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.
February 23, 1952 ~ Kayokyoku, folk, rock, enka singer, guitarist, songwriter Miyuki Nakajima born in Sapporo, Japan ~ Critically described as Japan's female Bob Dylan. Active since the mid 1970s rose to fame with her breakout hit The Parting Song in 1977. Has recorded over three dozen albums, enjoying popularity especially during the 1980s. Well-known songs include Akuyo, Yuwaku, Unrequited Love, Shallow Sleep, Between The Sky And You, and Wanderer's Song
February 23, 1950 ~ Singer Franklyn Baur passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Active since the early 1920s. Released his first recording, If The Rest Of The World Don't Want You, for Victor in 1923. Would go on to appear on hundreds of recordings both as a solo artist and as a featured vocalist working with artists such as the Revelers, Nathaniel Shilkret, Roger Wolfe Kahn, and Paul Whiteman ~ Baur was born in 1903
February 23, 1950 ~ Progressive rock, experimental, pop rock bassist, keyboardist John Greaves born in Prestatyn, UK ~ Early member of Henry Cow, remaining with the band from 1969 through 1976. Would subsequently work with Peter Blegvad, National Health, François Ovide, the Penguin Café Orchestra, the Lodge, the Flying Lizards, Roxongs, and Jazzsongs
February 23, 1950 ~ Glam rock, hard rock bassist, keyboardist, singer Steve Priest, full name Stephen Norman Priest, born in Hayes, UK ~ Bassist of Sweet, known for songs such as Funny Funny, Little Willy, The Ballroom Blitz, Fox On The Run and Love Is Like Oxygen. Would serve as lead singer in a reunited Sweet later on ~ Priest passed away in 2020
February 23, 1950 ~ Contemporary Christian pianist, singer, conductor Tom Howard born ~ Well over a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, starting in the late 1970s. Also closely associated with Thomas Kinkade. Has collaborated with the likes of Larry Norman, the Salvation Air Force, Dennis Litchfield, Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill, Darrell Mansfield, Wendell Burton, Phil Keaggy, Sixpence None The Richer, Cindy Morgan, Bob Carlisle, Dolly Parton, and Allison Moorer ~ Howard passed away in 2010February 23, 1949 ~ R&B, pop, soul singer Larry Demps, also known as Larry Squirrel Demps, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Co-founding and longtime member of the Dramatics, remaining with the band from 1964 through 1981, rejoining in later years. Present on the band's best known including the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get and In The Rain both taken of their 1971 Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get album
February 23, 1948 ~ Singer, songwriter George Gerdes born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Alumicron Fab Tabs, which also included Loudon Wainwright III. As a solo artist known for two 1970s albums, namely Obituary and its follow-up Son Of Obituary, praised by artists such as Joni Mitchell. Ventured into acting by the 1980s ~ Gerdes passed away in 2021
February 23, 1948 ~ Philippe de Chateleux de Villeneuve Bergermont de Duras, commonly known as singer, songwriter Philippe Chatel, born in Paris, France ~ Debuted in 1976 with the album Analyse. Best known for songs such as J' T'Aime Bien Lili, Ma Lycéene, Tout Quitter Mais Tout Emporter and Mister Hyde. Would gain international recognition in 1979 writing the musical comedy Emilie Jolie. It would be adapted to a later version in 1997 and into an animated edition, directed by Chatel, in 2011. Also known as a author, notably writing the Georges Brassens biography Brassens published in 1975 ~ De Chateleux passed away in 2021
February 23, 1948 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Thom Bresh, full name Thomas Charles Bresh, born in Hollywood, California, USA ~ Son of country singer Merle Travis. Member of rock & roll outfit the Crescents, known for their instrumental song Pink Dominos released in 1963. As a solo artist best known for his 1976 single Homemade Love, a Billboard Country top 10 hit of his full-length debut album of the same name. The follow-up, Sad Country Love Song, would reach the top 20. Bresh recorded two more albums over the next few years, generating a number of modest hits ~ Bresh passed away in 2022February 23, 1945 ~ Rock drummer John Halsey born in London, UK ~ Best known as a member of the Rutles. Also worked with Timebox, Muff Winwood, Lou Reed (notably on Reed's Transformer album), Henry McCullough, Joan Armatrading, Roy Harper, Maddy Prior, Roger Chapman, Joe Cocker, the Scaffold, Grimms, Chris Jagger, Neil Innes, Vivian Stanshall, Joe Brown, Felders Orioles, and Fatso
February 23, 1944 ~ Keyboardist, pianist Florian Fricke born in Lindau-am-Bodensee, West Germany ~ Best known as keyboardist of krautrock group Popol Vuh, starting out on Moog synthesizers and switching to acoustic piano as the band evolved in a different direction. Also known for composing a number of soundtracks, most notably for film director Werner Herzog. Has also worked with Tangerine Dream, Renate Knaup, and Gila ~ Fricke passed away in 2001
February 23, 1944 ~ Singer, guitarist Johnny Winter, full name John Dawson Winter III, born in Beaumont, Texas, USA ~ Well over a dozen albums to his name since the late 1960s. When he burst onto the music scene, Winter would be hailed as “the next Jimi Hendrix” by some critics. Though Winter never fully met those near-impossible expectations, he established himself as an exceptionally talented guitarist in his own right. Cited as influence by the likes of Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. Especially acclaimed for the late 1960s, early 1970s albums Johnny Winter, Second Winter, and Johnny Winter And. Winter also produced the Muddy Waters albums Hard Again, I'm Ready, and Live, all of which were awarded a Grammy Award. Winter graced the cover of the very first issue of Guitar World in 1980, and in 1988 became the first white performer to be inducted into the the Blues Hall Of Fame ~ Winter passed away in 2014
February 23, 1938 ~ Singer Wilson Simonal, full name Wilson Simonal de Castro, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Popular 1960s singer relatively unknown outside of South America. Best known for his recordings of Pais Tropical and Sá Marina, both covered by Sérgio Mendes with the latter translated to English (Pretty World) ~ De Castro passed away in 2000February 23, 1934 ~ Singer Inger Berggren born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Best known for her renditions of Elisabeth Serenad and Sol Och Var. Berggren represented Sweden in the 1962 Eurovision Songfestival with the latter, reaching 7th place. She has also sung with Thore Ehrling, Simon Brehm and Gote Wilhelmsson ~ Berggren passed away in 2019
February 23, 1923 ~ Guitarist, banjoist, ukulele player Wout Steenhuis, full name Wouter Jan Jelmer Steenhuis, born in The Hague, the Netherlands ~ Member of the Dutch Resistance during World War II. Played in the the Dutch Swing College Band. Also a noted composer working under the pen name Jelmer. Co-wrote Stop, recorded by future Donna Summer producer Giorgio Moroder in 1966 ~ Steenhuis passed away in 1985
February 23, 1920 ~ Jazz, classical pianist Hall Overton, full name Hall Franklin Overton, born in Bangor, Michigan, USA ~ Married to singer, songwriter Nancy Overton. Spent the 1950s in jazz, rarely stepping into the spotlights but treasured as a sideman and particularly as an arranger for the likes of Stan Getz, Teddy Charles, Jimmy Raney, Red Mitchell, Jimmy Raney, and Thelonious Monk. Especially acclaimed for his orchestral arrangements for two of Monk's major dates, both captured on record, 1959's The Thelonious Monk Orchestra At Town Hall and 1963's Big Band And Quartet In Concert. In later years, Overton would focus primarily on classical music, both as an arranger and teacher. Overton also composed the opera Huckleberry Finn opera, premiered by the Juilliard Opera Company in 1971, a year prior to his death at age 52 ~ Overton passed away in 1972February 23, 1918 ~ Harold Johnson, commonly known as jazz trumpeter Money Johnson, born in Tyler, Texas, USA ~ Active since the mid 1930s. Perhaps best known for backing Nat Towles. Worked with artists such as Charlie Christian, Henry Bridges, Horace Henderson, Count Basie, Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, Bull Moose Jackson throughout the 1940s, Louis Jordan, Lucky Thompson, Sy Oliver, Buddy Johnson, Cozy Cole, Mercer Ellington, Esther Phillips and Panama Francis throughout the 1950s. Member of the house band at the famed the Apollo Theatre in the 1960. Toured the USSR with Earl Hines in 1966. Would continue to record and perform until his death of a heart attack in 1978 ~ Johnson passed away in 1978
February 23, 1917 ~ Jazz pianist, arranger, composer John Benson Brooks born in Houlton, Maine, USA ~ Co-wrote Just As Though You Were Here with Eddie DeLange, a hit for Tommy Dorsey featuring Frank Sinatra as lead vocalist. Co-wrote You Came A Long Way (From St Louis) with Bob Russell, a 1948 single for Ray McKinley. Close friend of Gil Evans, who recorded Brooks' Sirhan's Blues and Where Flamingos Fly. Has also worked as arranger for artists such as Randy Brooks, Les Brown, and Boyd Raeburn ~ Brooks passed away in 1999
February 23, 1904 ~ Josiah Frazier, commonly known as jazz drummer Cie Frazier, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Considered one of the best New Orleans drummers of his generation with a career spanning six decades, taught to play the drums by Louis Cottrell Sr. Spent most of the 1920s in quintessential ensembles led by the likes of Papa Celestin and Sidney Desvigne, worked part-time during the 1930s, and saw his career resurge in the 1940s working with bandleaders such as Percy Humphrey and Kid Howard. Frazier is well known as the regular drummer for the Eureka Brass Band with whom he also made an appearance in the 1965 The Cincinnati Kid drama film, and for his association with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band well into the 1980s ~ Frazier passed away in 1985February 23, 1685 ~ Baroque composer George Frideric Handel born in Halle, Brandenburg-Prussia ~ Well known for his oratorios, concerti grossi, organ concertos and operas. Has composed over 40 operas. Influenced later composers including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Perhaps best known for his 1742 oratoria Messiah and his 1749 suite Music For The Royal Fireworks ~ Handel passed away in 1759