmolck, Manfred Schoof, Christopher Dell, Bertram Ritter, and Michael Wollny
December 25, 1930 ~ Singer, guitarist, label founder Al Hawkes born in Providence, Rhode Island, USA ~ Bluegrass pioneer. Radio DJ. Formed Allerton & Alton with Alton Myers, the first interracial bluegrass duo. Founded Event Records in 1956, home to many high-profile artists such as Dick Curless, Hal Lone Pine, Charlie Bailey, Lenny Breau, and Curtis Johnson. The label continued until 1962 when a warehouse fire bankrupted the company ~ Hawkes passed away in 2018
December 25, 1930 ~ Hubert Brad Lewis, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, bassist, pianist, songwriter Hugh X Lewis, born in Yeaddiss, Kentucky, USA ~ As a singer best known for a number of 1960s, 1970s singles, notably What I Need Most, I'd Better Call The Law On Me and All Heaven Broke Loose. Also known as a songwriter, his songs recorded by Stonewall Jackson (BJ The DJ), Mac Wiseman and George Morgan ~ Lewis passed away in 2020
December 25, 1929 ~ R&B, doo-wop singer Bill Horton born in Hickory, North Carolina, USA ~ Lead singer for doo-wop outfit the Silhouettes, known best for their 1957 hit Get A Job. Originally issued as the B-side to I Am Lonely, the A-side re-release would go on to sell a million copies and be the group's only hit ~ Horton passed away in 1995December 25, 1929 ~ Christophe Kenner, commonly known as R&B singer, songwriter Chris Kenner born in Kenner, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for the early 1960s hits I Like It Like That and Land Of 1,000 Dances, both of which would become R&B classics covered by numerous artists. Other well known hits include Sick & Tured, Rocket To The Moon, Life's Just A Struggle and Something You Got ~ Kenner passed away in 1976
December 25, 1927 ~ Jazz, blues, pop singer Ernie Andrews, full name Ernest Mitchell Andrews Jr, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Started as a member of the Harry James Orchestra in the late 1950s. His career declined in the 1960s and 70s but would rebound in the 1980s, recording with the Capp-Pierce Juggernaut Band, Gene Harris, Jay McShann, and the Harper Brothers. Andrews also played with Kenny Burrell, Gene Harris, Saskia Laroo, Plas Johnson, the Legacy Band, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra ~ Andrews passed away in 2022December 25, 1927 ~ Lemoine Gardner Ketcham, commonly known as singer, dancer, producer Lee Halliday, born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, USA ~ Best known as agent and producer for Johnny Hallyday, producing almost all of the latter's songs from 1961 through the mid 1970s. Previously Ketcham formed an acrobatic dance trio with two of Hallyday's cousins. Ketcham has also produced for the likes of Les Lionceaux, Herbert Léonard, Nanette Workman, Lucky Blondo, and William Sheller ~ Ketcham passed away in 2023
December 25, 1924 ~ Florence Catherine Currier, commonly known as singer, actress Jane Morgan born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ In-demand actress. As a singer has six gold albums to her name. Known for late 1950s, early 1960s songs such as Fascination, The Day The Rains Came and With Open Arms ~ Currier passed away in 2025
December 25, 1923 ~ Conductor Louis Lane, full name Louis Gardner Lane, born in Eagle Pass, Texas, USA ~ Closely associated with the Cleveland Orchestra, rising from apprentice conductor under George Szell starting in 1947 to resident conductor by the early 1970s. Also worked with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Eire Opera Theatre, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra ~ Lane passed away in 2016
December 25, 1918 ~ Jazz double bassist, composer, arranger Eddie Safranski born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Worked with Hal McIntyre, Miff Mole, Stan Kenton, Charlie Barnet, Benny Goodman, Marian McPartland, Tony Bennett, Sonny Berman, Barney Bigard, John Cacavas, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Herman, Dick Hyman, JJ Johnson, Billy Maxted, Anthony Perkins, André Previn, Joe Venuti, and Cootie Williams ~ Safranski passed away in 1974December 25, 1916 ~ Jazz guitarist Oscar Moore, full name Oscar Frederick Moore, born in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known for his association with Nat King Cole. Brother of singer Johnny Moore, with whom he also worked. Also collaborated with Leon René, Helen Humes, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, Leroy Vinnegar, Charles Brown, Lester Young, and Buddy Rich ~ Moore passed away in 1981
December 25, 1912 ~ Faye Leighton Jepson, commonly known as swing bandleader, singer Leighton Noble, born ~ Enjoyed popularity during the Swing era. Sang with the orchestras of Hal Grayson, George Hamilton, Everett Hoagland, George Olsen and perhaps most notably Orville Knapp in the mid 1930s, eventually forming his own orchestra in 1937 ~ Jepson passed away in 1994
December 25, 1908 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Alton Delmore born in Elkmont, Alabama, USA ~ Formed the duo the Delmore Brothers with his brother Rabon Delmore. The duo is known for songs such as Freight Train Boogie, Brown's Ferry Blues, Donna (Lay Down My Old Guitar), Fifteen Miles From Birmingham and perhaps their best known Blues Stay Away From Me. Artists who covered their songs include Johnny Burnette, Gene Vincent, the Louvin Brothers, Les Paul, Doc Watson, and the Everly Brothers ~ Delmore passed away in 1964
December 25, 1907 ~ Bandleader Cab Calloway, full name Cabel Calloway III, born in Rochester, New York, USA ~ Master of scat singing. Led one the most popular big bands of the 1930s and 1940s. Employed later famed sidemen such as Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Cheatham, Danny Barker, Ben Webster, Chu Berry, and Milt Hinton. Best known for Minnie The Moocher. Calloway remained popular until his death in the 1990s, and proved to be an influence on singers such as Michael Jackson and a wide array of hip-hop artists ~ Calloway passed away 1994
December 25, 1900 ~ Albert Joseph Feinberg, commonly known as orchestra, big band bandleader, songwriter Al Trace, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Popular Big band era bandleader. Has worked with Toni Arden, Bob Vincent, the Hoosier Hot Shots, and the Korn Kobblers. Has composed over 300 songs, oft in collaboration with his brother Ben Trace, Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill or Abner Silver. Well known songs written or co-written by Trace include Eileen Barton's If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake and You Call Everybody Darlin', the latter in Trace's version a No.1 hit in 1948 and later successfuly covered by the Andrews Sisters, Smiley Wilson and by Art Lund ~ Feinberg passed away in 1993
December 25, 1893 ~ Bella Becker, commonly known as singer, actress, radio host Belle Baker, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Popular 1910s, 1920s ragtime, torch singer, actress. Popularized a number of Irving Berlin songs such as Blue Skies and My Yiddishe Mama. Hosted her own radio show in the 1930s ~ Becker passed away in 1957December 25, 1892 ~ Nathan Robinson, commonly known as jazz trombonist Jim Robinson, born in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for his signature song Ice Cream. Mentor to Frank Demond and to Big Bill Bissonnette. Worked with Sam Morgan, Bunk Johnson, and George Lewis ~ Robinson passed away in 1976
December 25, 1889 ~ Natan Schüldkraut, commonly known as composer, conductor, clarinetist, pianist Nathaniel Shilkret, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Child prodigy, performing professionally as clarinet soloist with the New York Boys Orchestra from ages 7 to 13. Would go on to become an in-demand conductor for records, radio, film, stage and classical orchestras. Has worked with the Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Joe Lipman, the New York Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera, the Russian Symphony Orchestra, Victor Herbert, Arnold Volpe, Rose Bampton, Lucrezia Bori, Mary Garden, James Melton, Gladys Swarthout, and Lawrence Tibbett. As a composer best remembered for co-writing The Lonesome Road, first sung by co-author Gene Austin, popularized by Jules Bledsoe in the 1929 Show Boat film and covered by over 200 artists including Louis Armstrong, the Delmore Brothers, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, and Earl Grant ~ Shilkret passed away in 1982